War Prize! The German Plane All Allied Leaders Wanted

[@r2gelfand]

The fact that the Storch was used to rescue hefty Mussolini, Giant Skorzeny and a pilot off of a mountain precipice says all you need to know about this wonderful aircraft!

[@Lamborghini-56]

​@@Occident.W comment and W pfp

[@rasmuswellejus]

It may have been tuned for that specific mission one can only wonder?

[@WILLIAM1690WALES]

Apparently when it took off, it was touch and go because of the weight?

[@46FreddieMercury91]

Skorzenys insistence on accompanying Mussolini almost caused that storch to crash into the mountainside as it was overloaded. History could have been slightly different!

[@ericscottstevens]

I think I read it was about a 100 foot landing or less onto a hillside to slow it down. The paratroopers had to turn the aircraft around facing the downslope for take off. Skorzeny insisted on accompanying Mussolini on the flight out on the Storch, which endangered the mission's success due to the aircraft now being too heavy. Both Skorzeny and Mussolini were known to be overweight men.

[@peterholloway3711]

Hi Mark, Hi all. The Storch featured in the modern flying sequences was mine. It now lives in Norway. Myself and Shuttleworth Chief Engineer John Munn displayed it mainly at Old Warden but we did venture elsewhere, once as far as Hahnweide. A remarkable aircraft indeed. It doesn’t actual stall in the conventional sense. I remember landing at Sywell once. I landed ‘on the numbers’ and actually stopped on them. Somebody came up me afterwards and said ‘I counted the revolutions of your wheels and it was TWO!’ Peter Holloway

[@Richard-r1x7d]

Remember the famous lines in one of Nevil Shute’s books. "Can you land" "Land no stop yes"

[@josephking6515]

Was that one revolution for each wheel by any chance? 😁 Do you have the time to explain the _"It doesn’t actual stall in the conventional sense."_ Much to my shame I know naff all about the aircraft even though I held a CPL with a very strong interest in WWII aviation over the past 57 years and would be very interested to know what you meant by your comment.

[@ralfbaechle]

I always pictured landing it on a runway in Cambridge. Sideways. Seems 46m are enough after all!

[@williambrady1192]

Growing up as a boy in New England in the 60s there was a small airfield near us. There was one of these that flew over a lot in the summer. No idea where it went, but it was stored at Plum Island Airport through the 1960s to 1975. Beautiful plane.

[@davidcolin6519]

@@josephking6515 I suspect that the "Conventional sense" of stalling is when the air flow over the wing destabilises and causes an uncontrolled delimitation, resuting in total loss of control. I am aware that the Fiessler Storch's airflow would, effectively, re-laminate under almost all conditions, permitting lift under conditions which would typically result in a full-on stall. When you realise that a stiff breeze could provide enough lift for the Storch to lift off, that is not a big ask.

[@av8tore71]

My nextdoor neighbor actually has a Fieseler Fi 156 Storch and its history is amazing as it actually flew for German during WWII

[@louislamboley9167]

All these short take off and landing planes that are so popular today can trace their history back to this very airplane. Can't say enough good things and major aeronautical innovations introduced when this plane first flew. The designer was a genius.

[@remb9614]

I think the piper cub was made before this right? This was a superior design though! I would love to have one

[@Pijawek]

​@@remb9614 there were many planes like this before. Like Polish RWD-6, 9 and 13, which inspired herr Fieseler.

[@muskokamike127]

@@remb9614 you made me check, seems the cub started production in 1938 but a predecessor was designed in 1930 but never went into production. But similar aircraft in function.

[@ericsonhazeltine5064]

@@remb9614I thought that replicas are being produced.

[@snakeplissken2148]

How everyone tries to trace good stuff back to german ww2 tech is amazing. The piper cub had similar characteristic and was Not based at all on the Storch. Neither Was the Tiger moth nor the mhh lets say pzl 106.

[@danielstickney2400]

The US Army actually did produce manuals and even training films for many of the commonly encountered or captured Axis vehicles and weapons. Technical Manual TM E9-803 for the Volkswagen Kubelwagen is probably the best known.

[@roryobrien4401]

I really like this guy's videos. No AI, no clickbait. Thanks Mark

[@tomedgar4375]

And no music after the video starts

[@josephosheavideos3992]

There is one other German "feat" which an Allied leader wanted to - and eventually did - replicate: the autobahn. General Dwight Eisenhower was so impressed with the design and ease of use of the autobahn highway system, that he wanted the United States to replicate it. When he was subsequently elected president in 1952, he persuaded Congress to approve construction of the US interstate highway system.

[@dhm7815]

In 1919 Major Eisenhower was assigned the task of taking a convoy across the USA from Washington to San Francisco to test feasability. Out west he was often on dirt roads and he was always on narrow roads. He averaged 5 miles an hour.

[@wholeNwon]

With sufficiently long, straight stretches to land aircraft?

[@Rasta8889]

@@wholeNwon Some stretches of Autobahn are designated as emergency landing strips for aircraft, most notably parts of the A1 near the airports of Köln-Bonn and Düsseldorf. The absolute majority does wind around settlements and hills though, even in perfectly flat areas. Germany did some testing and found out that a perfectly straight Autobahn was tiring for drivers. They basically put in unnecessary bends to keep you awake.

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

@@dhm7815 Right, the trip was a nightmare and Ike never forgot it.

[@wholeNwon]

@@Rasta8889 Interesting. In the US, our system was initially referred to as "National Defense" highways.

