This aircraft, now owned by Friedkin Family Warbirds, will be on display at Planes of Fame Air Museum until its expected restoration begins in 2011/12.
This aircraft was built in 1939 and known to have flown in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. In early 1942 it was delivered to the Eastern Front by Arthur Mendl whereupon it was flown by the highly decorated German Pilot Wulf-Dietrich Widowitz (36 victories). On April 4th of 1942 Widowitz was shot down by a Soviet lend-lease (rather, in reality “lend-keep”) Hurricane whilst on an escort mission. Hits to his engine were observed followed by a forced, near perfect, wheels-up landing on the ice of a frozen lake. The aircraft then sank through the ice and came to rest on the lakebed where it remained untouched until the recovery in 2003. Widowitz died more than a year later during another crash landing.
Personal observations at Chino, California: The base layer of paint on this aircraft is desert-sand brown, even though this aircraft apparently never served in North Africa. There are a number of small-caliber projectile holes in the wings (I presume .30 cal.), some of which entered the wings from above and behind at a very low angle. At least one .30-cal. hole fired from directly below is in the right horizontal stabilizer (shown in the accompanying photos), suggesting that this aircraft also took small-arms fire from the ground. There is what appears to be a very large cannon-projectile hole in the right wing root, fired from above and behind. This may have been the coup-de-gras that took this airplane down. April, 4, 1942 was definitely not a real good day for pilot Wulf-Dietrich:).
Enjoy the photos below!
Best,
– octane130 –
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July 19, 2010 at 1:17 am