Where is the rudder on Werner Mölders' a/c shot down with Heinz Asmus on 25.10.40 over England?

[John Vasco]

Lashenden.

I gave a talk there some years ago, and I'm pretty sure that was among the articles from Asmus's shot down 109.

[Andy Saunders]

Originally Posted by John Vasco

Lashenden.

I gave a talk there some years ago, and I'm pretty sure that was among the articles from Asmus's shot down 109.

No. Absolutely not there, and never has been. And not in existence anywhere so far as I know.

Are you getting muddled with Heinz Ebeling's rudder at Hawkinge, perhaps?

[John Vasco]

Originally Posted by Andy Saunders

No. Absolutely not there, and never has been. And not in existence anywhere so far as I know.

Are you getting muddled with Heinz Ebeling's rudder at Hawkinge, perhaps?

No, Andy, not with Ebeling's. This is what is at Lashenden: "... A large section of fuselage from Me109 W/Nr 3737 the personnel aircraft of German “Ace” Werner Molders that blew up over Marden in 1940..." from their website. That is what I saw when I was there. I stand corrected regarding the rudder.

[bn785371]

What has become of the bucketseat of this aircraft,wich I saw hanging in Lashenden the early 80's?

[Andy Saunders]

I think that went back to its original owner.

In my piece for "Aviation News" almost 30 years ago I recall that I looked at what pieces were from which aeroplane - ie Topfer or Asmus.

As to the rudder, I take the point that it may have made a nice trophy but I am convinced that if it still survived today then we'd have known about it by now. The fact that it was seen by the IO (an RAF AI(g) officer) would suggest it was in the clutches of the authorities and probably wouldn't have ended up in private souvenir hunter's hands. It probably went the way of much else; on the scrapheap at 49 MU Faygate. The only other possibility is that it went to some RAF or Army unit as a trophy, but if it did then I really don't think it survives today.

I'd love to be proved wrong, though.

[Larry Hickey]

Andy et.al.

Alas, Andy, you're probably right, but I had to ask. Sometimes things come about in very unexpected ways, and by stimulating the issue, who knows what may eventually fall out?

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator