(robert arndt) wrote in message . com...

TA152s were used to protect Me262 on takeoff and landing becuase the
underdeveloped Jumo 004B Jet engines had very restricted acceleration
and could easily be bounced by allied aircraft. It is said that when
TA152s were in the air no Me262s were ever lost.


Not all Ta 152s were used in that role. JV 44s Fockes were 4 190D-9s
and a single 190D-11.

As far as performance was concerned the Ta 152 in 1945 was inferior to
the latest Mark of Spitfire under 30,000 ft. Between 30,000-35,000 ft
the aircraft were equal. Above 35,000 ft the Ta 152 was superior all
the way up to 50,000 ft!

AFAIKS Kurt Tank (the Fw190/Ta152 chief designer) was preceding with
the Ta152B which had shortened and altered wings to improve its
agillity and performance as an 'escort fighter'. It like the Ta152H
had the 36 Liter Jumo 213 engine.

(In fact it was originaly a replacement of the FW190D wing, which had
retained for production reasons the radial engined FW190A wings. The
wing of the proposed 190D based Ra-4D/Ta 153 had a slightly greater
span and area than that of the Fw 190D which was not ideal. This wing
was seen to have certain advantages over the wing originally envisaged
for the Ta 152. In addition to having better aerodynamic
characteristics, the Ta 153 wing was deemed easier to manufacture and
was capable of carrying more fuel. The Luftwaffe consequently proposed
that that the new wing be adopted for the Ta 152B, with the outboard
panels and flaps being extended for the long-span Ta 152H. )

The TA152C was a DD603 43L engined short winged version of the Ta152H.
(Only 3 were built). Tank wanted it becuase he said with this engine
it the aircraft would have better performance at altitude oddly it
ended up in the short 36ft span TA152C. On the surface the aircraft
seems to have had better perfromace at low altitude but only managed
463mph instead of 470mph of the TA152H. Closer inspection shows what
the reason was: The TA152Cs bigger engine managed this without GM-1
nitrous oxide boost.

These was recognition that one fighter wing profile and engine type
could not handle all scenarios thr Luftwaffe had to face.

TA152H-1 Engine: Junkers Jumo 213E-1 twelve-cylinder liquid-cooled
engine rated at 1750 hp for takeoff (2050 hp with MW 50 boost) and
1320 hp at 32,800 feet (1740 feet with GM 1 boost). Maximum speed: 332
mph at sea level (350 mph with MW 50 boost), 465 mph at 29,530 feet
with MW 50 boost, 472 mph at 41,010 feet with GM 1 boost. Service
ceiling was 48,550 feet with GM 1 boost. Initial climb rate was 3445
feet/minute with MW 50 boost. Weights were 8642 pounds empty, 10,472
pounds normal loaded, 11,502 pounds maximum. Wingspan 47 feet 41/2
inches, length 35 feet 1 2/3 inches, height 11 feet 0 1/4 inches, wing
area 250.8 square feet.

Your claim of TA152H-1's opperating at 50,000 feet seems substantiated
by the 48,550 ft service ceiling.

The Ta 152C-1 was powered by a Daimler-Benz DB 603LA twelve-cylinder
liquid cooled engine rated at 2100 hp (2300 hp with MW 50) for takeoff
and 1750 hp at 29,530 feet (1900 hp at 27,560 feet with MW 50). Armed
with one engine-mounted 30-mm MK 108 cannon with 90 rounds, two
fuselage-mounted 20-mm MG 151 cannon with 250 rpg, and two
wing-mounted 20-mm MG252 cannon with 175 rpg. Maximum speed was 227
mph at sea level (356 mph with MW 50), 436 mph at 37,730 feet (460 mph
at 32,810 feet with MW 50). Initial climb rate was 3050 feet per
minute and service ceiling was 40,350 feet. Weights were 8849 lbs
empty, 10,658 lbs normal loaded, and 11,733 pounds maximum. Wingspan
was 36 feet 1 inch, length was 35 feet 6 1/2 inches, height was 11
feet 1 inch, and wing area was 290.89 square feet.



Rob

p.s. The Ta 152 was also fitted with a LGW-Siemens K23 autopilot to
reduce pilot fatigue.

I believe a 2 (or 1 axis) autopilot was standard on even the earlier
FW190A. Its high roll rate made this essential to keep pilot fatique
down.