From the time of its appearance in 1939 the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was one of the best fighter aircraft of the Second World War - a masterpiece produced by chief designer Kurt Tank. In 1943 he developed a new fighter aircraft based on this successful concept. The project soon deviated far from the original Fw 190 concept and as an honor to the designer it was designated the Ta 152. The great performance potential of this fighter was obvious from the very first prototypes of the Ta 152A and Ta 152C. Unfortunately, however, production was limited to a few examples. But at the same time Focke-Wulf was developing the Ta 152H high-altitude fighter which, powered by the Jumo 213E and equipped with a pressurized cockpit, was capable of reaching altitudes on the order of 35,000 feet and speeds in excess of 430 mph. A few Ta 152Hs saw action at the beginning of 1945 and they made an excellent impression on their pilots. Compared to the older fighters they exhibited significantly better flight characteristics and performance at high altitude. The Ta 152 could also stand up to the best Allied fighter aircraft, such as the American P-51 Mustang. On account of its unfamiliar shape the pilots of Bf 109s sometimes mistook it for an enemy aircraft and attacked. The heavy Allied bombing at the end of the war prevented production from beginning as planned, and as a result only a very few Ta 152Hs could be delivered. With the aid of a large number of photographs - some previously unpublished - and drawings, this book details the development history of the Ta 152, one of the most advanced fighter aircraft of its day. But it also illustrates the hopelessness of Germany's efforts late in the war to deploy advanced aircraft in large numbers.

In late 1944, the German Air Ministry organised what it called an 'Emergency Fighter Competition' intended to produce designs for quick-to-build yet technically and tactically effective jet fighter aircraft capable of tackling the anticipated arrival of the B-29 Superfortress over Europe, as well as the British Mosquito and US P-38 Lightning which were appearing in ever greater numbers. Thus was born a cutting-edge, highly sophisticated series of aircraft including the futuristic and elegant Focke-Wulf Ta 183; the extraordinary Blohm und Voss P.212, and the state-of-the-art Messerschmitt P.1101 series. Armed with heavy cannon and the latest air-to-air rockets and missiles, these were designed to inflict carnage on American bomber formations at high speed. Using stunning three-view illustrations of each prototype along with full colour artwork, aviation expert Robert Forsyth traces the history of the extraordinary aircraft of the 'Emergency Fighter Competition', Hitler's last throw of the dice in the air war against the Allies.

The events of World War 2 proved beyond any doubt that the strategic bombing campaign greatly contributed to the Allies' ultimate victory over Nazi Germany. British night bombing raids and daylight carpet bombing missions flown by the USAAF crews rained destruction on German cities killing thousands of civilians in the process. Amidst this massive loss of civilian life the destruction of German industrial targets seemed almost like a side note. The arms race that kicked off even before the war began produced military aircraft capable of reaching ever higher operational ceilings. At first thin air at high altitudes was the domain of reconnaissance machines, but before long fighter and bomber aircraft began to venture there as well. In those early days high-altitude flight was a challenging business: it required the use of pressurized cockpits and boosted powerplants capable of delivering adequate power at altitude.

The Focke-Wulf Ta 152 was a high-performance airplane produced in small numbers that appeared late in the war. It was the culmination of a research and development program that brought together an advance high-performance engine within an innovative airframe. These, in conjunction with an entirely new wing, allowed the Ta 152 to outperform its contemporaries at all altitudes. Presented are five enlightening and lavishly illustrated chapters, each woven around a twelve month period beginning in 1941. Read about test pilots and operational crews who flew the fighter into combat. Too, learn why the Germans rushed the Ta 152 into production while at the same time it was undergoing continuous testing and evaluation. Only one example of the Ta 152 survives and is part of the unrestored collection of WW2 fighters at the National Air and Space Museum. Many of the photos in this title have never been previously published. The descriptive line drawings offer complete three views, sectionals, charts, detail views and general arrangement drawings including maps. Full color profiles by leading illustrators detail camouflage and markings as interpreted from the provided photos. Four appendices include: camouflage, insignia and markings; production and Werknummern; specifications, weights, performance and equipment; pilot operating instructions and systems. This history of the Ta 152 and its lesser known cousin the Ta 153 is also a colorful journey into the Third Reich. It occurs in a time when the political and military interests of the dictatorship were clouded under a veil of self-deception. It is a story of strong rivalries, of divided loyalties and outright survival, all of which ultimately proved disastrous for the Nazi regime. This story also addresses a cast of characters that include the chief of state, his deputies, and the chief executive officers of competing aircraft companies, designers, engineers, test pilots and front-line fighter units.

The Focke-Wulf Ta 152 was designed as a high altitude fighter, which could engage American heavy bombers and their escorts on equal terms. Work on this aircraft began in 1943 and the design was referred to as Spezial H�henj�ger (special high altitude fighter). The RLM soon gave it the official designation Ta 152. Professor Kurt Tank procured three basic design variants: Normalj�ger (conventional fighter), H�henj�ger (high altitude fighter) and Schlachtflugzeug (attack aircraft). The conventional fighter was developed as Ta 152 C version, the high altitude fighter as Ta 152 H, and the attack aircraft as Ta 152 B. The conventional fighter was tested with the use of four prototypes, powered by Daimler-Benz DB 603 E and EC engines, rated at 1,800 hp. Production aircraft were to be powered by DB 603 L engines rated at 2,000 hp. The prototypes were completed during 3 November 1944 - 15 January 1945. The high altitude version was given the highest priority, and the first production version was the Ta 152 H-0 powered by a Junkers Jumo 213 E engine rated at 1,750 hp on take-off, armed with one 30-mm MK 108 cannon and two 20-mm MG 151/20 cannons. The Ta 152 H-1 version had the fuel capacity enlarged by 400 liters and provisions for GM 1 or MW 50 installations, temporarily boosting engine power at high altitudes. Production totaled 67 Focke-Wulf Ta 152 aircraft of all versions (mostly Ta 152 H) by the end of the war. Those few pilots who had the opportunity to fly the Ta 152 H in combat emphasized its high speed, outstanding performance at high altitude, and very short turn radius in horizontal maneuvers. Ofw. Josef Keil of JG 301 shot down five Allied aircraft flying a Ta 152 H, thus becoming the only Ta 152 ace.

Jagdgeschwader 301 and 302 were established in 1943. Their mission was to intercept enemy bombers at night flying fast single-engined fighters. But they also had to engage Allied bombers by day. The pilots of these new fighter wings were a mix of former bomber pilots and trained fighter pilots - a unique composition for the Luftwaffe. Night missions required good instrument training, like that given to bomber pilots. The fighter pilots were more familiar with the available aircraft and combat tactics. A former fighter pilot himself, Willi Reschke describes the difficulties of crossing over from day to night fighting and vice-versa. He describes the difficult missions flown by JG 301/JG 302 and the fates of their pilots, providing the first chronicle of the "Wilde Sau" Geschwader.

This book covers the complete development history of those variants of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 powered by inline engines. The first Fw 190 equipped with a Daimler Benz liquid-cooled engine took to the air in early 1942, followed six months later by another powered by a Jumo 213. Production of the Fw 190 C, Fw 190 D and Ta 153 was delayed by the German air ministry. Not until 1944, by which time Germany had lost control of the air, did the Fw 190 D-9, an interim fighter powered by the Jumo 213 A, enter production. The Fw 190 D-9 proved an immediate success, largely due to an excellent prototype test program under Dipl.Ing. Hans Sander. The type quickly entered service with the Luftwaffe and more than 1,700 examples were completed by the end of the war. The Fw 190 D-9 gave rise to a number of improved variants with the more powerful Jumo 213 F engine and a heavier armament, however only a handful of the D-11 and D-13 versions were completed. With a maximum speed of 750 km/h, the Fw 190 D-12 powered by the new Jumo 213 EB would have represented the apex of Fw 190 development. The proposed Fw 190 D-14 and D-15, both powered by improved versions of the dive-bombers 603, came too late to see service with the Luftwaffe.

The twin-engined Focke-Wulf Fw 187 was a contemporary of the Messerschmitt Bf 110, however production was limited to a handful of prototypes. So far the story of this largely forgotten fighter has been shrouded in darkness. Developed by Professor Kurt Tank, the Fw 187 first flew in the summer of 1937. Not only was it faster than any other German fighter with similar engines, it was also earmarked for record attempts which had to be abandoned with the outbreak of war. The debacle of the Me 210, which was supposed to succeed the Bf 110, revived the Fw 187s fortunes. With a speed of 700 km/h, it was faster than any contemporary fighter and was considered as a replacement for the Me 210. Once again, however, no production contract was forthcoming. The few Fw 187s built served in industry defense and were later operated by the Vaerløse Aerial Gunnery School. This little-known aircraft is documented with numerous photographs and drawings, many of them never before published. This is a book for aviation enthusiasts and modelers, which closes a significant gap in German aviation history.