Heinkel He 162 Spatz (Sparrow), National Air and Space Museum. Werknummer 120230 was one of the thirty-one JG 1 Oesau aircraft manufactured by Heinkel at Rostock-Marienehe and captured by the British at Leck on 8 May 1945. It was painted with the number "White 23" and its red-white-black nose bands were in reverse order from the usual paint scheme, which may indicate that 130 victory ace, Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern (Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords) holder, 1000 missions veteran, Geschwaderkommodore Oberst Herbert Ihlefeld, flew this particular aircraft. After transfer to Britain, the USAAF accepted the airplane and shipped it to Wright Field, Ohio, for evaluation. It received the foreign equipment number FE-504 (later T2-504), and was later moved to Freeman Field, Indiana. For unknown reasons, mechanics replaced the tail unit at Wright Field with the tail unit of WNr 120222 aircraft. Although another He 162, T2-489, was tested at Muroc Field, California (later Edwards Air Force Base), FE/T2-504 was apparently never flown. Its flying days ended permanently when someone at Freeman Field neatly sawed through the outer wing panels sometime before September 1946. The wings were reattached with door hinges and the jet was shipped to air shows and military displays around the country. The USAF transferred the aircraft to the Smithsonian Institution in 1949 but it remained in stored at Park Ridge, Illinois, until transfer to the Garber Facility in January 1955
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