Aviation Research Group Orkney Shetland

To our knowledge only two wartime aircraft a Heinkel and a Spitfire came to grief on Fair Isle, a small island midway between Orkney and Shetland,though there have been one or two minor incidents with civil aircraft,though thankfully nothing serious.

Heinkel He 111-H2 Wr.2645 Wekusta1. 17/1/1941.

The Heinkel coded T5+EU had been on a Met` Observation flight from Oldenberg,Germany . The aircraft flying in snow showers and poor visability were forced to climb to 2,600ft in order to try and find clearer skies, this unfortunately placed them on radar screens and at 10.45 hrs Hurricanes from 3 Squadron at Sumburgh,Shetland were scrambled. Five fighters in all split up into two groups and in a matter of only 15 mins or so the Heinkel was spotted by New Zealander P/O Eddie Berry and Canadian F/O R.C.Watson who fired on the Heinkel several times wounding the Gunner Uffz Luking un the legs, with a trail of smoke coming from one of the Heinkel was headed for the sea but fortunately land was spotted in the form of Fair Isle and a crash landing was made at Vaasetter close to where the airstrip is now. The German airmen managed to scramble free before the plane erupted in flames and burnt itself out.

Crew of 2545:

Pilot: Lt. K.H.Thurz.

Eng: Gefr. G.Nentwig. (K)

Eng: Uffz. B.Luking. ( I )

R/Op: Fw. J.Wohlfahrt.

Met Obs: Wd Insp. L. Gburek. (K)

In August this year ARGOS member and pilot Andrew Brown flew out to Fair Isle to inspect the wreckage from the Heinkel, it was discovered that a large burnt area with many tiny fragments and the two engines remains, along with the tail sention in a nearby ditch. and sheets of armour plate.

Above: The 2 very badly burnt and coroded two Junkers Jumo engines and the tail section.

Above: Tail section from the Heinkel in a pit near the airfield. Photos: Andrew Brown.

Spitfire X4501 1 PRU 12/7/1941. Nr Vaasetter.

The Spitfire was returning from a photographic sortie off the Norwegian coast when nearing Fair Isle it suffered an engine failure. The pilot managed to make a perfect belly landing close to the airstrip and the aircraft apart from a damaged engine, battered cowl and a few dented panels to the underside was more or less unscathed with the pilot uninjured. In the weeks following the crash the aircraft was dismantled by a salvage team and removed to be repaired and fly again.

Pilot: F/O M.D.S.Hood.

Above: Photo of X4501 taken by RN Radar Station Commander Sub/Lt Richard Feachem shortly before it was recovered, rumour has it that it was removed by the Shetland drifter `Research` and transported to the mainland. Photo: Dave Earl Via Ian Brown.

Spitfire recovery vessel LK.62. Research. Photo: Shetland Museum photo archive.

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