FW 190 Buckelhaube - Blown canopy

[Bergen]

I just came across this thread:
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=14485

Here it is discussed if Rudolf Arnters Weisse 10 had a Buckelhaube - Blown canopy.

This picture is claimed to be of Rudi Arnters wiesse 10:


I have not been aware of the Buckelhaube - Blown canopy for the FW 190´s before, so my questions are:

How common was this ?
Where can I get more information about it ?
Is the picture of Rudolf Artners Weisse 10 at Flieghorst Herdla ?

Thanks
Bergen

[Leo Etgen]

Hello Bergen

The blown canopy 8-190.1025 was fitted to late Fw 190 A-8 and A-9 fighters as well as Fw 190 F-8 and F-9 fighter-bombers in addition to Fw 190 D-9 (other than the early production examples), D-11 and D-13 fighters and was designed to allow greater visibility for the pilot. Note the thin metal sheet fairing behind the pilot head armor and that this type of canopy did not have the tension pully that kept the radio antenna wire taunt when the canopy was open. It should also be pointed out that this type of canopy could of course be retrofitted to aircraft that originally were not produced with it. I hope this helps somewhat.

Horrido!

Leo

[Bergen]

Thanks Leo

I guess several of JG 5´s FW 190 A8´s at Herdla might have had these then.

[Leo Etgen]

Hello Bergen

I have seen photographs of at least two other Fw 190 A-8 fighters of JG 5 that were fitted with the blown canopy. Note that the first aircraft (Blue 13) was fitted with the VDM 9-12153-A propeller with external pitch weights and the other aircraft was fitted with the late war "cigar shaped" drop tank. I hope that this helps.

Horrido!

Leo

[Bergen]

Thanks again Leo.
Great information.
May I ask from where you got these pics ?
They look to be from when JG5 was stationed at Herdla, are they ?

[Leo Etgen]

Hello Bergen

I scanned these photographs from Focke Wulf Jagdflugzeug by Peter Rodeike. It does appear that both of these fighters were photographed at Herdla in spring 1945. I hope this helps.

Horrido!

Leo

[Milos Gazdic]

I wish all aircraft were shot on snow covered ground since it's always amazing to see the amount of detail visible on lower surfaces in such shots.

Looking at the second JG 5 aircraft posted above by Leo it is amazing to notice:
i) how shiny / glossy the propeller is;
ii) that there seem to be a wrap around color from the upper surfaces going all the way to the leading edge of the wheel wells.
Question would be - should we consider the undersurfaces then to be unpainted / NMF or RLM 76. Please note that the starboard wing's aileron does look lighter than the remaing surface...