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Modellers Datafile • 9
THE MESSERSCHMITT
Bf 109
Part 1: Prototype to 'E' Variants The Bf 109 Part 1: Prototype to ‘E’ Variants
by Lynn Ritger
9 78095 5 1 85 809
SAM Publications
Printed in UK
SAM Publications
ISBN 0-9551858-0-7
9
9
SAM Publications
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9
THE MESSERSCHMITT
Bf 109
Part 1: Prototype to 'E' Variants by Lynn Ritger
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Cover: In this piece created exclusively for SAM Publications by noted aviation artist Jerry Boucher, Fw. Norbert Flegel is seen engaging a Spanish Republican I-16 Type 5 in his Messerschmitt Bf 109A coded 6-7 in the late spring of 1937
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Modellers Datafile No.9 The Bf 109 Part 1: Prototypes to ‘E’ Variants by Lynn Ritger First published in 2005 by SAM Publications Media House, 21 Kingsway, Bedford, MK42 9BJ, United Kingdom © 2005 SAM Publications © Lynn Ritger – Text © Jerry Boucher – Colour artwork © Jacek Jackiewicz – Scale plans All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. ISBN 0-9551858-0-7 Typeset by SAM Publications, Media House, 21 Kingsway, Bedford, MK42 9BJ, United Kingdom Designed by Simon Sugarhood Printed and bound in the United Kingdom by Unwins, United Kingdom The Modellers Datafile Series • No.1 – De Havilland Mosquito * • No.2 – Hawker Hurricane * • No.3 – Supermarine Spitfire (Part 1: Merlin-Powered) • No.4 – Avro Lancaster (Inc Manchester & Lincoln) • No.5 – Supermarine Spitfire (Part 2: Griffon-Powered) • No.6 – Bristol Beaufighter • No.7 – English Electric Lightning • No.8 – Gloster (& Armstrong-Whitworth) Meteor • No.9 – Messerschmitt Bf 109 (Part 1 Prototype to E Variants) * Out of print Acknowledgments My heartfelt thanks are extended to those who offered their time and assistance in compiling this volume: John Beaman,Arthur Bentley, Jerry Boucher, Jules Bringuier, Jerry and Judy Crandall, Jim Crow, Ferdinando D’Amico, Steven Eisenman, Don Flynn, Wayne Funderburk, Brett Green, Tomislav Haramincic, Gary Hatcher, Georg Hoch, Denis Keegan, Charles Landrum, Olivier Lefebvre, Mark Mills, William Moore of AeroLocker, Pam Nelson, Dr. Jochen Prien, Robert Rensch, Neil Robinson, David Wadman, David Weiss, Peter Wells, Erik and Julie Whipple, the staff of the RAF Museum at Hendon, the staff of The Russell Group, and of course my beautiful and patient wife Debra. The author also wishes to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the following historians and researchers in creating the production and loss records which have been used in the compilation of the loss lists in this book: Kjetil Aakra,Winfried Bock,Andreas Brekken, Donald Caldwell, Olve Dybvig,Werner Girbig, George Hopp, James Kitchens III, George R. Morrison, Jim Perry, Dr. Jochen Prien, Hans Ring, Peter Rodeike, Gerhard Stemmer, and David Wadman.
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Contents Preface 5 Glossary 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Prototypes 7 Early company and prototype history
Iberian Debut 11 Operations in Spain, 1936–1939
Prewar Expansion 18 Luftwaffe Bf 109 units, 1937–1939
War, Again 24 Operational overview through early 1940
Baltic Battles 30 Bf 109 operations in Norway
Lightning Strikes 34 The invasion of France and the Low Countries
Reel, Britannia 45 The Battle of Britain, July–November 1940
Colour Side-views 65 Colour Photos 76 Colour Plan-views 78 Camouflage of Spanish Bf 109s 79
8 9 10 11 12 13
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Balkan Domination 82 The invasion of Yugoslavia, Greece, and Crete
Emils in the Sun 88 Mediterranean and North African operations
Eastern Twilight 92 Bf 109 operations on the Eastern Front
The Bf 109 as Trainer 97 Luftwaffe Training units and the use of early Bf 109s in those units
Foreign Users 99 A brief overview of non-German operations
Bf 109E Camouflage & Markings 104 Colors and markings of the Bf 109E in 1939–1940; by David Wadman
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Modelling the Bf 109
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Detailing 111 Diagrams from official Messerschmitt factory manuals
Bf 109A Walkaround 124 Detailed photographs of Fw. Otto Polenz' Bf 109A
Bf 109E WNr 3579 Walkaround 129 An extensive photo series on the former H.J. Marseille machine in Ontario, CA
Bf 109E-3a WNr 2422 Walkaround 136 A series of walkaround photos of the preserved Swiss Emil at Dübendorf
Bf 109E WNr 4101 Walkaround 138 Detailed closeups of the Emil currently on display at the RAF Museum in Hendon
Building the Bf 109 146 The early Bf 109 in scale
What do judges look for? 162 How to separate the contenders from the pretenders
Appendices Appendix
I Kit Listing 165 A listing of currently available Bf 109 construction kits
II Accessories & Conversions 166
Appendix
A listing of accessories produced for Bf 109 kits Appendix
III Decals 167 A concise listing of Bf 109 decal sheets
Appendix
IV Bf 109 Units 168 A complete listing of the technical specifications of all the different Bf 109 variants
Appendix
V Bf 109 Airframes & Production 170 A detailed listing of Bf 109 technical information
Appendix
VI Bf 109 Bibliography 174 A concise list of books, journals and periodicals
Index 175 Fold-out Plans – 1/48th scale
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Preface Pictured in flight over the North Sea on a lovely spring afternoon (left and below), this Bf 109E-4/B from the Ergänzungsgruppe of JG 1 showcases the classic shape of this famous fighter
S
eventy years have passed since the first flight of the Messerschmitt Bf 109, and the story of the aircraft and the men who flew it continues to intrigue historians, enthusiasts, and modelers. The mechanical genius of the designer has been greatly overshadowed by the dark purpose for which it was designed; the men who flew this aircraft, the most sophisticated and capable in the world at the time it entered service, used it in service of a regime responsible for the deaths of millions. This work seeks neither to glorify nor condemn those who flew the Bf 109 in the service of Hitler’s Luftwaffe. It must also be stated that this is not intended to be a definitive history; the full story of the Bf 109 has yet to be told. As those who’ve spent time researching the Bf 109 have found, the exception is often the rule when it comes to deciphering variants, equipment, or units. One of the most useful tools for researchers in unraveling these mysteries are original documents which give the reader an insight into the day-to-day operations of a unit, pilot, or even a specific aircraft. During the war, the Germans had a penchant for highly effective record keeping, outweighed only by their desire to torch and burn any records dealing with the wartime period as the conflict drew to a close. Sixty years later, we are left with some reasonably (but not fully) complete production and loss records for Bf 109s, but we are also missing a vast amount of operational detail, especially in the 1944 time frame. In an attempt to help modelers broaden their choice of subject when researching that next 109 to build, detailed loss lists are being included in this volume. These lists are not complete, nor are they meant to be definitive; the researchers who spend hours upon hours of their time poring over old microfilms and collating and collecting data from log books and manuals are constantly revising and updating these lists. The loss records selected for inclusion in this volume are limited to those which contain sufficient information to make a
reasonable estimate as to the aircraft’s appearance, and are based in large part on the work of Jim Perry and George R. Morrison. It is hoped that this volume will prove to be a useful addition to the body of work dealing with Messerschmitt’s groundbreaking fighter. Lynn Ritger October, 2005
Preface
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Glossary
After receiving significant damage from a 54 Sqn Spitfire, Ltn. Wilhelm Fronhöfer of 9./JG 26 glided his Bf 109E-3 WNr 1184 to a skilful landing at Jubilee Farm, Ulcombe on 31 August 1940, and was taken prisoner (Photo: Wadman)
6
Glossary
AA . . . . . . . . . Anti-Aircraft AG . . . . . . . . . Aktiengesellschaft – Joint Stock Company ARR . . . . . . . . Aeronautica Regala Romana, Romanian Air Force Balkenkreuz . . Straight (literally ‘beam’) cross – German national aircraft identity mark BEF . . . . . . . . British Expeditionary Force Bf . . . . . . . . . . RLM prefix code for BFW aircraft designed before 1937 BFW . . . . . . . . Bayerische Flugzeug Werke – Parent firm of Messerschmitt Dipl.Ing . . . . . Diplom Ingenieur – title given to those with an engineering degree DVL . . . . . . . . Deutsche Verkehrsluftfahrtministerium – German Air Transport Ministry Emil . . . . . . . . Letter ‘E’ in German phonetic alphabet (e.g. Anton, Berta, Cäsar, Dora, Emil) EPAD . . . . . . . Auto Reload & Firing Mechanism E Stelle . . . . . . Erprobungstelle – Test Centre FAI . . . . . . . . . Federation Aeronautique Internationale Fg Off . . . . . . Flying Officer (RAF) Fhr . . . . . . . . . Fähnrich (Luftwaffe) – Officer Cadet Fliegerkorps . . Air Fleet Flt Lt . . . . . . . Flight Lieutenant (RAF) Flt Sgt . . . . . . Flight Sergeant (RAF) FuG . . . . . . . . Funkgerät – Radio Apparatus Fw . . . . . . . . . Feldwebel (Luftwaffe) – Sergeant ranked between Uffz and Ofw Gefr . . . . . . . . Gefreiter (Luftwaffe) – Aircraftman, 1st Class Geschwader . . (Luftwaffe) – (equiv. RAF Group) Gp Capt . . . . . Group Captain (RAF) Gruppe . . . . . . (Luftwaffe) – (equiv. RAF Wing) Hakenkreuz . . Hooked cross – also known as a swastika. Nazi Party symbol Hptm . . . . . . . Hauptmann (Luftwaffe) – (equiv. RAF Flight Lieutenant) JFS . . . . . . . . . Jagdfliegerschule (Luftwaffe) – Fighter School JG . . . . . . . . . . Jagdgeschwader (Luftwaffe) – Fighter Group
JKRV . . . . . . . Jugoslovensko Kraljevsko Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo – Royal Yugoslav Air Force JVS . . . . . . . . . Jagdfliegervorschule (Luftwaffe) – Primary Fighter School KG . . . . . . . . . Kampfgeschwader (Luftwaffe) – Bomber Group Ltn. . . . . . . . . Leutnant (Luftwaffe) – (equiv. RAF Pilot Officer) Luftwaffe . . . . Air Force Maj . . . . . . . . . Major (Luftwaffe) – (equiv. RAF Squadron Leader) Me . . . . . . . . . RLM prefix code for Messerschmitt aircraft designed after 1937 Oberst . . . . . . (Luftwaffe) – (equiv. RAF Group Captain) Oberstlt . . . . . Oberstleutnant (Luftwaffe) – (equiv. RAF Wing Commander) Oblt . . . . . . . . Oberleutnant (Luftwaffe) – (equiv. RAF Flying Officer) Ofhr . . . . . . . . Oberfähnrich (Luftwaffe) – Senior Officer Cadet Ofw . . . . . . . . Oberfeldwebel (Luftwaffe) – (equiv. RAF Flight Sergeant) Ogefr . . . . . . . Obergefreiter (Luftwaffe) – (equiv. RAF Corporal) Plt Off . . . . . . Pilot Officer (RAF) RLM . . . . . . . . Reichsluftfahrtministerium – Reich Aviation Ministry Sqn Ldr . . . . . Squadron Leader (RAF) Stab . . . . . . . . (Luftwaffe) – Staff, e.g: Geschwaderstab – Group HQ Staff Staffel . . . . . . . (Luftwaffe) – (equiv. RAF Squadron) Staffelzeichen . Unit emblem Stkz . . . . . . . . Stammkennzeichen, delivery codes on aircraft Uffz . . . . . . . . Unteroffizier (Luftwaffe) – (equiv. RAF Sergeant) V . . . . . . . . . . Versuchs – Trials or prototype (aircraft) e.g: Bf 109 V3 WNr . . . . . . . . Werknummer – Aircraft factory-applied serial number
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Prototypes
1
Chapter
Originally coded D-2005, Messerschmitt M 20b2 WNr 540 later received the registration D-UNAH ‘Odenwald’ when it entered service with Deutsche Lufthansa in March 1931. The aircraft crashed on 27 April 1936 at Kiel
H
ermann Würster strode purposefully towards the sleek, solitary aircraft waiting across the field.Ground crew busied themselves checking and rechecking every system and surface of the highly polished machine,taking care not to mar the flawless surface.Würster wasted little time in clambering up to the cockpit and getting down to business… it was almost 2 o’clock,and the skies were not getting any clearer.After completing the required preflight checks,the ground crew hand-cranked the 1,660 horsepower,supercharged Daimler-Benz inverted V12 into life. Würster carefully checked all the gauges,focusing intently on the coolant temperature gauge as he ran the engine up.Satisfied that all was well,he quickly taxied out and roared aloft at exactly 2:09pm. It was 11 November 1937. Screaming through the hazy, afternoon skies near Augsburg, Germany,Würster was at the controls of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 V13, registered D-IPKY… the thirteenth prototype of an aircraft type which was raising eyebrows across all of Europe. Four months previously in July, a handpicked team of Germany’s best pilots had taken part in the fourth annual flying meet at Dübendorf, Switzerland. That team of pilots, including Würster, had positively decimated competition by utilizing carefully prepared Messerschmitts for each contest. Two of the aircraft, the V13 (WNr 1050) and V14 (WNr 1029), were equipped with heavily modified Daimler-Benz DB601 engines, and it was these aircraft which made the greatest impression. Unfortunately, while being flown by Generalmajor Ernst Udet, the beautiful, wine red V14 (registered as D-ISLU) suffered a catastrophic oil loss due to a high-pressure oil line coming off and the aircraft was subsequently heavily damaged in the ensuing high-speed forced landing near Thün, Switzerland. Udet’s fabled ‘flier’s luck’ held fast, though, and he emerged from the ruined aircraft with nothing more than a bruised elbow and a damaged sense of pride. The V13 (registered as D-IPKY) returned home intact, and a new goal was set forth for the aircraft – to wrest the absolute speed record away from Howard Hughes. Set on 13 September 1935, the current mark stood at 352 mph (566.49 km/h), and Würster’s timed runs on 11 November easily eclipsed the record, setting a new FAI (Federation Aeronautique Internationale) – certified mark of 379.8 mph (611.23 km/h). Hitler’s decision to showcase a resurgent Germany and her technological prowess was paying handsome dividends.
Early company history The early development of the Bf 109 and the history of its parent company, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW), did not initially hint at the greatness to come. BFW went through several manifestations before joining forces in August, 1926 with a small manufacturing firm led by Willy Messerschmitt. The newly reconstituted BFW utilized the tooling and machinery of the former Udet Flugzeugbau, a firm launched in 1921 by William Pohl. Pohl, an American from Milwaukee,Wisconsin, recruited the well-respected Great War ace Ernst Udet to act as the company’s ‘front man’, and this he did with enthusiasm. Unfortunately, too much money was spent on development of too many different
types of aircraft, so a firm production base was never established and the company entered into receivership. Messerschmitt had produced a number of moderately successful designs before the merger, including the M 19, which won the prestigious Sachsenflug competition in September 1937 despite both M 19s encountering problems and not finishing the race! The superiority shown by the M 19 design earned Messerschmitt a firm ally in Theo Croneiss, one of the Sachsenflug pilots, and another decorated WWI ace. The firm entered into an agreement with Lufthansa shortly after the merger which would
have Messerschmitt design a small airliner for inter-city use. This aircraft, the M 20, held great promise for both BFW and Lufthansa, but the first prototype crashed on its first flight in February 1928, killing the pilot Hans Hackmack. Two years later, another M 20 crashed in Dresden on 6 October 1930, killing the two crew and six passengers, and this was followed six months later in April, 1931 by yet another fatal M 20 crash, again killing both crew members. The passengers in this last flight survived with only minor injuries, but the director of Lufthansa, Erhard Milch, had had enough and refused the delivery of any further M 20s. In spite of having a few other successful designs, including the U-12 Flamingo two-seat biplane inherited from the Udet Flugzeugbau as part of the lender-forced merger in 1926, the M20 was essentially the sole source of significant income for BFW, and with no further deliveries on the books, BFW was forced to file for bankruptcy on 1 June 1931. As negotiations between creditors
The basic design of the Bf 109 can be seen in this pair of M 29 racers; D-2306 is an M 29b powered by a Siemens SH 14A radial engine, while D-2309 is an M 29a powered by an Argus AS 8R inline engine. The aircraft are pictured wearing their race numbers for the 1932 Europarundflug; D-2306 carried the number ‘C3’, flown by Leander, while D-2309 carried ‘B4’ and was flown by Dinort
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A pleasing view of M 29a, displaying the 1932 Europarundflug competition number. Again, the similarity to the later Bf 109 can be seen in the slim fuselage, low-set angular wing, and centrally arranged landing gear
The Bf 109 V3, coded D-IOQY, is seen here in the summer or fall of 1936, possibly at Frankfurt. The single-piece windscreen side panels, starboard-mounted pitot tube, and cylindrical oil cooler beneath the port wing root (just visible) provide valuable clues in identifying this aircraft in later photos taken during its Spanish service
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Chapter 1
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Two months later, the rationale for Göring’s suggestion became clear when the RLM published its tactical requirements for singleseat fighter aircraft in document L.A. 1432/33. Briefly, the specifications sought were a single seat day fighter capable of 400 km/h at 6000 meters, reaching that altitude in no more than 17 minutes; an operational service ceiling of 10,000 meters; and two fixed machine guns with 1000 rounds, or one fixed 20mm cannon with 100 rounds. Interestingly, the document states that the performance of prospective designs would be evaluated in a very specific order... horizontal speed, rate of climb, and then maneuverability. This is a key insight into the basic design ideology behind the Bf 109. and BFW proceeded through 1932, design work continued on the two-seat M 29 racer intended to compete in the Challenge de Tourisme International. But yet again, another series of tragic accidents took place when D-2308 crashed fatally on 8 August 1932, followed by another M 29 crash the very next day. The pilot managed to parachute from the latter machine, but the mechanic in the aft seat was killed. The Deutsche Verkehrsluftfahrtministerium (DVL, the German Air Transport Ministry) thus immediately banned the remaining M 29s from competing in the contest. Despite the new setbacks, Messerschmitt continued to work behind the scenes towards rebuilding the company into a viable enterprise, and BFW ultimately reached an amicable agreement with their creditors in December 1932. Effective 1 May 1933, BFW was reborn as Bayerische Flugzeugwerke,AG (Aktiengesellschaft, or a corporation owned by shareholders).As part of the reconstitution and repayment process, BFW AG was obligated to begin license production of aircraft from other firms to help generate necessary cash flow. Just as this program was getting underway, however, a newly elected socialist government was sworn into power on 30 January 1933. The fortunes of Messerschmitt and his corporation were about to undergo a dramatic change.
