Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-5

Focke-Wulf · DE · first flew 1942 · fighter

The A-5 corrected the A-4's engine vibration problems by extending the engine mount by 15 cm, resulting in the longer nose profile that characterises mid-production Fw 190s, and becoming the basis for numerous specialised variants.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — WingsMid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage8.95 m fuselage
T — TailConventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

The lengthened nose is the key separator from the A-3: on the A-5 the cowl projects noticeably further ahead of the cockpit. At distance compare the relative position of the front of the cowl flaps to the firewall — A-5 shows more cowl ahead. Underwing or centreline stores racks are more commonly seen on A-5 than A-3.

Specifications

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Approximately 1,752 A-5s built from late 1942. The extended mount improved handling and allowed an enormous range of Rüstsatz conversion kits, making the A-5 the most versatile Fw 190 sub-type of the war.

Variants

A-5/U8 (long-range fighter-bomber), A-5/U12 (six-cannon ground attack), A-5/U15 (torpedo carrier) among the most notable.

Where you'll see it

Luftwaffe all fronts, 1942-44. A small number of Fw 190s presented as 'A-5' are museum airframes; the type is under-represented among flying warbirds.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.