(Focke-Wulf) Fw 189 Uhu @·AIRCRAFTUBE

  • Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
    Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
  • Focke-Wulf Fw-189 C 3 Focke-Wulf Fw-189 C 3
    Focke-Wulf Fw-189 C 3
  • Focke-Wulf A-20 Focke-Wulf A-20
    Focke-Wulf A-20
  • Fw 189 Fw 189
    Fw 189
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Focke-Wulf Fw 189
    Focke-Wulf Fw 189
  • Uhu Uhu
    Uhu
  • Fw 189 Uhu - Finland - 1942 Fw 189 Uhu - Finland - 1942
    Fw 189 Uhu - Finland - 1942
  • Fw 189 Uhu Fw 189 Uhu
    Fw 189 Uhu
  • Fw 189 - Stalingrad - 1943 Fw 189 - Stalingrad - 1943
    Fw 189 - Stalingrad - 1943
  • Fw 189 A - Helsinki - 1942 Fw 189 A - Helsinki - 1942
    Fw 189 A - Helsinki - 1942
  • SNCASO Fw 189 A-2 SNCASO Fw 189 A-2
    SNCASO Fw 189 A-2
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
    Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
    Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 189 - Finland - 1943 Focke-Wulf Fw 189 - Finland - 1943
    Focke-Wulf Fw 189 - Finland - 1943
  • Fw 189 Uhu Fw 189 Uhu
    Fw 189 Uhu
  • Fw 189 Uhu Fw 189 Uhu
    Fw 189 Uhu
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
    Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
  • Fw 189 Uhu - Gomel-Sild - 1942 Fw 189 Uhu - Gomel-Sild - 1942
    Fw 189 Uhu - Gomel-Sild - 1942
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
    Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
  • Fw 189 Fw 189
    Fw 189
  • Fw 189 C-1 Fw 189 C-1
    Fw 189 C-1
  • Fw 189 C-2 Fw 189 C-2
    Fw 189 C-2
  • Fw 189 B Fw 189 B
    Fw 189 B
  • Fw 189 Uhu Fw 189 Uhu
    Fw 189 Uhu
  • Fw 189 Uhu - Finland - 1943 Fw 189 Uhu - Finland - 1943
    Fw 189 Uhu - Finland - 1943
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
    Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
  • Fw 189 A2 Fw 189 A2
    Fw 189 A2
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
    Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
    Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
    Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
  • Fw 189 A2 Fw 189 A2
    Fw 189 A2
  • Focke-Wulf Fw-189 Uhu Focke-Wulf Fw-189 Uhu
    Focke-Wulf Fw-189 Uhu
  • Fw 189 Fw 189
    Fw 189
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
    Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu

Focke-Wulf Fw 189

The Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu ("Eagle Owl") was a German twin-engine, twin-boom, three-seat tactical reconnaissance and army cooperation aircraft. It first flew in 1938 (Fw 189 V1), entered service in 1940 and was produced until mid-1944. It should not be confused with the Heinkel He 219 night fighter also named Uhu.

Design and development

In 1937, the German Ministry of Aviation issued a specification for a short-range, three-seat reconnaissance aircraft with a good all-round view to support the German army in the field, replacing the Henschel Hs 126, which had just entered service. A power of about 850–900 hp (630–670 kW) was specified. The specification was issued to Arado and Focke-Wulf. Arado's design, the Ar 198, which was initially the preferred option, was a relatively conventional single-engined high-wing monoplane with a glazed gondola under the fuselage. Focke-Wulf's chief designer Kurt Tank's design, the Fw 189, was a twin-boom design, powered by two Argus As 410 engines rather than the expected single engine and a central crew gondola designed with a heavily glazed and framed "stepless" cockpit forward section, which used no separate windscreen panels for the pilot (as with many German medium bombers), while Blohm & Voss proposed as a private venture something even more radical: chief designer Dr. Richard Vogt's unique asymmetric BV 141. Orders were placed for three prototypes each of the Arado and Focke-Wulf designs in April 1937.

