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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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Five ex. German Air Force Piaggio FWP.149D's were based at Hoogeveen aerodrome in the Netherlands: D-EEGD; D-EERP;
D-EFTU; D-EGIT and D-EIFE. These Piaggio's or "Piggi's" belonged to "Stichting Vliegsport Seagull" and were
well known as the "Seagull Formation".
Piaggio FWP.149D s/n 091 was one of the 190 built by Focke-Wulf under licence from Piaggio and entered service with the
Luftwaffe FFS-S (Flugzeugführerschule "S") as AS+404. In service with the Luftwaffe the aircraft was re-serialed 90+73. As most of the
FWP-149's the 9073 was withdrawn from use in the period 1971-1973. In August 1975, the aircraft entered the German civil-register as D-EFTU.
On 31 March 2005,
Seagull Formation' Piaggio FWP.149D D-EFTU was seen at Hoogeveen airfield (EHHO). |
Luchtvaart déjà vu
