Which Modern Plane Company Built Hitler's Luftwaffe?

Ever wondered what became of Heinkel, Messerschmitt, Junkers and the other WWII German aviation companies? Do they still exist today? Yes, they do, but in a surprising way!
Dr. Mark Felton is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at: en.wikipedia.o...
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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
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[@darkspire91]

Airbus pilot: "ladies and gentlemen, we'll be making our approach for landing." * Stuka dive horn blares *

[@dopplerduck]

Hahahaha

[@TheSaltydog07]

😊😊😊😊

[@slavemi3018]

So that's the reason why the a320 has its iconic whistling noise! It's the grandchild of the Ju-87!

[@frankgesuele6298]

That would be hysterical🤣🤣🛬

[@RR-in7do]

😂😂😂😂

[@captainjoshuagleiberman2778]

Okay, okay, they all joined Airbus! That explains why the right armrest on the A321 I flew to LA last year kept rising up.😂

[@agn855]

Funny (sort of), like Boeing's 737 Max - aMurica's famous Stuka equivalent 😗

[@Dumrikk]

Yes. Putin told us this years ago. It is obvious if you think about it, we are after all living in nazi europe. I apologize for our right-winged aircrafts, we can't help ourselves😪

[@bill9540]

Underrated comment☺️

[@SIERRA-dx9wm]

Reminds me of scene in Dr. Strange Love 😎

[@libertyvilleguy2903]

Good one….

[@MrArcher7]

It's remarkable just how many aircraft companies had going into WWII. Those are just the major ones, there was also Fiesler, Arado and B&V.

[@time603]

The Arado jets were so futuristic..well except for the ski landing system.. but to look at.. wow. Thank goodness they came too late.

[@TheDalhuck]

IIRC, B&V was primarily a shipbuilder, and, for the most part built aircraft under license.

[@thkempe]

Erich Bachem designed the Ba 349 Natter rocket-powered interceptor. After the war he built “Eriba” caravans.

[@bebo4374]

Don’t forget Henschel

[@SlapthePissouttayew]

@@bebo4374 Or Mitsubishi on the Pacific side.

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

I read a very interesting short bio about Hugo Junkers. He was a pacifist, but during World War One he put his personal feelings aside and built airplanes for the Imperial German air service. However thoroughly disgusted by the loss of life during the war after it was over he vowed never to build any military aircraft again. This proved to be a bit of a problem when Hitler came to power so Junkers was leveraged out of his company, if not flat-out strong-armed out, and had nothing to do with Junkers products afterward. Hugo Junkers died in 1935, he was 76 years old. So the JU-87 and the JU-88 were Junkers products, but not Hugo's.

[@NVRAMboi]

Interesting. Thanks.

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

@@NVRAMboi You're welcome!

[@mergru6371]

We need more people to think like Hugo and speak out. The warmongering has been horrific last few years, as if they forgot war is hell!

[@hgm8337]

Did he instead moved into garments and become the Boss of Hugo?

[@Nghilifa]

@@hgm8337 ba dum tshh

[@thkempe]

I actually own a Heinkel. Unfortunately it has no wings. It is a scooter Tourist 103 A-2 from 1962.

[@ursus9104]

Yes postwar production in Germany of those small cars that ran like cockroaches on the streets.

[@Napolean46]

​@@ursus9104😅😅😅

[@chiensyang]

When I heard "Heinkel," I thought this was the same company which manufactures and sells kitchen knives. 🙄🤦‍♂️🤦‍♀️🤦

[@XRM123-f5k]

@@ursus9104 …SCOOTERS…!!!

[@GD-rh2sn]

That's still pretty cool 😅

[@MrHws5mp]

Point of order: Willy Messerschmitt didn't "found" Messerschmitt AG in 1938. What happened in 1938 was that he was appointed chairman, managing director and chief designer of Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG (BFW) and changed it's name to his own. BFW was founded in 1916 and Messerschmitt had worked for them since 1927. This is why all pre-1938 designs have an RLM code prefix of "Bf", for example the Bf 109, while all subsequent ones have an "Me" prefix, for example the Me 262. (RLM = ReichsLuftfahrtMinisterium = German Air Ministry)

[@gustavogarcia-echeverria1190]

Before taking over BFW he had his own design buro, just like Mikoyan-Gurevich in the USSR. In fact all those soviet aircraft designers were just that, design buros, as all the factories to produce aircrafts were own by the state. Dr. M, wasn't just appointed chairman, with the money he got for the model E (Battle of Britain) he bought most of the shares of BFW and became the owner, changing the name. You can read Martin Caidin's Me 109, for more information.

[@MrHws5mp]

@@gustavogarcia-echeverria1190 Yes but he was still working for BFW from 1927. My point is that he didn't create Messerschmitt AG in 1938, he just renamed an existing company.

[@CatnamedMittens]

You're smart.

[@David-g1p-v8k]

@@MrHws5mp Precision in written works and speech is all, very nice to see.

[@actoraa]

I was confused by the 1938 date since the Bf109 was first deployed to Spain in 1937. It would be hard for a company to build and deliver an aircraft before being founded...

[@gerryvanzandt7894]

Growing up in Seattle in the 1970s & 80s, my German neighbor worked for Dornier, as their executive liaison to Boeing on the collaboration for the NATO AWACS program. As a young & enthusiastic WW2 aircraft buff, Günther was very happy to indulge me in the history of Dornier and gave me many Dornier items, books & swag. Moving back to Germany in 1985 he worked out of their Oberpfaffenhofen facility directly west of Munich, which during WW2 was Dornier’s primary company airfield & test center. Later in life as an adult, when I visited, he took me onto the facility & showed me around. Sadly he died about 10 years ago. Very interesting segment, thanks for researching & sharing.

