Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-9, WNr. 560024, "Weisse 12"
History
Fw 190A-9 WNr. 560024 served with 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 11 (JG 11), a fighter wing involved in the defense of German airspace during the final months of the war. On 15 February 1945, while engaged in air combat over eastern Germany, this aircraft was shot down and crashed into Lake Schlosssee near Alt Zeschdorf, east of Frankfurt (Oder).
The pilot, Leutnant Hans Grapenthin, was killed in the crash. His aircraft sank into the lake, where it remained undisturbed for over five decades.
In 1996, the wreck of WNr. 560024 was located and recovered from Lake Schlosssee. The aircraft was found in relatively good condition due to its preservation in the cold, low-oxygen lakebed. Parts of the fuselage, wings, and engine components were salvageable, though corroded and damaged by the crash and decades underwater.Following recovery, the remains were conserved and became part of a historical display.
Today, the remains of Fw 190A-9 WNr. 560024 are preserved and displayed at the Luftfahrtmuseum Finowfurt in Germany. The exhibit presents the wreckage in a reconstructed diorama setting, which includes interpretive materials about the aircraft, its last mission, and the broader context of Luftwaffe operations in 1945