Some enlarged and 'tweaked' photos of He 162s

[AndyMa]

Originally Posted by Karoband

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1773

20. From this photo, taken on 9 May 1945, we see that the second He 162 in the line-up on the left side is a "20" but has none of the nose rings seen on other double-digit aircraft. In the background is a "Red 7" with a "fox-head" wappen on its starboard nose.
Wolfgang Wollenweber in Thunder over the Reich, p. 138, identifies the second aircraft as "White 20", W.Nr. 120095 and "Red 7" as W.Nr. 310012. However, Richard A. Franks, in his book, p. 18, while also identifies "White 20" as W.Nr. 120095, on p.22 gives "Red 7" as W.Nr. 310005.

I was under the impression that WNr.310012 was found at Kassel (yellow 6).

[Karoband]

Hi Andy,

Richard A. Franks, Airframe Album 13: The Heinkel He 162, (2018), p. 62 gives:

"W./Nr. 310012 - Flown 06/03/45, allocated to 3./JG 1 (Possibly 'Yellow 5'), found by British forces at Leck in May 1945, presumed scrapped there as not shipped to UK."

Moreover, both Wollenweber, p. 138 and Franks, p. 21, concur that "Yellow 6" was W.Nr. 120235.

May I ask, what is your source for W. Nr. 310012 being found at Kassel as "Yellow 6"?

best regards,

Jim

[AndyMa]

Jim,
Sorry, but I cannot locate a source.
Is it possible that it was actually taken to Kassel from Leck?
Andy

[Karoband]

Hi Andy,

Indeed, there was a second "Yellow 6" found in the line-up at Leck which undoubtedly went to Kassel. In a future post, I will explain why I think it was an A-2 and not from the 310xxx series.

W.Nr. 120235 "Yellow 6" went to England.

all the best,

Jim

[Matolion]

I have W.Nr.120235 as Red 6 and W.Nr.310005 as He 162A-1, Red 7

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by AndyMa

Jim,
Sorry, but I cannot locate a source.
Is it possible that it was actually taken to Kassel from Leck?
Andy

Which raises the question, why else it would be in Kassel? The city was fought over from 1 April and was in American hands by the 4th.

What I have is that on 30 March, Ltn.Hachtel advised the General der Jagdflieger that he 'can take over in a few days the ferrying of He 162 a/c (pl.) from Vienna-Schwechat to Lechfeld'. (ULTRA CX/MSS/T505/1)

ULTRA CX/MSS/R524(A),13:

From FAYHE ((AMC)) Bernburg, signed Ofw. Melzer to Main A/c Safety Service Station Munich, dated 6/4:
Request urgently information concerning the whereabouts of the 2 a/c type SPATZ ((C% 162)) W.Nr. 310006, pilot Ltn. Büttner; W.Nr. 312018, pilot Uffz. Dobrat, which took off on TEBDY ((1/4)) at 1307 hrs. from Bernburg for Unterschlauersbach and Lechfeld.
NOTE: No 162’s previously mentioned in connection with Bernburg or Unterschlauersbach.

On 8 April, with the Red Army closing in on Vienna, eight He 162s under Hachtel's command arrived in Lechfeld. Whilst there were other He 162s at Rechlin etc. for testing, it doesn't look like any were being moved from Heinkel-Schwechat until after the fighting for Kassel began, so the Germans wouldn't have flown them there unless someone defected.

[Karoband]

Hi Nick,

Thank you for that ULTRA message that confirms that the 310xxx werknummer series were built at Bernberg. The destinations and times are new to me.

Hi Matolion,

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1780

There were two He 162s with black noses in the line-ups at Leck. The one above was on the left-hand side. Seen in British markings, the werknummer is definitely 120235 and the numeral behind and below the canopy is definately not red.

However, while I have no photographic evidence that "Red 7" was W.Nr. 310005, next week I will present circumstantial evidence that agrees with your statement.