[@ericthered760]

When my younger brother was born, I asked my parents how he got there. They said that a Storch had brought him ! Guess we can thank the Germans ! 😂😊

[@davidcoleman2796]

Lol

[@edwhatshisname3562]

OUT!... lol

[@neilkendall4612]

😅😅😅

[@ralfbaechle]

As a kid I always doubted such stories. For all the wrong reasons - storchs back then were so rare, how could they bring all these children? I guess statistically that was sound reasoning ;-)

[@ericthered760]

@@ralfbaechle I'm shocked ! Next thing you'll be telling me you were sceptical about Santa Claus ! 😄🎄

[@eddavis1832]

Most famous Storch flight? Hannah Reitsch flying Von Greim in and out of Berlin!

[@ericscottstevens]

On the flight out, they were going to cut the Linden trees for clearance. Speer ran out of the bunker to protest the action and strictly forbade anyone to cut down those trees. Imagine all the carnage around and here is a Reich minister trying to save trees. As it was the trees were either saved or used for firewood between 1946 and 1948.

[@ianmangham4570]

No way , musolini and otto

[@SSN515]

@@ianmangham4570 They weren't flying into and out of a raging Armageddon and getting shot at like Hanna was.

[@ianmangham4570]

@@SSN515 No 💩

[@Manco65]

​@@ianmangham4570the dive down off the cliff gained airspeed and unfortunately lift

[@Inkling777]

If you're ever in Seattle, Paul Allen's Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum in nearby Everett has a restored Fiesler Fi-156 C-2 Storch in its collection.

[@williamwilliam5066]

Also on apt 24 on 154 Ferry street, you can meet "Roxy Raine" Well worth it I assure you.

[@Tarnatos14]

Thats nice, I am from germany and I was once in Seattle, want to come back, and now I know a new place to visit, thanks.

[@greatbritton93]

@@Tarnatos14hey please visit the museum of flight .. they have lots of great aircraft there

[@omarnsimpson908]

“Very nice, let’s see Paul Allen’s Storch” “The subtle lightness of it, the off-grey coloring, oh my G it even has a swastika mark”

[@ericmueller16]

That Storch was restored by my father and sold to them after his death. There are other examples that he restored. The Collings Foundation and Kermit Weeks former Fantasy of Flight. There is one at Planes of Fame in Chino that he didn't restore, one went to Europe, and the other was crashed and is stored in a hangar in Dowagiac, Mich.

[@lukaskubik4698]

Actually the Czechoslovak version is called čáp (č is read like ch in cheese) not cáp, literally a translation for the word Stork

[@matthewlok3020]

So it should be read as “chap”?

[@edwhatshisname3562]

@@matthewlok3020 So, would a pair of them be called chaps?

[@janbfiala]

@@matthewlok3020 The "a" is a long vowel, so more like "chahp" in US pronunciation. IPA is the most accurate if you can read it: [ˈt͡ʃaːp]

[@HuntersDad.]

So, more like 'chop"... Thank you :)

[@AndrewMitchell123]

​@@edwhatshisname3562no, czech is closer to german than english... so its chapy, not chaps

[@w6krg]

My now-deceased father-in-law, Ewald Rudat, was a WWII Luftwaffe pilot flying FW190s and ME262s. He repeatedly claimed the Storch was his favorite aircraft to fly.

[@williamwilliam5066]

He lied to impress you.

[@stephensmith4480]

@@williamwilliam5066 Grow up.

[@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus]

So did Hanna Reisch

[@snakeplissken2148]

Probably He was such a Bad pilot that He loved the forgiving character of the Storch 😂. It was so self stabilizing, that you can leave the controls All alone, and it will glide you to safety.

[@thkempe]

Kermit Weeks also seems to like flying the Storch. He has published 8 videos about it on his YT channel.

[@JESUSisLORD24151]

I love these Mark Felton productions. Interesting and educational. Great work. 👍

[@pj61114]

Great Work Indeed❤

[@fritzmeier1717]

5:30 The Germans captured two of the AEC vehicles. One was used by Rommel and the second by General Crüwell. The vehicles were nicknamed "Max" and "Moritz" according to the comic story (by Wilhelm Busch).

[@EdMcF1]

Saw one at Shuttleworth, it literally hovered in the wind and drifted sideways along the crowd line, amazing sight.

[@michaelbaxter8970]

"stalling speed less than 25 mph". Wow! Had to play that twice. Guess it must have been virtual VTAL for those days.

[@lesgriffiths8523]

What a fascinating story........thank you Dr.Felton. I knew about the Fieseler Storch......but none of this use by the Allies. Les Griffiths

[@williamwilliam5066]

What lesbian is that?

[@truthseeker9454]

I knew of the Storch as well, but didn't know about the French and Czech variants.

[@rickisaak66]

I'm surprised that you didn't mention Hannah Reitsch flying a Storch into Berlin under Soviet Flak, and landed on small improvised landing strip on the Tiergartenstrasse. She was like the last person to fly into Berlin during the siege.

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

Covered in a different video

[@Willigula]

Another morsel of WWII history that I didn’t know that I needed. How does Mark always know? Thanks, Dr. Felton !

[@yoda5565]

I watched one hover into a headwind and land at an airshow in France in the early 2000's. Amazing plane and pilot.

[@truracer20]

Many light planes can do this. If you fly 30 knots into a head wind of 30 knots the wings think they are flying at 60 knots. Air over the wings creates lift, physics doesn't care if it's due to the planes propulsion or the speed of the wind. it's the difference between ground speed and airspeed,

[@ronaldjohnson1474]

I was thinking this is a possibility. Wind velocities "upstairs" are much higher than near the ground.

[@davidcolin6519]

@@truracer20 Even better is the fact that ground effect can keep a plane in thje air at a speed that is below the stall speed. This is a very well known effect for any pilot when landing, and has been known to cause "fly arounds" simply because the plane had trouble getting through it. BTW, the Russians even created a vast ekranoplan that had many times the carrying capacity of a normal plane. The big problem was that it could only function over flat surfaces.

