The Focke-Wulf 190 A Famous German Fighter

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{detailed description}***This copy has a loosely inserted bookplate, serial number 154, signed by all seven contributors***
The story of the Fw 190 and its successor, the Ta 152, the third book in the Harleyford `Fighter' series, is in many ways different from the second and previous one on the Messer-schmitt 109. While Willy Messerschmitt's design was enthusiastically supported from all sides, Kurt Tank, designer of the Fw 190, had to battle from the outset for the acceptance of his concept for a fighter-one that was eventually to influence even British fighter design-and this conflict with his own side persists throughout its development. Beset by problems that might have daunted a lesser man, Tank's story is fascinating for its personal aspects, apart from the technical details of the aircraft he designed.
Starting by tracing the history of the original Focke-Wulf company in pre-war days, the book follows through with the designs that led ultimately to the Fw 190, in parallel with the exciting story of Kurt Tank himself. With the history of this famous fighter, this book acquires the status of a truly great work by the fact that it is not only a detailed study of the design, research and engineering aspect of an aircraft type, but also the intensely human story of the German fighter force in the 19391945 War, for it was the selfless devotion of its pilots, engineers and mechanics, that made the Fw 190 such a dominant factor in the Luftwaffe and, indeed, on the course of that war.
While the Battle of Britain raged and the Spitfire (subject of the first of the books in the Harleyford 'Fighter' series), was dominant, the Fw 190 was being developed. Its first clashes with the R.A.F. came in 1941 and by 1942 it out-stripped the contemporary Spitfires. So the story for air superiority develops and continues with highlights such as the air umbrella of Fw 190s arranged when the German warships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen made their dramatic Channel dash and battled in sight of an Fw 190 airfield; the Allied air umbrella over the Dieppe landings and how the Fw 190s were practically eliminated by supply problems. Spitfires, Mustangs, Thunderbolts and Lightnings, and the various Russian fighter types enter the story as it progresses.
Turning to the vast 1,800 mile Russian Front much new revealing information has been made available in the reports of those participating. It is almost breath-taking to re-live this period through the eyes of Luftwaffe pilots. One learns of the fight against the Russian Forces and attacks on their Vementers' (Illuyshin 2) bombers. Back to the West, the desperate struggle with the 'Furniture Vans' (Fortresses) and 'Indians' (Mustangs) over France and the Low Countries and then over Germany itself, are chronicled with the various counter-measures adopted from upward-firing projectiles to ramming tactics. Apart from the Eastern and Western Fronts, the Fw 190 in the North African Campaign, in the Balkans and in Italy is fully covered.
The combat reports of such aces as Trautloft and Schack and the lesser-known participants such as `Emmes' Schmidt give the reader a new angle on aerial combat. By the help given by the German Fighter Association it has been made possible to publish for the first time battle orders of the German fighter forces at different periods of the war, including a complete Fighter Force Order of Battle at the time of the final collapse giving all units and aircraft types-thereby 'showing the relative importance of the Fw 190-together with numbers of aircraft on strength. This is documentation to a degree never before achieved for this critical stage of the war, and is enhanced further by the details of the overtures made to Tank after the collapse by the British, Americans and Russians to enlist his aid.
To complete this superb history twenty-four Fw 190 and Ta 152 variants are the subject of 1/72nd scale full-page three-view tone paintings by W. F. Hepworth. Four pages in full colour by H. Löbner illustrate twelve representative aircraft in their various camouflage schemes and unit and squadron markings according to role and theatre of operations. Also in full colour is a frontispiece painted by J. D. Carrick. A comprehensive table covers not only all Fw 190 variants but all Focke-Wulf and Kurt Tank designs, including projects from their pre-war inception to the present day.
Photographic illustrations in profusion, a characteristic of all Harleyford books, excel in this latest work which presents over 360, many from private collections never before published, on all aspects of the Fw 190-showing the men who flew and maintained the many versions on all the various Fronts.
Heinz J. Nowarra, the author, has stated that never before has he been able to present such a detailed history of a single aircraft type. The reader, as he turns the pages of this book will find this to be abundantly true, for the author has indeed produced a classic story to portray in very considerable detail a history of this famous German fighter.
A host of helpers have assisted in producing fact and figures resulting in a detailed com-pilation to an unprecedented degree, for the difficulties in recording German aviation history from records obtained by Russians, Americans, British and French in 1945 must be appreciated. A member of the present FockeWulf company worked for more than a year delving into remaining records and piecing together those scattered. The benefit of his researches, bringing to light much hitherto unpublished information, and the files and records of the wartime company were made available to the author through the courtesy of Vereingte Flugzeugwerke, formerly the Focke-Wulf Company. In these respects this book is unique among those recording air history from the German point of view.
To present the British point of view the Fw 190s impact on the Allies is presented in a supplement to the main text by Bruce Robertson and confirms British losses against this fighter, and explains the various marking schemes, with accompanying illustrations, with which Typhoons, Tempests and Thunderbolts were marked to avoid confusion with their Fw 190 opponents.
With every avenue having been explored to cover every possible aspect, this book is not only a 'must' for the collector of aviation books but, presented as it is against a background of history, it is of prime importance to those who wish to broaden their knowledge of the air fighting in the 1939-1945 War.

***This copy has a loosely inserted bookplate, serial number 154, signed by all seven contributors***

{Author / Publisher / Date}by Heinz Nowarra
Harleyford 1965 1st edn. 212pp profusely illustrated with b&w photos, tone drawings, colour drawings etc. 22x28 very good, d/j very slight edge wear. This copy has a loosely inserted bookplate, serial number 154, signed by all seven contributors.
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