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Re: FW200 as missile carrier
The first Fw 200 op with Hs 293 was indeed on 28 Dec 43. Four Fw 200s of III/KG 40 were up but according to surviving memebers of the crew of one of them only one carried Hs 293s. This aircraft encountered engine trouble and crashed far out into the Bay of Biscay. At this time 5 or 6 crews of III/KG 40 had been trained and flew aircraft equipped with the Kehl device for controlling the Hs 293. The Hs 293 equipped a/c was from 9./KG 40 piloted by Hptm Wilhelm Bette.
Additional crews were in training at the time of this loss. Given that He 177s of II/KG 40 had started ops with the Hs 293 in Nov 43 and that the Do 217 also launched the missile there may have been little incentive to use the Fw 200 in this role. Perhaps someone else has details of later missions or can confirm that the Fw 200 was seldom used as a missle carrier.
RLD
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