Germany: Luftwaffe Warplanes, 1939-1945: Heinkel He 219

Deutsche Kampfflugzeuge der Luftwaffe 1939-1945: Heinkel He 219

German Warplanes flown by the Luftwaffe 1939-1945: Heinkel He 219

During and after the end of the Second War a number of German Warplanes were captured and evaluated by the Allied forces.  Most of these aircraft were later scrapped and therefore only a handful have survived.  This is a partial list of He 219 aircraft that were known to have been flown by the Luftwaffe.

Während und nach dem Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs wurden eine Reihe deutscher Kampfflugzeuge von den Alliierten erbeutet und ausgewertet.  Die meisten dieser Flugzeuge wurden später verschrottet und daher haben nur eine Handvoll überlebt. Dies ist eine unvollständige Liste von He 219 Flugzeugen, von denen bekannt war, dass sie von der Luftwaffe geflogen wurden.

The Heinkel He 219 Uhu (Eagle Owl) is a German nightfighter that served with the Luftwaffe in the later stages of the Second World War. The He 219 was a relatively sophisticated design, and possessed a variety of innovations, including Lichtenstein SN-2 advanced VHF-band intercept radar, also used on the  night fighters. It was also the first operational German aircraft to be equipped with tricycle landing gear. Had the Uhu been available in quantity, it might have had a significant effect on the s offensive of the o; however, only 294 of all models were built by the end of the war and these saw only limited service. Ernst-Wilhelm Modrow was the leading night fighter ace on the He 219. Modrow was credited with 33 of his 34 night air victories on the typThe He 219 had an auspicious combat debut. On the night of 11–12 June 1943, flew the V9 and shot down five bombers between 01:05 and 02:22 hours, before crashing on

Heinkel He 219A-7 Uhu night fighter in Luftwaffe service.  (Luftwaffe Photos)

Heinkel He 219A-7 Uhu, (Wk. Nr. 310189), D5+CL of I/NJG 3 night fighter captured at Grove, Denmark.  This aircraft was designated RAF AM22.  It was scrapped at Farnborough in 1946.  RCAF Squadron Leaders Joe McCarthy and Ian Somerville both flew these aircraft.  (RAF Photos)

Heinkel He 219A Uhu in Luftwaffe service.  (Luftwaffe Photo)

Heinkel He 219A-0 Uhu, (Wk. Nr. 210903), captured at Grove, Denmark.  Designated RAF USA 8, this aircraft was shipped to the USA on HMS Reaper, and re-designated USA FE-612 at Freeman Field, Indiana post war.  This aircraft was scrapped about 1950.  (USAAF Photos)

When the war had ended in Europe, the U.S. Army Air Forces Intelligence Service, as part of "Operation LUSTY" (Luftwaffe Secret Technology), took control of three He 219s at the Grove base of the 1st Night Fighter Wing (Nachtjagdgeschwader 1) in Jutland, Denmark starting on 16 June 1945. These aircraft were made flight-worthy by "Watson's Whizzers" and flown to Cherbourg, France. He 219 A-2 Werknummer 290202 was shipped to the United States with 21 other captured German aircraft on board the British escort carrier HMS Reaper, and was reassembled at Newark Army Air Field, Newark, New Jersey.Werknummer 290202 was given the foreign equipment number FE-614, and later T2-614. The aircraft was flown to Freeman Field, Indiana for flight testing along with a second of the three He 219s: a He 219 A-5 prototype, Werknummer 290060 and given the foreign equipment number FE-612. The fate of Werknummer 290060 is unknown. Following testing, He 219 A-2 Werknummer 290202 was then moved to Orchard Place Airport in Park Ridge, Illinois in 1946. It was stored in a vacant aircraft factory and then transferred to the Smithsonian's National Air Museum on 3 January 1949. Finally, the He 219 was crated and shipped to the Smithsonian's Silver Hill, Maryland storage facility in early 1955. He 219 A-2 Werknummer 290202 is currently restored and on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center by Dulles Airport. (Wikipedia)

Heinkel He 219 Uhu (Wk. Nr. 290202), captured at Grove, Denmark.  Designated RAF USA 10, USA FE-614, later T2-614, Freeman Field Indiana fall 1945.  This aircraft is preserved in the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Centre, Chantilly, Virginia.  (USAAF Photo)

Heinkel He 219 Uhu (Wk. Nr. 290202), captured at Grove, Denmark.  Designated RAF USA 10, USA FE-614, preserved in the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Centre, Chantilly, Virginia.  (Mark Pellegrini Photo)

Heinkel He 219 Uhu (Wk. Nr. 290202), captured at Grove, Denmark.  Designated RAF USA 10, USA FE-614, preserved in the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Centre, Chantilly, Virginia.  (Kogo Photos)

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