Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

In this and the following weekly series of posts, I will be first examining the identities of the He 162s captured at Leck, using photographs to compare with information mainly found in Richard A. Franks, Airframe Album 13: The Heinkel He 162, (2018), and in Wolfgang Wollenweber's Thunder over the Reich, (Hikoki edition, 2014), especially referring to his diagram of the line-up on p. 138.

The capitulation of German forces in Germany and Denmark was effective as of 08:00 hours on the morning of 5 May 1945, but it took a few days for British forces to occupy all of the northern states of Germany. The British reached the perimeter of Flugplatz Leck on the evening of 6 May "and on the 8th took possession of the whole airfield", Franks, p. 16. Possibly on British instruction, moveable He 162s were lined up on both sides of the taxiway to Runway 11 (Wollenweber, p. 138) in preparation for a formal surrender the next day. In today's post, it is clear from the spit and polish of the officer's uniforms that they were waiting for the formal arrival of the British. According to captions on the backs of some photos, these pictures were taken on 9 May 1945.

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1. Hptm. Heinz Künnecke, staffelkapitan of 1./JG 1 as of 1 May, checks his timepiece whilst walking down the taxiway at Leck. On each side, the twenty-two serviceable He 162s were lined up for surrender to the British. They had not been destroyed as ordered.


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2. Here, the Staffelkapitane of JG 1, as of 1 May 1945, wait to surrender. From left to right are: Hptm. Wolfgang Ludewig, 2./JG 1; Maj. Bernd Gallowitsch, 4./JG 1; Oblt. Emil Demuth, 3./JG 1; and Hptm. Künnecke, 1./JG 1. With them, to the right, was Ltn. Rudolf Schmidt, who had claimed a "Typhoon" on 4 May 1945 while flying an He 162.


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3. As the wait continued, Künnecke, Demuth and Ludewig conversed on the taxiway with nine He 162s lined up along the left side.


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4. In this photo, many of the He 162s on the right side can be seen. From left to right are: Künnecke, I. Gruppe Kommandeur Major Werner Zober, and Demuth. To the right are Ludewig and Gallowitsch.


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5. Joining the Gruppe are the staff officers of Stab/JG 1. From left to right: Zober, Kommodore Oberst Herbert Ihlefeld, Künnecke, Demuth, adjutant Hptm. Ekke-Eberhardt Reinbrecht, Hptm. Gerhard Strasen and Gallowitsch.


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6. This is a view of the line-up at the top far end of the right side. in all, twenty-two He 162s were arranged to impress the British. At least four other He 162s were found at Leck, not in the line-up, that were undergoing repairs.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Enjoying already the first of hopefully many to come posts about the He162 in Leck

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Thanks, Egbert.

Not all of the He 162s captured at Leck were in the line-ups along the taxiway. There are two photos of two aircraft on jacks outside of a hangar at Leck.


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7. He 162 W.Nr. 120230 "23" is one of probably five He 162s that had double-digit numerals. All but one of these five also had the distinctive nose rings seen here. Some researchers have ascribed these nose rings as signifying the personal aircraft of commanding officers. Wollenweber, on p. 174 of his book, incorrectly captions this photo as, "Kommodore Ihlefeld's 'White 23' originally had the Werknummer 120230. After its tail was damaged, it was given the tail unit of the cannibalised 'White 7' and henceforth carried Werknummer 120222." In this photo of the port side, note that the bottom of the upper dark camo is significantly lower at the rear than on the front of the fuselage.
At the left, the tipped tail of W.Nr. 120233 can be seen.


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8. This is the other view of "23" taken at Leck with its nose on a jack, showing clearly its werknummer. Hidden behind it, at the right, is W.Nr. 120233. "23" was among the allotment of He 162s given to the Americans. It was disassembled into modules, shipped by train, then by sea, to the USA.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1756

9. Richard A Franks, on p.28 of his book, suggests that it was at Freeman Field, Indiana, that it "received the vertical fins from W/Nr. 120222". This colour photo, taken in the USA, confirms the identity as being "Yellow 23" with a thin white surround. It is my contention that all of the He 162 airframes with double-digit identities beginning with "2" had this shade of yellow with a black surround that in black and white photos caused viewers to mistake them for white numerals. In this photo of the starboard side, the bottom of the upper dark camo is significantly lower at the rear than at the front of the fuselage, which makes me think this is the original paint job.
This yellow seems to be a lighter variation of RLM27.


