Photo story (Clockwise from top left): (1) A captured German FW 190A-4 aircraft during WWII (2) A Focke Wulf Fw 190 aircraft on display at RAF museum, Cosford (3) Work is going on at the museum to restore a Dornier Do 17, a German light bomber that was salvaged from the English Channel (4) A Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8 on display at Cosford.
A WWII German fighter aircraft once more has got Midlands in its sights. But no need to panic as the rare craft is on display at RAF museum, Cosford. The www.shropshirestar.com reports.
Only 28 of the Focke Wulf Fw 190 aircraft exists today and one of those has got its place at Royal Air Force museum after it spent over 20 years hanging from the ceiling of the London Imperial War Museum. When first introduced in 1941, the Fw 190 outperformed the Spitfire Mk V, the front line fighter of Royal Air Forces. The Fw 190 maintained its supremacy until the introduction of Spitfire Mk IX in 1942.
Assistant curator of RAF museum, Clare Carr said that it was wonderful to have such a historical aircraft in Shropshire County and added that the aircraft was very prolific and successful. The new aircraft at Cosford was part of a German Mistel combination. The Mistel combination consisted of the small Fw 190 piloted aircraft mounted on top of explosive carrying drone Junkers Ju 88. The Mistel combination craft was used in Denmark during WWII to train pilots. In May 1945, the craft surrendered and while joined to the Junkers, it was flown to Germany.
The Fw 190 was separated from the Junkers and both crafts were due to be transferred to Britain for analysis. It was assumed that the Ju 88 had been scrapped as it never reached Britain. The Fw 190 was on display in the London Imperial War Museum for over 20 years as mentioned earlier. It was also on display at RAF Cranwell for several years, then at RAF Biggin hill for storage. The Imperial War Museum Duxford loaned it in 1986 where it received corrosion treatment and a repaint. In 1990 it was shifted to Imperial War Museum, South Lambeth and stayed there until December, 2012. It came to Cosford for maintenance works and finally found its permanent place for display.
Another German light bomber, Dornier Do 17 also known as the flying pencil, has also found its final resting place at Cosford after lying on seabed for over 70 years. The Do 17 was salvaged from the English Channnel and is currently undergoing a two year long restoration works at the museum.