This Bf109 force-landed behind British lines. At the time, British forces were focused on the northern end of Normandy frontline in the vicinity of Caen. Pilot was Unteroffizier Jakob Vogel. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

In Jan. 1945 Wiener-Neustadt was one of 39 sites producing Bf-109s and was bombed 28 times during WWII. In the same month, Uffz. Herbert Maxis was flying 784993 in IV/JG53 as part of Operation Bodenplatte when he attacked an American convoy near Ober-Felsberg in the Saarland but was shot-down by ground fire. Maxis belly landed the plane successfully but was shot by an American soldier as he exited the plane. The wreck was later buried but re-discovered in 1987 and used, along with from parts of many different authentic 109s, for the restoration of 784993, which is now on display at Aviaticum.

the stage has been slightly renovated to give more emphasis to the battle in North Africa

Photo: SA-kuva (Finnish Armed Forces photograph, Wartime Photograph Archive). Photographer Niilo Helander.

This Bf-109 was TOC by the Luftwaffe on 11th May 1944 and delivered to 2./JGr. West, based at Gabbert (now Jaworze, Gmina Wąbrzeźno). Only 15 days later it crashed into a lake near Trzebuń with the loss of the pilot Feldwebel Ernst Pleines. In 1999 the wreck was recovered from the lake and restored over the next two years. In October 2014 the plane was donated to this super museum and is now on display in the refurbished main hangar.

Manufactured at Messerschmitt's Regensburg plant in 1943.

Luftwaffe reenactment of Bf109 maintenance.

[Nikon D300 + Tokina 12-24mm/4]

Polish Aviation museum. [Nikon D300s + Tokina 12-24mm/4]

Fished out of a lake near Trzebun, Pomerania.