Focke-Wulf Fw 186

The Focke-Wulf Fw 186 was a one-man autogyro built by Focke-Wulf in 1937 with backing from the German Air Ministry, the RLM, for use as a liaison and reconnaissance aircraft. It had short takeoff and landing characteristics, which suited the army cooperation role the ministry had in mind. Only one prototype was constructed. The project was abandoned when the RLM preferred the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch, a fixed-wing aircraft with similar short-field abilities that went on to be built in large numbers. The Fw 186 followed the company earlier work on autogyros, which Heinrich Focke had pursued while producing licensed Cierva designs, and it stands between those machines and the Fw 61 helicopter. The Japanese Kayaba Ka-1 autogyro resembled it.