Fieseler Fi 156 A-0/C-1 Storch

The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch was a small reconnaissance aircraft developed by Fieseler and produced in Germany before and during World War II, as well as under license in several other countries after the war. The aircraft is particularly notable for its ability to take off and land over extremely short distances, which is why the Fi 156 and its foreign-built variants remain popular attractions at air shows to this day.

The Reichsluftfahrtministerium issued a requirement for a new Luftwaffe aircraft as early as 1935. The aircraft was intended for reconnaissance, maintaining communications with frontline units, and providing rapid medical assistance and evacuation in conditions where conventional aircraft operations were difficult. The design proposed by Reinhold Mews and Erich Bachem was approved primarily because of the aircraft's exceptionally short takeoff and landing distances. The wings could be folded backward, allowing the aircraft to be transported on a trailer or, in some cases, even towed directly behind a truck. The long-travel landing gear, with 450 mm of suspension travel, allowed the aircraft to operate from almost any type of terrain.

The prototype made its first flight in the spring of 1936, and the first A-0 production aircraft entered Luftwaffe service in mid-1937. The aircraft was powered by a 240-hp inverted V-8 engine, giving it a maximum speed of 175 km/h while allowing it to fly at speeds as low as 50 km/h. This low-speed capability made the aircraft well suited for aerial reconnaissance in support of ground forces, while its landing distance could be as short as 18 meters. With a light headwind, it required a runway of only 45 meters for takeoff. These characteristics allowed the aircraft to operate from almost any forest clearing.

Later versions were fitted with an MG15 machine gun for self-defense. Skis were also sometimes fitted in place of the wheels, allowing the aircraft to operate in snowy terrain.

The Fieseler Fi 156 was used on almost every front during World War II. One of its most notable operations was the rescue of Benito Mussolini in 1943, when Mussolini and Otto Skorzeny were flown out aboard a Fieseler Storch. After the war, the aircraft saw service with the air forces of numerous countries, including Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Sweden, France, Italy, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Spain, and Laos. The aircraft was also produced under license in several countries. 

More information about this model can be found here

Model: 1:35 Tristar 35034 Fieseler Fi156 A-0/C-1