Fritz Wendel
Fritz Wendel | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Germany |
| Died | February 9, 1975 (aged 59) Augsburg, Germany |
| Occupation | Test pilot |
| Years active | 1930s–1945 |
| Known for | Setting world speed record with Messerschmitt Me 209 V1; first jet-powered flight of Messerschmitt Me 262 V1 prototype |
Template:Infobox military person
Friedrich "Fritz" Wendel (21 February 1915 – 9 February 1975) was a prominent German test pilot active throughout the 1930s and 1940s.
Achievements
On 26 April 1939, Wendel established a new world speed record by reaching 755.138 km/h (469.221 mph) while piloting the Messerschmitt Me 209 V1. This accomplishment surpassed the previous record set on 30 March 1939 by Hans Dieterle, who flew the Heinkel He 100 V8. Wendel’s record remained unbroken for three decades until Darryl Greenamyer exceeded it in 1969.
The fuselage of the Me 209 V1 is preserved and exhibited at the Polish Air Museum located in Kraków.
On 18 July 1942, near Günzburg in Leipheim, Nazi Germany, Wendel conducted the maiden test flight of the "V3" third prototype of the Messerschmitt Me 262, a jet-powered fighter aircraft. This flight was notable for being the first to use twin Junkers Jumo 004 jet engines on this model. The initial Me 262 V1 had previously flown on 8 April 1941 but was powered by a nose-mounted piston engine.
Emergencies
During diving tests on the Me 210 V2, Werknummer 0002, designated WL-ABEO, on 5 September 1940, Flugkapitän Wendel experienced a catastrophic failure when the starboard tailplane detached during the final dive. He successfully ejected before the twin-engine fighter crashed into the Siebentíschwald section of Augsburg’s municipal forest. This incident marked the first of numerous losses involving this aircraft type.
On 25 March 1942, Wendel piloted the initial prototype of the Messerschmitt Me 262, V1 PC+UA, on its inaugural jet-powered flight. However, both experimental BMW 003 turbojet engines malfunctioned, compelling him to return to Augsburg relying solely on the nose-mounted Jumo 210 inverted-V12 piston engine that had been installed for structural testing purposes.
Wendel remained employed by Messerschmitt until Nazi Germany's defeat in 1945.
Later life
Following World War II, Wendel took on the role of director at a regional brewery. He continued to fly recreational aircraft until health issues related to circulation forced him to stop piloting.
Shortly before his passing, he was discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for his circulatory condition.
On Sunday, 9 February 1975, Wendel was discovered deceased at his residence in Augsburg, Germany. A hunting rifle was found beside him. Authorities reported that family members located his body but initially could not determine if his death was accidental or self-inflicted. He was aged 59.
He left behind his wife and a son who was 21 years old at that time.
References
- Feist, Uwe. The Fighting Me 109. London: Arms and Armour Press, 1993, ISBN 1-85409-209-X.
External links
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