Focke-Wulf Ta 152
Encyclopedia
The Focke-Wulf Ta 152 was a World War II
German high-altitude fighter
-interceptor
designed by Kurt Tank
and produced by Focke-Wulf
. The Ta 152 was a development of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190
aircraft. It was intended to be made in at least three versions—the Ta 152H Höhenjäger ("high-altitude fighter"), the Ta 152C designed for medium-altitude operations and ground-attack using a different engine and smaller wing, and the Ta 152E fighter-reconnaissance
aircraft with the engine of the H model and the wing of the C model.
The first Ta 152H entered service with the Luftwaffe in January 1945. While total production—including prototypes and pre-production aircraft—has been incorrectly estimated in one source at approximately 220 units, only some 43 production aircraft were ever delivered before the end of the European conflict. These were too few to allow the Ta 152 to make a significant impact on the air war.
bomber
s with better altitude capabilities, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (German Air Ministry, or "RLM") requested proposals from both Focke-Wulf and Messerschmitt for a high-altitude interceptor. Messerschmitt answered with the Bf 109H, and Focke-Wulf with the Fw 190 Raffat-1, or Ra-1, (fighter), Ra-2 (high-altitude fighter) and Ra-3 (ground-attack aircraft).
These designs developed into the Fw 190 V20 (Ta 152A), V30 (Ta 152H) and V21 (Ta 152B) prototype
s, all based on the then successful Fw 190 D-9 but with varying degrees of improvement. The V20 used the same Jumo 213E engine as the Fw 190 D-9, while the V21 used the DB 603E. Neither of these offered any significant improvement over the Fw 190 D-9, and so further development of the Ta 152A and B was cancelled. The V21 airframe, however, was further modified as the V21/U1 and became the prototype for the Ta 152C.
Kurt Tank originally designed the Ta 152 using the Daimler-Benz DB 603
engine as it offered better high-altitude performance and also a greater developmental potential. The DB 603 had been used in the Fw 190C with many problems and was considered too difficult to implement in the Ta 152 by RLM officials. With this in mind, Tank focused his efforts on the Junkers Jumo 213
E as the Ta 152H's power plant. However, he insisted that the Daimler-Benz DB 603
be retained for the Ta 152C versions and as an option for later versions of the Ta 152H.
The Ta 152's fuselage
was an extended version of the Fw 190 D-9 fuselage with wider-chord fixed vertical tail surfaces (especially the top half), and hydraulic rather than electrically-controlled undercarriage
and flaps
. Due to the changes in the center of gravity
and overall balance, the nose was also lengthened. Wingspan
was changed from the Fw 190's 10.51 m (34 ft 5 in) for both versions. The H had a span of 14.44 m (48 ft 6 in) and the C a wingspan of 11.00 m (36 ft 1 in).
The Ta 152 also featured the FuG 16ZY and FuG 25a radio equipment(some aircraft were issued with FuG 125 Hermine D/F for navigation and blind landing, LGW-Siemens K 23 autopilot
, and a heated armorglass windscreen for bad-weather operations).
Fuel capacity was 595 L (157 US gal) for the H-0 model, with the option of a 300 L (80 US gal) drop tank
on the centerline. The H-1 model carried an additional 454 L (120 US gal) of fuel in six unprotected bag tanks in the wings; typically, one of these tanks was used to hold the MW 50
methanol-water mixture and another for GM-1
nitrous oxide
. The H-1 could also carry a 300 L (80 US gal) underbelly drop tank.
cockpit
was added to the H models. The canopy was sealed via a circular tube filled with rubber foam which was inflated by a compressed air bottle, while the engine compartment was also sealed from the cockpit with a rubber foam ring. A Knorr 300/10 air compressor provided the pressure, maintaining the cockpit at .36 atmospheres (5.29 psi) above 8,000 m (26,250 ft). To prevent fogging, the windscreen was of a double-pane style with a 6 mm (.32 in) thick outer pane and a 3 mm (.118 in) inner pane with a 6 mm (.24 in) gap. The gap was fitted with several silica gel
capsules to absorb any moisture forming between the panes.
The aircraft had an increased wingspan compared to the previous Fw 190 design, as a further accommodation towards better high-altitude performance. Due to the war's impact on aluminum
availability, the wing was built around two steel spars
, the front extending from just past the landing gear attachment points, and the rear spar spanning the entire wing. The wing itself was designed with 3° of washout, from the root to the flap-aileron
junction, to prevent the ailerons from stalling before the center section of the wing. This design allowed the pilot to maintain roll control during a stall and extreme flight envelope manoeuvres.
