Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Western FrontThe Fw 190 was the scourge of Fighter Command from the moment it appeared on the Western Front at Abbeville in August 1941 with II./JG 26. A nimble, speedy and well-armed adversary, the 'Butcher Bird' quickly proved superior to all Allied fighters of the time, particularly at medium to low altitude. Led by Experten of the calibre of 'Pips' Priller, Heinz Bar and Walter Oesau, the handful of Fw 190-equipped Jagdgeschwader flew against overwhelming odds, firstly on the Channel coast, and then in direct defence of the Reich when the Jagdflieger took on the might of the USAAF's Eighth and Ninth Air Forces. This is their story. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Abbeville-Drucat Adolf aircraft Allied April attack August badge battle Black Double Chevron Bühligen Channel Front circa claimed coast cockpit combat command dogfight early Eastern Front eight engine Erich Erich Rudorffer escort February Feldwebel fighter pilots final fire flown flying Focke-Wulf Focke-Wulf Fw 190 formation four-engined bombers France Galland German Geschwader Geschwaderkommodore Geschwaderkommodore JG Geschwaderstab Glunz Gruppe Gruppenkommandeur Hauptmann heavy bombers Heinz Bär III./JG Jagdgeschwader Jagdgruppen Jagdwaffe Josef Josef Keil Josef Priller June Karl Borris Knight's Cross Kommandeur Kommodore of JG Kurt later Leutnant Luftwaffe Luftwaffe's machine Major Anton Major Gerhard metres mission months nightfighter Normandy November Oberfeldwebel Oberleutnant Oberst Oberstleutnant operational pilots killed Pips Priller raid re-equipment Reich Reich's Defence Richthofen Rudorffer scored shot sorties Spitfire Stabsschwarm Staffel Staffelkapitän Sturm Sturm)/JG Sturmbock Sturmgruppe Sturmstaffel successful tactics targets unit Unteroffizier victories Walter Oesau western Wevelghem Wilde wing Wk-Nr Wurmheller