In 1936 the RLM, the German ministry of aviation, formulated a requirement for a shipboard seaplane for reconnaissance missions, to replace the Heinkel He 114. The aircraft was to be light, with a maximum weight of 2.5 tons and a crew of one or two, and suitable for catapult launching. Equipment and armament were to be kept to a minimum.

Focke-Wulf competed with the Fw 62, a conventional biplane design. The Fw 62 was of mixed construction and powered by a 705 kW (945 hp) BMW 132K radial engine. The engine was tightly cowled and drove a two-bladed propeller. The biplane wings were of equal span and featured two N-type struts on each side. They could be folded for shipboard storage. Every wing had a plain flap and an aileron.

The first prototype was flown on 23 October 1937. The first and second prototype had twin floats, while the third and fourth had a large central float and smaller outboard stabilizing floats. Official tests began in Travemünde in January 1938. The Fw 62 was a capable aircraft and well liked by the test pilots, but the competing Arado Ar 196 monoplane was both conceptually and structurally much more modern, and was chosen for production.

The Fw 62 prototypes were evaluated for a while longer, mainly because the sprung attachment of the floats, to reduce stress loads on landing, was of interest.

Focke Wulf Fw 62

Sources:
Gunston, Bill & Wood, Tony - Hitler's Luftwaffe, 1977, Salamander Books Ltd., London
Wikipedia - Focke Wulf Fw 62