The Ta 152H boasted excellent high-altitude performance, using a Jumo 213E
engine (a high-altitude version of the Jumo 213A/C used in the Fw 190D), a two-stage, three-speed supercharger
and the MW 50
methanol-water mixture engine boost system.
Motorkanone cannon centered within the propeller hub and two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons located in the wing roots. The C-model was designed to operate at lower altitudes than the H-model, and had even heavier armament consisting of one 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 firing through the propeller hub, and four 20 mm MG 151/20s. Two of the 20 mm guns were mounted above and aft of the engine (in the forward upper fuselage decking), and the other two in the wing roots. The cockpit was not pressurized in the C models. The Ta 152C could destroy the heaviest enemy bombers with a short burst but the added weight decreased speed and rate of turn.
In late 1944, Kurt Tank
reported that while flying an unarmed Ta 152H to a meeting at the Focke-Wulf plant in Cottbus
, he saw two P-51 Mustang
s. He made his escape by engaging the MW 50 boost, opening the throttle wide to gain maximum speed to escape the enemy fighters, and left the two Mustangs behind him. There is no evidence from Allied reports that these P-51s ever saw him.
temperature monitoring, and in several instances the landing gear failed to properly retract. A total of up to 20 pre-production Ta 152 H-0s were delivered from November 1944 to Erprobungskommando
Ta 152 to service test the airplane. It was reported that test pilots were able to conduct a mere 31 hours of flight tests before full production started. By the end of January 1945, only 50 hours or so had been completed. The Ta 152 was not afforded the time to work out all the little quirks and errors plaguing all new designs. These problems proved impossible to rectify given the situation in Germany towards the end of the war, and only two Ta 152C remained operational when Germany surrendered.
III./Jagdgeschwader 301
, initially a Luftwaffe Wilde Sau
unit, was ordered to convert to the type in January 1945, which it did (and flew them operationally for a short time). In the end, available Ta 152s were pooled in a special Stabstaffel JG 301, first based at Alteno, then at Neustadt-Glewe
in Mecklenburg.
The Stabstaffel never had more than 15 Ta 152Hs available, both H-0s and H-1s.
Since the usual transfer system had broken down, pilots had to look for additional 152s themselves.
An early Ta 152 combat occurred on 14 April 1945 when Oberfeldwebel Willi Reschke
tried to intercept a De Havilland Mosquito
over Stendal, but failed to catch up due to engine trouble.
On the evening of that same day, Reschke was to demonstrate that the Ta 152H could be used as a low-altitude fighter. A section of four Hawker Tempest
Vs of 486(NZ) Squadron
were out on patrol. After attacking a train near Ludwigslust
, the section split up into pairs; Wing Commander
Brooker ordered the Tempests flown by Flying Officer
S.J. Short and Warrant Officer
Owen J. Mitchell to make their own way back to base. On the way back, this pair, which was strafing targets along the railway tracks near Ludwigslust, was spotted by lookouts posted at Neustadt-Glewe. Three Ta 152s—flown by Reschke, Oberstleutnant
Aufhammer and Oberfeldwebel Sattler—were scrambled, catching the Tempests by surprise. Reschke declared:
Mitchell (a rookie with just a month and half of experience on the front-line) was flying the Tempest and was killed on impact with the ground. It is thought that Stattler had been shot down by either Short or Bill Shaw of 486 Sqn, who claimed a Bf 109 in the same area (the Ta 152s were mistaken for 109s).
Operational missions were flown in April 1945 from Neustadt, mostly escorting close support aircraft to the Battle of Berlin
.
On 24 April, Reschke claimed two Yakovlev Yak-9
s near Berlin. It seems that three often reported victory claims by Obfw. Walter Loos
, on 24, 25 and 30 April ), cannot be attributed to Ta 152 (Loos himself denied that, stating that he never shot down a single enemy fighter while flying the Ta 152 ).
At the end of the war the Ta 152 score was likely seven victories and four losses in air combat (a little degree of uncertainty about those numbers does exist).
