What happened to the Axis planes after WW2? - Aircraft of World War II

Watanbe · 06-15-2009, 08:20 AM

This has always puzzled me. What happened to the surviving German and Japanese planes after WW2? Were they simply scrapped in their native countries or were they flow back to America/Britain/Russia etc. Obviously some would of had flight tests conducted, designs studied (particularly jets) etc, but what happened to the vast majority.

I remember seeing at one stage a picture of a load of US fighters that were made redundant by the close of WW2. Was their a similar place were German or Japanese planes were placed in storage? Its a real shame these planes have been lost, as they are now amongst the rarest of warbirds.

Stitch · 06-15-2009, 12:30 PM

I assume that the "extra" Axis a/c were scrapped, particvularly as they weren't many raw materials left in many of the Axis contries after the War since they were all geared up for the armaments industry. I know that's how Ferruccio Lamborghini got a lot of materiel after the War in Italy; he went around the country collecting wrecked and abandoned war equipment, and recycled them for his tractor factory, Lamborghini Trattori.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 06-15-2009, 01:06 PM

The majority were scrapped and destroyed. Man examples were captures and flight tested. Many of those that were flight tested were eventually scrapped. Some were put in museums when they were no longer needed.

GrauGeist · 06-15-2009, 07:45 PM

There's a bunch of photos I have seen in the past that shows the Luftwaffe aircraft shoved into scrap piles by bulldozers...it's heart-breaking to a certain degree, not because of what they could do, but because of what they're worth today...

Soren · 06-15-2009, 07:52 PM

Since the Germans had made some aircraft which were a good deal ahead of anything that the Allies possesed, these German a/c were put on aircraft carriers and shipped to the US and thuroughly examined and flight tested. The British simply flew them over as they weren't such a long way off

GrauGeist · 06-15-2009, 08:07 PM

Dang, there's 262s, some 190s...a Do335 in the back....a beautiful sight!

Just imagine if someone had run around and stashed a bunch of those away in the days following the close of the war, and they were pulled out today...

vikingBerserker · 06-15-2009, 08:23 PM

God I would be in heaven.......

Soren · 06-15-2009, 09:19 PM

One of the 190's is a Dora-13, capable of 770 km/h. Notice the enlarged supercharger intake on the right side.

There's a regular Dora-9 at very bac of the pack, to the left.

vikingBerserker · 06-15-2009, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrauGeist

There's a bunch of photos I have seen in the past that shows the Luftwaffe aircraft shoved into scrap piles by bulldozers...it's heart-breaking to a certain degree, not because of what they could do, but because of what they're worth today...

That just would have made me sick!!!

GrauGeist · 06-15-2009, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vikingBerserker

That just would have made me sick!!!

Then best look away...

Be advised that these photos are graphic, and may cause some folks to be ill...

Thorlifter · 06-15-2009, 11:15 PM

That was not nice GG, but at least your post came with a disclaimer.

Watanbe · 06-15-2009, 11:17 PM

Very interesting...these were the kind of photos I was expecting. Did the scrap metals go to the Allies or the Axis countries?

On that aircraft carrier photo. I can't believe they would wreck all those ultra rare aircraft. I find it hard to believe that nobody had an eye for history, or even future potential profits. I suppose at the time anything Nazi was detested and despised!

What a shame!

gumbyk · 06-15-2009, 11:27 PM

Stitch · 06-16-2009, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Watanbe

Very interesting...these were the kind of photos I was expecting. Did the scrap metals go to the Allies or the Axis countries?

On that aircraft carrier photo. I can't believe they would wreck all those ultra rare aircraft. I find it hard to believe that nobody had an eye for history, or even future potential profits. I suppose at the time anything Nazi was detested and despised!

What a shame!

Actually, most of those planes did end up going to a good home; that was the HMS Reaper, and she had a good proportion of the aircraft that Watson's Whizzers had managed to round up at the end of the War (incluiding several flying examples of the Me 262). For instance, the Do 335 you see on the back of the ship eventually ended up (after a convoluted history) at the Smithsonian Air & Space museum. In the '70's, it was temporarily returned to Dornier GmbH, who totally restored the aircraft, then returned to the US and put on permanent display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the SA&SM in Washington DC, where it can be seen today.

