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. |