Messerschmitt Me 410A-1/U2, WNr. 420430, 3U-CC
History
Constructed in late 1943 at the Messerschmitt factory in Augsburg, WNr. 420430 was likely assigned to Zerstörergeschwader 26, a Luftwaffe fighter wing. In May 1945, as World War II concluded, the aircraft was surrendered to Allied forces at Værløse, Denmark. It was subsequently transported to the United Kingdom for evaluation. Following its assessment, the aircraft was allocated the Air Ministry number AM72 and ferried to Farnborough on 13 October 1945.It was stored for preservation from 28 December 1945 in various locations, occasionally participating in air shows. In 1980, it was displayed at Cosford, later moved to St Athan in 1985, and returned to Cosford on 20 December 1989.
Today, WNr. 420430 is one of only two known surviving Me 410s, the other being stored at the National Air and Space Museum in the United States. The Cosford aircraft underwent restoration in 1986, during which both engines were successfully run on the ground. It remains on public display at the RAF Museum Cosford