The German Plane All Allied Leaders Wanted

The Fi-156 Storch was a German plane from WWII that Allied leaders were eager to acquire. During the campaigns in the Western Desert and Northwest Europe, the British captured 145 Storch aircraft. In fact, British war leaders frequently selected the Storch as their personal aircraft. But what made this plane so desirable to Allied leaders?

Construction

The Storch’s design was remarkable. Powered by a 240 hp air-cooled engine, it had a top speed of 110 mph and a service ceiling of 17,000 feet. Its rugged, fixed landing gear allowed it to take off and land on rough terrain. Remarkably, the Storch only needed a runway of 200 feet.

Although larger, more complex, and more powerful than comparable Allied aircraft, it had lower speeds and higher fuel consumption. With a stalling speed of less than 25 mph, the Storch could almost hover in place.

Developed before the war in 1935, the fabric-covered Storch became the most widely used observation and liaison aircraft in the Luftwaffe.

Used by German and Allied Leaders

Several top German leaders, such as Heinrich Himmler and his deputy, Reinhard Heydrich, used the Storch. Even Hermann Göring, head of the Luftwaffe, often flew in his own Storch. Benito Mussolini was famously rescued in one.

The Allies also made good use of captured Storchs. Air Vice Marshal Sir Harry Broadhurst extensively used one. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill flew in a Storch during a 1943 visit to Italy and again in 1944 to observe the Normandy battlefield.

General Dwight Eisenhower also frequently flew in a Storch. Interestingly, General George S. Patton declined an offer to use one, perhaps out of patriotism.

Post-War Use

Some of the captured Storchs retained their armament when used by the RAF. Later in the war, the British transferred 64 captured Storchs to the French, who were rebuilding their air force.

Most of the Storch aircraft seen at airshows today are actually post-war Morane-Saulnier MS.500s, made to look like the original German planes. Czechoslovakia also produced a post-war version called the K-65 Cap.