[David E. Brown]

Gents,

The three photographs of the Me 262 A-1a in post #5257 (above) is WNr.501221 “Yellow 3” of 3./JG 7. It was shot down by US anti-aircraft fire from guns of the 559th Flight Defense Battalion - 559th AAA (AW) Btn. near Klötze/Kusey, Germany on 21 April 1945. It is missing the top half of the fin having been removed as a souvenir as it is visible in a number of other photos taken soon after the crash.

The machine made a forced landing and hit a railway embankment ripping off the nose and two Jumo 003 motors. The machine was spun around and the centripetal force ejected the pilot from the cockpit who was killed. He was buried in his black leather flying suit by local inhabitants (specific churchyard unknown) and remains unidentified to this day.

Best,

David