Four victories were achieved by Josef Keil, from 1 March 1945 to 21 April 1945. The statement that he had five victories on Ta 152 is unsubstantiated and is shown to be false by matching score table and dates. The Ta 152 was delivered to JG 301 on 27 February 1945 and the first Ta 152 combat action against American bombers happened on 2 March 1945, so his victory against a B-17 on 20 February 1945 couldn't have been achieved flying that type of fighter. Alternatively, this results from an incorrect reading of published sources such as Lowe because JG 301 had the Ta 152 in service from late January 1945, and individual missions such as Keil's could well have been flown.
At least three victories were achieved by Willi Reschke.
The four losses in air combat were: Hptm. Hermann Stahl, KIA on 11 April 1945; Obfw. Sepp Sattler, KIA on 14 April 1945; two unknown JG11 pilots, downed by Spitfires in the last days of April 1945 during transfer from Neustadt-Glewe to Leck airfield.
The total Ta 152 production is not well known but 43 are identified, (H-0 and H-1) with c.6 prototypes.
Ta 152 C-1
Ta 152 C-2
Ta 152 C-3
Ta 152 E-1
Ta 152 E-2
Ta 152 H-0
Ta 152 H-1
, a Luftwaffe Wilde Sau
unit. The aircraft is currently housed at the National Air and Space Museum
Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility in Suitland, Md., where it is awaiting restoration. The exact history of the aircraft is unknown, but the NASM reports:
"Definitive information about the NASM Ta 152 has always been lacking but research conducted late in 1998 may have revealed the airplane's true identity as Werk-Nummer (serial number) 150020, not 150003 or '010 as widely reported. This places the airframe toward the end of the range of pre-production H-0 models, a variant marking the transition from the Ta 152 prototypes to full production Ta 152 H-1 airplanes. It was probably built at Focke-Wulf's production facility at Cottbus, Germany, in December 1944, and delivered to Erprobungskommando Ta 152 at Rechlin, Germany, for service testing."
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
German high-altitude fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
-interceptor
Interceptor aircraft
An interceptor aircraft is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically to prevent missions of enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Interceptors generally rely on high speed and powerful armament in order to complete their mission as quickly as possible and set up...
designed by Kurt Tank
Kurt Tank
Kurt Waldemar Tank was a German aeronautical engineer and test pilot, heading the design department at Focke-Wulf from 1931-45. He designed several important aircraft of World War II, including the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter aircraft.-Early life:Tank was born in Bromberg , Province of Posen...
and produced by Focke-Wulf
Focke-Wulf
Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG was a German manufacturer of civil and military aircraft before and during World War II. Many of the company's successful fighter aircraft designs were slight modifications of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190.-History:...
. The Ta 152 was a development of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190
Focke-Wulf Fw 190
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger was a German Second World War single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. Powered by a radial engine, the 190 had ample power and was able to lift larger loads than its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109...
aircraft. It was intended to be made in at least three versions—the Ta 152H Höhenjäger ("high-altitude fighter"), the Ta 152C designed for medium-altitude operations and ground-attack using a different engine and smaller wing, and the Ta 152E fighter-reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance that is conducted using unmanned aerial vehicles or reconnaissance aircraft. Their roles are to collect imagery intelligence, signals intelligence and measurement and signature intelligence...
aircraft with the engine of the H model and the wing of the C model.
The first Ta 152H entered service with the Luftwaffe in January 1945. While total production—including prototypes and pre-production aircraft—has been incorrectly estimated in one source at approximately 220 units, only some 43 production aircraft were ever delivered before the end of the European conflict. These were too few to allow the Ta 152 to make a significant impact on the air war.
Design and development
Due to the difficulties German interceptors were having when battling American B-17s at altitudes above 20,000 feet, and in light of rumors of new B-29B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
s with better altitude capabilities, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (German Air Ministry, or "RLM") requested proposals from both Focke-Wulf and Messerschmitt for a high-altitude interceptor. Messerschmitt answered with the Bf 109H, and Focke-Wulf with the Fw 190 Raffat-1, or Ra-1, (fighter), Ra-2 (high-altitude fighter) and Ra-3 (ground-attack aircraft).
These designs developed into the Fw 190 V20 (Ta 152A), V30 (Ta 152H) and V21 (Ta 152B) prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
s, all based on the then successful Fw 190 D-9 but with varying degrees of improvement. The V20 used the same Jumo 213E engine as the Fw 190 D-9, while the V21 used the DB 603E. Neither of these offered any significant improvement over the Fw 190 D-9, and so further development of the Ta 152A and B was cancelled. The V21 airframe, however, was further modified as the V21/U1 and became the prototype for the Ta 152C.
Kurt Tank originally designed the Ta 152 using the Daimler-Benz DB 603
Daimler-Benz DB 603
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9* Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1989. ISBN 0-517-67964-7...
engine as it offered better high-altitude performance and also a greater developmental potential. The DB 603 had been used in the Fw 190C with many problems and was considered too difficult to implement in the Ta 152 by RLM officials. With this in mind, Tank focused his efforts on the Junkers Jumo 213
Junkers Jumo 213
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1989. ISBN 0-517-67964-7-External links:*...
E as the Ta 152H's power plant. However, he insisted that the Daimler-Benz DB 603
Daimler-Benz DB 603
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9* Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1989. ISBN 0-517-67964-7...
be retained for the Ta 152C versions and as an option for later versions of the Ta 152H.
The Ta 152's fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
was an extended version of the Fw 190 D-9 fuselage with wider-chord fixed vertical tail surfaces (especially the top half), and hydraulic rather than electrically-controlled undercarriage
Undercarriage
The undercarriage or landing gear in aviation, is the structure that supports an aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi, takeoff and land...
and flaps
Flap (aircraft)
Flaps are normally hinged surfaces mounted on the trailing edges of the wings of a fixed-wing aircraft to reduce the speed an aircraft can be safely flown at and to increase the angle of descent for landing without increasing air speed. They shorten takeoff and landing distances as well as...
. Due to the changes in the center of gravity
Center of gravity
In physics, a center of gravity of a material body is a point that may be used for a summary description of gravitational interactions. In a uniform gravitational field, the center of mass serves as the center of gravity...
and overall balance, the nose was also lengthened. Wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
was changed from the Fw 190's 10.51 m (34 ft 5 in) for both versions. The H had a span of 14.44 m (48 ft 6 in) and the C a wingspan of 11.00 m (36 ft 1 in).
The Ta 152 also featured the FuG 16ZY and FuG 25a radio equipment(some aircraft were issued with FuG 125 Hermine D/F for navigation and blind landing, LGW-Siemens K 23 autopilot
Autopilot
An autopilot is a mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic system used to guide a vehicle without assistance from a human being. An autopilot can refer specifically to aircraft, self-steering gear for boats, or auto guidance of space craft and missiles...
, and a heated armorglass windscreen for bad-weather operations).
Fuel capacity was 595 L (157 US gal) for the H-0 model, with the option of a 300 L (80 US gal) drop tank
Drop tank
In aeronautics, a drop tank is used to describe auxiliary fuel tanks externally carried by aircraft. A drop tank is expendable and often jettisonable...
on the centerline. The H-1 model carried an additional 454 L (120 US gal) of fuel in six unprotected bag tanks in the wings; typically, one of these tanks was used to hold the MW 50
MW 50
MW 50 was a 50-50 mixture of methanol and water that was often sprayed into the supercharger of World War II aircraft engines primarily for its anti-detonant effect, allowing the use of increased boost pressures.Secondary effects were cooling of the engine and charge cooling...
methanol-water mixture and another for GM-1
GM-1
GM-1 , colloquially known as Haha-Gerät was a system for injecting nitrous oxide into aircraft engines that was used by the Luftwaffe in World War II. This increased the amount of oxygen in the fuel mixture, and thereby improve high-altitude performance...
nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas or sweet air, is a chemical compound with the formula . It is an oxide of nitrogen. At room temperature, it is a colorless non-flammable gas, with a slightly sweet odor and taste. It is used in surgery and dentistry for its anesthetic and analgesic...
. The H-1 could also carry a 300 L (80 US gal) underbelly drop tank.
Design for high-altitude performance
To reach higher altitudes, a pressurizedCabin pressurization
Cabin pressurization is the pumping of compressed air into an aircraft cabin to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for crew and passengers when flying at altitude.-Need for cabin pressurization:...
cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
was added to the H models. The canopy was sealed via a circular tube filled with rubber foam which was inflated by a compressed air bottle, while the engine compartment was also sealed from the cockpit with a rubber foam ring. A Knorr 300/10 air compressor provided the pressure, maintaining the cockpit at .36 atmospheres (5.29 psi) above 8,000 m (26,250 ft). To prevent fogging, the windscreen was of a double-pane style with a 6 mm (.32 in) thick outer pane and a 3 mm (.118 in) inner pane with a 6 mm (.24 in) gap. The gap was fitted with several silica gel
Silica gel
Silica gel is a granular, vitreous, porous form of silica made synthetically from sodium silicate. Despite its name, silica gel is a solid. It is a naturally occurring mineral that is purified and processed into either granular or beaded form...
capsules to absorb any moisture forming between the panes.