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10. Franks, p. 28, makes no mention of it being flight tested. This photo shows that it was repainted in fake camo pattern without the "23". In January 1955, it was transferred to the Smithsonian Institute storage facility at Silver Hill, and is now in storage at the Udvar-Hazy Center at Dallas Airport.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

That would be at Dulles Airport, just outside Washington DC (instead of Dallas Airport). :)

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Thank you for catching what was my mistake. Named after John Foster Dulles.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Thanks, Revi,

It is interesting to see that Americans repainted this He 162 in a spurious camouflage pattern, especially the engine nacelle and the upper dark camo bending up to meet the wing root as in the 310xxx series, and then adding a fake "White 23" over top of it.

Jim

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

forum.12oclockhigh.net/album.php?albumid=73&pictureid=1758

11. This cropped photo of "Yellow 23" at Leck shows that to its starboard side is the tilted tail of W.Nr. 120233. Franks, on p. 62, comments: "Nothing is known about this airframe other than it was found by British forces at Leck in May 1945, presumed scrapped as it was not shipped to the UK."


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12. This is another cropped image of "Yellow 23" under repair at Leck showing W.Nr. 120233 in the background. Note what appears to be rings on the nose, which would mean that the arrow would have been moved back from the tip of the nose. This also suggests it would have had a double-digit identity.


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13. For what it is worth, this is a photo of a "White 8" under repair outdoors whose stenciled numeral is on an overpainted area wide enough to suggest that there had been a double-digit beneath. I believe that I can make out the first covered digit, a "2", but the other is hidden by the "8". Moreover, the arrow, in relation to the upper camo pattern, indicates that it is displaced back from the tip of the nose. This implies that this airframe had nose rings.


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14. This drawing, made in 1999 by French researcher Jean Claude Mermet, shows his interpretation of the fuselage of "White 8". He also places the arrow back from the nose tip and suggests the identity was "Rote 22" of Stab/JG 1.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

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15 The first aircraft in the line-up of the left side is He 162 A-2 W.Nr. 120067 "White 4". Like other German aircraft makers, Heinkel Flugzeugwerke built their He 162s in modules and assembled the parts to create a complete aircraft with tail, wings, fuselage, engine and nose easily disassembled for maintenance or replacement. Like the other He 162s of the 120xxx series that were assembled at the Heinkel Werke at Rostok, This A-2 had a pair 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon whose long muzzles protruded from its gun ports. Note the thick black surround and the gunpowder residue on the nose in front.
Also, as a fully-camouflaged He 162 bearing a white numeral, this fuselage has a thin black surround to the numeral that is especially visible on the RLM 76 white/blue under surfaces.
Due to instability in flight, downward, anhedral, wingtips nicknamed "Lippisch ears" after designer Alexander Lippisch, who suggested a remedy to the problem, were added. Note the distinctive scalloped edges of the dark upper camo on the Lippisch ear of "White 4". Barely noticeable is the RLM 23 Red on the intake cowl of the BMW 003 jet engine nacelle. RLM 23 had been the colour of JG 1's RVT band on its piston aircraft. JG 1 also added a distinctive RLM 23 red arrow to each side of the nose of its He 162s.


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16.Instead of flying the He 162s out of Leck, the easily disassembled airframes were taken apart for shipment by train and divided up among the western Alles. Those given to the Americans were first sent to its collection point in Kassel, Germany. For a static display there, a Frankenstein He 162 was assembled from parts using the fuselage of "White 4" as the base.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1767

17. This view shows that the wings and tail are components from unknown aircraft that do not match the original airframe. Carefully scratched into this Lippisch ear is "10 ADC-1" of the American unit that assembled it.


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18. This poor port-side view shows the protruding MG 151/20 cannon of an A-2 and JG 1's "Diving Eagle" wappen commonly found on the port side of its He 162s.


