Grasshopper vs. Fieseler Storch - WW2's Weirdest Dogfight

[@mattybanks101]

So what you're telling me is they did a drive-by shooting at a couple of thousand feet?

[@jdgomez775]

With my Fo-Five!

[@ffjsb]

That is SO gangster...

[@pizzapanda8527]

*fly-by shooting

[@phantomaviator1318]

Why do a drive by with an Cadillac when you can do it with a Cub?

[@thearmedchair4164]

if that weren't enough they went down to loot the fuckers after!

[@AR_119]

I can only imagine the after action report for this one...

[@Limescale12]

AAR: improvements - none sustains - all of it

[@twilightroach4274]

iuvenis animo ...... hold my ....... pistol lol👍

[@psikogeek]

I imagine a victory painted on the side of his plane and credit for an air-to-air kill.

[@alexdemoya2119]

Recon plane on recon plane violence has GOT TO STOP.

[@Sheerwater909]

It's how war in the air started a generation earlier. :)

[@neilhellens8956]

Yes....I felt triggered...I shall go Reeeeeeeeeeee!

[@chrisneedham5803]

Michael Caine " I only told you to blow the bloody doors off" it's good idea for a new film.

[@shoeshooey5464]

Alex de Moya this will be hard to believe but I was thinking the same thing. I was thinking plane on plane but still...

[@2eretz]

Plane on plane s a real TURN ON 🤪

[@GeneralBurkhalter1]

Remarkable. I'd be pissed if I were that enemy crew: you're one of the few planes in the whole Reich at the end of the war to actually have the fuel to fly, and just weeks before the end of a war in which you've likely fought for years, you get shot down by some cowboys in a glorified kit-plane with pistols! Great video as always, thanks mark.

[@PanzerBuyer]

AND they stole his medals!

[@Limescale12]

remarkable indeed

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

The Germans loved American Westerns...I'll bet they were seriously amazed to get shot down by a couple of cowboys.

[@GraemePryce1978]

@iuvenis animo Codes and laws . . . ? They strafed citizens with machine guns, bombed hospital ships, shot down planes that were carrying humanitarian aid and torpedoed ships full of food that was headed for populations that were already being starved to death by Nazi occupation. My faily is from Liverpool, UK - a place that was heavily bombed during WW2 and my grandmother ( who was born in 1920, died 1996 ) LOVED to tell people the story of how she had to run along Bold Street and dive into a shop doorway out of the way of a german Stuka that had dropped it's bombs and then carried on diving, specifically to fire it's machine guns at fleeing civilians. It was total war, for both sides, in air, on land and at sea. There is no chivalry in mechanized warfare. Not in a war where a 20 year old sewing machinist could have ended up bleeding to death in a shop doorway, having been killed by a german guy who had probably never even seen an english woman up close. Maybe they were a bit more chivalrous than the guys getting rained on in a trench in France somewhere or the fella driving a Panther tank through Holland, but let's not put our rose tinted glasses on just yet eh? lol

[@suma4m]

These "cowboys" may have saved their lives. Not many Germans captured by Russians ever returned from captivity.

[@MrLarryC11]

Shades of early WW1 aerial combat. Another incident which was unknown to me. Fabulous, Mark!

[@googlepissoff5776]

Craig Wooldridge: Ok smartass

[@IronWarhorsesFun]

I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL BY ARIAL RECON BY FIRE!

[@ditzydoo4378]

I say old Bean! What say, Webleys and Lugers at 100 wings spans. Have at thee!

[@corporaltommy4407]

First Bazooka Charlie now a Spotter Face-off

[@chrisneedham5803]

Mad Jack and Rosie the Rocketer and now this. The war brought them all out of the woodwork

[@l.a.xgunner]

What's next? A spotter plane kills a 109?

[@gideoncervan9915]

amiruddin arif used a 45 to take out a plane, talk about cost effective

[@goodguy4life889]

Waiting for balloon dogfighting...😀

[@landfair123]

Next the cooks will battle it out.

[@zxbzxbzxb1]

Suddenly warthunder seems slightly more realistic than it did 5 minutes ago...

[@vysekrugger9186]

You know what they say, truth is stranger than fiction

[@Raptor747]

Imagine just doing your job, scouting the enemy, when some crazy Americans come swooping at you in their scout plane, blazing away with their goddamn pistols, following you all the way to the ground. Absolute mad lads.

