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Quick visit to Bresso, Milan’s general aviation airport, to see a Focke-Wulf Fw 44 Stieglitz. This plane arrived in Milan for a tour organized by the Royal Air Squadron, a club of English pilots. Unfortunately, I will be unable to see another participant, a Yakovlev Yak-11 traning aircraft from the Forties.

The Fw 44 is a biplane designed at the start of the Thirties as a trainer for both civilian and military pilots, like the American Stearman and the English Tiger Moth. It is one of the first designs by Kurt Tank, who will become famous as the “father” of the Fw 190 fighter.
Trivia: the Fw 44 fuselage was used as a basis for the twin-rotor helicopter Focke-Achgelis Fa 61, designed in the second half of the Thirties and considered one of the first functional helicopters.

Cockpit

2 weeks later, another vintage visitor in Bresso! A Grumman HU-16B is parked in Milan’s general aviation airport since last week. This plane came from the USA for a fly-by above the historical car meeting Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este (where one of the owners had a car on display). Due to an engine issue, it is currently parked in Bresso.

The Albatross is an amphibian flying boat designed after World War 2 for SAR missions. It is powered by 2 Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 radial engines. According to the owners’ website, this plane was built in 1951 for the USAF, and it is a rare ski-equipped variant. After serving in both Korean and Viet Nam Wars, it was transformed by the current owners in a luxury flying RV.