Luftwaffe aircraft with US Navy Bureau numbers!

[evangilder]

While looking some things up for a project I am working on, I came across a page of US Navy Bureau Numbers (BuNo) and stumbled on some interesting stuff:

121441 Messerschmitt Me 262B-1A
Captured Luftwaffe aircraft c/n 110639. Now on display at NAS Willow
Grove, PA
121442 Messerschmitt Me 262A-1a/U3
Captured Luftwaffe aircraft. Now on display at USAF Museum, WPAFB, OH.
121443 Messerschmitt Me 262A-1a/U3
Captured Luftwaffe aircraft. W/o at NAS Patuxent River, MD Nov 7, 1945
during its first test flight.
121444 Messerschmitt Me 262A-1a
Captured Luftwaffe aircraft. to A&T Division, Flight Test Division, NAS
Patuxent River, MD. Dec 1945. Transferred to Naval Proving Ground,
Dahlgren Junction Oct 11, 1946. Displayed at NAS Anacostia, then scrapped.
121445/121446 Arado AR-234B
Captured Luftwaffe aircraft
121445 to Flight Test Division at NAS Patuxent River, MD but not flown due to
lack of spares. SOC Jan 31, 1946 and scrapped.
121446 to Flight Test Division at NAS Patuxent River, MD but not flown due to
lack of spares. SOC Jan 31, 1946 and scrapped.
121447 Dornier DO-335A-02
Captured Luftwaffe aircraft (c/n 240102 VG+PH). To Tactical Test Division at
NAS Patuxent River, MD from Dec 1945 to Mar 31, 1947, then stored at
NAS Norfolk until 1961. To Smithsonian, sent Oct 10, 1974 to makers for
refurbishment and then displayed in Deutsches Museum, Munich. Since
returned to Smithsonian.
121448 Messerschmitt ME-262B-1a
Captured Luftwaffe aircraft (c/n 110639). To Armament Test Devision at NAS
Patuxent River, MD Dec 1945. To NART Willow Grove Dec 1946. Still
there.

Looking through the rest of this list was interesting as there are some one of a kind prototypes during that time frame that I hadn't heard of before. Neat stuff.

US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos--Third Series (120342 to 126256)

[vikingBerserker]

Fascinating post.

It's gut wrenching to see the ones just scrapped.

[ccheese]

Originally Posted by vikingBerserker

It's gut wrenching to see the ones just scrapped.

Yes it is..... it's a shame someone didn't have the foresight to save these aircraft for posterity...

Good post, Eric.....

Charles

[GrauGeist]

What a cool find, Eric!

I have to agree about the rare birds sent to the scrap heap. Sad to see any pioneering aircraft junked, regardless of it's origins.

[wheelsup_cavu]

Great find Eric.


Wheels