Focus On… Focke Wulf – Fw 159

In 1934 Germany’s Ministry of Aviation held a construction contest to find a design that would replace the old Arado Ar 68 and Heinkel He 51 bi-planes. Along with all the other power players of the industry like Arado, Heinkel and Messerschmitt, Focke-Wulf was invited to present their ideas as well. Having had great success with their previous model, the Fw 56 Stösser, lead engineer Blaser decided to follow the same principle and designed the Fw 159 as a high-wing monoplane with wooden wings. This parasol-style construction with higher positioning of the wings allowed for easy access to all of the plane’s important parts during maintenance and promised better flight characteristics than the outdated bi-planes. 

The Focke-Wulf Fw 159 how it should have been (left) and how it really performed in history (right). 

In reality though, the Fw 159’s performance didn’t live up to expectations. When the first prototype flew in May 1935, the plane failed to impress the reviewers and, on top of that, crash-landed due to a malfunction with its complicated landing gear. The decision was made to reinforce the undercarriage and exchange the engine for a more powerful Jumo 210 G model with 680 horsepower. However, all of these efforts proved to be futile as even the upgraded V-2 and V-3 prototypes  could not measure up to the competition. When they were finally pitted against their direct rivals the Ar 80, He 112 and Bf 109 at the contest showcase in October 1935, both Fw 159 designs were deemed inferior and were ultimately abandoned.

In World of Warplanes, however, you shouldn’t make the mistake of dismissing the Fw 159 so quickly. While it’s true that on first glance the plane doesn’t seem to have any outstanding qualities, it’s still a solid all-rounder that can do its fair share of damage in the hands of a capable pilot. Following its historical counterpart closely, the plane does start to perform better once you’ve unlocked the strongest of its many engines and mounted the additional 20mm machine gun. At this point you get a fighter with reasonable airspeed and enough agility to hold its own, even though it usually goes up against more manoeuvrable opponents.

If you pick your targets wisely, avoiding risky engagements with higher-tiered and, most of all, more nimble enemies, then you should be able to last through every battle and rake up some nice takedowns in the process. Have fun discovering this prototype, pilots! The Fw 159 may have never flown in real combat, but you can make it soar in World of Warplanes as much as you like!

Now it’s your turn to focus on the Focke-Wulfs, pilots!