Subject: Re: fw190d-ta152

Date: Sat, 01 May 1999 16:03:44 -0400

From: Kais <zkais@erinet.com>

To: "Rodney L. Larson" <rodl@scc.net>



At 04:42 PM 4/30/99 -0700, you wrote:

>How do you tell the fw-190D from the Ta-152 series. Are there any

>particular distinguishing visual characteristics.  I think a lot of

>photos are not exactly described correctly.

>Thank you in advance,

>Rod Larson      rodl@scc.net

>



Greetings;



I think you're right, in that sometimes a Dora 9 may be labelled as a ta152,

and vice versa, in some photos. Once you see them, though, there's really no

problem telling them apart. The Dora9 had the same wing span as the 190A

series, while the ta152 had a much longer wingspan, which helps explain it's

incredible turning ability, which was unusual for any German fighter of the

period. I think the measurements are listed on my site...someplace. Also,

the nose of the 152 was somewhat longer, if you can believe that the D

series didn't already have a long enough nose. I don't recall offhand

exactly how much longer; it wasn't much, but certainly noticeable.

I always thought the A and D models looked "better" than the Ta, but there

is no disputing the performance advantages held by the 152. The ta152C is a

great compromise, from the point of the two different "looks", and I think

sometimes it is easy to confuse the extremely rare C model with a 190D,

since the C had the shorter wingspan, but the long nose of the ta152H.

That's probably where a lot of confusion comes in, since the Ta152C may be

just labelled as a ta152, and looks so much more like a Dora than the 152H.

Don't know if this answers your question or not, but hope so. Thanks for

writing, and take care.



Cordially,



---

James M. Kayser

http://www.kais.cnd.net



"Posterity--you will never know how much it has cost my generation to

preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it."

---John Quincy Adams---

