Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
National

Plane bearing World War II Nazi insignia crashes onto US highway

US motorists got a shock when a vintage plane painted with the insignia of Hitler's air force crash-landed in the middle of a highway in southern California.

The aircraft crashed onto the central reservation of US 101 on Tuesday afternoon local time, but according to CBS no vehicles were hit.

The pilot, the only occupant of the plane, escaped before the plane burst into flames.

The aircraft was not a German World War II plane, but a North American AT-6 training aircraft painted in a Luftwaffe camouflage scheme and bearing the Balkenkreuz insignia used on Nazi warplanes.

It belonged to a non-profit organisation which stages mock dogfights for air shows and performs at ceremonial events.

The Balkenkreuz was a variation on the Iron Cross used by Nazi Germany on planes and vehicles.

The AT-6 was developed in the 1930s, and was used to train US pilots during World War II.

The crash, which occurred west of Los Angeles, slowed traffic to a crawl as the pilot was rescued and fire fighters dealt with the blaze.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.