What mystery surrounds the Fw 190 the US Navy pitted…

What mystery surrounds the Fw 190 the US Navy pitted against the Corsair and Hellcat?

Short answer

The Fw 190 tested by the Navy at Patuxent River was a G-3 captured intact in Sicily on September 9, 1943. It flew without two of its four 20 mm cannons, which lowered its empty and takeoff weights. Across almost the whole flight envelope the Corsair outperformed it, though at 160 knots it climbed better than both Corsair and Hellcat.

Published: October 31, 2026 · Updated: October 31, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

What mystery surrounds the Fw 190 the US Navy pitted against the Corsair and Hellcat?

F4U at 2023 Oshkosh

A fighter captured intact

On September 9, 1943, American forces taking part in the Sicily campaign captured an intact Focke-Wulf 190 G-3. The aircraft was flown to Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland. There, all its paint was stripped and it was repainted with American markings. Two of the Fw 190's four 20 mm cannons were not installed, and that absence lowered the plane's empty weight and takeoff weight. The evaluated example therefore flew below the weights of an Fw 190 with its full armament.

What was measured

The comparison pitted the German fighter against the F4U-1 Corsair and the F6F-3 Hellcat. Across most of the flight envelope, the Corsair performed better than the Fw 190. At 160 knots, however, the Fw 190 climbed better than both the Corsair and the Hellcat. In turning performance, both the F4U-1 and the F6F-3 turned better than the German fighter. Either one could follow the Fw 190 without difficulty in a turn at any speed.