Luftwaffe Assessment of captured Allied a/c

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B

braddock vc

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Dec 19, 2018
I recently read an article in which a captured Spitfire (Mk1 iirc) was test flown by several Luftwaffe pilots. One of the comments was that it was childishly easy to fly.
Is anyone aware of the results of this test and also any tests carried out by the luftwaffe on captured allied a/c especially the Hurricane Mk1?
 
One moderately hilarious item was the evaluation of US radial engines. Much of the increased performance revolved around improved bearing technology. The secret item included in the bearing metal was Iridium. They discovered this in chemical analysis but couldn't figure why it was present as a "contaminant".
 
The author of this book lists all the captured aircraft he flew(a freakin' lot) and no mention of a C-47 or B-25.


​
Still looking through other War Prizes books..............
 
Unless KLM, ČSA, LARES, Sabena, and Air France managed to get them away before they were invaded, the Germans had captured DC-3s.
 
For starters, it was coded GE+DV. From the test pilot who wrote the book, his first flight was on June 12, 1943. "The Airacobra did not have the reputation of being exactly a terrific aircraft; it was even called the "widow-maker." "One thing that puzzled me was the speed; the Airacobra seemed terribly slow, although everything was working as it should be. Could it be the fuel? But the mechanic assured me that the tanks had been filled with the correct captured high-octane fuel. What else could it be?". More after my anti-virus quits scanning. They weren't so much interested in the P-39 performance as they were with the engine behind the pilot and the nose-wheel under carriage.
 
To continue on with the flight, the pilots instrument panel started going haywire. The engine was still running normal but he was concerned that he should get down as soon as possible. He was also concerned that the landing gear wouldn`t drop as they were electrically operated and if he need to land wheels up, would the engine come through the cockpit. He managed to find the emergency landing gear crank, get the gear down and safely land at Rechlin. TBC........
 
....as we keep reading we find out the problem with the air speed and electrical problems. It has to do with the landing gear covers. Its quite long but if anyone wants to know, PM me and I`ll send you a copy. He made three more uneventful flights, two for the movie "The Tanks are Attacking"("Panzer Greifen An"). "As I had mentioned before, the Airacobra was of interest mainly to the armament specialists because of its 37mm cannon." "What became of the Airacobra I have no idea, perhaps destroyed in one of the heavy air raids on Rechlin later on. I would like to add that in the concluding report about the airframe and the flying characteristics about the Airacobra there was nothing really exciting to be mentioned." Thus endeth the Lufwaffe's adventure with the P-39. There may be something in the other books. If there was another pilot or testing involved I'll post it
 
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