G.R.Morrison

I've a series of 13. & 14./KG 40 Ju 88C-6s, in flight and on the ground, but none show supplemental fuel tanks (which certainly would have been useful over the Atlantic). Several shots of Kommodore Lothar von Janson's machine of the ZG 1 (this one was marked with an immense chevron and bars, resembling an arrow) reveal it was also without racks. (He was MIA 10.March 1944 in a different machine, WNr.750965 "2N+AA", probably by a Mosquito from 157 Sq.) GRM

Spring 1943, Rhodes. Schroer's 8./JG 27 was posted to this quiet sector. The photographs of these machine were taken by a PK-cameraman during March. B.A. Nr. 447-1964-20, 447-1964-27, 447-1964-28, and 447-1964-30 are in-flight shots, 447-1964-30a a cockpit closeup revealing 'reduced' head armor. 447-1964-34, 447-1964-35, 447-1964-36 are 'ground' shots that include Fw. Alfred Stückler and some Italian airmen. Several others (447-1964-27, 447-1964-28, 447-1964-29) show Stückler and these men with a 109F-4/Trop, "rote 5". I try to avoid making pronouncements about color, but Schroer's G-2 certainly had "changed its previous identity," having worn a two-digit Kennung before being renumbered "1". It was likely a originally RLM 79-finished aircraft that had a darker color applied. Some artists have depicted the rudder as red, but a closeup shows it tonally to be identical to the Hakenkreuz, and certainly much darker than the red Kennnung. It carried sixty-two white Abschußbalken on the port side. If I was building and painting a model of this one, I would choose black for the rudder. A view from above (447-1964-27) , shot at an 8 o'clock angle, shows the uppersurfaces of both wingtips also very dark, with a light 'pin stripe', the joint-sealing tape. (Again, if it was ME, I'd go with black, but the 'Experts' might have a kniption). The spinner had a normal "Kullerschnauze" finish, ⅓ white, ⅔ black or RLM 70. This G-2 had the covered tailwheel cavity. Some of these photos have appeared in other books (and sometimes miscaptioned), but a good source is Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike & Bock, Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945, Teil 11/I, Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum 1.1. bis 31.12.1943, Struve, Eutin. Good luck with your project, GRM

Sifted through about 200 Ju 88C-6 photos. Whether day fighters (KG 1, KG 3, KG 51, KG 76, ZG 26) or Nachtjäger with and without radar, no underwing racks on any. GRM

Rudel flew 430 missions in the Fw 190. The Fw 190F-8 photo (one of a series) was taken 10.Sept. 1944 at Szaszregen, Hungary by PK-photographer Brieke of Lw. KBZ 8 I am sceptical of the Fw 190D-9. This one may just as readily have belonged to the JG 6. GRM

Rudel used at least five different Ju 87G-2s Regarding Trumpeter's marking options, WNr.494193 is his most-frequently-depicted gunbird, with several kit and decal manufacturers including this marking option. Unfortunately no decal option includes the underwing Stammkennzeichen (frequently not removed on later Stukas), "SO+FW" This one was used over Hungary in the autumn of 1944, Rudel being wounded in it 17.Nov. 1944. His Bordfunker at this time was the unit's medical doctor, Ernst Gadermann. Trumpeter also includes WNr.494110, but the markings were different than illustrated. No yellow Rumpfband, the fuselage marking (Kommodoreswinkel) was different than shown. The underwing crosses in Trumpeter's drawing of 494110 are certainly undersized, as are the Hakenkreuze on the fin(s) of both. WNr.494110 was intentionally wrecked when it was flown into Kitzingen by Rudel on 8.May 1945 (his backseater was Hptm. Ernst-August Niermann, a war correspondent who had flown over 600 missions, and had been recommended for the Ritterkreuz). There are a number of photos of this, collected by the late James V. Crow. The twin thin diagonal rudder stripes were a common marking seen on the SG 2 Stukas in 1944 and 1945. GRM

