Focke-Wulf Ta 154
Focke-Wulf · Germany · first flew 1943 · fighter
The Focke-Wulf Ta 154 Moskito was a German twin-engine night fighter designed in response to the RAF's de Havilland Mosquito, using wooden construction to conserve scarce strategic metals. Despite its promising performance, structural failures caused by wartime glue shortages led to programme cancellation.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 12.45 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- German WWII twin-engine night fighter made largely of wood — the 'German Mosquito'
- Mid-wing twin-boom-free twin-engine design with radar in nose
- Suffered catastrophic bonding failures due to wartime glue shortages
Clean mid-wing twin-engine monoplane with a smooth wooden fuselage, twin engines in well-faired cowlings, and radar antennas on the nose; resembles the de Havilland Mosquito in overall layout but has a more rounded cross-section.
Specifications
- The Focke-Wulf Ta 154 has a length of 12.45 m (41 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16 m (52 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 650 km/h (404 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in June 1943, the Ta 154 showed excellent performance during trials and was ordered into production. However, destruction of the factory producing a specialist adhesive (Tego-Film) by Allied bombing forced substitution with an alternative glue that corroded the wooden structure, causing several fatal accidents and resulting in cancellation in 1944.
Variants
Several variants were projected, including dedicated night fighters with AI radar; only a small number of pre-series aircraft were completed before cancellation.
Where you'll see it
Never entered full operational service; a handful of pre-production aircraft were used in limited trials with Luftwaffe night fighter units.
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