DESPERATE MEASURES – Volksjäger, the Luftwaffe’s last hope

The Leck-captured “People’s Fighter,” He-162A Wn. 120077 is seen here at Freeman Field, Indiana for technical evaluation in 1945. Originally given the Foreign Equipment number (FE)-489, it was later changed to T-2-489. It survived the massive scrapping of 1946 and is now in the Planes of Fame collection at Chino, California.

The fall of Germany came at an unexpected rate with thousands of troops and facilities falling to the Allies in a matter of days. We seldom see those local surrenders from any but the Allies’ view. The surrender of JG.1 and the capture of its jet-powered He 162s, however, are documented. The development of the Volksjäger (People's Fighter), the formation of an operational unit and its almost overnight capture and dissolution are presented here to...

PARDON THE INTERRUPTION

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