Air International 1985-05
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Model enthusiast
The first of the Focke-Wulf Condors, the Fw200 V1, was initially registered D-AERE but was later marked D-ACON and, as the Fw 200S-1 (Sonder, Special) named Brandenburg was used for a Berlin - New York non-stop flight in August 1938. It averaged 164 mph (264 km/h) over the 4,075-ml (6 560-km) course, and returned at 205 mph (330 km/h) with a following wind.
The Fw 200 V3, which was first flown in natural metal finish, became Immelmann III as Hitler's personal transport and flagship of Regierungsstaffel. The "2600” code was continued from its use on Ju 52/3ms used by Hitler: D-2600 Immelmann I and WL-2600 Immelmann II.
The second in a pre-production batch of Fw 200A Condors, (Werk-Nr 1894) was acquired by Det Danske Luftfartselskab (DDL) and put into commercial service in July 1938 as OY-DAM.
This Fw 200C-0 was one of a batch of 10 pre-production aircraft of this armed transport type delivered in 1940. Attached to Flugbereitschaft RLM (Reich Air Ministry Pool) at Berlin-Staaken, it was operated in this temporary winter camouflage for Stalingrad supply/relief flights out of Zaparozhe in January 1943 by l/KG 40.
Fw 200C-1 of Gruppenstab I/KG 40 as used at Oslo-Gardemoen in an interim recce/transport role during the opening stages of the invasion of Norway, April 1940.
An Fw 200C-8 with aerials for the FuG 200 Hohentwiel search radar in the nose and Henschel Hs 293 anti-shipping missiles under the wing, in service with III/KG 40 in 1944.