In 1936, Focke-Wulf Fw.44J Stieglitz s/n 1904 was built at the Focke-Wulf factory in Bremen, Germany.
The airframe was one of a batch of fourteen originally Bremen built aircraft bought by the Swedish Air Force
during 1936 / 1937. The Stieglitz was given the Swedish designation Sk 12. Totally 85 Sk 12’s were delivered to
the Swedish Air Force, of which 37 aircraft were built in Sweden under license by CFV/CVV. On 29 January 1937, the
airframe was delivered to the Flygvapnet and served as 'Fv622' initially with F 5 wing at Ljungbyhed as F 5-80 and F 5-22
before passing to F 9 as F 9-22 in 1944. In 1950, the airframe was in poor condition and after being withdrawn from military
service, the aircraft was sold on the clvil market. On 11 July 1950, registration SE-BRZ was reserved by Dr McChesney Goodvall,
Lynchburg VA, USA. On 14 July 1950, reservation for the SE-BRZ changed to B Huzell, Karlstad, on behalf of Värmlands FK, Karlstad.
An reserve engine was bought for the airframe, and the deal was completed with a 'third' extra engine free of charge due to poor
condition of aircraft. On 21 August 1952, the Focke-Wulf Fw.44J Stieglitz received is CofA and the same day, the aircraft was
registered SE-BRZ with Värmlands FK, Karlstad. Due to some accidents with the aircraft the CofA of the SE-BRZ lapsed a number
of time. On 11 November 1863, the SE-BRZ was registered with Halle-Hunnebergs Flygklubb, Trollhättan. On 30 June 1964, the CofA
lapsed, and on 29 June 1966, registration SE-BRZ was cancelled at Owner’s Request and the airframe was donated the Gillstads
Bilmuseum in Lidköping. After the museum ceased trading in 2006, the airframe was auctioned and sold to K A Bergkvist, Tomelilla,
and then resold via various Swedish and Norwegian owners. The Fw 44 languished in and out of storage until 2012, when the
aircraft was acquired by Richard Menage and shipped to North Yorkshire, UK. At that time the airframe was once again in bad
condition. After the airframe was acquired it last a 3,500-hour restoration which took place over the course of five years
to bring the airframe back in flying condition. The restoration was done under the auspices of the German Quax organisation,
that is why the German registration D-EMNN was applied for. Final covering, paintwork and rigging were performed by Termikas at Pociunai,
Lithuania, and the first flight took place there on 12 May 2017. The German certificate of airworthiness was issued on 16 October 2017.
However the aircraft was owned by Richard Menage and based in the UK, the aircraft was operated several years as D-EMNN. On 24 June 2022,
the aircraft was registered G-EMNN with Oldstead Aero LLP in the UK.
On 14 May 2024, Focke-Wulf Fw.44J Stieglitz G-EMNN was seen at Hoogeveen airfield (EHHO), on its way to Itzehoe (EDHF). |