315 hp BMW IV
In 1927 the German Gunther Plüschow used this Heinkel to explore the southern tip of Argentina.
His aviation adventures began in WWI.After studying at the Rumpler Aviation School, Plüschow was stationed at the German East Asian Naval Station in Tsingtao (now Qingdao) China.
While in Tsingtao, he flew as a naval reconnaissance pilot in a Rumpler Taube, the first monoplane to be mass-produced by Germany. In 1914, as WWI started, Japan demanded that Germany leave their colony. The Germans refused, and both Japan and England attacked.
Plüschow, fighting from the air, downed a Japanese plane with his pistol.
The colony was soon lost. He was then ordered to fly off and escape.
He made it to Haichow. Crash landing on Nov. 6, 1914. The Taube was burnt and the engine donated to the Chinese.
Under the name McGarvin he set sail for San Francisco from Shanghai on Dec 5, 1915. He crossed the US via train.
On January 30, 1915 he boarded an Italian steamer bound for Italy as a Swiss under the name Ernst Suse.
Unfortunately the ship was stoped by the British at Gibraltar on Feb 8, 1915. Gunther (aka Ernst Suse) was captured and sent to a POW camp in the UK.
On July 5, 1915 Gunther escaped from the POW camp with another POW. The other POW was captured, however Gunther made good his escape being the only POW to cape a POW camp in the UK in two World Wars.
After being on the run in London for a week, he was able to stow away on a Dutch ship to the Netherlands then home to Germany. During his "visit" to London, he visited the British Museum.
He retired from military service in 1919.
He published his first book, The Adventures of the Aviator from Tsingtau, which sold 700,000 copies.
In November 1927, Plüschow set sail in his ship the Feuerland for Patagonia to explore the southern tip of Argentina. Ernst Dreblow, his engineer, travelled via ocean steamer with their Heinkel HD 24, which they dubbed the Silver Condor.
January 1931 Plüschow and Dreblow were forced to land their seaplane on a lake surrounded by glaciers and broke a float. After several days a repair was made. They succeeded in taking off, but a wing broke and both men having parachutes jumped out. Plüschow’s parachute failed, and he was killed. Dreblow landed in a lake and swam to shore, but died from exposure.
