A Winged Love Story: How Sweden Acquired (and Used) a Dornier Do 24

Desertions and escapes in World War II were numerous, but few of them involved hijacking an aircraft and flying to a neutral state. However, this is exactly what happened with a German Dornier Do 24 flying boat that found its way into Sweden thanks to Heinz Roesch, a, aircraft mechanic with Seenotstaffel 81, and his Estonian girlfriend Rita Kuusalu. The Swedes interned the machine, and the Do 24 went on to serve with the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) as the Tp 24 for several years. This is its story.

00:00 Intro
01:12 Boy Meets Girl
01:50 Roesch Hatches a Plan
02:49 Preparations for the Escape
03:52 The Day Before the Flight
04:54 The Plan is Set in Motion
05:33 The Take-off
08:18 The Flight
10:56 The Landing
11:17 Roesch in Sweden
11:52 The Do 24 in Swedish Service
12:57 The Other Do 24 That Landed in Sweden