Fieseler Fi 156 Storch

In 1935, the Third Reich Aviation Reich Ministry of Aviation placed a tender order for a new Luftwaffe aircraft, capable of performing reconnaissance and reconnaissance tasks and evacuating the wounded, in accordance with the needs of the troops identified in some studies. The competition was won by Fieseler - its proposal to create an aircraft that meets the concept of "short take-off and landing" was the best. Chief Designer Reinhold Mewes ( German Reinhold Mewes ) and Technical Director Erich Bachen ( German Erich Bachen ) proposed a design that provided the possibility of almost vertical take-off in the event of a strong frontal wind, the wings on the ground near the aircraft folded back along the fuselage, spring springs suppressed about 45 cm amplitude when landing. The plane could land almost everywhere - a runway only 60 meters long was enough, and when landing with a headwind, the run was even shorter. During transportation, the aircraft could be transported folded in the back of a truck or even slowly towed along. This model easily won the tender.

Due to the characteristics of take-off and landing, the aircraft was given the name " Stork " ( German: "Storch" ).

Specifications

• Crew : 2 people
• Length : 9.90 m
• Wing span : 14.25 m
• Height : 3.05 m
• Wing area: 25.20 m²
• Empty weight: 930 kg
• Normal take-off weight: 1325 kg
• Powerplant : 1 × PD
• Engine power: 1 × 240 l. with.

Flight characteristics

• Maximum speed: 175 km / h
• Cruising speed : 150 km / h
• Practical range: 385 km
• Practical ceiling : 4600 m
• Rate of climb : 280 m / min

Armament

• Rifle-cannon: one 7.92 mm MG-15 machine gun in the rear of the cab

• Fi 156 - prototypes with Versuchs numbers. The first prototype V1 first flew in the spring of 1936. It was equipped with a 180 kW air-cooled engine (240 hp), an inverted Argus As 10C V8 V-engine, allowing the aircraft to reach a top speed of just 175 km / h , with a minimum speed of 50 km / h, and mileage when landing 18 meters. Subsequently, improved replacements were developed - V2 and V3 , equipped with ski V4 and the last option - V5 .
• Fi 156A-0 - the model is at the test stage; it has not been launched into mass production.
• Fi156A-1 - the first modification of aircraft for mass production. The order for the model in the amount of 16 units came from the Luftwaffe , the first instance went into service in mid-1937.
• The Fi156B is an option with many small changes, improvements and one big change in the design of a retractable slat. Changes allow the model to reach a speed of 208 km / h.
• Fi 156C - version of the model with further subdivision into:
  • C-0
  • C-1 - triple version (in service since 1939) Replaced in 1941 by C-3 (see below)
  • C-2 - double surveillance and reconnaissance version with a MG-15 machine gun located at the rear (in service since 1939)
  • C-3 - a replacement for the two previous variants of the “storm”. universal model combining the advantages of S-1 and S-2 and suitable for any use.
  • C-5 - C-3 with a resettable fuel tank located at the bottom of the bottom. Some specimens were equipped with skis for use in the snow.
  • C-3 / Trop - Fi 156C-5 option for use in tropical climates with engine air filters that protect against dust and sand.
• The Fi 156D is a mobile air hospital based on the Fi 156C. The first copies had the D-0 postfix, after refinement it was put into production with the D-1 postfix, with the Argus AsP engine, an improved layout for accommodating some stretchers and with an increased cargo hatch.
• Fi 156E - Ten Trial Options With Tracked Chassis
• The Fi 256 is a five-seat civilian version of the model manufactured at the Morane-Saulnier factory in France.
• Morane-Saulnier MS-500 Criquet - French post-war production with 240 liters. with powerful Argus engine
• Morane-Saulnier MS-501 Criquet - variant with 233 liters. with. Renault 6Q engine
• Morane-Saulnier MS-502 Criquet - MS-500 with Argus engine replaced with 230 liters. Salmson 9ab. with powerful star-shaped non-compressor engine.
• Morane-Saulnier MS-504 Criquet - version with 304 liters. with. engine Jacobs R-755-A2.
• Morane-Saulnier MS-505 Criquet - MS-500 with Argus engine replaced with 304 liters. with.-powerful star-shaped uncompressed engine Jacobs R-755 -A2.
• Morane-Saulnier MS-506 Criquet - variant with 235 liters. with. Lycoming engine.
• Mráz K-65 Čáp - Czechoslovak post-war production.
• Antonov OKA-38 "Stork" - the Soviet pre-war rework "Storch" with Renault MV-6 engines, the fuselage is extended, the length is reduced, but the width of the planes is increased; after the capture of the manufacturing plant by German troops in 1941 , production was continued .

•   Bulgaria
•   Cambodia (post-war period)
•   Croatia
•   Czechoslovakia (in the post-war period)
•   Finland - two Fi-156 aircraft were part of the Finnish Air Force LeR-1 regiment by the start of the Finnish War of 1939-1940 ^[1]
•   France (post-war period)
•   Third Reich
•   Greece (post-war period)
•   Hungary
•   Italy
•   Laos (post-war period)
•   Norway (post-war period)
•   Poland (post-war period)
•   Romania
•   Slovakia
•   South Vietnam (post-war period)
•   the USSR
•   Spain
•   Sweden
•   Switzerland
•   Great Britain
•   Yugoslavia

U-2

• Article Fi.156 Storch on airwar.ru
• Article - Fieseler Fi 156 Storch (Fizeler Fi 156 Storch) at cofe.ru
• Article OKA-38 Stork on airwar.ru
• Article Aircraft.co.za - The Complete Aviation Reference
• Fantasy of Flight's original Fi 156 Storch article