On the same day that BFW AG recommenced official operations, a portly, ex-WWI fighter ace took office as the head of the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM, or Reich’s Aviation Ministry). Hermann Göring had maintained contact with many of his former comrades-in-arms throughout the turbulent 20s and early 30s, and as one of Hitler’s earliest and most loyal supporters, he was a natural choice for the post overseeing all German aviation activity. Göring was well aware of Messerschmitt’s design capabilities, and in a letter sent to his old friend Theo Croneiss in October 1933, he offered hearty words of encouragement... as well as a firm suggestion to begin investigating the possibility of building a single-seat, high speed ‘courier aircraft’.
The Bf 109 Takes Shape The development contract for L.A. 1432/33 was initially issued to three companies in February 1934: Arado, Heinkel, and BFW. Over the years, some degree of political intrigue has been attributed to Erhard Milch and his influence over the bid tendering process. It has been suggested that BFW’s entry into the competition was only allowed after significant negotiation due to the animosity between Milch and Messerschmitt, but research by Willy Radinger and Walter Schick has indicated this may not be the case. Each of the aforementioned firms received the development contract at the same time, with Focke Wulf receiving a copy of the contract as late as September, 1934. The Arado Ar 80 design was a relatively conservative open-cockpit monoplane, with the characteristic forward-set vertical fin, while the Heinkel He 112 was a relatively portly aircraft, featuring the Günther brothers’ signature elliptical wing planform as first seen on the He 70. The latecomer Focke Wulf Fw 159 was a peculiar mix of complex technology and outmoded basic design, being a parasol-winged monoplane with a devilishly complex gear retraction system. Design work began on Messerschmitt project number P.1034 in March 1934,just three weeks after the development contract was awarded.A basic airframe mockup was ready by May,and a more detailed design mockup was prepared by January 1935.The design was issued the designation ‘Bf 109’by the RLM;‘Bf’for Bayerische Flugzeugwerke,and ‘109’having no further significance outside of being the next in line from a batch of type numbers assigned to BFW.It is worth noting at this point that after renaming the company to Messerschmitt AG in July 1938,all subsequent designs created after this name change carried the prefix ‘Me’,and surviving company documents and contemporary wartime records also refer to the 109 as ‘Me 109’.In fact,one factory document in the author’s collection refers to both the ‘Bf 109’and ‘Me 109’on the same page. So,for those who have wondered which usage is correct,the answer is ‘both’.For the sake of thoroughness,the aircraft will be referred to as the Bf 109 throughout this volume. The overall basic design of the Bf 109 was extremely forwardthinking for the day, if not terribly revolutionary. Metal monocoque fuselages were rapidly replacing the time-honored practice of steel tube frames with wooden stringers and fabric covering, and enclosed canopies and retractable gear were being seen on smaller, high-speed passenger aircraft such as the Heinkel He 70 and the Lockheed Orion.What made the Bf 109 such a standout was that it brought all of these elements together for the first time in an aircraft intended for front-line service. Extraordinary attention was paid to ease of manufacture during the development process with the fuselage structure being made up of two shell halves with flush-riveted longerons joined by a seam at the top and bottom. The cockpit area was essentially a box, with the lower forward area being formed by the central spar section. The firewall formed the front of this box, and the aft fuselage shell assembly was riveted to this central section. This allowed for great strength without the weight penalties of excess stiffening structure within the fuselage itself.
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The wings themselves were formed around a single, extraordinarily strong spar which required all of four bolts to attach to the central spar section. They could be removed in short order, and swapped out as necessary; indeed, there are numerous wartime photos of Bf 109s whose wing markings do not match each other, including the well-preserved G-6 WNr 163824 currently exhibited at the Treolar Centre in Australia. This design was carried over from the earlier Bf 108 four-seat touring aircraft. The Bf 108 was originally designed to compete in the 1934 edition of the Europa-Rundflug (flight around Europe), and one of the design requirements for the race was that the wings be able to be folded back along the fuselage. Messerschmitt handled this with extraordinary efficiency, and their solution has inadvertently led to much confusion among researchers and modelers decades after the fact. The single-spar design was patented by Messerschmitt, and was to prove helpful in more ways than one. One of the primary goals of the design team was to reduce parasitic drag; that is, to reduce the amount of airframe exposed to the air while at speed. As such, a relatively thin airfoil design (NACA 2R1 14.2 at the wing root, and NACA 2R1 11 at the wing tip) was chosen after much experimentation as it offered the best combination of high speed characteristics and low speed controllability. The planform of the wing was designed with ease of production in mind, being a simple double trapezoid design with a fully hinged trailing edge consisting of large flaps inboard and ailerons outboard. The ailerons were linked to the flaps and would droop to 11 degrees when the flaps were at their full 42 degree extension.Aileron response remained positive even in this configuration; this was incorporated to increase the overall camber of the wing at low speeds, offering a greater degree of controllability when landing. One area of concern was the performance of the chosen airfoil at high angles of attack, as the airfoil would have a tendency to stall as the wing angle relative to the direction of airflow was increased in a tight turn. However, a solution to this issue was found across the English Channel. Sir Frederick Handley Page had patented a leading edge slat design which would extend forward of the wing and keep the airflow attached to the wing as the angle of attack increased. Messerschmitt recognized this as an ideal solution when developing the Bf 108 in 1933, and worked out a deal with Handley Page which allowed use of Messerschmitt’s patented single-spar design in exchange for BFW’s use of the Handley Page slat. It should be noted that the slats are not motorized or linked in any way, and can be extended from the wing while at rest with only fingertip pressure. The design of the slats and the pivot mechanisms changed during the production life of the Bf 109, and these changes will be discussed in later chapters. The remainder of the basic design was conventional, with a small metal fin, counterbalanced rudder and braced horizontal stabilizers carrying counterbalanced elevators mounted somewhat high on the fuselage. The genesis of this basic design dated back to the M 29 racer of 1932. The aircraft was intended to use the Junkers Jumo 210 inverted V12 engine, but development delays forced Messerschmitt to look elsewhere for a powerplant to use in the V1. Somewhat ironically in retrospect, an English firm proved once again to be the solution to Messerschmitt’s needs. Rolls Royce had purchased an He 70 from Heinkel for use as an engine testbed, and the RLM was able to obtain several Rolls Royce Kestrel V12 engines thanks to Heinkel’s contacts within that firm. With the Kestrel mounted and the airframe completed, the Bf 109 V1 (WNr 758) was ready to begin flight testing in the late spring of 1935. Issued the civil registration D-IABI, test pilot Hans-Dietrich Knoetzsch lifted the V1 into the air on 28 May 1935 with little drama or fanfare. The first flight was very cautious, with the gear remaining extended.Afterwards, gear
retraction tests showed that the balloon-style tires fitted to the prototype would not allow the gear to fully retract. This problem was solved by simply cutting holes in the wings where the tires touched, and affixing streamlined fairings along the length of the wing chord at those points.As later variants would demonstrate, this would not be the last time a 109 would carry wing bulges due to fat tires. Knoetzsch continued the testing program throughout the summer, and ferried the aircraft to the Erprobungstelle Rechlin (E-Stelle for short: testing center) on 15 October 1935. However, while attempting to land after an aerobatic display, Knoetsch got it all wrong and the 109 wound up in a bent heap on Rechlin’s landing ground. The aircraft was repairable, but Knoetzsch’s reputation with Messerschmitt was not... he was fired immediately after the crash. Sent back to Augsburg for repair,
the V1 later moved to the E-Stelle Travemünde on the Baltic coast to continue flight tests. Eventually returned to Augsburg when newer Bf 109s were available, the V1 was left outside and eventually scrapped.
The first of many... The Bf 109 V1 is seen here warming up its Rolls Royce Kestrel engine in mid-May 1935, before the application of the civil registration D-IABI
Details of the Bf 109 V1 Aside from the Kestrel engine, which is of course the primary identifier, the V1 featured the following identification points: • A leading edge oil tank was located at the port wing root, and an external finned oil cooler was mounted in the same location on the starboard wing root. • The wings had a shallow dihedral angle of 4 degrees, giving a much flatter impression when viewed from head-on. • The gear doors had a more rounded contour to the lower sections, with the wheels retracting into circular outer wells • The ailerons carried two counterweights per unit, looking rather like reversed TACAN aerials • The slats extended well inboard from the tip; their inner edges nearly line up with the outer edges of the wheel wells • The wheel bulges noted earlier are much narrower than subsequent models, and extend in an elongated teardrop shape from the leading edge all the way to just forward of the flap/wing juncture. • Two small inlets were positioned on the wing roots just inboard of the oil tank and oil cooler • The pitot tube was mounted on the port side just forward of the windscreen forward edge. The aircraft was painted in L40/52, a light grey similar to the forthcoming RLM63 Hellgrau, and the registration D-IABI was carried in black on the fuselage sides and upper and lower wing surfaces. The only other national marking was the Hakenkreuz painted on a white background against a red band, centered at
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Dipl.Ing Carl Francke used the Bf 109 V7 (coded D-IJHA) to great effect at the Dübendorf flying meet in late July 1937, winning the Climb and Dive competition outright
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the rudder/fin hinge line. There was a data block on the aft port fuselage, which read: Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke GmBH Augsburg – Haunstetten (the entire address line is not known at this time) Leergewicht kg Gesamtlast kg Fluggewicht kg Höchstzul. Fluggewicht kg
No radio or armament was fitted to this prototype, nor was a bar fitted between the wheels as has been suggested in other publications. Other details remained remarkably consistent throughout the production of the Bf 109, including the fin and rudder shape, the horizontal stabilizers and elevators, the basic fuselage and canopy design, and of course the landing gear.
Further early prototype development The Bf 109 V6 originally wore the code D-IALY in German service; the aircraft was later sent to Spain
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Chapter 1
At the time of Knoetzsch’s unfortunate accident, the V1 was being delivered to Rechlin to begin a testing program in conjunction with the RLM’s fighter requirements.With the V1 therefore unavailable, the preparation of the second prototype was expedited. The V2 (WNr 759, registered D-IILU) was the first to be fitted with the 680HP Jumo 210A engine intended for series production, and as such provided a better benchmark for testing versus the lower powered (583 HP) Kestrel fitted to the V1. First flown on 12 December 1935, the V2 was flown to Travemünde by Dr. Ing. Hermann Würster in February 1936 to begin comparative flight testing. Two months later, on 1 April, the V2 came to grief following an odd incident; the windscreen became detached in flight, and the Travemünde-based test pilot was obliged to execute a forced landing. Rather than repair the aircraft, however, the fuselage was kept for further experimentation, and the V2 was written off. In that brief span of time between first flight and the crash, however,the V2 established a clear superiority over the other entries in the fighter competition.From late February through late March, the aircraft was put through punishing tests at Travemünde, including a spin test flown by Dr.Würster on 2 March which consisted of 21 consecutive spins to the right,then 17 spins to the left... a dramatic demonstration of both the capabilities of the Bf 109 as well as the superb piloting skills of Dr.Würster! Given its brief life span, photos of the V2 are not plentiful; however, some important details can be gleaned from those photos which are available: • The pitot tube was moved from the left side of the fuselage to the right, in approximately the same position as the V1. • The engine installation was very similar to early B-1s, with an underslung radiator • The engine cover panel was essentially the same as a B, except that the cover extended all the way aft to the firewall. This was changed from the V3 onwards into a two-piece affair, to allow better access to the fuselage guns and ammo boxes. • The ground power plug was beneath the aft edge of the canopy on the starboard side, again mirroring later installations in the B series aircraft. • The fuel filler was located beneath the canopy to port.
• Balloon-style tires (580x165) were still carried on this prototype, and as such the wings carried the same narrow teardrop-style bulges. • The aircraft was painted in L40/52 overall, and very highly polished. The registration D-IILU was painted in black on the fuselage and upper and lower wing surfaces, while the Hakenkreuz was applied within a white circle over red band, centered at fin/rudder junction. • The exhaust panel was in the same color as the fuselage, while the radiator outer shell in an unknown darker color. • The oil tank remained in the port wing root, and a new, flowthrough style of oil cooler was mounted beneath the port wing immediately aft of the gear well, immediately outboard of the wing/fuselage joint. Exactly one week after the crash of the V2, the third prototype (WNr 760, registered D-IOQY) flew for the first time at Augsburg. The V3 was the first Bf 109 to be outfitted with armament, carrying two MG17s in a staggered arrangement above and aft of the engine. In addition, it was intended to equip the V3 with a centerally-mounted machine cannon, but this installation was abandoned due to continuous problems with the gun itself.A new FuG (Funkgerät- radio apparatus) VII radio set was fitted to this aircraft, as was a more advanced 700HP Jumo 210C. In many ways, the V3 represented the first Bf 109 which could be considered representative of a production machine. There were a number of minor but distinctive external changes to the aircraft, which are listed below:
• The FuG VII necessitated an antenna mast with a triple wire setup... one wire led to a rather tall fin post, while two others led from the antenna to the leading edges of the horizontal stabilizers • The cowling was now separated into two large pieces, with closely-spaced indentations for the two MG17s located in the uppersurface of the engine hood.A pair of staggered gas ejection slots were included in the newly detachable aft cowling section, an inverted-L shaped cowling cover that allowed rapid access to the armament and engine accessory section. • Low-pressure balloon tires were still used. • The upper wing bulges were slightly different than those on the V1 or V2, being slightly wider, and terminating just past 2/3 of the way across the wing chord in a squared-off end. • The spinner is a major identifying point; as the aircraft was originally intended for centerline armament, the pointed spinner gave way to a hollow tube projecting from the blunted propeller end. • The windscreen had no angled quarter panels on each side; rather, the side panels were one complete piece. • A cylindrical oil cooler was mounted beneath the port wing root. The V3 had a considerably longer and more interesting career than its two predecessors.After two months of factory tests involving the armament system, the aircraft was turned over to the Luftwaffe at the beginning of July 1936 for a more rigorous testing program. Two weeks after the aircraft arrived at Travemünde, a series of events began to unfold with lightning speed that would usher in a revolution in aerial combat.
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Iberian Debut Chapter
2
I
n mid-July 1936, longstanding political and social tensions in Spain exploded into civil war. Several generals allied with political factions favoring an overthrow of the Populist Front government staged a coordinated rebellion beginning on 17 July, and many civilians immediately joined in the fray. The Nationalists, as the rebellious forces called themselves, were vastly outnumbered and sought to have a large contingent of sympathetic troops brought from Spanish Morocco across the Straits of Gibraltar. However, the Spanish Navy remained allied to the Republican cause, and would surely sink any ships carrying Nationalist troops. Thus, only five days after hostilities commenced, a Ju 52 flew to Berlin with an official request on behalf of General Francisco Franco to airlift his Moroccan contingent over to Spain. He met with little success in this quest, until the politically wellconnected Germans accompanying Franco’s emissary managed to bend the ear of a Gauleiter who counted Rudolf Hess among his contacts. Hess recognized an opportunity when he saw one, and authorized the men to take their plea directly to Hitler, who was currently enjoying the Bayreuth festival. Hitler immediately jumped at the chance to make a powerful ally to the south, essentially turning the unwitting Nationalists into political pawns. Thus, by the evening of 26 July, only four days after the men first arrived in Berlin, a basic framework for German assistance was in place. The first order of business was to begin organizing the necessary men and machines to effect the airlift. This was rapidly accomplished using 20 Ju 52s along with Lufthansa crews, and the ensuing airlift proved to be a rousing success. As the Republicans controlled most of the Spanish air force, however, it was decided that a few fighters were necessary to protect the slow Junkers. Thus, six Heinkel He 51 biplane fighters were quietly tucked into the hold of the steamer ‘Usaramo’ in Hamburg, along with a large quantity of other war materiel, and she set sail for Spain on 31 July. On board the ‘Usaramo’ were also 86 German ‘tourists’, ostensibly visiting Spain on holiday. Among this group was a particularly tall fellow named Hannes Trautloft. Rather than an ordinary businessman on an Iberian getaway cruise, Trautloft was a Leutnant (lieutenant) in the Luftwaffe. As with so many other enthusiastic members of the Luftwaffe, he had volunteered his services as a pilot and was fortunate to be selected for the first trip down. Trautloft’s flying skill had been honed several years earlier, at a clandestine German airfield built at Lipezk, Russia in 1925. Here, along with future Luftwaffe luminaries such as Günther Lützow, Max Ibel, and Wolfgang Falck, Trautloft learned the basics of flight and fighter tactics. He graduated from the course in September 1932, joining the other Lipezk graduates which formed the core of the reborn Luftwaffe in 1934. After several frustrating months of losing Heinkels to Russian-built Polikarpovs and being outpaced by Republican Tupolev SB-2 bombers, a decision was made to send several
examples of the Luftwaffe’s latest fighter to Spain to evaluate their suitability for combat. In December, Trautloft was summoned by the commander of the German ‘Legion Kondor’, Gen. Wolfram von Richthofen, to report to Seville to retrieve the first example of the Bf 109 to reach Spain. The V3 had undergone extensive endurance testing while at Travemünde, and Luftwaffe officials were eager to see how the aircraft would compare to the Republican I-15s which had run rampant over the Nationalist aircraft up until that point. Trautloft immediately set out from Vittoria, but bad weather forced him to make the rest of the trip via automobile. When he arrived on 11 December, he found that the aircraft he was scheduled to fly, the Bf 109 V4 (WNr 878, coded D-IALY as built and coded 6-1) had been wrecked by Lt. Erwin Kley just the day before. Trautloft was forced to wait until 14 December to fly the V3, now coded 6-2, but the performance of the Messerschmitt more than repaid the time spent waiting. He chased down a Nationalist Fiat CR.32 and passed it with remarkable ease, which made a significant impression on him. This initial test period lasted approximately eight weeks, during which the prototypes encountered their share of teething troubles; in one instance, the hydraulically actuated tailwheel of the V3 did not extend, leading to a damaged rudder when landing. Despite these minor setbacks, the increase in capability from the old He 51 to the new Bf 109
One of the first A models to reach Spain, 6-7 was ordinarily flown by Fw. Norbert Flegel, although Lt. Rolf Pingel and Oblt. Werner Mölders are also listed as having flown this aircraft. Like other early A models sent to Spain, 6-7 displays a multi-hued silver paint job on the fuselage with the cowlings, fin, and stabilizer in natural metal. Also noteworthy is the virtual lack of any fuselage panel lines; close study of period photos suggests that this first batch of 109s had their fuselage seams taped or puttied, not unlike the later Me 262
6 o 60 was the tenth D-1 sent to Spain. Here, the relocated oxygen fill point and ground power connection of the D model can be seen on the starboard side of the aircraft, just forward of the ‘60’. The overall dark tone of the aircraft is consistent with very fresh 63, or possibly 62 Lichtgün.
