Heinkel He 219A-0/R6 Uhu Night Fighter – 2./NJG1, Luftwaffe, Ernst Modrow, Holland 1944

Excellent 1/72 scale diecast and plastic model of Heinkel He 219A-0/R6 ‘Uhu’ Nightfighter, W.Nr. 190012, G9+FK, of 2./NJG1 Luftwaffe, as flown by Ernst-Wilhelm Modrow, Venlo, Holland, mid 1944. Complete with optional position undercarriage and stand. If produced in enough numbers these fast and heavily armed planes would have decimated the RAF four engined bombers on night raids over Germany. Only 2,000 produced. Very few models of this aircraft exist. These do have their faults but still look the part when displayed alongside other 1/72 ww2 aircraft models.

Length 8.5 inches Wingspan 10.25 inches

PLEASE NOTE: This model is made to be displayed primarily on the stand with undercarriage fitted, as there are no closed doors supplied. Because of the weight of the model, If you wish to display on the undercarriage on the ground, you would need to attach the undercarriage with BLUE TAK or similar. The tail of the model would also need to be supported, or weights inserted in the nose as the model is tail heavy. No cockpit aerial was suplied by the manufacturer, so a simple aerial will have to be made and fitted if required. Finally there are no German National markings on this model. I have seen photos of this aircraft with National markings applied, so cannot confirm whether or not they have been deliberately omitted for political correctness, or whether they were removed to improve camouflage on the actual aircraft. If you with to add the markings there are plenty of decal sheets with German crosses available.

Ernst-Wilhelm Modrow was born on 5 May 1908 at Stettin in Pommern. By 1929, he was a trained pilot. From 1933 to 1937, he flew with the Colombian airline SCADTA in South America. In May 1937, he began flying postal routes in South American for Lufthansa. He continued in this role until August 1939. At the commencement of World War 2, Modrow was posted to KGr. Z.b.V. 108 flying Do 26 four-engine flying boats. He participated in the Norwegian campaign performing general reconnaisance and supply missions to Narvik in support of the German invasion. On 28 May 1940, Modrow was moored in Rombakenfjord unloading equipment when his Do 26 V1 (W.Nr. 791) “P5 + AH” was attacked and sunk by RAF Hurricane fighters. Feldwebel Modrow was badly wounded in the encounter. In March 1941, Modrow was undertaking instructor duties at Blindflugschule 1 based at Brandis. From April 1942 to April 1943, he flew Bv 222 six-engine flying boats, in the Mediterranean theatre, flying 100 supply missions in support of the beleaguered Afrika Korps. Modrow was then attached to the Eprobungsstelle Travemünde. In October 1943, Hauptmann Modrow transferred to the Nachtjagd. Following his conversion training, he was posted to 2./NJG 1. On the night of 7/8 March 1944, Modrow gained his first victory when he claimed a RAF twin-engine bomber shot down near Venlo in Holland. He added two RAF four-engine bombers to his tally on 31 March, both his victims falling near Abbeville in France. Modrow was appointed Staffelkapitän of 1./NJG 1 on 1 April 1944. He recorded 10 victories during May and nine in June, including a RAF Mosquito twin-engine bomber on the night of 10/11 June (19), three victories on the night of 12/13 June (20-22) and four victories on the night of 21/22 June (23-26). Hauptmann Modrow was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 19 August for 27 victories. On the night of 23/24 September, he claimed two RAF four-engine bombers shot down near Düsseldorf (29-30). He gained his 34th, and last, victory on the night of 5/6 January 1945.  Ernst-Wilhelm Modrow was credited with 34 victories in 259 missions, including 109 missions as a night fighter pilot. On 1 February 1945 Modrow and his crewman ejected safely from a HE 219 A-0+RG, Werknummer 190210. They were shot down by a night Intruder near Honnef (near Cologne). All his victories were recorded at night.

The Heinkel He 219 Uhu (“Eagle-Owl”) was a night fighter that served with the German Luftwaffe in the later stages of World War II. A relatively sophisticated design, the He 219 possessed a variety of innovations, including an advanced VHF-band intercept radar. It was also the first operational military aircraft in the world to be equipped with ejection seats, and the first operational German World War II-era aircraft with tricycle (nose wheel) landing gear. Had the Uhu been available in quantity, it might have had a significant effect upon the strategic bomber offensive of the Royal Air Force; but only 294 of all models were built by the end of the war and these saw only limited service.

The He 219 was a capable fighter aircraft, allowing the pilots a large degree of autonomy. Ground control simply sent the aircraft into the right area and then the pilots took over and hunted down the bombers on their own; the SN-2 radar’s 4 km (3 mi) range was greater than the distance between the bombers. While the performance of the A-2 was not extraordinary — approximately 580 km/h (360 mph) speed — it was enough of an advance over the Messerschmitt Bf 110Gs and Dornier Do 217Ns to allow the aircraft to chase several bombers in one sortie.

The He219A-7 was the last major production version, with improved DB 603E engines. The A-7 was typically outfitted with two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon in the wing roots (inboard of the propeller arcs), two 20 mm MG 151/20 in the ventral weapons bay, and two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108s as Schräge Musik (derived from the German colloquialism for “Jazz Music”; the German word “schräg” literally means “slanted” or “oblique”) , angled at 65 degrees behind the cockpit. Production began in November/December 1944 with 210 aircraft ordered (but not completed).