More info --
Thanks to Jerry Crandall, et al, for giving me such great insights into Luftwaffe practices, re: "Did Fw 190s carry their 'drop' tanks into combat, as opposed to dropping them, as was SOP with the 8th AF fighter groups, for example?" See Jerry's comments on Hyperscale's PLANE TALKING forum.
I thought I had lost my hard copy of Williamson Murray's STRATEGY FOR DEFEAT - THE LUFTWAFFE - 1939-1945 (I found it this morning - yea!), so last night I took a chance and Googled "Williamson Murray Luftwaffe PDF" in hopes the book was PDF'd and online - it is!
Here's a relevant passage (the year is 1943):
The no. 74 footnote is clipped here:
This all coincides with info Jerry and others mentioned, *BUT*, my paintings will be set in September 1943 (did I mention that? Duhh ...), obviously before the "directive" cited above. The order to hold on to the tanks at all costs (even in combat? That point isn't clear here) wouldn't have applied yet, and in all probability Fw 190 drivers (using common sense) in Sept '43 would have dropped their tanks as SOP prior to entering combat.
Do I have all this right? I'm a Luftwaffe newbie, though I am working to change that, so correct me if I've missed something.
So, unless advised differently, I'll show the taxiing out ground scene with the tank on, and off/dropped for the "attacking B-17s" depiction.
Thanks, guys!
Wade