The Focke-Wulf Fw 44 was a 1930's German fabric covered steel tubular framed tandem two-seater biplane aircraft known as the Stieglitz ("Goldfinch"). It was designed by Kurt Tank the famous Focke-Wulf designer as a fully aerobatic two-seat civilian training aircraft but was used by the Luftwaffe throughout WW2 and numerous other air-forces used the aircraft, a result of it's excellent flying performance. It is of note that China purchased twenty Focke-Wulf Fw 44's, they were all lost in action during the Second Sino-Japanese War after being modified for combat missions. A cannibalised Focke-Wulf Fw 44 formed the basis of the Worlds first truly practical helicopter, the Focke-Wulf Fw 61, the design retaining both the fuselage and engine of the Fw 44.
The picture above is a Focke-Wulf Fw 44j, the Export version, and the last variant of the Stieglitz and currently forms part of the UK's Shuttleworth Collection. Focke-Wulf Fw 44 Specifications: Crew: Instructor and Student Length: 7.30 m (23 ft 11 in) Wingspan: 9.0 m (29 ft 6 in) Height: 2.80 m (9 ft 2 in) Wing area: 20 m² (215.2 ft²) Empty weight: 565 kg (1,243 lb) Loaded weight: 770 kg (1,694 lb) Max takeoff weight: 785 kg (1,727 lb) Engines: Single 160 hp (118 kW) Siemens Sh 14 A-4 7-cylinder radial engine Maximum speed: 185 km/h (115 mi) Range: 550 km (340 mi) Service ceiling: 3,900 m (12,790 ft) Rate of climb: 17 m/s (56 ft/s)
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