10/31/2010. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "On November 18, 1952, the long established Siebel Flugzeugwerke GmbH (successor to the former Klemm-Leichtflugzeugwerke GmbH) merged with Algemeine-Transportanlagen GmbH (successor to the former DFW, Deutsche Flugzeug-Werke GmbH) to form Siebelwerke-ATG GmbH (subsequently known as SIAT) at Donauworth, Germany. This company designed a four-seat all-metal training and sporting aircraft known as the 180 hp Lycoming O-360 powered SIAT 222 which first flew on May 15, 1961, registered as D-EKYT.

The SIAT 222 was the precursor of the SIAT 223 which had a shorter fuselage, redesigned wing and larger vertical tail surfaces - and was successfully entered in a competition for a standard club and training aircraft, organized in 1962 by the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft (Federal Ministry of Economics) and the Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für Luftfahrt (Scientific Society for Aeronautics').

The first of four prototypes, SIAT 223V-1 made its maiden flight on March 1, 1967, registered as D-ECRO (c/n 001). On May 14, 1969, SIAT became a wholly-owned subsidiary of MBB (Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm) and the type went into production, designated MBB Flamingo and fitted with a 200 hp Lycoming IO-360-C1A engine. MBB produced a total of 35 aircraft in two main types, the SIAT 223A-1 aerobatic 2+2 seat trainer and the SIAT 223K-1 single-seat aerobatic version.

In 1972 the company discontinued production of the SIAT 223 and handed over the whole program to Hispano Aviacion in Spain (which shortly afterwards became part of the CASA Group). CASA built 50 aircraft but subsequently ceased production in 1976, and the SIAT 223 project was passed back to MBB. Flugzeug-Union-Süd (another subsidiary of MBB) participated in the Farner aircraft factory in Grenchen, Switzerland, and it was there were the license production of the Flamingo was continued, seventeen beingproduced.

Flugzeug-Union-Süd converted one CASA-built machine (D-EFWC c/n 051) as the 'MBB Flamingo Trainer T.1', which it intended to sell in the civil market. This particular aircraft was subsequently fitted with a Porsche PFM.3200 engine and designated SIAT 223M4. Many Model 223A-1s were subsequently converted to 223K-1 standard. Main users of the Flamingo were the air forces of Spain, Syria and Turkey, while Swissair acquired ten machines for their pilot training program.

The pictured third prototype was first flown in April 1968 and a year later it received the MBB Flamingo labels on the nose after MBB took control of SIAT. Reportedly D-EHQI is still registered as of this day."