Performing an air assault with AE-480, 477 & AE-323

Oberfeldwebel Karl Hier of I/JG 76 had to land his Bf 109E at Wœrth, Alsace on 22 November 1939. It was test-flown by the French at Orléans - Bricy, then handed over to the RAF on 2 May 1940. In 1942 it was shipped to the USA for testing at Wright Field. Note the faux swastika painted on by the Americans - they liked to dress up captured aircraft and amazingly, even in this stage of the war it was apparently not a safety concern. We found information that the photo was taken at LGA during the filming of a propaganda reel. P-40E 41-25026 is seen on the right and a P-39 Airacobra, probably 41-7249, on the left. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution