Messerschmitt Bf 109G-4, WNr. 19310, "Weisse 3"
History
The Messerschmitt Bf 109G-4 with Werknummer (serial number) 19310 is a significant artifact on display at the Technik Museum Speyer in Germany. This aircraft is notable for being the only surviving example of the Bf 109G-4 variant and one of only two original Bf 109s in Germany with a documented combat history.
Built in early 1942 at the Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke in Austria, Bf 109G-4 WNr. 19310 was assigned to 4./Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52), a Luftwaffe fighter wing renowned for its success on the Eastern Front. The aircraft bore the code "White 3" and was affectionately nicknamed "Nesthäkchen" ("The Youngest") by its crew.
On March 20, 1943, during a mission over the Black Sea, the aircraft suffered engine failure, leading to a forced ditching.The pilot, Oberleutnant von Koester, did not survive the crash, and the aircraft sank into the sea.
The wreckage of Bf 109G-4 WNr. 19310 remained submerged until its recovery in 1987. The aircraft was subsequently restored in Italy by the company AREA, utilizing parts from other aircraft to complete the restoration. In June 2001, the fully restored aircraft was delivered to the Technik Museum Speyer.