The Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor

Sir Winston Chrchill called the Condor "The Scourge of the Atlantic ". He came to this because of the enormous ranges that this aircraft could fly, spotting merchant convois of the Allies. It then could either subsequently attack the convoi with its boms and rockets, and/or could call in the position to direct German Wolf-packs (groups of hunting U-boats) to the ships.
Starting out as a civil 26-passenger transport, meant for the Atlantic route, it was designed in 1936 with advanced features and performance. Japanese interest in the aircraft resulted in the first semi-military aircraft, and the need for reconnaissance bombers just before the outbreak of the Second World War made the Luftwaffe look into the direction of the Condor. The first aircraft were delivered in september 1939, and the first operational sorties followed in April 1940 during the invasion of Norway.

Versions:

• Focke-Wulf Fw 200C-3 Condor
• Other Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor versions

Further pictures:

The Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor in full flight

Technical data on the Focke-Wulf Fw 200C-3 Condor

Powerplant	4 × BMW-Bramo 323R-2 Fafnir radial, for take-off with MW 50 methanol/water injection, rated at 1200 hp (894.59 kW) each		Role during war	Maritime/Coastal patrol reconnaissance Bomber Reconnaissance Aircraft
Length	76 ft 11.5 inch		Height	20 ft 8 inch
Empty weight	31020 lb		Operational weight	50045 lb max
Wing Span	107 ft 8 inch		Wing Aspect ratio	9.14
Wing Area	1270.14 sq ft		Service ceiling	19685 ft
Maximum speed	224 mph at 15750 ft		Cruising speed	208 mph at 13125 ft
Initial climb rate	unknown		Range	2209 miles typical, 2759 miles max
Fuel capacity internal	1,773 Imp gal (2,129.25 US gal) plus provision for up to 416.8 Imp gal (500.6 US gal) of auxiliary fuel in fuselage tanks		Fuel capacity external	up to 264 Imp gal (317 US gal) in 4 × 66 Imp gal (79.25 US gal) drop tanks carried in place of the bombs
Machine guns	1 × 0.51 in MG 131 trainable rearward-firing gun in the rear dorsal position, 500 rounds 2 × 0.51 in MG 131 trainable lateral-firing guns in the beam positions, 300 rounds each 1 × 0.312 in MG 15 trainable rearward-firing gun in the rear ventral gondola position, 1,000 rounds 1 × 0.312 in MG 15 trainable gun in the power-operated Fw 19 forward dorsal turret, 1,000 rounds		Cannons	1 × 20 mm MG 151/20 trainable forward-firing cannon in the forward ventral gondola position, 500 rounds
Bomb load	Up to 4,630 lb, in a ventral gondola weapon bay rated 1,323 lb and on four hardpoints (two under the outboard engine nacelles, each rated at 1,102 lb and two under the outer wing panels each rated at 551 lb). Normal load-out: 2 × 1,102 lb SC-500 bombs under the outboard engine nacelles 2 × 551 lb SC-250 bombs under the outer wing panels 12 × 110 lb SC-50 bombs in the ventral-gondola weapon bay.		Torpedoes/rockets	2 × Henschel Hs 293 guided missile (on C-6 and C-8), one under each wing
Crew	6: pilot, co-pilot/bombardier, radar operator/gunner, radio operator/gunner, and two gunners		Naval or ground based	Ground and Naval
First flight (prototype)	27 July 1937		Operational Service	September 1939 - May 1945
Manufacturer	Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau G.m.b.H.		Number produced	276 total, this version unknown

Metric system

Length	23.46 m		Height	6.3 m
Empty weight	14071 kg		Operational weight	22700 kg max
Wing Span	32.82 m		Wing Aspect ratio	9.14
Wing Area	118 m²		Service ceiling	6000 m
Maximum speed	360 km/h at 4801 m		Cruising speed	335 km/h at 4000 m
Initial climb rate	unknown		Range	3555 km typical, 4440 km max
Fuel capacity internal	8.060 liters plus provision for up to 1.895 liters of auxiliary fuel in fuselage tanks		Fuel capacity external	up to 1.200 liters in 4 × 300 liters drop tanks carried in place of the bombs
Machine guns	1 × 13 mm MG 131 trainable rearward-firing gun in the rear dorsal position, 500 rounds 2 × 13 mm MG 131 trainable lateral-firing guns in the beam positions, 300 rounds each 1 × 7,92 mm MG 15 trainable rearward-firing gun in the rear ventral gondola position, 1,000 rounds 1 × 7,92 mm MG 15 trainable gun in the power-operated Fw 19 forward dorsal turret, 1,000 rounds		Cannons	1 × 20 mm MG 151/20 trainable forward-firing cannon in the forward ventral gondola position, 500 rounds
Bomb load	Up to 2100 kg, in a ventral gondola weapon bay rated 600 kg and on four hardpoints (two under the outboard engine nacelles, each rated at 500 kg and two under the outer wing panels each rated at 250 kg). Normal load-out: 2 × 500 kg SC-500 bombs under the outboard engine nacelles 2 × 250 kg SC-250 bombs under the outer wing panels 12 × 50 kg SC-50 bombs in the ventral-gondola weapon bay.		Torpedoes/rockets	2 × Henschel Hs 293 guided missile (on C-6 and C-8), one under each wing

Here is a quick overview of all different versions, without the full technical specifications:

Remarks:

In the beginning of the war the Condors were almost untouchable, being able to fly out of range for interceptors. The first real operations began in June 1940, and within the span of 3 months already sank more than 90,000 tonnes (91.440 metric tonnes) of Allied shipping. When the Allied had fighters with a greater range the Condors became less successful.
The name of the Condor pops up in a number of notable events: The third prototype was converted and used as Hittler's personal transport; The first unpowered Fi 103 test vehicle (V1 or Doodle-bug) was air-launched from a Condor in December 1942; The first kill of a Catapult-launched Hurricane ‘Hurricat’ was achieved in August 1941, when a Sea Hurricane Mk IA shot down an Fw 200 after being launched from the CAM-ship Maplin; And a Condor was the first German aircraft shot down by the US Army Air Forces (in August 1942) by an Iceland-based P-38F.
A few Condors remained operational to the last days of the war, in the end mostly being converted and used as transports. Deliveries of the military Condor amounted to 262 aircraft (10 in 1939, 26 in 1940, 58 in 1941, 84 in 1942, 76 in 1944 and eight in 1944), and these were supplemented by four impressed Fw 200B airliners.

Strengths:

• Excellent range
• Considerable bombload
• Good versatility in load-out

Weaknesses:

• Structural weaknesses in the wing, causing broken rear wing spars and other damage

Previous (Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger (Shrike))

Warbirds Main page

Homepage of Frans Bonné

Next (Fokker D.XXI )