Heinkel He 162A-2, WNr. 120015, " Gelbe 21"
History
Captured by British forces at Leck airfield in northern Germany on May 15, 1945, He 162 120015 was among several aircraft allocated to the French Air Force in February 1946 for evaluation and testing. The French Air Force flew it under the designation "2" from April 1947 until July 1948, during which time it accumulated approximately 14 hours of flight time over 18 sorties. These flights allowed about 30 French pilots to familiarize themselves with jet operations ahead of the introduction of the de Havilland Vampire in 1949.
After its retirement from active service, the aircraft was transferred to the Air Force mechanics school in Rochefort-sur-Mer in January 1949, where it was repainted in a bordeaux-red color scheme. In August 1952, it was moved to the Musée de l'Air at Meudon, and in the early 1960s, it was painted in a green-black scheme. In 1975, the aircraft was repainted to resemble another He 162, Werknummer 120223, and displayed as such at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget Airport near Paris.
In June 2005, the aircraft underwent a comprehensive restoration at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace. During this process, a previously overlooked manufacturer's plate was discovered in the fuselage, confirming that the aircraft was indeed Werknummer 120015, not 120223 as previously believed. The restoration was completed in March 2009, and the aircraft was returned to its original "Gelbe 21" (Yellow 21) markings, reflecting its service with III./JG1 during World War II.