With impressive short take-off and landing performance the Storch would be used on almost every front by the German armed forces. Over 2,800 would be built with the Fiesler Storch
used by both Albert Kesserling and Erwin Rommel and was also used to rescue Benito Mussolini.
The Fieseler Storch came to life when the Reichsluftfahrtministerium required a new aircraft which had good short take-off and landing performance, which led to Fieseler,
Focke-Wulf, Messerschmitt and Siebel all submitting designs. Fieseler's design allowed for a three man crew, featured fixed landing gear, a high wing which incorporated Fieseler's own
high-lift devices and had its power supplied by an Argus engine.
Three prototype Storch aircraft were produced designated as Fi 156 V1, V2 & V3, with the first flight on the 24th May 1936, with testing showing that the short take-off and landing expectations were bettered
by the type. It could land in around 70ft and take off in about 200ft, in the right conditions. A fourth prototype Fi 156 V4 was produced and featured skis instead of a landing gear. This
was followed by a Fi 156 V5 pre-production Storch.
During the early part of 1937 ten pre-production Fi 156A-0s were built and used for testing and service evaluation. The 1st August 1937 would be the first time the public saw this new aircraft
when a Fi 156A-0 appeared at a international flying meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, by which time production of the Fi 156A-1 was already underway, although only a small number were produced. A Fi 156B which featured a number
of small changes was planned but ultimately never entered production.
The Fi 156C was the next variant and a pre-production Fi-156C-0, based on the Fi 156A-1, was produced. Powered by the 240-hp Argus AS 10C engine the Fi 156C-1 would have a top speed of 109
mph, range of 239 miles with a service ceiling of 15,092 ft. Armament was a rear-firing 7.92mm machine-gun thanks to the glazing in the rear cabin being raised. These were used for staff transport and liaison. This was followed
by the Fi 156C-2 which was used in two different roles depending on when they were built. Some would have a crew of two and be used for reconnaissance, whilst others could carry a single stretcher for medical evacuation.
The Fi 156C-3 had a universal cockpit and the last of the C series was the Fi 156C-5 which could carry either a drop tank or camera on its fuselage. With dust and sand filters installed tropical versions of the Fi 156C-3
and Fi 156C-5 appeared.
It was to be the Fi 156D-1 which would be the last production version, powered by the Argus As 10P engine. A tropical Fi 156D-1 was also produced.
An Fi 156E-0 version which was designed to operate on rough terrain never went past the pre-production version with a total of ten built. Morane-Saulnier built two five seat versions
during the Second World War (1939 - 1945) which were for civil use and known as Fi 256.
The confirmation of the Storch's versatility was that the aircraft could be found almost everywhere the German armed forces were based. And it would be a Fi 156 which on the 12th September
1943 took part in the rescue of the imprisoned Benito Mussolini from a hotel in the Apennine mountains, Italy.
In total over 2,800 Fieseler Storchs were produced with Morane-Saulnier and Mraz, who had built the type during the Second World War for the Luftwaffe, continuing production of the type post-war
under new designations. The Storch was also used by both Kesselring and Rommel and a captured Fi 156 was to become Field Marshal Montgormery's personal aircraft.
