Focke-Wulf Fw 56

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Focke-Wulf Fw 56 pusher
Federal archive picture 146-2007-0107, Focke-Wulf Fw 56 "Stösser" .jpg
Type: School fighter plane
Design country:

Nazi stateNazi state German Empire

Manufacturer:

Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG

First flight:

November 7, 1933

Number of pieces:

514

The Focke-Wulf Fw 56 Stößer is a single-engine propeller aircraft that was developed by Focke-Wulf in Bremen . The high-wing aircraft was mostly used as a training aircraft in the Air Force . In the 1930s a total of 514 Fw 56s were probably built.

history

According to a request from the Reich Aviation Ministry for an advanced training aircraft, the machine was designed by Rudolf Blaser under the direction of Kurt Tank as a competitor to the Arado Ar 76 and the Heinkel He 74 and implemented by Ludwig Mittelhuber. A possible usability as a "home defense fighter" was taken into account during the construction. The Fw 56a flew for the first time in November 1933, the second machine went into flight tests after making some changes to the landing gear and replacing the wooden wing with one made of metal. The third prototype flew again with a wooden wing in February 1934 and finally satisfied the designers. In the comparison flight, which took place in 1935, the Fw 56 was able to prevail against its two competitors, whereupon the Air Force ordered series production.

From May 1935 to December 1936 445 aircraft were manufactured for the Luftwaffe. A total of 45 machines were exported (6 to Bulgaria, 9 to Austria , 28 to Hungary and 2 to Bolivia). The Fw 56 was also purchased by individuals, such as by Gerd Achgelis , who later with Henrich Focke the gyrocopter Fw 61 created.

Ernst Udet , who was a fan of the use of dive bombers, personally tested the dropping of smoke bombs with the second prototype Fw 56 V2 and, on his recommendation, greater attention was paid to the development of Stukas .

technical description

The Fw 56 is a high-wing, tubular steel fuselage construction, which was clad with metal on the front fuselage and covered with fabric at the rear. The wing was made of wood and coated with plywood up to the rear spar, the rear edge was covered with fabric. The three-point rear landing gear was rigid and uncovered and had a tail spur.

Technical specifications

Three-sided view of the Fw 56
Parameter Data (Fw 56A-1)
span 10.50 m
length 7.70 m
height 3.55 m
Wing area 14.00 m²
Wing extension 7.9
Empty mass 695 kg
Max. Takeoff mass 995 kg
Top speed 278 km / h near the ground
Service ceiling 6200 m
Range 400 km
Engine an eight-cylinder Argus As 10 C V-engine with 147 kW (200 hp) continuous output
Armament one to two 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns

Comparable types

literature

Web links

Commons : Focke-Wulf Fw 56  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ According to the company tradition of the time, all Focke-Wulf aircraft had internal bird names; the sparrowhawk is called a pestle in some areas.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Federal Archives / Military Archives Freiburg, Production Programs RL 3
  2. ↑ Manfred Griehl: Focke-Wulf since 1925 . Motorbuch, Stuttgart 2009, ISBN 978-3-613-03006-0 , p. 43 .