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The majority of Emils which were sent to Spain were cannon-armed E-3 models. However, at least a few E-1s were included in the deliveries as well. The second aircraft in this lineup is an E1, possibly 6 o 128 or 6 o 129 based on the visible contours of the third fuselage digit. It is not 6 o 126, however, as photos show this to be an E-3 variant
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was so great that events were immediately set in motion to have all of J./88 re-equipped with the new fighter.
A brief examination of the early 109 series The 109 was assigned the type number 6 in Spanish service. The first three 109s sent to Spain were numbered 6-1, 6-2, and 6-3... but in what order? A photo has surfaced which clearly shows the V3 wearing the code 6-2, but later photos show this same aircraft to wear the code 6-1. Telltale recognition points of the V3 in this early photo are the unframed windshield side panels, the exposed oil cooler beneath the port wingroot, and the distinctively shaped nose. The V3 was also the last prototype to be fitted with a pitot tube on the starboard side of the aircraft, just forward of the
the V5 was retained for armament trials with the ElektroPneumatisch Abzugs- und Durchladevorrichtung 17 (EPAD 17- an automatic reload and firing mechanism for the cowlmounted MG17 guns), and then transferred to Rechlin at the end of 1937 for further testing. Thus, it seems relatively certain that the three prototypes sent to Spain for initial evaluation were the V3, V4, and V6. Further confusion surrounds the first batch of production machines sent by sea to Spain. Messerschmitt factory documents clearly indicate the existence of a Bf 109A series, although the total number produced is not clear; some sources suggest 20, others say 22. The majority of these aircraft were sent to Spain with the Legion Kondor, being delivered between January and February, 1937. The main difference between the A and the B variants was the provision for a centrally mounted gun firing through the propeller shaft on the B. This brings up a very interesting point. In the vast majority of publications dealing with the Messerschmitt 109, there is little agreement on designations or configuration of the early Jumo-engined aircraft. Through careful examination of photographs, official Messerschmitt documents, and loss records, a pattern begins to emerge and the picture becomes a bit clearer... it appears that the initial batch of 109s sent to Spain were actually Bf 109As, not Bs. Further research is ongoing, but we have the following information to draw from: • The Bf 109A had no provision for a centrally-mounted gun. • There were approximately 20 Bf 109As constructed (22 according to Delivery Program No. 8 of 15, from August 1938- Nr. 138/38 Geheime Kommandosache) • The production dates of known Bf 109As range from December 1936 to February 1937. • VJ./88 began operations in March of 1937. • The highest-numbered aircraft in Spanish service seen in published photographs with the Schwarz wooden propeller is 6-16. • There are no factory or loss records suggesting the existence of a ‘Bf 109B-2’, a frequent claim in other publications when referring to aircraft with the controllable pitch metal propeller. • Records indicate the first batch of 109s to enter Spanish service were coded 6-3 through 6-18 – a total of 16 aircraft. There are several other details often overlooked when examining the first batch of 109s to be sent to Spain:
The first batch of B-1s sent to Spain in early 1937 were delivered in the standard Luftwaffe scheme of 70 and 71 over 65. The uppersurface colors faded fairly quickly, and all surviving aircraft later received an overall coat of 63 on the uppersurfaces, which proved to be better suited to the Spanish climate. This early B with the long slats and no wing guns has had a variable pitch propeller retrofitted in the field; the spinner paint has not held up very well, with large areas of natural metal showing through
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cockpit; this provides an instant recognition point. In later photos, the V3 has received a production-style windscreen with the characteristic triangular lower windows, but the pitot remains in the same place. It would appear that the V4 was first to arrive, and therefore originally wore the number 6-1, with V3 receiving the code 6-2 and the V6 being coded 6-3. However, with Kley’s accident on 10 December, the V3 seems to have been renumbered as 6-1, and the V6 was renumbered 6-2. This is further borne out by the initial deliveries of the 16 A models, which were coded 6-3 through 6-18. The whole affair is quite confusing, but given the photo documentation and known facts, this seems to be a reasonable conclusion. Some sources have listed the V5 as being sent to Spain in addition to V3 and V4, but there are records indicating that
• The oil cooler on these initial aircraft is located at the wingroot joint, just aft of the port gear leg... later aircraft had the oil cooler moved outboard somewhat, clear of the disturbed airflow behind the gear leg • The cowling MG17s were still manually cocked... the EPAD 17 was not fitted (recall that this was still being tested in early 1937) • Photos of 6-15 taken after capture show the cockpit arrangement to be completely different from later 109s • All aircraft in this initial batch featured the longer slats. • Examination of photos of these initial aircraft show the fuselage panel lines to be invisible, even close up in strong light. This strongly suggests the joints were covered in pinking tape and faired in. • Photos also indicate that this first batch of aircraft appears to have been painted in a matte silver overall; the paint has a different reflective quality when compared to later photos of Bf 109Ds and Es which are known to have been painted
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Three early B-1 models are seen here with a Nationalist Ju 52 on a rather well-appointed airfield sometime in mid to late 1937. Note that the custom-fitted canvas engine covers provided with all early 109s are visible on the two aircraft in the background
Ofw. Otto Polenz force-landed his Bf 109A coded 6-15 behind Republican lines at Bujaraloz on 4 December 1937, and the aircraft was extensively test-flown by noted French pilot Konstantin Rozanoff, seen here in the cockpit of the aircraft which now sports the red wingtips of Republican aircraft. Later, the aircraft was extensively examined in Russia, where the remains were recaptured during the early advances of the Wehrmacht in mid-1941
This unknown Legion Kondor pilot is posing in front of a C or D model. The casual dress is worthy of note, as is the seat-pack parachute and the very early helmet
A pair of young Spanish ladies are seen here with a Spanish soldier in front of Günther Lützow's old mount, Bf 109A 6 o 10, later nicknamed ‘Altertum’
This Emil has suffered a gear collapse, and is in the process of being recovered, using a fairly primitive but effective crane
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Production Table 1 WNr 760 (V3) 808 809 810 883 884 994 995 996 997 1000 1001 1002 1003 1004 1005 1006 1007 1008 1009
Registration D-IOQY D-IIBA D-IUDE D-IHNY D-ITGE D-IXZA D-IMRY D-IPLA D-IVSE D-IZQE D-IMTY D-IPSA D-IQMU D-IVTO D-ILZY D-IJFY D-IBLE D-IHDU D-IYTY D-IOMY
Engine Jumo 210C Jumo 210D Jumo 210D Jumo 210D Jumo 210D Jumo 210D Jumo 210B Jumo 210B Jumo 210B Jumo 210D Jumo 210D Jumo 210B Jumo 210B Jumo 210B Jumo 210B Jumo 210D Jumo 210D Jumo 210D Jumo 210D Jumo 210D
First Flight 8 Apr 36 31 Dec 36 8 Jan 37 8 Jan 37 31 Dec 36 30 Dec 36 6 Jan 37 9 Jan 37 8 Jan 37 12 Jan 37 22 Jan 37
Delivery 30 June 36 21 Jan 37 19 Feb 37 21 Jan 37 14 Jan 37 19 Jan 37 1 Feb 37 19 Feb 37 19 Feb 37 14 Jan 37 19 Feb 37
28 Jan 37 28 Jan 37 2 Feb 37 5 Feb 37 4 Feb 37 10 Feb 37 12 Feb 37 16 Feb 37
18 Feb 37 20 Feb 37 19 Feb 37 20 Feb 37 20 Feb 37 20 Feb 37 20 Feb 37 20 Feb 37
With the arrival of the C and D models, photographic evidence points to all 109s currently in Spain receiving a uniform paint job of RLM 63 Lichtgrau over RLM 65 Lichtblau, including the surviving A models such as 6 o 6 seen here baking in the Spanish sun. This aircraft was regularly flown by future Ritterkreuzträger Fw. Herbert Ihlefeld, and later written off by Uffz. Franz Jänisch in July 1938
in RLM 63 Lichtgrau (or RLM 62 Lichtgrün) on their uppersurfaces. In his new work on Luftwaffe camouflage, Kenneth Merrick suggests the aircraft were in bare metal with a very thin, green-tinted protective coating; the complete absence of panel lines on the fuselage in many period photos and heavy wingroot paint wear visible in a photo of 6-4 strongly suggest a painted surface, however. All of these details are consistent in photographs of the first 15 Spanish Bf 109s. Based on this evidence, it seems to be a reasonable conclusion that this first batch of 16 aircraft were not Bf 109B-1s, but rather Bf 109As. Production Table 1 lists known Bf 109A airframes; this is based on an excerpt of an original Messerschmitt factory document dated 25 August 1937 titled ‘Delivered Bf 109 As and B-1s’. This document was first brought to light by the research of Willy Radinger and Walter Schick in their book ‘Messerschmitt Bf 109A-E: Development, Testing, Production’: Another RLM document (LC 7/1 Nr. 183.8/38 from 15 Aug
Fate To Spain, Dec 36 Delivered to Rechlin To Spain, VJ./88. Fate not known Delivered to Rechlin Fate not known Delivered to Rechlin (as original V10) Delivered to Berlin-Tempelhof Fate not known Fate not known Fate not known Fate not known Wrecked, written off 26 Feb 37 Fate not known Fate not known Fate not known Fate not known Fate not known Fate not known Fate not known Fate not known
1938, covering deliveries through May 1938) indicates that series production of the B-1 (featuring 3 MG17s) began at WNr 1021, while those aircraft from WNr 1010 to 1020 were to be retrofitted with the central MG17. This small batch included additional Versuchs aircraft, as indicated in Production Table 2. The May 1938 delivery document is not clear about the initial designation of these eleven aircraft, but the document does state that retrofitting the central MG17 would bring the aircraft up to B-1 production standards. No written documentation has been found which covers the relocated oil cooler on the port wing, but later photos of these early Spanish 109s indicate that the oil cooler location remained inboard, even though all the aircraft were retrofitted with the new VDM variable pitch propeller. It is not currently known whether the early aircraft were also retrofitted with the centrally mounted MG17; as we can see with the later Emil, the presence of a spinner with a port does not necessarily mean a gun was fitted. It is also not known if the EPAD17 system was retrofitted to these early aircraft to facilitate automatic cocking of the cowl guns. The changeover to the new propeller was relatively rapid within the Luftwaffe; indeed, propaganda photos taken upon the delivery of 25 Bf 109B-1s to II./JG 132 ‘Richthofen’ at Jüterbog-Damm in February 1937 show the aircraft to be fitted with a mixture of the Schwarz wooden units and the later metal props. The metal units appear on all subsequent Spanish deliveries as well. The next batch of 109s to reach Spain were 26 actual B-1 production aircraft, coded 6-19 through 6-45. Among the many conflicting detail variances on the B-1 models sent to
Production Table 2
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Chapter 2
WNr 1010
Registration D-IAKO
Versuchs Nr V10a
First flight Unknown
1012
D-IFMO
V11
1 March 37
1016
D-IVRU
V12
13 March 37
Test purpose On loan to BFW for testing; remains recovered and currently in storage Prototype of ‘gun wing’, testing fitment and operation of MG17s Testing of MG-FF fitment in ‘gun wing’
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Production Table 3 Code 6-26 6-27 6-29 6-30 6-34 6-36 6-38 6-42
Unit N/A N/A 2.J/88 2.J/88 1.J/88 1.J/88 1.J/88 1.J/88
Pilot N/A N/A N/A Fw. Reinhard Seiler Oblt. Erich Woitke Oblt. Harro Harder Uffz. Ernst Terry N/A
Disposition N/A N/A N/A A/C N/A N/A N/A N/A
Spain as well as those introduced into Luftwaffe service are the differences in the leading edge slats. As related earlier, the initial A models all featured the same longer, full-length slats as fitted to the prototypes. Many of the initial B-1s had these slats as well, but at some point in the production run, the new gun wing was introduced. to make room for the MG 17s, the slats were shortened by 635mm on their inboard sides. This configuration was successfully tested on the V1 prior to production; the stall characteristics of the aircraft were found to improve with these shorter slats as well. Many of these aircraft were delivered in the standard Luftwaffe splinter scheme of 70/71 over 65 the following chart indicates those aircraft identified through photos as wearing this scheme, as well as their units, pilot and disposition. Comparing the above listing of aircraft positively identified as being delivered in 70/71 against the second shipment of aircraft to be sent to Spain, it may be reasonable to conclude that other aircraft in that batch were also delivered in this scheme. 6-32 was photographed in 63 (or possibly 62) over 65, but this appears to have been a later repaint based on a similar treatment being applied to 6-38 (see note above). Previous publications have speculated on a number of different paint colors being used on these aircraft, but comparison of Spanish aircraft to Luftwaffe B-1s serving during the same time period show similar color demarcations between the uppersurface colors and the 65 undersurfaces, as well as a clearly identifiable splinter pattern in some of the better Spanish photos. Following the completion of the B-1 deliveries were five C models, coded 6-46 through 6-50; few photos have surfaced of these aircraft and all known photos show the aircraft wearing the 63 over 65 scheme. Again referring to the recent work from Ken Merrick, the possibility has been suggested that the uppersurface color may have been 62 green as opposed to 63; research continues on this issue. Given how few C models were constructed by BFW, the low delivery total is not unexpected. These were quickly followed by the main Jumo production variant, the Bf 109D-1. Whereas the C was powered by the fuel injected Jumo 210G, the D-1 reverted to the earlier carbureted Jumo 210D due to reliability issues with the more powerful injected motor. A total of 647 Bf 109D’s were built, with contracts spread between BFW, Focke Wulf, Erla, Fieseler, AGO, and Arado-Warnemünde. In contrast, only 58 C models were constructed, all by BFW. Externally, the C and D are virtually indistinguishable, but if one is fortunate enough to find a photo with the engine cowling off, a glimpse at the coolant header tank in the nose of the aircraft will readily differentiate between a C and a D. The C model had a header tank resembling the later Emil, being smooth with a flat top; the D model featured a large vent apparatus atop the ends of the tank on either side of the reduction gear housing. A total of 35 D-1s were sent to Spain, numbered from 6-51 through 6-86.
Notes
Lost in forced landing Aug 37
Later repainted in RLM 63 over 65 (ref: Laureau, p. 106)
Into Service The first batch of service-ready 109s to arrive was issued to 2.J/88, and the first victory for the 109 was scored by none other than Günther Lützow on 6 April. Another three victories were added to the roster by the end of April, and 2.J/88 had the dubious distinction of providing escort for the infamous raid on Guernica on 26 April. Oblt. Herwig Knüppel led six aircraft of the Staffel as high cover while the Ju 52s of K/88 droned in unopposed and destroyed the Basque town. The Northern campaign continued with a push into Bilbao (located west-southwest of Guernica), but in July, 2.J/88 was rushed southwards to the Brunete area near Madrid to oppose a sudden, strong Republican offensive. The air battles around Brunete were the first meeting between Republican Polikarpov I-16s and the Nationalist Messerschmitts. After a series of inconclusive contacts, a full fight took place on 12 July with Uffz. Guido Honess falling
victim to the nimble I-16s and perishing in the crash of Bf 109A ‘6-4’. On the 17th, Olympic pentathlon winner and future JG26 Kommodore Lt. Gotthard Handrick was downed by the US expatriate Frank Tinker, again flying an I-16. Uffz. Haarbach was shot down and slightly wounded on the 18th. Despite these losses, the Nationalist forces succeeded in pushing back the Republican offensive around Brunete, with a total of 8 victory claims by the 109s of 2.J/88. Once the situation was secure, Lützow’s unit returned to Vitoria... a new Nationalist offensive was imminent. August 1937 witnessed the all-out westward push towards Santander, on the Biscay coast, and this campaign was successfully concluded with the city’s surrender to Nationalist forces on the 26th. The Republican forces had been thrown into disarray by the strength of the Nationalist attack, and they were continually pushed westward. Eventually, Gijon was captured in late October, and the majority of the Biscay coast then lay in Nationalist hands. Air operations were intense during this period, with 1.J/88 under Oblt. Harro Harder
One of the principal opponents of the Bf 109 in Spain was the nimble Polikarpov I-15 ‘Chato’. This example, CA-108, was flown to La Ciena airfield on 2 November 1938 by defecting Republican pilot Sargento Arranz. As was the case on both sides of the conflict, the Nationalists immediately pressed any captured aircraft into service, and CA-108 has already received the characteristic white wingtips of the Legion Kondor
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An afflicted aircraft seen from the front; note that the black walkway is limited to the port wingroot only. The sharp paint demarcation line bisecting the rocker covers on the lower cowling is noteworthy as well
6 o 42, an early B-1 with long slats and no wing guns, is seen patrolling the Spanish coast sometime after early 1938. Originally delivered in 70/71/65, the aircraft was repainted in 63 over 65 at approximately the same time as the C and D models were reaching Spain
The most appropriate code for a Bf 109 6 o 109! Flown during the civil war by Kurt Sochatzki, this E-3 is seen after the end of the conflict. The Falangist markings were added to the black disc when the remaining Legion Kondor aircraft were transferred to Grupo 5-G-5
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joining its sister squadron in battle. The Messerschmitt squadrons wreaked havoc among the Republican aircraft, with Harder personally accounting for as many as seven victories by October 21. Following the consolidation of the northern territory gains, planning commenced for a strike towards Madrid. J/88 was not idle during this period, flying attacks on enemy airfields and this was to result in the capture of Ofw. Otto Polenz on 4 December. He was brought down during an attack on Bujaraloz airfield, and his Bf 109A ‘6-15’ was delivered virtually undamaged into Republican hands. The aircraft later made its way to Russia, where a thorough technical evaluation was prepared on it. In an odd twist of fate, the aircraft was later recaptured by German forces during their drive through Russia, although its subsequent fate is not known. It is worth noting that Polenz’ aircraft still wore the ‘early’ overall silver scheme and carried the Schwarz wooden propeller, suggesting that no movement towards a ‘common’ paint scheme for all of J/88’s 109s took place before this time.
