The DOWA 81 - East German Escape Plane

[David E. Powell]

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=printpage;topic=5943.0

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DOWA_81_selfmade_East_German_escape_plane.jpg

A homebuilt aircraft intended to be used in an escape from East
Germany.

[David E. Powell]

On Aug 6, 5:40*pm, "David E. Powell" > wrote:
> http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=printpage;topi....
>
> http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DOWA_81_selfmade_East_German_e...
>
> A homebuilt aircraft intended to be used in an escape from East
> Germany.

More - Unfortunately the STASI nabbed the family the day before they
intended to escape.

http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/collections/transport/aeronautics/propeller-planes/after-1945/dowa-81/

<http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/collections/transport/aeronautics/
propeller-planes/after-1945/dowa-81/>

I'd guess that someone informed. That really sucks, makes it more
poignant.

[John Kimmel[_2_]]

David E. Powell wrote:
> On Aug 6, 5:40 pm, "David E. Powell" > wrote:
>
>>http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=printpage;topi...
>>
>>http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DOWA_81_selfmade_East_German_e...
>>
>>A homebuilt aircraft intended to be used in an escape from East
>>Germany.
>
>
> More - Unfortunately the STASI nabbed the family the day before they
> intended to escape.
>
> http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/collections/transport/aeronautics/propeller-planes/after-1945/dowa-81/
>
> <http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/collections/transport/aeronautics/
> propeller-planes/after-1945/dowa-81/>
>
> I'd guess that someone informed. That really sucks, makes it more
> poignant.

The aircraft did its job: it got them to West Germany. If they'd tried flying it, they probably would have died.

--
John Kimmel


So in this world
Of the simple and odd,
The bent and plain,
The unbalanced bod,
The imperfect people
And differently pawed,
Some live without love...
That's how they're flawed.

[Rob Arndt[_2_]]

On Aug 6, 10:00*pm, John Kimmel > wrote:
> David E. Powell wrote:
> > On Aug 6, 5:40 pm, "David E. Powell" > wrote:
>
> >>http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=printpage;topi....
>
> >>http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DOWA_81_selfmade_East_German_e....
>
> >>A homebuilt aircraft intended to be used in an escape from East
> >>Germany.
>
> > More - Unfortunately the STASI nabbed the family the day before they
> > intended to escape.
>
> >http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/collections/transport/aeronautics/p...
>
> > <http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/collections/transport/aeronautics/
> > propeller-planes/after-1945/dowa-81/>
>
> > I'd guess that someone informed. That really sucks, makes it more
> > poignant.
>
> The aircraft did its job: it got them to West Germany. *If they'd tried flying it, they probably would have died.
>
> --
> John Kimmel
>
> So in this world
> Of the simple and odd,
> The bent and plain,
> The unbalanced bod,
> The imperfect people
> And differently pawed,
> Some live without love...
> That's how they're flawed.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Nope, the GDR AF flew it and it flew.

Rob

[Bug Dout]

Arrested the day before their planned takeoff. Leaves many questions:

* how did they plan the movement, assembly, and takeoff of the plane?
* how were they found out?
* curious that only a year of prison and then deportation to where they
wanted to go! "Don't throw me into that briar patch!"
* why didn't the E. Germans destroy the aircraft/
--
They said I was the greatest pitcher they ever saw; I couldn't
understand why they couldn't give me no justice.
~ Satchel Paige

[Rob Arndt[_2_]]

On Aug 10, 10:58*am, Bug Dout > wrote:
> Arrested the day before their planned takeoff. *Leaves many questions:
>
> * how did they plan the movement, assembly, and takeoff of the plane?
> * how were they found out?
> * curious that only a year of prison and then deportation to where they
> * wanted to go! *"Don't throw me into that briar patch!"
> * why didn't the E. Germans destroy the aircraft/
> --
> They said I was the greatest pitcher they ever saw; I couldn't
> understand why they couldn't give me no justice.
> *~ Satchel Paige

AFAIK, the family was reported and the STASI moved in. The aircraft
could be broken into sections for assembly and the two motorcycle
engines came for the 250cc MZ ES 250:
http://youngtimer.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/1973-mz-trophy-es-250-2.jpg

Although captured, the Pfeil 5/Wagner DOWA 81 was test-flown by the
GDR AF. It flew fine. It probably just sat around until reunification
and then was placed in a museum.

