Eduard Fw190 A3

[stillp]

I'm not 100%, but I think the P means Prototype. Although I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than me will know more.

You're right Matto - I found this:
"Air Ministry Order (AMO) 513/41 dated 10.7.41 specified prototypes to have yellow undersides.

From 1942 (AMO 664/42 dated 2.7.42) specified yellow undersides and the letter ‘P’ in yellow encircled by a yellow ½” ring of equal diameter to fuselage roundel. Air Publication 2656A Vol 1, Sect 6, Chap 2 (October 1944) goes into more detail of the dimensions of the markings."

I don't know why a captured enemy aircraft would be marked as a prototype though.
I found some more history: "This was the first Fw 190 to fall into Allied hands. Disorientated following air combat, Oberleutnant Armin Faber, a mostly deskbound staff officer of III/JG 2, mistook the Bristol Channel for the English Channel and landed at RAF Pembrey, Wales on 23 June 1942."

Pete

[stona]

The 'P' was for prototype.

It was part of the markings, along with the yellow undersides etc. applied to British prototype aircraft and captured enemy aircraft which were to be flown and tested in British airspace.

Hopefully this would prevent either British fighters or anti-aircraft artillery from shooting them down!

Some received even more exotic markings, like the Bf 109 G-14, which got 'Special Marking', a.k.a. invasion stripes to afford a little more protection.



No serial number given and it seems painting a circle around the P was not considered essential.



I made a model of this aircraft some years ago!

[matto21]

Thank you for all the useful and informative information above about the "P" markings.

stona , that is a very interesting and tempting prototype for a model!

[stona]

Go for it Matto!

Terrible photo, but you get the idea :smiling3:



It's so old that I don't even remember what kit this was based on!

[Guest]

I don't know why a captured enemy aircraft would be marked as a prototype though.

Probably so it doesn’t need to be assigned a British military or civilian registration code, yet can legally be flown. Similar to sticking dealer plates on a car that isn’t insured, has no MOT, etc. when taking it for a test drive.

[Tim Marlow]

Good build and interesting information. What’s not to like :thumb2:

[stona]

Probably so it doesn’t need to be assigned a British military or civilian registration code, yet can legally be flown. Similar to sticking dealer plates on a car that isn’t insured, has no MOT, etc. when taking it for a test drive.

They gave those flown by the RAF serial number. I have a list which includes those given a serial number and which were apparently not flown but 'used for spares only'. That's British bureaucracy! I assume that all these aircraft were technically on charge with the RAF.

Those captured at the end of the war got an Air Ministry number and some got a serial number too. AM1 was a Ju 88 G-6 (W.Nr.622983) captured at Schleswig. The highest number I know was AM114, a Do 24T (W.Nr.1135) flying boat, captured at Guldborg, Denmark, which also got a serial number VN865.

Aircraft captured in British areas of control but destined for the Americans were given a 'USA' number. Not all of them made it. At least one Me 262 (USA 4) ended up as a target at Orfordness. Those that did make it to the US were given EB (Engineering Branch) and later FE (Foreign Evaluation) numbers, eventually superseded by a T2 number. T2 indicated the Air Intelligence organisation of the USAAF/USAF.

The sad thing is that almost all these hundreds of aircraft were scrapped within a couple of years of the end of the war.

[Guest]

They gave those flown by the RAF serial number.

“Flown by the RAF” was probably different than “evaluation purposes”, though. Maybe the P was a temporary marking so they could fly it until an actual serial number was assigned? I have this feeling that the British bureaucracy you mention wouldn’t just hand one out the instant one was requested/needed, anyway

The sad thing is that almost all these hundreds of aircraft were scrapped within a couple of years of the end of the war.

Happens all over the place, unfortunately. With hindsight, you think: “Why didn’t they keep <whatever>?” but a lot of it wasn’t seen as anything special at the time.