There is only one surviving Heinkel 219 Uhu
Or at least that was true untill 2012
back then a wreck off the coast of Denmark was raised
It was brought to the Garrison Museum in Aalborg, where some attempt was initiated to salvage the parts. Sadly the focus was on iron, and to avoid that rusting further the parts was kept "dry". Rather quickly the parts on display on the museum started to show corrosion in progress on aluminium parts.
How far this went or if any further attempts to "wash out" the salt was ever made I do not know, because soon after the entire lot was sold to Germany. Where it all ended up I do not know, but hopefully it will be at least kept safe, or even used to re-make an entire plane - I do not know, but would love to hear further news on this machine.
I do not think a W.Nr was ever found.
Erik,
Including this one, there are two surviving He-219's, the other is housed at the Udvar-Hazy annex of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, located at the Dulles airport near Washington, DC. This one is W/N 209202...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel_He_219
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Yes Jamie, but if you read closer I stated thet "That was true untill 2012". The headline was prompted by UH stating (and many magazines also joining in) that the one in USA was the only one in existance. But thanks anyway.
This definitely looks like a museum worth to visit.
Will put it on my wish list.
On my list too John
Those are some wonderful pics, my friend @airbum!
As i am currently building an Uhu, it is really something to see the real parts.
Thanks for sharing!
Spiros, I think yours will look a lot nicer 🙂
Erik, @airbum
These are some incredible photos ! Perfect timing too, as you know Spiros and I are currently building one of these planes. Thank you for sharing these with us. 🙂
I was really lucky to get this opportunity to take the pictures. I had been in talks to join the restoration of it, but it was sold on before I got my hands in.
Great pics of the 219. Erick I'm glad you decided to share them with everyone. These you shared with me when I was building the Tam kit last year were quite motivating. The state these parts are quite shocking in the amount of deterioration they are in. I just hope whom ever has them are keeping them preserved for a future restoration or for God willing another airframe is found.
Chuck, I were happy to share them back then, and with the renewed interest for the type I thought they might do some use here too. I have a book somewhere that contains the story on all the airframes and their fates, but sadly the book has been takes by an elf or something - at least it refuses to resurface right now.
Anyway, in that book there is no mention of a ditching off the coast of Denmark, so the identity is still a mystery - to me at least.
But with that in mind, who knows - somewhere another may be waiting for the right moment in time.
Great article Eric on My second most favourite German fighter!.
Sadly salt water and aluminium don’t go well together.
German float planes and flying boats had Many kilos of magnesium components in them. this practice ended shortly after hostilities started , It being a strategic metal and not available anymore Besides Existing stock piles. I think it was mostly for weight saving purposes but it did help in slowing the Anode/Cathode process down substantially. This evidenced by well preserved wrecks found in even very salty environments like the Mediterranean Sea.
Perhaps in the future explorers like Mr. Cameron or Mr. Ballard Will scour the deeps where hundreds lie and may be better preserved!
There is a great video on the Smithsonian air and space channel on the preservation of their UHU. Great coverage on it and the marlinspike technology that they used for moving the control surfaces.
Thanks for sharing’
Thank you Bernard. I think the wheels were magnesium? - they seem to have dissapeared, but I am not entirely sure. Anyway, the deeper the better - with the low content of oxygen they stand a better chance in the long term.
Erik. Thanks for sharing. Looks like a lot of work to get that one back together.
I believe the one in DC is now assembled. I hope to get down there again in the near future.
I have the Tamiya kit on my short list to build.
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Gary, you are welcome. One thing I would like to see was a build of the version used for ejectionseat test. There are some pctures around of that one, and it looks great with the red/white stripe and the missing hood over the rear cockpit. Anyone up for it?