It's not enough that living in 2018 means dealing with tiki-torch-holding, khaki-clad Nazis in the streets. Now we have to worry about Third Reich aircraft, as well. A Nazi warplane crashed on the 101 freeway just outside of Los Angeles on October 23.
While the pilot was able to land the WWII-era plane safely on the road, one of its wings clipped the divider and the plane burst into flames shortly thereafter. According to KTLA, the pilot was unharmed. However, the flaming relic shut down the northbound lanes of the freeway while firefighters extinguished the flames and cleared the wreckage.
The plane features German markings on the wings, but the make of the aircraft is currently unclear. TMZ identifies it as a BF-109 from the German Luftwaffe while KTLA claims it is a North American SNJ-5. Whether the aircraft is vintage or a replica is unknown as well, though KTLA says that it belonged to a non-profit organization founded by WWII pilots called the Condor Squadron Club. The NBC affiliate says that the pilot took off from Van Nuys Airport. Prior to its crash, it was typically brought out for parades in the area.
The reason for the emergency landing on the 101 is currently unknown. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are both investigating the incident.
