#horst prenzel

[deutschland-im-krieg]

Captured Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6/U2 "White 16", W.Nr. 412951, Pilot Leutnant Horst Prenzel, Staffelkäpitan (Squadron leader) of 3./JG 301, 21.7.1944, RAF Manston. While flying a Wild Saue night fighting mission over England, Prenzel and another pilot landed by mistake thinking they were over Germany. Prenzel was uninjured and made a POW. The aircraft was damaged during testing and was scrapped. For more, see my Facebook group - Eagles Of The Reich

[usafphantom2]

Early hours of 21st July, 1944. Two Messerschmitt Bf 109G fighters of JG 301, on a ‘Wilde Sau’ mission against RAF bombers over northern France, became hopelessly lost. Low on fuel, they put down at the first airfield they found - which happened to be the runway at RAF Manston in Kent.

One of the Bf 109s belly landed and was badly damaged but the other, flown by Lt Horst Prenzel, made a perfect landing. The fighter was soon given RAF markings and flown against Allied fighters for evaluation. On 23rd November, one undercarriage leg collapsed on takeoff at Wittering, causing the aircraft to crash. The pilot, Flt/Lt Ken Thorne, was unhurt but the 109 was, he admitted, “rather badly bent”. As the RAF had other flyable examples, the fighter was scrapped.

Pictured:

1) Prenzel’s Bf 109 ‘under new ownership’ shortly after landing at Manston.

📷 manstonhistory.org.uk

2) Flt/Lt Thorne posing with the same aircraft after it crashed in November. Note that some of the original markings and the underwing cannon pods were retained during the RAF testing, but the drop tank was removed.

📷 manstonhistory.org.uk

@JamieMctrusty via X