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stepwilk
25th May 2009, 00:34
For an article I'm working on for Aviation History Magazine:

First question: Other than the two flying Fw 190 replicas built by Flug Werk, does anybody know of any real (i.e. non-replica) Fw 190s that are actually flying?

Second question: How about any that are "flyable" but that will never be flown because the risk of destroying a historic aircraft is too great?

Third question: Any out there that are _approaching_ flying status, like the long-rumored Paul Allen collection airplane, as well as the also-rumored one in Florida?

Old Photo.Fanatic
25th May 2009, 01:12
I am open to correction, but in 1987, on a visit, I remember a "High Speed" Modified, Fock Wolf 190.(One off)
It was at the then Champlin Museum, Mesa, Poenix. AR.
I understood the claim was, all the aircraft in the Museum were in a Flyable condition.
I further understand, again open to correction, that this may be the one you refer to in the Paul Allen Collection.

OPF

DeepestSouth
25th May 2009, 19:13
In the mid-70s FW 190 D-9 FE-118 was reported to be in the process of restoration to flying condition in Germany, for David Kyte. The plan was to return it to Santa Barbera but I've no idea what became of the plan. I also recall that, quite recently on another thread on PPrune, there was a report of the finding of a relatively lightly damaged FW190 in the former USSR. Turned out to be an old story rehashed as new but the aircraft, wherever it is now, might be worth following up.

Nick10
26th May 2009, 01:01
think this is the video of the fw 190 found in russia.

quite amazing, though it happened a while ago.

YouTube - FW190 found in forest clearing - Outside of Leningrad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jueDXiuU6aM)

Nick10
26th May 2009, 01:27
also - see here. a D9 that is apparently flyable but won't be because it's too rare. owned by one of the founders of microsoft - lucky fella.

Home : The Flying Heritage Collection (http://www.flyingheritage.com/)

stepwilk
26th May 2009, 12:41
Paul Allen's FHC airplane is in fact the same one you posted the videos of, found near Leningrad.

India Four Two
26th May 2009, 14:16
Stephan,

The FHC site says their Dora is a different aircraft:
This airplane: This is the only long-nosed Fw 190 D-13 to have survived the war. It entered service in March of 1945 and served with the JG (Jagdgeschwader) 26 wing, with Major Franz Götz as the plane's pilot and the wing's commodore. In May, 1945, after the end of the war, Major Götz flew this D-13 to the RAF base in Flensburg, Germany, and surrendered it. This airplane has been restored close to flyable condition, but it will not be flown because it is such a rare example of the Fw 190 line.

On the other hand, the Youtube video has this text:
Found in silver birch forest 1989. Recovered 1991. Doug/David Arnold and now Paul Allen.

So maybe FHC has two now.

Simon

Jhieminga
26th May 2009, 16:22
There is a list of preserved Fw190s on this site: Preserved Axis Aircraft (http://www.preservedaxisaircraft.com/)
(German aircraft - Focke Wulf - Fw190).

It looks like the FHC indeed has two aircraft: the ex-Champlin Fw190D-13 which supposedly could fly, and an Fw190A-5 which is being restored to airworthiness.

stepwilk
26th May 2009, 20:10
If you read all 87 comments that follow the YouTube video, there are three commenters who say that Leningrad airplane was restored in the UK and is now owned by Allen (FHC). They could be wrong, of course, but if so, it seems to be a widely held rumor/opinion/myth...

Roym
27th May 2009, 15:12
This link will help. The 190 in S.A. is pretty close to flying condition I believe, but due to it being the only speciman left with the night-fighting radar antenna will never leave the ground.
Preserved Axis Aircraft (http://www.preservedaxisaircraft.com/)