Republican forces were tipped off to the planning of the Madrid offensive by a Nationalist deserter, and to forestall such an attack, a vicious offensive was launched against the tiny mountain town of Teruel on 16 December. Teruel’s primary claim to fame was being home to the coldest spot in Spain during the winter, and the weather of December and January lived up to that reputation. Nationalist aircraft and equipment encountered significant reliability problems,
hindering the ability of K/88 and J/88 to help support the defenders. The city fell to the Republicans in January, but a fresh push in February returned Teruel to the Nationalist fold. Air activity picked up in the latter part of January, and intensified significantly in February. In one fierce engagement, future JG 2 Kommodore Oblt. Wilhelm Balthasar achieved the then-unheard of feat of downing four Tupolev SB-2 bombers (referred to as ‘Martin Bombers’, for some reason) but his aircraft was positively riddled from defensive fire and he was forced to crash-land his flying sieve. Interestingly, this encounter was mentioned in passing to Charles Lindbergh by JG 132 Kommodore Gerd von Massow at a Berlin dinner party in October. Massow was quoted as saying,‘I know one fellow – I won’t say who – that shot down four Martin bombers in twenty minutes with a Messerschmitt 109.’ When queried by Lindbergh as to whether they were actually Martins or copies, Massow replied that they were Russian copies of Martin bombers used by the ‘government’ side. The next two months saw a realignment of priorities in the Nationalist camp. Rather than a push towards Madrid, which was certain to be heavily defended, Franco’s troops began heading for the Mediterranean, with the intention of bisecting the country. Beginning in the Teruel area, the Mediterranean was reached on 15 April 1938 despite fierce Republican resistance. J/88 suffered a few losses in combat during this period, as well as several losses due to operational causes. Among those losses were Uffz. Adolf Borchers in 6-21 collided with Lt. Fritz Awe over Lanaja on 4 April. Awe lost his life, but Borchers managed to escape via parachute. As the
Nationalists continued to move northwards towards Valencia, government resistance began to increase, until Franco’s offensive slowed to a crawl in June along the Ebro River. The Republicans continued to pour troops into the Tortosa area, and on 24 July, they launched a counteroffensive which caught the Nationalists completely off-guard. It was along the Ebro River front that the first shades of Blitzkrieg were seen, with Nationalist aircraft bombing and strafing the Republican forces to a standstill by early August. The intensity of the fighting took a significant toll on the men and machines of both sides. The victories racked up by the Messerschmitt pilots were increasing exponentially, despite losing only three 109s of J/88 to enemy action during the initial phase of the battle between late July and September. Improvisation in battle led to improved tactics and fighting formations, and the Nationalist forces were quick to capitalize on these advantages. The Messerschmitt pilots soon began running up impressive scores, and doing all they could to duck the official requirement for transfer back home after five victories. A recent arrival to Spain, Otto Bertram, managed four kills from 12 to 31 August alone, and the brilliant Werner Mölders had reached eight victories by the end of September. Localized combats took place along the
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stalled Ebro front through the fall, until the Nationalists renewed their offensive on 31 October. Their first targets were the bridgeheads across the Ebro River, followed closely by a series of attacks on Republican airfields which effectively cut short any possible retaliatory air support. Combat still occurred, however, and J/88 pilots who scored victories during this period include Oblt. Walter Grabmann, Lt. Walter Oesau, and Mölders, who raised his score to fourteen on 3 November. However, Otto Bertram, the wunderkind of August, was shot down in Bf 109D 6-67 on 4 October, and taken prisoner by Republican forces. After breaking through the Republican line along the Ebro, Franco renewed his push towards Barcelona in late December and the city was taken on 26 January 1939. Aerial combat took a back seat to ground attack during this period, with both J/88 as well as Italian units destroying Republican airpower on their own fields in a series of quick but devastating attacks. The Republicans were in full retreat towards France under unrelenting pressure, and the Nationalists succeeded in reaching the French border on 10 February. The last combat victory for the Legion Kondor fell to Oblt. Hubertus von Bonin, Gruppenkommandeur of 3.J/88, who downed a Polikarpov I-15 over Alicante on 5 March. Six days later, J/88 relocated to Torrijos to take part in the last Nationalist offensive of the war. By this time, the unit was
fully re-equipped with brand new Bf 109Es, and their old, faithful Jumo-engined 109s were transferred to Grupo 5-G-5 of the Nationalist air force. A total of 45 Emils were received, with codes from 6-87 through 6-131. The majority of the Emils sent to Spain were the cannon-armed E-3 model, although a few E-1s such as 6-118 have been noted in photographs (such as 6-118). As the last desperate acts played out in the Spanish capital
of Madrid between demoralized Republican factions, the Nationalists launched attacks in the Toledo area on 26 March. Two days later, Madrid fell peacefully to Franco’s forces, and by 31 March, all fighting in Spain had come to an end. It had been a long and costly struggle, but the lessons taught in the fire of combat were destined to be absorbed by only one side. Those Soviet volunteers who returned home were soon to find themselves targets yet again; this time, there was to be no escape from the bloodthirsty purges of Josef Stalin, who massacred soldiers, pilots, generals, and civilians alike. The men of the Legion Kondor returned home to an entirely different kind of welcome; they were greeted as conquering heroes by an adoring public and an appreciative government. Awards and promotions followed, and the ‘Spaniards’, as they called themselves, brought back with them a great deal of combat experience as well as a newly refreshed sense of pride. Germany was no longer the demoralized and defeated whipping boy of 1918 she was now the most powerful nation in Europe. While the Legion Kondor was mopping up Republican resistance in midMarch, regular German troops and Luftwaffe units had moved out of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia and simply taken over the country. The democratic nations of Europe were aghast, but collectively did nothing to oppose the annexation they would have another chance soon enough.
Gunther Lützow's Bf 109A 6 o 10 is seen resting at La Ciena
An interesting photo, for more than one reason this BF 109 is seen in the markings of Gotthard Handrick, 1936 Olympic Pentathlon champion, but this does not appear to be the same aircraft that was frequently photographed in Spain. The heraldic ‘H’ in the black fuselage disc has a very distinctive Germanic font, rather than the flowing, lower case ‘h’ seen in Spain. The setting for the photo is definitely not La Ciena; the location has not been identified, although there has been speculation that this was a ‘presentation’ aircraft photographed in Germany and marked as Handrick's aircraft
Bf 109 losses in Spain Current research indicates that the Legion Kondor lost a total of 40 Bf 109s (of a total of 131). Not all of these aircraft have been tied to pilots, or even dates and locations; the list below contains only those aircraft for which comprehensive loss documentation exists. As discussed above, all aircraft coded between 6-4 and 6-19 are listed as ‘Bf 109A’, to differentiate from the later production B-1 models. Date 10.12.36 11.02.37 12.07.37 18.07.37 ??.08.37 ??.09.37 ??.09.37 04.12.37 04.04.38 04.04.38 14.6.38 25.07.38 04.10.38 06.02.39
Type Bf 109A Bf 109 V6 Bf 109A Bf 109A Bf 109B-1 Bf 109A Bf 109A Bf 109A Bf 109B-1 Bf 109B-1 Bf 109B-1 Bf 109A Bf 109D-1 Bf 109E
Pilot Kley, Uffz. Erich Rehahn, Lt. Paul Höness, Lt. Guido Haarbach, Uffz. Seiler, Ofw. Reinhard Flegel, Fw. Norbert Stange, Uffz. Hermann Polenz, Fw. Otto Awe, Lt. Fritz 6-20 Borchers, Uffz. Adolf Priebe, Lt. Eckehardt Jänisch, Lt. Franz Bertram, Lt. Otto Windemuth, Uffz. Heinrich
Code 6-3 6-2 6-4 6-14 6-30 6-7 6-12 6-15 6-21 6-33 6-6 6-67 6-98
Location Tablada Càceres Brunete unk. Alar del Rey Santander-Ost Santander-Ost Bujaraloz Lanaja Lanaja Villafames unk. Venta de C. Vilajuiga
Cause Crashed on takeoff Accident, KIFA Shot down, KIA Shot down Crash landing Crash landing Crash landing Force landing, captured KIFA- collision with Borchers, 6-21 WIFA- collsion with Awe, 6-20. Parachuted Shot down (I-15?) Crash landing Shot down (I-16, Cortizo- 21/4) Shot down, KIA (I-15 of G23)
Key: KIA = killed in action KIFA = killed in flying accident WIA = wounded in action WIFA = wounded in flying accident
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This attractive 8. Staffel Bf 109D-1 exhibits an unusual Gruppenwelle aft of the fuselage cross. This form of III. Gruppe marking was not commonly seen until several years later
T
he Luftwaffe had not been idle while the men of the Legion Kondor fought in Spain between 1936 and 1939. A vast expansion scheme was underway, spearheaded initially by General Walther Wever, but later taken over by Generalmajor Ernst Udet after Wever’s death in an He 70 in 1936. Wever had been a strong proponent of the strategic bombing ideas of Giulio Douhet, but his influence on the course of German rearmament was lost just as Germany was beginning to offer military assistance to Franco’s rebels in Spain. The experiences of the Legion Kondor gave rise to the idea that quick-reacting tactical forces were of the utmost importance; hence, the vast majority of the Luftwaffe’s offensive striking power lay in fleets of medium bombers and single-engined dive bombers. The Jagdwaffe was not ignored in the expansion scheme, either. Spain had shown how dominant the Bf 109 was over all opposition, and the flying meet at Dübendorf in July 1937 further reinforced the concrete fact that there was nothing in continental Europe to match the performance of the Messerschmitt. At that time, the Bf 109 was just beginning to enter service with the Luftwaffe, with II./JG132 ‘Richthofen’ having the honor of introducing the type into squadron service in February 1937 at Jüterbog-Damm. As noted previously, the initial batch of 25 aircraft received by JG 132 were fitted with the wooden Schwarz propeller, but these were quickly exchanged for the variable-pitch metal units manufactured by VDM. The timing of the deliveries would suggest that II./JG 132 received the very first B-1 models of the BFW production line, immediately following cessation of A production in February 1937. Another nine months would pass before a second Luftwaffe unit would be equipped with Messerschmitts, with II./JG 234 receiving their new aircraft in November 1937. To the uninitiated, the numbering schema of prewar Luftwaffe squadrons is positively Byzantine in its complexity. With the introduction of the newly reconstituted Luftwaffe in
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1935, all of Germany was divided into six individual administrative districts, each one known as a Luftkreis (literally,‘air circle’). Each squadron would then have a three digit designator which indicated the following: • First digit: • Second digit: • Third digit:
the consecutive number of the specific squadron type in the Luftkreis the specific type of squadron the number of the Luftkreis to which it was assigned
For example, the designator for JG 132 ‘Richthofen’ can be broken down as follows: • • • •
JG: 1: 3: 2:
Jagdgeschwader (fighter wing) the first fighter squadron assigned to Luftkreis 2 identifier code for a fighter squadron Luftkreis 2 (the unit’s home base)
The second number (3) identifying a fighter squadron may seem redundant, but the Jagdgeschwader designation was also
Given the propensity of the Jumo’s radiator to ‘dig in’ and cause the engine mounts to completely buckle during a forced landing, the pilot of this B-1 coded ‘red 1’ did a fantastic job in minimizing damage
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The local inhabitants find the aircraft fascinating Photographed against the Gruppenkommandeur’s aircraft, these three ‘black men’ took a few moments for an informal photo. The tremendous early successes of the Luftwaffe were due in large part to the tireless efforts of the mechanics who kept the aircraft servicable under incredible pressure
Bf 109E-1 ‘Red 10’, WNr 3276 of 2./JG 77 is seen with other 2. Staffel aircraft at BreslauSchöngarten during the summer of 1939 ‘Safety first’ must be a foreign concept to this mechanic... This E-1 from the 5. Staffel of an unidentified Jagdeschwader is seen undergoing minor maintenance. The prominent WNr on the fin and the fully retracted slats and flaps are noteworthy
The E-1 in this posed propaganda photo displays a simple, straight demarcation line to the lower cowling camouflage. Also noteworthy are the fully extended radiator cooling flaps; the DB601 heated up quickly when idling on the ground, so it was common practice to open the flaps as wide as possible for maximum cooling effect
A beautiful summer day sees these groundcrew members using a pristine Bf 109E-1 as a park bench. The very tightly feathered edge to the paint along the lower cowling is noteworthy
At the outbreak of WWII, Hptm. Wilhelm Balthasar was serving as Staffelkapitän of 1./JG 1. Here, Balthasar towers over three ground crew as they pose next to his Emil, ‘white 1’
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identify at a glance what unit that aircraft belonged to; the II. Gruppe used a horizontal bar in the Staffel color, while the III. Gruppe used a ‘welle’, a wave design with one lower and two upper ‘loops’. Thus, if we see a Messerschmitt with the following code:
we know immediately that the aircraft belongs to the 2. Staffel, I. Gruppe of an individual Geschwader. If, however, the code reads as follows:
This D-1, coded ‘yellow 1’ of the 6. Staffel of an unidentified unit, experienced an engine problem and has become something of an inconvenience for the usual occupants of this farmland!
right: A brand new Bf 109E-1 of 4./JG 333 seen at Eger. The polished metal propeller front is particularly noteworthy (Photo: Petrick via J. Prien)
used for heavy fighters (Bf 110s), and those units to be equipped with the Bf 110 utilized the number 4 (e.g. JG 142, formed in late 1938). Each Geschwader was made up of three Gruppen, and within each Gruppen were three Staffeln. There was also a Stab (staff) flight of four aircraft for the Geschwader itself, and each Gruppe had a staff flight of three aircraft. The nominal strength for a Staffel was nine aircraft, equating to 30 aircraft for a Gruppe, and 94 for the full Geschwader. The numbering schema for the individual aircraft within the Staffeln and Gruppen was somewhat easier to understand:
then we can identify the aircraft as being from the 6. Staffel, in the II. Gruppe. An aircraft from the 7. Staffel, III. Gruppe would carry the following markings:
• White numbers (often with black trim) for the first Staffel in each Gruppe • Red numbers (often with white trim on prewar aircraft) for the second Staffel in each Gruppe • Yellow numbers (often with black trim) for the third Staffel in each Gruppe The second and third Gruppen each had their own distinctive graphic device aft of the fuselage cross to help
These two jolly pilots at a Jagdfliegerschule share a joke while posing with one of the unit’s Bf 109B-1s
far right: The deeper windscreen assembly introduced with later B models is seen in this dramatic photo. Note also the canvas liner just visible along the aft edge of the wheel well
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Later in the war, the Gruppen structure would be expanded to cover four units, with four Staffeln apiece. As the prewar dark green camouflage gave way to the lighter schemes, the red numerals in the 2., 5., and 8. Staffeln were gradually replaced with black numbers. Some units such as 6./JG 26 and 3.(J)/LG 2 experimented with replacing their yellow numbers with brown, in an attempt to reduce the visibility of the numerals. The Staffelführer’s aircraft traditionally carried the number ‘1’, although by 1944 this was being dispensed with. The ‘small’ prewar B1-style cross measured 660mm, and the numbers measured 650 mm high and 440 mm wide. The width of the stroke measured 110 mm. The Stab flights of each Gruppe and the Geschwader itself
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‘White 5’ of 1./JG 1 is seen at Sitzbereitschaft; the pilot is in the cockpit ready to go, awaiting the order to start. Note the sheen of the paint, the white aft half of the spinner, and the light grey gun troughs
This mechanic passes a lazy afternoon using a Bf 109D-1 of an unidentified unit as a backrest
This E-3 of 2.(J)/LG 2 exhibits a whole host of interesting marking features. The full color Hakenkreuz and band are very rare to see on an Emil; the style of the ‘7’ is definitely non standard; the entire forward part of the spinner is in red as well; and the gear legs are in a very dark shade, RLM 66 Schwartzgrau would seem to be a likely candidate, as they seem a bit dark to be RLM 70 Schwartzgrün
This pair of Bf 109D-1s from 2./ZG 76 has been caught in a particularly pleasing pose. The rarely-seen unit badge of I./ZG 76 is the coat of arms of the city of Olmütz (Photo: Matthiesen via J. Prien)
A pair of Emils from I./JG 77 are seen at Breslau-Schöngarten, their base of operations from May through August 1939
One early model which still seems to generate a bit of confusion is the Bf 109C-3. This was the first service variant fitted with the wing-mounted 20mm MG-FF cannon. They were modified from standard C-3s, and known examples are scattered throughout the 58 aircraft in the single C-model production batch. This example from 2./JG 130 is seen at Jesau in the spring of 1938 (Photo: Urbanke via Prien)
II./JG 77 was based at Pilsen, 80km SW of Prague from May through August of 1939, where this 4. Staffel E-3 is seen
When is a Messerschmitt a Zero? When it’s the aircraft in the background of this photo! These two B-1s from I./136 (not JG 136, just 136) are seen over Ostfriesland in the summer of 1938 (Photo via J. Prien)
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Seen at Dusseldorf in the summer of 1939, this Bf 109E-3 of 4./JG 26 displays an unusual numbering style also seen in 6./JG 26
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had their own set of unique markings, all of which were designed to facilitate quick recognition of unit leaders while airborne. Many variations of the basic designs are to be found in period photographs, but the samples below depict RLM standards for the most common Geschwaderstab and Gruppenstab markings.
