Ta-xnumx. The last piston fighter of the Luftwaffe
According to many experts, the Ta-152 fighter, which became the development of the FW-190D, was the most advanced piston aircraft created by Kurt Tank. Possessing excellent flight data, especially at high altitudes, the Ta-152 could well gain the title of “Anti Mustang,” and enter history as the best piston fighter of the Luftwaffe. However, born already in the days of the collapse of the Third Reich and built in the amount of only 67 pieces, the Ta-152 was not able to really prove itself in military operations and, along with such fighters as the R-51N, Spiteful, Yak-3 (with an aircraft engine VK-108) became only a kind of swan piston fighter song aviation.
Back in the summer of 1941, before the FW-190A began troop testing, the company set out to improve its fighter. First of all, due to problems with the BMW 801 engine and due to the unsatisfactory performance of the new fighter at high altitudes. During this period, the company considered the project of a fighter with a promising aircraft engine, based on the FW-190А. These works consisted of several sections from Ra 1 to Ra 8 (Ra is an analytical project). The project, prepared by the group under the leadership of Mittelhuber, considered various combinations of new engines, wings and other components and systems of the aircraft. The result of these works were two fundamental conclusions that should have a significant impact on the further development of the fighter company.
Based on the available data, the weight and size of the engines increased to such an extent that in order to obtain speeds of more than 760 km / h, a different power plant was required, and specifically a jet engine. And if such fighters require a large ceiling, then the optimal combination of aircraft characteristics and engine weight will be equipping them with two-stage superchargers. The dimension of the wing should be chosen based on the landing speed and the minimum requirements for maneuverability of the aircraft. Recognition of this guaranteed the success of the company Ta-152 and helped to avoid mistakes made by other companies, including the "Messerschmitt".
16 in May 1942 of the German Ministry of Aviation (RLM) instructed the firms Messerschmitt and Focke-Wulf to express their vision of a so-called special fighter with a large ceiling, capable of solving the tasks of a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft. At the first stage, the RLM provided for the modification of an existing fighter, and at the second, the creation of a completely new design. All the offers and works of Messerschmitt under the super-chopper program (Bf.109H, Me-209H, project R.1091a, Me-155В) were finally stopped by RLM in favor of reactive types developed there, or transferred to other firms, as in the case of Me-155B, which eventually became Blom und Vos VV-155.
The Focke-Wulf manual proposed to create two fighters, in the first stage, based on the early Ra 2 and Ra 3 projects, and in the second, on the basis of the Ra 4D, which had significant design changes and improved aerodynamics. The technical committee accepted these proposals.
On the Ra 2 it was supposed to use a new wing, applied later on the FW-190D, and on the Ra 3 a wing of increased span, most corresponding to flights at high altitudes. With the exception of the wing, the planes were virtually identical.
The Yumo 213E engine was equipped with a two-stage supercharger with intermediate cooling, which increased the altitude in comparison with the base Yumo 213A. Both planes were supposed to be equipped with pressure cabins and units for the installation of the GX1 and MW 50 engine power increase systems. Electric drive flap and chassis replaced by hydraulics. The fuselage of both prototypes was extended to increase the internal volume. In order to maintain the alignment, the cab was moved to the 40 cm towards the tail.
Keel increased. The aircraft received an 30-mm cannon motor and a pair of 20-mm cannons in the root parts of the wing, in addition, two more were placed above the engine in the fuselage. During this period, the prestige and influence of Kurt Tank became so great that they even assigned the designation “Ta” to the projects instead of the usual FW, although the significant difference between the Ra 2 and Ra 3 from previous models caused the name to change. The use of the letters “Ta” in the designation of the aircraft was a belated recognition of the outstanding contribution that Kurt Tank made to the development of German aviation. Besides him, just one aircraft designer was given such an honor - Kalkert from the enterprise "Gotha".
Since both new variants, despite the big differences, were nevertheless viewed as a further development of the FW-190, it was natural that RLM, following its practice of giving the designations of the modification with letters, left the character range of the previous model. The fighters with the BMW-801 that have just entered the series have been designated FW-190F and G. Therefore, the new aircraft should have been assigned the designations Ta-152Н and Ta-152К (the letters "J" and "T", as a rule, were not used). However, Kurt Tank considered a modification with short wing consoles (Ra 2) escort fighter (Bagletjager), and long-wing (Ra 3) high-altitude (Hohenjager). The influence of Tank was so great that both variants eventually identified Ta-152В and Ta-152Н. The letter "B" was previously assigned a high-altitude modification of the FW-190 with a VMW-801 engine, but this option did not receive development, so the conscience of the RLM who followed Kurt Tank remained clean.
The FW-190 / Ra-4D project involved the use of an FW-190D airframe with a turbo-compressor DВ-603 engine or with a new modification of the motor of this series. The design of the airframe and wing has undergone significant processing. By this time, one of the prototypes of the FW-190-V32 was prepared for testing some technical solutions of the planned Ta-153 (designation assigned to the Ra-4D project). After equipping the prototype with a DV-603 engine with a four-bladed propeller and a new wing, this prototype was given the designation FW-190 V32 / U1.
The new wing of a slightly increased scope and area, in addition to better aerodynamics, also became more technologically advanced and had a fuel tank in the center section. Since fighter aircraft demanded the creation of an aircraft that was supposed to exceed the American P-51 Mustang at high altitudes, the technical department planned to use this wing on the Ta-152.
In December, the 1943 th FW-190 V32 / U1 made its first flight. The results of the flight turned out to be very “modest” and far from the calculated ones. For this reason, the "correct" prototype of Ta-153 did not build. Due to the "dampness" during this period of the engine DВ-603, its mass production was also not started. 13 On January 1944, by decision of RLM, the development of the Ta-153 was stopped in favor of the reactive Ta-183.
The decision to resume the development of the Ta-153 was facilitated by the fact that several new research projects were carried out at the Focke-Wulf: Ra-1 - front-line fighter, Ra-2 - high-altitude fighter, Ra-3 strike aircraft and Ra-4 - escort fighter. Thus, Tank decided to first upgrade the FW-190, installing a powerful engine on it, and only then develop a high-altitude fighter.
Despite the strong lobbying by Tank for the immediate launch of the Ta-152 into the series, RLM clearly did not want to break the streamlined production, as the overall design of the FW-190 was insignificant. The Ta-152 program was comatose until the spring of 1944, when they made a serious attempt to master the production of a new fighter at the aircraft factory in Zorau. Thus, the prototype Ta-152 were serial machines.
The tank was defended by a Ta-152 with a motor DV-603, while the Technical Department planned to have a car with Yumo-213. However, the department tacitly encouraged the unofficial work on Ta-152 with DB-603 and eventually gave permission for the production of an experienced Ta-152C. Another modification was the reconnaissance Ta-152E, developed on the basis of the Ta-152В. He accepted the draft of the reconnaissance aircraft based on the FW-190А-4.
In the workshops of the aircraft factory of the city of Zorau Ta-152H-0 has already been laid. The second assembly line was prepared in the city of Cottbus. The prototypes of the series were the first five Ta-152H. In November-December, the 1944-th chief-pilot of the company Zander performed fly-overs of the pre-production Ta-152H (V1-V5). The first two took off in November and were then transferred for statistical tests. The next three cars (VЗ-V5), on which wings with steel spars were installed for the first time, were the original prototypes of Ta-152H-1. These prototypes took to the 17 December 1944 th air.
After elimination of defects detected during the first tests, the Ta-152H reached speeds in 720 km / h at an altitude of 10750 m. Taking into account the positive results of flight tests, the serial production of the Ta-152H-0 began in November, and from January 1945 - and Ta-152H-1. The serial production of the Ta-152H lasted almost until the last day of the war, while the 67 machines were built.
During preparation for the implementation of the project Ta-152, Focke-Wulf attracted old prototypes, the so-called “kangaroos”, which were previously used for the FW-190C. Thus, 152 machines were prepared for Ta-5H, 4 of which became the prototype of Ta-152H-0, and the fifth, V18, became a prototype for the H-1 series. On these aircraft, the DV-603 engines replaced the Yumo-213.
The armament consisted of the motor-gun MK 108 and two MG 151 / 20 in the root of the wing. Unlike later machines, the first prototypes of the Ta-152H did not install additional wing fuel tanks inside. The “original” Ta-152V25, made according to serial documentation, was soon added to this top-five prototype. He replaced the crashed V33 / U1. The history of these prototypes looks like this.
The first one, the FW-190V33 / U1, took off in July of the 1944, shortly before the production of the experienced Ta-152H-V2. Ta-152H-0, although it was equipped with a new wing, did not have a wing fuel tank - they were going to mount it, starting with Ta-152H-1. The FW-190V33 / U1 was designed to carry out the necessary tests of the new wing, but with rounded tips of the square 23,5 square. m and span more 14,8 m.