Although ugly, I like it.

Rob

[David E. Powell]

On Aug 10, 3:23*pm, Rob Arndt > wrote:
> On Aug 10, 10:58*am, Bug Dout > wrote:
>
> > Arrested the day before their planned takeoff. *Leaves many questions:
>
> > * how did they plan the movement, assembly, and takeoff of the plane?
> > * how were they found out?
> > * curious that only a year of prison and then deportation to where they
> > * wanted to go! *"Don't throw me into that briar patch!"
> > * why didn't the E. Germans destroy the aircraft/
> > --
> > They said I was the greatest pitcher they ever saw; I couldn't
> > understand why they couldn't give me no justice.
> > *~ Satchel Paige
>
> AFAIK, the family was reported and the STASI moved in. The aircraft
> could be broken into sections for assembly and the two motorcycle
> engines came for the 250cc MZ ES 250:http://youngtimer.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/1973-mz-trophy-es-250-2...
>
> Although captured, the Pfeil 5/Wagner DOWA 81 was test-flown by the
> GDR AF. It flew fine. It probably just sat around until reunification
> and then was placed in a museum.
>
> Although ugly, I like it.
>
> Rob

Thank you for the additional info. As the STASI maintained huge
archives on everything and everyone they could, it is likely it was
either kept as a reference to what someone else could do, or just kept
because they kept everything.

As for the family, the father was an engineer and his prominence may
have helped the family eventually get out, as a higher up wanting to
go was a real embarrassment for the East German gov't, but a year in
East german prisons was surely not fun.

[Rob Arndt[_2_]]

On Aug 10, 9:40*pm, "David E. Powell" >
wrote:
> On Aug 10, 3:23*pm, Rob Arndt > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Aug 10, 10:58*am, Bug Dout > wrote:
>
> > > Arrested the day before their planned takeoff. *Leaves many questions:
>
> > > * how did they plan the movement, assembly, and takeoff of the plane?
> > > * how were they found out?
> > > * curious that only a year of prison and then deportation to where they
> > > * wanted to go! *"Don't throw me into that briar patch!"
> > > * why didn't the E. Germans destroy the aircraft/
> > > --
> > > They said I was the greatest pitcher they ever saw; I couldn't
> > > understand why they couldn't give me no justice.
> > > *~ Satchel Paige
>
> > AFAIK, the family was reported and the STASI moved in. The aircraft
> > could be broken into sections for assembly and the two motorcycle
> > engines came for the 250cc MZ ES 250:http://youngtimer.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/1973-mz-trophy-es-250-2...
>
> > Although captured, the Pfeil 5/Wagner DOWA 81 was test-flown by the
> > GDR AF. It flew fine. It probably just sat around until reunification
> > and then was placed in a museum.
>
> > Although ugly, I like it.
>
> > Rob
>
> Thank you for the additional info. As the STASI maintained huge
> archives on everything and everyone they could, it is likely it was
> either kept as a reference to what someone else could do, or just kept
> because they kept everything.
>
> As for the family, the father was an engineer and his prominence may
> have helped the family eventually get out, as a higher up wanting to
> go was a real embarrassment for the East German gov't, but a year in
> East german prisons was surely not fun.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

David,

There was also the balloon escape that is depicted in the 1981 film
"Night Crossing":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Crossing

IIRC, there is also a film about a successful tunnel escape too... but
I cannot think of that title (?)!!!

Rob