5 Facts About The Spitfire’s Most Feared Opponent
YouTube / Imperial War Museums
The Focke-Wulf 190 earned a reputation as one of the deadliest fighters of the Second World War, and rightly so.
Here are five interesting facts that you need to know about the Spitfire’s most feared opponent:
5. The Focke-Wulf is hunched like a pitbull
Although other German planes like the Messerschmitt 109 are sleek and aerodynamic, the Focke-Wulf is hunched like a pit bull.
It had a very strong design, tapered wing edges, could roll very fast, and could also take a lot of beating from enemy planes.
4. As brilliant as it is, it’s not without issues
The cooling of its huge powerful engines was a problem. Some of the pilots enjoyed it as they’d like to keep their feet warm, but it’s not good for the engine.
These problems were eventually ironed out and they started to appear in squadron service in early 1942.
3. It was well-liked by Luftwaffe pilots
When the Focke-Wulf became successful, famous German aces switched to this aircraft such as Otto Kittle and Walter Nowatny.
Another famous ace was Joseph ‘Pips’ Priller who shot down over 60 Spitfires with his Focke-Wulf.
2. Even Allied aces were impressed with the aircraft
When Johnnie Johnson, who was the highest-scoring RAF fighter pilot of WWII, first encountered the Focke-Wulf 190, he was so amazed by the fighter’s performance.
He presented his reports to his officers as soon as he got back, exclaiming how deadly these airplanes were that had him and his Spitfire pilots for breakfast.
1. The Focke-Wulf held an advantage until they introduced the Spitfire Mk IX Variant
The Spitfire Mk IX had a two-speed, two-stage supercharged Merlin engine of about 1,700 hp to tip the balance against the Focke-Wulf.
