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| The Fw190D-9 Resulting from the short-term program ("Sofort-program") of the RLM requiring a hunter of average and high altitude based on the existing production, it is in March 1942 that started work of the prototypes of version D. Appelé initially D-0 then redésigné, it was equipped with reversed the Jumo21Á-1 engine of 12 cylinders out of V cools by liquid developing 1776 CV with takeoff and 1600 CV to 5800 meters, this program were going to give to the luftwaffe one better hunters of all the war. The prototypes were modified for 2 pennies poured, D-1 with nonpressurized cabin, and D-2 with pressurized cabin. The abandonment of the 2 programs B and C allowed to have sufficient prototypes and thus to limit the taking away on the chains. N° 0039, 0044 and 0045 became after modification and assembly of Jumo213 the prototypes V17, V22 and V23. Suivirent V20, V21, V25 and V28 with nonpressurized cabin then V26 (N°0051) and V27 (N°0052) taken on the program C which was not stopped yet at this time. During September 1942, the prototype V17 with cabin pressurized and equipped with an aerofoil with lengthened scale coming from a prototype of the program B accomplished its first flight.  Its fuselage was lengthened of 49 cm in front of the block of empennage to compensate for the modification of centering due to the installation of Jumo213, the engine conditioned the shape of the cap which lengthened while keeping the cylindrical shape of the radial engine. In Bremen as in Rechlin, the test pilots of Focke Wulf and those of the luftwaffe were filled with enthusiasm as of the first flights in front of the performances of the prototype which seemed to correspond finally to the specifications of the RLM. And, good surprise, the engine of Jumo did not pose any problem of cooling! the radiator of liquid of cooling (of glycol and water) and its tank was located in a ring forming the leading edge of the cap and cooling was obtained by a simple crown of small shutters around this ring,  these shutters opened or was closed simply by the action of an electric motor controlled by a thermostat, the unit immediately appeared reliable and effective. V53 and V54 were ready to fly at the end of the same month and were to be used to perfect the centering of the hunters of series. These prototypes were damaged during a bombardment in August 1944, in spite of that and the few unsolved defects the RLM decided the series production. The first version of indicated series Fw190D-9 was armed with 2 MG151/20 in the roots of wings and 2 MG131 with cap. This version was equipped with the wing and the majority of the equipment of the A-8 version.  The first orders were launched in urgency from the very start June 1944 and the first specimens delivered in August 1944, because the allied unloading and the degradation of the situation in the German sky had threw into a panic the persons in charge for the RLM. At that time, K.Tank regarded this version as a model of transition between A-8 and Ta152 on which it worked like a navvy. D-9 was nevertheless an excellent hunter, superior in many points with frightening "the mustang", it could nevertheless do only little thing in front of the allied numerical superiority. As of the end of August 1944, 2 factories of Focke-Wulf (in Cottbus and Sorau) and that of Fieseler with Kassel-Waldau were able to produce 4 hunters per day. Only Rüstsat with which were equipped D-9, is R11. Including/understanding of the de-iced panes, FuG125 and of an autopilot PKS12, Fw190D-9/R11 entered in servicing January 1945 and approximately 750 D-9 and D-9/r11 were manufactured until the end of the war.  Other "kits" were considered, R1, which consisted of 2xMG151/20 of wing outside the fields of the propeller, R2 even provision but of guns MK108 with in more 2xWGr21. I did not find information reporting of the tests or an operational use of these Rüstsats. A study of Fw190D-9/R14 did not exceed the drawing board it was a version intended to carry a bomb torpedoes BT1400 on support ETC504. | ||||||||||||||||
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