Which country designed and used the Fw 190?

The Fw 190 was a German fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank and used by the German Luftwaffe during World War II. Ordered in 1937, it served as a contingency against shortages of the Daimler-Benz DB601 engine used by the Bf 109. Entering service in late 1941, the Fw 190 was an outstanding fighter, known for its maneuverability and heavy armament.

During which war was the Fw 190 mainly used?

The Fw 190 was mainly used during World War II . Designed by Kurt Tank, this German fighter aircraft was second in importance only to the Bf 109 during the war. The Fw 190 entered service in late 1941 and became known as an outstanding air-to-air fighter, remaining competitive until the Spitfire IX arrived in July 1942. It also served as a potent bomber destroyer, playing a significant role against the U.S. Army Air Force's bombing offensive in 1943. Later versions, such as the Fw 190F and G, became the Luftwaffe’s standard fighter-bombers for ground attack.

What type of missions did the Fw 190 perform?

The Fw 190 was a German fighter aircraft that served in multiple roles during World War II. Initially designed as a hedge against shortages of liquid-cooled engines, it became a premier air-to-air fighter, excelling until Allied fighters like the Spitfire IX achieved parity in July 1942. The Fw 190's heavy armament also made it a potent bomber destroyer, significantly disrupting the U.S. Army Air Force's daylight bombing campaigns in 1943. Later, the Fw 190F and G variants became the Luftwaffe’s standard fighter-bombers for ground attacks, equipped with additional armor and the capacity to carry bombs. It even briefly served as a night fighter, employing "Wildesau" tactics to attack British bombers.

What made the Fw 190 different from other aircraft of its time?

The Fw 190 was a German fighter aircraft that stood out during World War II for several reasons. Ordered in 1937 as a hedge against shortages of the liquid-cooled Daimler-Benz DB601 engine, it proved to be an outstanding fighter in its own right. Entering service in late 1941, the Fw 190 displayed excellent maneuverability and carried a heavy armament, making it the outstanding air-to-air fighter of the mid-war period. It established a clear ascendancy over opposing Allied fighters until the Spitfire IX restored parity in July 1942 and held its own for another year. The Fw 190 also served as a potent bomber destroyer, playing a major role in turning back the U.S. Army Air Force’s unescorted daylight bombardment offensive in the summer and autumn of 1943.

How did the Fw 190 impact air battles during World War II?

The Fw 190 was second in importance only to the Bf 109 for the German Luftwaffe during World War II. Entering service in late 1941, it soon proved an outstanding fighter. Until the arrival of the Spitfire IX in July 1942, the Fw 190 held a clear advantage over Allied fighters, demonstrating excellent maneuverability and heavy armament. Its heavy cannon armament also made it a potent bomber destroyer, playing a major role in turning back the U.S. Army Air Force’s unescorted daylight bombardment offensive in the summer and autumn of 1943. Later, the Fw 190F and G became the Luftwaffe’s standard fighter-bomber for ground attack.

Fw 190

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Focke-Wulf Fw 190, German fighter plane of World War II.

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Focke-Wulf 190 (Fw 190) summary

Quick Facts

Abbreviation of:: Focke-Wulf 190

Key People:: Gerhard Fieseler; Kurt Tank

Related Topics:: fighter aircraft; Fw 190A-2; Fw 190F; Fw 190D

On the Web:: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum - Focke-Wulf Fw 190 F-8/R1 (Oct. 23, 2026)

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Fw 190

German aircraft

Also known as: Focke-Wulf 190

Written by

John F. Guilmartin

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 23, 2026 •History

Top Questions

What was the Fw 190?
The Fw 190 was a German fighter aircraft that served as second in importance only to the Bf 109 during World War II. Ordered by the Luftwaffe in 1937, it was a low-wing monoplane powered by a BMW air-cooled radial engine. The first prototype flew in mid-1939, but the aircraft was redesigned to take advantage of a new and more powerful BMW engine, and the Fw 190 did not actually enter service until late 1941.

Displaying excellent maneuverability and typically carrying a heavy armament, the Fw 190 became the outstanding air-to-air fighter of the mid-war period. Designer Kurt Tank remedied the fighter’s performance deficiencies by fitting the machine with a powerful Junkers Jumo 213 in-line liquid-cooled engine.
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1. Fw 190
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Which country designed and used the Fw 190?
The Fw 190 was a German fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank and used by the German Luftwaffe during World War II. Ordered in 1937, it served as a contingency against shortages of the Daimler-Benz DB601 engine used by the Bf 109. Entering service in late 1941, the Fw 190 was an outstanding fighter, known for its maneuverability and heavy armament.
1 Britannica Source
1. Fw 190
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
During which war was the Fw 190 mainly used?
The Fw 190 was mainly used during World War II. Designed by Kurt Tank, this German fighter aircraft was second in importance only to the Bf 109 during the war. The Fw 190 entered service in late 1941 and became known as an outstanding air-to-air fighter, remaining competitive until the Spitfire IX arrived in July 1942. It also served as a potent bomber destroyer, playing a significant role against the U.S. Army Air Force's bombing offensive in 1943. Later versions, such as the Fw 190F and G, became the Luftwaffe’s standard fighter-bombers for ground attack.
1 Britannica Source
1. Fw 190
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What type of missions did the Fw 190 perform?
The Fw 190 was a German fighter aircraft that served in multiple roles during World War II. Initially designed as a hedge against shortages of liquid-cooled engines, it became a premier air-to-air fighter, excelling until Allied fighters like the Spitfire IX achieved parity in July 1942.

