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The Focke-Wulf Fw 57 was a prototype German fighter-bomber. It was built in 1936 but never saw production.

Design and development

In 1934 the Reich Air Ministry (RLM) declared a requirement for a Kampfzerstorer (Bomber destroyer), a tactical multi-role fighter/bomber. Focke-Wulf submitted the Fw 57, Messerschmitt submitted the Bf 110 and Henschel submitted the Hs 124. The Fw 57 was larger than its two competitors; it was heavier than and did not handle as well as the others.

The Fw 57 was a two-engine all-metal monoplane of conventional configuration, with a single fin and retractable tailwheel undercarriage. The pilot and navigator sit in tandem under a long canopy, the aft end of which consists of a gunner turret.

Three Fw 57 prototypes (V1-V3) were completed during 1936. The design was crippled by the non-availability of the desired DB 600 and DB 601 engines, and the lower-powered Jumo 210 engines installed could not provide the predicted performance. This was part of the reason for the design being rejected in favour of the Me 110. All further research into the Fw 57 was abandoned and dropped shortly thereafter.

Specifications (Fw 57 V1)

General characteristics

• Crew: 3 (pilot, navigator and gunner)
• Length: 16.57 m (54 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 25 m (82 ft)
• Height: 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in)
• Wing area: 73.5 m² (791.17 ft²)
• Empty weight: 6,800 kg (14,991 lb)
• Loaded weight: 8,300 kg (18,298 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Daimler-Benz DB 600A inverted V12 engine, 910 hp (679 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 404 km/h (251 mph)
• Service ceiling: 9,100 m (29,855 ft)

Armament

• 3 × 20 mm MG FF cannon (2 in the nose and 1 in a Mauser electric dorsal turret)
• 6 x 100 kg (220 lb) of bombs

References

• Picture and specifications of Fw 57
• Luftwaffe Secret Projects - Ground Attack & Special Purpose Aircraft, D. Herwig & H. Rode, ISBN 1-85780-150-4