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19. The wing component of W.Nr. 120067 ended up in the United States being attached to the fuselage of W.Nr. 120222, "Yellow 7". With the exception of "Yellow 3", yellow numerals, like the one here, did not have the thin black surround which is especially absent on the lower RLM 76 camouflage. Instead it was a thin white surround.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1773

20. From this photo, taken on 9 May 1945, we see that the second He 162 in the line-up on the left side is a "20" but has none of the nose rings seen on other double-digit aircraft. In the background is a "Red 7" with a "fox-head" wappen on its starboard nose.
Wolfgang Wollenweber in Thunder over the Reich, p. 138, identifies the second aircraft as "White 20", W.Nr. 120095 and "Red 7" as W.Nr. 310012. However, Richard A. Franks, in his book, p. 18, while also identifies "White 20" as W.Nr. 120095, on p.22 gives "Red 7" as W.Nr. 310005.


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21. This photo of He 162s at Leck was taken after the arrival of the British, but note the changes. The taxiway is missing, the lack of shadows to the left indicates it is not beside "White 4" and the He 162 next to "20" is not "Red 7". Franks, on p. 15, incorrectly identifies this one as W.Nr. 120321 (copied by Kurmark-Antik), but it is indeed W.Nr. 120231, unpainted "White 6", as id'ed by the putty streaks on the nose below the tarp.
In this photo, note the clear view of the red cowl on the BMW 003 nacelle.


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22. This photo is almost identical to the one above. Note the lack of black surround usually seen on white numerals. To my eye there is a white surround to a yellow centre in these numerals making it "Yellow 20".


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23. "Yellow 20" is seen in this photo to be in a hangar at Leck just before it was disassembled. It was allocated the Air Ministry number "63" and shipped overland by train and then by ship to RAE Farnborough in England, arriving on 10 August 1945.


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24. Seen here at the Birmingham Civic Centre in September 1945, British markings have been replaced by fake German ones. "At No. 6 MU for Home Census of Aircraft on the 21st March 1946; struck off charge at No. 6 MU 14 August 1947 (scrapped)", Franks, p. 21.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

I was under the impression that WNr.310012 was found at Kassel (yellow 6).

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Hi Andy,

Richard A. Franks, Airframe Album 13: The Heinkel He 162, (2018), p. 62 gives:

"W./Nr. 310012 - Flown 06/03/45, allocated to 3./JG 1 (Possibly 'Yellow 5'), found by British forces at Leck in May 1945, presumed scrapped there as not shipped to UK."

Moreover, both Wollenweber, p. 138 and Franks, p. 21, concur that "Yellow 6" was W.Nr. 120235.

May I ask, what is your source for W. Nr. 310012 being found at Kassel as "Yellow 6"?

best regards,

Jim

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Jim,
Sorry, but I cannot locate a source.
Is it possible that it was actually taken to Kassel from Leck?
Andy

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Hi Andy,

Indeed, there was a second "Yellow 6" found in the line-up at Leck which undoubtedly went to Kassel. In a future post, I will explain why I think it was an A-2 and not from the 310xxx series.

W.Nr. 120235 "Yellow 6" went to England.

all the best,

Jim

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

I have W.Nr.120235 as Red 6 and W.Nr.310005 as He 162A-1, Red 7

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Which raises the question, why else it would be in Kassel? The city was fought over from 1 April and was in American hands by the 4th.

What I have is that on 30 March, Ltn.Hachtel advised the General der Jagdflieger that he 'can take over in a few days the ferrying of He 162 a/c (pl.) from Vienna-Schwechat to Lechfeld'. (ULTRA CX/MSS/T505/1)

ULTRA CX/MSS/R524(A),13:

From FAYHE ((AMC)) Bernburg, signed Ofw. Melzer to Main A/c Safety Service Station Munich, dated 6/4:
Request urgently information concerning the whereabouts of the 2 a/c type SPATZ ((C% 162)) W.Nr. 310006, pilot Ltn. Büttner; W.Nr. 312018, pilot Uffz. Dobrat, which took off on TEBDY ((1/4)) at 1307 hrs. from Bernburg for Unterschlauersbach and Lechfeld.
NOTE: No 162’s previously mentioned in connection with Bernburg or Unterschlauersbach.

