Focke Wulf Fw190F-8 W.Nr. 931884 |
I/SG 2, Eastern Front, late 1944
This aircraft was restored by the National Air and Space Museum, going on display in 1983. The airframe was originally thought to be a recycled Fw190A-7 airframe, but recent research may cast doubt on this theory. Regardless of its provenance, the team of restorers (Joe Fichera, Mike Lyons, Dale Bucy, and Karl Heinzel) invested well over 10,000 hours in restoring this aircraft to better than new condition. Sadly, Mike Lyons passed away shortly after completion of this project, but the Focke Wulf stands as a tribute to both the men who flew and maintained them, as well as those who have invested so much time and effort to preserve this aircraft.
The two shots below are of the Fw190S-8 trainer which is currently on display at Hendon; these were taken in 1992, and at that time there were still periodic engine runs being done, giving an "operational" appearance to the wells as seen below.