[he219research]

INM@RLM: Indeed, thank you for this information!

So, just to be clear (as much as is possible, that is...): 420323 was actually V41 and serving as the testbed for the Jumo 213E powered D-1, while 420325 was a standard production D-1.

In Ferguson's latest book he writes (on p56) that "the He 219 V41 entered front-line service in February 1945 and was lost in combat the following month."

On p86 & p167 he further writes that the V41 entered front-line combat operations on the night of 21-22 February 1945. Marked G9+BL and assigned to 3./NJG1 it was flown by the Staffelkapitän Oblt. Heinz Oloff & Fw. Helmut Fischer.

And, finally, on p171-172 he writes that V41 was shot down on the night of 20-21 March 1945.

All this above thus actually refer to 420323, correct?

In addition, there are other references of 420372 being flown on 28 January 1945 by Einflieger Gleuwits & Bordfunker Schöfoel.

Regarding the production of the He 219 D-1, this would give us someting like the below:

420323 V41, marked G9+BL ("prototype" D-1)
420325 standard D-1 (confirmed produced by FIU Report No.53)
420371 standard D-1 (most likely produced as its W-Nr. precede 420372)
420372 standard D-1 (most likely produced according to the reference above of being flown on 28 January 1945)
420373 standard D-1 (possibly produced)
420374 standard D-1 (possibly produced)
420375 standard D-1 (possibly NOT produced)

The above assume the total figure of six D-1 produced is correct.