The aircraft had an increased wingspan compared to the previous Fw 190 design, as a further accommodation towards better high-altitude performance. Due to the war's impact on aluminum
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
availability, the wing was built around two steel spars
Spar (aviation)
In a fixed-wing aircraft, the spar is often the main structural member of the wing, running spanwise at right angles to the fuselage. The spar carries flight loads and the weight of the wings whilst on the ground...
, the front extending from just past the landing gear attachment points, and the rear spar spanning the entire wing. The wing itself was designed with 3° of washout, from the root to the flap-aileron
Aileron
Ailerons are hinged flight control surfaces attached to the trailing edge of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. The ailerons are used to control the aircraft in roll, which results in a change in heading due to the tilting of the lift vector...
junction, to prevent the ailerons from stalling before the center section of the wing. This design allowed the pilot to maintain roll control during a stall and extreme flight envelope manoeuvres.
The Ta 152H boasted excellent high-altitude performance, using a Jumo 213E
Junkers Jumo 213
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1989. ISBN 0-517-67964-7-External links:*...
engine (a high-altitude version of the Jumo 213A/C used in the Fw 190D), a two-stage, three-speed supercharger
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
and the MW 50
MW 50
MW 50 was a 50-50 mixture of methanol and water that was often sprayed into the supercharger of World War II aircraft engines primarily for its anti-detonant effect, allowing the use of increased boost pressures.Secondary effects were cooling of the engine and charge cooling...
methanol-water mixture engine boost system.
Armament
The H-model had heavy armament to allow it to deal quickly with enemy aircraft. It had three weapons firing through the propeller arc: one 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108MK 108 cannon
The MK 108 was a 30 mm caliber autocannon manufactured in Germany during World War II by Rheinmetall-Borsig for use in aircraft.-Development:...
Motorkanone cannon centered within the propeller hub and two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons located in the wing roots. The C-model was designed to operate at lower altitudes than the H-model, and had even heavier armament consisting of one 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 firing through the propeller hub, and four 20 mm MG 151/20s. Two of the 20 mm guns were mounted above and aft of the engine (in the forward upper fuselage decking), and the other two in the wing roots. The cockpit was not pressurized in the C models. The Ta 152C could destroy the heaviest enemy bombers with a short burst but the added weight decreased speed and rate of turn.
Performance
The Ta 152 H-1, with the Jumo 213 E engine, was among the fastest piston-engined fighters of the war, capable of speeds up to 755 km/h (472 mph) at 13,500 m (41,000 ft, using the GM-1 boost) and 560 km/h (350 mph) at sea level (using the MW 50 boost). To help it attain this speed, it used the MW 50 system mainly for lower altitudes (up to about 10,000 m/32,800 ft) and the GM-1 system for higher altitudes, although both systems could be engaged at the same time. The Ta 152 was one of the first aircraft specifically designed to employ a nitrous oxide power boost system.In late 1944, Kurt Tank
Kurt Tank
Kurt Waldemar Tank was a German aeronautical engineer and test pilot, heading the design department at Focke-Wulf from 1931-45. He designed several important aircraft of World War II, including the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter aircraft.-Early life:Tank was born in Bromberg , Province of Posen...
reported that while flying an unarmed Ta 152H to a meeting at the Focke-Wulf plant in Cottbus
Cottbus
Cottbus is a city in Brandenburg, Germany, situated around southeast of Berlin, on the River Spree. As of , its population was .- History :...
, he saw two P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
s. He made his escape by engaging the MW 50 boost, opening the throttle wide to gain maximum speed to escape the enemy fighters, and left the two Mustangs behind him. There is no evidence from Allied reports that these P-51s ever saw him.
