Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-9, WNr. 210102, "Weisse 3"
History
Werknummer 210102 was among the many D-9s produced during the war. While specific combat records for this individual aircraft are limited, its assignment to 9./JG 54 places it in the context of significant aerial engagements over the Eastern Front.
Feldwebel Paul Drutschmann was the pilot of Fw 190 D-9 W.Nr. 210102. On January 1, 1945, during Operation Bodenplatte—a large-scale Luftwaffe attack aimed at crippling Allied air forces—Drutschmann's aircraft was engaged by enemy fighters. Despite being hit, he managed to bail out and parachuted into the marshy terrain near Waasmunster, Belgium.A
Upon landing, Drutschmann found himself in a precarious situation, surrounded by local civilians. Reports suggest that he initially pointed his pistol at approaching individuals but later lowered it when confronted by a local police officer. The officer escorted him to safety, and Drutschmann was subsequently taken into custody.
Drutschmann survived the war and passed away in 2000. In August 2004, Belgian aviation archaeology group BAHA recovered parts of Fw 190 D-9 W.Nr. 210102, including the engine, cockpit, tail section, and landing gear, from the marshy area where it had crashed. The recovery was a significant event, drawing attention to the enduring legacy of the Luftwaffe's final-generation aircraft.