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The Piaggio P.149 was a 4-seat touring development of the P.148, a 2-seat side-by-side
all metal trainer with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage. The prototype of the P.149 (I-PIAM c/n 171)
with a 260 hp Avco Lycoming GO-435-C2 engine and a retractable tri-gear flew first on 19 June 1953.
Two years later the P.149 was selected by the Federal German Air Force as a standard basic training
and liaison monoplane. To meet their requirements a 2-seat military trainer version of the P.149 with
glazed cabin roof, deeper rear fuselage and a 280 hp Lycoming GO-480 engine was developed, designated
P.149-D. The Federal German Air Force (Luftwaffe der Bundesrepublik Deutschland) ordered 265 Piaggio
P.149D for use as a 2-seat primary trainer and 5-seat liaison aircraft. Piaggio built 76, including
one which was written off before delivery. In 1955 Focke-Wulf obtained a licence to build the Italian-designed
Piaggio P-149D. Focke-Wulf built 190 under licence from Piaggio. The first Piaggio built P.149D (AS+401 c/n 250) was
delivered to Memmingen Air Base in May 1957. In the mean time Focke-Wulf had started production in Bremen, Germany,
and delivered its first example in November 1957. In 1963, Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG merged with Weser-Flugzeugbau GmbH
to form VFW GmbH.
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for both the Piaggio P.149D and Focke-Wulf Piaggio FWP.149D is P149. |
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Piaggio FWP.149D s/n 020 was one of 190 built by Focke-Wulf under licence from Piaggio and entered service with Luftwaffe as DB394 with JBG32
(Jagdbombergeschwader 32) at Lechfeld on 12 July 1958. In service with the Luftwaffe the aircraft was re-serialed AC+443; DF+392 and 90+11.
As most of the FWP-149D's, the 9011 was withdrawn from use in the period 1971-1974. The aircraft entered the German civil-register as D-ECOY
in February 1971.
On 28 August 2016, the Heide-Büsum based Piaggio FWP.149D D-ECOY visited Wings & Wheels 2016 at Hoogeveen airfield (EHHO). |
Luchtvaart déjà vu
