Country of origin:

Germany

Description:

Multi-purpose STOL communications aircraft

Power Plant:

One 179 kw (240 hp) Argus As 10 C-3 eight-cylinder inverted-VEE air-cooled engine

Specifications:

Armament:

Two machine pistols; or one 7.92 mm Rheinmetall-Borsig MG15 machine gun

History:

In 1935 the Technical Office in Berlin (RLM) issued a specification for a two/three-seat multi-purpose communications aircraft to exploit the latest aerodynamic high-lift devices providing short field capability. Designed by Reinhold Mewes and Viktor Maugsch, the Fi 156 was a high-wing monoplane with full-span fixed slats, slotted flaps, and a long-stalky undercarriage.

The prototype, the Fi 156 V1 D-IKVN flew in 1936 and was followed by the Fi 156 V2 and V3 prototypes, which were registered D-IDVS and D-IGLI. These were the forerunners of the initial Fi 156 A-O series, a pre-production batch of ten aircraft being built for evaluation. It showed a startling performance and, in order to clear a 15.24 m (50 ft) obstacle on approach, a field length of 128 m (420 ft) was required, landing run being only 38.4 m (126 ft). Two more prototypes were built, the Fi 156 V4 becoming D-IFMR and the Fi 156 V5 D-IYZQ, the latter being to production standard.

First public demonstration of the type was at the Swiss 4th International Flying Meeting at Dubendorf airport in Zurich in July 1937. One Fi 156 V4 (D-IFMR) was built to civil standards and was the first of what the manufacturer hoped would be a line of aircraft for export. It became known as the Fi 156 B and had the fixed metal slot replaced by movable slats on the wing leading-edge. In 1938 it was fitted with skis and tested on the snow covered Zugspitz massiv, Germany’s highest mountain. It was later registered to the Aero Club von Deutschland and taken to Spitsbergen where intensive trials were made to test the aircraft’s ability to deal with icing of the airframe, engine and propeller.

An Fi 156 (D-IKVN) was used on a demonstration tour of the Balkans and Turkey. First customer for the type was the Swedish Air Force.

In 1938 work commenced on the Fi 156 C series with the Argus As 10 C-3 engine, which was followed by the Fi 156 C-2 which differed in having a third seat. By the beginning of 1939 120 had been delivered and production was proceeding at 120 aircraft per month. On Tag der Wehrmacht day – German Armed Forces Day – in 1939 the Fi 156 V3 D-IGLI landed in Berlin’s Lustgarten in front of a large crowd. By this time the Fi 156 had become the communications, liaison and feeder service aircraft of the Luftwaffe.

When Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939 262 Fi 156 C-1s were in service and were used to locate enemy troop concentrations. However, the loss of a number of aircraft to ground fire called for some type of armament, and a 7.92 mm Rheinmetall-Borsig MG 15 machine gun was installed on a free mounting, the barrel protruding through the rear cabin glazing.

By 1 May 1940 355 examples had been delivered. By this time its use as a VIP aircraft was widespread, but some were modified to use in the anti-submarine role, and others had emergency dinghies and marine survival equipment installed. A variety of stores were sometimes carried, including SC 50 50 kg (110 lb) bombs, small depth charges, or a captured 135 kw (298 lb) French depth charge.

In 1940 the Fi 156 D series appeared, entering service in the ambulance role, being able to carry a stretcher and an attendant. To meet requirements in Africa the Fi 156 was tropicalised, and the Fi 156 F-O series was developed for internal security work. On the Russian front it was used for locating shot-down German aircrew, being able to land and air-lift crews to safety.

In 1942 the Reichsluftfahrtministerium decided to utilise the capacity of the French aircraft industry to produce aircraft, and the Morane Saulnier facility at Puteaux near Paris commenced production of the Fi 156. In Africa an Fi 156 was used by Field Marshall Erwin Rommel for his day-to-day survey of the front, and Field Marshall Kesselring used one for a similar purpose. Examples were supplied to Italy, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania.

In 1943 production at Bettenhausen was slowing down to make way for the production of the Focke Wulf FW 190 fighter, and ceased in October. Production jigs and equipment were then sent to German-occupied Czechoslovakia and production commenced at the Mraz facility at Chocen, where it was known as the Cap, deliveries beginning in December 1943. One of the most famous pilots of the Storch was Flugkapitan Hanna Reitsch, the tiny woman pilot who also tested piloted variants of the V-1 flying bomb.

One Fi 156 was fitted with a caterpillar type undercarriage for rough fields. One of the most notable operations of a Storch was that of Otto Skorzeny (an SS Captain) when he, with a team of hand-picked SS troops, rescued Benito Mussolini, Prime Minister of Italy, from a mountain peak in the Apennines in September 1943, the Storch landing on the side of the mountain.

In 1942 production was switched to the Morane Saulnier plant at Puteaux in France where it was known as the Criquet. After the war production continued in France, these aircraft being fitted with the Renault 6Q in-line engine, the Salmson 9AB nine-cylinder radial engine, or the Jacobs R-755-A2 radial engine.

At least 60 examples saw service with the RAF and the British Army after capture, and Australian units in the middle-east flew a couple of abandoned aircraft that were captured and restored to flying condition. By war’s end 2,549 examples had been completed, production continuing thereafter in France for the French military services.

During 1996 an Argus-powered Fi 156 Storch was imported from the United States to Victoria where work on restoration commenced at Tyabb, initially to be completed in a Russian front colour scheme of an aircraft of JG-54. This aircraft, an Fi 156 D (c/n 45-9-340), built in France by Morane Saulnier, became VH-FIS on 8 December 2006 registered to Judith Pay of Tyabb. In early 2011 the registration was changed to VH-HUN. Its restoration was expected to be completed in 2020. Later a Morane Saulnier MS.505 Criquet was imported from The Netherlands, this being a licence-built Storch with a Jacobs radial engine, and restoration commenced.

Another example is believed to have been imported to Sydney, NSW. This aircraft was built as an Fi 156 D-1 (c/n 340) and was operated by the Luftwaffe as CB + GF. It was later converted to Morane Saulnier MS.502 configuration and operated for a period at Newburypot in Massachusettes as N45FS before being imported to Australia.