Armament on the plane was missing. Motor DB-603G. replaced by Yumo-213-1. The wing attachment points were moved forward 400 mm, and the fuselage was extended a total of 1275 mm. In the new wing (without rounded ends), designed for the Ta-152H, there was an 3 for the fuel tank in each console, which contained the 400 l. The inner tank on the 70 l in the left wing plane was designed for the 50 МW system, which increased the Ymo-213-1 power on takeoff mode to 2050 l. with., and at altitudes of the order of 8000 meters to 1800 hp Applied jet exhaust pipes created at a height of almost 220 kg of additional thrust. Almost 600 l of fuel was placed in the fuselage tank, which was located under the cockpit. Next to it was a place for the 85-liter cylinder of the GM1 system for nitrous oxide, which allowed at heights of the order of 10000 m to increase the power to 1738 hp.
Unfortunately for the firm and the entire Ta-152H program, the new FW-190V33 / U1 was split on the 36 minute of the second flight. The cause of the disaster has not been established. The second experienced FW-190С, who participated in the work on Ta-152Н, received the designation FW-190V30 / U1. He performed his first flight in August 1944. Unlike the V33 / U1, it had a standard engine mount and a wing without fuel tanks. He repeated the “career” of his predecessor - the car crashed on August 23.
The third, V29 / U1, was ready one month after the release of the three remaining experienced Ta-152H-VЗ, V4 and V5. The cabin was airtight with front and rear armored bulkheads, side panels and the floor. The MK103 cannon with 80 cartridges, whose barrel was pulled out through the Kok propeller, as well as two wing MG 151 / 20, with ammunition in 175 cartridges for each barrel, was installed as a weapon on the plane. The first flight took place on September 23, and from November 3 V29 / U1 began flight tests.
Prototypes of FW-190V33 / U1, V30 / U1 in total have flown 32 h 52 min. The trials took place in Langenhagen with great difficulties both because of bad weather and because of the frequent raids of American bombers in the winter of 1944-1945. The two remaining FW-190C, V18 / U2 and V32 / U1 with wings from "H-0" and "H-1", were put to the test in the middle of autumn 1944. The V18 with the Yumo-213E-1 engine was broken on the second test day. The second car has already been converted for the program Ta-152. It was equipped with the Yumo-213F engine and it did not have weapons.
After another three weeks, it was equipped with Yumo-213-1, giving it the designation FW-190V32 / U2. They put the wing gun MG 151 / 20 and central - MG 213. Ta-152V25, participating in tests instead of FW-190V33 / U1, received severe damage. During the repair, they installed a wing designed for the FW-190V32 / U1. After repair, the car flew around in December 1944-th. Ta-152H-1 differed from the variant H-0 only in the presence of wing tanks. They had Yumo-213-1 engines, an XK 108 MK cannon with 90 cartridges and two MG 151 / 20 guns in the roots of the wing (see 175 cartridges per barrel). Pilot and motor defended armor weighing 150 kg.
The capacity of the fuel tanks in the fuselage was 590 l. There was also a hanging tank with a capacity of 300 l. The all-weather version of the Ta-152H-0 / R11 was notable for replacing the cylinder GM-1 with the tank МW-50, necessary to force the motor at low altitudes. These vehicles were considered "escort fighters".
The empty weight of the Ta-152H-0 was 3860 kg, the take-off weight was 4730 kg, and the Ta-152H-1 had wing tanks, 5200 kg. The main serial version was Ta-152H-1 / R11 (tank МW 50 and cylinder GМ1). Despite a significant increase in flight range using wing tanks, the Luftwaffe leadership considered it insufficient.
Therefore, at the beginning of April, the Ta-1945H-152 fighters were equipped with another 1-liter tank behind the cabin. To ensure centering, a cylinder with GM-280 and a counterweight in 1 kg were installed on the engine mount. These machines received the code Ta-10H-152 / B1. The Ta-31H-152 variant had improved radio equipment, originally planned for the H-2. In mid-December 1, the Technical Department froze all the work on this series.
The possibility of installation on Ta-152 24-cylinder Yumo-222E or 222F aircraft engines with a three-speed two-stage supercharger was considered, however, due to the shutdown of work on these engines, the projects remained unrealized. Until the end of February, the 1945 of the year was actively worked out by the Ta-152H with the engine DВ-603Е and improved booking. Another option was Ta-152H-10 - reconnaissance modification based on H-1. Its prototype was Ta-152V26. In January, a plan was drawn up for the release of twenty intelligence officers on a monthly basis starting in May 1945. This aircraft had a range of 1200 km at a speed of 600 km / h at an altitude of 10000 meters. The maximum speed at the specified height reached 690 km / h.