Japanese version
In April 1945, the JAAF had acquired the license, schemes and technical drawings for manufacturing the Ta 152 in Japan. During the last stages of the conflict in Germany, with the plight of the Japanese armed forces growing ever bleaker, a very large influx of the latest aviation technology Germany had to offer was given to or bought by the Japanese air force in the hopes that it would stem the tide of defeats and ever increasing pressure by the superior aircraft the Allies were putting into the field.Operational history
By fall 1944, the war was going badly for Germany, and the RLM pushed Focke-Wulf to quickly get the Ta 152 into production. As a result, several Ta 152 prototypes crashed early into the test program. It was found that critical systems were lacking sufficient quality control. Problems arose with superchargers, pressurized cockpits leaked, the engine cooling system was unreliable at best due in part to unreliable oilMotor oil
Motor oil or engine oil is an oil used for lubrication of various internal combustion engines. The main function is to lubricate moving parts; it also cleans, inhibits corrosion, improves sealing, and cools the engine by carrying heat away from moving parts.Motor oils are derived from...
temperature monitoring, and in several instances the landing gear failed to properly retract. A total of up to 20 pre-production Ta 152 H-0s were delivered from November 1944 to Erprobungskommando
Erprobungskommando
An Erprobungskommando was a Luftwaffe unit tasked with the testing of new aircraft and weaponry under operational conditions.-Erprobungskommando 16:...
Ta 152 to service test the airplane. It was reported that test pilots were able to conduct a mere 31 hours of flight tests before full production started. By the end of January 1945, only 50 hours or so had been completed. The Ta 152 was not afforded the time to work out all the little quirks and errors plaguing all new designs. These problems proved impossible to rectify given the situation in Germany towards the end of the war, and only two Ta 152C remained operational when Germany surrendered.
III./Jagdgeschwader 301
Jagdgeschwader 301
Jagdgeschwader 301 was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. The order to form JG 301 was issued on 26 September 1943 and formed on 1 October 1943 in Neubiberg with Stab and three Gruppen as a "Wilde Sau" single-seat night fighter unit.The Geschwader was equipped with the Bf 109G and was...
, initially a Luftwaffe Wilde Sau
Wilde Sau
Wilde Sau was the term given by the Luftwaffe, during World War II, to the technique by which British night bombers were mainly engaged by single-seat fighter planes.- Origins :...
unit, was ordered to convert to the type in January 1945, which it did (and flew them operationally for a short time). In the end, available Ta 152s were pooled in a special Stabstaffel JG 301, first based at Alteno, then at Neustadt-Glewe
Neustadt-Glewe
Neustadt-Glewe is a German town, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, in the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim.-Sights and monuments:* The Alte Burg, a 13th-century castle, considered to be the oldest military castle in Mecklenburg....
in Mecklenburg.
The Stabstaffel never had more than 15 Ta 152Hs available, both H-0s and H-1s.
Since the usual transfer system had broken down, pilots had to look for additional 152s themselves.
An early Ta 152 combat occurred on 14 April 1945 when Oberfeldwebel Willi Reschke
Willi Reschke
Willi Reschke was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
tried to intercept a De Havilland Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
over Stendal, but failed to catch up due to engine trouble.
On the evening of that same day, Reschke was to demonstrate that the Ta 152H could be used as a low-altitude fighter. A section of four Hawker Tempest
Hawker Tempest
The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war....
Vs of 486(NZ) Squadron
No. 486 Squadron RNZAF
486 Squadron was a fighter squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force during the Second World War. It was formed under Article XV of the Empire Air Training Scheme and served in Europe under the operational command of the Royal Air Force.Second World War....
were out on patrol. After attacking a train near Ludwigslust
Ludwigslust
Ludwigslust is a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, 40 km south of Schwerin. It was the capital of the former district of Ludwigslust, and is part of the district Ludwigslust-Parchim since September 2011.-History:...
, the section split up into pairs; Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Brooker ordered the Tempests flown by Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
S.J. Short and Warrant Officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
Owen J. Mitchell to make their own way back to base. On the way back, this pair, which was strafing targets along the railway tracks near Ludwigslust, was spotted by lookouts posted at Neustadt-Glewe. Three Ta 152s—flown by Reschke, Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
Aufhammer and Oberfeldwebel Sattler—were scrambled, catching the Tempests by surprise. Reschke declared:
Mitchell (a rookie with just a month and half of experience on the front-line) was flying the Tempest and was killed on impact with the ground. It is thought that Stattler had been shot down by either Short or Bill Shaw of 486 Sqn, who claimed a Bf 109 in the same area (the Ta 152s were mistaken for 109s).
Operational missions were flown in April 1945 from Neustadt, mostly escorting close support aircraft to the Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
.
