Fw 190F-8s from SG10 in colour (YT video)

[Sturmovik]

Youtube recommended me this short video. It shows some Fw 190F-8s from what I assume is SG10 (due to the yellow nose band and rudder) at the end of WW2 in Czechoslovakia (I base this claim by the fact the Revell 1:32 F-8 has markings for two SG10s based at Czechoslovakia).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SafetyDad]

The opening 10 seconds shows USAAF Lt Bruce Carr after he crash-landed 'Blue 31' from I/EKG (J). He claimed to have escaped captivity after stealing the plane hmmmm. In reality he had arranged to steal it in the days after May 8th and, having got it airborne, was unable to lower the undercarriage with the results you can see. This 190 was a strange A6/A8 hybrid, with features of both marks. It's mentioned in this recent BM thread by @MDriskill.

 

Following that is footage of an F-8 being taxied by a US pilot (complete with flat tail wheel tyre!) - I think this is at Herzogenaurach in Bavaria (have to check that). Stills from the film appear in one of Steve Sheflin's Airfoil magazines. 

 

Nice film

 

SD

[SafetyDad]

Checking the Airfoil in question (Issue No 1) , the location is Herzogenaurach in Bavaria. Sheflin gives more information about the 2 Fws in the main portion of the film.

 

Taxiing is Fw 190F-8 W Nr. 588453, marking with a Black Gruppe Adjutant's chevron and a Green number 2. Sheflin describes 74/75/76 camo, with a yellow nose ring (we now know that this was a late-war Luftflotte 4 marking). 

 

The second airframe is Fw 190A-8  Yellow 8 W Nr. not known. Sheflin believes this to be 81 Braunviolett combined with Dark Green (I no longer use RLM numbers for these late war colours as there is so much confusion about what they mean), and 76 undersides. 

 

Both with very dark fuselage undersides (I wonder if these have been painted? - not certain of that) and ETC racks. Also with the yellow late-war theatre markings. 

 

SG2 would seem to be plausible as their unit - elements of this Gruppe ended the war at Prague - not that far away. These two aircraft may have been flown to Germany to avoid capture by the Russians? JaPo's Luftwaffe over Czech Territory 1945 has photos of an Fw 190F-8 marked in like fashion as <3+ - the three could well be green. No Luftflotte yellow nose band though. 

 

SG4 and SG77 also ended their war in Bohemia.

 

 

SD

[Werdna]

They clearly forgot to add the panel line wash on these aircraft..  

 

As SD says, plenty of colours on there, but (and notwithstanding my attempt at humour above) it's interesting to note how 'plain' the surfaces are...especially the undersides...

[GiampieroSilvestri]

Politically and Geographically you are 100% correct by saying that Herzogenaurach is in Bavaria but it would be better not to say to the inhabitants that they are Bavarian.It is in the region Franken not far from Nürnberg.It is almost the same as to call a Scottsman being English.🙂

 

Saluti

 

Giampiero

Edited July 9, 2022 by GiampieroSilvestri

[SafetyDad]

1 hour ago, GiampieroSilvestri said:

Politically and Geographically you are 100% correct by saying that Herzogenaurach is in Bavaria but it would be better not to say to the inhabitants that they a Bavarian.It is in the region Franken not far from Nürnberg.It is almost the same as to call a Scottsman being English.🙂

 

Saluti

 

Giampiero

 

Thanks Giampiero.

 

I couldn't use the 'thanks' and 'laugh' emojis together on your post!

 

SD

[Holzhamer]

Thanks for sharing! First time I see this clip. Noteworthy is the apparent heavy oil leaking on the undersurface of the power egg, as so much that the 04 ring gets tainted. I assume these airframes, perhaps rebuilt machines, were still pretty new when it comes to service life as an F-8. A nice unique 74/75 wing pattern scheme and the yellow warning stencil below the cockpit (for the canopy unlock button I think) are also noteworthy imo

[MarkoZG]

This footage shows something completely new to me. Take a careful look at the root of each propeller blade: Both in the beginning and in the end of this movie it is quite visible - there are some additions to each blade just before the spinner.

I've never seen this on any other Fw 190, or to be honest, on any other plane. What is that?

[G.R.Morrison]

1 hour ago, MarkoZG said:

some additions to each blade just before the spinner. ... What is that?

The propellor is the VDM 9-12153 A with the external weights.  These can also be seen on some well-known photos of Priller's WNr.170346.  I think there may be some views which show them in a thread on this site, but I'm not sure.

 

GRM

[MDriskill]

A slightly better copy of this film is here on the "Critical Past" site:

https://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675055958_Captured-FW-190-aircraft_airman-examine_P-47-lands

 

Polish researcher and master modeler Marek Mozdzen has identified four different types of metal propellers used on radial-engined Fw 190's:

+ VDM 9-12067A, original blade type

+ VDM 9-12067B, same prop fitted with counterweights at the blade roots

+ VDM 9-12153B, slightly wider metal blades used later in the war

+ VDM 9-12153C, same prop with root weights - as seen in the film

 

More detailed notes - along with a great 1/72 build by him - are here (scroll down a bit):

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/72nd_aircraft/fw-190-a-9-t8059.html

 

The late Jerry Crandall wrote that both variants of the "153" prop, as well as the VDM 9-12176A wood paddle-blade prop, were authorized for any A-8, A-9, F-8, or F-9.

 

Counterweighted metal blades, and the wide wood ones, are available in 1/32 from Eagle Editions in the US:

https://www.eagle-editions.com/product/fw-190-a-spinner-and-prop-blades-with-external-weights-ep-46-32/

 

The Fw 190A "yellow 8" in the film appears to be an A-9 (or an A-8 with upgraded BMW 801U or 801S engine). See notes re: cowl details near the end of this thread:

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/70407-fw-190-a-9-options/page/2/

 

Edited July 12, 2022 by MDriskill