Manufactured in April 1943, this Fw 190 was the 415th A-5 variant constructed from batch 0150812 at the Bremen factory of Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau GmbH. Given the build number 0151227, the airframe was modified in the factory to carry an ETC501 bomb rack in place of the usual wing-mounted 20mm cannons, making its final designation A-5/ U3 (the U signifying a conversion kit, or Umruest-Bausatz). The aircraft was delivered to the Eastern Front air base of Siwerskaya (Siversky) for use by Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54) Gruenherz (Greenhearts). On July 19,1943,24-year-old Feldwebel Paul Raetz of 4/ JG 54 took off from the airfield with a 250kg (550lb) bomb strapped underneath his aircraft. The fighter now carried the unusual marking 'White A'. Coloured numbers usually identified Luftwaffe squadrons. Research suggests that 4/JG 54 used letters during the summer months of 1943 whilst acting as a semi-autonomous specialist ground attack unit, later reverting back to the normal number system.
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