Focke-Wulf Fw-44 Stieglitz
The Focke-Wulf Fw 44 Stieglitz was a tandem two-seat biplane trainer designed by a team under Kurt Tank, first flying in 1932 and quickly becoming the company's first major international success. Renowned aerobatic pilots including Ernst Udet flew it to competition wins, cementing its reputation for docile yet fully aerobatic handling. Several hundred were built for the Luftwaffe through 1940, and licensed production in Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Brazil, Argentina and elsewhere pushed total output to roughly 2,500 aircraft. Its widespread export made it one of the most common primary trainers of its era across several continents.
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Did you know?
Focke-Wulf's first major international success: a docile tandem biplane trainer license-built on several continents and the era's most common primary trainer.
Specifications
| Length | 7.2 m (24 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 9 m (30 ft) |
| Height | 2.6 m (9 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 0.9 t |
| Range | 365 NM (676 km) |
| Service ceiling | 13,000 ft (3,962 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 10,000 ft (3,048 m) |
| Units built | 190 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
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