All of the shops in Cottbus went 67 Ta-152. Meanwhile, on “Focke-Wolfe,” they began designing the Ta-152A. Its design was based on the early FW-190А-8, which made it possible to accelerate its development in the series. For Ta-152A, we developed documentation only for a new wing with an area of 19,5 square. m, as well as on the hood and the engine cover with closed output headers. The aircraft was supposed to equip the engine Yumo-XNUMHA. The armament included a pair of 213-mm MG 20 / 151 cannons above the engine and two in the wing roots, as well as two 20-mm 30 MCs in the wing consoles.
However, the Ta-152-1, a variant of the heavy fighter, was supposed to be equipped with the 103 MK motor-gun, which required the installation of the Yumo-213C engine. In the process of designing the Ta-152A, the XK 108 MK gun was replaced with the 151 / 20 MG, with a higher rate of fire. However, due to the numerous flaws in the Yumo-213 engines, especially the “C” model adapted for the installation of a motor-gun, this project remained on paper.
Then Focke-Wulf began preparing documentation for Ta-152В, which required much more design changes than Ta-152А. Ta-152 In one time was considered with interchangeable engines Yumo-213 and DВ-603, but after the adoption of Ta-152С it was chosen as a standard Yumo-213Е engine. The Luftwaffe series “B” was considered as a heavy fighter, which was caused more by armament than weight. On the Ta-152B-4, it included one 103 MK and four 20-mm, in various versions. This modification has given way to the Ta-152B-5.
The next variant received a new wing pushed forward, a hydraulic system for cleaning the chassis, the Yumo-213-1 engine and three MK-103 guns. The total capacity of the tanks reached 1060 liters, in addition in the tail section they placed an 85-liter cylinder for the GM1. The first prototype aircraft of the B-5 sub-series took off in March 1945. In addition to the three prototypes, this option is no longer available.
Simultaneously with the Ta-152B-5, the Ta-152E reconnaissance was developed under the same power unit. In November 1944, the work on it was discontinued in favor of the new one - Ta-152E. Both of these variants carried one MK 103 or 108 gun and a MG 151 / 20 pair. Modification of the "E-2" was distinguished by the presence of GМ1. It was planned to produce 630 machines from the beginning of March until the end of the year. In February, these plans turned and focused on the variant H-10.
After the refusal of RLM from the serial production of the Ta-152 versions "A" and "B", the Focke-Wulf began to implement the Ra 1 program, i.e. medium-height fighter Ta-152С. In the course of the meeting held at the Luft Champion in November 1944, it was stated that the highest priority was given to He-162, Me-262, Ar-234 and Do-335. Accordingly, Daimler-Benzu was offered to continue production of DВ-603 for Ta-152. Until the fall of the 1944, preference was given to the Yumo-213 engine, as the main one for the Ta-152. The variant with this aircraft engine was officially called the Ta-152C. By the end of September, the first experienced Ta-1944-V152 / U21 received the DВ-1В engine, a couple of MG 603 / 151 guns in the fuselage and two in the roots of the wing.
For the production of new fighters chose "ATG" in Leipzig and "Zibel" in Halle. The first production cars were to leave the production lines in April of the 1945. Since May, they planned to connect to the release of the aircraft factory "Fieseler" in Kassel-Waldau. The Ta-152C was considered by the Luftwaffe as a “hunter”. The aircraft as a whole was similar to the Ta-152В, except for minor changes caused by the use of a lighter DB-603. The equipment was standard and included, among other things, autopilot and instruments for blind flights. Behind the cab was mounted tank under the MW 50.
DB-603EM developed on take-off mode to 1800 l. with., and in the afterburner mode - 2230 hp in comparison with 2100 hp DB-603L, which significantly increased flight data at low altitudes. The maximum speed with the use of МW50 at the ground reached 590 km / h. However, the DV-603L had the best altitude characteristics. Work on the Ta-152-2 with improved radio equipment quickly ceased. The designers focused on the Ta-152C-3, which was distinguished by the fuselage MK 103 gun instead of the МK 108 on the Ta-152C-1. Intelligence modification called Ta-152-11 / R11. Work on it stopped in February 1945, as the scout chose Ta-152H-10. They calculated in Germany, as if not noticing the approaching collapse of the Third Reich, to produce a double training Ta-152S-1. Preparation for the production of the Ta-152C was still in its initial stages, when the Allied forces occupied the factories intended for the production of this aircraft.
Virtually nothing is known about the combat use of the Ta-152C. In addition, by the end of 1945, there were three Ta-301C-152 / R1 in Stab / Jg 11. In the short time that the Ta-152H was produced, the planes managed to get only into the JG 301 fighter squadron. In November, on the basis of the Rehli center, for the military tests of the Ta-1944 fighters and the retraining of pilots for it, the test squad headed by Bruno Stolle was formed in November. In early January 152, the first production aircraft arrived at Rechlin.
