Great Vid, I building a FS in 1/72 rn and like to watch documentarys by doing so. Dou have a short breath or health issues? Just curios, great channel Btw👍
Hey I'm mostly a tank nut but when I was younger and as the years have gone by I still have an interest in military aircraft and the history of them. I play WOT and Warthunder games and in Warthunder I noticed a Romanian fighter the IR80 which did well for itself in WW2 I have noticed you have not done a video on this aircraft and hay I'm not Romanian I'm an Aussie but I found this not well known aircraft of WW2 fascinating it did well during WW2 until overwhelmed by allied air power. I think you should look into it and do a video on this not known aircraft we always dwell on the main countries in the world and what they had but this Romanian aircraft had some hiccups but had a very good record in WW2 with a 3 to one victory rate in the middle of WW2. After WW2 it was replaced by Soviet types and none of the original aircraft survived. Only after the fall of the Soviet block copies of this aircraft where made and there is one in a museum.
My relative flew the Storch throughout the war on the eastern front. He was observer at Sevastopol reporting on the Gustav railway guns effectiveness. He flew missions at Stalingrad. And had their airfield bombed by A-20s. Was at Kursk and elsewhere flying out wounded. Having recorded 250 casualty fights. As you indicated in your video that the Storch could only transport 2 wounded thats alot of flights. Postwar he came to the US. He took me up in a glider when I was a kid. Pretty amazing experience. No engine sounds just absolute quiet. I know at the time I was asked if I wanted to take flying lessons from my relative. How many people can say they were taught by an ex Luftwaffe pilot? But being a young stupid kid I didn’t. They did an article about him in Flight Journal magazine, Geman fighters edition 2011. He’s also in the book Wings of War by James Busha. It’s a good book with pilots on both sides of the conflict and their experiences. There are a lot of amazing stories.
Do you remember why your family friend owned it? Was it for some work or was he collector? Would be interesting to hear something about this plane's civilian use.
@@justinterestedmusic No I just remember my father-in-law mentioning the plane in a conversation. I'll ask him next time I see him if he knows anything:)
Quick note: I was primarily thinking of von Richthofen's flight over Poland in 1939 when I mention Kesselring. However, Kesselring also had a Fieseler Storch and used it extensively, for example in Africa. The point is, the brass loved this bird.
Thank you for a fabulous insight into this wonderful aircraft. I first discovered the Storch on a school trip to The Great Yorkshire Show, basically an agricultural show where farmers show their bulls, cows, pigs etc. I was obsessed with aircraft so i found a stall that had a stand of Airfix models, and I bought an Airfix 1/72 scale Storch, of course being one of the small, cheaper models that a young boy could afford. Now, well over 40 years later I plan to make another storch model and your great video will help me enormously.
I am building an old Airfix 1/72 Storch now. This video has been very in showing what the parts look like in real life. Am painting it as the Gran Sasso Storch that rescued Mussolini. As far as I can see from old photos it was olive and dark green.
@@davidstirk4732 Hi David, the undercarriage legs on my model were very weak. I don't know if it was just the softish blue plastic that Airfix used back then but the legs weren't really strong enough to take the weight of the model! Good luck with your build!
@@ScreamingLordStokes Thank you. I only have the undercarriage to fit now. If it is not strong enough I will have to display it on those Airfix clear plastic stands.
This reminded of a story of Rommel where he flew this plane . He was observing his troops from the air , the Italians however didn't knew it was him cause they had never seen that type of plane before , so they start shooting at him with AA , he later landed , reprimanded them and wrote in his diary" I wouldn't be alive if it hadn't been for the italians terrible aiming"
If that's what he wrote he might have been talking specifically about those soldiers and not Italians in general, as he considered them good soldiers; it wouldn't make any sense.
2 swiss air force Fieseler Storchs were also used in 1946 to rescue the crew and passengers from a US C-53 that crashed on the Gauli Glacier. Both Storchs (A-97 and A-99) are still around and can be seen in the swiss Museum of Transportation ( Verkehrshaus) and the air force museum in Dübendorf It was the first alpine air rescue
Reading the text, the red button where the starter switch should be on a German aircraft, indicates that it is an electric cut-off button. It's supposed to be used in the event of emergency landing. Also the electric buttons on the right side of the cockpit read from left to right: Landing light, Navigation light, Starter Cockpit Light Oil Temperature Handheld light and Pitot-tube.
A wonderful little plane! The Japanese Army was greatly impressed by the Fi 156 and wanted a similar aircraft, resulting in the Ki-76. It wasn't a copy, but the influence is clear.
I remember seeing one of these at the Fliegertreffen Hahnweide, where it sat on the runway, revved up the engine and before even getting up to speed a gust of wind lifted the plane up and it was already flying. Magnificent machine.
A DC-3 in the Aleutians during WW II allegedly took off backwards while stationary during one of the legendary winds. I don't care if it's true or not, because it does sound plausible.
It was also used to rescue some Americans who had crashed their plane on a glacier. A pilot from the Swiss Air Force landed on and took off the glacier several times and flew them out. Also there is a nice foam board version of the plane by Flite Test. Thanks a lot for the video!
Amazing aircraft, and as usual, a great presentation from you. To understand more about the wing, look at an aviation term called "mean aerodynamic chord". It explains the amazing performance of this fine aircraft. If you already knew about "MAC", I apologize, but if you didn't, it really helps understand lift aids on STOL and even regular aircraft.
An Excellent video - The Storch has always fascinated me - I've a pretty fair amount of time in its American equivalents - the J-3 Cub (L-4 during the War), and the Cessna L-19 Birddog (Korean and after equivalent), and I've seen a couple of Storchs fly. It's low speed handling is amazing! (That inverted Argus V-8 sounds like a big sewing machine, too.) The Storch also had an active life Post-War - The French liked it so much that they put it into production as the Morane-Saulnier Criquet. (With some later models switching to a radial engine when the supply of Argus engines ran out). Many saw service in Indochina. (Actually, the closest American equivalent would be the Stinson L-5 - The takeoff runs are a bit longer 150m, roughly, with no wind on a standard day, and 30m with 25 mph / 35 km/h wind. The Cub's a bit smaller, but also simpler.)
