Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1863

89. Wollenweber, p. 138, identifies the sixteenth and numberless He 162 next to "White 2" as W.Nr. 120086. Franks, p. 20 says it had been allocated to II./JG 1 before being captured at Leck. This photo shows the camo pattern of a later 120xxx model with a simple black balkenkreuz and hakenkreuz, without a number on the port side nor a red arrow. If you look closely, there is gunpowder residue in front of the gun port but the tape covering the nose joint has been removed and the upper camo repainted.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1869

90. Photographed at Leck in the field across from "White 3" in the background, this view confirms that W.Nr. 120086 did not have either a numeral code nor a red arrow.
"Allocated Air Ministry number '62'; To RAE Farnborough via surface transport 22nd August 1945, then onwards to No. 6 MU, RAF Brize Norton for storage the same day," Franks, p. 20. In being allocated "AM 62" at Leck, the German markings would have been painted out with appropriate RLM paints and RAF roundels and fin flashes would have been added there.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1870

91. Taken out of storage, W.Nr. 120086 was repainted, given bogus German markings, to be displayed in Hyde Park, London, from 17 September 1945. The ground crew did a good job painting out the roundel, but in covering the fin flashes, they couldn't quite match the RLM 76, overspraying also the top of the werknummer. Note the tilt to the spurious balkenkreuz and the tarps on the ground. The wheel chocks identify the unit of the ground crew.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1871

92. This view of the starboard side at Hyde Park hardly shows the white surround added to the hakenkreuz. However, please note that a red arrow has been added to the nose and extends almost to the tip. The gunpowder residue divided by the removed tape is visible and the crew is just removing the tarp. Also note the white tip common to the muzzle ends of MG 131/20 cannon found on He 162s and Me 163s.
"Home Census of Aircraft on 21 March 1946 shows it back in storage with No.6 MU, Brize Norton; Moved to No.47 MU, RAF Sealand [near Liverpool] on 29th May 1946 for crating for shipment to Canada; Departed Salford Docks on SS Manchester Commerce on the 26th August 1946; Arrived at Montreal on the 9th September 1946...", Franks, p. 20. To be continued next week.