White 1 Recovery

In 1983 members of the Norwegian Aircraft Historical Society (NFF) and West Norway Aircraft Historical Group decided to search for an Fw 190 as they know that the Royal Norwegian Air Force Aircraft Museum (FMU) was looking for one of these German fighters.
These photos show Weisse Eins after it was airlifted off the mountainside.

Of all the wrecks lying on Norwegian hillsides, that of Heinz Orlowski looked the most promising and, despite lack of finance, the recovery was finally organised. Fortunately a helicopter company Helikopterservice A/S, which normally operates around oil platforms showed interest in the project, as it would help train their crews. One of their Sikorsky S61s was pressed into service. Mobil Oil Corporation of Norway sponsored some of the jet fuel and the West Norwegian equivalent of the Ministry of Transportation offered to help out with trucks needed to get the aircraft back to civilization.

On Friday September 1983 the Sikorsky S61 landed on Litlehesten mountain, some 35 minutes flying time from Bergen and brought out the parts of the Fw 190 "Weisse Eins" in five separate lifts. When the parts were unraveled at Flesland Airport, Bergen it was found that the aircraft was 60% complete. Many small components were damaged and beyond repair, the centre section was burned out and the fuselage battered. The FMU had found a complete BMW 801 radial engine and the BMW factory in Munich offered a complete set of handbooks, workshop manuals ect. Everyone was optimistic that a complete Fw 190 could be rebuilt even down to a running engine.

Photos of the recovery operation. (click to view full size)

We are honored to display the names of the following people and recognize their involvement in the recovery of Weisse Eins. They deserve due credit for their good work.

Ole Bjørn Sælensminde - Secretary of the group, participant in the planning processes and recoveries, research into activities of Luftwaffe in Norway, the history of Herdla airfield and what happened on Feb. 9th 1945. Coauthor of the first Norwegian booklet of "The Black Friday".

Gunnar Hovland - technical engineer and a very fine craftsman. He also rebuilt a Jumo 211 from a Ju 88 up in the mountains that had been exposed to harsh weather conditions for more than 40 years, to running standard for the Norwegian Defense Museum. This was very impressive. His recent works include a large-scale flying model of a Fw 190 with a self-made star engine.

Svein Ove Agdestein - technical conserver at the University of Bergen. Gave first aid help to many parts recovered from sea or other parts of mother nature. Also an active part in the recovery and dismantling of the A-3, W.Nr. 5467 that was recovered from the Sognefjord.

Halvor Sperbund - acted as coordinator with useful friends within the aviation and oil business. Coauthor of the first Norwegian booklet of "The Black Friday". Later made a larger Norwegian book on the theme. He left the project some time after the "Weisse 1" landed in Bergen.

Oyvind Aadnevik - mechanic from the Norwegian Air Force. Very active in the field of looking up parts and in restauration.

Jan Eriksen - Project coordinator in the FW-project when the "Weisse 1" was shipped to the USA/TAM and when 5467 was recovered.

Finn Lillevik - Head of the Aircraft Collection at the Norwegian Defense Museum when the "Weisse 1" was shipped to the USA/TAM.

Bjoern Meyer - active part in the North of Norway and an old friend of Jans.

Birger Larsen - active part in Northern Norway, but with Ju52/Ju88 as specialties. Today he is a very central person in the Norsk Luftfartsmuseum in Bodø.

Oyvind, Bjoern and Birger were active in the project - and still are - in Northern Norway on the 2219.

All these people and more were involved in the "Weisse 1" project which in reality included several airframes.