...in India - and it may be a Battle of Britain veteran !

This month's aviation press is full of reports about this 'mystery' Bf109E-1 , discovered dumped in a yard 'somewhere in India'.
Photos have appeared in 'Aeroplane' magazine and it's nearly all there - fuselage, wings and DB601 engine. The tight-lipped warbird grapevine is silent as to actual location and where it will be going......

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Excellent! Little treasures still happen to be found! Well, a big one in this case...

Thanks for this news, Martin. Please keep us posted!

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Man what a find! That is awesome. When I was in Germany, I use to walk around in the paths through the forests and dream about running into some hidden bunker full of gold or such. Aaah to have been the one to find such a prize as that plane.

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American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

Apparently the full provenance of the '109 has yet to be researched.

But it is known that a complete, captured aircraft was shipped to India in early 1941 for display in Hyderabad as recognition of the Nizam of Hyderabad's financial support given to 152 and 253 Squadrons during the Battle of Britain. It was flown but damaged in a belly-landing, and then vanished - until now.

The photos do look interesting.....

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

That is quite good news martin !

Geez, I wish I had a scanner. Some freidns in Germany have found an Fw 190A-8/R-2 downed in July of 44 in the deep forests of Germany. In this case on private property with the findings of one a/c of IV.Sturm/JG 3. I'll place more on my web-site when it returns to the cyber-hype of life next year. Also another a/c similiar and of II.Sturm/JG 4 found between Liege and Aachen.......more on this later.

E

Wow, I can't believe it. How did it end up in India.

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Thats great news martin. Sadl;y though, I BET that it will end up in some rich collectors hands--and not restored and placed on display for all to see.

Now think of the fighting in North Africa. Just think of all the tanks, aircraft and artillery that had been abandoned for some reason or another, that is lying buried under a sand dune somewhere--that stuff will be perfectly preserved in the dry desert air--and sands.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Actually Carl, much of the Luftwaffe left overs were smashed into a heap and melted down ; I can imagine !, being retrofitted into Spitfires and Hurricanes......oh what a thought .... Ha ! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

E

Urrrrggggggg, thats painful to hear but did you know this: Many many captured German Helmets were also made into pots and pans for cooking. Recently on ebanned (ebay) there was a pan up for auction that had formerly been a Fallschirmjagers helmet. I dont know what it finally sold for, but it was much much more than what I would pay for something that once was and no longer is. I think it went for almost $2,000.00 which is stupid ad you can get them for around that price--original Fallschirm helmets that is.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Actually, Carl, I think the scrap metal dealers did a pretty thorough job in North Africa. Although, true, there was the B24 'Lady Be Good' - and the LRDG Chevy truck now at the IWM, London.....

A bit O/T, I know, but have you noticed how some people go absolutely nuts bidding on ebay ?

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

I agree with you somewhat--but no telling what is still out there? I cant imagine much but---no telling Also, they do have the technology to "look" inside sand dunes with radar. I guess if one wanted to look for relics--I suppose they could rather easily with this technology.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

All I can say is: Great news!!!

Yes, Carl, I have heard that about the helmets too... Mmmmm... soup which tastes like Fallschirmjäger... [img]tongue.gif[/img]

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

Carl: there was also a Luftschuts helmet on ebay that had been turned into a flower pot. They took a chisel and knocked 4 or 5 slits into it. The lady sold it for 50 bucks.

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The soldier above all others prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war. General Douglas Macarthur

Why won't anyone go searching near Wewelsburg Castle for all those hidden Totenkopf rings that Himmler had hidden up there in '44?

And Stevin, why Is your avatar a girl???

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"Everybody thinks that they are going to get the chance to punch some Nazi in the face at Normandy-and those days are over, they are long gone"-Lt Chris Burnett

Panzer,

A) Because I can
B) Because she's a looker
C) Because she looks the most like my own babe
D) Because I don't have an avatar of Christa yet
E) Because I didn't put much thought in it anyway

Don't worry, I might turn soft for now, it'll all change.......Will pick another one in due time...

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Friedrich---Ewwww......

Steve--a flowerpot Luftschutze eh? but for $50.00---the winning bidder isnt the brightest bulb on the porch--you can get good ones with decals for around $100.00.

I have a double decal Luftschutze with Kriegsmarine Eagle on it.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

I like the idea of searching for the totenkopf rings. The Wewelsburg is only 350 km's from my home. Mmmmm..... [img]smile.gif[/img]

Thats only about 200 miles or a 5 hr drive--like from Kingsville to Houston, Texas.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Volkbert! Wait! Let me get my Indiana Jones outfit and I'll join you!

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"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

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Can I join you?

You need the nerd, awkward, intelectual who always gets killed in expeditions...

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

Wait for me and I will try not to get killed.

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The soldier above all others prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war. General Douglas Macarthur

( Friedrich's post : I can agree with the other two bits, but.. intellectual ?....... )

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson