The 1st Mechanic was a large, musclebound German feldwebel serving under Oberst Herman Dietrich. He serviced the Nazi plane at Tanis, prepping it to fly the Ark of the Covenant to Berlin in 1936. When Indiana Jones attempted to board the plane and fought another mechanic, the big German, bored and itching for some action, challenged Jones to a fistfight - one which the giant German almost won hands down. Although he easily outmatched Jones, he unintentionally saved the archaeologist's life at one point. When the Flying Wing's pilot was about to shoot Jones, the mechanic unknowingly stepped in between Jones and the pilot, blocking his line of fire before he was knocked unconscious by Marion Ravenwood. Although Jones' blows eventually managed to break the Nazi's nose, they had no effect as the man effortlessly overpowered Jones, pummeling him and knocking him to the ground several times. He would've beaten Jones had not Marion Ravenwood accidentally started the plane moving, and the burly mechanic was chopped to bits by the whirling propellers.
Notes[]
- He has been released as an action figure three times, each time as "German Mechanic." First by Kenner in their original Raiders of the Lost Ark line, where he came with a wrench (similar to the other mechanic), again as a Disney World/Disney Land exclusive, once more with a wrench, and finally in Hasbro's Indiana Jones line with a wrench, removable hat and Walther P38 pistol.
- LEGO did a minifigure of him for their playset Fight on the Flying Wing. The box refers to him as "Airplane Mechanic."
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