The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch (English: Stork) was a small German liaison aircraft built by Fieseler before and during World War II. Production continued in other countries into the 1950s for the private market. It remains famous for its excellent STOL performance; French-built later variants often appear at air shows.
The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch was a legendary German liaison and observation aircraft of WWII. Named for its spindly, long-stroke landing gear that resembled the legs of a stork, it was the world’s first true STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft. Its ability to take off into a stiff breeze in just 150 feet and land in even less made it indispensable for high-stakes rescue missions and front-line reconnaissance. It was so slow-flying that in a headwind, it could practically hover or even fly backward relative to the ground.
Attribute
Technical Specification (Fi 156C-3)
Role
Liaison / Observation / Air Ambulance
Crew
2 or 3
First Flight
May 24, 1936
Powerplant
1 × Argus As 10C inverted V-8 air-cooled engine
Horsepower
240 hp (179 kW)
Maximum Speed
109 mph (175 km/h)
Minimum Speed
31 mph (50 km/h)
Armament
1 × 7.92mm MG 15 machine gun (Rear-facing)
Aerodynamic Magic
Fixed Leading-Edge Slats: The Storch featured fixed slats along the entire leading edge of its wings. These slats directed air over the top of the wing at high angles of attack, preventing stalls at incredibly low speeds.
Long-Stroke Landing Gear: The massive oil-and-spring shock absorbers were designed to absorb the impact of a “drop-in” landing on rough, unprepared ground, allowing the pilot to plant the aircraft exactly where needed.
Folding Wings: For transport by truck or storage in small barns near the front lines, the Storch’s wings could be folded back against the fuselage, a rare feature for a land-based aircraft of that size.
Unrivaled Visibility: The cockpit featured extensive “greenhouse” glazing that bulged out from the sides, allowing the pilot and observer to look directly downward to spot enemy positions or pick a landing spot.
Historic Missions and Legacy
The Gran Sasso Raid: The Storch’s most famous moment came in 1943, when a pilot landed an Fi 156 on a tiny, boulder-strewn mountain ledge to rescue the deposed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.
The Last Flight into Berlin: In the final days of the war, test pilot Hanna Reitsch flew a Storch into the heart of a besieged Berlin, landing on a makeshift strip near the Brandenburg Gate under heavy Soviet fire.
Post-War Production: Because the design was so effective, production continued long after the war. In France, it was built as the Morane-Saulnier Criquet, which saw extensive service in the First Indochina War.
Preservation: Due to its ruggedness, many Storchs survive in flying condition today, frequently appearing at airshows where they amaze crowds with their “walking speed” flight paths.
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