On 8 April, with the Red Army closing in on Vienna, eight He 162s under Hachtel's command arrived in Lechfeld. Whilst there were other He 162s at Rechlin etc. for testing, it doesn't look like any were being moved from Heinkel-Schwechat until after the fighting for Kassel began, so the Germans wouldn't have flown them there unless someone defected.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Hi Nick,

Thank you for that ULTRA message that confirms that the 310xxx werknummer series were built at Bernberg. The destinations and times are new to me.

Hi Matolion,

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1780

There were two He 162s with black noses in the line-ups at Leck. The one above was on the left-hand side. Seen in British markings, the werknummer is definitely 120235 and the numeral behind and below the canopy is definately not red.

However, while I have no photographic evidence that "Red 7" was W.Nr. 310005, next week I will present circumstantial evidence that agrees with your statement.

Best regards,

Jim

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1775

25. This cropping shows that the third aircraft in the left side line-up was "Red 7". Wolfgang Wollenweber, on p. 138, identifies "Red 7" as an A-1, W.Nr. 310012. Franks, on p. 22 of his book, identifies it as an A-1, W.Nr. 310005. Note the "Fox Head" wappen above the gun port with black surround. As far as I know there is no record of 310012 being in France.
The Heinkel werke at Bernberg, Austria, manufactured the A-1 310xxx werknummer series, which was different from the A-2s in having a pair of MK 108/30 cannon with shorter gun muzzles than the MG 131/20s. The factory camouflage pattern for the 310xxx series A-1s was distinct from that of the 120xxx A-2s in that the upper camo on the fuselage curves up to meet the wing roots and extends out to meet the nose tip. Also the werknummer is black on an RLM 76 tail fin at the top, rather than on the bottom as in the 120xxx series.
"Red 7" was shipped by train to France in February 1946.


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26. Franks, p. 23, captions this photo as, "The fuselage, during stripping for analysis, of W/Nr. 310005 at the SNCAC facility at Boulogne-Billancourt in March 1946." He ascribes the source of the photo to SNCAC. Note the lack of a protruding muzzle. Also, the tail, nose and engine modules are missing. Presumably the wing in the foreground belongs to "Red 7".


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27. This photo, presumably taken at the same place and time as the above, shows that even the plexiglas canopy had been taken apart. Franks says that "only the A-2s were made airworthy [in France], so the fate of this one remains unknown", p. 22. The A-1s sent to France were likely used for parts.


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28. This photo shows the tail module of W.Nr. 310005 (most likely "Red 7") attached to the fuselage of W.Nr. 120223 to create airworthy French He 162 "No. 1". This means that the tail module of W.Nr. 120223 must have been available for another machine being made serviceable.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Our association "aerocherche" found recently the remains of Wnr 120223 that crashed in a forest, near Mont de Marsan on 23 July 1948, killing its pilot, Georges Schlienger. It had a French livery with roundels and was painted with number "1".

Small parts but plenty of signification.

I will soon publish the article about this discovery on our website and will let you know when it is available (articles were published on paper in France and Germany respectively in "le fana" and "Flugzeug Classic").

Best rgds
Gilles Collaveri

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Thank you, Gilles. I look forward to it.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1799

29. The fourth He 162 in the left-side line-up appears to be an uncamouflaged airframe with a dark coloured nose module. Wollenweber, p. 138, identifies it as "He 162 A-2 W.Nr. 120235 'Black Nose' 'Yellow 6'", and Franks concurs on p. 21 of his book.

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30. As we have seen, this photo showing W.Nr. 120235 with its black nose purports to have a "Yellow 6"behind and below the canopy while in British markings.

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31. Franks, on p. 21, identifies this He 162 as "Yellow 6". Butler, in his War Prizes, p. 113, says it was probably given Air Ministry number "68". Sent by road transport and boat to RAE Farnborough on 10 August 1945, it was saved for display by various museums and in 2018 was at IWM Duxford as "Yellow 6" in imagined camouflage.


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32. Wollenweber, p. 138, identifies the fifth aircraft, that behind the black-nosed "Yellow 6", as W.Nr. 120097 "White 4" adding "to England AM64".