[@overworlder]

Probably happy to be captured by Americans at this time in the war

[@MattMerica76]

Michael Fisher I sure as hell would be!

[@ghettocat1088]

The "Amies" had food and cigarettes. Better than being captured by the Russichen.

[@jamestheotherone742]

Depends. The SS and SA fought to the bitter end.

[@northropi2027]

The storch's crew probably comprised about half of the Luftwaffe at that point.

[@deathtrooper199]

Even nicer with the Canadians

[@superfish0012]

"Uh, Duane? I think that's a German plane over there! What should we do??" "...Ya ever gone duck huntin', Bill?" "Uh, once or twice, why?" (drawing .45 and opening cockpit window) "I'm sure it'll be similar. Lead your target, eh?"

[@bush_wookie_9606]

Imagine if they ran out of bullets they would have had to resort to using the toolkit

[@johngalt2506]

THROW A WRENCH AT HIM!!!

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

After the toolkit....time to get out the manual and THROW THE BOOK AT THEM!

[@bush_wookie_9606]

@@terraflow__bryanburdo4547 😂😂😂

[@grahamlopez6202]

Just let them follow you and wing the empty mag into his engine

[@bigblue6917]

Just to put this in context. We are looking at a period of history were we have air combat with aircraft like the Spitfire, the Mustang and the Focke-Wulf 190, some of the finest piston engined aircraft of that time and capable of 400 plus MPH, not to mention the first jet fighters. And to contrast that we have an example of the sort of aerial duel first seen in 1915. What's more the aircraft in 1915 probably flew just as fast. All I can say is hats off to them both. Also were they credited with half a kill or a kill each. 👍

[@aquila4460]

Well, both the grasshopper and the Storch where specificly built to have max speeds close to most planes stall speed and being able to land on extremly short runways. Hell under the right conditions, a strong frontal wind, the storch can actually fly backwards, just as an example just how slow they could fly. The perfect spotter airplane.

[@arthas640]

I'm surprised he didnt mention a similar battle that happened on the Eastern front where modern fighters got in a dogfighter with some old leftover WW1 era bi-planes... and the bi-planes won. They were slow as hell but they could turn on a dime and simply pivoted out of the way and shot back after the much faster modern planes zipped past. If you've ever seen dog fights in World of Warplanes where 1 person has a piston aircraft and the other has a jet fighter you'll know what i mean.

[@generalpeeps]

@@arthas640 * gaijin wants to know your location *

[@aussie870]

@@arthas640 * Sylvanas wants to know your location *

[@joshuao7289]

Finest piston engined aircraft of *all time

[@joshuajohnson5317]

So what do you do again? "Yeah man I shoot down a planes with pistols"

[@arthas640]

That's what i love about WW2, in any other conflict stories like that would get you sectioned, but in WW2? You can just be like "yeah, i shot down a plane with a pistol" or "yeah, i killed a japanese soldier and killed his buddy using his own katana". The whole war played out like a Free For All match of Battlefield 1942.

[@ADSheehan]

"Dangit, I ain't killed a single German this whole dang war." "Enemy spotter ahead, sir." "Okay, hang on, I got an idea."

[@delancyj67]

I am hardly ever disappointed by the weirdness of war. Thanks again Mr. Felton.

[@johnwayne6501]

I wonder if the Grasshopper got a german kill flag on the side of the plane? That would sparks alot of conversation when it landed at many places.

[@barryolaith]

Great story, and nobody dead. My only regret is that a Fieseler Storch was harmed. My favourite aeroplane of all time.

[@traxel14]

Yes, please do not hurt the storks!!!

[@drstihl2007]

@@traxel14 Storch* Do not be afraid of the ch

[@Laotzu.Goldbug]

Ironically, he is not the only US airmen during the war to shoot down an enemy playing with his 1911

[@Gow-13510]

Yesterday spotter with bazooka now this dogfight

[@blank557]

34 thumbs down are by former Fieseler Storch pilots.

[@charleslatora5750]

There are 12 dislikes now. Nobody died in the story. How can you bloody dislike this???? Who r u? And...oh never mind.... Can't have a battle of wits when the other side is unarmed

[@claudesturm6706]

No. Those are the "nobody needs a gun" folks

[@mtumeumrani376]

They were armed, thew were so technically engrained the concept of doing combat so crudely never occurred to them.

[@SlideRulePirate]

I suppose that on encountering your opposite number it becomes in a way personal. So in late WW2 four guys had an essentially early WW1 aerial duel. Fascinating.

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

Between this and "Bazooka Charlie", it would seem that flying the Piper Cub elevated testosterone levels considerably.

[@teeembeee]

Mr. Bo Francies lived a few houses down the street from us in Keokuk Iowa....he was a corporate pilot in the 60's.

[@rewrew897]

I’ve seen a Storch fly before Can fly slow AF Sometimes if the wind is strong enough it can stay stationary or even fly backwards

[@joshuaearl9980]

Another great video! Thanks Mark

[@StellarGryphon]

The weirdest dogfight? What about the one between the B-24 and Fw 200?

[@fernandomarques5166]

And the one with a B-17 vs. 15 or so Japanese planes

[@marceldekerpel2268]

Excuse me what

[@smokingunstudios6474]

Sun_skimmer 89 link?

[@chriscarbaugh3936]

Who won? My money on the Lib

[@DataWaveTaGo]

clash-of-the-titans ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/clash-of-the-titans.33981/ and www.shearwateraviationmuseum.ns.ca/squadrons/423chapter2.htm

[@Octopusmaster]

Those Storchs can fly so slow. I saw one fly at Fantasy of Flight in Lakeland FL, and I swear I saw a kid running with a kite pass the Storch. Almost looks like it was flying backwards. Amazing design.

[@DrPoth]

I love these stories - amazing little unusual stories from history.

[@Cheezymuffin.]

"grandpa, did you ever kill someone in the war?" "no but I did shoot down a plane... with my pistol"

[@Braeden123698745]

"Miss me!" Is my new favorite name for a plane.

[@sarjim4381]

I consider myself pretty well versed on aerial combat during WWII and this is one I've never heard of before. Great job finding these stories. Is this the only verified instance of an enemy aircraft shot down (or at least forced down) using M1911 pistols?

[@tinfoilhat38]

An American pilot supposedly shot down a Japanese Zero with his pistol after bailing out of his B-24. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_J._Baggett It’s worth mentioning that there is debate as to whether the kill actually happened but it still makes a good story.

[@ericbailey702]

Bless your heart, Felton! You'll give us all the coolest stories before you're through

[@joecorona47]

Now this is episode during WW2 is ALMOST as good as US navy sailors combating a Japanese naval vessel on the high sea when both combatants had run out of ammo and began THROWING POTATOES at one another!!!!!!!

[@ditzydoo4378]

The German flight crew should thank their lucky stars they weren't up against Bazooka Charlie. In such a case it would have been "Torched Storch" on the bar-b mate.

[@kellyreim6627]

There’s a story about a cub pilot getting credit for a 109, it hit the ground trying to shoot down the cub.

[@vysekrugger9186]

I dearly wish the History Channel show Dogfights could have done an episode on this glorious throwback to like the very first dogfights of WWI that were basically spotter on spotter

[@lisar3006]

What happened to the Storches MG-15 rear firing MG.

[@johnharker7194]

Ever watch Indiana jones and the final crusade?

[@ThatSpiffingChap]

Possibly this late in the war they didn't have the resources to outfit every recon plane with one or they didn't have the ammunition.

[@Briselance]

Maybe it jammed.

[@hockeyfan136]

Perhaps you are confusing the Storch with the Stuka?!

[@rockbard9621]

I would imagine that the storche was kinda low on the priority list for mg-15's at this point in the war, would have come in handy in this particular engagement though. Besides, I'm sure that all parties involved would have felt that one mg was pretty optimistic and would not really have huffed over them getting reallocated.

[@hman0007]

Not only did he manage to land critical pistol shots on the Storch, harassing it to crash...he then landed his plane and continued his pursuit on foot! Then provided medical attention to they enemy after capturing both of them. What an incredible story, surely the only time in history this has occurred.

[@johngalt2506]

I guess that's why they're called the greatest generation. Dude had balls.

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

A family members father was a ww2 spotter pilot during the war, and during his working career he had put the horror of war behind him, and after retirement started suffering badly from the bad things he had witnessed and participated in during combat. And that was from the air.

[@hughbo52]

Mark, you are amazing. No one finds such golden historical moments like you.

[@adamcullen31]

Very interesting video, I always come back to this channel to find werid/ little known ww2 history

[@simonkevnorris]

Maybe just little known not really weird.

