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.