Flying Fw 190A-5; Saga of a survivor

Flying Fw 190A-5; Saga of a survivor

In this video you see the Flying Heritage Collection’s (FHC) Fw 190A-5 Focke-Wulf, Based  in Everett, Washington. On July 19, 1943 the FHC FW 190 was being flown by Paul Ratz, flight leader, and his wingmen were on a “free hunt” mission over the “corridor of death”. The details Luftwaffe loss report indicated that the 2 pilots encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire from a train they targeted, and Paul Ratz  reported engine trouble and needed to make an emergency landing. The wingman reported seeing the plane for the last time just to the west of Volkhov.  The pilot was listed as missing in action, and in fact, spent some 6 or 7 years as a POW in Russia. The aircraft laid virtually untouched in a swampy forest for over 45 years. The pilot’s helmet was placed neatly on the pilot seat when it was discovered around 1989. It appeared that Paul Ratz piloted his powerless Fw 190 and made a perfect belly landing in the swampy area forested with very small saplings. The wings leading edge had showed evidence of having smashed the saplings that later grew back and concealed the aircraft. It was discovered that the aircraft was not downed by anti-aircraft fire; there was no damage from the enemy fire. The engine had, in fact, overheated and most likely seized up.

The Flying Heritage Collection  purchased the aircraft in 1999, and it was imported to the US in September of 2008. In April 2011, this plane became the 1st Fw 190 to take to the skies since shortly after WW II. For the complete story be sure to check out our sister publication Flight Journal’s WWII Aces, collector’s edition magazine.

Updated: December 7, 2012 — 12:21 AM

10 Comments

  1. This is an interesting story, but with a lot of spelling and grammatical errors – “wing man reported seen the plane” should be SEEING and wingman is ONE word according to http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wingman; ” aircraft laid virtually” should be LAY; numbers “6 or 7” should be SPELLED OUT six or seven; “most likely seized up” – UP is a preposition and you NEVER end a sentence with a preposition; ” purchase the aircraft” should be PURCHASED. It is also riddled with run-on sentences.

    This a horribly written piece and it makes anyone with a Senor High School knowledge of English cringe in pain. I think the “West Coast senior editor” needs to have an editor that can actually write edit his writing assignments for him. I find this a systemic problem with story contributors at MAN.

    Unless this publication is attempting to portray the followers of this hobby as high school drop outs, it’s time to either find writers that can actually write properly, or hire some real editors to proof-read and rewrite the articles.

    1. Keith, when you get a little older you may understand. These people are having fun enjoying life. You on the other hand, may never get it!!! Get a Job. Something civil service comes to mind. Life is to short to deal with people like you. Either be constructive, or keep it to your self.

  2. Oh please. Enjoy the video for the great aircraft that are in it and take the story good information it provided.

  3. s/b take the story for the good information it provided

  4. Hey Keith
    “Dropout” is one word.
    So there,have some of your own medicine!

  5. Get a life man….remember, Einstein failed high school math! Did you understand the write? We did. Higher education only
    cause’s you to think a little deeper is all ….some of us don’t need it. Some of the worlds greatest contributors never finished High School. And, by the way, Hemingway was notorious for run on sentences…

  6. Keith is on target. It sums up pretty well why MAN has become good for one thing – hamster cage liner. It is nothing like it once was.
    What a bunch of miserable curmudgeons the rest of you are. Part of the 47% no doubt.

  7. I like the intro article for what it provides. It is unfortunate that some people have made a choice to miss this and focus on something else. Kind of like a dog which becomes distracted by a squirrel. Who really cares if 6 and 7 are not spelled out.
    If you want correct spelling and grammar, become an educator. If you already are an educator, then you need to work harder at your job.

    Thanks John, for bringing this interesting story to the rest of us.

  8. Hello Keith,
    I notice you mention in your rant, a Senor High School… Is that a Spanish kind of thing ??? Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

    Kindest regards,
    Rob.

  9. Just for you I made the words small. You are an ass !

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