[@iamgermane]

Airbus the "most successful" airplane company? A ridiculous statement! Where were these legacy Germany companies when Boeing came out with the 747 in 1970??? No where to be found in competition!

[@duniagowes]

Nice man

[@georgeschaut2178]

At least Airbus doesn't seem to be plagued by the same safety issues as Boeing.

[@iamgermane]

@@georgeschaut2178 Ya tell it to the Air France jet that went down in that storm off the coast of Brazil 20 years ago! Yokes that did not move in tandem!?!?

[@borkmister]

@@iamgermane It outsells, outproduces, and out-earns Boeing by a significant margin these days. There is a very good argument in calling it the most successful. Most iconic? Probably not.. at least for now.

[@tng2057]

Japan: Mitsubishi and Kawasaki - still around. Loosely associated with the pre war company. Still involved in aviation. Nakajima- became Fuji Industries then Subaru. Aichi- Eventually became part of Nissan.

[@simpleisbest3977]

Interestingly Nakajima is a common ancestor for both Subaru and Nissan

[@johnnyz2378]

Toshiba is another company with roots in WWII Japan; I know for a fact they used Allied POW’s for slave labor in many of their facilities, factories and mines on the Home Islands. Their full company name was Tokyo Shibaura Electric Company Ltd.

[@fgaviator]

7:17 "... as Airbus is the most successful aviation company on Earth!" Every Boeing employee: "Ouch, that hit hard!" 🥊🤪😂

[@krcsirke]

Every Boeing employee atm envy to them, as their engineers at least not die in mysterious ways 😂

[@TheKRU251]

"If it's Boeing, I'm not going"

[@FP194]

Ya because Airbus has never had any planes crash or had any mechanical problems Airbus would not exist without government help

[@pirjoajonen]

@@FP194most airplane manufacturers would not exist without ”government help”. stop deepthroating Boeing, I used to love Boeing but they’re currently a shady, unreliable company.

[@FireAngelOfLondon]

@@FP194 Boeing has had plenty of help from the US government and will no doubt continue to receive that kind of help. Since the engineers on the board of directors were replaced with Harvard business graduates the company's fortunes have sadly declined, and I believe that will continue until the CEO is once again an engineering graduate rather than a business graduate. Companies that make heavy engineering products need a CEO who understands how the products work, and also has a reasonable grasp of business. Having a money man who sort of understands engineering will not cut it.

[@sintenal4078]

Still at it, answering the questions that I didn’t know I needed answers to! Many thanks, Dr. Felton!

[@iamgermane]

Airbus the "most successful" airplane company? A ridiculous statement! Where were these legacy Germany companies when Boeing came out with the 747 in 1970??? No where to be found in competition!

[@davidanderson4091]

@@iamgermane _"Airbus last year topped Boeing for the fifth straight year in the orders race, with 2,094 net orders and 735 delivered planes. Boeing had 1,314 net orders and delivered 528 aircraft. Airbus currently leads Boeing in sales of large single-aisle planes 80%-20%, according to figures from Alton Aviation Consultancy"_ Given Boeing's recent issues with MCAS killing 340 + passengers & crew, another Boeing with a door blowing off due to manufacturing defects, and now stranding astronauts on the ISS, I wouldn't be blowing Boeing's trumpet too loudly at this time. They may once have been the world's greatest aviation company, but that is now a distant memory. They went rapidly downhill after the merger with McDonnell-Douglas, once the bosses with engineering degrees were replaced by bean counters. I am 68, a frequent flyer, and for the first time in my life, I am checking flights I am on, and making sure I my flight is not scheduled to be using a Boeing. _"If its Boeing, I ain't going"_

[@thesteelrodent1796]

@@iamgermane Boeing has built a lot of famous and infamous planes, but financially they're a very unstable company. Developing the 747 almost killed them back in the day and they were merely lucky they got it ready while there was still a demand for moving a lot of people. That plane was basically a last ditch effort and they were only barely able to get it in the air despite being out of money, but it saved the company purely because of what the airline traffic was like in the 70s. Every time a company like that designs a new plane they depend on the airlines ordering a lot of them, and they haven't been good at holding on to those contracts - there have been a lot of cases where the airlines they contract with back out, scale back, or just go bankrupt before the planes are delivered. When they acquired McDonell-Douglas it was immediately followed by several of the new MD-80 and MD-90 falling out of the sky for one reason or another - and that pattern has continued ever since. Whenever they introduce a new plane, there's always several with fatal problems and especially in the past two decades nearly all the Boeing crashes have been due to design or manufacturing defects. The passengers and airlines have lost faith in Boeing and if you pay close attention to which planes that go in and out of the airports, nearly all the Boeing are old models because they're reliable, which cannot be said about their newer siblings. Airbus haven't been without fault, but financially they're solid, and statistically their planes are more reliable and cheaper to keep flying because they're built properly.

[@nanorider426]

​@@iamgermaneYou haven't read the news for the last few years haven't you?

[@josephlannert969]

As soon as Dr. Felton said "huge conglomerate", I knew right away...and chuckled a little

[@DrThunder88]

It would have been a very nice surprise if it wasn't also the most obvious answer!

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

I suppose Airbus' corporate motto is "You will be assimilated! Resistance is futile!"

[@robertgerber2533]

Yeah. It was pretty obvious.

[@aslamnurfikri7640]

Mitsubishi, Kawasaki, and Kawanishi: "I don't have such weaknesses"

[@liliya_aseeva]

Mitsubishi is so much more, they even build ships all by themselves. Same whith samsung in Korea. Just a chunk of GDP, about 5 or 10%. Idk how to classify Asian economies, these are not private and not state run, but something in between.

[@Satvik_3334]

What happened to Kawanishi? Just Curious!!

[@petershen6924]

They all disintegrated after WW2 into subcomponents by the decree of General MacArthur. Mitsubishi motors is not the same as Mitsubishi heavy industries

[@time603]

Subaru is also linked, (Fuji Heavy Industries),as well as Toyota.

[@SVSky]

@@Satvik_3334 Became Shin-Meiwa they still make Flying Boats.

[@petershen6924]

In comparison, Curtiss-Wright is still in business, just not assembling planes anymore, just components and heat treatments.

[@suminshizzles6951]

Ha, i was right when i thought of the P-40. The Flying Tigers

[@chuckbuckbobuck]

Same with the Dutch Aerospace company-Fokker. What a shame as Fokker made great planes. At and aerospace company I worked for 10 years ago, I used to by landing gear made by Fokker. It was used on one of the fighter jets for the USAF. It has been so long ago I can't remember what jet it was used on.

[@RatTailMongo2]

From what I have read, CW was once the largest aircraft manufacturer in the US, far outpacing other US manufacturers in WWII in terms of planes built, but due to reasons to I really don't understand, the company was slow to adopt the jet engine into new designs of planes so Boeing and Lockeed-Martin overtook CW in market share and it was all down hill from there for the aircraft division of the company.

[@thomasfx3190]

My father and many of my aunts and uncles worked for Boeing from the 1950’s - 1980’s. What a state they’re in now!

[@tomsenft7434]

I think Nazi philosophy has so poisoned these companies that, despite good people's best efforts, they eventually get caught up in a scandal. Volkswagen and their emissions software scandal made me decide that I will never buy a Volkswagen or even a Ford ever again. Those names should die out of our world, and most certainly shouldn't be in my driveway or jobsite.

[@gardenman3]

This guy should teach history. We learn so much from him.

[@reinhardtchristiansen4275]

He *is* teaching history but he's doing it on KZbin rather than a classroom where he can reach a much bigger audience.

[@billerator]

@@reinhardtchristiansen4275 Correct

[@monomarino5349]

What do you think he is doing, Captain Obvious?

[@BodywiseMustard]

He does.

[@Pimthrow]

You mistake "Nazi fun facts" for "history", brother. ;)

[@asya9493]

Going back in the other direction, Focke Wulf was part owned by Lorenz AG, which was a subsidiary of US company ITT after 1930 and for the entirety of WW2. ITT produced a lot of the radio and radar equipment for the US Army Air Corp/Force, which bombed .. various Lorenz AG aircraft factories. After the war the US Government paid compensation to ITT for the US military blowing up it's subsidiaries assets in Germany, while using ITT equipment.

[@oldtop4682]

The same happened with Ford and GM after the war - and several other companies. Weird that the taxpayers had to pick up the tab for war losses.

[@vandalsavage6152]

I worked at MBB Augsburg 1970. The staff were either young or old, no middle age. Some of the staff had worked there from the beginning and were mostly supervisors. A few of the original hangars survived, with many .50 calibre holes in the steelwork. Willi Messerschmitt walked thru our work area and I actually recognised him. We were building sections of F104, F4, and prototypes of Panavia MRCA....

[@iamgermane]

F-104 "Thuds," the "widow maker" planes for their tendency to crash! Big scandal in West Germany at the time involving them.

[@globesoarer5920]

Those hangars with holes are still there, as well as many bomb craters in the forest next to the employees parking area.

[@Argent_99]

You’re kinda omitting an intermediate step in the corporate journey here - namely that Daimler AG (the parent company of Mercedes) bought up MBB and Dornier in short order and at that point became the owner-operator of 90% of Germany aerospace sector. they then incorporated all their aerospace assets into DASA, which later (yet more mergers…) was rebranded as DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG. This was then ultimately spin off by Daimler into EADS. But the component companies (especially MBB and another DASA property, MTU) were part and parcel of the Airbus project since day 1 and were significant contributors to the development of the A300.

[@thecircusfreak5364]

Of course they do, they just build watches now 😅

[@djzrobzombie2813]

They also build cars

[@punkypink83]

they don't really POINTtec makes the watches and then licence the names

[@pirjoajonen]

⁠@@punkypink83i’m pretty sure POINTtec parted ways with the Junkers branding a while back. Didn’y Iron Annie replace Junkers, and Junkers watches are no longer made by POINTtec? The new Junkers’ are most likely made cheap, with low quality by another company. I’d assume they’re mass produced by some low tiet company that assembles the watches from Chinese parts in Germany.

[@gorgonzola86]

@@pirjoajonen Yes, the Junkers family very abruptly pulled out of their license agreement with pointtec. The new Junkers watch company is partly owned by the family now, but they still produce in Germany. Messerschmitt watches on the other hand are made by Aristo Vollmer in Pforzheim Germany, they are licensed by the Messerschmitt cultural heritage foundation.

[@thelton100]

Why didn’t the Luftwaffe armor their aircraft? Seems like other countries did.

[@PatrickNick-o9f]

Interesting history. I was Head of Procurement at Dornier Seastar (2014-2017) which is in fact largly owned by a Chinese company. So far they have not managed to get the Sea Star into series production.

[@NocturneSega]

I was a contractor on the Seastar in late 2022 for a short time, interesting plane to say the least!

[@MrHws5mp]

If I had the money for a private plane (total pipe dream), that's the plane I'd buy, if I could. I've always loved the concepts in Dornier flying boats.

[@williamprince1114]

Now you have me wondering about Blohm & Voss!

[@PedroConejo1939]

After the war, the aircraft builders Blohm & Voss reverted to Hamburger Flugzeugbau (HFB). They joined VFW and became part of MBB. The rest you know.

[@phaasch]

Sadly, No. It might be quite fun to fly in an Airbus with the fuselage on one wing, and the tail on the other😊

[@PedroConejo1939]

@@phaasch BV 141 is so enigmatic; I'd love to see one fly. I reckon it'd do your head in, but apparently pilots loved them.

[@laurencehoffelder1579]

@@PedroConejo1939is there sources for that? It proves quiet a chaos to trace which company belongs to VfW, MBB and DASA at which point in time but as far as I have read B&V did never belong to VfW but formed Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm with Messerschmitt and Bölkow.

[@PedroConejo1939]

@@laurencehoffelder1579 It's largely from memory of something I read a long time ago, but it does seem to match with a quick scan of Wiki. It's important to remember that Hamburger Flugzeugbau (HFB) and B+V went their different ways after the war. HFB were not part of B+V from then on but they met again through MBB. HFB got there via their work with VFW, so it was HFB, not B+V who were involved with VFW. There was an article tracing it in one of the aviation mags some years ago. I don't think it was Flight International but it could have been - we used to get a pile of mags at work, so remembering what was in which mag is not easy.

[@JustSomeCanuck]

Don't forget the honourable mention - the Italian aircraft company Piaggo, which does still have an aerospace division, but mostly switched to motor vehicle and engine manufacturing. They make the Vespa!

[@stop-the-greed]

They own Ducati motorcycles and moto Gussi

[@kristoffermangila]

Ducati is not owned by Piaggio anymore, its now owned by Volkswagen.

[@TheKRU251]

Technically Audi, but definitely NOT Piaggio 😊​@@kristoffermangila

[@marcmonnerat4850]

And the also iconic _APE_

[@pirjoajonen]

@@TheKRU251 hmm, and who owns Audi?

[@larryjohnson7591]

Wow, I had lost track of the German companies after about 1965, but I had no idea Airbus was a conglomeration of all those companies. Thank You Mark. I feel a little smarter now, and that is no easy feat.

[@leifnelson6244]

The spirit of Paul Harvey thanks you for providing us with the rest of the story.

[@CidCampeadorEl]

Thank you so much for you brilliant videos, Mr Felton. You are one of the most important history tellers of nowadays !

[@cynthiaalver]

I read the book "The Arms of Krupp" when I was 15. Over 1,500 pages and a few years later I was shopping in the kitchen appliance section when I noticed a very nice kitchen stand mixer made by Krupp. I thought that was somewhat ironic. Krupp, from 300 years as armaments manufacturer to various German kingdoms, the German Empire and the Third Reich to top shelf kitchen appliances. Aside from some careless baker catching their fingers in the spinning beaters now and then, no one ever died from this production, let alone millions. Good job, Krupp.

[@thkempe]

@@cynthiaalver Are you sure? I have a coffee maker of the brand and an electric bread slicer, but it’s “Krups” not “Krupp”. But I still remember the first boiler in the house I’m living in, which was actually made by Krupp.

[@dhowe5180]

You’re thinking of Krups. No connection to the steel maker

[@cynthiaalver]

It seems I am mistaken. My apologies. It's a forty year old memory and all these years I've remembered it as Krupp. Thank you for correcting me.

[@jsprite123]

The irony would be to have a Porsche-designed kitchen stand mixer, just to compete with Krupp's...

[@dhowe5180]

@@cynthiaalver wait until you hit 65. You won’t remember that you’re 65

[@ManuelGuajardo-zd7hx]

Another great production by Dr. Felton well done. Thanks for watching. 👍

[@Atabascael]

The Junkers brand has been revived outside of Airbus as well. They make small aircraft in the style of the old Junkers machines.

[@Dimapur]

Messerschmit switching to making death dealing fighter planes to funny cute looking bubble car is what happens when you lose a war, so guys don't lose war!

[@AndrewAMartin]

Or maybe, don't start a war in the first place...

[@jamesengland7461]

I love that bubble car! It's the coolest one

[@johnweerasinghe4139]

​@@AndrewAMartin Well said, Sir!

[@nacoran]

It's interesting how closely this mirrors other industries. I'm a harmonica player, and I've picked up a fair amount of harmonica company history over the years. In West Germany Hohner slowly bought everyone up, while in East Germany all the companies got merged into one big company, VEB Klingenthal Harmonica Works. After the fall of the Berlin Wall different pieces were spun off. Seydel stayed with harmonicas. Weltmeister focused on accordions, Vermona dealt with electronic instruments... actually more pieces probably spun off and are separate companies in the East than in the West where Hohner gobbled them all up.

[@leedaero]

I was at an FBO (fixed base operator) to refuel and I saw a large poster on the wall. It was a naked lady standing behind large vertical wooden propeller and the quote was “has anyone seen my Fokker?”

[@reinhardtchristiansen4275]

I attended a well-regarded Canadian university that has a large engineering faculty 40-odd years ago. The engineers proudly marched with a symbol of their profession, a giant pipe wrench named the Ridgid Tool, as a sign of their sexual prowess. The women engineers, of which there were very few at the time, had their own symbol, the Ridgid Diaphragm, which was an actual manhole cover. I see that the Ridgid Tool company still exists, although I have grave doubts that the male or female engineers still march with their old symbols.

[@phillipsmith4814]

Was the poster near the cockpit?

[@Spartan902]

I love the old posters before the world became politically correct.👍😎🇦🇺🤣

[@newerstillimproved]

Fokker is a Dutch company

[@AlanLawson-sf8ln]

Which became Universal aircraft company, which became north American aircraft co. Which built what? The P51. Also the 300 series Airbus was actually the last design of Douglas aircraft and was sold to the eurotrash upon the merger with BOEING. I RODE A 321 NEO TO ALASKA AND IT WAS THE BEST RIDE BARRING THE MISERABLE SEATS,BESIDES A 747, QUIET AND SMOOTH.

