From the time of its appearance in 1939 the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was one of
the best fighter aircraft of the Second World War - a masterpiece
produced by chief designer Kurt Tank. In 1943 he developed a new fighter
aircraft based on this successful concept. The project soon deviated far
from the original Fw 190 concept and as an honor to the designer it was
designated the Ta 152. The great performance potential of this fighter
was obvious from the very first prototypes of the Ta 152A and Ta 152C.
Unfortunately, however, production was limited to a few examples. But at
the same time Focke-Wulf was developing the Ta 152H high-altitude
fighter which, powered by the Jumo 213E and equipped with a pressurized
cockpit, was capable of reaching altitudes on the order of 35,000 feet
and speeds in excess of 430 mph. A few Ta 152Hs saw action at the
beginning of 1945 and they made an excellent impression on their pilots.
Compared to the older fighters they exhibited significantly better
flight characteristics and performance at high altitude. The Ta 152
could also stand up to the best Allied fighter aircraft, such as the
American P-51 Mustang. On account of its unfamiliar shape the pilots of
Bf 109s sometimes mistook it for an enemy aircraft and attacked. The
heavy Allied bombing at the end of the war prevented production from
beginning as planned, and as a result only a very few Ta 152Hs could be
delivered. With the aid of a large number of photographs - some
previously unpublished - and drawings, this book details the development
history of the Ta 152, one of the most advanced fighter aircraft of its
day. But it also illustrates the hopelessness of Germany's efforts late
in the war to deploy advanced aircraft in large numbers.