Schnaufer’s “G9+EZ” was WNr.720260 and was equipped with the FuG220. There is no photographic evidence (in at least six photos) of the ventral gun pod or ETC bomb rack. When Schnaufer became Gruppenkommandeur of the IV./NJG 1 (1.March 1944) this machine became the “G9+DF” which he used as his primary aircraft until June 1944 (in which he made 39 claims, 52 – 62, then 66 - 84). WNr.720260 was lost 13.August 1944 west of Heppenheim, near Worms with another crew (Pilot Ofhr. Peter Fischa, KIA; radio operator Uffz. Hans Eumann & gunner Ogefr. Emil Ditter managed to parachute, wounded). By this time it had been re-coded “G9+DE” GRM

Colors used by JG 300 Bf 109G Staffeln during 1944/1945 Sifting through many hundreds of examples, here’s what original records reveal: I./JG 300 1. Staffel – white numbers 2. Staffel – red numbers 3. Staffel – yellow numbers 4. Staffel – black numbers (two using blue in late Nov./Dec/ 1944) The II./JG 300 used the Fw 190A III./JG 300 7. Staffel – white numbers 8. Staffel – red numbers 9. Staffel – yellow numbers 10. Staffel – black numbers to mid-August 1944; white from late Aug. 1944 to war’s end IV./JG 300 11. Staffel – green numbers 12. Staffel – black numbers 13. Staffel – white numbers 14. Staffel – black numbers 15. Staffel – yellow numbers 16. Staffel – blue numbers This is not to eliminate the possible use of gray numbers, just a listing of what was on paper. The Bf 109Gs of the various Staff flights used conventional black & white chevrons and numbers. GRM

Yellow beneath the cowl was a standard recognition marking on both single and multi-engine Luftwaffe machines from 1941 well into 1944. It was dispensed with on the Invasion Front in the summer of 1944 (ordered removed 25.June 1944, ULTRA decrypt CX/MSS/T227/74). When the I./SG 4 was equipped with new Fw 190F-8s they were soon transferred from Italy to Latvia, to counter the immense Soviet offensive to overwhelm the Central Front which had begun on 22.June 1944. The photos taken in Italy show them without bombs, those with (usually an SC 250 or an AB250) were taken in Latvia, many on 8.Aug. 1944 at Jakobstadt (today, Jēkabpils) by PK photographer Carl Hagens. This series clearly reveals yellow beneath the cowl, and most have the Hakenkreuz overpainted, a few recent-arrivals (still wearing the Stammkennzeichen delivery codes) conventionally marked. Unusually, for 1944, they retained their cowl emblem (Mickey Mouse, with axe, riding a bomb). Your 'red' 10 was black. The 2./SG 4 was using black numbers. I would not implicitly trust photo captioning on 'asisbiz' Good luck with your build, GRM

The "schwarze 8" of the 2./JG 27: 1) This was never Schroer's machine, but rather was used by Fw. Franz Elles. Schroer flew with the 1./JG 27, and his logbook reveals that he was primarily using "weiße 11" (from 20.April 1941), "weiße 7" briefly (ten flights, between 8.-19.July; then on leave), and then "weiße 10" from 18.August 1941 (this last one has been incorrectly identified with Steinhausen). 2) There are a number of photos of this machine taken when it was at Athens, none of which reveal the starboard side. It also appears in a color mopic segment in Karl Höffkes' archive (film M619, at the 10 hour mark), also at Athens, with Do 17 "CB+UZ" behind it. If you would like me to send copies, let me know your email in a PM and I'll dispatch them. The misidentification of this "schwarze 8" is one of several Luftwaffe examples which, due to repetition, may never die. 3) As to "which color?", I try to avoid making pronouncements on color(s), the Mark 1 Eyeball's interpretations being subjective. The RLM issued an order 18.April 1941 addressing the camouflage of aircraft "fur Tropen-einsatz" "Oberseite im Farbton sandgelb; Untersite hellblau; Fleckenschema in olivgrünen Flecken auf sandgelb ist von der Truppe selbst aufzubringen je nach Einsatzort." (Uppersurface shade in sand-yellow; Underside in light blue. The patch pattern in olive green patches on sand yellow is to be applied by the troops themselves depending on the location of deployment.) Good luck with your project, GRM

