The Focke-Wulf 190 was not distributed in large numbers to non-German air forces, but Turkey and Hungary were notable exceptions. France also used the FW 190 in the post-war period. Many other nations captured FW 190s, or received very few of the type.
Turkey - Focke-Wulf 190 Aa-3 [1]
In the middle of 1942 the RLM issued an export order for FW 190s to be sent to Turkey. Turkey received 72 FW 190 Aa-3 (a for auslandisch - foreign) aircraft between October 1942 and March 1943. The first FW 190 Aa-3 was built in August 1942. The FW 190 Aa-3 received its own Werk Nummer block, 0134 101 - 0134 172 (although it is not known if W.Nr 110, 123, 146 and 148 were handed over). These aircraft were basically FW 190 A-3s, with BMW 801 D-2 engines, and FuG VIIa radios. However, they did not have FuG 25 radios, and had an armament fit of four MG 17s, with the option of installing two MG FF/M cannon in the outer wing position.
Focke-Wulf 190 Aa-3s produced for Turkey
| Month |
Number |
Firm |
| 08.42 |
5 |
Arado |
| 09.42 |
10 |
Arado |
| 10.42 |
1 |
Arado |
| 12.42 |
10 |
Focke-Wulf |
| |
2 |
Ago |
| 01.43 |
4 |
Focke-Wulf |
| |
3 |
Ago |
| 02.43 |
6 |
Focke-Wulf |
| |
3 |
Ago |
| 03.43 |
2 |
Arado |
| |
5 |
Ago |
| 04.43 |
8 |
Focke-Wulf |
| |
8 |
Ago |
| 05.43 |
2 |
Focke-Wulf |
| 06.43 |
1 |
Focke-Wulf |
The Turkish FW 190s served as fighters during their time in service, and left the Turkish Air Force in 1948 and 1949. Basic camouflage scheme for these aircraft was RLM 70/71, with RLM 65 undersides. There is speculation that RLM 76 or RLM 02 light mottling was used on the tail and fuselage sides of FW 190 Aa-3s. Other sources state that RLM 74/75/76 was the standard camouflage scheme for the FW 190Aa-3. Around 1945, some of these aircraft were painted in overall dark green. Four Turkish squadrons flew the FW 190 Aa-3, including the 5th Regiment's 3rd and 5th Squadrons. The four Squadrons were nicknamed Akbas (Whitehead), Sarýbas (Blondehead), Albas (Redhead) and Karabas (Blackhead), with their propeller spinners matching colours with their nicknames.
Two Turkish FW 190 Aa-3s in flight with a Turkish Spitfire (E. Ozgur)
France - NC.900 [2]
In the immediate post-war period, the French Armee de l'Air operated FW 190 fighters (French designation NC.900). 65 FW 190s were built in 1945 and 1946 by the Société Nationale de Construction Aéronautiques du Centre (S.N.C.A.C) at Cravant. Between 600 and 900 people worked at Cravant, and the facility was also known as camp 918. Cravant had been a Luftwaffe repair facility, and 127 FW 190 fuselages and 162 wings of FW 190 A-4s, A-5s, and A-8s were captured there by the Allies in October 1944. About 100 BMW 801s were found at Dordogne, and the French planned to assemble 125, under the designation AACr-6, or NC.900. The first NC.900 was flown on 1 March 1945, but there were many problems with the new aircraft. Sabotaged airframe parts and the use of hastily recycled metals meant many aircraft were of poor quality. Armee de l'Air FW 190s only saw service for a few years, before more modern fighters were acquired. The principal operator of the NC.900 was GC 111/5 Normandie Niemen, which received just fourteen NC.900s. They flew with the unit for 18 months. A majority of the remaining 51 NC.900s were used by the CEV (centre d'essais en vol) at Brétigny. The final flight by a French NC.900 was on 22 June 1949.
A French NC.900, possibly from GC III/5 Normandie Niemen, at Dijon in 1946. The photo was taken by Sebastien's father (Sebastien Mauclaire)
Hungary - FW 190 F-8 [3]
Hungary operated around 70 FW 190 F-8s during the late-war period. These aircraft served with the 102. Vadászbombázó. The first 16 FW 190 F-8s were delivered on 8 November 1944, and the unit entered combat on 16 November, under the command of Captain Gyözö Lévay. The unit would successfully operate the type until the final days of the war.
Rumania - FW 190 F-8 [4]
The Aeronautica Regal Romana captured 22 FW 190s in August 1944 during the anti-Axis rebellion. Some of the aircraft were probably from III./S.G.10, based at Focsani-Süd (note a painted over III.Gruppe bar in a photo of one of these Rumanian FW 190 F-8s). These aircraft received the yellow, blue and red Rumanian markings. Nine of the FW 190s were made serviceable, but were then confiscated by the Russians.
