Focke-Wulf Fw 57

The Focke‑Wulf Fw 57 was a prototype heavy‑fighter conceived by the German aircraft manufacturer Focke‑Wulf in the mid‑1930s. Development began in 1934 as the RLM (Reichsluftfahrtministerium) sought a twin‑engine, long‑range interceptor that could also perform as a bomber escort. The design featured an all‑metal low‑wing monoplane with a sleek, aerodynamic fuselage housing a two‑person crew under a glazed cockpit canopy. Power was to be provided by two Daimler‑Benz DB 600 inline engines mounted on the wing roots, driving counter‑rotating propellers to reduce torque. Armament was planned around a central nose turret containing two 20 mm MG 151 cannons, supplemented by a rear defensive machine‑gun position. Despite its ambitious specifications, wind‑tunnel testing revealed excessive weight and limited maneuverability, leading the RLM to cancel the program in early 1936. The experience, however, fed directly into the successful Fw 187 “Falke” and later twin‑engine concepts such as the Ju 88. Though never flown, the Fw 57 marked an important step in Focke‑Wulf’s transition from wooden trainers to advanced metal combat aircraft, illustrating the rapid evolution of German fighter doctrine on the eve of World War II. Its legacy influenced post‑war twin‑jet designs and remains a subject of interest for aviation historians studying early German aeronautical ambition.

Focke-Wulf

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