The Fw 189 was produced in large numbers, at the Focke-Wulf factory in Bremen, at the Bordeaux-Merignac aircraft factory (now the Dassault Mirage plant) in occupied France, then in the Aero Vodochody aircraft factory in Prague, occupied Czechoslovakia. Total production was 864 aircraft of all variants.

Operational history

Called the "Flying Eye" of the German army, the Fw 189 was used extensively on the Eastern Front with great success. Its Russian nickname was "Rama" (Frame), referring to its distinctive tail boom and stabilizer shapes giving it the characteristic quadrangular appearance. Despite its low speed and fragile looks, the Fw 189's manoeuverability made it a difficult target for attacking Russian fighters. When attacked, the Fw 189 was often able to out-turn attacking fighters by simply flying in a tight circle into which enemy fighters could not follow.

Variants

  • The main production model was the Fw 189A reconnaissance plane, built mostly in two variants, the A-1 and A-2. Unless otherwise stated all aircraft were powered by two Argus As 410 engines of 465 PS (459 hp, 342 kW).
    • Fw 189 A-0 : 10 pre-production aircraft for operational tests and trials.
    • Fw 189 A-1 : Initial production version, armed with two flexible 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine guns in the dorsal and rear positions, one 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 17 machine gun in each wing root, plus four 50 kg (110 lb) bombs. It could carry an Rb 20/30 or an Rb 50/30.
    • Fw 189 A-1 trop : Tropicalised version of the Fw 189 A-1, fitted with air intake filters and survival equipment. Conversion from A-1s.
    • Fw 189 A-1/U2 : VIP transport version of the Fw 189 A-1.
    • Fw 189 A-1/U3 : VIP transport version of the Fw 189 A-1.
    • Fw 189 A-2 : The flexible MG 15s were replaced by twin-barrel 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 81Z.
    • Fw 189 A-3 : Tropicalised production version of the Fw 189 A-2, fitted with air intake filters and survival equipment.
    • Fw 189 A-4 : Light ground-attack version, armed with two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons in each wing root, fitted with armour protection for the underside of the fuselage, engines and fuel tanks. No production known.
  • The Fw 189B was a five-seat training aircraft; only 13 were built.
    • Fw 189 B-0 : Three pre-production aircraft.
    • Fw 189 B-1 : Five-seat training version. 10 built.
  • The Fw 189C was conceived as a heavily armoured ground-attack, close-support variant, in competition with the Henschel Hs 129. But its two prototypes (V1b and V6) were not satisfactory, and it was not produced.
  • Fw 189D : Proposed twin-float trainer floatplane. Not built.
  • Fw 189E : Prototype only, powered by two 700 PS (690 hp, 515 kW) Gnome-Rhone 14M radial engines.
  • Fw 189 F-1 : Re-engined Fw 189 A-1 aircraft, powered by two 600 PS (592 hp, 441 kW) Argus As 411 engines.
  • Fw 189 F-2 : Fitted with electrically-operated landing gear, increased fuel capacity and additional armour plating, powered by two 600 PS (592 hp, 441 kW) Argus As 411 engines.

Operators

  • Germany : Luftwaffe.
  • Bulgaria : Bulgarian Air Force.
  • Hungary : Royal Hungarian Air Force.
  • Norway : Royal Norwegian Air Force (Postwar).
  • Romania : Royal Romanian Air Force.
  • Slovakia : Slovenské vzdušné zbrane and the Slovak Insurgent Air Force.

Survivors

One Fw 189 survives today. Its story starts on May 4, 1943 when Fw 189 V7+IH (Werk Nr. 2100), of 1/Nahaufklärungsgruppe 10, with V7 (originally the Geschwaderkennung code for Heeres-Aufklärungsgruppe 32) based at Pontsalenjoki (due east of Kuusamo, and within the south-central area of modern Russia's Republic of Karelia) took off on a mission to photograph the Loukhi-3 airbase from an altitude of 6,000 m (20,000 ft), then to continue north along the Murmansk-Leningrad railway. Approximately 31 minutes after taking off, V7+IH was attacked by Lend-Lease-acquired Soviet Hawker Hurricane fighters. The aircraft dived to escape the fighters, but owing to damage already suffered, could not pull out in time, and it struck the treetops. The tail was torn off, and the crew nacelle left hanging upside down within the trees. The pilot, Lothar Mothes, survived but one crewman was killed in the crash and the third died from blood loss as a result of a severed leg. Incredibly, Mothes was able to survive two weeks in sub-zero temperatures, evading Soviet patrols while eating bark and grubs as he walked back to his base. Mothes spent the next nine months in a hospital recovering from severe frostbite before returning to the front line, eventually to fly another 100 missions.

In 1991, the wreckage of V7+IH was found in the Russian forest where it had remained for 48 years. The aircraft was purchased by a group of British aircraft enthusiasts and was shipped to the UK, arriving in the town of Worthing, West Sussex in March 1992. The Focke Wulf 189 Restoration Society was formed to restore the aircraft to flying condition. Her pilot met up again with his aircraft at the 1996 Biggin Hill Airshow.

It was reported that this aircraft was acquired by Paul Allen’s Flying Heritage Collection however its current state is not publicly known.

Specifications (Fw 189 A-1)

  • Crew : 3 (Pilot and 2 gunners).
  • Length : 12 m (39 ft 4 in).
  • Height : 3.7 m (12 ft).
  • Wingspan : 18.4 m (60 ft 4 in).
  • Wing area : 38 m² (409 ft²).
  • Wing loading : 103.9 kg/m² (21.3 lb/ft²).
  • Empty weight : 2,680 kg (5,920 lb).
  • Loaded weight : 3,950 kg (8,708 lb).
  • Maximum speed : 357 km/h at 2,600 m (222 mph at 8,530 ft).
  • Range : 670 km (416 mi).
  • Service ceiling : 8,400 m (27,550 ft).
  • Rate of climb : 8.3 m/s (1,640 ft/min).
  • Powerplant : Two Argus As 410
  • Power : 342 kW (465 PS - 459 hp) each.
  • Power/mass : 86.6 W/kg (0.053 hp/lb).
  • Armament :
    • Two 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns mounted in the wing roots, firing forward.
    • One 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine gun in dorsal position, flexible mount, firing rearwards.
    • One 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 in rear cone, flexible mount, firing rearwards (optional).
    • In later versions, MG 15 were replaced with 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 81Z twin-barrel machine gun.
    • Four 50 kg (110 lb) bombs.
Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu : Your comments on this subject
Powered by Disqus
Top
Legal Credits FAQ Help Site Map

Terms of use for the services available on this site

By using this Website, Users agree to the following terms of use and rules :

Definitions

  • Webmaster : Head Administrator with all authority over the management and development of the Website.
  • Administrator : Anyone that was given by the Webmaster full or partial access to the Website's structure or with moderation rights on messages posted by Users.
  • User or Visitor : Any person visiting the Website pages.
  • Website : The following provisions apply to a single Website accessible via the www.aircraftube.com, www.aircraftube.org, www.aircraftube.net and www.all-aircraft.com. URL's
  • Service : All free informations and tools contained on the Website.
  • Comments : All text written by users on Blogs and comment pages available on the Website.
  • Media : All media available on or through the Website. One must distinguish the local media (photos, curves, drawings) and the external media (videos) which the Website refers.

    • Purpose of this site

    The purpose of this non-commercial site is purely educational. Reflecting a passion, it is also there to preserve the memory of all those who gave their lives, their health or energy in the name of freedom, aviation safety or simply our passenger comfort.

    Copyright

    Some media may have escaped the vigilance of Administrators with regard to copyrights. If a user reports copyright infringement, he will be asked to prove that he is indeed the rights's owner for the concerned media. If so, his decision on the Administrator's next action will be respected: A total suppression of the Media on the Website, or the addition of some owner's reference. The publication of a media on the internet normally having as a goal to make it visible to many people, the Administrators expect in any case that the second option will be most often chosen.

    Pursuant to the Law on copyright and related rights, the user has the right to download and reproduce information on the Website for personal use and provided that the source is mentionned. They cannot however be used for commercial or advertising purposes.

    Using Blogs and filing comments

  • Moderator : The Administrator reserves the right to prevent the publication of comments that are not directly related to the Service without providing any explanation. Similarly, all insults, out of scope or unethical material will be banned.
  • Identification : Persons wishing to post a comment or use any form of contact are required to provide identification by the means of a valid e-mail address.
  • Responsibilities : Comments are posted on the Website under the unique responsability of their authors and the Administrators may in no case be liable for any statements or claims that the users might have issued.

    • As the comment system is hosted and maintained on servers external to the Website, the Administrators may in no circumstances be held responsible for the use that administrators of these servers or other third parties may have with those comments or filed data.

    Content Liability

    The Administrators carefully check the reliability of the sources used. They cannot, however, guarantee the accuracy of any information contained on the Website, partly because of the multiple sources from which they come.

    JavaScript and cookies - Storing information

    This Website imperatively uses JavaScript and cookies to function properly. Neither of these technologies, or other means shall in no case be used on the Website for the retention or disclosure of personal information about Visitors. Exceptions to this rule will involve storing the Users banned for inappropriate comments they might have given as well as contact information for Users wishing to subscribe to future newsletters.

    When a user accesses the Website, the corresponding servers may automatically collect certain data, such as IP address, date and time of Website access, viewed pages and the type of browser used. This information is kept only for the purpose of measuring the number of visitors to the different sections of the site and make improvements.

    Donations - Advertising

    To continue providing the Service for free, the Webmaster reserves the right to insert advertising or promotional messages on any page of the Site. In the same idea, any donations will only by used to cover the running costs of the site, such as hosting, connection fees, hardware and software necessary for the development and maintenance of the Website.

    Links and other websites

    Administrators shall in no case be liable for the non-availability of websites operated by third parties to which users would access through the Website.

    Administrators assume no liability for any content, advertising, products and/or services available on such third party websites. It is reminded that those sites are governed by their own terms of use.

    Placing a link to third party sites or authorize a third party to include a link on their website refering to this Website does not mean that the Administrators recommend in any way the products or services offered by these websites.

    Modifications

    The Webmaster reserves the right to modify at any time without notification the present terms of use as well as all content or specific functionality that the Website offers.

    The modified terms and conditions immediately apply to the using Visitor when changes come online. Visitors are invited to consult the site regularly on the most current version of the terms and conditions

    Governing Law and Jurisdiction

    These general conditions are governed by Belgian law.

    In case of dispute regarding the interpretation and/or execution of the above terms, the parties agree that the courts of the district of Nivelles, Belgium shall have exclusive jurisdiction power.

    Credits page

    Wikipedia.org

    Wikipedia is a collaboratively edited, multilingual, free Internet encyclopedia.

    Youtube

    YouTube is a video-sharing website on which users can upload, view and share videos.

    Special thanks to all Youtube quality aviation vids providers, specially (Those I forgot, please excuse me or report) :

    Airboyd
    Andys Video
    Aviation videos archives
    Bomberguy
    Classic Aviation TV
    Historical Aviation Film Unit
    Horsemoney
    Jaglavaksoldier
    Joluqa Malta
    Just Planes
    Koksy
    Classic Airliners & Vintage Pop Culture
    Memorial Flight
    Octane130
    Okrajoe
    SDASM archives
    Spottydog4477
    The Aviators TV
    Valentin Izagirre Bengoetxea
    Vexed123
    VonBerlich
    Zenos Warbirds

    Bundesarchiv

    The German Federal Archives or Bundesarchiv are the National Archives of Germany.

    FAQ

    I don't see my comments any more!

    Please note that each page has it's own comment entry. So, if you enter a comment i.e. on the B-747, you will only see it on that related page.

    General comments are accessed via the "BLOG En" button.

    Comments are moderated, so please allow some delay before they appear, specially if you are outside Europe.

    Menus are developing below the page, because they are too long!

    But they remain accessible, for example by scrolling the mouse wheel, or with your finger (on the menu) on a smartphone or tablet.