The Luftwaffe versus the Rumanian FW 190s
The Rumanians had declared war on Germany on 25 August 1944, and had captured some German FW 190s. Early on the next morning, one of the new Rumanian FW 190s was actually claimed destroyed by Uffz. Schatermann of the 3./Transportgeschwader 5, about 40 km north-west of Bucharest. This was possibly the only case of the Luftwaffe claiming an enemy FW 190 destroyed during World War II.
Victory List for the Luftwaffe Against Rumanian FW 190s
| Date |
Pilot: Tally |
Unit |
Type |
Location: Altitude |
Time |
| 26.08.44 |
Uffz. Schatermann: 1 |
3./T.G. 5 |
FW 190 |
35 km N.W. Otopeni: - |
08:19 |
Japan - FW 190 A-5 [5]
A single FW 190 A-5 was supplied to Japan for evaluation in 1943. Although the type was not put into production by the Japanese, it received the Allied code-name 'Fred'.
Poland - FW 190 [6]
An FW 190 was probably used in the immediate aftermath of World War II to train ground-crew of the Polish People's Air Force at Miroslawiec airfield. Polish red-white checkerboards were applied in place of German markings.
Focke-Wulf 190s Captured by the Soviets [7]
| Variant |
W.Nr |
Markings |
Pilot |
Unit |
Date |
Location |
| FW 190 A-4 |
0142 310 |
'Black 2 + ' |
Uffz. Helmut Brandt |
2./J.G. 54 |
16.01.43 |
S.E. Schlüsselburg |
| FW 190 A-4 |
0142 362 |
'Black 6 + ' |
Uffz. Erwin Grossmann |
11./J.G. 51 |
12.07.43 |
Nevel |
| FW 190 A-5 |
0150 1154 |
'+ F' |
Uffz. Karl Havertz |
3./Sch.G. 1 |
21.05.43 |
Borovaya |
| FW 190 A-8 |
682 011 |
'White 14 + I' |
Ofw. K. Petersen |
9./J.G. 301 |
10.10.44 |
Rakitnoye |
| FW 190 D-9 |
210 251 |
|
|
J.G. 2 (?) |
03.45 |
Marienburg |
| FW 190 F-8 |
581 027 (?) |
|
Uffz. H. Lindner |
II./S.G. 2 |
07.01.44 |
Kirovograd |
| FW 190 F-8 |
580 967 |
SQ + JO |
Oblt. F. Götzfried |
10./S.G. 2 |
27.08.44 |
|
Yugoslavia - FW 190 F-8 [8]
Towards the end of 1944, Yugoslavian partisans captured FW 190 F-8 W.Nr 930 638 'White 43 + ' of I./S.G. 2. It had the camouflage scheme of RLM 70/75/76, and carried the yellow chevron wing marking. It was put into Yugoslavian service in 1945, serving until 1946. In Yugoslavian service it was repainted, and became 'White 11'. After being retired, the aircraft was repainted in German colours, and remains of it are still in existence today, and can be found in the basement of the Air Force Museum at Surcin, Belgrade, Serbia.
Footnotes
[1] Rodeike, Focke-Wulf Jagdflugzeug - Fw 190A, Fw 190 "Dora", Ta 152H, p.58; Ozgur, Emails 2001
[2] NA AIR 40/1887; Lowe, Email 3 July 2002; Filley, FW 190A, F, and G in Action, p.32; CJE, 'NC.900', posted on Luftwaffe Discussion Group; J. Gasset, Email 9 August 2004
[3] Punka, Hungarian Air Force, p.17
[4] Lalak, Sojusznicy Luftwaffe via F. Grabowski; Filley, FW 190A, F, and G in Action, p.49; Film C.2025/I
[5] Filley, FW 190A, F, and G in Action, p.16
[6] Grabowski, Emails 2001
[7] Genst.Gen.Qu.6.Abt.; Geust, 'Red Stars, Vol.2', in Rosch (ed.), Luftwaffe Verband #17, p.18
[8] Sebastijan, Email 5 March 2003
Bibliography
NA AIR 40/1887
Genst.Gen.Qu.6.Abt.
Brian Filley, Fw 190A, F, and G in Action, Squadron/Signal Publications, Carrollton, 1999
Carl-F. Geust, 'Red Stars, Vol.2', in Barry C. Rosch (ed.), Luftwaffe Verband #17, January 1999.
Z. Lalak, Sojusznicy Luftwaffe [via Franek Grabowski]
G. Punka, Hungarian Air Force, Squadron/Signal Publications, Carrollton, 1994.
Sebastijan, Email 5 March 2003
C-J Ehrengardt [spelling], 'NC.900', posted on Luftwaffe Discussion Group: 12 O'Clock High!, 31 August 2003
J. Gasset, Email 9 August 2004
Franek Grabowski, Emails 2001
Malcolm Lowe, Email 3 July 2002
S. Mauclaire, Email 1 July 2003
E. Ozgur, Emails 2001
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