With the creation of the new Luftwaffe, a fast, light and economical multi-purpose aircraft was necessary for the satisfactory re-training of pilots for the faster combat planes and training as gunners, bombers and radio operators, and in 1934, Focke Wulf supplied the first prototype.
1663 Units were delivered to the German air ministry between 1935 and 1943, of which 319 were given to Netherlands, Hungary, Romania, Croatia and Turkey for operations. They were not only built by Focke Wulf in Bremen, but also under licence by Frieseler, Gotha and MIAG (Mühlen und Industriebau AG in Braunschweig) and in 200 or 300 in Bulgaria and Brazil.
The »Fw 58« "Weihe", named after the Kite, a falcon like raptor bird (Milvus), was a general purpose trainer with which pilots could be re-trained for multi-engined flying, as well as training for radio operation, blind and night flying, machine-gunning and bombing.
This design also served as VIP, passenger and sanitary transport, sea-rescue floatplane, air reconnaissance and photography unit, and was exported to Argentina, Bulgaria, China, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, and Hungary.
FW58 A-Series
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This was the development of three prior prototypes, of which the first one, V-1, flew for the first time in 1934. The fuselage was almost completely fabric covered, and had a blunt nose and an open machine gunner´s position.
Fw58 B-Series
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The standard multi-purpose version of the Fw-58, aerodynamically improved and with solid covering on forward fuselage upto behind the flight deck, and a glas nose for the front gunner or observer.
Fw58 BW-Series
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Special version with floats of the B Series.
Fw58 C-Series
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Civil version as passenger and military liaison aircraft. Powered by two 240 Hp Argus As 10C engines, or 2 x 260 Hp Hirt HM508D, for six passengers and three crew members, also used by Lufthansa between 1938 and 1939. Within this series, an ambulance version was developed for casualty transport, being the Fw58 G-1 and Fw58 G-3.
Wings:
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Low, strutted monospar wing in three sections. Rectangular centre section, braced to the fuselage with one strut. Metallic skeleton and sheetmetal covered upto the spar, behind which it was fabric covered. Two-piece ailerons on outer wings, and flaps between ailerons and fuselage.
Fuselage:
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Welded steel tubing skeleton, with wooden structure, fabric covered, apart from the solid cover on the forward fuselage.
Tail:
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Normal, strutted. Continuous tailplane fastened onto a flat step forward of the fin, braced to the fuselage on each side. Aerodynamic two-piece elevator and rudder with trim-surface and counterweights. Aluminium skeleton and fabric covered.
Landing gear:
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Normal tail-dragger. Main gear hydraulically retractable into engine nacelles, with hydraulic brakes. Non-retractable, steerable and aerodynamically covered rear wheel.
Engines:
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Two Argus As 10 C air-cooled eight-cylinder inverted A engines with 2 x 240 Hp take-off power and fixed pitch twin-bladed propellers, 7 ft. 7 in. in diameter. Two mid-wing tanks on each side of fuselage, with a capacity for 340 litres. 34 litres lubricant.
One source also quotes alternative motorization with 2 x 260 Hp Hirt HM508D engines.
Military equipment:
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1 x MG 15 machinegun in an A-stand, 1xMG 15 in glass dome in A-stand, 1 x MG 15 in open circle in B-stand. Bomber´s sight and FT installation.
MTOW: 6446 lb
Empty: 5291 lb
Horizontal maximum speed: 143 Kt.
Landing Speed: 46 Kt
Power: 2x240 Hp @ 2000 RPM, 8-cyl air-cooled inverted "V" Argus As 10 C, Series 3,
or: 2x260 Hp Hirt HM508D.
Propellers: Twin-bladed, wood.
Flying characteristics:
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a) Take-off and climb:
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Short take-off run, without flaps: 210 metres.
Good rate of climb.
Single-engined climb upto 1000 metres possible.
b) Handling:
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Any position possible with free ailerons/rudder.
Changeover in steep turns from one direction to
another, with only one aileron and one engine possible.
On elevator failure, landing with elevator trim is also possible.
c) Handling under extended flaps:
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Maintains full control on all control surfaces with
fully extended flaps, between 70 and 90 Km/h, trimmable
to free all controls, avoiding tendencies towards abnormal
flight attitudes.
d) Landing:
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The aircraft can be brought down steeply and slowly with
extended flaps in any weather, and stopped after short
flairing, with good response on all control surfaces.
e) Emergency landing:
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Thanks to the good response on all control surfaces,
the plane can be landed with retracted gear, skidding
to a halt in only 30 metres, suffering only minor
damages, not being at all prone to overturn.
