[Andy Saunders]

Excellent photos, as ever, Peter!

The main aircraft data plate on the front port side of fuselage, between engine and cockpit and just above wing root, had been removed along with all other data plates! The rivet holes and shape outline showed it to clearly be an Arado manufacturers data plate with its distinctive triangular shaped design, and Arado certainly seems to fit the W Nr range. However, although I have seen and had other Arado manufacturers plates (eg Fw 190 and 189's) I have never seen an example of an Arado built 109 E main data plate. I have never heard of one being found in 1940 period wrecks, only the rectangular Erla type plates. Indeed, have never seen a photo of one on a 109 E - but then, have never really been looking!

Would just be interested to see if any data plate collector has a 109 E, Arado built, main data plate?

As for the tidemark line....I don't think it was just water. From the smell coming from some parts of the airframe when I looked at it I suspect it was raw sewage. Not exactly the way you would expect someone who evidently cherished an aeroplane like this to actually store it for a few decades, really.