On the rare bird, He 111D: The Luftwaffe Quartermaster’s loss reports reflect the He 111D’s use by a variety of units, but most-often as a Staff utility aircraft, or with a IV. Gruppe (the RAF-equivalent would be an OTU), or with a school. The KGr.z.b.V. 5 had one damaged by fighters 20.Dec. 1942 while flying into Pitomnik. The last 111D losses I have were with the Nav.Sch.d.Lw. Straußberg (10.Feb. 1944), and the L.K.S. 1 (26.May 1944 near Eisenstein), and the Luftfahrt-Gerätewerk Hakenfelde (5.June 1944, near Burg). GRM

“189” of the 433rd (42-66852) was “Strictly Laffs”, Capt. Jack A. Fisk GRM

Dullberg flew with the 8./JG 27 for less than three weeks in July/August 1940. He claimed his first, and only one with that Staffel, on 1.August. His second claim was made with the 5./JG 27 (18.August). He was already flying with the Stab/JG 27 when he claimed his 15. (13.July 1942, a Hurricane, SW of El Alamein). He didn make another claim until 20.Oct. 1942, when he was now with the Stab III./JG 27 Although there is certainly some 'good stuff' on the infernalnet, I would not implicitly trust 'Wiki'; I had students that would change things on it 'for a laugh.' And there is no shortage of miscaptioned, or badly-captioned photographs in books and on the web. Sometimes these take on a life of their own through repetition, becoming a sort-of fact. Note that the photo caption does not claim that "schwarze 11" was his, but only belonging to the 5./JG 27 GRM

Just an FYI, the Bf 109G-2 wreck in post 13, "weiße Winkel-A" had belonged to the Stab/JG 77. Some profile artists and decal makers have misidentified this as having been one of Werner Schroer's machines, which is is incorrect. GRM

As to whether "schwarze 11" of the 5./JG 27 was indeed WNr.8466, see my comment on the related thread. ['Saving electrons' by not including the reply here.] GRM

I am curious as to how WNr.8466 has been assigned to this photograph. There is no link that I am aware of that connects WNr.8466 of the 5./JG 27 with it being “schwarze 11” What the records reveal about WNr.8466: Staffelkapitän Oblt. Ernst Düllberg WIA 22.Nov. 1941 in combat with enemy fighters. Crash-landing south of Bir-el-Rezegh. Aurcraft damage too slight to be recorded. References: Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (microfilm roll #4)-Vol.7 Prien, et al, Die Jagdfliegerverbände de Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945, Teil 8/I, Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum November 1941 bis Dezember 1942, p.277 Prien/Rodeike/Stemmer, Messeschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei der II./JG 27, p.527 Fw. Siegfried Fricke WIA 26.June 1942 in a bombing attack at Sidi Barani. Aircraft damaged just 5% References: Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (microfilm roll #6)-Vol.10 Prien, et al, Die Jagdfliegerverbände de Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945, Teil 8/I, p.282 Prien/Rodeike/Stemmer, Messeschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei der II./JG 27, p.529 (pilot not named) Belly-landing 29.Sept. 1942 at Bir-el-Abd due to technical failure. Damage assessed at 30% References: Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (microfilm roll #7)-Vol.11 Prien, et al, Die Jagdfliegerverbände de Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945, Teil 8/I, p.285 Prien/Rodeike/Stemmer, Messeschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei der II./JG 27, p.530 I do not possess a copy of Düllberg's logbook, which might confirm the connection, but the JG 27 was one of those units (the JG 51 is another) whose clerks were apparently 'saving typewriter ribbon,' and thus it's rare to have more than the Werknummer in its loss records. GRM