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Due to the new mission of SturmStaffel 1, better equipped aircraft had to be used to better combat the heavy bombers at close ranges.The Focke Wulf 190A-series was known to be a good bomber interceptor. The only problem was that when closure time for stern attacks by Fw190s was very slow, leaving the Fw190s very vulnerable to both bomber gunners and escorting fighters. 

SturmStaffel 1 soon adopted the baby-brother of the 'Sturmbock.' They used Fw190A-5s and A-6s and added 5 inch armor plating called Panzerplatten to critical areas of their aircraft. The unit also added 30mm glass panels to the side of the canopy and to the quarter-panels of the windscreen. 

These new and heavier aircraft resulted in double the fuel consumption rate, and soon fuel drop tanks were added, further weighing down the new converted aircraft.  

Armament on these early 'Sturmbocks' were the same as the normal FW190A5s and A6s.
 
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Early 'Sturmbock' belonging to SturmStaffel 1. *
Copyright 1999 Thomas A. Tullis
 
SturmStaffel 1 was among the first units to adopt Reich Defense (Reichsverteidigung) bands. These bands helped pilots distinguish each unit from the other. SturmStaffel 1 chose to adopt the black-white-black scheme shown in the above profile.  

Sturm units would soon incorporate the new Fw190A8 and A9 versions into their units and along with the earlier modifications of Sturm aircraft, they soon also incorporated Rustsatze (Field Conversion Kits). The most numerous one used by the Sturm units was the R8 kit which equipped the Fw190A8 with armor glass and a Mk108 30mm cannon in the wing. The new 30mm cannons meant that bombers could be brought down with just a few well placed hits from it. But the negative aspect of it was that it again made the nimble Fw190 very sluggish and heavy.
 
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Focke Wulf Fw190A8/R8
1)   30mm Rhienmetall Borsig Mk108 

2)  30mm cartridge supply chute 

3)  30mm magazine 

4)  magazine attachment 

5)  MG151/20 synchronization mechanism 

6)  13mm Rheinmetall Borsig MG 131 

7)  MG131 mount 

8)  13mm cartridge supply chute 

9)  Revi 16B  gun sight 

10)  KG13B controle column 

 11)  13mm magazine 

12)  20mm magazine 
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13) 20mm cartridge supply chute 
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14)  MG151/20 mount 
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15)  30mm Rhienmetall Borsig Mk108 
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16)  air heating duct 
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17)  20mm Reihnmetall Borsig MG 151/20 
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18)  link and empty case chute for MG 131* 

19)  MG 131 synchronizarion mechanism * 

20)  20mm Reihnmetall Borsig MG 151/20
 
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Unteroffizier Maximowitz's FW190A8/R8, IV.(Sturm)/JG3 "Udet" June 1944
Note the outer Mk108 30mm cannons and lack of armor glass. *
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