[@jebbroham1776]

The Storch was an absolutely PERFECT reconnaissance aircraft. It was small enough to remain agile, yet slow enough to get effective views of the frontlines.

[@karlp8484]

It was pretty slow due a lot of drag, but the power /weight ratio is excellent. As evidenced by the fact it could carry three heavy passengers, or two passengers with luggage, and still retain all of it's amazing STOL capabilities. It's so easy to fly a lot of commanders used to just fly themselves with minimal training.

[@CaptainSwoop]

They are all easy to fly - until the s hits the f. Sound training will then assist you to remain current rather than former.

[@k9killer221]

The mention that Rommel only flew the Storch after it had taken off is impossible. You either fly the plane or you don't, there's no dual controls in it. And you can't swap positions because the three occupants are all sitting in tandem in a narrow fuselage. So he and all the other commanders like Kesselring flew it from takeoff to landing. The other slight error is the the Storch was not "fabric covered", it was overwhelmingly made from aluminium alloy in a stressed skin construction.

[@oarsteed]

05:28: Rommel used two captured British ACVs--armored command vehicles--which he named "Max" and "Moritz."

[@philhawley1219]

He also had a Scammell Pioneer 6x6 wheel drive lorry converted into a go-anywhere motorhome. He named it "Mammut", the Mammoth. Did he have something about the letter M?

[@lawrencelewis2592]

Max and Moritz were comic strip characters, adopted by Rudoph Dirks to become the Katzenjammer Kids.

[@blakegoulds8313]

Only 25mph! On a breezy day they COULD hover!

[@kiwisteve6598]

Or even fly backwards

[@robinbeckford]

@@kiwisteve6598 I saw that at a display at Duxford!

[@Gamble661]

Several years ago I watched Kermit Weeks at Fantasy of Flight in Florida fly his Storch. He brought it to an almost complete standstill above the airfield and hovered for several minutes with almost no forward momentum. It was really amazing to watch.

[@borchen0]

Years ago at the Flying Legends airshow at Duxford Airfield near Cambridge I had a similar experience; it was amazing, even after seeing Spitfires, Hurricanes and Mustangs etc.

[@55pilot]

I did this with a J-3 Cub one day.

[@BobGeogeo]

My cat was fascinated by the low, slow flight from 2:40 on.

[@dwightevans8545]

Awesome. Cats' brains are more like humans than dogs.

[@MisterApol]

Gerhard Fieseler was an expert on low speed, STOL flight. His Fi-167 torpedo plane also had remarkable performance.

[@krisfrederick5001]

Sharing is caring even in War. Don't forget Hanna Reitsch's visit to the Führerbunker with a Storch on April 26, 1945

[@robotorch]

Yes, the Reitsch and Ritter von Greim affair!

[@loftsatsympaticodotc]

Any one heard she started a flight school in Africa after the war, was a secret lover of Werner von Braun, and she had a son with him ??

[@setoredan]

If I ever got a pilot's license I would love to own/fly one of those remarkable aircraft. Thank you, Dr. Felton for this and all your great videos.

[@paulhellawell5920]

I used to fly a radio controlled one. Still have it in my garage.

[@VersusARCH]

I'd like an A6M2 Zero.

[@rodzor]

Good luck with that

[@peterholloway3711]

More facts about this unique aircraft for those interested - Engine - The Argus AS10c inverted air-cooled V8 was never right for the aircraft but was the only suitable engine available at the time @220hp. In the Me108 Taifun, the same engine works well. However, overheating is the constant concern in the Storch. At slow speeds the engine reaches its critical CHT ( Cylinder Head Temp) quite quickly, the rear cylinders most vulnerable to damage. In the climb, it is often necessary to lower the nose to level flight and accelerate to get some air through it and lower the CHT. Interestingly, the original aircraft was never fitted with a CHT Gauge; we fitted one and always referred to it as 'the worry gauge'. The French MS505 Criquet was fitted with the bomb-proof American Jacobs 300hp, this, plus bigger wheels(!) made it a far better aircraft ( if even uglier!), ie with more power and less susceptible to damage on rough unprepared strips. Period photos of the aircraft operating in the desert invariable show the engine side cowlings removed. One would be forgiven to think this was to provide extra cooling. Not a bit of it. Stout boots and overalls are essential for the pilot to avoid burned legs from the heat of the engine; removing the cowlings averted this but at the expense of cooking the engine. 600hrs of operating this aircraft over seven years taught us a lot about it. The initial test flight programme conducted by our incredibly talented Dodge Bailey resulted in the CAA remarking that his report was the best they had ever seen. We were thus able to start with 'a clean sheet' and not rely on often flawed period reports and data. More interesting stuff? The quirky fuel system, control overbalancing... PH

[@andreasarnoalthofsobottka2928]

Fun fact: Gerhard Fieseler, the designer of the Storch, was the best pilot in Europe. He was able to fly instable aircraft; s/th only modern FBW- computers can do today. But he designed one aircraft an ape would be able to fly w/o previous instructions, the Storch, and the first cruise missile, an aircraft flown by a mechanical computer.

[@alex.solunac]

My grandfather was taken POW in Yugoslavia (Serbia) in 1941 and taken to Germany to work in the Fieseler factory, until 1945. In 1947 they emigrated to Venezuela together with my grandmother and my mother.

[@ToddDunning]

Alex do you recall where that factory was?

[@jessestout8646]

Good story! 👍🏻

[@Thisisnolongerajoke]

My grandfather was Latvian he left the ort of Bremmerhaven on a ship which he thought was going to Canada but it went to Australia 🇦🇺 and now I'm Australian 😂😂

[@aramisortsbottcher8201]

​@@Thisisnolongerajoke XD probably both good places to be.

[@Thisisnolongerajoke]

@aramisortsbottcher8201 if he went back to Latvia they probably would have hung him.?

[@Marco_LaGuardia]

A quick help for metric users: 110 mph = 177km/h 17000 feet = 5181,6m 200 feet = 61m ❤

[@Udmudmudm]

Molto spesso,nei suoi video,Felton ,usa entrambe le unità di misura, ultimamente un po' meno, grazie comunque della conversione !

[@jessestout8646]

Thank you for the help! 🙂

[@emilianomoro679]

Thank you for the conversion to km/h, i somehow concluded on my own that 110 mph was around 310 km/h

[@Marco_LaGuardia]

@@emilianomoro679 I know nothing of the imperial units… haha hugs from Brasil!

[@gustavgnoettgen]

​@@Marco_LaGuardia I mostly remember inches (~2,5 cm), and I keep forgetting how much a foot is. A yard is little more than a meter, and I always think of a Blur song: 60 miles are about 100 km. Land miles anyway.

[@MichaelLeBlanc-p4f]

Thank you. All new to a fellow inclined to think not much was new . . . Being humbled is good. Lessons are learned.

[@jjeherrera]

It was a compliment to the Storch's designer that his plane was favoured by so many enemy commanders.

[@medic1627]

Two videos in one week, fantastic. Rommel was a man of many talents, it seems he could fly a plane even though he was not a pilot.

[@crownprincesebastianjohano7069]

Rommel was very able with a couple planes. Goring gave him his pilots/observer badge. Rommel often took his CoS with him on flights breaking every rule in the book, but such was Rommel!

[@memkiii]

Just "flying" a light aircraft isn't at all difficult. A small child can do it. Wobbling a control column about does not a pilot make. As for talents. Yep. Failed to beat the British in Egypt. Failed to build the Atlantic wall. Failed to carry through on his part in the plot to kill Hitler, failed to be anywhere near where he should have been in June 1944. Let's also not forget his initial fanatical devotion to Hitler & the NSDAP. Talented indeed.

[@michaelporzio7384]

In air-to-air combat, Piper L-4 Grasshopper and a Colt 45 ACP - 1, Fiesler Fi-156 Storch - 0 , I believe the crew landed and surrendered. Always interesting Dr. Felton!

[@nematolvajkergetok5104]

Must... post... fun... facts... The Germans planned to pass the license of the Storch to the Soviets before the war, and initial studies were performed by Soviet aeronautic engineers to prepare its mass production. The war broke out before it led anywhere. However, after the war, the Antonov design bureau began designing a new, rugged general purpose aircraft, which soon became the Antonov An-2, a very successful biplane. Antonov used his experience gained from studying the Storch to create it. While it's far from being a copy, and it's a fairly big aircraft compared to the Storch, it implements many of the same solutions, and can be seen as a distant relative. The Storch is still being manufactured today. The ultralight Storch HS is built from modern composite materials, and it's 2/3 the size of the original. However, it's not that similar visually, only at a second glance.

[@larryswanson5953]

NATO codename 'Colt', it could carry some paratroopers.

[@Zbigniew_Nowak]

One version of this aircraft was a strong inspiration for the PZL-104 Wilga.

[@55pilot]

I wonder why they didn't build it full size. Too many repro's are built at a reduced scale. People can't get the full impact of the aircraft if it is smaller than the original. I guess it has a lot to do with the construction space or cost.

[@nematolvajkergetok5104]

@@55pilot It is because the smaller the airframe, the smaller the cost. The original Storch is some 20% bigger than a Cessna 173, but it has nothing to offer compared to the Cessna. It may be a fine airframe, but it's obsolete. It simply wouldn't be an economically viable product today.

[@davkatjenn]

I was fortunate enough to see one at an air show in Denton, Texas in about 1984. It flew over the crowd at about 35 mph and we could not believe that it could crawl its way across the airstrip so slowly without falling. What an amazing aircraft. I loved it.

[@jamesgarman4788]

Very interesting topic Dr. Mark. Many thanks for posting!!

[@Nonakame]

I was lucky enough as a youngster to sit in an actual Storch at the Elmira Glider-port in upstate New York. It was being exhibited during a glider contest there and then on to a museum, the name of I can’t remember! Great video, as always!

[@Spitfiresammons]

It’s weird how the allied leaders love using the captured Storch plane as their private plane to visiting solders and generals at the frontlines.

[@madbrowndog4887]

Not weird at all. It was simply the best aircraft for the task - too good to waste. And IIRC, Rommel wore British Army Motorcycle Dispatch Rider's goggles because they kept out the dust and sand better than anything else available.

[@aSportishOne]

It makes sense, less cramped and could carry more than the cubs the army had but still had the takeoff/landing performance

[@randym7511]

Another excellent presentation, sir! Thank you, kindly!!

[@CaptHollister]

I had the chance to watch a MS 500 Criquet fly: by facing into a mild headwind it was basically hovering. Very impressive. Another German vehicle that saw extensive production all over the world was the little DKW RT125 motorcycle. Post war it unsurprisingly continued being produced in both East and West Germany, but it was also produced in the US as the Harley-Davidson Hummer, the UK as the BSA Bantam, and under various names in the USSR, Poland, and even Japan. Some of its variants were still being produced in the 1990s.

[@blisterbrain]

My neighbour has one of the new Russian ones. He promised me a ride, but without an MG on the sidecar, I don't see the point!

