Watch the Remarkable Restoration and Maiden Flight of a Bf 109 Recovered from a Hungarian Mountainside
History's Greatest Aircraft / YouTube
The Goal: Bringing a Lost Fighter Back to Life
The Bf 109 is one of the most recognized German aircraft of World War II, with over 33,000 produced. But today, only a small number remain—especially those that are original and still able to fly. Restoring one is extremely difficult and expensive. A team of specialists decided to rebuild one with as many original parts as possible. Their goal was not just to make it fly again but to preserve its full story.
They began with a fuselage recovered from a crash site in Hungary. The serial number helped trace the aircraft’s origin. Built in 1943, it was delivered in early 1945 to a unit called Jagdgeschwader 27. This unit had served in North Africa before moving to Hungary near the end of the war. The paint scheme was carefully matched to its last known markings. The pilot, Hans Flor, was just 24 when he crashed it in 1945.
Rebuilding the Machine with Original Parts
The team searched across Europe to find the rare components needed. One of the most difficult parts to locate was the engine. The aircraft uses a Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine, which is very hard to find today. They sourced one from a private collector in Germany and had it rebuilt by a small shop in Austria with deep knowledge of these engines. It ran successfully for 15 hours on a test stand before being fitted to the aircraft.
Small changes had to be made for safety, such as adding modern disc brakes, but the goal remained to keep the plane as authentic as possible. Inside the cockpit, every instrument is original or carefully restored to match the original layout.
Flying History: The Maiden Flight in Hungary
After four years of intense work, the Bf 109 flew again in Hungary. The sound of the engine, the movement of the controls—everything brought the past back to life. For the team, it wasn’t just about the machine. It was about honoring the story behind it. They wanted future generations to see and understand what pilots like Hans Flor faced.
The aircraft is more than metal and fuel. It’s a piece of history that once again touches the sky.
Keep going for the video below:
