Fraser Gray photos courtesy of the Imperial War Museum, London
In designing the German Fw 190 Würger (Shrike, also called butcher bird), Kurt Tank no doubt was aware of Howard Hughes’ radial-engined H1 racer and how its extra horsepower offset the aerodynamic advantages of an in-line engine. Like Hughes’ design, Tank’s streamlined aircraft combined speed with clear practical advantages. The radial engine was easier to manufacture and service, and the lack of a radiator meant fewer parts to manufacture (and go wrong). Additionally, the engine provided a massive shield for the pilot in frontal attacks. The plane’s sturdy construction included the innovative use of electrically operated control surfaces and undercarriage to replace combat-vulnerable hydraulic systems. It even had explosive charges to jettison the canopy.
The Fw 190 was produced by a group of several subcontractors. This decentralized manufacturing system made it an elusive target for enemy bombers, and its production actually increased during the intensification of the Allied bombing campaign. The Fw 190 was refined and improved throughout the war, eventually capable of challenging American bombers at 30,000 feet.
Tank’s fighter had become the backbone of Germany’s fighter strength. With this success, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) allowed him to attach his name to subsequent designs such, as the high-speed, high-altitude interceptors Ta 152 and Ta 153.
In modeling Tamiya’s 1/48 scale Fw 190F-8 fighter/bomber, Fraser had the advantage of having an excellent 1:1 scale reference nearby his home in Orpington, Kent, England: the Fw 190A-8 hanging in the Large Exhibits Gallery of the Imperial War Museum in London. He was able to take his own shots of the German fighter to decide which features to correct or augment in his own model. Fraser thanks the Imperial War Museum for allowing him to take these photos and share them with you.
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Even though his best reference wears a classic Northern Europe scheme, Fraser dressed his 190 in Italian-style “trop” camouflage. He depicted a hasty field application with touches such as the unmasked, partially obscured insignia on the fuselage and tail.
