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constructors plate from Oskar Bösch's aircraft courtesy Erich Brown

A  specialist bomber destroyer variant of the classic 'Wurger' nicknamed the 'Sturmbock' (Battering Ram; der Bock is a male goat or ram). This 'Sturm' version of the Fw 190 was specially modified to attack American heavy bomber formations from short range and from behind. Because it needed to be able to fly through heavy return fire from enemy bombers, the Sturmbock was fitted with additional armour plating around the cockpit and the ammunition boxes, and with extra panels of laminated glass ( Panzerscheiben ) on the sides of the cockpit canopy . These'Scheuklappen' or blinkers tended to restrict the pilots visibility. The armour plating just visible in the photo below had bevelled edges in an attempt to improve airflow but with its all up weight increased by some 400Ib, the Sturmbock had the flying characteristics of a brick . At least some measure of  protection was provided for its pilot , hunkered down in his cockpit behind the massive BMW radial engine.  Some pilots soon took to removing the upper cowling guns   ( the gun troughs, Schusskanäle, being faired over )  and then the Panzerglas in an effort to offset some of the 400 lb weight  increase and the corresponding reduction in performance . In place of two 2cm cannon usually carried in the outer wing positions, the Sturmbock was fitted with two MK 108 3cm cannon - low-velocity weapons but with a high rate of fire. The 3cm high-explosive shells were extremely destructive against aircraft at short range, and on average three hits were sufficient to bring down a bomber.

 Bacause the Sturmbock modifications had such a deleterious effect on the aircraft's performance, each Sturmgruppe was to be accompanied into action by two Gruppen of standard fighters to fend off the American escorts.

The Fw 190 Sturmbock formed the equipment of the Sturmgruppe unit and made possible radically new fighting tactics. Flying in close Staffel formations each of about a dozen aircraft, the fighters were to deliver massed attacks on the American heavy bomber formations. The extra armour around the cockpit of the Fw 190 would enable its pilot to survive in the defensive crossfire from a score or more bombers, close within a hundred yards behind the bomber chosen as target and  either deliver a coup de grace with heavy cannon or more controversially ram the bomber. Follow this link for more on the Rammjäger




Focke Wulf 190A8/R2 (8) Sturmbock
1)   30mm Rheinmetall Borsig Mk108  11)  13mm magazine 
2)  30mm cartridge supply chute  12)  20mm magazine 
3)  30mm magazine  13) 20mm cartridge supply chute 

4)  magazine attachment  14)  MG151/20 mount 
5)  MG151/20 synchronisation mechanism  15)  30mm Rheinmetall Borsig Mk108 
6)  13mm Rheinmetall Borsig MG 131  16)  air heating duct 
7)  MG131 mount  17)  20mm Rheinmetall Borsig MG 151/20 
8)  13mm cartridge supply chute  18)  link and empty case chute for MG 131
9)  Revi 16B  gun sight  19)  MG 131 synchronisation mechanism
10)  KG13B control column  20)  20mm Rheinmetall Borsig MG 151/20

  The early Sturmböcke flown by ace pilots with elite status were typically flamboyantly decorated machines.   IV./JG3 Sturmbock aircraft had jaunty, semi-gloss  blue-black noses and stylish 'Adlerflügeln' , or eagle wing designs covering the exhaust stained flank area aft of the cooling louvres which was normally outlined in the Staffel colour and went down to  the aft tip of the wing root on many IV./JG3 aircraft. The link to parent Geschwader  JG3 Udet was evident from the outset in the winged Udet   Geschwader emblem seen on the cowling sides. There is a poor quality picture of a line-up of 11th Staffel machines in Prien's Chronik, taken in July 1944 which show quite a number of Sturmböcke with the Udet emblem on the cowling. All these Sturmbocks have all the armour. First aircraft in the line-up is a schwarze 2. Some aircraft in the unit have the Udet emblem below the port cockpit on the side of the fuselage. The IV Gruppe'Gruppenwelle' or wavy line appeared on the white fuselage band as shown in the  photo of Hans Weik's Sturmbock reproduced above. This  purportedly depicts the Sturmbock Fw190 A-8/R2 of Staffelkapitän Hans Weik 10./JG3, 'weisse 1'  seen in July 1944 at Memmingen. Note the solid black cowling with the JG3 Udet emblem and , just visible on the rudder, the rows of white Abschussmarkierungen . Lt Weik had recently scored his 34th victory. The Sturmbock was extremely heavily armed with cannon in the outer wing. ( picture courtesy Peter Rodeike and reproduced in his ..'Jagdflugzeug 190..'  See links page for more details )

It is doubtful whether Weik actually flew this aircraft on operations . Even in July 1944 pilots knew that by flying low numbered aircraft they could potentially be singled out by US P-51s as Staffel leaders.  He was in fact shot down when flying 'schwarze 7' according to the loss list in Prien.  It is more than likely that this would have been 'weisse 7' which may even be the machine in the above photo.