[Hobilar]

One of the best known of the German aces that flew the Focke-Wolf FW-190, Major Josef Pips Priller the famous Geschwaderkommodore of JG26 was credited with 101 victories over Allied aircraft. Priller, operating on the Western front (usually in Black 13) was the second leading ace in the west after Egon Mayer.

Continued development of the FW-190C project led, in 1944 to the production by the Focke-Wolf Company of a much-revised design. This aircraft was given the designation of TA-152.and trials commenced with a choice of engine. Ultimately the Jumo 213C engine was selected for production models over the Jumo 213E-1engine. Twenty pre-production Jumo powered aircraft were produced as the TA-152H-0 followed by a dozen H-1 production machines. Production then switched to the DB-603 powered TA-152C of which some 26 prototypes and 67 pre-production aircraft were manufactured before the war ended. The TA-152H-1, which was armed with single 30mm and two 20mm cannons, was recorded as having achieved a remarkable 472-mph at 41, 000 feet.

In total some 20, 087 Focke-Wolf FW-190s were built. Very few survive today despite considerable post war interest in the TA-152. Several examples were shipped to the USA and the UK at the end of the war. In the United States there are known to be three aircraft at aircraft museums (a pair of FW-190Ds and a TA-152H). The Luftwaffen museum in Germany had a D-9 recovered from Lake Schwerin some years ago for restoration. A recent report has stated that Glenn Lacey of Surrey is currently restoring an FW-190D-9 G-DORA obtained from the former Soviet Union to flying condition for an American owner in the United Kingdom.