On 24 April, Reschke claimed two Yakovlev Yak-9
Yakovlev Yak-9
The Yakovlev Yak-9 was a single-engine fighter aircraft used by the Soviet Union in World War II and after. Fundamentally a lighter development of the Yak-7 with the same armament, it arrived at the front at the end of 1942. The Yak-9 had a lowered rear fuselage decking and all-around vision canopy...
s near Berlin. It seems that three often reported victory claims by Obfw. Walter Loos
Walter Loos
Walter Loos was a former German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II.The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.During his career he was credited with 38...
, on 24, 25 and 30 April ), cannot be attributed to Ta 152 (Loos himself denied that, stating that he never shot down a single enemy fighter while flying the Ta 152 ).
At the end of the war the Ta 152 score was likely seven victories and four losses in air combat (a little degree of uncertainty about those numbers does exist).
Four victories were achieved by Josef Keil, from 1 March 1945 to 21 April 1945. The statement that he had five victories on Ta 152 is unsubstantiated and is shown to be false by matching score table and dates. The Ta 152 was delivered to JG 301 on 27 February 1945 and the first Ta 152 combat action against American bombers happened on 2 March 1945, so his victory against a B-17 on 20 February 1945 couldn't have been achieved flying that type of fighter. Alternatively, this results from an incorrect reading of published sources such as Lowe because JG 301 had the Ta 152 in service from late January 1945, and individual missions such as Keil's could well have been flown.
At least three victories were achieved by Willi Reschke.
The four losses in air combat were: Hptm. Hermann Stahl, KIA on 11 April 1945; Obfw. Sepp Sattler, KIA on 14 April 1945; two unknown JG11 pilots, downed by Spitfires in the last days of April 1945 during transfer from Neustadt-Glewe to Leck airfield.
The total Ta 152 production is not well known but 43 are identified, (H-0 and H-1) with c.6 prototypes.
Variants
Ta 152 C-0- Small wing, pre-production aircraft, 1 prototype built powered with 2,100-hp (1566 kW) Daimler Benz DB603LA engine. The extra length of this engine required a compensating rear fuselage plug and enlarged tail surfaces, and wing span was increased to 36 ft 1 in (11 meters).
Ta 152 C-1
- Small wing, armed with one engine-mounted Motorkanone 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannon and four 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons (two above the engine, two in the wing roots).
Ta 152 C-2
- Small wing, equipped with an improved radio.
Ta 152 C-3
- Small wing, armed with one engine-mounted Motorkanone 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 103 cannon and four 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons (two above the engine, two in the wing roots).
Ta 152 E-1
- Photographic reconnaissance version of the Ta 152C, with standard wing.
Ta 152 E-2
- High-altitude version, powered by a Junkers Jumo 213E engine and with the H-series wing. But only a single prototype was completed.
Ta 152 H-0
- Long wing, 20 pre-production aircraft.
Ta 152 H-1
- The only production version. Long wing, armed with one engine-mounted Motorkanone 30 mm (1.18 in) MK108 cannon and two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons in the wing roots, additional fuel tanks located in the wings.
The sole survivor
There is only one surviving example of the Ta 152: a 152 H-0 variant flown by III./Jagdgeschwader 301Jagdgeschwader 301
Jagdgeschwader 301 was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. The order to form JG 301 was issued on 26 September 1943 and formed on 1 October 1943 in Neubiberg with Stab and three Gruppen as a "Wilde Sau" single-seat night fighter unit.The Geschwader was equipped with the Bf 109G and was...
, a Luftwaffe Wilde Sau
Wilde Sau
Wilde Sau was the term given by the Luftwaffe, during World War II, to the technique by which British night bombers were mainly engaged by single-seat fighter planes.- Origins :...
unit. The aircraft is currently housed at the National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and...
Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility in Suitland, Md., where it is awaiting restoration. The exact history of the aircraft is unknown, but the NASM reports:
"Definitive information about the NASM Ta 152 has always been lacking but research conducted late in 1998 may have revealed the airplane's true identity as Werk-Nummer (serial number) 150020, not 150003 or '010 as widely reported. This places the airframe toward the end of the range of pre-production H-0 models, a variant marking the transition from the Ta 152 prototypes to full production Ta 152 H-1 airplanes. It was probably built at Focke-Wulf's production facility at Cottbus, Germany, in December 1944, and delivered to Erprobungskommando Ta 152 at Rechlin, Germany, for service testing."