Luftwaffe 'Ace' Franz von Werra Messerschmitt BF 109 E-4 Relic Display

Own a piece of this Battle of Britain Luftwaffe 'Ace' pilot's Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-4, paired in this 11x17-inch wall-hanging signed & numbered display by Ron Cole.

History:

Few ‘ace’ fighter pilots of World War II are as famous as the Luftwaffe’s Franz von Werra, although not for the quantity of his ‘victories’ but for one of the most incredible escapes of the war.

On September 5th, 1940, Werra was shot down over Winchet Hill, Kent while flying this Bf 109 (W.Nr. 1480) and was captured by the British. After two failed but daring escape attempts, he was sent to POW camp in Canada. On January 21st, 1941 he escaped. After crossing the frozen St. Lawrence river, he made his way through the United States and into Mexico and then Brazil. From there he traveled to Spain, Italy, and rejoined the Luftwaffe on April 18th.

Franz von Werra was awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross and was credited with 21 confirmed aerial ‘victories’.

On October 25th he was killed during a practice flight and his remains were never found.

In 1957 Werra's story was the subject of the Hollywood feature film The One That Got Away starring Hardy Kruger. 

This authentic fragment from Werra’s aircraft was cut from a larger panel that was taken, along with the fuselage II./JG 3 unit shield, as souvenirs after the crash. All were acquired from the collection of Col. George Burling Jarrett.


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