Fly Past

(Rick Simeone) #1

Spotlight


70 FLYPAST November 2018


Artwork
Fieseler Fi 156C-3
Storch 5F+YK of
2.(H)/14 was based
at various locations
in North Africa in
1941 and – probably –


  1. ANDY HAY-2018


Sentinel


Andy Hay presents artwork of a Fieseler Storch that


served as a communications and spotter aircraft in


North Africa


Sentinel


African


W


ith its robust
undercarriage and
ability to land on
short, roughly
prepared strips, the Fieseler Storch
was an ideal craft to operate in the
harsh and changeable conditions of
North Africa.
Our subject, Fieseler Fi 156C-
3 Storch 5F+YK, was attached
to Luftwaffe reconnaissance unit
Aufklärungsgruppe 14 and served
as a communications aircraft. It’s
also likely to have been used as a
tank and artillery spotter. Assigned

to 2.(H)/14, which was mostly
equipped with high-winged, two-
seat Henschel Hs 126 monoplanes,
the Storch was probably present in
North Africa from March 1941 until
April 1942. All of the unit’s aircraft
wore a distinctive edelweiss motif on
the cowling, though the reason for
the choice remains unclear.
Air and groundcrews departed
Europe for the desert in February
1941, with operations in support
of the Afrika Korps beginning
on March 13, as German forces
advanced along the coast towards

Egypt. The Staffel (squadron) had to
react quickly, and rarely used a single
airfield for more than a few days. At
the end of May it began to gradually
replace its ageing Henschels with the
more potent Messerschmitt Bf 110


  • it was a slow process and it’s likely
    the Storch was retained throughout.
    It was not until the following May
    that the Staffel handed its aircraft
    over to 4.(H)/12. Its personnel then
    moved to Schwechat near Vienna,
    Austria, for recuperation and a
    chance to complete conversion on to
    the Messerschmitt.


Fieseler


Storch

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