Gruppenadjutant
Geschwaderkommodore
Gruppen Techniker Offizier
The Winkel was to be set at 60 degrees, with 110 mm wide arms. The forward and aft bar devices were to be 200mm away from the Balkankreuz; the length of the aft bar was to be 1150mm, and the length of the forward bar and Winkel was to be 970 mm. These standards apply to all following Stab markings.
Geschwaderadjutant The vertical bar was to be 110 mm wide, and set 200 mm forward of the Balkankreuz.
Geschwader Techniker Offizier
Gruppenkommandeur
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As noted previously, II./JG 234 based in Köln was the second home-based Geschwader to be equipped with the Bf 109, receiving their machines in November, 1937. The remaining Jagdgeschwadern were still operating with a mix of Heinkel He 51B and Arado Ar 68E and F biplanes; capable aircraft in their own right, but decidedly inferior to the sleek Messerschmitts. By early 1938, the license production agreements with other, larger manufacturing concerns were finally producing enough aircraft to not just re-equip current units, but also create new ones. As an example of how rapidly the Luftwaffe was growing, the following units were in place as of 1 April 1937, two months after II./JG 132 took delivery of their first Messerschmitts: I./ JG 131 II./ JG 132 II.(schwere J)/ LG I./ JG 136 I./ JG 232 II./ JG 234 II./ JG 334
I./ JG 132 I./ JG 134 I./ JG 135 4./ JG 136 I./ JG 234 I./ JG 334
Fifteen months later, as of 1 July 1938, there were an additional eight fighter Gruppen, and the majority of these units were equipped with the Bf 109B and D. The original Luftkreis system had been modified, being replaced with three Luftwaffegruppenkommando, as well as three additional Luftwaffekommando command structures covering Austria, East Prussia, and maritime aircraft operations. A number of
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units were split, with the offshoot Gruppen either being subordinated to a previously existing Geschwader. Others were incorporated as entirely new units (such as JG 138, formed in Vienna after the annexation of Austria). I./ JG 131 II./ JG 132 I./ JG 134 II. (schwere J)/LG I./ JG 135 I./ JG 136 I./ JG 137 I./ JG 138 II./ JG 234 I./ JG 334 III./ JG 334
I./ JG 132 III./JG 132 II./ JG 134 IV./ JG 134 II./ JG 135 I. (leicht J)/LG II./ JG 137 I./ JG 234 III./ JG 234 II./ JG 334
As Germany raced to build her air arm, political maneuvering in Berlin was bringing the country closer to war. Through late 1937 and into the first months of 1938, proNazi sympathizers and agitators in Austria were causing difficulties for the democratically elected Chancellor Schussnig. These activities were largely orchestrated behind the scenes by Berlin, with the ultimate goal of having a Naziled government installed. The Austrian Nazis proved to be incapable of taking a patient route to power, and began orchestrating anti-government rallies, even going so far as to plan an assassination attempt on a German diplomat which would then be blamed on pro-government forces. Schussnig was not blind to this manipulation, and called for a plebiscite to be held on whether Austria should merge with Germany. Enraged, Hitler demanded his forces prepare to march on Vienna and forcibly install a pro-German government, while making no secret of these military preparations. The pressure broke Schussnig, and he was replaced by the pro-Nazi Arthur Seyss-Inquardt. A memo with his name on it was created and circulated which ‘invited’ German troops into Austria, and on 12 March 1938, German forces marched across the border to the unbridled joy of thousands upon thousands of Austrians. Hitler himself could scarcely believe how successful this maneuvering had been, and decided on the spot to declare an Anschluss... Austria was to be annexed by Germany and incorporated into the Greater German Reich. The Anschluss had scarcely been completed when Hitler turned his attention towards another southern neighbor, Czechoslovakia. Created after the First World War from a loose confederation of states, one of the Czech provinces was comprised primarily of people of German ethnic origin. These inhabitants of the Sudetenland were rabidly proGerman, and Hitler was only too happy to make plans to bring them back into the fold. Unlike Austria, however, the Czechs had no intention of caving to German territorial demands, and this time, the British and the French were involved. Throughout the spring and summer of 1938, pressure on the Czech government increased, and it was becoming increasingly evident that Germany would resort to war to claim the Sudetenland. In England, Chamberlain had watched with dismay as Germany went from strength to strength, while he steadfastly held to the erroneous belief that Hitler was a basically decent man who only wanted the best for his countrymen, preferably through negotiation. The French were understandably nervous as well, with substantial German forces massing in the southern part of the country. The overwhelming strength of a newly resurgent Germany was finally sinking in, and neither France nor Britain was in any way prepared for an
armed conflict. Both countries had begun to make reluctant preparations for war, when Benito Mussolini had surprisingly suggested a four-way conference to discuss ‘the Czech question’. Chamberlain had already met privately with Hitler twice in September 1938, with no substantial breakthroughs, and he was desperate to preserve peace by any means necessary. When Mussolini offered to broker discussions, Chamberlain leapt at the opportunity, leaving Daladier in France little choice but to play along. The farce which followed in Munich was a mockery of diplomacy, and tarnished Chamberlain’s reputation forever. Chamberlain acceded to Hitler’s territorial demands for the Sudetenland without so much as consulting the Czech representative whose country he was dismantling and Daladier signed off on the agreement without comment. Hitler gave his solemn word that he had only peaceful intentions, and simply wanted to unify all Germans under one flag. Chamberlain returned to England to declare,‘We have achieved peace in our time’... he was not to know that what he considered a grand victory for diplomacy was to lead instead to the most destructive conflict in the history of man.
This D-1 of Stab I./JG 131 exhibits an unusual Gruppenstab marking for the Nachrichtenoffizier, in addition to the characteristic black/white/black spinner applied to I. Gruppe Stab aircraft during 1938-39
This pilot seems rather pleased with himself after crunching his D-1 ‘brown 7’ into a rocky field thanks to a failed engine. The extremely dark aft bulkhead to the cockpit stands in stark contrast to the RLM 02 interior which is just visible; note also the light grey gun troughs just behind the pilot’s arm
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A
s 1939 dawned, a distinct feeling of unease began to settle in among the democratic nations of Europe. Thanks to skillful manipulation of Konrad Henlein’s Sudeten-Deutschen Partei by Hitler, Britain and France had been browbeaten into accommodating Hitler’s territorial demands to have the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia placed under German control. By signing the Munich Pact of 1938, Chamberlain and Daladier’s policy of political appeasement effectively removed over 40 divisions of fully trained troops, a reasonably well-equipped air force, and a first-rate munitions manufacturing capability from possible use in any potential conflict. Emboldened by his continued successes in political brinksmanship, Hitler began ratcheting up the rhetoric concerning the so-called ‘Polish Corridor’, a small bit of Polish land established after the Great War to allow Poland access to the Baltic Sea. Of all the Versailles dictates, this remained one of the biggest blows to German pride. East Prussia was still sovereign German territory, and Hitler’s initial demands to the Poles centered upon the return of Danzig (now Gdansk) to German control, as well as an extraterritorial corridor to be opened between Germany and East Prussia. Naturally, Poland objected strenuously to these demands, but unlike Austria and Czechoslovakia, the Poles had what they thought was an ace up their sleeve; they had signed treaties with Britain and France that would guarantee assistance in the event of invasion. Unfortunately for the Poles, they had not read the details of those treaties closely enough; the British guarantee was strictly for Polish independence, and did not make a single mention of Polish territorial sovereignty. Hitler was well aware of that fact, however, and took this as a sign that the British and French would back down as they had when he went into the Rhineland, then Austria, then Czechoslovakia. Hitler had one more nasty surprise to offer which effectively sealed the fate of the Poles. On 23 August 1939, the German foreign minister Jochaim von Ribbentrop and his Soviet equivalent Molotov signed the Russo-German Non-Aggression Pact. Each party agreed not to interfere in the military actions of the other, and not to enter into alliances against each other as well. Among the provisions of this document was a proposal to divide Poland approximately in half. The effect the pact had on the remainder of Europe cannot be underestimated... at the stroke of a pen, Hitler had removed any possibility of a twofront war, and created what amounted to an unholy alliance between the Nazis and Communists. The timing of the pact was designed to coincide with the commencement of hostilities with Poland, originally scheduled for 25 August. However, England’s announcement that she would honor her treaty obligations to Poland caused Hitler to briefly reconsider... would they declare war? Hitler’s bet was that they would not. However, for all of his mastery of
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political intrigue, there was one factor he did not take into account. Public opinion in England and France had finally reached a breaking point with the continual signing away of European territory. This sea change in public opinion was the driving force behind the actions of Chamberlain and Daladier over the next week. After a few days of consideration, Hitler reinstated ‘Fall Weiss’ (Plan White), the invasion of Poland, and had a number of commando teams in operation along the Polish/German border in the days leading up to the actual invasion. Hitler’s plan was to blame ‘Polish provocation’ for Germany’s ‘defensive response’, and the efforts at maintaining this charade were certainly thorough. In the most celebrated instance, the Gleiwitz radio station was taken over by nonuniformed SS troops, who then broadcast a call for a Polish uprising from the radio station, and left behind the body of a
The ground crew have gathered on this damaged and worn-out D-1, ‘yellow 13’, for an informal portrait. The aircraft has been shuttled to various units, as evidenced by the newer paint beneath the current Kennzeichen, and is missing its propeller. Also note that the gear legs are splayed out much further than they should be; having an extra thousand pounds’ worth of personnel lazing about on the airframe can’t be helping matters!
Whatever it was, it must’ve been hilarious... The pilot of this Emil, ‘red 13’, was obviously humored by his compatriot. Note once again the very even tone of the camouflage finish, consistent with the use of a single color
murdered Pole clad in an SS unifrom as ‘evidence’ of the alleged Polish incursion. To combat this ‘enormous threat’, Hitler unleashed an offensive on western Poland on the morning of 1 September 1939, the likes of which had never been experienced in modern warfare. Ju 87s and Henschel Hs 123s screamed
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Another heavily worn D-1, this time showing a distinct camouflage pattern as well as repainted gun troughs. These were given a coat of high-temperature light grey paint (not RLM 65) to help prevent damage to the steel inserts. The grey paint is similar to L40/52 or early RLM 41; colour photos shown elsewhere in the book depict this very well
Any landing you walk away from... The pilot of this Emil got it all wrong and scattered parts of his aircraft across this field. Note, however, that the cockpit section appears to be relatively intact. The sturdy central monocoque of the Bf 109 saved many a pilot during forced landings
This derelict PZL P.11c, white 4 of the 152 Eskadra Mysliwska force-landed into a ditch and was later found by German troops. This aircraft may have been one of the four PZLs ‘badly shot up’ during pursuit of German bombers after a raid on Modlin fortress.This was one of eight total losses for the 152 EM in the September campaign, out of a total of 10 PZLs on hand at the beginning of the war. 152 gave as good as they got, however, with eight total claims for enemy aircraft and observation balloons destroyed, and one aircraft damaged
Bf 109Es of I./JG 77 are seen at Juliusburg in late August 1939
Clad in dress whites, this Kriegsmarine officer casts a glance at something next to the downed British bomber. The separated forward section can be seen to the right of the photo
This pristine PZL P.7 is seen from beneath the wing of an RWD-8 at Deblin airfield in Poland, shortly after the Germans occupied it. This aircraft was stored in the hangar seen in the background, and then pushed out to be used as a photographic prop for souvenir photos of the conquering soldiers
Fw. Alfred Held’s ‘rote 1’ of 5./JG 77 sits at Sitzbereitschaft during the long, cold winter of 1939-1940. Held flew this machine during the intercept of the 9 Squadron Wellingtons which resulted in a victory each for both himself and Fw. Alfred Troitzsch. At the time, Held was credited with the first British success, but subsequent research would seem to indicate that Troitzsch actually had first honors in downing an RAF aircraft
The first day of war found 1. and 2.(J)/LG 2 on alert, with photographers present to capture the drama... or lack thereof (Prien)
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‘Yellow 6’, a Bf 109D of an unknown unit, warms up for another sortie. Interestingly, there is no discernible camouflage pattern in either photo, and the aircraft displays one Abschuflbalken on the fin
As the Wehrmacht rolled eastwards through Poland, the Luftwaffe moved to forward bases to operate as close as possible to the front. Here, a group of KG77 Dornier Do 17Es shares the field with ‘red 10’, a Bf 109D-1 of an unknown unit
This D-1, ‘Red 1’, has presented quite a challenge to these ground crewmen, as they try to figure out how best to get it back up on its gear. Note the color of the aft bulkhead in the cockpit; it appears to have been repainted in 66 Schwartzgrau over RLM 02, as traces of the original paint can be seen around the circumference of the bulkhead where the aft canopy retaining mechanism is located
Bf 109D-1 ‘Red 12’ has its Jumo 210 and cowling guns attended to. The aircraft formerly belonged to an unidentified II. Gruppe, as based on the overpainted aft bar on the fuselage
In this series of photos, the remnants of a 107 Squadron Blenheim (serial N5240) are seen on the quay at Wilhelmshaven. One of four 107 machines to fall on 4 September, this Blenheim was shot down by antiaircraft fire. Only one 107 Squadron machine succeeded in regaining its base – an ominous sign of things to come. Here, a Kriegsmarine officer helpfully points out the serial number of the downed aircraft
As 1 September 1939 dawned, a new era of aerial warfare dawned as well with the Bf 109’s entry into combat. These two machines are seen in the early morning light, before the ground crew preps them for the day’s missions
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down from the sky to deliver horrifyingly accurate attacks on Polish troop concentrations while the German tanks and mechanized equipment surged across the border. While this took place, fleets of Dornier Do 17Es and Heinkel He 111s headed towards Polish population centers such as Warsaw, Lvov, and Wielun. As the Dorniers and Heinkels fought their way through to drop their fiery cargoes, the Jagdwaffe was engaged in chasing down the Polish air force, and finding that the bravery of the Polish pilots in their fixed-gear PZL P.7s and P.11s was little match for a Schwarm of Messerschmitts. The Luftwaffe pilots exacted a terrible toll of those pilots which did manage to get airborne. It should be noted, though, that the battle was not entirely one-sided; Kpr. Wawrzyniec Jasinski of 132 Eskadra Mysliwska (Fighter Squadron) filed a claim for a Bf 109 near the Poznan-Lawica area on the first day of the war, and four more Messerschmitts would fall to the guns of the PZLs of this unit by 11 September. 113 and 114 EM were heavily active on 1 September as well, scoring a total of four victories over Bf 109s in addition to a large number of bomber victories. Those victories came at a significant cost, however; fifteen precious PZLs were downed in combat on the first day alone, not counting those aircraft destroyed on the ground. Approximately 158 PZL fighters (both P.7 and P.11) were available to the Polish Air Force on 1 September 1939. Ranged against this meager force were the Bf 109-equipped Jagdgeschwadern listed in the table below. The magnitude of the challenge facing the Poles is clearly
UNIT AND COMMAND I. Fliegerkorps I.(J)/LG 2 II./ZG 1 (JGr. 101) LftwKdo ‘Ost Preussen’ I./JG 1 I./JG 21 2. Fliegerdivision I./JG 76 I./JG77 Fliegerführer zbV I./JG 20
seen; no matter how stiff the resistance, the outcome was scarcely in doubt. Whatever lingering hopes of success the Poles might have entertained were dashed with the entry of Soviet forces into eastern Poland on 17 September, as agreed upon in a secret clause to the Russo-German Non-Aggression pact of three weeks earlier. During all of this action, one overriding question remained to be answered... where were the British and French? As the combined offensive rolled swiftly through Polish territory, a series of frantic meetings were held in London and Paris, with representatives of both the English and French governments arguing whether they should attempt to honor their treaty obligations to Poland. On 2 September, in fact, Chamberlain was still entertaining the idea of a conference with Hitler to discuss ceding some Polish territory in exchange for peace. Ultimately, however, enough was enough. Any doubts about the sincerity of Hitler’s Munich promises had been dashed in March 1939, when German troops simply walked into Czechoslovakia and took over the entire country without firing so much as a shot. The people of England and France recognized that they, too, would soon be on the chopping block if something was not done to stop German expansion. Thus, on 3 September 1939, Chamberlain wearily announced to his countrymen that a state of war existed between England and Germany. Daladier followed suit, and called for a general mobilization.
