Focke-Wulf Fw 55
Focke-Wulf · Germany · first flew 1932 · light aircraft
The Focke-Wulf Fw 55 was a German two-seat parasol monoplane trainer of 1932, developed by reworking the earlier Albatros L 102 design under Kurt Tank's direction and built in small numbers for the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Parasol monoplane with the wing raised above the fuselage on prominent N-struts — distinctive high-wing silhouette |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Parasol monoplane with the wing raised above the fuselage on prominent N-struts — distinctive high-wing silhouette
- Inverted V-8 Argus As 10C giving a neat, low-profile nose with no prominent radial cowling ring
- Two-seat open tandem cockpit beneath the parasol wing, trainer layout
The N-strut parasol arrangement is the immediate identifier: a pair of N-shaped struts lift the straight wing well clear of the fuselage, creating a pronounced gap. The inverted Argus engine produces a smooth, rounded nose without the large frontal area of a radial. In floatplane form the twin floats add further visual complexity below the fuselage.
Specifications
- The Focke-Wulf Fw 55 has a length of 9.07 m (30 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.4 m (44 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 217 km/h (135 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
When Focke-Wulf acquired design rights to the Albatros L 102, Kurt Tank — who had recently joined the company — revised the parasol layout, replaced the strut arrangement with cleaner N-struts, and fitted the reliable Argus As 10C inverted V-8 engine. The resulting Fw 55 was produced in both landplane (Fw 55L) and floatplane (Fw 55W) versions. A small batch was delivered to the DVS (Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule), the official German civil aviation training organisation.
Variants
Fw 55L (landplane) and Fw 55W (floatplane, with twin floats). No major subsequent variants; the design was superseded by more modern trainers as the decade progressed.
Where you'll see it
Flown by the DVS in the early 1930s as an advanced trainer. The type had a short operational life as the rapidly expanding German aviation programme adopted more modern low-wing monoplanes. A handful of examples survived into the late 1930s in secondary use.
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