At the same time, Stolle, who received new cars, noted that on some planes aileron control was not adjusted. Most likely, this was the result of sabotage at the aircraft factory in Zorau. After replacing the defective units, the aircraft were transferred to the Alteno airfield, and the retraining of the JG 301 pilots began.
The group, who trained in Alteno, lost 5 machines by the end of the next month, mainly due to the ignition of the engine. According to the reports of the pilots who managed to leave the burning plane, the flame initially burst out from under the bonnet, on the left side of the engine.
The reason was in the proximity of the exhaust manifolds and pipelines of the cooling system, which caused burnouts and ignition of the coolant consisting of water and glycol. These cases became the reason for the suspension of the retraining process for some time. All the pilots flying the new fighter claimed that the piloting was very light, except for take-off, when difficulties with the landing gear were encountered (the problem was solved on the Ta-152H-1).
In the course of retraining, pilots of the 10 squadron JG 301 performed only one combat sortie on the Ta-152, during which, together with other air defense units, they reflected the bombing raids on Berlin. It is significant that all of the Ta-152H-0 returned, while a large number of other types of fighters in this battle were shot down.
February 2 commander JG 301 Hagedorn, during the flight from Cottbus to Alteno, on Ta-152H reached a height of 13200 m and exceeded the maximum speed. It should be emphasized that the retraining of pilots on the Ta-152 sometimes lasted only 20 minutes, and the pilot left his first combat flight on a new machine after several training flights. Joseph Keil recalled that the sortie on the Ta-152H with a duration of 40 minutes. after three training flights he performed with a total flight of less than an hour and a half. Julius Berliner called his retraining full-time, without any training, in the air he flew from the airfield of the Cottbus plant in Alteno. This became possible only for one reason: he had the experience of flying the FW-190D. The pilots noted the unusually short take-off of the fighter, it was enough for this 300 meters. But the mileage after landing was, on the contrary, very large.
Meanwhile, the pilots continued combat work. February 21 Ta-152 flew I. Keil from 10 / JG301, and an American bomber shot down over Berlin. Thus, he became the first pilot to shoot down the Flying Fortress on the Ta-152. The next victory Kale scored 1 March, this time he shot down the American P-51 "Mustang". 10 April Joseph Keil on Ta-152H entered the fray with 15 P-47, and managed to knock down one of them. All in all, Keil on the Ta-152 scored five out of ten of his victories. The pilot noted that the German fighter surpasses the American Р-51 and Р-47 in speed and maneuverability characteristics.
14 On April 1945, two Tempest fighters from the New Zealand unit, which took off to attack the train station at Lüwigslust, were intercepted by the Ta-152 troika. Y. Sattler, having lost control over the new fighter, crashed into the ground, but managed to jump with a parachute. In the air battle that began after that at the tops of the trees of V. Reschke, showing the excellent maneuverability of Ta-152, one Tempest was shot down.
On April 24, the JG 301 fighters flew to reconnoitre the Soviet troops stationed in Zossen, after which the Germans planned to strike at our positions with 70 aircraft. Stab / JG 301 was made up of Reschke, Stahla, Loos, Keila and Blum. They were supposed to cover the Focke-Wulf, storming positions. The weather was cloudy, and the planes sometimes lost their visibility, going into the clouds. Having flown out of the next such cloud, they unexpectedly found the Yak-9 group going by a crossing path. Interestingly, the German pilots in the post-flight report called them LaGG-9. In this battle, Reschke shot down two Soviet fighters. Two more shot down Walter Loos. However, Stahl and Sattler were shot down. Reschke confessed that Soviet cars turned out to be more serious opponents than American cars. On the evening of April 30, all the remaining JG 301 aircraft flew over to the airfield of Letsk, where on May 7 they were captured by Canadian forces.
Sources:
Firsov A. Focke-Wulf Ta 152 // Wings of the Luftwaffe. 1994. No.4. C. 149-155.
Ivanov S. Focke-Wulf Fw 190D and Ta 152 // War in the air. No.82. C.19-56.
Borisov Yu. High Fighter Fw 190D Ta 152. M .: Exprint, 2005. C. 35-48.
Borisov Yu. The Last of the Mohicans // Wings of the Motherland. 2004. No.4. C.21-25.
Obukhovia V., Kulbaka S., Sidorenko S. Planes of the Second World War. Minsk: Potpourri, 2003. C.200-201.
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