Fieseler Storch - The First True STOL

November 15, 2018|FliteTest

If you want to know more about the real plane behind the FT Simple Storch, here's an article!

The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch was the first true STOL aircraft. It was a fantastic all-terrain, go anywhere aircraft for its time and shaped the STOL aircraft we see today. So, why was it so good? Read on to find out more about the plane behind the foam board model.

The Simple Storch Kit!

If you're unaware, we actually produce a simple foam board model of the Fieseler Storch that you can build yourself. You can download the free plans and cut one out, or you can buy a laser cut speedbuild kit and electronics to assemble your very own RC aircraft.

Read More: Link to Article

Plans: FT Simple Storch [FULL]

Plans: FT Simple Storch [TILED]

Store: Link to Laser Cut Kit

Here's a throwback to that time when we tried to deliver breakfast with four Simple Storches.

Background

As a pure STOL plane, the Storch was extremely impressive when it was first flown in the mid-1930s. Pilots were blown away by how it performed on takeoff and landing. Without flaps, it could land at 62kph. With flaps, it could do it at just 51kph. Combine this with the short distance needed to land - just 10 meters with a headwind - you could almost land the plane within its own 9.9-meter length.

The plane came about as a response to a request from the German air ministry. Manufacturers Messerschmitt and Siebel submitted entries, but the Storch annihilated all competition.

It was so good that many other countries ended up flying the Storch in their air forces. A few captured examples were even used as an allied transport because they were simply excellent planes! Here's British Priminister Winston Churchill sitting in the rear of a Storch soon after D-Day in 1944.

What Made The Aircraft So Great?

There are multiple factors that made the Storch such a capable STOL aircraft. Firstly, let's start with the engine. The Argus As 10 air-cooled inverted engine fitted to the original Storch could produce around 240hp. Although this doesn't seem like an abundance of power, it could very easily accelerate the lightweight airframe of the Storch, which was just 900kg when unloaded, in a very short amount of time indeed.

The wings were also one of the Storch's keys to success. They had (quite literally) a ton of lift and were fitted with leading edge slats and large flaps to provide even more. These additions also enabled pilots to fly the airplane at aggressive angles of attack to further slow the machine down on landings.

Talking of landings, the landing gear on this small plane was extremely sturdy. It meant it could go almost anywhere and take a beating. If you wanted to survey some land for a new airfield, you would take a Storch there first. If you were flying in a snowy climate, you could fit the plane with skis and land on a mountain. This thing was extremely versatile and made a name for itself in every theater of war it operated in.

It's no surprise the Storch turned out to be extremely useful and served the Luftwaffe well during the Second World War. It was used throughout the entire conflict in a number of roles. One particular job it did with much success was acting as a transport for commanders. They would go up in the aircraft, get a picture of the battle and then return to the ground to physically instruct tank divisions and squadrons to advance on certain targets. Its study wheels made the Storch ideal for landing in fields and on wide roads.

As a testament to the engineering and design behind the Storch, the 1930s airplane was used extensively after the war by numerous countries all over the world. Although you can see quite a few examples in museums, some are still flying. It really was a groundbreaking design and shaped the way designers though about Short Take Off and Landing aircraft in the years that followed its introduction.