Focke-Wulf Fw 187 Falke
Focke-Wulf · German Reich · first flew 1937 · fighter
The Focke-Wulf Fw 187 Falke (Falcon) was a German twin-engine heavy fighter prototype of 1937 that demonstrated exceptional performance but lost the Luftwaffe contract to the Messerschmitt Bf 110. Its narrow fuselage and twin inline engines gave it a distinctively slender appearance.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Slim, narrow-fuselage twin-engine fighter with very slender profile |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Slim, narrow-fuselage twin-engine fighter with very slender profile
- Longer span and more elegant lines than the contemporary Bf 110
- Twin Jumo inline engines in low-wing monoplane with single tail
Distinguished from the Bf 110 by its narrower fuselage, more graceful lines, and single vertical tail rather than a twin-tail layout. The compact twin-engine arrangement and long canopy give it a racier look than its contemporaries.
Specifications
- The Focke-Wulf Fw 187 Falke has a length of 11.1 m (36 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15.3 m (50 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 525 km/h (326 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Kurt Tank's design team at Focke-Wulf completed the Fw 187 as a private venture, and the prototypes outperformed the Bf 110 in trials. Despite this, the Luftwaffe standardised on the Bf 110 and the Fw 187 did not enter production. Three prototypes were built and used briefly for factory defence.
Variants
Several prototypes were completed with differing engine fits including the Jumo 210 and DB 600 series; no production variant was authorised.
Where you'll see it
Never entered operational service; the handful of prototypes were used for factory defence at Bremen during 1940 and 1941 before the programme was shelved.
Related aircraft
- Focke-Wulf Fw 62
- Fw 200 Condor
- Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu
- Focke-Wulf Fw 57
- Aichi E11A
- Arado Ar 196
- Arado Ar 197
- Blackburn Skua
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.