The Focke-Wulf 190 entered service with the Luftwaffe in 1941. It was a fast and versatile fighter and was unusual in that it had an 18 cylinder radial engine. The BMW 139 was prone to overheating in the early versions, but the problem was solved by the time full production began.

The Fw-190-D9 was a substantial change to the 190 - the engine was changed from radial BMW to in-line Jumo, which led to a large increase in the nose length and an extra section added to the fuselage for balance. The 190 D showed a good improvement in speed at the expense of manoeuverability, but this was felt to be correct for a 'bomber destroyer'. The D-9, 11, and 13 were not produced in large numbers, and stayed in service until the end of WW2.