Fw190 w/ one man PK compartment

[kaki3152]

Found this picture of what is purported to be Josef Priller talking to a PK film man. On the Fw-190 is attached what seems to be a one man compartment with windows.

Can anyone provide more background on this attachment? It's an interesting picture.

[O.Menu]

Hans Stollnberger, Ex Kdeur II./SG4, now staka 8./SG10 pictured in March or April 1945

[Snautzer]

like this.

.

[kaki3152]

Well, I'm familiar with PK men flying inside the FW-190, but have never seen a one man compartment located under the fuselage.

[harrison987]

Is it possible it is an optical illusion?

Maybe you are looking at something just to the right of the 190, that makes it "appear" it is underneath?

That seems waaaaaaaaaay to big, bulky and "un" aerodynamic to be a one-man compartment under the fuselage.

[Milos Gazdic]

True. Picture is published on 46th page of Bodenplatte book with the caption:
"Hptm. Hans Stollnberger greets a pilot of II./SG 4 after returning from a mission. The picture was probably taken in the autumn of 1944."
Picture credit goes to Jirousek & Stollnberger himself so it's possible that the mistaken date (if it's really wrong) comes in fact from Hans Stollnberger?!

Originally Posted by harrison987

Is it possible it is an optical illusion?

Unfortunately, Harrison this is not an optical illusion. You can see it clearly being attached to the rack!

Anyhow - Kaki - amazing photo. I have never previously seen this pod so clearly. In some magazines or books from 30-40 years ago that were discussing the overwing pods on Ju 87 they have mentioned this thing too and I was always dreaming of seeing it. Seems to cause as much drag as 500kg bomb would or a fuel tank would. So cool! Wish we had more of the images so one could clearly make the full shape of the thing!

[O.Menu]

Another picture from this same event, wrongly captioned as SG4, is published inside "Bodenplatte by John Manrho & Ron Pütz" and also inside "dive bomber & ground-attack units Vol2 by H.L.de Zeng and D.G.Stankey" unfortunately with this observation device near not visible.

[kaki3152]

Milos,

I found this picture online and thought it was worthwhile to post it and see what people thought about it. I have never seen another picture of this aparatus.

[Milos Gazdic]

Hello Kaki
It is amazing how much we learn from all the various primary (researchers) and secondary sources (ordinary people like myself) and even more amazing how little we know when we stumble upon things like the image you have posted! Let's hope some of the experts here will pull one two more images of the same event and share with us markings of the aircraft & complete shape of the aparatus!
Best,
Milos

[Revi16]

This may be a one man compartment at the 25:06 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oudnhWyThAQ