Reading level:

Focke-Wulf Flitzer

Fighter · Germany · Digital Age (2010–present)

Focke-Wulf Flitzer — Fighter
Open in interactive gallery →See aircraft like this on the live radar →

The Focke-Wulf Flitzer ("Streaker") was a German experimental jet fighter design — one of several late-war Focke-Wulf jet-fighter concepts. Kurt Tank designed the Flitzer in 1944-1945; no prototypes were built before war's end. The aircraft existed only as wind-tunnel models + detailed engineering drawings. The Flitzer represents Focke-Wulf's response to the Reich Air Ministry's emergency-fighter requirement + would have been a competitor to the Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger.

The Flitzer design used a single Heinkel HeS 011A turbojet (2,700 lbf) + 2 × Walter HWK 109-509A rocket motors (mounted in pods for emergency thrust boost). Projected maximum speed 1,000 km/h, projected service ceiling 13,000 m. Armament: 2 × 30 mm MK 108 cannons. The aircraft used unconventional canard configuration (forward-mounted control surfaces + main wings at rear) for improved manoeuvrability + better low-speed handling.

Flitzer development was cancelled with war's end. Allied forces captured Focke-Wulf design documents + wind-tunnel models in spring 1945. The Flitzer's canard layout influenced postwar swing-wing aircraft research + the Saab 35 Draken delta-wing concept. About 0 Flitzer airframes existed.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Focke-Wulf Flitzer was a German jet fighter design from 1944 and 1945. The German word Flitzer means 'Streaker.' No real Flitzer was ever built. The plane only existed on paper and as small wind-tunnel models, but its design was very different from any fighter of its time.

Kurt Tank designed the Flitzer near the end of World War II. The plane was meant to be cheap and quick to build. It would have used one Heinkel jet engine plus two small rocket motors for extra speed during takeoff and combat.

The Flitzer had a strange shape called a canard. The small wings sat near the nose instead of the tail. The big main wings sat near the back of the body. This shape can make a plane very nimble in fast turns.

The Flitzer would have flown at about 620 mph, which is faster than the speed of sound at high altitudes. It would have carried two big 30 mm cannons. The plane is smaller than most fighters, about as long as a small minivan. The war ended before the Flitzer could be built.

Fun Facts

  • The German word Flitzer means 'Streaker.'
  • No real Flitzer was ever built — only paper drawings and wind-tunnel models.
  • The plane would have used one jet engine plus two small rocket motors.
  • Its top speed would have been about 620 mph.
  • The Flitzer had small wings near the nose, called a canard layout.
  • The plane was designed to compete with the Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger.

Kids’ Questions

What is a canard plane?

A canard plane has small wings near the nose and big wings near the tail. This is the opposite of most planes, which have small wings near the tail and big wings near the middle. Canards make a plane more nimble in fast turns. Some modern fighters like the Eurofighter Typhoon use canards too.

Why was the Flitzer never built?

The Flitzer was designed near the very end of World War II. Germany was running out of fuel, metal, and skilled workers. The Reich Air Ministry picked the simpler Heinkel He 162 over the Flitzer for emergency mass production. The war ended before any Flitzer could be finished.

Variants

Flitzer (design only)
Wind-tunnel models + engineering drawings only. No airframes built.

Notable Operators

(none — design only)
The Flitzer was never built.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Flitzer historically interesting?

Canard layout. The Flitzer's forward-mounted canard control surfaces + main rear wings was unusual for 1945 jet fighter designs. The configuration provided better low-speed handling + better manoeuvrability than conventional layouts but was technically challenging. Postwar canard research (Saab Viggen, Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale) drew indirectly from the Flitzer + similar German canard programmes.

Sources

See Also