Heinkel He 162A-2, WNr. 120227, " Rote 2"
History
"Rote 2" was built in April 1945 at the Heinkel Nord plant in Rostock-Marienehe, Germany. It was delivered to Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1) at Leck airfield in Schleswig-Holstein in late April 1945. On May 6, 1945, the aircraft surrendered to British forces at Leck, along with approximately 50 other He 162s. The British assigned it the serial number VN679 and evaluated it over 26 sorties, accumulating 11 hours and 45 minutes of flight time. Notably, the ejector seat was removed during this period and was subsequently lost.
After the war, the aircraft was initially destined for scrapping in 1946 but was preserved and spent several years in RAF storage. Restoration work was conducted at RAF Colerne between 1974 and 1976. In November 1989, it was transferred to the RAF Museum Hendon, where it is currently displayed in the Bomber Command Hall. The aircraft remains in excellent condition, showcasing its distinctive markings and design.