[@CaptHollister]

@@blisterbrain You're probably thinking of the Ural sidecar combo, previously made in Russia, but now made in Kazakhstan. They are based on the Wehrmacht's BMW R71 motorcycles.

[@blisterbrain]

@@CaptHollister Yeah, that's the one. Sorry, no glasses, read DKW as BMW!

[@RWBHere]

One of my all-time favourite aeroplanes. Thanks Mark.

[@whps60]

On15 June 1942, my father wrote this in a notebook he kept for observations and anecdotes. At the time he was flying Kittyhawks in 2 Squadron, South African Air Force, a fighter squadron. (Quote) "On the night of the 13.6 - Stuka’s set fire to a medium sized cargo vessel* in Tobruk. The harbour authorities towed this ship out of the harbour and let her drift away to the east. Nip Lindsay and I returned from a Boston Cover at about 20.10 hrs. and after watching the Bostons land we flew out to sea to have a “shufti” at the burning vessel. What an awe-inspiring sight it was too. Ablaze from stem to stern. It appeared to (be) burning fiercest in the stern and as we circled it at approx. 500’ we could see flashes as the contents exploded and the machines were jolted by the blast. Nip dived past so close that I thought he would be hit by the debris which was splashing into the sea all around. He told us afterwards that he was so close he could feel the heat in the cockpit. A naval patrol launch was standing off about 1 mile distant. As we flew towards home I spotted what looked as though it might be a burning aircraft except that the fire was too small. Approaching to investigate both Nip & I noticed a little aeroplane circling this fire at about 50’. I recognised it as a Fieseler Storch and shouted to Nip. We dived down to investigate and saw it had our (British) markings. It turned out to be one of two landed near Sollum by the Germans in order to undermine the railway track. The plot was discovered and one machine was captured. It is now used by the A.O.C." (end of quote) The two South African pilots were Lieutenants 'Nip' Lindsay, and Doug Allen, my father. The AOC my father mentioned was Air Marshall Tedder who was at the controls of the Storch. The passenger in the seat behind Tedder was Air Marshall Coningham. As Lindsay and my father swooped down on the Storch AM Tedder began to waggle the Storch's wings. Once the two South Africans saw the RAF roundels, they briefly formatted on either side of the 'liberated' German aircraft and received a thumbs up from the two senior officers, before turning away and flying back to their landing ground. (*The burning ship is believed to have been the Dutch ship 'Aagterkerk')

[@philhawley1219]

Two senior officers joy riding over a blazing shipwreck without an escort? Either very brave or very foolish. At least the SAAF pilots were diligent and alert. What would have happened if the Yanks had been anywhere near North Africa at the time?

[@whps60]

​@@philhawley1219 That's a thoughtful question, Phil. Earlier that afternoon 2 Squadron SAAF had flown cover for the Bostons to their target (Bir Hachiem?) and back from the mission, maintaining cover until the Bostons had landed. Bomber landing grounds were set further back in the desert away from the front lines than fighter squadrons for good tactical reasons. My father and Nip Lindsay had watched the Boston squadron land, and then, because they knew of the burning vessel off Tobruk, had turned back to have a look at it. The Aagterkerk was drifting off the port, still then in Allied hands. (It was to fall eight days later to Rommel). After having their 'shufti' at the vessel the two SAAF pilots were returning to their landing ground in the desert. It was then they spotted the Storch in the distance circling a small fire on land. As STOL aircraft the Germans occasionally used them to sneak over the lines into Allied territory to lay mines etc on the Desert Road or the coastal railway line in acts of sabotage. Knowing that, Lindsay and my father decided to have a look. The AOC and his deputy were not over enemy airspace, nor were they very near the burning ship when they were sighted. Their biggest danger was that in the dusk of the North African summer they might have been mistaken as in the act of carrying out one of these daring German sorties, and mistakenly shot down by the Allies. My father in a lighthearted way wondered whether he and Nip might have altered the course of the war if they had wiped out the man who would later become the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander (Europe) to US General Eisenhower? (PS. The Yanks were already there! At least one had been seconded to 2 Squadron. He was Lt. Stuart Fulton of the USAAF. 'Stu' Fulton was shot down and captured while in 2 Squadron around this time.)

[@fanatamon]

Great to read thanks. My Grandmothers cousin was flying bombers during the war and they got shot down crash landed over nth africa they all made it back to allied lines and got "The Order of the Boot" medal for aviators walking back to safety from a crashed craft. Sadly later him and his crew were all lost over whilst over sarbruken. Would have been nice to known some more details like your Dad left you.

[@aramisortsbottcher8201]

Thanks Mark for not only providing a great video, but also a great comment section. I spent more time reading the shared stories than watching the video.

[@TheWolfsnack]

I was watching a video by Kermit Weeks on his Storch.....where I found out that the wings can be unlatched and folded back...

[@mr.petesstorytime]

Yes! There is a story that the famous British test pilot Eric Brown once landed a Storch on a Brit aircraft carrier by hovering into the wind over the carrier's deck so that he was able to set the aircraft down right on top of one of the hanger elevators! All the deck crew had to do was fold the wings then lower it straight down into the hanger!

[@shannonterry4863]

The CAF in Hobbs, NM had a Storch for many years and featured prominently in local air shows. As I helped with the CAF maintenance at the time as a teen, I got to see it up close on numerous occasions. Neat plane.

[@andyjay9346]

I would have thought Monty, Churchill, Rommel etc. would not have flown in these as they were so slow. I can just imagine Churchill flying along nicely in a Storch then to be overtaken by a pigeon.

