The Focke-Wulf Ta 153 (GH+KV) was a prototype

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fighter aircraft built during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. It was a development of the Fw 190C, a Fw 190A with a DB 603A engine. A project called Ra-4 was initiated in 1943. The idea was to create a new fighter derived from the Fw 190 for higher altitudes. In that sense it was a competitor for the Messerschmitt Me 155B project. The Ta 153A-1 would get the Jumo 213A or C engine and the new wings of the Fw 190B prototype. There was also the Ta 153D-1, a high-altitude version with long-

span Span may refer to: Science, technology and engineering * Span (unit), the width of a human hand * Span (engineering), a section between two intermediate supports * Wingspan, the distance between the wingtips of a bird or aircraft * Sorbitan ester ...

, high-aspect ratio wings and the DB 603G engine. Although derived from the Fw 190, the Ta 153 was essentially a new aircraft. This would have required a complete conversion of the production lines with new jigs and tooling. For that reason

Kurt Tank Kurt Waldemar Tank (24 February 1898 – 5 June 1983) was a German aeronautical engineer and test pilot who led the design department at Focke-Wulf from 1931 to 1945. He was responsible for the creation of several important Luftwaffe aircraft o ...

decided to modify the existing Fw 190A by adding a rear fuselage 'plug', thereby creating the Fw 190D. Later this fuselage was mated with the long wings of the Ta 153D-1 for the successful Ta 152H.

Specifications (Ta 153)

References

See also