Best regards,

Jim

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1775

25. This cropping shows that the third aircraft in the left side line-up was "Red 7". Wolfgang Wollenweber, on p. 138, identifies "Red 7" as an A-1, W.Nr. 310012. Franks, on p. 22 of his book, identifies it as an A-1, W.Nr. 310005. Note the "Fox Head" wappen above the gun port with black surround. As far as I know there is no record of 310012 being in France.
The Heinkel werke at Bernberg, Austria, manufactured the A-1 310xxx werknummer series, which was different from the A-2s in having a pair of MK 108/30 cannon with shorter gun muzzles than the MG 131/20s. The factory camouflage pattern for the 310xxx series A-1s was distinct from that of the 120xxx A-2s in that the upper camo on the fuselage curves up to meet the wing roots and extends out to meet the nose tip. Also the werknummer is black on an RLM 76 tail fin at the top, rather than on the bottom as in the 120xxx series.
"Red 7" was shipped by train to France in February 1946.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1776

26. Franks, p. 23, captions this photo as, "The fuselage, during stripping for analysis, of W/Nr. 310005 at the SNCAC facility at Boulogne-Billancourt in March 1946." He ascribes the source of the photo to SNCAC. Note the lack of a protruding muzzle. Also, the tail, nose and engine modules are missing. Presumably the wing in the foreground belongs to "Red 7".


forum.12oclockhigh.net/album.php?albumid=73&pictureid=1777

27. This photo, presumably taken at the same place and time as the above, shows that even the plexiglas canopy had been taken apart. Franks says that "only the A-2s were made airworthy [in France], so the fate of this one remains unknown", p. 22. The A-1s sent to France were likely used for parts.


forum.12oclockhigh.net/album.php?albumid=73&pictureid=1778

28. This photo shows the tail module of W.Nr. 310005 (most likely "Red 7") attached to the fuselage of W.Nr. 120223 to create airworthy French He 162 "No. 1". This means that the tail module of W.Nr. 120223 must have been available for another machine being made serviceable.

[gilles collaveri]

Our association "aerocherche" found recently the remains of Wnr 120223 that crashed in a forest, near Mont de Marsan on 23 July 1948, killing its pilot, Georges Schlienger. It had a French livery with roundels and was painted with number "1".

Small parts but plenty of signification.

I will soon publish the article about this discovery on our website and will let you know when it is available (articles were published on paper in France and Germany respectively in "le fana" and "Flugzeug Classic").

Best rgds
Gilles Collaveri

[Karoband]

Thank you, Gilles. I look forward to it.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1799

29. The fourth He 162 in the left-side line-up appears to be an uncamouflaged airframe with a dark coloured nose module. Wollenweber, p. 138, identifies it as "He 162 A-2 W.Nr. 120235 'Black Nose' 'Yellow 6'", and Franks concurs on p. 21 of his book.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1780

30. As we have seen, this photo showing W.Nr. 120235 with its black nose purports to have a "Yellow 6"behind and below the canopy while in British markings.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1800

31. Franks, on p. 21, identifies this He 162 as "Yellow 6". Butler, in his War Prizes, p. 113, says it was probably given Air Ministry number "68". Sent by road transport and boat to RAE Farnborough on 10 August 1945, it was saved for display by various museums and in 2018 was at IWM Duxford as "Yellow 6" in imagined camouflage.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1801

32. Wollenweber, p. 138, identifies the fifth aircraft, that behind the black-nosed "Yellow 6", as W.Nr. 120097 "White 4" adding "to England AM64".


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1802

33. Franks,however on p.21, identifies W.Nr 120097 also as "Air Ministry number 64", but as "White 3 (not confirmed)", shipped to RAE Farnborough by surface transport 31 July 1945. "Statically displayed in the A Shed during the German Aircraft Exhibition 4th to 9th November 1945." This photo of the starboard side taken in the A Shed shows that the British have overpainted the German national markings and the "White 3". Note the RLM 76 tail fins.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1803

34. In this view of the port side of W.Nr. 120097, also seen in the A Shed, the Air Ministry number "64" can be made out but the "White 3" is hardly visible.
Franks presumes that W.Nr 120097 was scrapped at Farnborough, having last been seen in its 'scrap compound' on 15 December 1946.