We can consider ourselves lucky. Had the Germans hadn't been so near-sighted, they would have produced a magnificent twin-engined aircraft that would have given a great many headaches to the allied pilots.
There never was any official requirement for the Fw 187, and as such it was developed with the hopes of signing a contract for a working plane instead of a sheet of paper. From the start, the 187 was meant to be fast. Kurt Tank and his team made every attempt do minimize drag, and this included the use of surface-evaporation cooling for the engine. Later troubles with the system forced them to resort to normal radiators. The fighter was supposed to be powered by DB 600 engines of 960 HP, but they weren't available, so the team opted for Jumo 210 of 610HP. At first, the armament consisted of only two MG 17s, but it was to be augmented at a later date.
The first three prototypes were completed as single seaters, with a neat Fw 190-like canopy. Their main problem lay with the undercarriage which was week and prone to collapse. Comparing the V1's specs with those of the Westland Whirlwind Mk I, it appears that the German fighter was a better performer, albeit slower. The first prototype crashed, claiming the life of Paul Bauer.
The design was modified to make it a Zerstörer, or heavy fighter. A second crew member was added to serve as a radio/navigator, but the sleek bubble canopy was replaced by a framed job. The new version was allocated the Fw 187A-0 designation and a small series was built. They were subsequently used as factory defence fighters. The A version was superior in every respect to the Bf 110, save for the armament. A few of them were also sent to Denmark where operational pilots flew them. On one occasion, a Spitfire was shot down.
The V7 prototype was fitted with DB 601 engines and further versions were planned, including the C version, which would have used DB 605s and would have packed a mighty wallop. Fortunately, it never went beyond the drawing board.