Zurich International Flying Meet, Switzerland - July 1937 Generalmajor Ernst UDET (WWI / 62 Victories) - Franz Ernst Udet joined JG 1 "Richthofen's Flying Circus" in 1917 and served under Manfred von Richthofen and later, Hermann Goering. Udet was awarded the 'Blue Max' and was the top German ace to survive the First World War. With charisma, daring, and a keen sense of humor, Udet promoted himself into an international celebrity in the world of aviation. Udet made friends with several WW1 adversaries, including Eddie Rickenbacker, Bert Hall, Billy Bishop, and Réné Fonck. In 1934 the Nazis were in power and Goering persuaded Udet to head the technical Office of the new Luftwaffe. Udet was unsuited for bureaucracy or ruthless intrigues among men he had befriended like Goering and Erhard Milch. Geneva was the biggest aviation event in Europe, and Germany planned to dominate it in 1937. Udet was to fly the 1560-hp Bf 109 V-14. The German team easily defeated their competition, but in the big race, Alpenrunflug Kategorie A: Einsitzer on 27 July 1937, Udet's V-14 crashed heavily with a cracked oil line. The fuselage broke in half just behind the cockpit but he suffered only minor injuries. Reportedly Udet became depressed and shot himself on 17 November 1941. It is our proud honor to offer this Carrousel 1 die-cast, 1:48 scale replica of the famous Messerschmitt 109.

Info: Bf 109E Luftwaffe, Ernst Udet, Zurich, Switzerland, International Flying Meet, July 1937 Diecast Model