The
National Air & Space
Museum has perhaps the finest example of a fully-restored Me262. An
A-1a/R1 model --
or R4M rocket equipped -- fighter variant, it carries an original German production werknummer of 500491. Operationally, the plane was known to have seen combat
against the Russians with IV/JG 7. It was surrendered at Lechfeld just prior to VE
Day .
Karl Baur test flew this aircraft for some 20 minutes on
the 12th of May; well before the arrival of Watson's team. Staff Sergeant Eugene
Freiburger of the 54th Air Disarmament Squadron named the plane Dennis, after his
son. These markings remained on the jet until it arrived in Melun, France, where Lieutenant Ken Holt re-christened it Ginny H.
Of all of the Me 262s at Lechfeld, this aircraft has the
most definitively known operational history of Luftwaffe service. As stated
on the Planes page, this machine also carried impressive victory
markings when captured. Given that it was received in a flyable state, this
plane was not subjected to major rebuilds or component replacements during the operation
overseas.
Following the flight out of Germany to Melun, France, the
Whizzers assigned Ginny H an administrative control number of 888. It was
among the aircraft selected to participate in an aerial demonstration flight for General
Carl Spaatz, and was later flown to port in Cherbourg in early July. Once lashed to
the deck of the H.M.S. Reaper, the plane was listed as number 29 on the shipping
inventory.
888 arrived at Wright Field in August 1945, and was
subsequently moved to Freeman Field, Indiana, where it remained until May 1946.
While at Freeman, it was again given a new identity, FE-111, and later T-2-111.
Additionally, a major modification took place at this time.
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