The Last Flight
The two dead Germans were interred at the cemetery next to the South lighthouse, ironically the subject of their units badge. During the funeral two Hurricanes performed acrobatics over the scene. After the war the family's exhumed the bodies and took them back to Germany. The two pilots who were responsible for the shoot down subsequently visited the Isle to view their handy work and also spoke with Jimmy Stout who witnessed the demise of the Heinkel. They were particularly interested in the spread of bullet holes made in the aircraft. Jimmy still describes it as looking like "a flying colander!"
Parts of the plane were recycled and taken away. A large part of tail was taken to Sumburgh for display in the officers mess. The spinners ended up at the North Lighthouse. Parts of the blades even ended up as plough shares. A rudder for a boat was fashioned for a boat in Yell. Perhaps the most touching of all, Stuart Thomson(Shirva) fashioned an aluminium ring for his wife Anne which she regularly wears .
Heinz Thurz was destined to make a return visit to Fair Isle in 1987.He even took control of the light aircraft approaching Fair Isle .Veiwing the crash scene he reflected on the men who had died there remarking "it was still a little sad". Substantial remains may be viewed at Vaasettar where it came to rest all those years ago. Parts include two engines ,undercarriage components and tail unit which still sports patches of paint as well as 303 bullet holes. Testament to the fierce fire which broke out immediately after the crash, there is also a lot of melted aluminium all around the site.
