JU 188 (W.Nr. 140669) escaped to Lisbon

JU188 in Lisbon Airport  (Foto: Mário Canongia Lopes colection)

JU188 in Lisbon Airport
(Photo: Mário Canongia Lopes)

Date

Location

Force

Aircraft

 

From-To

 

Crew

06-04-1945

Portela Airport - Lisbon

LUFTWAFFE

Junkers Ju.188  A2      W.Nr.140669

 

Germany → Portugal

 

         Berthold Raithel      Germany

         Hans Schwendter     Austria

          Alfred Funke          Germany




The three men were civilians working in a Junkers factory in Germany and they used a test flight to escape from Germany and the war.

Alfred Funke, although a German, worked before the war in Canada for many years and after his escape he tried to return to that country. Altough he asked for a new visa to the Canadian authorities he was classigfied as a dangerous nazi simphatizer.

The German legation wanted Portugal to return the plane stating that it had been stolen, but as the war ended he was just left in airport and a couple of years latter it was scrapped. It was a prototype for a new version of the Ju188.

Resources:
* “Aviões da Cruz de Cristo” – Mário Cannongia Lopes
* Revista "Mais Alto"
* Arquivo do Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros - Portugal