German Air Force

From Italy to the Great Britain

Imperial War Museum

RAF’s mechanics look over the cockpit of Messerschmitt Me 410A-3, TF209, at No. 1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight at Collyweston, Northamptonshire. This aircraft was the Luftwaffe’s plane code F6-OK, Werk Number 10259 of the 2(F)./122 (Aufklärungsgruppe 122), at this time based at Perugia, Central Italy, which on 27 November 1943, engaged in a photo recce mission over the Naples area landed for unknown reasons at Montecorvino airfield, near Salerno, in Allied hands. The Me 410 was captured intact and the crew, Fw. Hans Beyer and Uffz. Helmut Hein was taken POW. The aircraft was transferred in England and arrived for testing at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, on 14 April 1944. The Me 410, with the British military registration TF209 and RAF’s marking, was also evaluated by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down. TF209 flew with the Fighter Interception Unit at Wittering from August 1944 until March 1946 when it was transferred to No. 6 Maintenance Unit at Brize Norton. Victor Sierra