[@folterknecht1768]

Nope - in comparison to other "transport" aircraft during that time they were near perfect. 1) Speed who cares - any enemy fighter is faster than you anyway. But shooting down a plane that can "outbreak" you is no small feat. 2) Even if you go down, that low stall speed and rugged landing gear makes it very safe even for inexperienced or wounded pilots. 3) Can take off or land nearly everywhere. 4) Small, light, easy maintenance (small crew), cheap - Storch, Ju52 or DC3? Which is easier to get your hands on as your personal "toy", when you are a "Lamettahengst"?

[@PaulP999]

It could be that they used them because of their excellent downward view from the bulged windows?

[@folterknecht1768]

@@PaulP999 That was in their scouting role, but ofc. also aided in scouting out potential landing strips.

[@simonayers8033]

Imagine flying Winston - the pressure not to screw up would have been nuts

[@redblack8414]

@andyjay9346 Flying in an enemy airplane is dangerous. Could be shut down by ''friendly'' fire.

[@dammad8584]

Very interesting ...as always you are "the best of the best"...thank you Mark Felton

[@anthonyburke5656]

Many of the Storch were manufactured in France AND France continued to make modified Storch after the war, I think they actually only stopped making them because they couldn’t find comparable engines. It was brilliant design. I’m surprised neither the Brits nor the Americans swiped the design. Although, I believe, the USN did incorporate some aspects of the design into naval aircraft.

[@douglasgault5458]

An old friend bought one from Poland in the mid 1980s. That was powered by a 7 cyl radial. Was a fantastic STOL plane for bush work

[@markjustus]

My grandfather was a forced labourer during World War 2 and he had to work at Fieseler factories where the Storch was build. Although he and others tried to ensure that things did not go as planned for the Germans, there were a lot of these planes build. Due to English air bombing raids at the plant he was in danger a lot of the days. Fortunately he could escape via a laundry cart (the other person he was with in that cart was killed by German guards who used bajonets, sticking them in the laundry in the cart to check if there were escapies.) Three months later my grandfather got home in Amsterdam and fell into the gracht. He found his way home, luckily.

[@Schampuswerner]

😂🎉

[@jonclassical2024]

Great story Mark.....the fact that his story is learnable today, is a tribute to his courage and struggle to survive...I fear all this is fading into history, the lessons lost as well!

[@StuartPeacock-e2t]

A wonderful story of your Grandfather and his survival

[@StuartPeacock-e2t]

@@jonclassical2024You are absolutely right. The near past is so easily and conveniently forgotten

[@anderspedersen7488]

Did your grandfather survive falling into the gracht (canal)?

[@fordfairlane662dr]

I love these videos of each side using the others captured vehicles and tanks

[@davidjames2083]

*I made the mistake of attempting to watch the US vice presidential debate Mark, but have switched to this instead.* 👍😎

[@wholeNwon]

Funny, I did the same thing.

[@teller1290]

I knew better

[@MrXdmp]

Thanks Dr. Felton!

[@mrcjc9298]

They were a good aircraft but what about spare parts if you’re the allies? I would imagine they had some difficulty lifting Herman off the ground in one of those 🤣🤣

[@evaluateanalysis7974]

They captured at least 64 of them so could cannibalise some for spares. Also they look to be fairly basic so it might have been possible to make parts, apart from the engine.

[@SHAGG13]

My grandpa owned a Storch, in fact its still hanging in the National Air Space Museum... Donated by P.Schreffler.

[@michaelneuwirth3414]

Bei der Durchsicht der Produktionszahlen des Fieseler Storchs war ich überrascht, dass mehr als die Hälfte aller (ca. 2900) produzierten "Störche" auf die Tropenversion C3(trop.) entfielen(insgesamt ca. 1700). Auch wenn wohl nicht alle Maschinen in Afrika zum Einsatz gekommen seien dürften, so deutet dies auf einen exzessiven Gebrauch dieser Variante hin, was wiederum die taktischen Erfolge des Afrikakorps dank hervorragender Aufklärung erklären würde.

[@MrTuftynut]

Great video - One of my all-time favourite warplanes. I actually have an original large tail swastika from an DAK version with sand finish material and a Fieseler factory workers armband, beautifully framed together and for sale now.

[@MilitarySummaryChannel2024]

*According to Albert Speer, someone who was there, had all the figures and lived through it said "Without the bombing campaign, we would have had 10's of thousands of guns (88's), hundred of thousands of men and millions of rounds of ammunition in Russia killing tanks, where we needed them", see 'World at War" Whirlwind episode. Without the bombing, millions of tons of concrete would have been available to the occupation forces in Russia and France to make winning the war impossible, so yes it 'helped' beyond what the anti bombing 'experts' claim.*

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

Good post! While certainly the strategic bombing campaign wasn't a war-winning campaign in it's own right to say it had NO effect at all is downright foolish. Both Goering AND Speer testified as to how effective it was.

[@alancross1141]

This is the type of aircraft my father-in-law (K.R. G. Gerlach) flew when he was in the Luftwaffe supporting Field Marshall Rommel in his “African Campaign”. His primary duties were a spotter for heavy artillery, but also for near front line observations of army movements. As he said, ‘low and slow was good for spotting and for collecting small arms fire”. He said it was pretty good duty for a 19 year old.

[@heribertfassbender5759]

I think “Storch” is the archenemy of every english speaking person, regarding pronunciation. You did a 5 out of 10 job.

[@andrewsteele7663]

I was at the Farm Fest agri show near Toowoomba Queensland where they had a copy of the aircraft, that a company here in Oz was making and trying to sell to farmers. And since then, have seen a lot of KZbin footage of the aircraft being used to spot feral animals. Brilliant little aircraft. Cheers

[@DK-gy7ll]

I watched one of these fly at a Flying Heritage airshow in Everett, WA. The fact that the thing took off after traveling less than 100 feet down the runway made everyone laugh.

