Editing Focke-Wulf Ta 154 Moskito (section)

===Into flight and production issues===
[[File:Ta 154 V2 Image45 001.jpg|thumb|Focke-Wulf Ta 154 V2]]
On 1 July 1943, the prototype ''Ta 154 V1'', which was outfitted with Jumo 211F engines and bore the ''Stammkennzeichen'' identification code ''TE+FE'', performed its [[maiden flight]] in the hands of Kurt Tank.<ref name = "smithkay 212"/> It was followed by ''V2'' with Jumo 211N engines, which was kept at the factory for handling trials. V1 was later dispatched to [[Rechlin-Lärz Airfield]] to conduct fly-off testing against the competing He 219A as well as the new [[Junkers Ju 388]]. Reportedly, the aircraft reached almost 700&nbsp;km/h (440&nbsp;mph) and easily outflew the other two aircraft, but those were both fully armed and equipped with radar apparatus. In comparison, neither V1 or V2 were fitted with radar at this stage.<ref name = "smithkay 212"/>

On 23 November 1943, the ''V3'' prototype, which was also the first to be powered by the Jumo 211R engines and carry radar apparatus, made its first flight.<ref name = "smithkay 212"/> The added weight of the guns and drag of the 32-dipole element ''Matratze'' radar antennas used on its [[UHF]]-band FuG 212 C-1 [[Lichtenstein radar]] unit slowed the aircraft by a full 75&nbsp;km/h, although it was still somewhat faster than the He 219. The rest of the 15 prototypes were then delivered as ''A-0'' models, identical to the V3. Some of these also included a raised [[Aircraft canopy|canopy]] for better vision to the rear.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

During March 1944, the ''[[Jägerstab]]'' decreed that Focke-Wulf should produce 37 Ta 154s by May 1944; in combination with other manufacturing assets, the production rate was somewhat unrealistically expected to reach 250 aircraft per month by November 1944.<ref name = "smithkay 213"/> This schedule came in advance of the completion of the first eight pre-production aircraft, designated ''Ta 154A-0'', which occurred in August of that year. These were briefly trialled by the service test unit before returning to development work.<ref name = "smithkay 213"/> Transportation issues, which prevented subcontractors from delivering components, were highly damaging to the company's efforts to ramp up production; at one point, each airframe was reportedly taking 12,000 [[man-hour]]s to produce.<ref name = "smithkay 213">Smith and Kay 1972, p. 213.</ref> By June 1944, the Jumo 213 was finally arriving in some numbers, permitting the completion of several ''Ta 154 A-1s'' with these engines.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}

However, the Ta 154 received a fatal blow when the only factory that produced Tego-Film, in [[Wuppertal]], was [[Bombing of Wuppertal in World War II|bombed out]] by the RAF, and the plywood glue had to be replaced by an alternative.<ref name = "smithkay 213"/> While determined efforts were made towards this end, the new bonding agents proved to be neither as strong and even weakened the wood due to it containing too much [[acid]] and thus being [[corrosive]]. In July 1944, several Ta 154 A-1s reportedly disintegrated during high speed flight, allegedly due to the [[delamination]] and failure of the plywood wing.<ref name = "smithkay 213"/> This same problem also critically affected the [[Heinkel He 162]] ''Spatz'', Ernst Heinkel's "''Volksjäger''" jet fighter program entry; the issue with the bonding agent was eventually resolved on this programme however.<ref name = "smithkay 213"/>

Accordingly, production came to a halt in August 1944. One month later, the RLM officially cancelled the Ta 154, by which point Milch had been removed from his position and thus could no longer protect the programme. It is believed that about 10 production aircraft had been completed, 2 at Erfurt and 10 at Posen)<ref>Green (1979), pp.243,244.</ref> and a number of the A-0 preproduction aircraft were later modified to production standard.<ref name = "smithkay 213"/> An unknown number of the aircraft served with ''[[Nachtjagdgeschwader 3]]'' (Night Fighter Wing 3), and a few were later used as [[Flight training|training]] aircraft for jet pilots.