How a Tactical Blunder Became Known as the Dumbest Air Move of WWII

A Fighter in Trouble

On June 23, 1942, Oberleutnant Armin Faber flew a Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Germany’s newest and most secret fighter. The aircraft had proven itself faster and more powerful than the British Spitfire, and German commanders warned pilots never to risk losing one intact. Yet as the sun set that evening, Faber faced a desperate situation. Low on fuel, shaken from combat, and disoriented, he searched for a place to land.

What he saw ahead was a grassy strip, and believing he had reached occupied France, he put the fighter down. Exhausted, he felt relief—until he looked up and saw uniforms of the Royal Air Force. He had landed in Wales at RAF Pembrey, delivering Britain the prize they had long sought: a fully intact Fw 190.

The Arrival of the Fw 190

The Focke-Wulf 190 first appeared over France in 1941. Its speed, climbing power, and heavy cannons shocked British pilots. Reports described a fighter that could out-turn and outgun the Spitfire at medium altitudes. Within weeks, the balance of power in the air shifted.

British intelligence agencies worked urgently to learn the fighter’s weaknesses. Capturing one intact became a top priority. Plans were drawn up, including schemes to disguise an RAF pilot as a German officer and trick enemy ground crews into handing over an aircraft. But before such plans could be tested, chance gave the British exactly what they wanted.

Combat over the Channel

That June, Faber had secured a rare chance to fly in combat rather than remain at his desk job. He joined a mission intercepting RAF Boston bombers returning from France, escorted by Spitfires flown by Czech pilots of the Hornchurch Wing. The fight was fierce. In the clash, Czech ace Alois Vašátko lost his life in a mid-air collision while defending the bombers.

Faber fought hard, eventually shooting down a pursuing Spitfire. But in the chaos he became separated from his formation. Believing he was heading south toward Brittany, he instead veered north. Below him stretched the Bristol Channel, which in his exhaustion he mistook for the English Channel.

The Mistaken Landing

By the time he reached the coast, Faber’s fuel gauges were nearly empty. Seeing an airfield, he brought his fighter down. On the ground, Sergeant Jeffreys of the RAF quickly realized what had landed. Armed only with a flare pistol, he climbed onto the German plane’s wing and arrested Faber. The pilot’s relief turned to shock as he understood his mistake.

Faber was taken under guard to RAF Fairwood Common. Group Captain David Atcherley personally oversaw his transfer, fully aware of the importance of what had just happened. In one stroke, Britain had acquired the fighter they feared most.

Unlocking the Butcher Bird

The captured Fw 190, repainted in RAF markings and given the designation MP449, was dismantled and transported to Farnborough for tests. By July 1942, it was airborne again under British control. Test pilots discovered it was indeed faster and more agile than the Spitfire Mk V, confirming the fears of frontline squadrons.

But trials also revealed weaknesses. At higher altitudes the Fw 190’s performance dropped sharply, a flaw British pilots would later exploit. Engineers documented every feature, from its radial engine to its armament systems. This knowledge was shared across fighter units, directly shaping new tactics.

A Strategic Windfall

The aircraft was then assigned to No. 1426 Flight, known as the “Rafwaffe,” which tested captured German planes. It flew mock battles against Spitfires, Hurricanes, and later the improved Spitfire Mk IX. The lessons were immediate: Britain had a way to counter the new threat.

For Germany, the loss was severe. Despite warnings never to let such an aircraft fall into enemy hands, Faber’s mistake had delivered one intact. The intelligence gained saved Allied lives and influenced the air war.