Italian Fieseler Fi-156 in Greece

[mimithem]

Hello friends,

I have heard form histories by elder people that an Italian Fieseler 156 used to visit periodically Paramythia airfield in the northwestern Greece during the last half of 1941 and within 1942. They told me that it was coming form Yannina (Ioannina) where the Italian headquarters where based, bringing mainly mail.

They also told me that, as children, whenever this aircraft used to come, they used to shout "the stork is coming!" and they also remember the stork painted on it.

Does anyone have any information about where this aircraft used to belong to, its base or anything relative?

Here is a colour profile showing a similar Fi-156 in Tirana in 1941 before Greece was captured:

http://www.aviationgraphic.com/1304-...tica-ik-15.jpg

Thank you in advance!

[Nick Beale]

According to Nino Arena's "La Luftflotte Italiana" the following Fi 156 were attached to Italian HQs in Greece: MM 5808 (Comando Aeronautica, Athens), MM 5454 (Governor of the Dodecanese, 1941), MM12828 (General Geloso, 1942), MM 12826 (38^ Sqd. OA, Araxos).

These are the ones that I could pick out of an Italian text — I don't actually speak Italian.

[Stig Jarlevik]

If I should make a guess it was most likely an Albanian based Fi 156 possibly on loan for awhile, which means one in the batch MM459 to 464. That said of course only if the time frame listed is correct.

Nick states an interesting book and lists here one MM number which cannot be found in much later published Italian books about the Fi 156 in their service.

As an example Nino Arena states the first batch of Storks to be delivered was
MM459 to MM464 and a second batch was MM4467 to MM4472. Both batches had corresponding WNr and MM numbers. However the book Gli Altri Tedeschi claims these two batches was one and the same saying WNr 4467 to 4472 received the MM numbers 459 to 464.

Next Nino Arena talks about a batch of eight Fi 156 MM5802 to MM5809 and even assigning WNr 1099 to MM5802 and WNr 1100 to MM5803. Yet the later book states that these eight aircraft was part of a 12 batch series MM12820 to MM12831 saying that they were WNr 5802 to 5805, 5832-5835 plus four unknown! Arena then goes on to list the 12 Fi 156 batch MM12820-12832 as a totally seperate one!

This means that there was no MM5808, the one that Nick lists in his reply.

I have never met or corresponded with Mr Arena, and there are "opinions" out there regarding his research. However I find it hard to believe that he would make up by himself a batch of Storch (MM5806 to 5809) just like that....
For instance the two WNr he has listed as PI for "MM5802 and MM5803" were assigned to the CSIR in Russia!

Unfortunately it is not clear at this point which aircraft MM5808 most likely should correspond to.....

Cheers
Stig

[newcomer]

Hi Stig,

maybe that Italian Fi-156, based in Albania, were ex Royal Yugoslav Air Force?

kind regards

Newcomer

[Stig Jarlevik]

Well Newcomer

Anything is possible I suppose, but the Italian archives are hazy with regard to any Fi 156 war booty from Yugoslavia.

Back in 1977 Giancarlo Garello published an article where he lists Fi 156 as having been taken from Yugoslavia, but list neither numbers nor any other details, such as WNr or previous identities. A photo reportedly taken at Mostar showing an aircraft with a digit 1 on a white fuselage band is stated as most probably from RYAF.

However neither Nino Arena, nor later authors mention anything about any captured Fi 156, so no I don't believe at this stage that Italy actually got any former Storch from there.

However if you have any proof that this was the case I am very interested to know what you got!

Cheers
Stig

[newcomer]

Hi Stig,

I had in that Garello article on my mind when I wrote my message. I have no any other clue.

kind regards

Newcomer

[mimithem]

Thank you for your answers guys! There is another book from Aviolibri which is called "Fieseler Fi-156 Storch in Italian Service" but unfortunately I do not own it. I wonder if there was squadron which they belonged to,Albania or Greece, so that I could find their movements during this period, this is my aim.

[borborygm]

Hi mimithem,
in "Dimensione Cielo vol.11" is an article on the Fi 156 in italian service which also includes a photo of the Storch depicted in your profile. The article says that at the beginning of January 1942 the MM460, 461 and 464 were in charge of the Comando Aeronautica dell`Albania. Later in January MM464 went to Padua and MM461 to Rome-Centocelle.

Regards,
Hein