ANT-46
1/48 Focke Wulf Fw 190 F-8/R15 BT 1400 Torpedo Carrier
Product Description
| The Fw 190 was fitted with a wide variety of weapons, and one of the most strange was the BT aerial torpedo bomb. This weapon was designed to replace the bombs used by fighter-bombers against shipping, but could also be used against land targets. The bomb consisted of a long truncated nose cone with a cylindrical centre section and a tail unit which tapered towards the rear on which were positioned three fins. It was designed to enter the water on a flat trajectory and continue beneath without deviation at as fast a speed and for as greatest distance as possible. There were several variants of the BT torpedo bomb (BT 400, 700, 1400) each one named keeping in mind the approximate weight (in kilos) of the weapon. The Fw 190 was tested with all variants of this torpedo. As the BT 1400 was the largest type, the aircraft was modified for carrying this device. A special strong support was fitted under the fuselage, and the tailwheel leg had to be lengthened to ensure the ground clearance for the fins of the torpedo. Even so, the lower tail fin of the weapon had to be partially folded on its right side for to avoid bumping when the plane was on the ground. This version was called Fw190F-8/U3. An aircraft carrying the radio call signs SS+GF was flown from June to October 1944 at Hexengrund, by Maj. Videbantt and Oblt. Heuer. The following version, the Fw 190 F-8/R15, was fitted with an enlarged tail unit taken from a Ta 152. |
