Me 109 Found In A Frozen Lake

In 2003, a remarkable piece of WWII history emerged from a frozen lake near Murmansk, Russia—a Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 ‘Emil’ fighter aircraft that had lain undisturbed beneath the ice for 62 years.

Built in 1939 by Arado Flugzeugwerke GmbH at Warnemünde, Germany, this aircraft, serial number Werk Nr. 3523, originally rolled off the production line as a Bf 109E-1 before being upgraded to the E-7 variant in 1940.

The fighter entered Luftwaffe service on September 27, 1939, with military serial CS+AJ, participating in both the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. In March 1942, it was delivered to the Eastern Front at Petsamo airfield, Finland, flown by German ace Arthur Mendl. It was then assigned to Wulf-Dieter Widowitz, an accomplished pilot from the JG 5 wing, who had 36 victories to his name.

On April 4, 1942, while escorting a mission, Widowitz’s aircraft, designated Red 6, was engaged in a fierce dogfight with a Soviet Hurricane fighter piloted by Lt. Vladimir Pavlovich Pokrovski. After sustaining significant damage to its engine, Widowitz was forced to make a belly-landing on a frozen lake. The aircraft sank through the ice shortly after, remaining submerged for decades.

Recovered in 2003 by Jim Pearce, the Bf 109E-7 was found largely intact and has since been displayed at the Planes of Fame Air Museum. A veteran of several major WWII battles, this aircraft, flown by some of the Luftwaffe’s most decorated aces, is now set to be restored to flying condition, offering a living tribute to its storied past.