LIMITED TO 1000 PIECES WORLDWIDE.

Ernst Udet's introduction as a fighter pilot proved to be just as eventful as his reconnaissance posting. Flying a Fokker Eindecker, he chose to ignore combat instructions and attack a French aircraft head on and as the two aircraft closed at speed, Udet inexplicably froze. The French airman did not miss his opportunity and fired on the German aircraft, with a bullet grazing Udet's cheek and shattering his flying goggles, but failing to score a decisive victory.

Udet escaped this encounter relatively unscathed, but resolved to never give his opponent such a chance again and to always fly decisively and aggressively when in combat, perfecting his fighting style and to become an ace airman at the earliest opportunity. It is thought that Udet may have scored his first aerial victory whilst flying Fokker Eindecker E.III 105/15 in March 1916, the aircraft we have modelled here and on landing, he was immediately promoted to the rank of Vizefeldwebel.

Ernst Udet would quickly demonstrate his flying prowess and made good on the promise he made to himself. With his victory tally standing at 20, he was visited by a rather famous flying celebrity, a man who wanted him to join his celebrated Flying Circus, and when you are approached by a man such as Manfred von Richthofen, you definitely don't decline such an opportunity.

Having witnessed Udet shooting down an Allied artillery spotter during their first combat sortie, interestingly by performing a frontal attack similar to the one where he was almost killed, von Richthofen immediately gave his new recruit command of his old squadron, Jasta 11 and he would not regret the faith he showed in him. Udet would end the war with 62 confirmed victories, the most successful Great War air ace to survive the conflict and second only in number to the great von Richthofen himself.

Designed by Anthony Fokker as a monoplane single-seat fighter, the Eindecker was first flown on May 23rd, 1915.

The Corgi "Aviation Archive" range presents highly-detailed, ready-made diecast models of military and civilian aircraft. The vast Aviation Archive range has become the standard by which all other diecast airplane ranges are judged. Each Corgi model is based on a specific aircraft from an important historical or modern era of flight, and has been authentically detailed from original documents and archival library material. Famous airplanes and aviators from both military and commercial airline aviation are all honored.

Info: Fokker E.III Eindecker - Luftstreitkrafte, Ernst Udet, Germany, March 1916