Dayton, OH, Aug 1. - (AP) A Junkers 290, first to touch American soil, was being given preliminary tests here today before being taken to Freeman Field at Seymour, Ind., site of an air technical service command installation for evaluation of foreign aircraft.

The ATSC headquarters at Wright Field said the four-engine German transport plane "Alles Kaput", landed at Patterson Field yesterday. IT left Saturday and stopped twice, at the Azores and at Bermuda. The big plane was captured near Munich.

"Alles Kaput" is a slang German phrase meaning "all washed up".
 

Two views of a German Junker Ju.290 marked as '022' on one of its fins,
captured by the Americans at Orly Airport, Paris.
courtesy Graham M. Simons, "Operation Lusty - The Race for Hitler's Secret Technology" 2016

Monogram Close-Up 03 Junkers 290
11/06/2009

In autumn 1945 a visitor to the collection of Axis aircraft displayed at Freeman Field, Seymour, Indiana would have been impressed with one particular German aircraft. Emblazoned in red script on the forward fuselage was an epitaph to the Third Reich: "Alles Kaputt." Largest of all Axis types placed on exhibit, this particular Ju 290 has earned its niche in aviation history. With the signing of documents in the Rheims schoolhouse on May 6, 1945, all action by the German Forces in the West ceased. However, in Southern Czechoslovakia the cessation of hostilities was yet to take effect. German control of occupied areas within Czechoslovakia was deteriorating rapidly. Although General Patton's Third Army had surged into Czechoslovakia, it was obliged to return to a line prearranged at Potsdam, thereby leaving all Czechoslovakia to Soviet occupation. In view of this frightening reality, local Luftwaffe personnel and dependents were assembled hurriedly at various Eastern points for their migration back to Germany.

http://military-machine.blogspot.com/2009/11/monogram-close-up-03-junkers-290.html

Manufacturer:   Junkers Flugzeug und Motorwerke AG
Type:   heavy transport
Engine:   four BMW DB 801 L-2 fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radial engines, each rated at 1,500 hp
Max speed:   243 mph at 18,000 feet
Service ceiling:   19,000 feet
Max range:   790 miles
Weight:   loaded 90,000 lbs
Dimensions:   wingspan 138 feet
Armament:   one forward-firing 20-mm MG 151 cannon in forward fuselage; one 20-mm MG 151 cannon in dorsal position; two MG 131 13-mm machine guns in lateral emplacements; one MG 131 13-mm machine gun in forward ventral position; one MG 151 20-mm cannon in rear ventral position; one MG 151 20-mm cannon in tail; bomb load of 19,000 lbs or 90 men.

http://www.qt.org/worldwar/weapons/germany/luftwaffe/ju290.html

This aircraft, coded 'A3+HB' of KG 200, was surrendered to US Forces near Munich, probably at Riem, on 6 May 1945 and was initially identified at 'USA 022'.  This number followed on from the first batch of identity numbers given by the RAF to aircraft surrendered in the British Zone of Occupation.  The Ju 290 was flown from Munich to Roth bie Nurnberg later in the day of its surrender, and remained there until 9 July when it was flown to Beauvechain/Le Culot for installation of American-type radio equipment.  The aircraft was named 'Allied Kaput' by Col Watson.  On 19 July it flew from Le Culot to Orly and made a further test flight at Orly on 26 July.  It then made its transatlantic delivery flight to Wright Field as follows:

The crew for this flight included Col Watson, Capt McIntosh, Capt Maxwell and several other members of Watson's team.  The Ju 290 distinguished itself by taking off from Lajes after President Truman's Douglas C-54 and arriving at Bermuda one hour ahead of the President's aircraft - quite a feat, bearing in mind that the C-54 (DC-4) was considered one of the leading transport aircraft of the day.

Patterson Field was adjacent to Wright Field and in the post-war era the two airfields became one base, i.e. Wright-Patterson AFB.  The JU 290 became FE-3400 upon arrival in the USA.  It was recorded at Wright Field on 25 September 1946 under overhaul for further flying.  It was 'salvaged' (scrapped) on 12th December 1946.  When the aircraft was being dismantled an explosive charge was found in one wing; fortunately for 'Watson's Whizzers' et al, the detonator was defective and had failed to fire the charge.