I was at a package store outside Pittsburgh about 3 years ago and there was a gentleman there mailing a strange looking package. I of course couldn't contain my curiosity so I asked him what he was mailing? He then told me it was an engine for an old Stinson aircraft! I had actually never really heard of one before that day but after he explained to me what it was I of course had to Google it as soon as I got back to my car! I was blown away at how small the engine actually was! Of course it was broken down to ship and was obviously smaller then it would be put together I could still tell it's tiny size by looking at the block and pistons which were being wrapped separately! Sorry just thought I'd mention that! Lol
I saw one of these restored aircraft perform at the CFB Trenton Air show in Canada. About 1990. Lots of US and Canadian jet aircraft gave demonstrations but the Storch was the interesting as very strong headwinds allowed the pilot to actually fly the plane at negative ground speed . The announcer was very impressed by the pilot skills in making the plane appear to hover and fly backwards. Thanks for the close up info tour.
I'm a big fan of STOL aircraft and the Storch is still one of the best there's ever been. Great video. If anybody's interested in seeing one of these flown, by the way, Kermit Weeks did a video a few years back where he goes through the whole startup procedure and then flies his around and does some fun stuff like landing on a runway for R/C planes.
I really appreciate the depth of your knowledge about aviation history and how well you communicate it to your audience. Thank you for another great video.
I will watch this whole video when I'm back home, Storch has a special place in my heart. Wish it was added to War Thunder and basicaly scout planes to be implemented
They can't do a proper game mode other than a glorified deathmatch which effectively makes any plane that is not a fighter part of the useless category and you still hope they implement planes like this with scouting mechanics ?! I'd rather wait for Half life 3.
@@frostkillht Yea I kind of agree. Planes like attackers and bombers have no place in WT. But if there was a scout mode, (scout planes dont have markers on, arent visible in normal battles) and you get points for photographing/ spotting enemy units, that would be great.
I play a WW2 Mod, and we use the Piper J-3 Cub for Artillery spotting and re-con. We also have Arado Ar 196, and Flettner Fl 282 "Kolibri" for spotting and re-con for Axis.
Finally got around to watching this after being busy. Among the best work you have done so far. The sound, video and other qualities are on point. I look forward to more of this as time goes on.
The fearless and amazing Hanna Reitsch flying the Fieseler Storch is a great story. To me this plane always looked like nothing else, some what like an insect, a but beautiful and brilliant design.
She even landed the plane in Berlin, when the Soviets stood at the gates in april 1945 On April 25, 1945, Robert Ritter von Greim told Reitsch she must fly with him to Berlin for a meeting with Hitler. As a result of a proposal by Göring to take over leadership of the country, Hitler had ordered Göring arrested, and he intended to appoint Greim the commander in chief of the Luftwaffe. The last leg of their trip to the Führerbunker in devastated Berlin was made in a little Fieseler Fi-156C Storch (stork), with Greim at the controls and Reitsch crouched behind him. Flying through a hail of Soviet anti-aircraft fire, the plane was hit in the engine and fuel tank. An armor-piercing bullet smashed Greim’s right foot, and he passed out. Reitsch managed to successfully land the Fieseler on the boulevard before the Brandenburg Gate, and they both made it to Hitler’s bunker, where they stayed for two days. Ordered by Hitler to flee Berlin in the final hours of the Russian assault on the city, Greim and Reitsch escaped in an aircraft hidden near the bunker.
@@martentrudeau6948 She sparkles enthusiasm, when she talks about plane's and flying. And what Guts this little Woman had, if I am correct , she was the only Pilot of 7, surviving a manned V1 (known as the Reichenberg) Flight.
@@skelejp9982 ~ I have listened to the same interviews of her, she was a rare person male or female, very few pilots could have lived doing what she what she did, by all rights she should have died young. But thankfully she survived, I think she was a great lady. RIP Hanna.
Thank you, very much! Either your english is getting better or I am getting used to your accent, I bet it's the first, with all your talent. There are so many cool things about this plane. It Is Spectacular! I can't believe it had such rugged landing gear and most of all the capability to land within its own length. I never imagined such a handy little plane..!
Who needs a helicopter when you have a Storch! Rommel used to fly over troops in his Storch on the front lines and throw down a note that if they didn't get going he was coming down there! Rommel was the general who would appear next to you in a foxhole in a firefight. I think he liked the sound of bullets cutting the air.
@@terraflow__bryanburdo4547 From whom? Dak was a german armoured truck! Certainly not from Montgomery as Rommel was defeated at every battle and never advanced against Montgomery.
@@benwilson6145 My apology for transcribing the designation in a muddled fashion. tldr; DAK is Das Afrika Korps, who commandeered the trucks from British commanders in 1941 (pre-Monty) when the latter got lost and captured. The UK manufacturer was AEC, then built armored command post vehicles, which were then used personally by Rommel after capture. Long version: "Associated Equipment Company (AEC), best known for their London double deck buses, was awarded a contract in April 1941 to produce a Matador 4x4 artillery tractor and an armored command vehicle with a Matador 4x4 chassis. By 1941, AEC devoted itself exclusively to military needs. The armored command vehicle entered mass production in XXX 1941. With armor up to 12 mm thick and a weight of 12.2 tons, the vehicle was able to accommodate 7 to 8 personnel. Both High Power and Low Power versions were built. The “Power” refers to the signal strength of the radio equipment. A total of 415 were produced. Due to the very comfortable ride and interior the troops nicknamed the vehicle Dorchester after the luxury hotel in London. On the night of April 6, 1941 the command vehicles of the Western Desert Force became lost in the darkness. Things got even worse when they bumped into a Recce Unit of the German Deutsches Afrika Korps (DAK). As a result three of the AEC command vehicles, in good condition, became trophies of the commander of the DAK. Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel. The vehicles were nicknamed “Mammut” (Mammoth) by the Germans because of their tall height. Two of them were to be employed by Rommel as headquarter units. They were modified with German diesel engines and named “Max” and “Mortiz” after characters in a German children’s story. The third vehicle went to 5 Leichte Division. All three vehicles served with the DAK throughout the North Africa Campaign. In May 1943 the vehicles were found deserted in Cap Bon, in the northeast corner of Tunisia." The goggles of course, were not Monty's either. My original comment was tongue-in-cheek.
