Focke-Wulf Fw 44J Stieglitz

The Focke-Wulf Fw 44 was so popular with pre-war flying clubs and saw such extensive use as a trainer with the Luftwaffe, that every German pilot of the WWII-era may well have flown an Fw 44 at some point in their career.

The Focke-Wulf Fw 44 Stieglitz features a fabric-covered, steel-tube fuselage with wooden wings and is powered by a 140 hp Siemens-Halske Sh 14 Radial engine. These aircraft were highly maneuverable and the type won numerous aerobatic competitions before WWII in the hands of skilled pilots. Indeed Count Otto von Hagenburg won the International Aerobatic Competition while flying a Fw 44 in Berlin during 1936. Although these championships took place at the same time as the Berlin Olympic Games, they were not actually a part of those events. 

The Museum’s Fw 44 was built as WkNr 183 by Focke-Wulf at their factory in Bremen, Germany during 1937. Its livery is typical of WWII-era Luftwaffe trainers, although the  aircraft was actually exported to Argentina before the war began.

Did You know?

The fuselage of the Focke-Wulf Fw 61 – considered by many to be the first practical helicopter – was actually based upon a Fw 44 unit.

Specifications

  • Number Built:  approximately 3,000
  • Year Produced:  1937
  • Serial Number:   183
  • Crew: (1) Instructor Pilot, Student Pilot
  • Current Pilots:

Dimensions

  • Length:  23 ft. 11 in.
  • Wingspan:  29 ft. 6 in.
  • Empty Weight:  1,246 lbs.
  • Loaded Weight:  1,918 lbs.
  • Engine: 1x Siemens-Halske Sh 14a-4 seven-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engine
  • Engine Power:  160 hp

Performance

  • Cruising Speed:  107 mph
  • Max Speed:  115 mph 
  • Range:  419 miles
  • Ceiling: 12,800 ft
  • Rate of Climb:  670 ft./min. initia

Armament

  • N/A – unarmed

Gallery & Media

Focke-Wulf Fw 44J Stiegltiz
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