FW200 as missile carrier

[Del Davis]

I am aware of one photo showing Hs293 missiles beneath the wings of a Fw200 C-8 and that this model of the Condor was designed as a missile carrier. Does anyone possess evidence that KG40 actually flew sorties with this weapons configuration? If so, then when and where and what was the target?

[robert_schulte]

According to Heinz Nowarra's book on the Condor, three Fw 200 should be equipped with the Hs 293, designation should be C-8/U-10 with Werknummern 0259 to 0261. However, he says that probably 0259 TO+XO was the last Fw 200, which has been completed and delivered.
Also according to Nowarra, the first mission with Hs 293 was flown on 28th Dec. 1943, but without big success. No further details are given.
Hope this helps
Robert

[Del Davis]

Thank you, Robert. I will check the book when I get home tonight!

[Juha]

Hello Del
According to Markku Valtonen's Pohjoinen ilmasota pp. 234 - 235 two Fw 200 C-8s fired 4 Hs 293s towards Röyttä harbour on 6 Oct 1944 after Finns had made an amphibious landing there. The Finns lost at least one AAmg (probably 20mm) and one range finder in this attack. Valtonen was rather sure that one of the Condors was F8+HT.

Juha

[rldunn]

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

[barrye]

Hi Del,

Aeroplane magazine, September 1994, has a photo of an Fw-200 C-8 of KG40. The plane is clearly a missile carrier, with extended outboard nacelles. It also has white (apparently) front cowlings, and RLM 76 squiggle on the fuselage and vertical tail surfaces, making it a very colorful bird. There is also a Spanish monograph on the FW-200 that also has this photo and a color sideview. To my knowledge, it has not been published elsewhere. Whether it flew operationally with Hs-293s is unknown.

[Del Davis]

Thank you for the information . Barrye I assume the information appears in volume 2 of the Spanish Monographs. I have volume one and it does not appear there.

[odybvig]

Hello Del
I have the spanish monograph as pdf. I can send it to you this evening

Olve Dybvig

[odybvig]

need a E-mail adress Del


Olve

[jim norton]

hi,
i have a flugbuch of IV. and III./KG 40. on may 9th f8+lw and f8+cw where training with each 2 hs 293 over the baltic sea. maybe that helps. the to+xo is also reported in this document beeing at lechfeld in 3/44.
regards
jim