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33. Franks,however on p.21, identifies W.Nr 120097 also as "Air Ministry number 64", but as "White 3 (not confirmed)", shipped to RAE Farnborough by surface transport 31 July 1945. "Statically displayed in the A Shed during the German Aircraft Exhibition 4th to 9th November 1945." This photo of the starboard side taken in the A Shed shows that the British have overpainted the German national markings and the "White 3". Note the RLM 76 tail fins.


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34. In this view of the port side of W.Nr. 120097, also seen in the A Shed, the Air Ministry number "64" can be made out but the "White 3" is hardly visible.
Franks presumes that W.Nr 120097 was scrapped at Farnborough, having last been seen in its 'scrap compound' on 15 December 1946.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

In the last image ( #34 ) I see the BV155 in the background. If this is the UK, then were there 2 BV155s captured? At NASM, I worked on the Hirth Turbocharger that had been removed from a BV155 and I had viewed the BV155 in storage at Silver Hill.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Hi Tony,

Good catch! To my eye, the walls and the ceilings do not match. They may, indeed, be two different buildings with two different He 162 A-2s.

Can anyone identify the location of image ( #34 )?

Thank you,

Jim

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Hi Tony,

After further examination of photographs, I believe that I have an answer for you.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1804

This photo from #33 shows in the top right corner a second He 162 in the A Shed with ropes from a hoist attached to the engine nacelle.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1805

This photo taken from the opposite direction shows two He 162s with Air Ministry numbers in front of a placard identifying BV 155 B and a distinctive wall pattern behind it.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1806

This BV 155 B is elsewhere captioned as BV 155 V2 [the prototype of the B model]. Note the identical placard and distinctive wall pattern placing a BV 155 B with He 162s that went to England.

best regards,

Jim

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1807

35. Wollenweber, p. 138, lists the sixth He 162 on the left side as He 162 A-2 W.Nr 120017 "Yellow 6, to USA, #T2-494." Franks, p. 28, gives it as "310017 (some state 120017, others 310012)". He agrees that it is "Yellow 6" and shipped to the USA "where it was allotted Foreign Equipment number FE-494." "It is believed to have been used for spare parts for FE-495 and then scrapped."
This photo shows the factory fresh W.Nr. 310017 (the diagonal stroke in the last digit is too long to be a "2"). It has the typical A-1 upper camo pattern that extends to the tip of the nose.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1808

36. Therefore, if the sixth aircraft were W.Nr. 310017, it would clearly have dark camo on the upper part of its nose tip extending back below the canopy. Conversely, if it were the early 120017, because of the high demarcation of that series, it would have no dark camo on the nose nor under the canopy. This poor photo shows no dark camo, so I conclude it is 120017.


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37. I have yet to see a photo showing the seventh aircraft at Leck, in the line-up on the left side. Both Wollenweber and Franks give the werknummer as 120098. Wollenweber, p. 138, give its code as "Yellow 3" on the fuselage directly below the windscreen. Franks gives it as "White 2 (not confirmed)" on p. 21. This photo shows it taking off from RAE Farnborough. Allocated Air Ministry number "67", it had arrived on 11 June 1945, one of the first. On 14 June it received RAF serial VH513 and was given to RAE's Aero Flight section and flown over twenty times between 3 August and 30 November 1945. Last seen, according to Franks, in the scrap compound at Farnborough on 15 December 1946. it is presumed to have been scrapped.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1814

38. In this photo, if you look closely, you can see an overpainted "White 2" in its proper position on the fuselage immediately behind and below the periplex canopy. Note that the colour of the forward engine cowl matches that of the centre of the RAF roundel.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

34. Almost certainly taken as part of the static display during the RAE's 'Exhibition of German Aircraft and Equipment' which took place during Oct/Nov 1945.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Thank you, Steve. I presume it was taken as they were setting up the display.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

I think it's impossible to say for sure.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1817

39. Wollenweber, p. 138, identifies the eighth He 162 in the left-side line-up at Leck, as an A-2, W.Nr. 120223, "Yellow 1". Franks, p. 24, concurs that 120223 was "Yellow 1" and allocated to the French.
This photo, taken after 9 May 1945, shows W.Nr. 120223 in a field at Leck. Gunpowder residue in front of the cannon port indicates that the MG 131/20 had been fired. The Lippisch Ear has the same scalloped dark camo edge as the W.Nr. 120067, "White 4". Note that there is no white surround on the "Yellow 1".


