Me-109E Captured by the Dutch in May 1940

When the German army invaded the Netherlands on the 10th of May 1940 the Royal Dutch Air Force was quickly overwhelmed by the superior German fighters. The Dutch were vastly outnumbered and to make matters even worse a large number of Dutch aircraft was destroyed on the ground.

The Germans mounted a number of para attacks against the Dutch airfields. A number of airfields was captured but the Dutch managed to fight back and recaptured most of them. In the confusion of the battle on the 10th of May a Me-109E piloted by Leutnant Alfred Wick landed on Ypenburg airfield believing it to be in German hands. The Dutch had however managed to recapture the airfield just an hour before and Leutnant Wick was captured. He tried to destroy his aircraft but this was prevented by the Dutch.

His aircraft was subsequently hidden in one of the few hangars still functional and the German markings were over painted with Dutch orange triangles. The plan was to test fly the aircraft but because of the large number of German fighters in the air at all times this came to nothing.

After the Dutch army capitulated on the 14th of May the aircraft was discovered by the invading German forces and the Dutch markings were removed. The aircraft was returned to operational duty but was shot down over France two months later.