@@terraflow__bryanburdo4547 Monty used two captured Italian Command vehicles all the way to Germany, they are now in the collection of the Imperial War Museum, donated by Monty in the 1950's.
Absolutely brilliant aircraft and a very well executed video - informative - educational -the facts delivered in a calm , considered and reasoned way - and no poxy music ! Well done young sir !
The weapon on the Storch did not go un used. The last Plane to plane fight was done by an allied L4 Grasshopper and a Storch using on board pistols. The Grasshopper had the height above the German plane. In trying to evade the L-4 the Storch flew too low and the German brushed a wing on the ground and crashed. The allied plane landed gave aid and captured the crew. April 12 1945 near berlin
I have come to the conclusion that you are a most charming tour guide. Familiarity with multiple languages. Ability to retain and recall facts and interesting vignettes. An erudite and wry sense of humor: You would make a killing doing the Manhattan city bus tours in NYC ()! Thanks for a simply delicious tour of this remarkable aircraft.
I saw this aircraft years ago at a California Air Show. Of all the terrific airplanes and war birds there this plane stold the show in an airial demonstration. Jaws were dropping all through the crowd.
You ask what we like most? The very clear way that you explain everything about the plane and you did the entire plane! As well it's history. Not seen any videos such as yours.
I discovered last summer that a relative of mine who is still alive in the US flew this aircraft for the Royal Hungarian Air Force in WW2. Thanks for producing this!
@@MilitaryAviationHistory Kermit Weeks has one of these planes that he actually flies, he did a video on his a while back too. Its good this plane is getting the attention it deserves
One of these took off in front of me on the taxiway at CYOO in the 1970’s. This gave me a lifelong fascination with this type. The Slepvek Storch and Zenair CH-801 are more recent ‘experimental/homebuild’ GA adaptations based on the Fiesler. Good video!
I learned about this aircraft from a book in which 3 foot tall alien lizards invade earth during 1942, with '90s equivalent military equipment, and expecting earth to be in the medieval ages. It was called Worldwar, it's by a mad lad named Harry Turtledove.
Wow! Just found this video.... Brilliant! :-) Thank you so much for this wonderful guided tour and history of an oft forgotten aircraft. What an incredible piece of engineering it was! I'm currently completing a build of an Airfix Vintage Classics model kit, modern boxing, of an old 70s kit of the Storch, and seeing this pop-up... well I had to watch it!! :-) Lovely stuff!
I built the Airfix model of this. I remember it was molded in light blue plastic and came in a bag. I always coveted one because of its STOL capabilities. I wonder if a float version would be feasible today. Or an amphibian.
I saw a live demonstration of one of these recently. I came to the show to see the fighters, but it was amazing to see how quickly this thing can get airborne and how slow it can fly
A very informative video. There's a restored Storch flying from Kjeller Aerodrome in Norway. The Air Force in Norway had some of those aircraft after WW2. According to a legend did a pilot fly touch-and-goes on a hangar roof at Lista Airport; the wind was strong enough to allow the aircraft to drift backwards when airborne, so the pilot never changed heading between the landings!
Good job & thanks. I've watched a few of your segments already & enjoy / respect them very much. I think it's fantastic you'd take the time for a Storch. As an aviation buff I grow weary of all the popular (P-51, Spitfire, Zero, Me-109, etc) mainstays endlessly discussed. Thanks again bud 👍
I well remember a Storch reversing at about 40ft altitude in a reasonable breeze straight down the runway then accelerating along the centreline again after "hovering" over the threshold for a minute or so. Brilliant to see :D
The first balsa wood kit I ever built was Fleseler Storch, 24-1 scale, rubber band power. On the first test flight it flew so well (and far) I lost sight of it it it and never saw it again. Boy did that thing sore!
Interestingly, Mussolini's rescuer Walter Gerlach and I share the same last name. Just a coincidence of course, but Gerlach is not the most common German surname. And the Fi 156 was a fine aircraft, loved by all who flew her. You know the saying, "Before the helicopter, there was the Storch." Thank you, Bob USAF (1968-72).
Excellent - I really enjoyed your succinct yet thorough review of the aircraft, especially the look at the controls and instruments in the cockpit. I presume that when fitted with the machine gun, the second seat faced the rear, or at least could be turned?
I remember this plane because of the Airfix kit that was available in the 1970s. At the time, I thought that its capabilities were rather similar to the British Lysander, although, of course, that was a heavier aircraft that could carry forward-firing machine guns and a small bomb load.
Wondering what that button on the control stick is, or is it even functional? Did the Storch have any kind of brakes to help with landing or did it just rely on friction to come to a stop? Wikis don't mention them, though I would imagine adding brakes would make such a light aircraft unstable on landing and add unnecessary production (not unheard from the Germans...) I also found it interesting that SA-Kuva (Finnish WW2 image collection) shows Finnish generals using German Storchs to get around. The lone Finnish Storch in the collection is also credited as being directly under command of Air Force HQ. Even more surprising was collection of photos labeling "Storch loaded with a bomb", but on closer inspection it seems to be a drop tank.
The button would be fore the radio but that is a post-War mod. The Fieseler had your standard German WW2 toe-brakes but from what I heard they were rarely used.
@@MilitaryAviationHistory Alright, thanks for the info. Interesting point about the brakes, guess they were more help on taxing around than to stop quickly upon landing. Guess just no need for them to be used regularly, considering its landing area.
The Storch and the Westland Lysander, two highly underated aircraft of the war. Very similar aircraft in many was as well, Lysander was renown for being able to operate from pretty much anywhere, including ad hoc 'air strips' blown out of the jungle when they operated to support the Chindits.
My Father flew Lysanders during the war. Mostly towing targets for the trainee fighter pilots to practice their shooting skills! I remember him commenting on the tricky nature of the plane on approach, as, like the Storch there were Slats on the leading edge of the wings. But the Lysander slats were retracted during flight and automatically popped out at the landing airspeed, took a bit of getting used to apparently!
I suspect that the red-knobbed lever at the right side of the instrument panel is a fuel tank selector. Probable positions are "off", "left tank" and "right tank". Good vid! Gratitude!
Christoph, what are the cloth loops above the pilot's head to the left? They were visible during your in-cabin demo and also when you exited the plane. It looks like something to hold ammunition, like shotgun shells, (?), or was this where the Finnish Air Force kept their flare loads? Cloth loops, another weight-savings measure. Thank you, as always, you were most informative.
The military aviation museum in Virginia Beach in VA USA has a flying worth one in their hangars..visitors will benefit from your stories on this airplane for sure.. when I saw it as I knew was a Fieseler Storch airplane and a similar one that was used to take Mussolini from Gran Sasso.. but not sure why there was not mention of any story that made this airplane legendary on display
Why LLK instead of KLL? Maybe because the military seems to like the object, modifier type (Linsenlafette, kleine) description, which leads to LL, K and hence to LLK. XXX Mod Y is another example. It could be argued that the common prefix (LL in this case) helps recognizing the general type even if you are a bit unsure about the specifics and alphabetical sorting would tend to keep all LLx types bunched up, which is what you would want.
If you ever get the chance, I would love to see a hands on episode on the Mosquito, my personal favorite aircraft of the war, always have a good look at it when visiting the Norwegian aviation museum in Bodø
To those who do not know which Von Richthofen Bismarck is referring to, that would be Wolfram Von Richthofen, a distant cousin of Manfred and Lothar Von Richthofen. Aside from being a Luftwaffe general in WWII, he also scored eight aerial victories in the first world war. In fact his first combat mission was under his more famous cousin Manfred on that fateful day when Manfred was shot down on April 21, 1918. He actually played a role in the aerial battle when Canadian pilot Wilfred May got on Wolfram’s tail, and when Manfred saw this, he chased the young pilot, and the rest is history. Wolfram Von Richthofen survived the war, only to die of a brain tumor while he was a POW under the American Third Army in July 1945(the tumor was already found a year before and was terminal well before he was captured at war’s end).
I didn't know about it at ALL but I'm only a bit interested in aviation history so I don't do a lot of digging into ... stuff. Best thing I learned: that Mussolini was actually arrested before the partisans shot him. I thought it went directly from Ill Duck to Dead Duck - see, I told you I wasn't a really big history buff. Nice video, interesting plane. And very thorough.
I really enjoyed the video! Quite informative. And i have a question/request didn’t fieseler also make torpedo aircraft? And would you consider making a video on german torpedo bombers please?
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How did you convince the museum to let you across the rope? Did you need to pay anything, or was there a lot of paperwork involved?
Really interesting video of an aircraft I have not heard of, thank you.
Great Vid, I building a FS in 1/72 rn and like to watch documentarys by doing so. Dou have a short breath or health issues? Just curios, great channel Btw👍
How did they fit a pilot, Mussolini and this commando guy in there?
Hey I'm mostly a tank nut but when I was younger and as the years have gone by I still have an interest in military aircraft and the history of them. I play WOT and Warthunder games and in Warthunder I noticed a Romanian fighter the IR80 which did well for itself in WW2 I have noticed you have not done a video on this aircraft and hay I'm not Romanian I'm an Aussie but I found this not well known aircraft of WW2 fascinating it did well during WW2 until overwhelmed by allied air power. I think you should look into it and do a video on this not known aircraft we always dwell on the main countries in the world and what they had but this Romanian aircraft had some hiccups but had a very good record in WW2 with a 3 to one victory rate in the middle of WW2. After WW2 it was replaced by Soviet types and none of the original aircraft survived. Only after the fall of the Soviet block copies of this aircraft where made and there is one in a museum.
My relative flew the Storch throughout the war on the eastern front. He was observer at Sevastopol reporting on the Gustav railway guns effectiveness. He flew missions at Stalingrad. And had their airfield bombed by A-20s. Was at Kursk and elsewhere flying out wounded. Having recorded 250 casualty fights. As you indicated in your video that the Storch could only transport 2 wounded thats alot of flights. Postwar he came to the US. He took me up in a glider when I was a kid. Pretty amazing experience. No engine sounds just absolute quiet.
I know at the time I was asked if I wanted to take flying lessons from my relative. How many people can say they were taught by an ex Luftwaffe pilot? But being a young stupid kid I didn’t. They did an article about him in Flight Journal magazine, Geman fighters edition 2011. He’s also in the book Wings of War by James Busha. It’s a good book with pilots on both sides of the conflict and their experiences. There are a lot of amazing stories.
Must be a very distant relative...
Wow, some interesting stories to tell over coffee.
The aus front
@@nonegone7170 Why?
Chris,You my friend should take great pride in your relative,and his amazing life.
The last owner of that plane before museum is my father-in-laws friend. Small world and all:D
Ville Saarenketo wow
I like you cat.
Do you remember why your family friend owned it? Was it for some work or was he collector? Would be interesting to hear something about this plane's civilian use.
@@justinterestedmusic No I just remember my father-in-law mentioning the plane in a conversation. I'll ask him next time I see him if he knows anything:)
@Rehan Zainul Abdeen how did the plane manage to get all the way to finland
Quick note: I was primarily thinking of von Richthofen's flight over Poland in 1939 when I mention Kesselring. However, Kesselring also had a Fieseler Storch and used it extensively, for example in Africa. The point is, the brass loved this bird.
Also, I dare say this is a VSTOL craft.
The Focke Wulf Fw-189 was another liaison aircraft with a sterling reputation in afterwar accounts. What's your take on it?
Military Aviation History I hope you did a risk assessment before you used those steps. Good and interesting film.
Please do a video comparing the P-38 to the Ki-61 Otsu. Thanks.
Didn't Rommel's pilot land his Storch in the Place de la Concorde in central Paris?
Thank you for a fabulous insight into this wonderful aircraft. I first discovered the Storch on a school trip to The Great Yorkshire Show, basically an agricultural show where farmers show their bulls, cows, pigs etc. I was obsessed with aircraft so i found a stall that had a stand of Airfix models, and I bought an Airfix 1/72 scale Storch, of course being one of the small, cheaper models that a young boy could afford.
Now, well over 40 years later I plan to make another storch model and your great video will help me enormously.
I am building an old Airfix 1/72 Storch now. This video has been very in showing what the parts look like in real life. Am painting it as the Gran Sasso Storch that rescued Mussolini. As far as I can see from old photos it was olive and dark green.
@@davidstirk4732 Hi David, the undercarriage legs on my model were very weak. I don't know if it was just the softish blue plastic that Airfix used back then but the legs weren't really strong enough to take the weight of the model!
Good luck with your build!
@@ScreamingLordStokes Thank you. I only have the undercarriage to fit now. If it is not strong enough I will have to display it on those Airfix clear plastic stands.
Those short landing and takeoff distances are amazing.
Reminds me of the STOL competitions held in Alaska each year.
This reminded of a story of Rommel where he flew this plane . He was observing his troops from the air , the Italians however didn't knew it was him cause they had never seen that type of plane before , so they start shooting at him with AA , he later landed , reprimanded them and wrote in his diary" I wouldn't be alive if it hadn't been for the italians terrible aiming"
He praised the italians many times, stop talking shit you italo-phobic bastard
If that's what he wrote he might have been talking specifically about those soldiers and not Italians in general, as he considered them good soldiers; it wouldn't make any sense.
@@davidearielrossolato978 well yeah obviously
Wasnt Rommel it was Hans von Luck in his book Panzer commander
It's been said Italian soldiers were as good as their leadership was bad.
2 swiss air force Fieseler Storchs were also used in 1946 to rescue the crew and passengers from a US C-53 that crashed on the Gauli Glacier. Both Storchs (A-97 and A-99) are still around and can be seen in the swiss Museum of Transportation ( Verkehrshaus) and the air force museum in Dübendorf
It was the first alpine air rescue
Pre-REGA, so to speak
Reading the text, the red button where the starter switch should be on a German aircraft, indicates that it is an electric cut-off button. It's supposed to be used in the event of emergency landing. Also the electric buttons on the right side of the cockpit read from left to right: Landing light, Navigation light, Starter Cockpit Light Oil Temperature Handheld light and Pitot-tube.
No "omg the aircraft is on fire" test. 0/10 regardless Fantastic video none the less.
I'm not yet prepared to have violent earth-face interfaces by vaulting from a museum plane. It'll come tho!
Pilots don't do curd things like grunts and C-DATs.
@@MilitaryAviationHistory Face Plant
Ash go back to British planes in war thunder.
I was going to say pretty much the same thing.
A wonderful little plane! The Japanese Army was greatly impressed by the Fi 156 and wanted a similar aircraft, resulting in the Ki-76. It wasn't a copy, but the influence is clear.
This was so cool to watch! I like that you actually did a cockpit tour of this thing. :)
kristenburnout1 : "Kermit Weeks Hanger" You Tube channel has a 3 part series doing a walk around and flying. He demonstrate it's ability.
I watched this video twice. It's really well done. Thank you for exploring the plane inside an out.
I remember seeing one of these at the Fliegertreffen Hahnweide, where it sat on the runway, revved up the engine and before even getting up to speed a gust of wind lifted the plane up and it was already flying. Magnificent machine.
A DC-3 in the Aleutians during WW II allegedly took off backwards while stationary during one of the legendary winds. I don't care if it's true or not, because it does sound plausible.
Camera craft and sound are on point, man!
Thank you
Great is the World
Of course!
German efficiency!
Valid point in such a unique aircraft it would have been so easy for the sound or video to get screwed up. Props to Bismarck for his efforts.
It was also used to rescue some Americans who had crashed their plane on a glacier. A pilot from the Swiss Air Force landed on and took off the glacier several times and flew them out.
Also there is a nice foam board version of the plane by Flite Test.
Thanks a lot for the video!
Amazing aircraft, and as usual, a great presentation from you. To understand more about the wing, look at an aviation term called "mean aerodynamic chord". It explains the amazing performance of this fine aircraft. If you already knew about "MAC", I apologize, but if you didn't, it really helps understand lift aids on STOL and even regular aircraft.
An Excellent video - The Storch has always fascinated me - I've a pretty fair amount of time in its American equivalents - the J-3 Cub (L-4 during the War), and the Cessna L-19 Birddog (Korean and after equivalent), and I've seen a couple of Storchs fly. It's low speed handling is amazing! (That inverted Argus V-8 sounds like a big sewing machine, too.)
The Storch also had an active life Post-War - The French liked it so much that they put it into production as the Morane-Saulnier Criquet. (With some later models switching to a radial engine when the supply of Argus engines ran out). Many saw service in Indochina.
(Actually, the closest American equivalent would be the Stinson L-5 - The takeoff runs are a bit longer 150m, roughly, with no wind on a standard day, and 30m with 25 mph / 35 km/h wind.
The Cub's a bit smaller, but also simpler.)
I was at a package store outside Pittsburgh about 3 years ago and there was a gentleman there mailing a strange looking package. I of course couldn't contain my curiosity so I asked him what he was mailing? He then told me it was an engine for an old Stinson aircraft! I had actually never really heard of one before that day but after he explained to me what it was I of course had to Google it as soon as I got back to my car! I was blown away at how small the engine actually was! Of course it was broken down to ship and was obviously smaller then it would be put together I could still tell it's tiny size by looking at the block and pistons which were being wrapped separately! Sorry just thought I'd mention that! Lol
28:25 I half expected a reference to Bo instead of Indiana Jones, since he’s done that to you in Il-2 a fair few times it seems.
Well it is a reference to our 'adventures'
I saw one of these restored aircraft perform at the CFB Trenton Air show in Canada. About 1990. Lots of US and Canadian jet aircraft gave demonstrations but the Storch was the interesting as very strong headwinds allowed the pilot to actually fly the plane at negative ground speed . The announcer was very impressed by the pilot skills in making the plane appear to hover and fly backwards. Thanks for the close up info tour.
I have always loved this Aircraft. Thanks for showing it the love it deserves, Bis.
I'm a big fan of STOL aircraft and the Storch is still one of the best there's ever been. Great video. If anybody's interested in seeing one of these flown, by the way, Kermit Weeks did a video a few years back where he goes through the whole startup procedure and then flies his around and does some fun stuff like landing on a runway for R/C planes.
I really appreciate the depth of your knowledge about aviation history and how well you communicate it to your audience. Thank you for another great video.
Thank you
you asked about that "ohjaamon valot" knob and its like u said cockpit lighting. Keep up the good work.
I will watch this whole video when I'm back home, Storch has a special place in my heart. Wish it was added to War Thunder and basicaly scout planes to be implemented
They can't do a proper game mode other than a glorified deathmatch which effectively makes any plane that is not a fighter part of the useless category and you still hope they implement planes like this with scouting mechanics ?! I'd rather wait for Half life 3.
@@frostkillht Yea I kind of agree. Planes like attackers and bombers have no place in WT. But if there was a scout mode, (scout planes dont have markers on, arent visible in normal battles) and you get points for photographing/ spotting enemy units, that would be great.
I play a WW2 Mod, and we use the Piper J-3 Cub for Artillery spotting and re-con.
We also have Arado Ar 196, and Flettner Fl 282 "Kolibri" for spotting and re-con for Axis.
Finally got around to watching this after being busy. Among the best work you have done so far. The sound, video and other qualities are on point.
I look forward to more of this as time goes on.
Thanks, very happy to hear this
The fearless and amazing Hanna Reitsch flying the Fieseler Storch is a great story.
To me this plane always looked like nothing else, some what like an insect, a but beautiful and brilliant design.
She even landed the plane in Berlin, when the Soviets stood at the gates in april 1945
On April 25, 1945, Robert Ritter von Greim told Reitsch she must fly with him to Berlin for a meeting with Hitler. As a result of a proposal by Göring to take over leadership of the country, Hitler had ordered Göring arrested, and he intended to appoint Greim the commander in chief of the Luftwaffe.
The last leg of their trip to the Führerbunker in devastated Berlin was made in a little Fieseler Fi-156C Storch (stork), with Greim at the controls and Reitsch crouched behind him. Flying through a hail of Soviet anti-aircraft fire, the plane was hit in the engine and fuel tank. An armor-piercing bullet smashed Greim’s right foot, and he passed out. Reitsch managed to successfully land the Fieseler on the boulevard before the Brandenburg Gate, and they both made it to Hitler’s bunker, where they stayed for two days. Ordered by Hitler to flee Berlin in the final hours of the Russian assault on the city, Greim and Reitsch escaped in an aircraft hidden near the bunker.
@@skelejp9982 ~ Every interview with Hanna Reitsch she's very upbeat positive. She was a little lady, very talented, skilled and nerves of steel.
@@martentrudeau6948 She sparkles enthusiasm, when she talks about plane's and flying.
And what Guts this little Woman had, if I am correct , she was the only Pilot of 7, surviving a manned V1 (known as the Reichenberg) Flight.
@@skelejp9982 ~ I have listened to the same interviews of her, she was a rare person male or female, very few pilots could have lived doing what she what she did, by all rights she should have died young. But thankfully she survived, I think she was a great lady. RIP Hanna.
Thank you, very much! Either your english is getting better or I am getting used to your accent, I bet it's the first, with all your talent. There are so many cool things about this plane. It Is Spectacular! I can't believe it had such rugged landing gear and most of all the capability to land within its own length. I never imagined such a handy little plane..!
Wonderful video. One of my all-time favourite aircraft, great to get such a detailed tour of it. Thank you.
Who needs a helicopter when you have a Storch!
Rommel used to fly over troops in his Storch on the front lines and throw down a note that if they didn't get going he was coming down there! Rommel was the general who would appear next to you in a foxhole in a firefight. I think he liked the sound of bullets cutting the air.
Rommel's Storch was captured and used by General Montgomery.
@@benwilson6145 To get back for the perspex goggles and Mammoth DAK armored truck that Rommel hijacked.
@@terraflow__bryanburdo4547 From whom? Dak was a german armoured truck! Certainly not from Montgomery as Rommel was defeated at every battle and never advanced against Montgomery.
@@benwilson6145 My apology for transcribing the designation in a muddled fashion.
tldr;
DAK is Das Afrika Korps, who commandeered the trucks from British commanders in 1941 (pre-Monty) when the latter got lost and captured. The UK manufacturer was AEC, then built armored command post vehicles, which were then used personally by Rommel after capture.
Long version: "Associated Equipment Company (AEC), best known for their London double deck buses, was awarded a contract in April 1941 to produce a Matador 4x4 artillery tractor and an armored command vehicle with a Matador 4x4 chassis. By 1941, AEC devoted itself exclusively to military needs. The armored command vehicle entered mass production in XXX 1941. With armor up to 12 mm thick and a weight of 12.2 tons, the vehicle was able to accommodate 7 to 8 personnel. Both High Power and Low Power versions were built. The “Power” refers to the signal strength of the radio equipment. A total of 415 were produced. Due to the very comfortable ride and interior the troops nicknamed the vehicle Dorchester after the luxury hotel in London.
On the night of April 6, 1941 the command vehicles of the Western Desert Force became lost in the darkness. Things got even worse when they bumped into a Recce Unit of the German Deutsches Afrika Korps (DAK). As a result three of the AEC command vehicles, in good condition, became trophies of the commander of the DAK. Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel. The vehicles were nicknamed “Mammut” (Mammoth) by the Germans because of their tall height. Two of them were to be employed by Rommel as headquarter units. They were modified with German diesel engines and named “Max” and “Mortiz” after characters in a German children’s story. The third vehicle went to 5 Leichte Division. All three vehicles served with the DAK throughout the North Africa Campaign. In May 1943 the vehicles were found deserted in Cap Bon, in the northeast corner of Tunisia."
The goggles of course, were not Monty's either. My original comment was tongue-in-cheek.
@@terraflow__bryanburdo4547 Monty used two captured Italian Command vehicles all the way to Germany, they are now in the collection of the Imperial War Museum, donated by Monty in the 1950's.
Absolutely brilliant aircraft and a very well executed video - informative - educational -the facts delivered in a calm , considered and reasoned way - and no poxy music ! Well done young sir !
The weapon on the Storch did not go un used. The last Plane to plane fight was done by an allied L4 Grasshopper and a Storch using on board pistols. The Grasshopper had the height above the German plane. In trying to evade the L-4 the Storch flew too low and the German brushed a wing on the ground and crashed. The allied plane landed gave aid and captured the crew. April 12 1945 near berlin
This was my question! Thank you. Clearly, it needed a larger weapon.
THXs, for this brilliant detailed presentation of the Fieseler Storch!
really enjoyed it! Well done!
I have come to the conclusion that you are a most charming tour guide. Familiarity with multiple languages. Ability to retain and recall facts and interesting vignettes. An erudite and wry sense of humor: You would make a killing doing the Manhattan city bus tours in NYC ()! Thanks for a simply delicious tour of this remarkable aircraft.
I saw this aircraft years ago at a California Air Show. Of all the terrific airplanes and war birds there this plane stold the show in an airial demonstration. Jaws were dropping all through the crowd.
You ask what we like most? The very clear way that you explain everything about the plane and you did the entire plane! As well it's history. Not seen any videos such as yours.
Fantastic video both from presentation and content to technical production and camera work. Love you work. Love this aircraft
I discovered last summer that a relative of mine who is still alive in the US flew this aircraft for the Royal Hungarian Air Force in WW2. Thanks for producing this!
A few years ago, 20+
There was a man in Michigan who had like five of these...
He's my hero
Knut Der Große
Where are they?
Five! You would think that getting your hands on one was eventful, but 5? His own mini Air Force.
@@MilitaryAviationHistory
Kermit Weeks has one of these planes that he actually flies, he did a video on his a while back too. Its good this plane is getting the attention it deserves
I love your videos! Thank you for taking the time to share your findings.
Nice video. Zer gut! I never saw the detail on the high fastening of the landing gear and pistons before up close. Thanks.
Nice video. Captain Eric Brown used to fly one for research purposes post war. I'm hoping one day to do a model of the great man's aircraft.
One of these took off in front of me on the taxiway at CYOO in the 1970’s. This gave me a lifelong fascination with this type. The Slepvek Storch and Zenair CH-801 are more recent ‘experimental/homebuild’ GA adaptations based on the Fiesler. Good video!
I learned about this aircraft from a book in which 3 foot tall alien lizards invade earth during 1942, with '90s equivalent military equipment, and expecting earth to be in the medieval ages. It was called Worldwar, it's by a mad lad named Harry Turtledove.
Bob Bobbington amazing series of books
Otto Skorzeny is in that book aswell
@@-few-fernando11 With the explosive metal bombs.
Bob Bobbington I read that one his books are becoming harder to find butthurt sjws no doubt but everyone of his books are interesting.
@Patrick Brennan Yep - so hard to find. Available on Amazon in paperback, hardcover and kindle.
Also heard of this plane in that series! Great read!
Not to forget the operations Niwi and Hedderich. The Fi 156 did an outstanding job, even it was not designed for it at all. Great video!
Wow! Just found this video.... Brilliant! :-)
Thank you so much for this wonderful guided tour and history of an oft forgotten aircraft. What an incredible piece of engineering it was!
I'm currently completing a build of an Airfix Vintage Classics model kit, modern boxing, of an old 70s kit of the Storch, and seeing this pop-up... well I had to watch it!! :-)
Lovely stuff!
That's the Port wing 6:36
If you look at it again, the UA-cam info tab thing on the top right can allow you to punish him in 3 different ways.
I wish I saw this earlier. I just completed a 1/32 scale model of a fiesler starch. Great video. 👍
I built the Airfix model of this. I remember it was molded in light blue plastic and came in a bag. I always coveted one because of its STOL capabilities. I wonder if a float version would be feasible today. Or an amphibian.
You did an amazing amount of research on this model. Thanks for the great video!
Very lovely Job bis! Superb quality indeed, hope you keep reviewing More planes as thoroughly 👏
Thanks Antti!
Gave me a new appreciation for something I usually only encounter as target practice in IL-2 Sturmovik.
It is always great to see your videos,great knowledge.Keep making more.
I HAVE LOVED THIS PLANE FOR MANY YEARS; IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE ONE FLY.THANKS FOR YOUR GREAT PRESENTATION. RENE.
If possible could you do a inside the cockpit on the P2v, and the A26 invader? I know they are rare but I can't find any videos on them.
First ever bushplane... Love it. Greetings from Switzerland
Vorgänger vo dr REGA; Gruess us Rhyfälde :-)
@@marcothommen2484 voll 😉 Grüess usum Niesen land 😋
I love this video and this format! You are the chieftain of planes!
Glad you enjoyed it
Awesome close up look. I've always found this to be a very interesting STOL Light observation aircraft.
I saw a live demonstration of one of these recently. I came to the show to see the fighters, but it was amazing to see how quickly this thing can get airborne and how slow it can fly
A very informative video. There's a restored Storch flying from Kjeller Aerodrome in Norway. The Air Force in Norway had some of those aircraft after WW2. According to a legend did a pilot fly touch-and-goes on a hangar roof at Lista Airport; the wind was strong enough to allow the aircraft to drift backwards when airborne, so the pilot never changed heading between the landings!
Saw a video about the whole Mussolini thing yesterday, perfect timing to see this! Wow.
Good job & thanks. I've watched a few of your segments already & enjoy / respect them very much. I think it's fantastic you'd take the time for a Storch. As an aviation buff I grow weary of all the popular (P-51, Spitfire, Zero, Me-109, etc) mainstays endlessly discussed. Thanks again bud 👍
I well remember a Storch reversing at about 40ft altitude in a reasonable breeze straight down the runway then accelerating along the centreline again after "hovering" over the threshold for a minute or so. Brilliant to see :D
The first balsa wood kit I ever built was Fleseler Storch, 24-1 scale, rubber band power. On the first test flight it flew so well (and far) I lost sight of it it it and never saw it again. Boy did that thing sore!
20:38 joystick button - for firing guns? or for blasting the horn at oncoming traffic?
Quality of the video is remarkable. Very impressed.
Interestingly, Mussolini's rescuer Walter Gerlach and I share the same last name. Just a coincidence of course, but Gerlach is not the most common German surname. And the Fi 156 was a fine aircraft, loved by all who flew her. You know the saying, "Before the helicopter, there was the Storch." Thank you, Bob USAF (1968-72).
It's one that I had a kit model of.
Have you access to do a program on the Lysander?