[@fredgarv79]

the thing almost looks like a kite taking off, I swear it was like 50 feet, rev it up to 89HP and it just goes up

[@thomasschweri9788]

Thank you very much! - Besides: 2 Fieseler Stroch of the Swiss Air Force with ski’s at their landing gear performed in 1946 the first alpine rescue mission by air. They rescued all the passenger of a Dakota (DC 3) of the US Air Force witch “landed” or “stranded” in bad weather on the Gauli Glacier (> 3000m).

[@jan-peterbrodersen3302]

With strong enough head winds you could actually fly backwards or stand still in the air or land without a runway at all. 30 knots head wind was enough for all that.

[@ericscottstevens]

Able maintain aerodynamics at 32 mph stall speed, it basically functioned like a helicopter. I suppose with a good size headwind it could almost stay airborne without throttle like a real stork. Yet by the end of the war it was also used as a gunship as evidenced by the Fi 156P ("Polizei") model to counter insurgency with MG 42 machine guns in the side windows and bomb-racks/smoke dischargers 3 x 50 Kg bombs, one under each wing and a center mounted bomb under the fuselage.

[@The8201]

Germany invented the first helo during the war to use on U-boats I believe. Maybe a story on that someday.

[@shanemcdowall]

​@@The8201 Fairly certain the U-boat 'helicopter' was probably an autogyro.

[@johncaldwell-wq1hp]

Kermit Weeks has one of these in Florida, & he flies it pretty regularly--he loves it !!

[@CodyChepa88]

Keep up the great work Mark 👍

[@redguard2946]

“Exceptionally rugged landing gear” Anyone would think otherwise by looking at it !!!

[@Blog4Justice]

I've always thought that Storch's tiny wheels would make it vulnerable to tripping over on anything other than very smooth terrain.

[@blue2sco]

Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown used to fly one and even landed it on a British aircraft carrier.

[@kiwisteve6598]

With a 25 mph stall speed, if the carrier was doing 30 knots he could have started in front of it and let the carrier overtake him for a vertical landing with zero delta between him and the ship 😳

[@ravensmill3927]

W.E.B. Griffin could never resist working a Storch into his novels so he could rave about how great they were; often more than once in the same novel.

[@ronalddavis]

too many people in griffins books start out as corporals and end up as colonels in six months to suit me

[@tommyanderson-filmmaker3976]

The Storch is an amazing aircraft, we have a flying one here at the museum and it is a joy to watch.

[@PaulP999]

The great Ernst Udet is supposed to have made one lift off, rise up and return all over the same spot in a strong headwind.

[@bennettschaub]

While working at Discovery Channel Canada, I had the chance to fly in a Storch over the green farmland of Saxony. The canopy was so bulbous, it seemed to afford a view like a helicopter. After the pilot trimmed the plane for "slow flight" it moved so slowly that it felt like we were riding a tandem bike through the air. Amazing aircraft! Great stories, well told, Dr. Felton.

[@fredgarv79]

We have one here in Everett, Mukilteo that has flown many times at air shows, until covid hit. The thing takes off in about 10 feet and fly's so slow you can't even believe it's still up there. I just hope the new owners of the Paul Allen museum will fly these planes again but after two years I'm loosing hope

[@davidvaughn7752]

Thank you, Doctor Felton! I just love it when you cover aviation subjects. I became a pilot because of my interest in WWII era aviation when I was a kid. You present information that is so interesting even for me, is novel and informative since I've studied the subject a lot. This submission was no exception - I had _no idea_ they were valued by the allies so much and by the high up muckety mucks no less! 👍

[@adirondacker007]

For most people, their first flight is in an airliner, or perhaps a Cessna. My youngest son's first was a Storch.

[@seany8787]

Mine was in a Piper Tomahawk

[@mitchmatthews6713]

Excellent research, sir! Cheers, Mark!

[@andrewhall7930]

Albert Goring was Herberts younger brother. He spent his life helping Jews and fighting Nazism. I bet Mark does a vid on him one day.

[@leddielive]

I always thought his name was Herman Goring? Yet, still interesting to hear Albert Goring did exactly the opposite of his older brother by helping Jewish people, this was a dangerous thing to do at the time, your whole family could be punished if caught.

[@hunormagyar1843]

​@@leddielive I also thought he was Herman Göring. Not Herbert... I'm pretty sure he messed that up.

[@markmullin4246]

That cause HERMANN, helped his brother to some degree ( by keeping him from being executed or imprisoned)​@@leddielive

[@roelofvanijken829]

There's a tropical version of the Storch based at Kassel -Calden Airport in Germany, which has been restored to airworthy condition in 2011. Built by the Fieseler works in 1943 for use in Africa, by the time it was finished, Rommel was finished in Africa. A truly impressive aircraft, not by its looks, but by its capabilities.

[@markrossow6303]

the British alternative was the Lysander, used extensively by SOE

[@SgtZak_]

Saw the storch in action 10 feet away. Was visiting Fantasy of Flight outside of Orlando, Florida. It was the demonstration plane for our tour. The museum has an amazing group of working WW II planes. The plane virtually took off and hovered in front of us like a helicopter. Unreal to see.

[@FredScuttle456]

Always interesting to observe how the same objectives were achieved via very different design philosophies. Compare the Storch with the Lysander.

[@billh230]

The same thought applies to cars, especially post WW2.

[@ianbray5946]

Thanks Mark. Another great segment mate 👌

[@johnryder1713]

The Storck was used in the weirdest dogfight of the war when one was shot down by Lt. Dwayne Francis in the later stages of the war from his Grasshopper plane

[@lawrencelewis2592]

Do you have any more info on that? I'd love to read about it.

