No #8 First produced in 1936, the Fi 156 quickly became known as the 'Storch' (stork) because in flight its long undercarriage legs, its wide cockpit and its large wings made it look like a long-legged bird. The Storch was the Luftwaffe's standard liaison and spotting plane during World War II and became famous for its amazing short-takeoff-and-landing performance. When flying into a light breeze, it took off in 150 feet (45 meters) and landed in only 60 feet (18 meters). Otto Skorzeny used a Storch in his daring rescue of Mussolini from a mountaintop surrounded by Italian soldiers. The aircraft's wings could fold back along its fuselage, allowing it to be towed behind a vehicle. The Fi 156 was also built in Czechoslovakia (until 1949) and in France (as the Morane-Saulnier MS.500 Criquet) until the 1950s. The aircraft here, in French colors, is a Criquet.