[@willrogers3793]

I know it’s most likely apocryphal, but I remember reading a supposed account of a German Me-262 pilot on attempting to shoot down a spotter plane he’d come across on his way back to base. The two parts I remember most distinctly are that he was actually unable to hit the little prop-job, even after 2 passes (most likely due to the spotter plane having far better maneuverability at low speed and altitude than the early jet) saying that “it was like trying to hit a butterfly with a battle axe”, and that after each pass he noticed the observer of the spotter plane firing a short burst after him, “almost as if he were thumbing his nose at me in derision”. After two passes, he was beginning to run low on fuel and had to give up and head home, but he noticed the spotter give a short wing-wag as he turned away. Regardless of whether it’s true or not, the sheer absurdity of that story has made it stick in my mind for years now; I still chuckle a little every time I think of it.

[@chickasawranger759]

Yeah old friend of mine is a veteran of World War II and he was a member of the 29th division fighting in the Saar Union area. He said every afternoon a storch would fly over them and he said then the artillery would hit them. Hey said yeah we called him bed check Charlie. So we had had enough of it. So, we got a half track with a 50 on it to wait on him one afternoon. He said we got him. The pilot jumped out and landed right in front of us. His chute didn't have time to open ...

[@gaius_enceladus]

Yet another amazing story from Mark! I have to say - I really like the Fieseler Storch aircraft, mainly for its really short takeoff run! I **love** watching similar planes do their thing in the "STOL competitions" like the one in Alaska!

[@justrandomcarsurbex3057]

Love your commitment to dig out and tell these lost stories, very interesting!

[@russellchapman4372]

I don't know how you find this stuff, but it's always amazing. Thanks!

[@americanmonster8342]

I can't imagine who would dislike button these splendid videos. Keep up the good work!

[@markyourtarget1192]

Truly amazing event, thanks for bringing these relatively unknown stories to our attention. Enjoy the channel!

[@john9972]

Great story. Very much appreciated by a Canadian fan.

[@JamieBainbridge]

First the bloke with the rockets on the Piper Cub, now this. Flying these little spotter planes must have been wild.

[@jemc4276]

Absolute classic Mark Felton video. Well done sir, love these obscure stories all but lost to history.

[@mudkoerfgen9843]

In 2 nights U have become 1 of my favourite channels to watch, always interesting & concise, my favourite is fw190 night fighters landing on British airfield as like U it's probably my favourite WW2 fighter closely followed by P52 mustang

[@Wambleeman]

Now this is something different. Reminds me of the story of the B 17 bomber name, Old 666 "dog fight in the Pacific Theater, where this huge four engine bomber took on a flight of Japanese zeros and Rop fighters in a loped sided dogfight and shot down five, and survived it. Resulting in several Medal of honor and desingue flying Crosses Medals. These were brave warriors. What these brave pilot did was some thing like counting coup on your enemy by the Native Americans warrior. Finally, an true quote " it's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of fight in the dog that wins".

[@fernandomarques5166]

Most heavily armed B-17 in the Pacific theatre.

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

Epic flight: www.historynet.com/suicide-run-final-flight-old-666.htm

[@alexh3974]

The fact it was loaded down with . 50 cal in every possible spot, including nose, spare waist guns and more helped.. It was most protected B17 ever.

[@lex1945]

God, I love these lesser known weird stories of WWII! Thanks to you, Mark Felton! I love your channel! Must have been the craziest 'dogfight' of WWII.

[@Hriuke]

Never Dull!!!! This channel will blow up soon!

[@rovercoupe7104]

Brilliant, thank you. I heard about a DH Chipmunk being used as a reconnaissance aircraft over Berlin during the Cold War. M.

[@James-sh8mu]

Love these videos!

[@christopherbutler2700]

Thank you for digging up these tidbits of history!

[@Phantom_2524]

Mark always finds the most interesting wartime stories for us. Way to go!

[@atatexan]

Like an early WWI encounter! Great story.

[@joelaut12]

Great video Mark! Had not heard about this one, thanks!

[@oceanexploration]

I found a downed Fieseler Storch in a fjord near Kristiansand, Norway. Not far from the end of the runway. Great video and wonderful channel!

[@henrybearse8431]

Love these stories.

[@gunner678]

Another interesting snippet of history! Excellent work Mark! Reminiscent of WW1 air combat!

[@markdavis2475]

I learn something new every time I watch this channel! Amazing story, thanks!

[@travisgamble8765]

Shades of early WW1 tactics in this WW2 fight! Great story Mark!

[@inshrektorgadget1546]

I was on the way home from Walt Disney World and saw a billboard for an air museum. They had a Storch on the field ready to takeoff, and I got to watch it takeoff and fly away. A truly majestic plane!

[@DeanMk1]

Thanks for posting this story. I only became aware of it a few months ago. Nice to be able to see the full story.

[@blank557]

I read this amazing story in a aviation magazine a couple of years ago. Great job making it into a video.

[@JagdPanther101]

I didn't realize a Cub was capable of generating sufficient lift to haul around such giant brass balls.

[@Mr037rally]

As usual, an excellent story, thank you Mark

[@musicgeezer1860]

Another fascinating story, Mark. Keep up the great work.

[@blueeyeswhitedragon9839]

This type of video is what makes you a great story teller!

[@TheFlatlander440]

Great story. How much .45 cal ammunition did these two guys carry with them since they had to reload a couple times? Good shooting as well brought the Storch down then capturing the Germans. Thanks for sharing.

[@itsjohndell]

How much ammo is too much ammo, the man said.

[@ditzydoo4378]

Normal ammunition carry for an officer is one 7-round magazine in the gun and two spare magazines in a twin pouch on their belts for 21 rounds per man, total of 42 rounds minimal between them. Just another day at the O.K. Corral ma'am! ~_^

[@psikogeek]

.45 caliber Anti Civilian Plane otherwise known as .45 ACP is fairly effective.

[@jamesricker3997]

Officially 1 clip. Unofficially that's a different story

[@cowboywithbanjo8752]

psikogeek, I thought it was Automatic Colt Pistol

[@hockeyfan136]

That piper cup in those flyby shots looks like an radio control model, the engine sound sounds like a 4-stroke glow engine. Very well done.

[@Imtahotep]

One fabulous entry after the next. Always excellent!

[@cheesenoodles8316]

Great piece of history. Two of my favorite plans from WWII....truth is better than fiction.

[@schizoidboy]

Reminds me of the apparent first dogfight in history. It was actually during the Mexican Revolution between to Americans flying Wright flyer planes, each one on the opposing sides. They simply whipped out their pistols and started shooting at one another without actually hitting the other. This also reminds me of a Willie and Joe comic showing a Grasshopper with one of the crew pointing his Colt Automatic going "Should we strafe them?"

[@motorTranz]

Excellent as always. Thanks.

[@vaclav_fejt]

Well. Give him all of the high-tech equipment and thorough training you want, a Yank will always be a cowboy.

[@williamkeith8944]

Never underestimate the Colt 45ACP in capable hands!🇺🇸

[@CMDRFandragon]

Piper Cub Armarment: None Francies: Thats what they want you to think.

[@kevinruddthestudrudd0074]

"NEVER TELL ME THE ODDS!"

[@stormydriver]

tankers and pilots get a lot of love, what about truck drivers, ambulance drivers, and motercycles? Can you do a couple vids on those outragious stories please!

[@wrightflyer7855]

The Storch was absolutely one of the best STOL aircraft of all time. With its flaps, drooping ailerons and leading edge devices it could literally hover motionless in a wind of around 30 mph, comparable to today's Just Aircraft's SuperSTOL. Amazing.

[@MT-tu8qd]

Excellent as usual Mark. Which plane do you think was better?

[@davekrab3363]

Great story, thanx Mark.

[@chiconian49]

Great bit of history. Thank you.

[@craigmcdonald2110]

Great information great storytelling thanks Mark 👍

[@McRocket]

Interesting. No idea where you get all your amazing data from...but I am glad you share it with us.

[@TALON-7]

My God that was fascinating! Such gallantry.

[@shoeshooey5464]

I love these videos. I only wish they were 4 hours long... keep up the good work

[@oncall21]

Great story. Thanks for sharing.

[@arisaka233]

if you're a game developer PLEASE make a game where you are a reconassaince pilot or reconassaince infantry, i've always wanted to do so

[@davidwallace5738]

Great story! Thank you!

[@tomasparkington4400]

What a incredible story. Thanks

[@visi7754]

Nice One Apppreciated! Cheers

[@lokyinyun8559]

'Ladies and gentlemen this is the copilot speaking. Today the plane is flown by a man whom once flown a grasshopper and shot down a stork with a pistol. You're in safe hands.'

[@dwightrush4247]

Another awesome tale from WW2 I was unaware of, great video as always, thanks for your efforts and keep up the good work. 😎

[@davecarter1047]

Wow, mad stuff eh thanks for your time researching and uploading mark