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1818

40. The components of the He 162 W.Nr. 120223 in February 1946 were shipped overland to the Armée de l'Air depot at Nanterrez, near Paris and with four other He 162 airframes went to the SNCAC facility at Boulogne-Billancourt where three A-2s were made airworthy. W.Nr. 120223 became French He 162 "No.1". However, after being painted, with the muzzles of it's MG 131/20 cannon protruding, "No.1" received the tail module of He 162 A-1 W.Nr 310005.


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41. Franks, p. 23 captions this photo as "The first airworthy A-2 was W/Nr. 120223 and it was seen here at the CEAM facility at Mont-de-Marsan in 1947." The last recorded flight ny an He 162 in France was undertaken on 23 July 1948 using "No.1", piloted by Capt. Georges Schlienge, from Monr-de-Marsan. However, " the take-off was slow and after a minute in the air the He 162 turned to port, its wheels still down, stalled and crashed killing the pilot.", Franks p.24. The other two airworthy He 162s in France were immediately grounded. In 1949, "No.2" was sent as an instructional airframe at the French Air Force's mechanic's school at Rochefort-sur-Mer where it was repainted in "Bordeaux Red".


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42. Now redundant, in July 1952, "No.2" was sent to the Musée de l'Air at Meudon where it was painted a dark shiny green that faded with age.


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43. In 1973, "No.2" was moved to the Musée de l'Air et Espace at Le Bourget airport, where upon examination of its tail it was found that its werknummer was 120223!


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44. As a result of the above discovery, in 1975, "No.2" was displayed as "120223" at Le Bourget.


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45. This photo shows how "No.2" was later displayed at Le Bourget as "Yellow 1" W.Nr 120223 until being re-examined in 2005. Note how the red arrow is wrongly receded from the tip of the nose.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1824

46. In May 2005, a restoration team from the Mémorial Flight group at Le Bourget, including Phillippe Couderchon, began their examination of French He 162 No.2 before restoration. This photo shows partial removal of coats of paint. Note the indication of the red arrow at the nose tip.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1825

47. In his article, "He 162 In Bourget Werk-Nummer freiglegt, Flugzeug Classic, (10/2005), Phillippe Couderchon announced to the world that the werknummer of the He 162 displayed as "Yellow 1"; W.NR. 120223 at Le Bourget's Musée de l'Air et l'Espace, had been found to be in reality W.Nr. 120015 by the discovery of "a small, triangular sign on the rear fuselage bulkhead in front of the empennage".


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1826

48. With the examination completed and the restoration well underway, in his article. "The Salamander in France - Part I", The Aeroplane, (April, 2006), Couderchon included this profile for 120015 "White 21[sic]".


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1827

49. This cropping of a photo that was taken at Ludwigslust in April 1945 shows an He 162 A-2 with the high demarcation pattern of the early 120xxx series with the dark upper camo on the fuselage only behind the canopy with none on the nose. Some authors report that this is "White 21"; W.Nr. 120016. However, if you compare the tone of the paint of the "21" to the white of the nose ring, it appears to be a shade darker. The last digit of the werknummer is difficult to read. This aircraft looks identical to the profile above.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1828

50. In "The Salamander in France - Part I", p. 66, Couderchon captions this photo as, "Heinkel 162 'White 21', WNr. 120015 of Stab I/JG 1, the future French No.2, at Ludwigslust in April 1945 ...". Note the identifying engine intake plug with its "21" and the lack of upper camo on the nose.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1829

51. In February 1946, five He 162s were sent to France fron Leck: W.Nrs. 120015, 120093, 120223, 310003 and 310005. I have yet to see a photo of W.Nr. 120015 at Leck. The "21" in the line-up on the right side has upper dark camo on the nose with the lower demarcation of later 120xxx series and is identified as W.Nr. 120221. However, there is secondary evidence that 120015 was at Leck. In this photo of Demuth's "Yellow 11; W.Nr. 120074, the engine intake plug is identical to that in the picture above.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1830

52. When Coudechon's team was finished its restoration of W.Nr.120015, this is was its interpretation of what it looked like, with the "21" in yellow rather than white. Note the engine intake plug.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Jim
It is no longer possible to view your initial posted photos
Only from post 17 can they be viewed

Something you can correct?