I love the bike chain that controls the flaps, the fact that early planes were basically flying go-carts/bikes rules
Excellent - I really enjoyed your succinct yet thorough review of the aircraft, especially the look at the controls and instruments in the cockpit. I presume that when fitted with the machine gun, the second seat faced the rear, or at least could be turned?
Thank you. The seat could be folded in on itself, and would then provide the platform for the passenger to shoot the MG15
Great walkabout very informative on the Storch if not funny in bits..luved it,
I remember this plane because of the Airfix kit that was available in the 1970s. At the time, I thought that its capabilities were rather similar to the British Lysander, although, of course, that was a heavier aircraft that could carry forward-firing machine guns and a small bomb load.
Wondering what that button on the control stick is, or is it even functional? Did the Storch have any kind of brakes to help with landing or did it just rely on friction to come to a stop? Wikis don't mention them, though I would imagine adding brakes would make such a light aircraft unstable on landing and add unnecessary production (not unheard from the Germans...)
I also found it interesting that SA-Kuva (Finnish WW2 image collection) shows Finnish generals using German Storchs to get around. The lone Finnish Storch in the collection is also credited as being directly under command of Air Force HQ. Even more surprising was collection of photos labeling "Storch loaded with a bomb", but on closer inspection it seems to be a drop tank.
The button would be fore the radio but that is a post-War mod. The Fieseler had your standard German WW2 toe-brakes but from what I heard they were rarely used.
@@MilitaryAviationHistory Alright, thanks for the info. Interesting point about the brakes, guess they were more help on taxing around than to stop quickly upon landing. Guess just no need for them to be used regularly, considering its landing area.
always well done and extremely informative. great work
built the airfix model fell in love with it
I’m gathering information on the Storch, to build a 1/48 scale model, and your video is perfect!
*The Plane That Saved Mussolini* but not for long.
Indeed.
~2 extra years are better than none
@@MilitaryAviationHistory Or worse, considering the person was Mussolini.
Mussolini himself seemed convinced he WOULDN'T have been executed if he hadn't been "Rescued."
@@DIEGhostfish you cant expect honour from the allies in ww2
The Storch and the Westland Lysander, two highly underated aircraft of the war. Very similar aircraft in many was as well, Lysander was renown for being able to operate from pretty much anywhere, including ad hoc 'air strips' blown out of the jungle when they operated to support the Chindits.
The Lysander was an amazing aircraft.
Does that museum have one of the Lysanders used by Finland as well?
My Father flew Lysanders during the war. Mostly towing targets for the trainee fighter pilots to practice their shooting skills! I remember him commenting on the tricky nature of the plane on approach, as, like the Storch there were Slats on the leading edge of the wings. But the Lysander slats were retracted during flight and automatically popped out at the landing airspeed, took a bit of getting used to apparently!
(since looked it up, seems they do not, not terribly many surviving Lysanders)
Outstanding, enjoyed every minute of your presentation.
I suspect that the red-knobbed lever at the right side of the instrument panel is a fuel tank selector. Probable positions are "off", "left tank" and "right tank". Good vid! Gratitude!
Christoph, what are the cloth loops above the pilot's head to the left? They were visible during your in-cabin demo and also when you exited the plane. It looks like something to hold ammunition, like shotgun shells, (?), or was this where the Finnish Air Force kept their flare loads? Cloth loops, another weight-savings measure. Thank you, as always, you were most informative.
Excellent video, are you aware of the Kermie Cam videos done by Kermit Weeks of his Storch here on you tube?
Excellent video as always! may we get inside the Humu next..?
you are such a database of aviation knowledge, well done sir...
The military aviation museum in Virginia Beach in VA USA has a flying worth one in their hangars..visitors will benefit from your stories on this airplane for sure.. when I saw it as I knew was a Fieseler Storch airplane and a similar one that was used to take Mussolini from Gran Sasso.. but not sure why there was not mention of any story that made this airplane legendary on display
Why LLK instead of KLL? Maybe because the military seems to like the object, modifier type (Linsenlafette, kleine) description, which leads to LL, K and hence to LLK. XXX Mod Y is another example.
It could be argued that the common prefix (LL in this case) helps recognizing the general type even if you are a bit unsure about the specifics and alphabetical sorting would tend to keep all LLx types bunched up, which is what you would want.
I love this plane! very well loved plane by all owners. Thank you for this video!
A nice presentation for a phenomenal aircraft. I just bought a model of Rommel's Storch online. What a well designed plane. :)
Thank you so much.
Brilliant aircraft.
Your English is superb.
If you want to fly one, Bismarck, maybe Kermit Week scan facilitate. He restores and flies vintage aircraft and has a youtube channel.
If you ever get the chance, I would love to see a hands on episode on the Mosquito, my personal favorite aircraft of the war, always have a good look at it when visiting the Norwegian aviation museum in Bodø
Oh yes, I'd love to do that
To those who do not know which Von Richthofen Bismarck is referring to, that would be Wolfram Von Richthofen, a distant cousin of Manfred and Lothar Von Richthofen. Aside from being a Luftwaffe general in WWII, he also scored eight aerial victories in the first world war. In fact his first combat mission was under his more famous cousin Manfred on that fateful day when Manfred was shot down on April 21, 1918. He actually played a role in the aerial battle when Canadian pilot Wilfred May got on Wolfram’s tail, and when Manfred saw this, he chased the young pilot, and the rest is history. Wolfram Von Richthofen survived the war, only to die of a brain tumor while he was a POW under the American Third Army in July 1945(the tumor was already found a year before and was terminal well before he was captured at war’s end).
I didn't know about it at ALL but I'm only a bit interested in aviation history so I don't do a lot of digging into ... stuff. Best thing I learned: that Mussolini was actually arrested before the partisans shot him. I thought it went directly from Ill Duck to Dead Duck - see, I told you I wasn't a really big history buff. Nice video, interesting plane. And very thorough.
This channel is so good
I always enjoy your videos,great job!
thanks for fine video on a classic aircraft
Very well presented and your Engliish is perfect.
Great video ! Thank you please do more like this
Great video. Your enjoyment is palpable and infectious.
I really enjoyed the video!
Quite informative.
And i have a question/request didn’t fieseler also make torpedo aircraft?
And would you consider making a video on german torpedo bombers please?
Yes, the Fi 167. I mention it in my Graf Zeppelin video.