Werk Nr 0385

Werk Nr 0385
Werk Nr 0385 at Freeman Field. (Photo by Earl L. Ware, Base Photographer Freeman Field, 1945-6)
Overview
Type	Henschel Hs 129
Version	B
[Source]

History

Starting on the production line as Hs 129B-1 Werk Nr 0388, the aircraft was removed from production due to a welding problem, before modification to B-2 standard and allocation of Werk Nr 0385. Completed in in October 1942, 0385 was assigned to 8.(Pz)/Schl.G.2, flying there as Blue 8, but was subsequently found abandoned, with the wings removed, at Toubakeur (Tabarka?), Tunisia on 7 April 1943, and recoded EB-105.

After evaluation 0385, now marked as FE-4600, was allotted for storage at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona (USA) but had to be force-landed at Gallatin, Tennessee, on 24 July 1946 while being ferried to Davis-Monthan. The aircraft ran out of fuel due to suspected tank leakage and was slightly damaged during the subsequent forced landing. It was taken to No. 803 Special Depot (Orchard Place) on 5 August 1946. When the storage depot was required for other purposed during the Korean War, FE-4600 was put up for disposal as scrap. Only the nose section was saved from a scrap yard, and bought by Earl Reinhart in June 1951, where it remained in storage at his home in Mundelein, Illinois, until 1966, when it went on display at the Victory Air Museum, Mundelein, Illinois, which was formed by Earl Reinert and Paul Polidori. It remained on display until the Museum was dispersed following the death of Paul Polidori in a flying accident in 1985.

As it was at the Victory Air Museum

As it is now, photo by Dave McDonald

Together with Martin J. Mednis

In May 1986 the cockpit was purchased by Martin J. Mednis of Sidney and taken to Australia. It is now being restored for display in his 'Der Adler Luftwaffe Museum'.