Hobby Master 1/48 - FW 190 A-8/R2 IV/JG.3, August 1944 "Hauptmann Wilhelm Moritz".

Hobby Master 1/48 - FW 190 A-8/R2 IV/JG.3, August 1944 "Hauptmann Wilhelm Moritz".

In 1937 the Me-109 was an excellent aircraft but the Reich Air Ministry wanted a new advanced fighter that could out perform any future foreign designs. Kurt Tank’s Focke-Wulf Fw-190 Würger (Butcher Bird) won the design competition by using an air-cooled radial engine. When the Fw-190 entered combat in the summer of 1941 it already was Germany’s premiere piston-powered WWII fighter. Over 20,000 of all variants of the Fw-190 were built with 13,291 of these being of the 9 different “A” variants.

The Aircraft

Aircraft W.Nr. 681382 was flown by Hauptmann Wilhelm Moritz and is painted with a "Black Double Chevron" (denoting a Gruppenkommandeur). Moritz was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of IV.(Sturm)/JG 3 on 18 April 1944. His Gruppe specialized in anti-bomber operations flying heavily armoured and armed Focke-Wulf Fw-190. On October 1st, Moritz was promoted to the rank of Major. However on December 5th, Moritz had a nervous breakdown and was relieved from command of IV.(Sturm)/JG 3. Over the length of his career Moritz flew more than 500 missions and credited with 44 victories.

Specifications :

Dimensions:	Wingspan – 10.5 m (34 ft 5 in)
	Wing Area – 18.3 m (197 sq ft)
	Length – 8.96 m (29 ft 5 in)
	Height – 3.96 m (13 ft)
Weight:	Empty – 3,470 kg (7,650 lb)
	Maximum – 4,900 kg (10,800 lb)
Performance:	Engine – BMW 801D 1,700 hp 14-cylinder radial engine
	Maximum Speed – 657 kph (408 mph) (335 kts)
	Service Ceiling – 10,300 m (33,800 ft)
	Range – 800 km (500 mi) (435 nmi)
Armament:	(2) 13 mm Machine Guns plus
	(4) 20 mm cannon or
	(2) 20 mm cannons plus
	(2) 30 mm cannons