Focke Wulf Fw189

[pyro-manic]

I couldn't find a thread for this aircraft, so here we go.

What can you come up with for the Fw189? Re-engined, armed and armoured for ground attack? A floatplane version? High altitude photo-recon?

[frank2056]

The FW 189C (or V6) was a heavily armored ground attack version. The cockpit/fuselage was much smaller and heavily armored. It looked more like the cockpit of the HS 129, and the rear gunner area was also armored.

Google image search for the FW 189C

[Weaver]

There was also the -B version, which was a trainer with a conventional fuselage pod. You could see one of these as a "light zerstorer", which sounds silly, but which was studied before the war (Gotha put some proposals forward). it might also make a better light night-fighter than the real -189-based one.

Image search for Fw-189 B: http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&sa=1&q=FW+189b&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g-m1&start=0

For a wild idea, how about a compound helicopter in the style of the Fairey Gyrodyne? Engine and rotor system in the fuselage pod, clipped wings outboard of the booms and anti-torque provided by differential prop pitch.

The Fw-189D A-4 was a light attack variant with 20mm cannons in the wing roots and belly armour.

The Fw-189D was a proposed floatplane trainer that wasn't built.

The Fw-189 F-1 was a proposed version with Gnome-Rhone 14M radials, which was never built.

Fw-189s were built at Bordeaux-Merignac in France which is now the Dasault factory, so perhaps you could imagine a French post-war version (as was done with the Storch) with Gnome-Rhones operating over Algeria and carrying a brace of AS-11 or AS-12 ASMs. Alternately, it could be a post-war engine testbed, with a high tailplane and a Turbomeca something-or-other in the back of the pod.

They were also built at Aero-Vodochody's works in Prague, so you could imagine a post-war Czech version too.

[jcf]

 189 drawings page:
http://www.wunderwaffe.narod.ru/Magazine/AirWar/18/Draw/index.htm

Pics
http://www.wunderwaffe.narod.ru/Magazine/AirWar/18/Pictures/page_01.htm

[bluedonkey99]

   Adding new engines and repurposing has to be a winner!
   
    Option E1)  reengine the weedy exisiting engines with something more meaty (althouh you aprehensively may feel they would just snap off!?)
    Option E2) remove existing engines and a) fair off, b) add guns!  then convert rear gunner position to i) Prop driven or ii) Jet Driven

  Changing centre fuselage
     Option F1) see above  regarding new engines
     Option F1b)     chaning a a FW189a to a B or C (is that really whiffey?) - It would be could especially the armoured version (so maybe do it with beefier engines)
     Option F2) Give it a more rounde He111 stye ront end
     Option F4) give it  some  P-38 or P-61 treatment   (you might wish to "rescale" is choosine some of these options?)
     Option F5) more restylying ofr Anti Tank use and big up gunning?

   Weapons?
       Options W1)  one or more Ruhrstal Fritz X (X-1)  or Kramer X-4
       Option W2)    dumb rockets aka Typhoon/Tempest
       Option W3)  75mm or such kannoe for Anti-tank role    (maybe underslung centre fuselage, or revised nose?)    

    obviously much mix and matching could go on?

  one final one?
       Radar / Awacs Platform?

BD99
   

[Weaver]

     Option F4) give it  some  P-38 or P-61 treatment   (you might wish to "rescale" is choosine some of these options?)

There's a thought: scaleorama a 1/72nd Fw-189 into a 1/144th or 1/100th P-38-style fighter, or take a 1/48th one down to 1/72nd (I think there is a 1/48th Fw-189 isn't there?)

[Arc3371]

Change the engines to BMW-801´s on the Su-12 pictured on the Wunderwaffe site and have a Super Uhu?

[jcf]

Aside from the Gnome powered aircraft there was also the proposed Fw 189G with two 905hp Argus As 402, the engine
never entered production so the project was canceled.

For those considering the G-R conversion of the Fw 189, HS 129A and Hs 129B wing/engine installation drawings that may be useful as reference:
http://www.wunderwaffe.narod.ru/Magazine/AirWar/151/Draw/17.jpg

http://www.wunderwaffe.narod.ru/Magazine/AirWar/151/Draw/25.jpg

An easy way to 'up-power' an Fw 189 model would be to add three-bladed props and a turbo-supercharger 'bulge'.

Jon

[Weaver]

Turn the pod into an aerosled, with the engines in a push/pull arrangement above it on struts.........

[famvburg]

  We can't dismiss the Soviet Sukhoi Su-12, an Fw 189 on steroids, can we? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_Su-12

[Arc3371]

The Su-12 I recently posted

[dy031101]

Is there a projected speed for Fw 189D?

Okay, I admit my next question is "would it need an engine swap if I want to start hanging a torpedo under it and then catapult it off pocket battleships?"

[jcf]

Is there a projected speed for Fw 189D?

Okay, I admit my next question is "would it need an engine swap if I want to start hanging a torpedo under it and then catapult it off pocket battleships?"

1)Slow.

2)Yes.

[GTX]

What about a simple Battleship observation version?

Regards,

Greg

[jcf]

What about a simple Battleship observation version?

Regards,

Greg

Probably too big for the actual DKM ships with their amidships catapults, you'd likely need to go to a fantail mounted
catapult arrangement