Prisoner and Escort

In the early hours of April 17, 1943, Feldwebel Otto Bechtold of II/SKG10 landed a Focke Wulf Fw 190A-4/U8 at RAF West Mailing, Kent, in error, while on a bombing mission.
His aeroplane, Werknr 7155, was flown to the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) at Farnborough the following day by Sgn Ldr J.F. Tobin, CO of the RAE's Aerodynamics Flight.
After being allotted the serial PE882, the Fw 190 was flown extensively at the RAE, making 96 flights totaling 51hr 50min flying time over the ensuing year.
One of its pilots at this time was Lt-Cdr Eric M. "Winkle" Brown, and he was piloting PE882 when these unusual photographs were taken, showing it in formation with two Yeovilton based Supermarine Spitfires, Mk 1A R7193/Y1-M and Mk VA L1096/Y2-W.

His account of the occasion is as follows:
"The Naval Fighter School at Yeovilton had requested the relevant authority to have a visit from a captured Fw 190 so that its instructors and students could have a close-up view of this outstanding enemy aircraft and also have an inflight photographic session for identification training.
This request was granted provided a fighter escort was arranged for all the flights, and the RAE was given the task with myself as designated pilot to fly Fw 190A-4 PE882. "
RNAS Yeovilton flew two Spitfires to Farnborough on the morning of March 8, 1944;
we took off together at 1340hr,and after I had made a short flight demonstration for the Fighter School we landed [there] at 14.15hr.
There was then a walk-around viewing of the '190 for about an hour before I took off again at 15.36hr with my escort and a photographic Fulmar.
We landed at 16.25hr, but for me it was just a touch-and-go to allow ground-level photographic shots before I took off for RNAS Henstridge, where I again made a short flight demonstration before landing at 16.40hr. "
After a ground viewing session I took off again at 17.25hr to join an escort of 12 Spitfires now circling overhead, which flew with me to Farnborough where I landed at 18.05hr, and they wheeled round to give me a low fly over salute before heading for home.
"PE882 was a much photographed aircraft at RAE, from where it was transferred to 1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight at Collyweston [a satellite of RAF Wittering, Cambridgeshire] in mid April 1944.
On October 13, 1944, it was being flown by the CO of the unit, Flt Lt E.R.. Lewendon, when it caught fire in the air, and this resulted in a fatal crash.
A sad end."

PHILIP JARRETT
Air International
April , 1989