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. 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.

Piaggio FWP.149D s/n 045 was one of the 76 built by Piaggio in 1957-1959 and entered service with the Luftwaffe LTG61 (Lufttransportgeschwader 61) as GA+394. In 1959, the Piaggio FWP.149D entered the civil German register as D-EGEW. After registration D-EGEW was cancelled on 22 December 1959, the plane returned in service with the Luftwaffe as GA+394. In service with the Luftwaffe the aircraft was transferred to the FFS-S (Flugzeugführerschule "S") as AS+411 and to the FFS-C as AC+441. The aircraft was finally re-serialed 90+31. Piaggio FWP.149D 9031 was withdrawn from military service in 1972 and entered the civil-register as D-EHJL in June 1972.

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