HISTORICAL
SIGNIFICANCE
"Tummelisa"
is the most well-known and successful design of FVM at Malmen, Sweden. The first
of these trainers flew in June 1919. It was designed by Henry Kjellson. This aircraft
was given the name "Tummeliten" (Little Tom Thumb), but the pilots preferred
to call it "Tummelisa", the name of Tom's female counterpart. Some sources
indicate that they chose this name due to the tendency of the Tummelisa to turn
over on her back in a nose over landing. The Tummelisa was powered by a Thulin
rotary 90hp A-engine. Thirty Tummelisas were built from 1919 through 1933. The
length of service indicates that the design was very successful. When the Swedish
Air Force was established in 1926, the Tummelisa was given the designation "Ö
1" (Övningsplan 1, Advanced Trainer 1). The safety record of the Tummelisa
is remarkable as no one is known to have perished flying one.