Fieseler Fi-103 “V-1” Courtesy of Randy Malmstrom Fieseler Fi-103 “V-1.” Vergeltungswaffe (German for vengeance/retaliatory/reprisal weapon – a nickname assigned by Hitler – or “Kirschkern” (Cherrystone) or Maikäfer (Maybug). Developed at Peenemünde on the Baltic coast beginning in 1936 (a precursor to today’s cruise missiles) it was aimed primarily against England and Belgium. The first deployments…
Fieseler Fi-103R-IV Reichenberg Courtesy of Randy Malmstrom Fieseler Fi-103R-IV Reichenberg. This particular aircraft is one of six existing Fi-103R-IV aircraft, and was found in an underground facility that had been covered over by the advancing Soviet army at the end of World War II. It was restored by Bavarian restorer Alexander Kuncze in Geisenhausen (near…
Douglas C-47 Skytrain/DC-3C Courtesy of Randy Malmstrom Douglas C-47 Skytrain/ DC-3C. Douglas s/n 20806/Line Number 4193, N877MG. This particular aircraft was delivered July 31, 1944 and was ferried by Capt. Peter J. Goutiere in August of that year from the Douglas factory in Long Beach, California as Pan American Air Ferries “Ship 100” to Miami,…
Curtiss P-40K Warhawk Courtesy of Randy Malmstrom Curtiss P-40K Warhawk, s/n 42-9749. This particular aircraft was assigned to the Eleventh Air Force as part of the defence of the Aleutian Islands during World War II. In 1944 it suffered engine failure and crashed near Fort Morrow Army Airfield. It was recovered by helicopter from a…
Messerschmitt Me-163 B-1 Komet Courtesy of Randy Malmstrom Messerschmitt Me-163 B-1 Komet, Wk. Nr. 191660, and Scheuch-Schlepper. This particular aircraft was built by Junkers Aircraft (production of the Me-163 had been largely taken on by Junkers which had fewer production obligations at the time). Its first flight occurred on December 18, 1944 when it was…
Courtesy of Randy Malmstrom Mittelwerk GmbH Aggregat 4 (A-4) Vergeltungswaffe 2. This particular V-2 was restored from interior components recovered during the 1990’s from the Mittelbau-GmbH facility which used slave laborers from the Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp. However, the sign also on display is believed to be from Test Stand 7 at Peenemünde, the launch pad…
By Randy Malmstrom Grumman F7F-3P Tigercat “Bad Kitty” Bu. No. 80483, Constr. No. C.225. This particular aircraft was delivered to the U.S. Navy on July 24, 1945 and was assigned to NAS San Diego. After 46 hours of non-combat flying time it was relegated to the boneyard at Naval Air Station Litchfield in Arizona, but…
