[1] The Fw 56 was a parasol-wing monoplane aircraft with a fuselage of steel tube construction, which was clad in metal towards the front and canvas elsewhere.

Two years later, several Fw 56 participated in a competitive flyoff, during which they proved to be superior to both the Arado Ar 76 and the Heinkel He 74 and accordingly secured a production contract from the RLM.

[2] The type would be procured in quantity by the Luftwaffe, various flying clubs, and even private individuals across Germany; a number were also sold on the export market to various European and South American nations.

[1] The structure of the fuselage made extensive use of steel tubing, the forward section being covered with metal panels which the rear half was fabric based.

The tail unit, which featured a triangular tailplane that was mounted on top of the truncated fin forward of the rudder, was constructed from a combination of wood, metal, and fabric.

In the following year, these aircraft were competitively flown against two rival designs - the Arado Ar 76 and the Heinkel He 74 - for a production contract from the RLM.

A number of Fw 56s were purchased by private owner-operators, such as the German pilot Gerd Achgelis, who later founded the helicopter company Focke-Achgelis together with Henrich Focke.

[5] The Fw 56 had exceptionally clean lines, which positively impacted its flight performance, particularly its relatively high diving speed.