Special one-of-a-kind opening shadow box display!
Own and display an original cockpit fuel gauge (marked He 219) and an actual piece of exterior skin from the most advanced night fighter of World War II - the German He 219 'Uhu'.
The He 219 was one of only two purposely-designed night fighters to see combat during the war; the other was the US-built P-61 Black Widow. The latter was more successful, and the 219 far more innovative, incorporating technology that's used even today. Like other German tech that emerged during the last months of World War II, the He 219 was an amazing achievement - but they were too few, too hard to maintain, too unreliable, took far too long to build, and required skilled operators that were, by then, in short supply.
This He 119 'Uhu' night fighter, of 1./NJG 1, was shot down on the night of April 11/12, 1944, while intercepting Royal Air Force Lancaster bombers - its favorite prey. Little is known about that action, but the piece of aluminum exterior skin from this rare aircraft retains much of its original black 'night fighter' paint, and very likely was part of this aircraft's under-surface wing.
Signed by Ron Cole. Size is 18x12x3.
