Battle of Normandy - Collector Plane: Fw 190A-7 vs Fw 190A-6

[JG7_X-Man]

Just keeping with the period - JG 26 and JG2 (the only 2 units in the west) were flying more Fw 190A-7s in June of  1944, than the Fw 190A-6s which were being phased out

Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" and Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter"

 

Note: On D-Day the 1st Luftwaffe aircraft over the beaches were Fw 190A-7s from JG26.

Edited November 26, 2019 by JG7_X-Man

[CountZero]

from wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focke-Wulf_Fw_190#Variants

 "At least 963 A-6s were built from July 1943 ending in April 1944,"

 

for a7:

"Production totaled only 80 aircraft before the advent of the Fw 190A-8"

 

 

https://www.ww2.dk/

also most units in normandy had 190a8, and a6s mostly in pre d day, so a6 is good choice as you can cover early timeline and with a8 from bobp later one

 

also ar 234 is collectable in BoN from what i can see not 190a6 if i understod it corectly

Edited November 26, 2019 by 77.CountZero

[-=PHX=-SuperEtendard]

The Fw 190 A-7 is basicaly an A-8 without the extra boost and a bit of armor. The A-6 is lighter and can also be used in earlier scenarios, while still retaining the quad MG 151/20s, it is the most interesting and versatile choice. You can basically have the A-7 by taking the current A-8 in BoBP and not use boost.

[JG7_X-Man]

1 hour ago, -=PHX=-SuperEtendard said:

The Fw 190 A-7 is basicaly an A-8 without the extra boost and a bit of armor. The A-6 is lighter and can also be used in earlier scenarios, while still retaining the quad MG 151/20s, it is the most interesting and versatile choice. You can basically have the A-7 by taking the current A-8 in BoBP and not use boost.

 

The A-7 had the dual 131s vs 17s mounted over the cowling - which are more effective in bring down fighters so basically - NOT the same aircraft 

[-=PHX=-SuperEtendard]

But you already have the A-8 in BoBP for that... which will be available in Normandy scenarios / missions anyway. And iirc having the MG 17 will make it lighter, and faster than the A-7.

Edited November 27, 2019 by -=PHX=-SuperEtendard

[BMA_FlyingShark]

A6 for me.

If ever they make an A7 as a collector's plane afterwards, I would buy it anyway.

But If I have to choose between the 2, I prefer they stick to the original plan of an A6.

 

Have a nice day.

 

[Bremspropeller]

On 11/26/2019 at 11:38 PM, -=PHX=-SuperEtendard said:

The Fw 190 A-7 is basicaly an A-8 without the extra boost and a bit of armor. The A-6 is lighter and can also be used in earlier scenarios, while still retaining the quad MG 151/20s, it is the most interesting and versatile choice. You can basically have the A-7 by taking the current A-8 in BoBP and not use boost.

 

Not quite:

The A-7 is an A-6 with MG131s instead of the MG17s. Other than that, there's little between the two. The A-6 could carry the 4x20mm gunpods, while the A-7 could be fitted with MK108s in the outer wings. I'd have to check whether the R2s got sent to the invasion-front, though. The A-8/R2s were, and I'm pretty sure that by the time of the invasion, most squadrons were all A-8s and no A-7/R2s remained.

 

Due to the implementation of the 115l aux-tank in the rear fuselage, the A-8 had lots of stuff re-arranged

The most obvious external change from the A-7 to the A-8 was shifting the pitot-tube from the mid-wing starbord position to the tip.

 

A-7s and A-8s have been built alongside up to about April '44, with initial production of the A-8 starting in February '44 and gradually ramping up until August '44.

 

Rodeike claims about 700 A-7s built with the first loss indicated in December '43.

The first known losses of A-8s happened in April '44.

 

An interesting Mod for any (A-6 through A-8) would be the Erla aux tank rack, which is a lot slicker and lighter than the ETC 501 bomb-rack.

The Erla rack was used by JG 26. If could only accomodate the 300l drop-tank; no bombs though.

Edited December 1, 2019 by Bremspropeller

[Cybermat47]

If the A-7 is just an A-6 with MG 131s, who’s to say that the A-7 won’t be a modification for the A-6?

[JG7_X-Man]

Well looks like the developers got it right! Fw 190A-6 it is 

[CUJO_1970]

On 11/26/2019 at 5:18 PM, 77.CountZero said:

for a7:

"Production totaled only 80 aircraft before the advent of the Fw 190A-8"

 

This sentence is misleading from Wikipedia.

 

There were many more than 80 A7 produced - continuing even after first batches of A8.

Edited December 15, 2019 by CUJO_1970

[CUJO_1970]

FW190A-6 was used in large numbers in Normandy beginning in summer 1943 - a full year before the Normandy landings, it would be most numerous 190 until early 1944. It has a stronger and lighter redesigned wing that can carry MK-108 cannons. It was the first 190 designed with a view to take down heavy bombers.

 

A7/A8 deliveries begin very early 1944 and by Normandy landings the most common 190 is the FW190A-8 with the more powerful engine - then we see A9/D9 start showing up a couple months later.

 

They could have actually done A6/A7 for Normandy and A8/A9/D9 for BoP.

 

 

[Notclear]

Fw 190 A-6:

Production from April 43 to February 44

Number of plane produced: 1137

First operational units in June 43

 

Fw 190 A-7:

Production from november 43 to April 44

Number of plane produced: 620

First operational units in december 43

 

Fw 190 A-8:

Production from March 44 to January 45

Number of plane produced: 5147

First operational units in (?) -- April 44 I suppose

[CountZero]

Then they have good airplane for axis collector fighter, they can do Fw-190 A-7 as collector airplane as it probably dont block any future DLC. As its not easy to add more axis collector airplanes that are realativly easy to make and could not be used on mising DLCs.  A-9 is saved for late war east front DLC. 

For BoN A-6 is better choice, and do A-7 as collector airplane near end of early acces, like now we have Hurri and Yak-9s.

Edited December 15, 2019 by 77.CountZero

[Bremspropeller]

On 12/15/2019 at 4:12 AM, CUJO_1970 said:

It has a stronger and lighter redesigned wing that can carry MK-108 cannons.

 

Only prototypes though in the A-6 and no MK108s were used in the field.

The MK108 got to be an operational option with the A-7/R2.

 

Fun Fact:

The A-7 seems to have been a Western Front affair only. Rodeike (keep in mind: That book also is already 20 years old!) says he can only attach a single A-7 per Gruppe to JG 54. So other than that, all A-7s were use in the west or in Reichsverteidigung duties. Many were used in Sturmstaffeln with the R2 mod.

Edited December 17, 2019 by Bremspropeller

[JG7_X-Man]

Maybe we can get the A-7 as a collectors plane?