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.