Fw200 Condor 26+00

[JackHun]

Maybe someone can enjoy this nice shot from 1940 of the personal machine - still without weapons!

Here is the whole profile: http://www.fluggeraet.de/fw200_2.html

Jack

[stonemint]

Great pic. I have always enjoyed the lines of the FW-200. Here is an example of the swastika over New York (actually Brooklyn):

On August 10-11, 1938, Focke-Wulf 200 Condor airliner D-ACON 'Brandenburg' made a record-breaking nonstop flight across the Atlantic from Berlin to Floyd Bennett field in Brooklyn, New York.
The 4,075 miles flight (6,437 km) took 24 hours and 57 minutes against strong headwinds, at an average speed of 164 MPH (263 km/h). The return flight to Germany took 19 hours and 47 minutes at an average speed of 205 MPH (330 km/h) on August 13, 1938.
In November, 1938 the same aircraft flew to Basra, Karachi, Hanoi, and Tokyo in only 46 hours 18 minutes, but on the return flight D-ACON ran out of fuel and ditched in the ocean near Manila.
Interestingly, it proves the Germans had the potential to bomb New York in WW2 as a one-off propaganda mission, but because the Condor wouldn't have had enough fuel to get back to Europe it'd have had to ditch at a pre-arranged spot partway back across the Atlantic for the crew to be picked up by a U-Boat.

[stonemint]

The Swastika under guard in Brooklyn:

[hi-revr]

FW200's are not a common subject outside of being one of Hitler's transport planes they are rarely mentioned. Here is a little trivia and also I'm curious if anyone else knows of confirmed kills. Not long ago I was researching the history of an American ace that I know and is still alive...........Arthur M Jeffrey leading ace of the 434th fighter squadron. 4 victories in a P-38J and 10 in a P-51K. Best known for having the first confirmed Me-163 Komet kill. His first confirmed kill was in July 44.....an FW200 over the Chateau bernard Airdrome near Cognac. This is very close to the coast making it likely to be one of the FW200's supporting the U-boats.

What I have found so far it looks like the total production of the FW200 was 276. Like most birds of that era many would have been lost to accidents and destroyed on the ground. I have not found any other confirmed kills named to a specific pilot. Anyone know of other victories attributed to a specific pilot?

[stgeorge64]

FW200's are not a common subject outside of being one of Hitler's transport planes they are rarely mentioned.

Kampfgeschwader 40 were equipped with Focke-Wulf FW-200 'Condor' aircraft, and their actions in the 'Battle of The Atlantic' led Prime Minister Winston Churchill to declare them the "Scourge of the Atlantic".

There is much documented on this Kampfgeschwader and the Focke-Wulf FW-200 'Condor'.

Regards Richard.

[The Dragon]

Here is a copy of Luftflotte West dated 29th May 1942. I got this with a grouping to a reconnaissance pilot/observer who was a member of 3.(F)/122 and flew in FW 200's.

[Rich G]

One of these crash landed in the village where my mother in law grew up in Spain.

http://galiciaenlasgm.blogspot.com.e...-13081943.html

She remembers it being there for years after the war until, I suppose, it was cut up for scrap.

Rich

[hi-revr]

I was able to find quite a bit of info from the last few posts. None had unit losses by date in July 44. From the info I have he either shot down the FW200 on July 5, 1944 or possibly that's the date the report was written. Most of his victories are well documented but not this one.

I would appreciate any specifics on the plane, crew, or other details. I am gathering this info for members of his family.

[stonemint]

The sad end of D-ACON:

On 6 December 1938 a four-engined German airliner, a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor with registration D-ACON, ditched in shallow waters off of Cavite due to double engine failure, apparently caused by faulty switching of fuel tanks.

It was on a promotional tour, on it's first return leg back to Germany from Tokyo. It was not originally planned to fly to Manila but was invited by the German Consul in Manila to show off to the Filipinos and other foreigners.

All the crews safely escaped. The constabulary and policemen guarded the aircraft. The aircraft was also inspected by 10th US Navy district, the commander of the Cavite Naval yard and the PC provincial commander.

The Germans complained and lost three briefcases "with very important documents on board.".

Two small girls drowned when they went on a raft to visit the wreckage until their bodies were found by fishermen. despite the security measure people flocked to see the German plane paying 1 peso each to fishermen to row them to and from the plane.
The aircraft was a total lost due to salt water and many souvenir hunters removed whatever they could. Atlantic Gulf and Pacific Company pulled the plane to dry land.It was eventually dismanted and put aboard a ship back to Germany.

The accident may have helped influence Goering's fortunate decision to discard plans for a four engine bomber and thus sorely restrict the range of the Luftwaffe's bomber forces.