All B3 delivered to the Eastern front were used. 30 were produced before production lines were stopped. They were utilized with the B2 from November 44 trickling out to the front in twos and fives until all Hs129 units pulled out of the East at the end. As Hs129 groups were converting to Fw190 they were passed around to remaining Hs129 units across the front. One 7,5BK round would destroy any tank the Russians fielded. They were highly effective in some of the same ground attack rolls the B25H was and didn't focus entirely on tanks. A perk would solve the potency problem.
Not entirely true. There are only 26 serial numbers from the factory roster. Of those, most went to an operational testing unit, NOT a frontline attack unit. Define used? They tested the practical uses of the weapons system on captured and stationary targets, away from front lines. They also destroyed their airframes on the ground when retreating some months later. They found several key setbacks on using the large gun including cracks on the airframe after use. As to the 1 or 2 that may have trickled to an actual front-line unit, you couldn't even claim they were in unit strength.
You have a similar problem with the 190D-12 -- limited numbers and may have reached greater distribution had the war continued.
The 190 A-9 didn't have an engine any stronger than the A-8. The myth of the A-9 having a more powerful engine never really materialized.
Oh ok, I looked it up more thoroughly, 2 or 3 were MAYBE built.
According to "The History of German Aviation: KURT TANK: FOCK-WULF'S DESIGNER AND TEST PILOT" by Wolfgang Wagner ©1998 Schiffer Publishing,
"A series of prototypes were made available for testing the new Fw 190A-9 series and its more powerful, improved BMW 801 engine. These included V34(410230, V 35(816, BMW 801TU), V36, V72(170727, BMW 801TS), V73(733705) and V74(733713). Work on these aircraft had been completed by September 1944. Neither the BMW 801TS, 801TU nor the 801TH were equipped with exhause turbochargers, as has often been erroneously assumed, but was initially planned to utilize the BMW 801F for the A-9, but this engine was not completed until the final days of the war--and even then only a single example was available. The TS, TU and TH engine were completely interchangeable with theand could be swapped with the BMW 801D. Performance had increased to 1470kw/2000hp for take off and ermgency power at 2700 rpm, 1.65 atas boost pressure at fuel consumption rate of 290g/hp/hr. The motor evidenced changes to the oil cooler, plus the armor for the cooler and oil tank had been increased to 10 and 6mm, respectively. The exhause system also now made use of single pipes."
"Production of the Fw 190A-9 was to have begun in Septemeber/October 1944. Two versions were planned: and A-9/R11 with the TS engine for all-weather combat and an A-9/R8, also with the TS, as a Sturm-jeager with thicker armor. It cannnot be determined with certainty wether the A-9 ever entered full scale production in any great numbers. According to Focke-Wulf documents, a specific deadline had been set for production to begin. In additiion to the previously mentioned conversion kits, it was also planned to have the airplane make use of the R1, R2, R3 and R12. However, RLM files covering actual production numbers make no mention of the A-9. It is just as likely that production was dropped in favor of the F-series, particularly since the anticipated BMW 801F never materialized and the BMW TS and Tu enginse were only delivered in small quanitities."
The BMW801TS/TU or TH wre deliberatly laid out as interim stages toward the planned 801F. The BMW 801TS caused many accidents in its early operational stages because the Kommandogeraet's servo valve often became stuck; as a result, the engine would not respond when throttle was applied on landing approach or during missed approaches. A provisiional solution to this aggravating tendency was the fitting of a so-called "primer" which the pilot could pull it such cases.
The single BMW 801F was installed in an aircraft during the last days of the war for testing purposes. It had been designed as a replacement for the 801D and attained an output of 1764 kw/2400hp.
While the He162 would be cool, it also wasn't super maneuverable, had a very short range, structural limitations to maneuvers, but it did see combat. Two units were equipped with them, one of them being a hastily trained Hitler Youth unit, and while it spent most of its time in hiding or being attacked on runways due to lack of fuel, it was actually shot down in combat a few times. That would count.
