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Wrecked Spitfire recovered in Norway

Louis

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Flight Lt. Alastair Donald Mackintosh "Sandy" Gunn (born Sept 27, 1919), while flying a specially-equipped Spitfire fighter on a photo reconnaissance mission, was shot down by two German Bf 109 fighters near Langurda, Norway on 5 Mar 1942. He was shot down by two Messerschmitt Bf 109s flown by Leutnants Heinz Knoke and Dieter Gerhard. Gunn bailed out before his Spitfire crashed near Langurda, Surnadal, Norway.

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He became captured and ultimately participated in the gamed "Great Escape" out of the prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft III. But he was recaptured and ultimately executed.

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The fighter, Supermarine Spitfire AA810, was initially located in the summer of 2017, and by the summer of 2018 researchers had completed the project. The pieces were brought back to the United Kingdom on 1 Aug 2018. The ownership of the recovered aircraft had been transferred from the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom to aviation historian Tony Hoskins, who had been leading the recovery. AA810 represented the only surviving complete wreck belonging to any of the participants of the "Great Escape".

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Very interesting. I'm a bit surprised the aviator was executed. Was it because he escaped? It was my understanding that the Germans treated their U.S. and British prisoners of war fairly well.

Some background to the Great Escape........
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_Luft_III#The_great_escape
.and the man himself......
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Gunn
Steve

Right. Gunn wasn't executed upon capture at the crash site. Hitler ordered half the recaptured Stalag Luft III (The Great Escape) escapees executed as an example. Himmler took care of it.
 
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