Channel dash Fw190

[fatalbert]

Hi everyone,can anyone point me in the direction of any information on the Units of fw 190's used against the swordfish that tried to stop the Scharnhorst,Gneisenau and the Prince Eugen from moving  up the channel in 1942.

Am a total novice when the Luftwaffe is concerned,are there any kits that have the markings for this operation or any aftermarket decals,also what kit to use,can I use the Airfix 1/72 fw 190.

Many thanks

Neil

[Graham Boak]

The fighter units in Northern France were JG2 and JG26.  The 1/72 Airfix Fw190 are late war Fw190A-8s. which would not be appropriate.  You will require one of the shorter nose variants, possibly an A-3 like the old Matchbox kit.  The American author Donald Caldwell has published a history of JG26 which should deal with this matter in some detail.  At this stage the majority of the German fighters would have been Bf109s.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

The Tamiya 1/72 Fw-190A3 comes with markings for Jg-2 and Jg-26. In 42 & 43. 

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/tamiya-60766-focke-wulf-fw-190-a-3--121602

 

Don't know if these are the correct markings for the raid though ? 

 

Dennis

[Work In Progress]

Most likely A2 models that early, though from my non-exhaustive knowledge of the 190 I suspect the A2 and A3 were superficially either identical or extremely similar, being armed the same and the A3 having more power but essentially the same engine. So you can use an A3 kit. IPMS Stockholm thinks so, at least

https://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2004/11/stuff_eng_fw190_01.htm

I can't vouch for it personally but this site seems sensible and worth reading

http://www.626-squadron.co.uk/willem28.htm

The author suggests that all the 190s used in the Channel dash were from JG-26, so as Graham suggests, it would be well worth looking for a second-hand copy of one or more of Caldwell's JG-26 books. Many examples are inexpensively listed here:

https://www.abebooks.co.uk

Edited May 19, 2019 by Work In Progress

[Jure Miljevic]

Hello Neil

I have Caldwell's book and it provides some, although rather sketchy, information. When Esmonde's Swordfishes attacked, sixteen III./JG 26 Fw 190, led by Gerhard Schoepfel, were approaching from the south to relieve Bf 109s from II./JG 2, covering battle cruisers, heavy cruiser and their escorts. Part of Focke-Wulf formation engaged escorting Spitfires (9./JG 26 lost three Fw 190s to RAF fighters in this engagement and another one later), but the rest fell on Swordfishes which were swiftly dispatched. Now, Krzysztof Janowicz's book JG 26 Schlagether Vol. II (Kagero) follows more or less the same lines as  Caldwell's book although it is slightly more specific as it also names two Fw 190's pilots who claimed victories over Swordfishes (Oblt. Naumann two and Lt. Paul Galland one). Messerschmitts from II./JG 2 also claimed six Swordfishes so this was a case of over-claiming by at least 50% as I believe Kriegsmarine also got one or two torpedo bombers. Cheers

Jure

P.S.: Here is the photo of Fw 190 A-2 Gerhard Schoepfel flew in early 1942:

There is a good chance he had been flying this aircraft during operation Donnerkeil. There is plenty more photos and profiles of this aircraft on the web. Also, I believe there are AM decals available for this Fw 190.

Edited May 19, 2019 by Jure Miljevic
P.S. added

[fatalbert]

Many thanks guys,I knew I could count on you 😊,I have read somewhere that the attacking FW190's dropped their undercarriage and flaps so as not to over shoot the Swordfish,I was thinking of using up an old airfix swordfish and doing a sort of dogfight double with a Fw-190,thats the reason for my enquiry 😊

[Sturmovik]

2 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

The Tamiya 1/72 Fw-190A3 comes with markings for Jg-2 and Jg-26. In 42 & 43. 

In addition to that, Skymodels produced a decal sheet in 1:72 with several marking options for Fw 190As, fron A-2 to A-8.

 

2 hours ago, Work In Progress said:

though from my non-exhaustive knowledge of the 190 I suspect the A2 and A3

Yes, both were externally the same, having only internal differences. I had planned to use A-2 decals on my Pegasus Hobbies A-3.

[Touvdal]

Die Jagdfliegerverbande Teil 7, by J. Prien give following claims for III/JG 26,  8/JG 26 Lt. Paul Galland 4x Swordfish, 8/JG 26 Uffz. Heinrich Waelter 1x Swordfish, 9/JG 26 Oblt. Johannes Neamann. 2x swordfish

 

12.2.42 Loss: 8/JG 26 Obfw. Henry Starke, Fw 190A-1 wn 0089, yellow 4 + I, 9/JG26 Uffz. Gunther Stavenhagen, Fw 190A-1, wn 0042, wellow 12 + I, Obfw. Eduard Koslowski, Fw 190A-2, wn 2068, yellow 1 + I

 

Cheers

Jes

[fatalbert]

12 hours ago, Touvdal said:

Die Jagdfliegerverbande Teil 7, by J. Prien give following claims for III/JG 26,  8/JG 26 Lt. Paul Galland 4x Swordfish, 8/JG 26 Uffz. Heinrich Waelter 1x Swordfish, 9/JG 26 Oblt. Johannes Neamann. 2x swordfish

 

12.2.42 Loss: 8/JG 26 Obfw. Henry Starke, Fw 190A-1 wn 0089, yellow 4 + I, 9/JG26 Uffz. Gunther Stavenhagen, Fw 190A-1, wn 0042, wellow 12 + I, Obfw. Eduard Koslowski, Fw 190A-2, wn 2068, yellow 1 + I

 

Cheers

Jes

Thankyou Jes,thats fantastic,I intend to do some research in the Luftwaffe as my knowledge of it is woefully lacking.

☺👍