[@johnryder1713]

@@lawrencelewis2592 Sure thing Larry, Mark has a video on it, just search here for 'weirdest dogfight of the war', and actually if you wanted a similar story, Yarnhub did one on an incident in Vietnam where a FAC had to use his Willie Peter rockets used typically to mark a target to hit a VC ambush until help could arrive, and gave his life in the process.

[@johnryder1713]

@@lawrencelewis2592 Mark did a video on it a few years back, just look up 'Weirdest dog fight of the war' or the video on Yarnhub where in Vietnam a FAC seen some of his troops were about to be ambushed, so armed only with his Willie Peter rockets to mark a target he pounded the life outta the VC to support them but gave his life in the process.

[@johnryder1713]

@@lawrencelewis2592 Mark did a video on it a few years back, just look up 'Weirdest dog fight of the war' or the story elsewhere in Vietnam a FAC seen some of his troops were about to be ambushed, so armed only with his Willie Peter rockets to mark a target he pounded the life outta the VC to support them but gave his life in the process.

[@lawrencelewis2592]

@@johnryder1713 I hope that guy got the Congressional MOH for that.

[@americanpatriot2422]

Outstanding video and presentation.

[@davidstevens-k6f]

There is something I have always wanted to say and was not sure how you would receive it; but you have a distinct voice sir, and reminds me of Pathe newsreel broadcasters from the 30's and 40's.

[@paulreilly3904]

David, I think you make a good and interesting observation. Mark does have a recognisable voice. You shouldn't be afraid make such a point, and don't be too worried about what others might think, or how they might react. You aren't making a horrible Ad hominem attack just for the sake of it. It seems clear from your phrasing that you intend it as a compliment. And whilst it's important we consider what others think as it adds a useful check and balance, be very wary of self censorship. It's a very common method used by tyrants and dictators to maintain control.

[@davidstevens-k6f]

@@paulreilly3904: I would not describe it so myself than being mindful, but thank you for your words

[@paulreilly3904]

@@davidstevens-k6f well, it's a valuable comment and I thank you for it sir.

[@joevanseeters2873]

That's amazing the stall speed was only 25 mph. No wonder so many of the top commanders from both sides enjoyed using them. They have a lot better chance of landing safely with only a 25 mph stall speed. You could practically drop that thing right onto the runway where ever you wanted, either improved or unimproved, it didn't really matter with the Storch. They would have made good carrier based observation aircraft since they would have been able to almost drop right onto the deck of a ship at that low stall speed. Or even as transport planes to and from the allied aircraft carriers like they use the modern transport aircraft on today's warships which can ferry any of the ships complement of troops to and from the ships for a variety of reasons. Before transport planes existed, it was more difficult to get ashore from any ship, especially while out at sea. You were pretty much stuck on the ship. I'm sure they had ferry boats closer to shore, but not out at sea. Now they have transport/ferry aircraft on all Naval carriers that can bring the seamen and women back to shore if needed, even from far out at sea. Very interesting topic Dr. Felton. Thanks for posting.

[@luuko656]

Peter Holloway used to fly his Storch at Biggleswaite aerodrome many times...The first time i saw the rather large aircraft hovering against the wind i was taken aback...It seemed like a sqared off huge albatros floating above us...And its manouvres were far more impressive then some Spitfire doing barrel rolls at 5000 ft...

[@ryokolynn6948]

Its a nice aircraft, i just bought a 1/72 scale model kits just a few days ago...its looks wonderful !

[@mrivantchernegovski3869]

The variety and diversity of great stuff the Germans made during and before WW2 was mind boggling,From these little Storch planes to fighter jets to the first select fire Assultt rifle Sturmgewher 42 to ballistic rockets and that was also the downfall of no clear guided direction in design amd manufacture or even is it possible is it really needed ,Hitler had all the majic Vonderbar weapons but couldnt see them for the trees and the rest is history

[@starshipchi-rhostudio7097]

Thank you for this video. Many times the workhorses of the military are honored as they should be.

[@jhnshep]

Surprised you didn't use jerry cans as an example at the start lol

[@natesturm448]

The Storch is one of the quintessential examples of early era of STOL planes. Yeah it holds nothing compared to the planes of today in the same category but by damn it is an ingenious plane for the time.

[@privatepilot4064]

The STOL of its day. A remarkable little airplane.

[@GordonDonaldson-v1c]

Nobody seems to have mentioned the Westland Lysander yet. It had pretty good STOL characteristics too. The Lysander and Auster were the nearest comparable aircraft in the British inventory.

[@kevmak3796]

🇬🇧 Here. In ref to an earlier comment . . Hollywood legend James Stewart was indeed an airman . . a commander in the US 8th Airforce no less . . RESPECT !!! 👍

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

Right. Stewart began the war as a second lieutenant and finished it as a full colonel and earned every one of those promotions. He eventually retired as a major general in the USAF Reserve. Quite a man.

[@Brough1111]

Don't read more into it, the allied Mustang, Spitfire and many other planes had 10 times the engineering and build time hours than the Storch, all the Piper Cub needed to be a Storch was 150 hp, flaps, tundra tires, and sloted wings and instantly its as good as the Storch that goes also for the Aeronca and Taylorcraft

[@Bob-j5o3b]

Well, ok, using that logic, all the Storch needed to be an F-18 was a different fuselage, wings, engines, and then it's instantly as good.......

[@kentmckean6795]

The Allied versions, Piper L-4 (Cub), (Aeronca Champ/Chief) and Taylorcraft Post War) had 65HP and flew at 80MPH with a stall speed around 40MPH. The Storch literally flew rings around the Allied versions.

[@jasper5383]

Love your videos mate, very very informative