The Last Year of the Luftwaffe. - John Clarke

The Project Aircraft

Focke-Wulf Fw Ta 183

The Ta 183 had its origins in a series of single jet engine fighter design studies beginning in 1942.

There is much controversy over the correct designation on a lot of the Focke-Wulf projects, The study on the left has the heading of Fw PVI in books like "Die Deutsche Luftrustung 1935 1945" and "Secret German Aircraft Projects of 1945" but is given as Focke-Wulf fifth design in "Luftwaffe Secret Projects".

By the beginning of 1943 the series of designs had got to the Fw PVI study. There were two aircraft with this designation, they both had the same overall configuration. The first had a HeS 011A turbojet engine mounted below a liquid fuelled rocket motor, and was planned to have a armament of 4 30 mm canon.

Fw PVI first design.

The second had the rocket motor removed, but was otherwise of the same configuration.

When the design study for the Fw PVI had been completed it was decided to move on as at the time it was not seen as a practical possibility. This project may have reached the full size mock- up stage?

Fw PVI second design.

The next study the PVII, did reach the full size mock up stage but due to the fact that it used too many scarce strategic materials, and was too complex, it was decided to cancel the project. This project and all the Focke-Wulf single jet engine fighter projects ( Fw PI to Fw PVII ) are listed under the heading Fw Ta 183 in "German Jet Genesis" .

Then came the emergency fighter competition in late 1944 and the need to produce a cheap rugged single jet engine fighter that used the minimum of scarce strategic materials. At this time the Fw PVI design was dusted off and presented in 2 configurations.

The Ta 183 proper is the child of the Emergency fighter program of late 1944. There were many contenders for this project, but only the Me P1101V1 was 99% complete when the war ended, and shipped to the USA after the war.

The only other one to be given the go-ahead was the project from Focke-Wulf. The Fw Ta 183.

The first Ta 183 was the (Ta 183A or Ta 183/I or Ta 183 Entwurf 2, depending what reference book you have).

Detailed production drawings were ready and production was about to start just as the war ended. The first prototype Ta 183A was to be powered by the Junkers Jumo 004 turbojet with the HeS 011A turbojet to be used in production aircraft.

Data

span 10 m

length 9.4 m

wing area 22.52 sq m

empty weight 2,830 Kg

loaded weight 4,300 Kg

engine HeS 011A rated at 1,300 Kp thrust

fuel 1,250 Kg

max speed 955 Km/h

armament 2 or 4 Mk 108 30 mm cannon & 500 Kg bomb

It was hoped to have the Ta 183V1 ready for its first flight in May 1945 with full scale production beginning in October 1945.

Fw Ta 183/I Entwurf 2

In "Secret German Aircraft Projects of 1945" it has the drawings and captions mixed up for the Ta 183A & Ta 183B.

The designation Ta 183 Entwurf 1 seems to refer to the Fw PVII Flitzer project not the Fw PVI which first had the designation Fw PVI Entwurf 5 (This may be where some of the confusion noted elsewhere in this article comes from), then some time after January 1944 it was changed to Entwurf 2. Also I have a photocopy that has the Ta 183/II design 2 with a caption Fw PV/3, which is also the name of a kit offering from Unicraft.

The second Ta 183 was the (Ta 183B or Ta 183/II or Ta 183 Entwurf 3 depending on what reference book you have) it came in 2 versions with interchangeable tail assemblies. This is the first design.

data

span 9.5 m

length 8.75 m

wing area 20.02 sq m

empty weight 2,650 Kg

loaded weight 4,120 Kg

fuel 1,250 Kg

engine HeS 011A rated at 1,300 Kp

max speed 963 Km/h

armament 2 or 3 Mk 108 30 mm cannon

The second design is said to be the definitive design for the Ta 183/II but further work on this design ceased at the end of February 1945.

Fw Ta 183/II Entwurf 3 (first design Jan 1945)

Fw Ta 183/II Entwurf 3 (second design Feb 1945)

Modeling the Ta 183

There are a variety of models on the market at present of the Fw Ta 183 in both 1:72 & 1:48 scale.

In 1:72 Scale

Both the Revell & PM offerings are from the same mould and are excellent kits, easy to build with no hidden snags. Both these kits portray the Fw Ta 183/I and are injection moulded. The kit comes originally from PM and consists of 22 parts all on a single sprue, plus a canopy and decals. The decals on the Revell offering are far superior than the ones that come with the PM version.

There is a kit available of the Fw Ta 183/II (first design) from Unicraft although I have not seen this particular kit, normally Unicraft kits are only for experienced modellers & take much time and effort to turn out a presentable model. The kit is called Fw.PV/3? but appear's to look a lot like the Fw Ta 183/II (first design).

The one from Planet,which has on the box top Fw Entwurf 3, is the Fw Ta 183/II (second design).The kit is another fine piece of state of the art resin moulding, consisting of 24 parts and a vacuum formed canopy. The kit shows some engine detail which is visible through the open undercarriage doors. Otherwise this is another relatively easy kit.

There is also Ta 183A kit by Arba (Which most probably is no longer available), and a vacuum formed one by Airmodel.

In 1:48 scale

There is a Ta 183A in resin from Arba.

Appendix

There was another poorly documented project from Focke-Wulf that had the same configuration as the Ta 183/I. This was the Fw Super TL.

data

span 11 m

length 10 m

engine Junkers Jumo 004C

armament 2 Mk 108 30 mm cannon

Reference books used.

LUFTWAFFE SECRET PROJECTS FIGHTERS 1939-1945

GERMAN JET GENESIS

DIE DEUTSCHE LUFTRUSTUNG 1935-1945

SECRET GERMAN AIRCRAFT PROJECTS OF 1945

GERMAN AIRCRAFT of the SECOND WORLD WAR

JET PLANES OF THE THIRD REICH (excerpts kindly supplied by JUSTO MIRANDA of REICHDREAMS).

Thank you also Dan Johnson for checking this article.

Any comments to John Clarke email <j.clarke@clear.net.nz>

Late note.

I have just been told that in David Myhra's new Horten book he says that the Russians produced several Fw Ta 183 and flew them after the war!