The Fw 190's heavy armament also made it a potent bomber destroyer, significantly disrupting the U.S. Army Air Force's daylight bombing campaigns in 1943. Later, the Fw 190F and G variants became the Luftwaffe’s standard fighter-bombers for ground attacks, equipped with additional armor and the capacity to carry bombs. It even briefly served as a night fighter, employing "Wildesau" tactics to attack British bombers.
1 Britannica Source
1. Fw 190
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What made the Fw 190 different from other aircraft of its time?
The Fw 190 was a German fighter aircraft that stood out during World War II for several reasons. Ordered in 1937 as a hedge against shortages of the liquid-cooled Daimler-Benz DB601 engine, it proved to be an outstanding fighter in its own right.

Entering service in late 1941, the Fw 190 displayed excellent maneuverability and carried a heavy armament, making it the outstanding air-to-air fighter of the mid-war period. It established a clear ascendancy over opposing Allied fighters until the Spitfire IX restored parity in July 1942 and held its own for another year. The Fw 190 also served as a potent bomber destroyer, playing a major role in turning back the U.S. Army Air Force’s unescorted daylight bombardment offensive in the summer and autumn of 1943.
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How did the Fw 190 impact air battles during World War II?
The Fw 190 was second in importance only to the Bf 109 for the German Luftwaffe during World War II. Entering service in late 1941, it soon proved an outstanding fighter. Until the arrival of the Spitfire IX in July 1942, the Fw 190 held a clear advantage over Allied fighters, demonstrating excellent maneuverability and heavy armament. Its heavy cannon armament also made it a potent bomber destroyer, playing a major role in turning back the U.S. Army Air Force’s unescorted daylight bombardment offensive in the summer and autumn of 1943. Later, the Fw 190F and G became the Luftwaffe’s standard fighter-bomber for ground attack.
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1. Fw 190
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Fw 190, German fighter aircraft that was second in importance only to the Bf 109 during World War II.

A low-wing monoplane powered by a BMW air-cooled radial engine, it was ordered by the Luftwaffe in 1937 as a hedge against shortages of the liquid-cooled Daimler-Benz DB601 engine, which powered the Bf 109. The first prototype flew in mid-1939, but the aircraft was redesigned to take advantage of a new and more powerful BMW engine, and the Fw 190 did not actually enter service until late 1941. It proved to be an outstanding fighter in its own right. Displaying excellent maneuverability and typically carrying a heavy armament of two 7.9-mm (0.3-inch) machine guns in the engine cowling, two 20-mm (0.8-inch) cannons on the wing roots, and two 20-mm cannons at mid-wing, the Fw 190 became the outstanding air-to-air fighter of the mid-war period. It established a clear ascendancy over opposing Allied fighters that lasted until the Spitfire IX restored parity in July 1942, and it more than held its own for another year. The Fw 190A-2, the first mass-produced version, had a top speed of about 410 miles (660 km) per hour and a ceiling of 35,000 feet (10,600 metres). The fighter’s heavy cannon armament made it a potent bomber destroyer, and it played a major role in turning back the U.S. Army Air Force’s unescorted daylight bombardment offensive in the summer and autumn of 1943. Special units of Fw 190s, mounting as many as four additional 20-mm cannons in underwing gondolas, were used in mass attacks to break the integrity of B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator defensive formations. The Fw 190’s career as a bomber destroyer was cut short by the appearance of large numbers of drop-tank-equipped P-38 Lightnings and P-47 Thunderbolts over Germany in late 1943, for the Focke-Wulf could not match the performance of these turbo-supercharged U.S. fighters above 30,000 feet (9,100 metres). The subsequent appearance of the P-51 Mustang in large numbers put the Fw 190 at a permanent disadvantage.

The designer of the Fw 190, Kurt Tank, remedied the fighter’s performance deficiencies by fitting the machine with a powerful Junkers Jumo 213 in-line liquid-cooled engine. The result was the Fw 190D, which entered service in the winter of 1943–44 with a top speed of about 440 miles (710 km) per hour and an armament of two cowling-mounted machine guns and a pair of 20-mm cannons in the wing roots. In principle, the Fw 190D was a match for its Allied opponents, but not enough were produced to make a difference, and few surviving German pilots had the skill needed to take advantage of its performance.

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In the meantime, the Fw 190F and G had become the Luftwaffe’s standard fighter-bomber for ground attack. Though used in small numbers by Allied standards, the planes were effective in this role. Both ground-attack variants had additional armour protection, and the G version also could carry a single 4,000-pound (1,800-kg) bomb or numbers of smaller bombs. The Fw 190 also enjoyed a brief career as a night fighter during the autumn and early winter of 1943–44, using conventional daylight methods to attack British Royal Air Force heavy bombers after they had been illuminated by searchlights and the glare of burning cities. These Wildesau (“wild boar”) tactics were highly successful at first, but they demanded a high level of piloting skill, and the difficulty of returning safely to base in adverse winter weather forced their abandonment.

John F. Guilmartin

Fw 190

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