The Focke Wulf Fw190 was a powerful fighter/bomber used by Axis air forces during World War II.

The Fw190F-8 was a ground attack aircraft based on the Fw190A-8 fighter with bomb racks fitted under the fuselage and wings.

The model represents a Fw190F-8 flown regularly by Feldwebel Eugen Loercher with 5/SG 2 at Kummer am See near Bohmisch Leipa in the Czech Republic under the command of Hans-Ulrich Rudel. On 8 May 1945 Rudel ordered his pilots to fly west were they were to belly land their aircraft and surrender at the US held airfield at Kitzingen. However, rather than the unthinkable of surrendering to Soviet forces, Loercher wanted to land closer to his home with his newly married wife who lived with him at the group’s airfield.

Loercher stripped out the radio compartment of his aircraft and his wife crawled into the space (as did quite a few other pilots’ wives and fiances). Loecher flew at a very low level, where flak was a constant problem, and followed the main train tracks west. He set the aircraft down on a large flat field between Turkheim and Aufhausen as gingerly as he could. He and his wife scrambled out of the plane none the worse for wear and walked to Loerchers’ parents house in Geislingen some distance away.

Every year until age and health stopped them, Loecher and his wife returned to the spot where they had landed and toasted their good fortune with a bottle of Champagne. Eugen Loercher died on the 1st June 2014.

Tamiya 1/48 with Eduard aftermarket seat belts, brass rod replacements for wing cannons and markings from Third Group Decal. Painted in Floquil Platinum Mist with Old Silver panels and darkened silver hued ailerons. The rudder and horizontal stabs were painted in Model Master enamel Red Oxide, the top side wing camouflage is Model Master enamels in RLM 74 and RLM 75, as is the sparse fuselage mottling. Completed by Wayne in about 2000.