BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE AIRCRAFT
The Fw190 is a small, compact, single-seat, single-engined, low wing monoplane fighter. There are fittings under the fuselage to enable it to carry bombs or a jettisonable fuel tank. It has a fully retractable undercarraige and partially retractable tail wheel. The mainplane is fully cantilever and is fitted with split flaps of metal construction. The flaps have four positions: retracted, 15 degrees for take-off, 30 degrees for use in the event of a baulked landing, and fully down for landing. Operation is by means of three electric push buttons.
The power unit is a BMW801-D, 14-cylinder, 2-row radial engine, fitted with a two-speed supercharger giving the best performance at 9,000 and 18,000ft. Between 5,000 and 8,000ft the performance of the engine falls off as it is just below the height where the two-speed supercharger come into operation. The estimated power of the engine is 1,700hp at the maximum power altitude of 18,000ft. The engine oil coolers and induction system are totally enclosed by an extremely neat cowling and cooling is assisted by an engine driven fan behind the propeller.
The constant speed VDM 3-bladed metal propeller is electronically operated. It is automatically controlled by an hydrolic governor and if required manually, by an electric switch on the pilot’s throttle lever.
The undercarriage is retracted by pushing a red button. The operation for lowing the undercarriage consists of pushing a green button and releasing the undercarriage locks by pulling a level which is situated on the left-hand side of the cockpit. In the even tof an electrical failure, the only emergency method of lowering the undercarriage is by means of this lever, gravity completing the operation. The tailwheel is partially retracted and lowered mechanically by a cable attached to the starboard undercarriage leg. It is fully castoring and can be locked for take-off and landing by holding the control column right back.
All the control surfaces are fabric covered and are fitted with metal trimming tabs which can be adjusted only on the ground. For trimming, the tailplain is adjustable in flight over the range of +5 degrees to -3 degrees. It is operated electrically by two push buttons governing the up and down movements. There is a visual indicator in the cockpit.
The armament consists of 4x20mm guns in the wing and 2x1.92mm chaine guns in the engine cowlings. The all-up weight of the aircraft, including pilot, is approximately 8,600lbs and the wing loading is 41.8lbs/sqft.
PILOT’S COCKPIT
The cockpit is fully enclosed and although rather narrow is otherwise extremely comfortable. The pilot’s position is excellent and as his feet are level with the seat, it enables him to withstand high acceleration forces without blacking out. The positioning of all instruments is excellent and all controls fall easily to the pilot’s hand, the absence of unnecessary levers and gadgets being particularly noticeable. The front panel is in two pieces, the top containing the primary flying and engine instruments and the lower panel the secondary instruments. Cut-out switches for the electrical citcuits are housed in hinged flaps on the starboard side.
The switches and indicators for the operation of the undercarriage, flaps and tail incidence are situated on the port side. The control column is the standard German fighter type with a selector switch and firing button for guns, and a send./receive button for the wireless.
The cockpit canopy, which is made of moulded plexiglass, is well shaped and extends far back along the fuselage. The bullit-proof windscreen has a pronounced shape which is unusual. The canopy can be slid back for entry and exit and for taxi-ing, operation being buy means of a crank handle similar to that in the Westland Whirlwind. The enclosure can be jettisoned in an emergency by pressing a red level on the starboard side; this unlocks the hood and detonates a cartridge which breaks teh runners and blows the canopy off. Heating for teh cockpit appears efficient and cooling is effected by a small flap on the port side and seems quite sufficient for the pilot;’s comfort.
ARMOUR PLATE
The pilot’s bucket seat is made of 8mm armour plate and the unprotected gaps behind are fitted shaped strips varying in thickness between 5mm and 6mm. The pilot’s head and shoulders are protected by shaped amour plate 13mm thick and the windscreen is of bullet-proof glass about 1 ¾ in thick. Both fuel tanks are self-sealing. The oil tank, which is situated in front of the engine cowling, is protected by a ring of armour plate varying in thickness, and the tank itself is surrounded by a toughened steel ring.
RADIO
The wireless installation is the old type FuG7 and the only unusual feature is that there is no wireless mast, there being instead a short aerial between the tail fin and the cockpit canopy.
OXYGEN
The aircraft is fitted with standard improved Hohenatmer oxygen equipment with Blazer attachment, giving pure oxygen at high altitude. Three bottles of unusual shape are the source of the supply. It was not possible to test the efficiency of this equipment but it is understood that the RAE are carrying out investigations and will render a report in due course.
COMPASS
A Patin Distant Reading Pilot’s Compass is installed in the centre of the dashboard and the Master Unit is in the rear of the fuselage. An aircraft silhouette takes the place of the normal needle and indicates the direction which the aircraft is flying. There is an adjustable verge ring which can be set to any desired course and the aircraft then turned until the silhouette is pointing to the course selected. The compass generally of excellent design and the dial is situated in a position where it can be easily seen by the pilot. The magnet is many times more powerful that in our compasses, and as a result is less affected by northerly turning and acceleration errors. It is also unaffected by current or voltage fluctuations, or changes in temperature.
