German fighter plane lost in Russian woods takes flight again
What could a descendant of a German aviator, a mysterious forest in Russia, and an associate of Bill Gates have in common? Although at first glance it is difficult to see the connections, together these elements form a fascinating story about an extraordinary discovery from World War II.
In the forest wilderness near St. Petersburg, in 1989, something extraordinary was discovered: an abandoned German Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter plane. According to other sources, the discovery was made in the fall of 1990 by a local hunter. Analyses indicated that the aircraft was built in 1943 in Bremen. The question remains, why was the plane found in this location, and how did it remain unnoticed for so many years?
The history of the German machine
At the controls of the plane was Paul Rätz, a German pilot with several air victories and three incidents with serious consequences to his credit. This particular plane was maneuvering over enemy positions when it was shot down.
Rätz was flying on July 19, 1943, from an airbase in Siversky towards the then-besieged Leningrad. The mission of the German pilots was to eliminate supply deliveries that the Soviets were making through the so-called "death corridor."
Rätz's task was to intercept an armored train, but instead of firing at the target, his plane suffered engine overheating. This forced the pilot to make an emergency landing among the trees.
After abandoning the aircraft, Rätz headed west, hoping in vain to return to his own lines. He was captured and remained a prisoner of war until 1949. He died four decades later, never having seen his wreck revisited.
The plane was extracted from the forest via a helicopter operation in 1991, and its restoration was carried out by the British and Americans. Paul Rätz's son also participated in the work on-site. During the restoration, a clog in the fuel installation and a piece of material hidden in the fresh engine were identified - evidence of potential sabotage.
Purchase of the found plane
A collector from the United Kingdom, Doug Arnold, was the first to receive the aircraft, and later, Paul Allen, philanthropist and co-founder (with Bill Gates) of Microsoft Corporation, took an interest in it. In 1999, Allen's company, Flying Heritage Collection, acquired this plane.
Despite the unknown value of the transaction, it is known that in July 2008, the plane was transported to Arizona for the completion of its restoration. For the first time since the war, the aircraft took to the skies on December 2, 2010, continuing its participation in air shows as the only operational Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter model.
