To Rescue Mussolini by bmac62
Close
Hover over top left image to zoom.
Click anywhere to exit.
Members remain the original copyright holder in all their materials here at Renderosity. Use of any of their material inconsistent with the terms and conditions set forth is prohibited and is considered an infringement of the copyrights of the respective holders unless specially stated otherwise.
Description
Adolf Hitler sent Otto Skorzeny in one of these to rescue Benito Mussolini, his ally, from a mountain-top prison in Italy in 1943.
What is it? A Fieseler FI 156 C-2 Storch (Stork). This veteran is in the Heritage of Flight Collection belonging to Paul Allen in Everett, Washington.
Place in history: This bird-like plane with long over-hanging wings was aptly nicknamed the Storch (German for stork), because it featured folding wings to permit rail transportation to the front lines when necessary, as its top speed was slower than a train. In 1943 a Storch rescued Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from his mountain-top prison. In the closing days of WWII, as Berlin was besieged by Soviet troops, a lone Storch landed in the streets near the Brandenberg Gate to spirit away Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, arriving too late, for by then they had committed suicide.
This aircraft: This is a true combat veteran, one of the few airworthy Storches in existence. It was manufactured in Germany in 1943 was used by the Luftwaffe in Occupied Europe and on the Russian Front. It was found in derelict condition in East Germany in the late 1980s and restored to a very high standard. It displays the Summer, 1943 Luftwaffe markings: a medium and dark green splinter pattern on its upper surfaces, with a light blue underside. The fuselage and wings carry the Balkenkreuz (black crosses), with the tail carrying the Hackenkreuz (swastika).
Bill:)
"Real Survivor ~ for Rob (debbielove)"
Comments (33)
cfulton
Stunning STOL aircraft, light and slow! Well done, Clive
junge1
It was a fantastic little plane Bill and you spelled it right too. In W.E.B. Griffin's books, the series where the Nazis operate in Argentina and Uruguay, they always spell 'ie' as 'ei'. It irritates me. A really nice capture Bill, and great background info too. BTW, I almost uploaded an old picture from 1966 Da Nang, when you commented on my 'Home by the Sea'picture of 'when you were in the Delta'. Funny how certain phrases trigger certain trains of thought!
debbielove
A wonderful picture Bill.. Need add no more except to say I'm going add it to my Faves! Very well done, mate.. Should have another original Fieseler FI 156 Storch flying this year in the U.K. Hopefully! Great pic... Rob