[@PositionLight]

Fun fact, Boston's MBTA owned railcars made by both Hawker and Messerschmitt until 2021. Every commute was a mini battle of Britain.

[@brittakriep2938]

Some notes: Not long ago, there was a Junkers company producing components for heating and hotwater equipment of houses. There is still a Zeppelin company selling / lending machines and equipment for road construction. The company, which produced the wooden Natter rocket planes still existed at least ten to twenty years ago as producer of camping vans/trsilers, using the Natter plane as Logo. And in wwll gerrman airforce used also gliders. Especially for paratroopers or invading forces in early stages, later the transport glider Me 323 (?) Gigant , from which also a motorised variant existed. I live next to german town Kirchheim unter Teck. This town and tegion has a long history of glider sport, and german glider pioneer Eolf Hirth lived here. There is still a glider company Schempp- Hirth existing. When you enter town district Nabern from west, you can still see a building from former Wolf Hirth company, producing components of wwll military gliders. Oh, noted MBB company had also buildings there, which are now used by different small companies, which are not involved in aircraft/ military production.

[@MrHws5mp]

There was a Zeppelin company selling airships in the recent past. Not sure what their realtionship to the original Zeppelin company is though.

[@brittakriep2938]

​@@MrHws5mp: I also don' t know, but ZF company, known for gearboxes/ Getriebe means Zeppelin Friedrichshafen. Oh , during a historical tour of a smaller historical society i could visit current Castle of Freiherr von Brandenstein - Zeppelin, with the owner as Guide.

[@towgod7985]

​@MrHws5mp Believe it or not, Zeppelin, the original company, is still in business. As far as I know, still family owned.

[@brittakriep2938]

@@towgod7985 : Possible. During historical tours of noted historical society , i visited some castles of german knightly families. Most of them have nowadays economical problems, about which they don' t speak openly, but Mr. von Brandenstein - Zeppelin seems to be still rich. Even family von Hohenlohe - Langenburg, german high nobility, close related to british Windsor dynasty, seems to have problems .

[@8bitgamer85]

I knew Mark was talking about Airbus when he was talking about how Messerschmitt, Dornier, Focke-Wulf, and Junkers merged to form a mega corporate aviation company. I already knew the history of Airbus.

[@perrydowd9285]

Thankyou Dr Felton. I always look forward to your videos and never miss an upload. I must say, the suspense really worked here. about halfway through I wondered if the conglomerate you mentioned could be Airbus.

[@bonstockage3745]

Apparently Junkers made household water heaters that were sold around Europe. Also they still make watches. I have a Bauhaus inspired Junkers watch.

[@David-wy9jl]

I used to ride the MBTA commuter rail train to Boston. On the wall was an ID plaque stating that the railcar was made by Messerschmitt. It was a daily reminder of WWII as I exited the train as both of my parents served during the war. Thanks for the update.

[@hgm8337]

Mitsubishi?

[@David-wy9jl]

@@hgm8337 Messerschmitt yes. The model name was Bombardier. Make one wonder if there was a reference.

[@richardwilton722]

BAE Systems used to have a slice of Airbus too, but sold it to EADS in 2006, so the Bristol Aircraft Co was also merged into Airbus. When you’re sitting in your Airbus, you’re also sitting in the descendant of the WW1 Bristol Fighter, and the WW2 Bristol Blenheim and Beaufighter. Other aircraft that are descendants from both sides of WW2 are the Panavia Tornado and the Eurofighter Typhoon.

[@Krapfelapfen]

And now the same video about japanese, british and US companies Dr. Felton 😉👍

[@Gert-DK]

US is not necessary. It is the same, just with Boeing as the big company.

[@icy3-1]

Me and my family have been abroad for around a month starting June 8 and recently just got home yesterday on July 9. We went to visit family in the States, landing in San Francisco with a layover in Taipei coming from Manila. Then went to Toronto for 4 days and then back to San Fran. On the way home back to the Philippines, we had another layover in Taipei before landing at Manila. What I found interesting is that the flights from Manila to Taipei, Manila to Taipei, San Fran to Toronto, and Toronto to San Fran involved the Airbus A330. Meanwhile the flights from Taipei to San Fran and back involved the Boeing 777.

[@stevesummersell_K4WXX]

Wow. EADS had a small presence at the former WW2 Brookley Airforce Base (now Brookley Aeroplex here in Mobile, Alabama). Now Airbus has a huge complex here. The connection through mergers is very interesting.

[@liukang8890]

I just love your documentaries.

[@shearwave7885]

Good to see a new video from my favorite history source!

[@sillypuppy5940]

Just up the road from where I live there's a service station with a small food court and a lift up to the toilets. The lift is made by a company now called TK Elevator, a recent change from ThyssenKrupp. That's the steel company that made a lot of German armaments during both world wars, and used slave labor during the latter.

[@billstory8034]

Krupp was more than just a company. They were an armaments giant. Without their production the Third Reich wouldn't have gotten beyond Two-And-A-Half.

[@kutter_ttl6786]

"Hard as Krupp steel!"

[@BodywiseMustard]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4i7Zq2FmbKjqMU A great KZbin doc about modern German companies built on slavery during WW2

[@MBBurchette]

Thyssen was part of the conglomerate/cartel Vereinichte Stahl Werke (VSW). Fritz Thyssen fled Germany after the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and the company was absorbed into the Reichswerke Hermann Göring. Krupp & Thyssen did not merge until very late in the Cold War.

[@peteranson4021]

You've just reminded me that a lift in our hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland was made by the Schindler company, thus becoming "Schindler's Lift".

[@carlosgravy7966]

One of the things I like about Airbus is that their doors don't pop off in flight. A nice feature.

[@raedwulf61]

Don't pop off yet.

[@rogerturner6377]

@@raedwulf61Haven’t popped off yet (at time of writing)

[@gregedwards1087]

Is that a tongue in cheek reference to Boing (sic) tending not to get things right? They say that 'What goes up, must come down', I am starting to think that it is not correct with the Boeing Starliner that is currently docked with the ISS, although if it stays docked and is unable to return to Earth by itself it will actually come back to Earth with the ISS when it is de-orbited in 2030.

[@Kefuddle]

The propaganda is amazing. It is as if the Airbus A320 series never had any serious problems that caused crashes.

[@gregedwards1087]

@@Kefuddle, and Boing* never spouted their own "Propaganda", leave it out Wankee boy.

[@Fat_Cat_747]

I've seen some people refer to Lufthansa as "Luftwaffe" 😀

[@dtaylor10chuckufarle]

A buddy of mine said the same thing since they strictly enforce the rules.

[@Fat_Cat_747]

@@dtaylor10chuckufarle German is the best language for shouting in. When traveling in Germany I always have with me, my Berlitz - 'Shouted German'

[@John_1_0]

then they are getting it wrong, aren't they

[@Hairnicks]

Every video is a new bit of knowledge brilliantly presented. Thank you Mark.

[@gypsydildopunks7083]

Those mini-cars look very fun to drive. Thanks again, Mr. Felton

[@R0bby67]

My mum and dad had one of those Messerschmitt's in the 60s. Though it was before I was born, but I also remember one of my primary teachers having the Heinkel during the 70s. Crazy looking thing with one front door.

[@chancerNW]

You must not forget that that wings are built near Chester in the Hawarden plant famous for the Wellington and Warwick and others. So there is intermingled with the descendants of He111s, Ju88s and Do17 is pretty a big chunk of Wellington DNA. The main pant has the original WW2 roof and support structure, plus you can still see traces of the original camouflage paint in the walls of the office block that faces the main plant. There are still other buildings and traces of the plant's WW2 heritage not yet lost to the ever expanding facility.

[@TrueBrit1]

Oh Mark, you're such a tease! I was glued to my seat awaiting the big reveal!

[@mitchanthony1548]

And Blohm&Voss builder of seaplanes and some really out there designs still exists as Blohm&Voss they've just stayed with ship building now.

[@heiner71]

They started building ships long before motorized aviation was even a thing.

[@mistermobilemusic5750]

hello its mike from Australia. I love your videos!

[@swunt10]

Fun fact, Messerschmitt (as MBB Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm GmbH) designed the Eurofighter. Back then it was called the MBB TKF90 development for the Luftwaffe. Later other countries joined (for example the UK after their own developments didn't work out) So it was named Eurofighter.

[@martinlewis807]

I once saw a euro fighter fly above Southend on Sea high street during an air show and god was it loud I think it must’ve broken the sound barrier.

[@oliabid-price4517]

If it had broken the sound barrier, you wouldn't have heard it...

[@jacksons1010]

@@oliabid-price4517 What? Going supersonic does not mean going silent - quite the opposite! 🤯

[@martinlewis807]

Well it was SO LOUD it seemed to vibrate the street with sound waves (it might have been an Alien UFO)

[@martinlewis807]

@@oliabid-price4517 have you heard of the sonic boom?

[@PYTHONCANDY]

Love the docs man, thanks for all this amazing content!

[@alanparadis5061]

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing!

[@davidanderson4091]

Dr Felton, you never fail to fascinate with your takes on the many historical facts surrounding WW2.

[@normantas_bataitis]

Hello from Lithuania! Can you make video about still existing Soviet armament companies in the future? I know only one - Uralvagonzavod.

[@beeboop1726]

There is also Imperial Tula arms plant, it has been in production since 1712, providing arms for Imperial Russia, USSR, and the current Russian state. Izhevsk mechanical plant has also been producing weapons among many other things since 1942. 👍 Both factories have produced guns under the “Baikal” name. I know both for their hunting shotguns, commonly seen here in gunshops in the UK.

[@glennquagmire1747]

They exist now but thanks for mentioning it cause now we can have some drones visit them 🤣🤣

[@ksmith4712]

Rapira makes razor blades and perhaps cannons again.

[@Hamishtarah]

Brilliant and unexpected videos, after so many years Dr Felton still has numerous surprises up his sleeve

[@flitetym]

Hold on; you can’t have a discussion on Focke Wulf without mentioning Kurt Tank! Also, Airbus consisted of much more than the German manufacturer. You must also include the British aerospace companies. This consolidation was mainly to stave-off the hegemony (at the time) of Boeing and other US manufacturers. All that said, I stop whatever I doing to consume your archives and accounts. You’re the best out there.

[@centurycity]

Dr Felton I did not know that . Airbus who would have thought. Thanks for another fascinating show.

[@barrysnelson4404]

Sounds like they did better than Super marine, Avro, Handley-Page, Hawker, Gloster, Fairey, Boulton-Paul, Balackburn, Stirling etc

[@adrianbruce2963]

Not really - most of those names ended up in British Aerospace in exactly the same way that the German companies ended up in Airbus. Shorts (not Stirling) had a different fate as did Boulton Paul

[@murewa31]

To some extent this is also a reflection of the hyper centralisation of corporate structures across the world in the age of corporate capitalism. The biggest and 'fittest' companies hoovering up their competiton in a capitalist-darwinian process. Same happened to Vought, Douglas, North American, Brewster etc. I'd still say the golden age of British aviation came to a pretty brutal end during the Cold War.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

​@@murewa31same thing happened to my dad's old company. General Electric used to be one of the biggest companies in the World. Now it's been merged/ broken up into a shadow of the mega company.

[@ricahrdb]

Some of them (Hawker for example) ended up becoming part of BAE Systems. And BAE not only contributed to the development and construction of Airbus aircraft but part of the company was also sold to Airbus in 2006.

[@fredericksaxton3991]

@@adrianbruce2963 In my last home, there were Boulton-Paul kitchen units. No idea if related.

[@PETERNESS]

thanyou Dr Felton very interesting BUT let me say here in Australia in the mid 1970s my family had the pleasure of living next door to the most famous export out of war torn Germany ,she was an elderly lady who lived next door to us her name was Elsa and my three brothers would always make sure to kick our footy over her back fence so we had to knock on her front door to get it back ,22 seconds later we were eating the most beautiful contintental food and delicious pastries ,this lady could cook the best sausage and her marzipan was the best ,we all loved her

[@setoredan]

Wow! And they forged a single ring to rule them all...Airbus That was truly fascinating and entertaining. Thank you, Dr. Felton.

[@davyaldy76]

As soon as you mentioned the giant conglomerate at the end of Messerschmidt I knew it had to be Airbus.

[@Dimapur]

I'm old as fuk but it gives me a chuckle when the name "FuckAWolf" comes up!!

[@targaryen208]

A very similar thing happened to many of the British WW2 companies, ultimately merging into BAE Systems. Decades on of course, existing multi-national joint projects like the Tornado and Typhoon jets had significant contributions from companies that worked on opposite sides of WW2. The same goes for the upcoming sixth-gen projects: the UK/Italian/Japanese Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), and the French/Spanish/German Future Combat Air System (FCAS). A few other points of note: - BAE and EADS tried (but failed) to merge back in 2012. - When involving themselves in international defense initiatives the Germans took some issue (understandably) with the fighter/bomber aviation projects using the same naming traditions the British had used during the war (Hurricane, Tornado, Typhoon, Tempest etc). - Other German companies that significantly contributed to the war effort are still around, notably car companies like Mercedes. Volkswagen (The People's Car) was even essentially founded by the Nazi party in 1937. - Many of the German companies (and West Germany itself) did not have post-WW2 restrictions on them for long. They were increasingly important to the West during the Cold War, with the new common threat being the seemingly militarily superior USSR.

[@bebopwing1]

The next time you fly, there's a very good chance you may be flying Airbus, but the next time a part of your plane falls off, there's a good chance you may be flying Boeing 😂

[@tomhenry897]

Airbus has problems also

[@FrankBarnwell-xi8my]

That's the Spirit. That's a former Boeing parts company that makes Airbus wings.

[@cyrusthegreat1893]

Or maybe Antonov! 😉

[@johncox2865]

Gotta let those boys go back to chewing gum on the assembly line again. These new laminated plains gotta be held together by something.

[@johncox2865]

@@tomhenry897 When Airbus breaks a fingernail, Boeing has a concussion or breaks a leg.

[@fuyu5979]

Awesome upload! U have the ability to seek most interesting subject matters that most others only wonder about. Kudos for ur interesting vids. Looking forward to next one. Peace

[@Gamma-wu2fj]

Admit it, you wanted to hear someone ramble about how Mitsubishi went from the A6M Zero to microwaves.

[@Raptorsified]

My favorite Mitsubishi product is a full set of pencil crayons I got as a kid.

[@Gamma-wu2fj]

@@Raptorsified Why not. It's just post 1940's Japan.

[@gregmichael8473]

I own a Mitsubishi car. From time to time I've thought about getting a personalised/vanity registration/licence plate "Zero" but perhaps "A6M" might be more inconspicuous.

[@Gamma-wu2fj]

@@gregmichael8473 I don't think it will matter. Those who know will know.

[@glennquagmire1747]

​@@Raptorsified- My girl owns a Mitsubishi dildo. 🤣🤣

[@paulkurilecz4209]

I remember when Mitsubishi began selling cars in the US in the 1980's. A co-worker asked me what I thought about them. I replied that if it is anything like the aircraft that they built in WWII it will be a great car.

[@NayanRanjanMukerje]

So, Germany still rules the skies above France.

[@didfet5496]

Absolutely not. Don’t forget Airbus is the result of the merger of lots of european companies including the french company Aérospatiale Matra which was itself a merger of companies like Sud Aviation, Nord Aviation, Matra and others. And I should add that the headquarters and 4 final assembly lines are located in Toulouse, France.

[@jameswhite5919]

Mark did it again folks, this is stuff I’d never think of or put any thought towards but Mr.Felton keeps surprising us I love it please keep up the good work!

[@asicdathens]

At least in the majority of Europe we buried the hatchet of war and decided to work together. The people who envisioned the European Union lived through the harsh realities of WWII and vowed to make everything possible for their children not to suffer in a similar fate. Of course the ruZZians never got the memo

[@ksmith4712]

Hahah... they already had their fill of Communists 😂😅😂😊

[@jamesclayton3388]

Fascinating!..❤..My great grandfather was a British Fighter pilot at the end of WW1 , and it's good to hear such great aircraft companies and around in spirit under a different name.

[@More_Row]

I'm glad the umbrella was Airbus and not Boeing in the end.

[@augustusimperator.avi1872]

Mr. Dr. Felton video as I board a train? Mr. Felton, you never cease to deliver.

[@clydecessna737]

Very good, but do you have the courage to chronicle how the second largest and first equal technologically mighty British aircraft companies, were starved, nationalized, cancelled, discriminated, incompetently run and deliberately destroyed. The last gasp, BAE is emigrating to the USA. As Roland Beamont described: "From Phoenix into Ashes".

[@awatt]

The UK has the second largest aerospace industry after America.

[@alastairbarkley6572]

Emigrating? Last gasp? BAE is a huge enterprise that manufactures in several countries. Vickers - makes submarines including nuclear ones - is also part of BAE Systems; I'm pretty sure Vickers isn't 'emigrating' Royal Navy nuclear sub manufacture to the US. Are you thinking about the M2 Bradley AFV which is a BAE Systems vehicle? The early US Army/USMC Bradleys were actually made in the UK although later ones were built in BAE Systems facilities in the US. BAE also owned Royal Ordnance and also used to own Heckler & Koch which is why getting H&K to redo the SA80 British battle rifle wasn't 'handing it over to the Germans'.

[@eljay9010]

Fantastic video! Could you please do a similar video detailing various armaments companies and where they've ended up today? The first one that comes to mind is Krupp now known as Thyssenkrupp. I see their logo every time I get on the escalator at my train station. It always fascinates me that the company that produced the schwerer Gustav now makes escalators 😂

[@diablohernandez6040]

I didn’t know general atomics was real

[@ThePsiclone]

neither did Mr Handy hahaha

[@michaelmccarthy4615]

It is very real and still at the leading edge of some of the best technologies

[@heiner71]

Yeah, sounds like a company name from a 1950's/1960's SciFi film.

[@StalinTheMan0fSteel]

Sounds like a "James Bond" movie company!

[@AndrewAMartin]

@@StalinTheMan0fSteel There was an episode (actually, a two-parter IIRC) of "The Rockford Files" that had a corporate villain named General Dynamics, which was a made up name at that point. However, a bunch of US defense companies merged and took the name General Dynamics, so before the show aired, they had to dub over every reference to General Dynamics with 'Fiscal Dynamics'...

[@alanblanes2876]

We would never have an opportunity to know this factual history without your amazing reports, Dr Felton.

[@stewartmckeand6099]

Horton Bros rule!

[@thhseeking]

That's "HortEN"...don't confuse it with the companies run by "Roger Horton"... 🤣

[@stewartmckeand6099]

@@thhseeking sorry cheif

[@thhseeking]

@@stewartmckeand6099 That's alright, Max :P

[@stewartmckeand6099]

@@thhseeking Ha!

[@cancel1913]

Another great video! Dr. Felton finds yet another way to surprise us.

[@MrBestshot33]

Hitlers favorite writing utensil, Mont Blanc, was a Jewish company I believe. They have a glass top with what looks to be a white cap of a mountain but when viewed from above its a Jewish star. He carried it in his pocket.

[@megarollxrgmbroadcasting91]

i was saying “airbus” every time you mentioned the mystery brand (im sure many others were too lol). still fun to be gratified with the right answer. thanks dr felton.

[@press2701]

It goes on. IG Farben, purveyors of Zyclon B, are still a thing in the German chemical industry. Krupp, invented carbide tooling in the 30's, making hard steel machining way more doable, merged into ThyssenKrupp. Still around today.

[@asicdathens]

IG Farben was broken after the war. The most famous offspring is BASF

[@agn855]

Well, IG Farben = Hoechst, Bayer, BASF, Cassella,…

[@k98al58]

That’s funny as hell- I buy chemicals from BASF, and Evonik-Rohm…to build parts for Airbus.

[@quintrankid8045]

Do they still have that funky elevator?

[@edwardd9702]

Zyklon B is still manufactured under a different name.

[@MarkDavidKnight]

Thank you for sharing Dr Felton I genuinely didn't know this!

[@justinvanstaden4125]

Wow I flew on so many Airbus planes.... Little did I know. WW2 still offers so much learning. Great video!

[@sebsmith5100]

I will do no such thing to any wolf. I’m no furry.

[@dannyw1579]

You'd only be a furry if you were dressed as a wolf yourself whilst doing it, otherwise it's just a harmless bit of old fashioned beastiality

[@bradkuether3561]

That actually was a surprise. Well done.

[@Henry_Jones]

Did they assisnate workers who spoke to the media about shoddy manufacturing?

[@_Jester_]

Nah, that's the americans

[@cezaryosuch8085]

Mr Felton, thank you for another story. Apart from the subject of this video, the Messerschmitt KR200 was filmed in the Transport Museum in Szczecin ( Stettin ), my home town in Poland.

[@rare6499]

Another quality video as always! Amazing how so many of these companies get absorbed by bigger companies.

[@jamiecheslo]

Airbus, yep. Saw that one coming! Thanks for a fun and refreshingly light-hearted as well as informative episode. Cheers from Canada.

[@SteenSpuurHansen]

Very interesting and not very obvious conclusion. Thanks so much for producing this.

[@user-cf1se1kk5x]

Excellent episode. Had no idea my domestic Canadian airline flight on an Airbus 320 had links to Focke-Wolf 190 and the BF 109. Now I like Airbus even more,

[@hobbitreet]

Thank you for adding depth to this subject; I knew some of the story, but now have a bit more understanding.

[@MightyMezzo]

1:57 oh that bubble car is craaaaaazy!

[@kathygrosvenor4464]

Yours is the most interesting, fascinating, fact based channel for History on the entire internet. I appreciate all your hard work and dedication to bring us these videos. As a History fanatic, it was a pleasure to find this incredible channel. Thank you so much!

[@ER_Actual]

Continually grateful for, and impressed with your work, Mr. Felton.

[@JohnEWierenga]

I download Mark Felton videos to watch when I’m flying. I was sitting in an Airbus midflight when I watched this. 😂