    I see adds on all videos.

    Use a good free add remover software.

    The site is loading random pages at startup.

    We think it is a good way to bring back the memory of aircraft, persons or events sometimes quite forgotten.

    HELP PAGE

    Why this site?

    Discovery

    This website is dedicated to one's aeronautical passion (which I hope we share) and was realised mainly as an educationnal tool. Knowing that, you'll notice that each new visit brings random topics for the purpose of making new discoveries, some achievements or characters certainly not deserving the oblivion into which they have sometimes fallen.

    By these pages, we also want to pay tribute to all those who gave at one time or another, their lives or health in the name of freedom, aeronautical security or simply our comfort.

    Centralisation

    Internet is full of websites dedicated to aviation, but most are dedicated to subjects or periods that are very limited in space or time. The purpose of this site is to be as general as possible and thus treats all events as well as characters of all stripes and times while putting much emphasis on the most significant achievements.

    The same years saw birth of technologies like photography and cinema, thus permitting illustration of a large part of important aeronautical events from the start. Countless (and sometimes rare) media recently put online by enthousiasts finally give us access to these treasures, but the huge amount of information often makes things a little messy. A centralization effort is obviously most needed at this level.

    All persons who directly or indirectly contributed to the achievement or posting of such documents are here gratefully acknowledged.

    General

    Fluid website

    This site automatically fits the dimensions of your screen, whether you are on a desktop computer, a tablet or a smartphone.

    Bilingual website

    You can change the language by clicking on the flag in the upper left or via "Options" in the central menu. Of course, the videos remain in the language in which they were posted ...

    Browser compatibility

    The site is not optimized, or even designed to run on older browsers or those deliberately deviating from standards. You will most probably encounter display issues with Internet Explorer. In this case, it is strongly recommended installing a modern (and free!) browser that's respecting the standards, like Firefox, Opera, Chrome or Safari.

    Cookies and Javascript

    This site uses cookies and JavaScript to function properly. Please ensure that your browser is configured accordingly. Neither of these technologies, or other means shall in no case be used on the Site for the retention or disclosure of personal information about its Visitors. See the "Legal" page for more on this subject.

    Website layout

    Left menus

    Because of the lack of space on smartphones and small tablets, these menus are hidden. Everything is nevertheless accessible via the main menu option, located between the video and photo sections. This menu is placed there for compatibility reasons with some browsers, which play the videos over the menus.

    "Search" and "Latest" :
    The link "In Titles" restricts the search to the titles of different forms. Use this option if you are looking for a plane, a constructor, a pilot or a particular event that could have been treated as a subject.

    The link "In Stories" will bring you to a search in all texts (the "Story" tab) and will take more time. The search term will appear highlighted in green when opening the corresponding story.

    Would you believe, "Timeline" will show all subjects in chronological order.

    "Random" will reload the entire page with a new random topic.

    The bottom section keeps you abreast of the latest five entries. New topics are added regularly. Don't hesitate to come visit us often : add bookmark.

    Blogs and Comments central section

    Under the photos section comes the comments tabs window :

    You can enter general comments in your own language via one of the two buttons on the left (BLOG EN and BLOG FR). Note that these buttons are accessible regardless of the language to allow some participation in the other language.

    All comments are subject to moderation and will be published only if they comply with the basic rules of decorum, while remaining relevant to the purpose of this site.

    The third tab allows you to enter comments on the shown topic and is bilingual. Personal anecdotes, supplements and other information questions will take place here.

    The "Story" tab shows the explanatory texts. They are most often taken from Wikipedia, a site where we participate regularly.

    The "Data" tab is reserved for list of features and specifications.

    Right menus

    On a smartphone, the lack of space is growing and this menu is moved to the bottom of the page to give priority to videos and pictures.

    The top right icons are links to videos posted by third parties (on their own responsabilities) or by ourselves. The link below these icons will take you to the channel of the one who posted the video. Feel free to suggest other videos if you think they are of some interest (Use the BLOG button or the "Contact" link).