Cheers
Stig

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Hi Stig,

I upload pictures from my files to an album provided by TOCH which has room for about 35 pictures. I therefore have to delete some weekly to make room for new ones. This method works for me.

Hopefully, Leon Venter's archives will have the old ones.

If someone can provide an alternative method which includes a clear step-by-step explanation for an 82-year old senior, I'd be willing to try.

All the best,

Jim

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Oh-oh Jim :o

Didn't know that. Sorry about the hassle....

Cheers
Stig

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

I hope Jim won't mind me mentioning this a bit prematurely, but I have been in touch with him about preserving the photo studies he's been publishing on TOCH.

Like many others, I greatly appreciate the extra details and context Jim has been able to glean from the photos he has posted. The limit on the number of photos that can be uploaded to TOCH by each user means that most of Jim's photos are no longer viewable. I was dismayed by the loss of such a valuable resource.

The TOCH archive that I created has no such limitation, so I contacted Jim about this, and he kindly sent me all of the photos featured in his Me 262 and Ar 234 threads. I'm now busy adding those photos to the archive, so that his posts will be restored to their full usefulness. One small enhancement is that, in the archived version of TOCH, the photos will be displayed directly in their associated posts, instead of as links that need to be clicked.

With Jim's permission, I will do the same for the He 162 thread as well.

Regards,
Leon Venter

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Hi Stig, please check your e-mail, I have already sent to you all of these photos.

BR

Faenor

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Thanks Jaro

Got everything!! Excellent help!!!

Cheers
Stig

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Here is the end of Wnr 120223

https://aerocherche.fr/une-salamandre-dans-les-landes

Best regards
Gilles

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

A very nice tribute to the He 162 in France and to test pilot Schlienger.

Re: Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s
 

Thank you, Leon for all the work you are putting into this.

Thank you, Gilles, for the link with all its documentation.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1832

53. Wollenweber, p. 138, identifies the ninth and endmost He 162 in the line-up along the left side of the taxiway at Leck as an A-2, W.Nr. 120227, "Red 2". Franks, p. 21, concurs that W.Nr. 120227 was "Red 2" and says it was allotted Air Ministry number "65", arriving by surface transport at RAE Farnborough on 31 July 1945. I have found no photograph of it at Leck.
All He 162s receiving Air Ministry numbers had their German national markings painted over at Leck as well as their numerical identities and wappen using appropriate German RLM paints. RAF roundels and fin flashes were added there as well.
In this photo of the side of W.Nr. 120227, the "Red 2" can be made out in its proper position just behind and below the perplex canopy.. As well, there was a wappen on the fuselage below the windscreen. Probably in England, the flare-port was faired over and a generous coat of mismatched paint applied over the dark camo below the canopy.
Note that the nose, with its red arrow, lacks the fake nose rings later applied to "Red 2".


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1834

54. W.Nr. 120227 was allocated RAF serial VN679 on 26 November 1945 but it was never applied and no test flights were made. It was in the scrap compount at Farnborough on 15 December 1946 but was retrieved as a travelling exhibit. It was on display at the Blackpool Air Pageant in July 1947. Seen here, it was a museum piece at RAF Colerne from 1961 to its closure in 1975.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1833

55.It was restored for exhibition at the Historic Aircraft Collection at RAF Athan. Looking more authentic, it is seen here in 1979 but with fake nose rings.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1838

56 This poor photo shows the same aircraft but includes a view of the upper wings with their simple dark balkenkreuze.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1836

57. This is another poor view of "Red 2" at St. Athan with its engine nacelle doors open.



http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1837

58. This view from above shows the assymetrical camo pattern of the camouflage on the upper tail and the air of authenticity. The problem for me is that in the few photos of the upper surfaces of the wings of the 120xxx series He 162s, they show only white balkenkreuze.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1835

59. On 22 November 1989, W.Nr. 120227, "Red 2", was transferred to The RAF Museum at RAF Hendon in London, England. This is what it looks like today.