Watanbe · 06-16-2009, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stitch

Actually, most of those planes did end up going to a good home; that was the HMS Reaper, and she had a good proportion of the aircraft that Watson's Whizzers had managed to round up at the end of the War (incluiding several flying examples of the Me 262). For instance, the Do 335 you see on the back of the ship eventually ended up (after a convoluted history) at the Smithsonian Air & Space museum. In the '70's, it was temporarily returned to Dornier GmbH, who totally restored the aircraft, then returned to the US and put on permanent display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the SA&SM in Washington DC, where it can be seen today.

Actually how fascinating, I think I have seen that plane in person.

06-15-2009, 08:20 AM	#1
Watanbe Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Adelaide Posts: 522	What happened to the Axis planes after WW2? This has always puzzled me. What happened to the surviving German and Japanese planes after WW2? Were they simply scrapped in their native countries or were they flow back to America/Britain/Russia etc. Obviously some would of had flight tests conducted, designs studied (particularly jets) etc, but what happened to the vast majority. I remember seeing at one stage a picture of a load of US fighters that were made redundant by the close of WW2. Was their a similar place were German or Japanese planes were placed in storage? Its a real shame these planes have been lost, as they are now amongst the rarest of warbirds. __________________

06-15-2009, 01:06 PM	#3
DerAdlerIstGelandet Der Crewchief Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany Posts: 34,063	The majority were scrapped and destroyed. Man examples were captures and flight tested. Many of those that were flight tested were eventually scrapped. Some were put in museums when they were no longer needed. __________________ fly boy:"isnt that the first jet bomber becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles"

06-15-2009, 07:45 PM	#4
GrauGeist Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Redding, California Posts: 3,981	There's a bunch of photos I have seen in the past that shows the Luftwaffe aircraft shoved into scrap piles by bulldozers...it's heart-breaking to a certain degree, not because of what they could do, but because of what they're worth today... __________________ "Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future." - Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome > I Support Doug Gillis <

06-15-2009, 08:07 PM	#6
GrauGeist Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Redding, California Posts: 3,981	Dang, there's 262s, some 190s...a Do335 in the back....a beautiful sight! Just imagine if someone had run around and stashed a bunch of those away in the days following the close of the war, and they were pulled out today... __________________ "Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future." - Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome > I Support Doug Gillis <

06-15-2009, 08:23 PM	#7
vikingBerserker Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 6,174	God I would be in heaven....... __________________ Take arrows in your forehead, but never in your back. - Samurai maxim

06-15-2009, 12:30 PM	#2
Stitch Banned Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 80	I assume that the "extra" Axis a/c were scrapped, particvularly as they weren't many raw materials left in many of the Axis contries after the War since they were all geared up for the armaments industry. I know that's how Ferruccio Lamborghini got a lot of materiel after the War in Italy; he went around the country collecting wrecked and abandoned war equipment, and recycled them for his tractor factory, Lamborghini Trattori.

06-15-2009, 07:52 PM	#5
Soren Banned Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 6,625	Since the Germans had made some aircraft which were a good deal ahead of anything that the Allies possesed, these German a/c were put on aircraft carriers and shipped to the US and thuroughly examined and flight tested. The British simply flew them over as they weren't such a long way off

06-15-2009, 09:19 PM	#8
Soren Banned Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 6,625	One of the 190's is a Dora-13, capable of 770 km/h. Notice the enlarged supercharger intake on the right side. There's a regular Dora-9 at very bac of the pack, to the left.

06-15-2009, 11:15 PM	#11
Thorlifter Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Dallas, Tx Posts: 4,723	That was not nice GG, but at least your post came with a disclaimer. __________________

06-15-2009, 11:17 PM	#12
Watanbe Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Adelaide Posts: 522	Very interesting...these were the kind of photos I was expecting. Did the scrap metals go to the Allies or the Axis countries? On that aircraft carrier photo. I can't believe they would wreck all those ultra rare aircraft. I find it hard to believe that nobody had an eye for history, or even future potential profits. I suppose at the time anything Nazi was detested and despised! What a shame! __________________

06-15-2009, 11:27 PM	#13
gumbyk Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Auckland Posts: 251

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