LOCATION
KOMMANDEUR
Lottin Mackfitz
This Bf 109D-1, WNr 2877, suffered a forced landing at some point which damaged the flaps and cowling. Here it is seen prior to a test flight after repairs have been completed, but before camouflage has been applied to the aircraft
UNIT STRENGTH
TYPES
Maj. Hans Trübenbach Maj. Joachim-Friederich Huth
37 36
Bf 109E Bf 109D
Gutenfeld Gutenfeld
Maj. Bernhard Woldenga Hptm. Martin Mettig
54 28
Bf 109E Bf 109C, E
Stubendorf Juliusburg
Hptm. Wilfired von Müller-Rienzburg Hptm. Johannes Janke
45 37
Bf 109E Bf 109E
Sprottau
Maj. Siegfried Lehmann (until 23 Sept when Hptm. Hannes Trautloft assumed command) Hptm. Hannes Gentzen
20
Bf 109E
40
Bf 109C,D
48 45 9
Bf 109C,E Bf 109E Bf 109E
I./ZG 2 (JGr 102) Gross-Stein Luftgau 3 (Reichs Defense) JG 2 ‘Richthofen’ Fürstenwalde JG 3 Zerbst 11.(N)/LG 2 Köln/Ostheim Total available Bf 109s, excluding home defense
Oberstlt. Von Massow Oblt. Max Ibel
Heinz Bär was one of the very few Luftwaffe aces to survive action from the first day of the war to the last. He ended the war with 220 victories and the Swords to the Knights’ Cross, flying the Messerschmitt Me 262. Here, he is seen in the cockpit of his Emil ‘white 13’ of 1./JG 51
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Seemingly oblivious to the wreckage behind them, these two men discuss the day’s success. The Blenheim pilot’s shoulder harness can be seen in the background, hanging uselessly amidst the twisted cockpit section
The laundry never waits, even in wartime! A damaged Bf 109D-1 serves as an impromptu clothesline for this resourceful Luftwaffe crew
Key: FSA = Fallschirmabsprung, parachute jump POW = prisoner of war MIA = missing in action KIA = killed in action WIA = wounded in action DOW = died of wounds Stfhr = Staffelführer Stkp = Staffelkapitän Kom = Kommandeur T.O. = Technischer Offizier
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The Poles were anticipating direct help from their allies, but were taken aback by how their western Allies decided to assist them; England dispatched ten bomber squadrons to France, along with four fighter squadrons, and the French mobilized their troops. The stated goal was to apply pressure to Germany’s western border, which would theoretically require a similar massing of forces on the German side of the border, thereby removing a number of fighting units from the Polish front. This may have seemed a good idea in theory, but in reality this was seen as a ‘paper tiger’ by the Germans, despite periodic raids and small battles taking place. In the first bombing raid of the war on 4 September, the RAF dispatched an unescorted force of Blenheims and Wellingtons to attack German naval units in Wilhelmshaven and Brünsbuttel, and they were met by fierce flak along with the Bf 109s of II./JG 77. Fw. Hans Troitzsch and Fw. Alfred Held each downed a 9 Squadron Wellington, marking the first Luftwaffe victories over the RAF in WWII. The French were mounting standing patrols over the western German frontier at the same time, and on 5 September, a dogfight between four Bf 109s from I./JG 53 and six Hawk 75s of GC II/4 resulted in two claims for the French... hardly an auspicious beginning for the Pik As Geschwader. In truth, these operations were little more than stalling tactics, an attempt by the Allied powers to offer a show of support to a doomed ally while attempting to build up their own forces. The Germans, having seen that there was no imminent threat of invasion, certainly did not feel compelled to reinforce their western defences, so it must be said that the Allied plan to assist Poland can only be considered a failure. Dismayed but undeterred, the Poles continued their
struggle against the might of the Wehrmacht, and they ensured that the battles were not always so one-sided... such future Luftwaffe Experten as Dietrich Hrabak and Friederich Geisshardt were damaged or brought down in combat. Despite the losses incurred, the Luftwaffe felt assured enough of the outcome of Fall Weiss by 16 September to transfer a couple of units back west; I./JG 77 moved to Oedheim for a short stay, thence to Frankfurt at Rhein-Main field and I.(J)/LG 2 moved from Pultusk in Poland to Garz on 20 September. As the Wehrmacht began consolidating the gains made in Poland, thousands of Polish troops and refugees swarmed towards the borders and ports while they still could. It is significant to note that of all the countries overrun by Nazi Germany during WWII, Poland was the only government to never surrender. Her leaders escaped to Romania, then onwards to France. They had scarcely arrived when Germany invaded France and the Low Countries in May; after the capitulation in June, the exhausted expatriates made their way across the Channel to England, and Polish pilots and troops later became some of the most feared fighters in the war. They longed for the opportunity to kill Germans... but that opportunity would have to wait.
Bf 109 losses in Poland Below is a list of recorded Bf 109 damage and losses to all causes between 1 and 22 September 1939, which marked the effective end of Polish aerial operations. This list is extracted from a compilation provided by Jim Perry, and any transcription errors are solely the responsibility of the author. Please note that this is not a fully comprehensive listing. Date 1.9.39 1.9.39
Model Bf 109C-3 Bf 109D-1
1.9.39
Name Müller, Ofw. Kurt Gutezeit, Ltn. Fritz
Unit 3./ ZG 2 3./ JG 21
Bf 109D-1
Wolz, Uffz. Otto
1./ JG 21
1.9.39
Bf 109D-1
Behrens, Ltn. Friedrich
1./ JG 21
1.9.39
Bf 109D-1
Rauhut, Gefr. Johannes
1./ JG 21
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WNr 1722
Code yellow 11 +
Reason Crashed while landing. POW after emergency landing due to fuel shortage. Returned 6.10.39 POW after emergency landing due to fuel shortage after combat. Returned 12.11.39 POW after emergency landing due to fuel shortage after combat. Returned 6.10.39 Crash landing after transfer flight
Location Fl.Pl. Gross-Stein near Suwalki
% Damage 100% 100%
Warsaw area
100%
Warsaw area
100%
Arys-Rostken
25%
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Name Mettig, Major Martin
Unit Stab I./JG 21
Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1
Dickow, Uffz. Erwin Reymann, Ltn. Rudolf
1./ JG 21 2./ JG 21
1.9.39
Bf 109D-1
Dettmer, Uffz. Heinz
3./ JG 21
1.9.39
Bf 109D-1
Ahrendt, Gefr. Werner
3./ JG 21
1.9.39
Bf 109D-1
Nieswandt, Ltn. Hans
1./ ZG 2
1.9.39 1.9.39
Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1
Röderer, Ltn. Hans Zimmermann, Major Otto
2./ ZG 2 3./ ZG 2
1.9.39
Bf 109D-1
1.9.39 2.9.39 2.9.39 3.9.39 3.9.39
Bf 109E Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109E-1
4.9.39 4.9.39 6.9.39 6.9.39 6.9.39 6.9.39 7.9.39
Bf 109E Bf 109E Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1
8.9.39 8.9.39 9.9.39 9.9.39 9.9.39 9.9.39
Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109E Bf 109E
2920 2921 1737 3108
10.9.39 10.9.39 10.9.39 10.9.39
Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1
497 2256 2598
10.9.39
2704, 2257 or 2604 2704, 2257 or 2604 2704, 2257 or 2604
2238 2252 2691
red 15 + yellow 7 +
South of Johannisburg
b 100% 100%
Berznicki/ Litauen near Bitschullen/ East Prussia Fl.Pl. Gross-Stein Fl.Pl. Gross-Stein
100% 100% 20% 100%
Hrabak, Oblt. Dietrich
1.(J)/ LG 2 1./ JG 21 1./ JG 21 3./ ZG 2 1./ JG 76
20% 35% 100% 50% 100%
Sannemann, Ltn. Heinrich Ködderitzsch, Ltn. Gerhard Ussmann, Uffz. Julius Zimmermann, Major Otto Brutzer, Ltn. Arthur Nuhn, Ogefr. Walter Rödel, Ltn. Gustav
2./ JG 1 I./ JG 77 I./ ZG 2 3/ ZG 2 Stab I./ ZG 2 2./ JG 21 2./ JG 21
Injured in crash landing Crashed on landing Arys-Rostken Crashed on landing Arys-Rostken Combat with PZL P-23 Radomsko Stkp. Reported lost after emergency landing behind the lines following combat with PZL P-23. Returned 4.9 WIA due to own Flak. Safe landing Mühlen Crash landing due to engine trouble North of Kreuzburg Belly landing after becoming lost Crash landing Fl.Pl. Kruszyca T.O. Take-off accident Fl.Pl. Gross-Stein Emergency landing near Sensburg Reported lost after emergency landing due to Stawisky engine trouble during ground attack. Returned 8.9.39 Cause unknown during Verlegungsflug. Zipser-Neudorf Reported lost after combat. Returned WIA Sanok/Krosno Crash landing Crash landing Reported lost after emergency landing. Returned Stargard Reported lost after emergency landing due South of Warsaw to Flak. Returned 10.9 Takeoff accident Takeoff accident Takeoff accident Stkp. Reported lost after emergency landing near Goniondz due to engine trouble. Returned POW after combat with PZL 11. Wloclawck Freed at surrender Kdr. belly landing due to engine trouble. Prasnicze Date uncertain, between 1.9 & 10.9 Crash landing Crash landing Taxiing accident Wolberz Belly landing due to Flak 20km ENE Krakow Combat with PZL P-24 Bialobrzegi Crashed on take-off Debrica Crash landing due to ground fire during 10km SW of Warka ground attack MIA due to Flak NE of Garwolin Crash landing due to Flak Luck Kdr. Flak. Luck Landing accident. Rolled into grenade crater Sadkow Crashed while landing Debica Emergency landing, cause unknown near Lancut Emergency landing, cause unknown near Jaroslaw Crash landing due to darkness near Klein Zechen Landing accident Fl.Pl. Sokoly Emergency landing, cause unknown near Gleiwitz Emergency landing due to Flak near Bialo-Brzegi Collision in flight with Bf 109D-1 WNr 2260 near Liegnitz Collision in flight with Bf 109D-1 WNr 2254 near Liegnitz FSA Crashed on take-off. Verlegungsflug Debrica Struck the ground and crashed near Bialystok Killed in collision in flight with Bf 109D-1 Freundlingen, near of Vogemann Gehlenburg Killed in collision in flight with Bf 109D-1 Freundlingen, of Langstorf near Gehlenburg
white 1 + red 7 +
red 14 +
Eggers, Oblt. Leo
I./ ZG 2 I./ ZG 2 I./ ZG 2 2./ JG 21
Bf 109E
Geisshardt, Uffz. Friedrich
2.(J)/ LG 2
red 13 +
10.9.39
Bf 109E
Reichardt, Major Hellmuth
Stab II./ ZG 2
black << + -
11.9.39 11.9.39 11.9.39 11.9.39 11.9.39 12.9.39 12.9.39
Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109E Bf 109E Bf 109D-1 Bf 109E
2596 2701 2912 Keitel, Ltn. Hans-Karl Schulten, Ltn. Bernhard Zimmermann, Major Otto Aspern, Ltn. Roloff von
I./ ZG 2 I./ ZG 2 I./ ZG 2 Stab I./ JG 77 2./ JG 76 3./ ZG 2 2./ JG 76
13.9.39 14.9.39 14.9.39 14.9.39 15.9.39 15.9.39 15.9.39 16.9.39 16.9.39 16.9.39 17.9.39 21.9.39 21.9.39
Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109E Bf 109D-1 Bf 109E Bf 109E Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109E Bf 109E Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1
507 2515
Koch, Fw. Wolfgang Voigt, Ltn. Günther Gentzen, Hptm. Johannes Schulten, Ltn. Bernhard Rosenkranz, Ltn. Hans Mader, Ltn. Anton Wyhlidal, Fw. Leopold Lange, Ltn. Heinz Merker, Uffz. Knehs, Fw. Walter Wyhlidal, Fw. Leopold Hoermann, Oblt. Kurt Otterbach, Uffz. Ernst
1./ ZG 2 1./ ZG 2 Stab I./ ZG 2 2./ JG 76 3./ ZG 2 2./ JG 76 2./ JG 76 1./ JG 21 1./ JG 21 1./ JG 76 2./ JG 76 3./ ZG 2 3./ ZG 2
21.9.39 21.9.39 21.9.39
Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1
Ariwaldt, Uffz. Merker, Uffz. Langstorf, Uffz. Gottfried
I./ ZG 2 1./ JG 21 3./ JG 21
21.9.39
Bf 109D-1
Vogemann, Ltn. Eberhard
3./ JG 21
2602
% Damage 5%
100%
Loy, Uffz. Wyhlidal, Fw. Leopold
2254 2260
Crashed landing. Undercarriage didn't open Crashed while landing
Location Arys-Rostken
Crash landing
2./ ZG 2 I./ ZG 2 I./ ZG 2 I./ ZG 2 3.(J)/ LG 2 2./ JG 76
2572
Reason Kdr. Injured when signal flare went off in cabin. Safe landing Emergency landing due to engine trouble POW after emergency landing. Returned 6.10.39 POW after emergency landing, cause unknown. Returned 6.10.39 Interned after emergency landing. Returned 6.10.39 Killed in crash, cause unknown
I./ ZG 2 Voigt, Ltn. Werner Rauhut, Gefr. Joahannes Milbauer, Gefr. Otto
2919 3311
Code black << +
Jörg, Uffz. Heiner
white 4 +
white 12 +
red 1 +
b 60% 50% 60% 30% 80% 100% 60% 100% 30% 30% 30% 100% 30% 30% 30% 100% 100% b 60% 40% 30% 80% 40% b 50% 100% 20% 10% 30% 60% b b 5% 5% b b 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
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Baltic Battles
5
Chapter
A group of interested Wehrmacht men gathers around this 4./JG 77 E-1 in a photo taken in approximately mid-1940, based on the oversprayed fuselage sides and full foliage on the trees. Note that a bit of overspray has reached the II. Gruppe bar aft of the Balkankreuz, as well as the lack of armor in the early, rounded cockpit hood.The high demarcation line of the early 1940 71/02/65 scheme can be seen along the cowling and aft spine of the aircraft; the overspray appears to have been applied in 71 and 02
I
t is not commonly realized that the Russo-German NonAggression Pact signed by Molotov and von Ribbentrop in August 1939 led to the expulsion of the Soviet Union from the increasingly ineffective League of Nations, and the branding of the USSR as an ‘aggressor nation’. This point of view was further underscored by the invasion of Poland by Soviet troops on 17 September 1939, and the offensive launched against tiny Finland on 30 November 1939. The causes and operations of the ‘Winter War’ in Finland are beyond the scope of this book, but subsequent actions by the British and French government deserve mention, as they had a direct effect on the future course of the war. Public opinion in both countries was heavily swayed by the valiant fight put up by the Finns, and there was a strong feeling that ‘something must be done’. A number of Gloster Gladiators was immediately dispatched, and Hurricanes and Blenheims were also made available to the Finns, although these arrived after a cease-fire took effect on 13 March 1940. The US agreed to sell 44 Brewster 239s to the Finns, and the French were also generous... 50 Morane MS 406s were donated, along with a few Caudron C.714s (which saw little to no service). These were of some help, but even with the skill and tenacity of the Finnish pilots, the situation deteriorated quickly throughout January and February. A plan was hatched by the French premier Daladier to aid Finland by sending an Allied expeditionary force through Norway and Sweden, which were then neutral. The idea was that a such an operation would have several side benefits, not the least of which would be to cut off the significant iron ore shipments from Sweden to Germany. French intelligence was
30
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of the opinion that this would quickly cause a breaking point in the German economy, thereby leading to a quick end to the war. It would also quiet public dissent about the lack of action on the part of the French armed forces. When approached with the proposal, however, Chamberlain was extremely reluctant to act. In his view, much of the success of such an operation would lie with the Norwegians and Swedes allowing access through their territory – and that was not going to happen, as they immediately said no to such a proposal. So, instead of a grand operation featuring 50,000 men and a hundred aircraft being dispatched immediately to aid the Finns, the British government proposed that a small force be dispatched the long way around via the Baltic. Even this token force would not even be ready before April. The trouble with this proposal was that Daladier had already gone public with the previously mentioned grand plan, as he believed an agreement had been reached that would allow this action. The resulting outcry over broken An unidentified E-4 or E-7 sits at readiness at a Scandinavian field; this may be a JG 5 aircraft at Herdla, judging by the proximity of the tree-covered mountain in the background. Note the full yellow cowling and the yellow tip to the full spinner
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promises, weak leadership, and even alleged high-level graft caused the fall of Daladier’s government, and Reynaud replaced him as the French premier. Reynaud was no less enthusiastic about cutting off the iron ore supply to Germany, though, and after some back-and-forth negotiations, a plan was agreed upon by both Chamberlain and Reynaud to begin dropping mines in Norwegian waters. This was scheduled to begin on Sunday, 8 April 1940. The expeditionary force plan was revived, as it was anticipated that Germany would attempt to protect the vital iron ore shipment lanes, and would likely invade Norway to capture those ports. That estimate was correct, although the British and French had no idea how quickly that prediction would come true. On Monday, 9 April 1940, several British warships began sowing mines in Norwegian coastal waters, as the British expeditionary force sailed northwards. At 6 AM local, however, Luftwaffe bombers from KG4 and KG26 began bombing Norwegian military emplacements, and this was followed by landings at Oslo-Fornebu by troop-carrying Ju 52s around 8:30. II./JG 77 was the only Luftwaffe singleengine fighter unit to be committed en masse to the Norwegian operation, and even then, they received orders to wait at Aalborg in Denmark for three days. The Gruppe did not get into the thick of the action until 12 April, when
5./JG 77 suffered heavily in their attack on a force of RAF Hampdens enroute to attack a German ship off Kristansand; Ofw. Erich Herfeld, Uffz. Kurt Opolski, Oblt. Wilhlem Ruthammer, Ofw. Herman Stierle, and Fw. Ertel were all shot down and killed in the course of the air battle. In spite of fierce resistance from Norwegian and British forces which resulted in the loss of several German destroyers as well as the brand new heavy cruiser Blücher, the strength of the German forces quickly made the situation untenable for the defenders. An English expeditionary force was thrown together and sent to the Trondheim area, but there was little hope of recovering the lost territory, and the last troops were evacuated around 3 May. Strong resistance continued around Narvik in the north, with the combined Norwegian and British offensive actually forcing the occupiers out of the town by early June, but by this time the Allied forces were desperately needed in France. Thus, the remains of Narvik were abandoned to the Wehrmacht, and the Allies headed south to new battles in the Low Countries. With the departure of the last remaining Allied military forces, the ways and means to secure Germany’s vital iron ore shipments were in place, and more airfields were established all through the country. Norway’s importance at this stage in the war centered mainly on being an ideal hiding place for German capital ships as well as a staging ground for U-boats
patrolling the northern convoy routes to Murmansk. Aside from II./JG 77, elements of Tr.Gr. 186 (originally formed as the fighter component of the carrier Graf Zeppelin’s air wing) landed in Oslo within days of the invasion. With the invasion of France and the Low Countries on 10 May, air operations in Norway dropped considerably. Other units were transferred in piecemeal, including I./JG 77 and IV./JG 1. Eventually, an entirely new Jagdgeschwader was formed on 25 January 1942 from these disparate Staffeln and Gruppen, the appropriately named JG 5 ‘Eismeer Geschwader’ (Arctic Sea squadron). JG 5’s primary equipment was still the Bf 109E at this late date, reflecting the lack of priority attached to fielding first-line equipment to remote bases such as Petsamo, Trondheim, and Stavanger. With the increasing air activity against convoys bringing Lend-Lease equipment and vital supplies to Russia, however, it was not long before JG 5 was re-equipped with later models of the Bf 109 as well as Fw 190s. Norway was essentially the sole operating ground for one of the most interesting variants of the Bf 109, the T (for Träger, as it was originally designed to be aboard the carrier Graf Zeppelin). Jagdgruppe Drontheim, JG 77 and Tr.Gr. 186 initially had several on strength, and there were a few used as late as 1944 as high-altitude interceptors by JG 11, a role for which they were admirably suited thanks to the Bf 109T’s extended length wings. Because of the continual cancellation then restarting of construction on the Graf Zeppelin, the RLM wanted to keep the T’s in one collective area, subject to immediate recall. The entire production run of 79 (WNr 7728 through 7797) was constructed by Fieseler, but only the first seven were completed as T-1s with equipment specific to carrier operations such as catapult spools, landing hooks, seats with armrests, etc. The remainder of the construction batch was completed as T-2s, with no carrier equipment fitted. The best known of these, and the one most commonly built by modelers, is ‘black 6’ as flown by Herbert Christmann of JG 11 in 1944. He had a very striking red flame design applied to the nose of the aircraft, with a full red spinner. The rest of the aircraft was in a standard 74/75/76 day fighter scheme, with small ‘squiggles’ of 76 applied in a random pattern along the uppersurfaces. Norway and Finland have proven to be ideal wreckchasing locations for WWII aircraft, and there have been at least two
The Adjutant of II./JG 77 closes up on the starboard wing of a Heinkel He 111. Here again, the heavily oversprayed fuselage sides are displayed to advantage, as is the relatively clean lower cowling. The fuselage Balkankreuz is a bit narrower and further forward than usual on this particular aircraft
This E-1 of 4./JG 77 is seen in the spring of 1940, location unknown. The 4. Staffel marking of a skeleton reaching for Chamberlain’s umbrella is just visible beneath the cockpit; note also that this aircraft has had the later style squared-off canopy retrofitted. The aircraft was repainted in the field in the new 71/02/65 scheme, as evidenced by the nonstandard coolant fill door marking at the extreme forward part of the cowling
The wreck of a Royal Navy Skua lies on the rocky shore near Narvik. Skuas scored a notable success early in the Norwegian campaign by sinking the German light cruiser ‘Köngisberg’, but suffered high losses to the Emils of II./JG 77 and shipboard flak
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Bf 109 losses in Norway Identified Luftwaffe Bf 109 losses in Norway – early variants. The following list is not intended to be fully comprehensive; rather, it contains listings for which the majority of pertinent details are known (pilot, aircraft subtype, WNr, unit, and code). It is sorted by subtype, and two additional entries with unknown serial numbers have been included, as their codes and pilots are known. This information is an invaluable aid to researchers as well as modelers who wish to build something different. Obviously, certain details are not included such as camouflage patterns, etc, but an educated guess can be made as to the style and colors used based on photos of similar aircraft in the same theatre of operations at the same time. The data below has been extracted from information compiled by Olve Dybvig of the Luftwaffe SIG Norway (http://www.luftwaffe.no), as well as information from Jim Perry. Any errors in transcription are solely the responsibility of the author. Date
Type
WNr
Name
Unit
Code
Reason
Location
25.5.41 26.10.40 13.7.42 28.2.42 10.5.42 23.10.40 25.5.42 6.3.42
Bf 109E Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-1 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E
3557 6090 1430 870 5975 5011 4093 ?
Aller, Uffz. Alfred Arnoldy, Lt Jakob Bahr, Lt Hans Joachim Bauer, Ofw. Eberhard Bausch, Uffz. Heinz Brunsmann, Gefr. Heinrich Dahn, Lt. Friedrich Dolenga, Hptm. Werner
‘76’ white 5 + black 8 red 6 yellow 4 black 8 + yellow 5 black 1
Crashed, KIA WIA from combat Shot down by flak, MIA Crash due to low visibility, KIA POW after combat with Hurricanes from 78 IAP Emergency landing MIA, after explosion of own bomb during combat Emergency landing due to lack of fuel, OK
Near Ålborg SW of Bergen Njal Jawer lake Motovski Urabukt (Urabay) Værnes Bay of Kola Nesbyen (frozen lake)
100 5 100 100 100 10 100 Unk.
7.1.41 24.10.40 30.10.42 22.3.42 12.2.41 7.5.41 5.8.42 29.3.42 9.4.42 13.6.42 1.5.42 9.4.42
Bf 109T-2 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
7764 820 5952 3183 5163 3785 4219 2947 1494 5599 4945 1187
KD + QB white 3 + white 14 red 6 12 red 1 white 8 red 1 red 2 black 8 red 1 red 4
100 100 90 100 80 100 100 100 100 70 100 100
Bf 109E-1 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-1 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
3620 1493 4815 6363 4114 5367 5133
3./JG 77 7./JG 5 14./JG 77 13./JG 77 10.(Z)/JG 5 II./JG 5 8./JG 5
yellow 1 white 5 red 7 yellow 17 LN + FR white 22 white 3
(Taibola) Fl.Pl. Petsamo near Kirkenes unknown Petsamo Niva Totowka
100 90 100 100 100 100 100
29.6.41 9.11.42 23.8.41 19.6.41 24.7.41
Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109T-2 Bf 109T-2
5164 4054 1118 7749 7777
Lojewsky, Alfred von Luther, Obgfr. Gustav Mahlkuch, Lt. Hans Meissel, Lt. Eckehard Minz, Lt. Werner
14./JG 77 4./JG 5 14./JG 77 2./JG 77 2./JG 77
red 4 white 5 red 5 white 11 + red 8
Collision in the air, KIA Accident during landing/ Navigation error KIFA, crashed Emergency landing due to Flak, KIA Emergency landing due to bad weather. Emergency landing due to flak, MIA Emergency landing, POW KIA, no cause given Shot down by Hurricanes, POW Emergency landing due to engine Trouble, OK KIFA, flew into ground Emergency landing due to enemy fire, POW. Died later in Soviet prison MIA, cause unknown Killed in take-off accident. Killed in crash due to icing MIA, cause unknown Shot down by enemy fighters, OK Reported lost, cause unknown. Pilot returned MIA after combat with Hurricane from 78 IAP (Kurzenkov) Stkp. POW due to enemy fire (9 years, in 17 camps) MIA, no cause given Shot down by I-16s, MIA KIFA, flew into ground MIA, no cause given
Pl.Qu. 05 Ost/5947. From Sola Karlstad/Sweden Kirkenes Titowka Near Kristiansund By Titowka Bay Uchta Unknown Ustje – Lotta Parkkina Herzberg Tuloma
22.8.41 30.10.42 10.5.41 29.11.41 8.4.42 20.9.42 9.5.42
Döpfer, Uffz. Kurt Frøba, Uffz. Ludvig Goretzki, Uffz. Karl Grobe, Oblt. Rudolf Hammesfahr, Friedrich Hauser, Fw. Paul Helms, Lt. Bodo Hesse, Obgfr. Herman Jakobi, Lt. Alfred Kaiser, Uffz. Josef ‘Sepp’ Kanbach, Uffz. Gerhard Kandziora, Fw. Anton (or Ernst) Kastens, Uffz. Wilhelm Kastner, Uffz. Adolf Keller, Uffz. Eduard Kersten, Uffz. Erich Koch, Lt. Karl Friedrich Lamprecht, Fw. Wolgang Lechte, Lt. Hans
JGr. Drontheim 4./ JG77 8./JG 5 5./JG 5 5./JG 5 5./ JG77 5./JG 5 Kommando Losigkeit 13./JG 77 4./ JG77 8./JG 5 5./JG 5 JGr. Drontheim 14./JG 77 7./JG 5 5./JG 5 5./JG 5 III./JG 5 5./JG 5 5./JG 5
12.2.41
Bf 109E-7
2668
Niehaus, Heinz
JGr. Drontheim
6
20.9.42 8.5.42 23.4.42
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
3379 4843 1333
Öhme, Fw. Johannes Philipp, Uffz. Kurt Salwender, Ofw. Florian
II./JG 5 white 1 7./JG 5 white 6 Feldluftpark Pori yellow 11
17.5.42
Bf 109E-7
3457
Schattschneider, Uffz. Helmut 4./JG 5
white 7
7.1.41 13.11.42 8.5.42 13.2.42 27.5.42
Bf 109T-2 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
7744 3355 6105 3285 2023
Scheimann, Uffz. August Schulte, Uffz. Heinz Gerber Schumacher, Uffz. Werner Seibt, Obgfr. Gerhard Sommer, Ofw. Walter
RB + OQ white 3 white 10 yellow 12 black 9
24.11.41 17.9.41 28.6.41 13.8.41 28.8.42 17.7.41 24.2.42
Bf 109T-2 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-4/B Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E Bf 109E-4/B Bf 109E-4/B
7795 4004 1159 1133 5559 1407 5580
Steinborn, Uffz. Ernst Stiglmair, Fw. Josef Stratmann, Alfred von Tetzner, Lt. Hans Tretter, Uffz. Willi Unknown Unknown
26.2.42 8.2.42 9.4.41 27.5.42 9.12.41 17.5.42 6.3.42
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E
1093 3579 3916 4141 1075 6158 ?
11.9.42
Bf 109E-7
4910
32
Chapter 5
13./JG 77 II./JG 5 7./JG 5 4./JG 5 8./JG5
3./JG 77 1./JG 77 I./JG 77 I./JG 77 4./JG 5 2./JG77 Kommando Losigkeit Unknown II./JG 5 Unknown 4./JG 5 Unknown 3./JG 77 Unknown 8./JG5 Von der. Lühe, Lt. Eckehardt I./JG 77 Wellner, Uffz. Karl Heinz 4./JG 5 Wennekers, Uffz. Hans Kommando Losigkeit Zeuschel, Uffz. Erwin 4./JG 5
yellow 3 red 6 yellow 3 yellow 10 white 10 red 5 yellow 25 (KB + LS) red 9 white 7 yellow 12 black 2 yellow 6 white 1 black 16 white 18
% Damage
Near Murmansk Unknown By Ura-Guba On transfer flight from Sola to Lista Unknown. Scramble from Lista airfield. Farsund Crashed due to bad weather and fuel shortage Near Ålesund in flight from Ørlandet to Ålesund KIFA, flew into sea Niva POW after emergency landing due to fuel shortage Uhta POW after combat with 769 IAP (S.P. Neguljajev) Murmansk during a Stuka escort. FSA. Shot down a Hurricane. Died as a POW Reported missing after being rammed by a shot Petrjärvi down Hurricane. Pilot returned WIA Collision in the air, MIA Pl.Qu. 05 Ost/5947. Took off Sola Shot down, WIA Rutschi-Tscupa POW, cause unknown unknown POW after combat with MiG-1s At Louhi MIA after combat with Hurricanes from 2 IAP near Urtjärvi, 40km west of (Lt. Kolomietsin) Murmaschi Emergency landing at sea, MIA Near Fedje Shot down by enemy fighters, MIA By Zapad-Liza Reported MIA, later returned Unknown MIA, no cause given – returned Near the Ura-Guba bridge POW after combat with Hurricanes from 760 IAP. Gankachaara mountain Combat near Petsamo Emergency landing due to lack of fuel Sweden (Doreda)
100 100 100 100 100
100 100 60 100 100 100 Unk.
Emergency landing due to enemy fire emergency landing due to enemy fire Take-off accident. Combat with Hurricanes from 2 IAP Shot down, KIA MIA, later POW Emergency landing due to lack of fuel
Murmansk Pja-See Fl.Pl. Kirkenes Titowka By Litza Bay Alakurtti Nesbyen (frozen lake)
100 30 70 40 100 100 Unk.
MIA after combat
Rutsci-Chupa, NE of Alakurtti
100
100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
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The same aircraft is seen from another vantage point. The lower cowling appears to have been painted in yellow, while the spinner and propeller blades remain in the factory standard 70 Schwartzgrün
Modeling the Emil and Toni in Norway In spite of the low numbers of Bf 109s which initially participated in Weserübung, those aircraft that took part in the initial attack and the occupation are certainly interesting, not least because of the unique wing of the 109T. The basic ‘day fighter’ color scheme of 71 and RLM02 over 65 was carried by the majority of II./JG 77 aircraft in April 1940; no special tactical markings have been noted outside of spinners painted in Staffel colors. Likewise, the Tonis of Tr.Gr. 186 were almost mundane in their conformity to the standard paint scheme. Later, as the Channel front units exchanged their worn Emils for new Friedrichs, the older aircraft were sent north, often wearing the same tactical colors they adopted in the battles of mid – to late 1940. Yellow 04 rudders and lower
Emils recovered from Norwegian and Finnish areas to be restored to airworthy condition... the condition of the two could not be more different, however. WNr 2023, formerly ‘black 9’ of 8./JG 5, was shot down on 27 May 1942 in combat with the Hurricanes of the 2 IAP, and the pilot, Ofw. Walter Sommer, is still listed as missing in action. Around 20002001, the wreck of the aircraft was recovered from near Urtjärvi piece by piece, along with bits of a few other crashed Emils, and it is currently being restored in eastern Europe for Jerry Yagen’s collection. The other recent recovery is a veritable time capsule. Bf 109E-7 WNr 3523 of II./JG 5 was brought down on 3 April 1942 after combat with Hurricanes resulted in a heavily damaged engine. The pilot, 36-victory ace Ltn. Wulf-Dietrich Widowitz, was injured in the encounter, and escaped after belly-landing the plane on ice near Petsamo. It eventually sank through into the frigid, fresh water and remained there over sixty years. When it was recovered a couple years ago, the 04 yellow paint on the cowling was still fresh, as were the burn marks on the starboard side of the cowling where the engine fire had resulted in charred paint. The aircraft was in truly remarkable condition, and research is still ongoing to determine the full history of the airframe.
cowling panels were very common, with full yellow cowlings being seen on some aircraft. With the establishment of theatre ID bands and colors, those aircraft in Norway adopted a yellow fuselage band, lower cowling and wingtips as relatively standard. Exceptions were common, though, so it is always best to check references.
The Norwegian air force’s most modern fighter at the time of the invasion was the Gloster Gladiator. Nine were available at the time of the German attack on 9 April 1940
Another destroyed Skua is seen in a peculiar pose on a Norwegian beach
Key: FSA = Fallschirmabsprung, parachute jump POW = prisoner of war MIA = missing in action KIA = killed in action WIA = wounded in action DOW = died of wounds Stfhr = Staffelführer Stkp = Staffelkapitän Kom = Kommandeur T.O. = Technischer Offizier
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Lightning Strikes
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Chapter
A fine study of an Emil in the late afternoon light. This aircraft has the newer, squared off canopy; introduced around the same time as the E-4 entered production, this should not be taken as a permanent identification point as retrofitting the canopy to earlier models could be accomplished in under an hour
L
ooking back some sixty-five years after the event, it is still hard to comprehend what an immense shock the concept of Blitzkrieg was to the commanders of the rest of Europe’s armed forces. The treaty of Versailles had not only introduced a lingering, seething rage towards what was regarded as a great injustice on the part of Germany, it also resulted in a sea-change in the societies of the victorious powers. The murderous actions of the Serbian Gustav Princip in Sarajevo led to the wholesale slaughter of an entire generation of French and Commonwealth men. It would not be overstating the fact to say that France and England had been bled nearly dry, in terms of both finance and manpower, by November 1918. It is against this backdrop that the subsequent rearmament goals of Germany and the corresponding military stagnation in France and England must be measured. Throughout the 20s and 30s, the British Army worked more towards Empire maintenance than investigating and implementing new fighting methods and machines. The Royal Flying Corps had attained independence in 1918, being renamed the Royal Air Force, but the nascent air arm was hamstrung by a lack of drive on the part of its leadership. There were certainly capable men within the ranks, but those men fought a steady uphill battle to introduce the concept of modern air fighting to a government reluctant to spend a shilling more than absolutely necessary on defence. Standing in contrast to English lethargy and indifference, France was very much aware of how important a national defence policy was, and the horrific experience of WWI had led to a national ‘bunker mentality’ on the part of her generals and politicians. Having lost so many of her young men during the Great War, France’s one overriding goal was to find a way to prevent such a catastrophic event from occurring again.As in
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England, the nationwide sense of relief that the ‘War to End All Wars’ was finally over led to a conscious rejection of forwardthinking military ideas at all levels, and a firmly defensive mindset on the part of her leaders. Another factor often overlooked when discussing the wide gulf between France and Germany in military doctrine and machinery was the relative instability of the French government in the period between the wars. No one political group was able to maintain a significant majority, and frequent turnover in the halls of power was the necessary result of fragile coalitions between many disparate groups.With each successive change,
The high-powered Daimler Benz DB601 required constant maintenance to maintain peak performance. Here, an E-1 of an unidentified Staffel is undergoing a full power check, while other men work on the Geschwaderkommodore’s aircraft in the background
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any sort of concerted push towards a cohesive defence and rearmament policy was pushed further and further behind. France’s once-commanding lead in aircraft design withered away, resulting in a small quantity of effective designs being overshadowed by hideous, multi-engined ‘boxcars with wings’ and pneumatic nightmares that could be completely incapacitated with a single bullet. With the declaration of war on 3 September, Britain and France began making real strides towards putting their industries and societies on a war footing. The British began increasing aircraft production effective immediately, but thanks to the reasons noted above, France’s aviation industry was in no position to begin churning out fighters and bombers in quantities necessary to combat Hitler’s Luftwaffe.As a result, they sent a delegation to the US (among other countries) with blank checks to begin purchasing as many combat-ready aircraft as they could possibly obtain.Vought V-156F Vindicators, Brewster B-339s, Curtiss H-75 Hawks, Curtiss SBC4 Helldivers, Douglas DB-7s, Martin 167s... if it had wings and guns, the French wanted it, and they were ready to pay.As a result of this buying spree, the Aeronavale and Armee de l’Air finally began receiving moderately effective combat aircraft in quantity. One interesting historical footnote is that quiet efforts had been made as late as December 1938 to establish an aeronautical trading relationship with Germany; Charles Lindbergh notes in his ‘Wartime Diaries’ that several high-level conversations concerning the possibility of a French purchase of Jumo 211 engines took place between himself, Gen. Ernst Udet,
and Erhard Milch, with the full approval of the French premier, Daladier, himself. Lindbergh also noted from first-hand experience the vast disparity between the aviation industries of England, France, and Germany at this late date. The one significant French national defence program that was able to be enacted in the 1930s, however, gives a crystal-clear insight into the collective mindset of the French nation between 1919 and 1939. Conceived as an impenetrable bulwark against German aggression, the Maginot Line was an innovative, well constructed, and ridiculously expensive series of fortifications whose installations stretched from the Franco/Belgian border to Switzerland in the north, and from the Alps down to the Mediterranean in the south. It provided a steady source of employment for thousands upon thousands of French workers, which pleased the politically powerful labor unions, and it provided the citizenry with a sense of security against further German incursion from the east. The northernmost point of the fortifications was located just south of the Belgian border. The reasoning for this was sound; at the time that planning and initial construction took place, France and Belgium had a
mutual assistance treaty in place. However, in 1920 Belgium elected to declare neutrality and void the treaty; this left the northeastern frontier unprotected. Due to the immense sums already laid aside for the planned fortifications, a northward expansion of the line was not deemed feasible, and a cursory arrangement of concrete blocks was set up along the Belgian border. Throughout the fall of 1939, a series of negotiations took place with Belgian leaders regarding mutual defense, with the neutral Belgians quite firmly taking affront to the suggestion that the Allies use the rolling plains of Belgium as the front line of any battleground. In France, Gamelin and his staff evaluated the Polish campaign and decided that the most logical plan of attack for the motorized German army lay across the open fields of Belgium. They surmised that the Ardennes Forest was not good ‘tank country’, and therefore did not consider the defense of that area a top priority. The German army, however, was not prone to such fixed ideas of whether an idea was logical or not. War games and strategy sessions among commanders and planners had ultimately decided that attacking through the Ardennes was exactly the thing the Allies would not expect. However, the original version of Fall Gelb (Plan Yellow) had a smaller force led by Gen. Rundstedt moving through the forest, while the primary force under Gen. Bock took on Holland and Belgium. And it may havw worked, except for an errant German officer who got lost on a transfer flight one foggy January evening and landed at Mechelen sur Meuse in Belgium by mistake. He was rapidly captured, and in his damaged briefcase was found a preliminary outline for the invasion of France and the Low Countries. King Leopold of Belgium suddenly had a much more favorable disposition towards Gamelin and Daladier in France, and frantic planning and reinforcement took place to create a bulwark across Belgium, against which the German forces would throw themselves. Showing once again their complete lack of flexibility and
These men of 2./JG 77 are seen taking a short break after preparing their charges for the next mission. I. Gruppe was based at Odendorf during the French campaign, and moved briefly into France before returning to Döberitz towards the end of May
This weatherbeaten Emil of the Major beim Stab of I./JG 27 is seen on a field awaiting repair
I./JG 53 was based at Darmstadt through early 1940, and patrolled the Franco-German border during the Sitzkrieg, or ‘Phoney War’. Sporadic clashes between French and German aircraft did occur during this period, as shown by the pair of victory markings on this E-3
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These Emils of 3./JG 27 are seen at a forward base in France; it could be Jeneffe, Charleville, Guise, or St. Pol, as I. Gruppe moved to each of these in turn between 18 and 31 May 1940
‘Brown 3’ of 6./JG 26 is seen awaiting collection and transport to a repair facility along with its sister aircraft ‘brown 12’
above and below: After the Polish campaign, efforts were undertaken to minimize the amount of ‘friendly fire’ incidents experienced in the haze of battle. An early solution was to increase the size of the Balkankreuze on the wings; this 6./JG 53 E-1 is seen on a damp fall day with these oversized crosses applied. The nonstandard application of RLM 02 along the fuselage sides is noteworthy as well
Many E-1s were upgraded to E-3 or E-4 status by removing the MG 17s from the wings, plating over the gunports, and installing the MG-FF or MG-FF(M) cannon. This forcelanded Emil has undergone just such a change, as evidenced by the missing MG 17 gunport cover. The 20mm cannon have already been removed from the aircraft
Although originally designed to carry a centrally mounted gun, no production Emil carried such a weapon; fortunate indeed for this overly inquisitive Wehrmacht soldier
left: The central cockpit structure of the Bf 109 was extremely strong, and the buckling present in the fuselage of this Emil indicates the aircraft hit the ground at a high speed. Judging from the battle damage (note the shell hole beneath the ‘2’), the pilot may not have had full control of the aircraft
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foresight, it did not seem to occur to the Allies that the Germans might reconsider their plans. Hitler had already demonstrated that he had no such qualms about changing plans at the drop of a hat. His original timetable for the invasion of France was set for 9 November 1939, weather permitting.When this deadline passed, it moved to mid-November... then late November... then December... then any period of clear weather that would allow the Luftwaffe to operate effectively. The bitterly cold winter of 1939-40 eventually put paid to Hitler’s plans, which pleased his reluctant generals to no end. They had been incessantly arguing against the idea of a western offensive since the conclusion of the Polish campaign...‘France and England are too strong’, they said. There was even talk of having Hitler and his top officials forcibly removed from power via an army coup. Ultimately, however, their Prussian sense of duty to country overruled their gut instincts, with fateful results for all of Europe. Once Hitler learned of the Allied capture of the war plan, he was understandably furious. New ideas were drafted and tested by the commanders and generals, and eventually a modified version of the original plan was agreed upon, with Bock’s army group now in the role of diversionary force, while Rundstedt’s armor and men would come straight west through Luxembourg, turn right at Amiens, and head for the coast. No one could have imagined how well the Allied response to the original plan would play into the hands of the German generals when the blow fell on 10 May 1940. As of the morning of 10 May 1940, those hurried preparations over the past nine months were to be immediately put to the test. Reconnaissance and other intelligence had pointed towards a rapid massing of troops (as many as 50 divisions in total) along the eastern border of Belgium and Luxembourg since late March/early April, and continual interceptions of Luftwaffe aircraft over the northeast border area of France had not been properly evaluated as a potential warning sign. On 10 May, the Panzers began crashing through Luxembourg, rolling easily through the swath of destruction left by the well-coordinated Stuka attacks.All available Kampfgruppen (bomber squadrons) were brought to bear on French and British defences and airfields, and the Allied forces were ill-prepared to deal with the onslaught. Despite significant shortcomings in communications, planning, and logistics, the defense against the bomber fleets on 10 May provided some cause for optimism for the hard-pressed RAF and FAF fighter contingents. However, the following day would set the tone for the rest of the battle.
Close escort as a doctrine was not in practice at the time of the invasion of France and the Low Countries; the Polish experience had shown the Luftwaffe that on the whole, the bombers were well capable of defending themselves.As such, the Allied air defense did not encounter the 109 in any appreciable numbers until 11 May. Once fully committed to the fray, the various Jagdgeschwadern began exacting a terrible toll of the brave but ill-equipped defenders. In the Netherlands, the Dutch fought back fiercely with what limited resources they had; their excellent Fokker G.1s were never able to really prove themselves due to the accurate attacks on Dutch airfields, but the fixed-gear Fokker D.XXIs tore into the Ju 52 troop transports with a
vengeance. Once the Messerschmitts arrived on the scene, however, the Fokkers were quickly dispatched... but not without cost to the Jagdflieger. In the most celebrated success, Dutch Lt. Jan van Overstreet succeeded in downing a Bf 109E-1 from 5.(J)/Tr.Gr.186 which bellied in at De Kooy airfield, and Oblt. Dietrich Robitzsch was rapidly taken into captivity. He was quickly shuttled away from the front lines and transferred to the British to be processed as a POW. The situation was much the same across the border in Belgium. Lacking any substantial indigenous aviation industry, the government of King Leopold sought as much modern equipment as possible.Although they had declared neutrality, the government remained on good terms with the English, and the Belgian air force reflected a strong English bent. Older Fairey Foxes were supplanted with two squadrons of Gloster Gladiators, a squadron of Hawker Hurricanes, and an attack force composed primarily of Fairey Battles. In addition, the Belgians had only just finished taking delivery of an order of 25 Fiat CR.42s (out of a total of 34 on order) just a month prior to the attack. The squadron of early Hurricanes was bolstered by the impounding of several errant Advanced Air Striking Force aircraft which landed on Belgian territory by mistake; both the Belgians and the Dutch wanted no part of the new conflict, and went to great lengths to preserve their neutral status. In spite of this, the French continually appealed to the Belgian government to enter into a mutual assistance arrangement in the event of
Demonstrating the inconsistencies between units regarding marking changes, this Gruppenstab machine of I./JG 20 seen on a French field in June 1940 still carries the Hakenkreuz in the central fin position, and the smaller prewar wing crosses in their outboard locations. The fuselage cross is the correct style for 1940, but is in the smaller 660 mm size of the prewar marking
II./JG 2 spent the winter of 1939-40 at Zerbst, where a curious Staffelhund is inspecting the underside of ‘white 2’
This JG 2 pilot poses for what passed for a formal portrait in early 1940. Note the unarmoured, late-style canopy on the Emil behind him
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Seen in the winter of 1939-40 at Speyer, ‘yellow 5’ wears a stenciled version of 6./JG 52’s striking eagle motif on the cowling
Prior to the outbreak of war, Maj. Al Williams of the USMC was allowed to fly a Bf 109 by his friend Generalmajor Ernst Udet. Williams was also given a demonstration of how quickly a Bf 109 could be repaired, and quoted a time of twelve minutes to fully replace an engine. These mechanics do not seem to be under quite so much pressure, but the engine change process was certainly far less complex than for other aircraft of the time
38
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German aggression, and this finally bore some limited fruit in early 1940 with the adoption of a reinforcement strategy within Belgium, should the shooting start in earnest. The German onslaught caught the Belgians as flat-footed as the rest of the Low Countries, with the vast majority of Hurricanes and brand-new CR.42s being destroyed on the ground within hours of commencing hostilities.Again, the individual bravery of Belgian pilots was no match for a relentless, massive, and well-coordinated attack.With only two Hurricanes left in operation, the bulk of the fighting fell to the Gladiators of Escadrille 1/I/2 and the remaining CR.42s of the II. Group de Chasse. The CR.42s which did manage to get airborne during the assault performed admirably, with Lt. Charles Goffin damaging a Bf 109E. Research indicates that this may have been the aircraft of Leutnant Erwin Dutel of 2./JG 1, who later bailed out of his machine. Further action against the Messerschmitts took place on 14 May, with Lt. Goffin claiming a second 109 while Capt. Jean de Callatay and 1st Sgt. Marcel Michotte claiming a 109 each during a fight with 8./JG 3. In the latter combat, five German pilots filed claims for five Fiats destroyed; Ofw. Willi Bauer, Uffz. Karl Flebbe, Uffz. Josef Keil, Oblt.Wilhelm Gäth, and Uffz. Rudolf Saborowski each claimed one, but actual results were inconclusive, with no surviving records indicating positively whether aircraft were lost on either side. The Gladiators of 1/I/2 did not fare quite so well against the Jagdwaffe, with several combats resulting in a large number of claims for the Bf 109 pilots.Among those scoring victories over
the Belgian defenders on 10 and 11 May were Fw. Erwin Leykauf of I./JG 27, Uffz. Emil Clade, and the eventual top scorer of the May campaign, Hptm.Wilhelm Balthasar. On the morning of the 11th, Balthasar had downed two Belgian aircraft in the space of three minutes. The Gladiators did manage some successes against the bomber forces, but only two claims for damaged Bf 109s were filed by Gladiator pilots. One of those claims was made by 1st Sgt. Denys Rolin, flying Gladiator G-22; he thought he damaged a Bf 109, but was immediately set upon and shot down by Ltn. Ludwig Franzisket of I./JG 1. Rolin was able to successfully parachute from his aircraft, but was taken into captivity upon landing.Another Bf 109E was lost to an ancient Fairey Fox VI flown by Lt. Etienne Dufossez; Fw. Hoppe of 3./JG 27 was killed in the ensuing crash of his Messerschmitt. These losses amounted to mere pinpricks for the Jagdwaffe, however, which ruled the airspace over Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg with overwhelming numerical superiority. In an attempt to stall the German drive through Belgium and into France, a series of attacks was planned against bridges in the Maastricht area. The German Army had crossed the Maas river and were headed for the Albert Canal, and a force of nine Belgian Fairey Battles escorted by Gladiators were sent to attack the bridges. Six of the nine Battles were rapidly hacked out of the air by the Bf 109s of 1./JG 27 and 1./JG 1, with the Gladiator escort suffering at least four losses as well. Towards evening, the Armée de l’Air entered the fray with their first bombing raid of the campaign, sending a strong force of twelve LeO 451 bombers escorted by 18 Morane MS406s against the bridges. This attack also failed to drop the bridges, although the French aircraft acquitted themselves fairly well; one bomber and four Moranes were lost to fighters and flak, while five Messerschmitts were claimed in return. The situation at the bridgehead was rapidly growing critical for the Allies, so on the morning of the 12th, six RAF Battles and eight Hurricanes were sent to attack the bridges. The Stab flight and 2. Staffel of JG 27 were in the same area, however, and sadly the RAF had nothing to show for the subsequent destruction of all six Battles, 19 Blenheims, and 5 Hurricanes, split between anti-aircraft fire and the work of the Messerschmitts. The bridges still stood, and the Wehrmacht had a clear field of advance towards the Meuse. The Battle of France was effectively lost on 13 May.As the German forces approached Sedan, they could not know that they were facing one of the most unprepared units in the entire
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Although the fight was nearly one-sided, the attrition rate of the Jagdwaffe was extremely high during the French campaign due to the operational tempo. The Messerschmitts flew continuously from sunup to sundown; as such, landing accidents such as this 9./JG 54 aircraft which suffered a prop strike were not uncommon
Another case of engine failure, although the pilot of this E-1, perhaps from 4./JG 2, has done a superb job of minimizing damage to the aircraft in the belly landing. The light grey gun troughs are noteworthy; this was a high-temperature protective paint applied to the steel troughs which would hold up to the blast effects and corrosive cordite staining from the MG 17s
As with any air force, it was not uncommon to see German pilots name their aircraft for their wives or girlfriends, such as this Emil named Peterle from 7./JG 3
Recovery efforts are already underway on this 7./JG 54 E-1 coded ‘white 10’
During the first few months of the conflict, aerial skirmishes between units along the Franco-German border would result in one or two losses for each side. This JG 20 Emil has force-landed due to a damaged engine, but the pilot has done a very good job of minimizing further damage to the airframe Following the fall of France, aircraft wrecks from all combatants littered the country. In this oddly pastoral scene, the wreck of a 6./JG 26 Emil shares a field with what appears to be a burnt-out Koolhoven FK.58 while sheep wander amongst the wreckage
above and right: Many times, a pilot flying a damaged aircraft would spot what he thought was a suitable field for a forced landing, only to encounter obstructions which ripped the aircraft apart on landing. Such was the case with this E-3 of an unidentified III. Gruppe; the abrupt stop in the furrow broke the spine of the aircraft
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This E-3 of Stab./JG 76 exhibits an unusual variation on the ‘Winkel’ design Uffz. Stefan ‘Steff’ Litjens of 1./JG 53 is seen here in the cockpit of his Bf 109E-3 ‘White 5’ (Photo: Prien)
Among the most attractive of schemes applied to the Bf 109 were the multi-colored splinter schemes of JG 53, as seen here on the Gruppenadjutant’s machine in the early spring of 1940
The mechanics and ground crew worked tirelessly to keep their machines running at peak performance, as typified by this JG 2 Richtofen mechanic
The E-1s of 2./JG 76 are seen here parked in the enormous Zeppelin hangar at Friedrichshafen, Germany. The immense airship looming above them is the LZ-130 ‘Graf Zeppelin II’; launched shortly after the ‘Hindenburg’ tragedy, LZ-130 was destined to never enter commercial service, and was broken up for scrap between 1940 and 1941
above and below: These Gruppenstab aircraft from II./JG 53 are seen pointing westward, awaiting their next mission. The tail on the Adjutant’s aircraft in the foreground appears to be a replacement item painted overall in 65 Hellblau
Pictured having a bit of fun in early 1940 are Hptm. Rolf Pingel, Ltn. Siegfried Fischer, and Hptm. Hans-Karl Mayer (at right) from JG 53. Pingel, a Spanish Civil War veteran, would later inadverdently deliver the first intact Bf 109F-2 into British hands (Photo: Prien)
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‘Black 11’ of 2./JG 76 is another E-1 converted to E-3 standard. The DB601 appears to have a hole in the front right corner of the crankcase, which would explain the forced landing...
French Army, rotated there as part of the defensive force realignment in response to the discovery of the original invasion plan in January. Despite reinforcements being rushed towards the front line, the Germans successfully crossed the Meuse and from then on, there was no hope of stopping their race to the sea. Surprisingly, the Allied air response was nowhere near as strong as it might have been, due to the Hurricanes of the AASF and the French Moranes being tied up in combatting bomber raids elsewhere. By day’s end, only two Bf 109s had been lost, while the British suffered the loss of six Hurricanes in total to bomber defensive fire and fighter attacks. Jagdwaffe units involved against the British and French forces were 1./JG 1, 8./JG 3, and 1./JG 21. Further north, a token Dutch raid during the day ran into stiff opposition from 4./JG 26 under Hptm. Karl Ebbinghausen, losing a Fokker G.1 and the sole T.V bomber. Other Dutch defenders were treated equally rough by I./JG 26 and 5./JG 26, although a I. Gruppe 109 was claimed in morning defensive action. The next day followed essentially the same script, but with different units. II./JG 2 escorted a large bombing raid in the morning and fell upon the defending Hurricanes with a vengeance, downing four Hurricanes without loss to themselves. JG 27 escorted a separate raid, and while several Heinkels were lost, the Hurricanes were again treated roughly by the Messerschmitts, losing one of their number to Gert Framm of 2./JG 27 against no German losses. II. and III./JG 26 saw action near Louvain as well, with four kills for no losses.As the Allied ground forces desperately tried to staunch the flow of Germans across the Meuse at Sedan, a huge air battle developed overhead and the Hurricanes began drawing blood. Fg Off ‘Cobber’ Kain of 73 Squadron downed a I./JG 76 109 when the Hurricanes were bounced by a Schwarm of Messerschmitts, although the pilot of the stricken 109, Lt. Rudolf Ziegler, survived the crash landing relatively unhurt. I. /JG 53 was caught completely by surprise by the Hurricanes of 1 Squadron, and four 109s were shot down. Ofw.Walter Grimmling of 1. Staffel was killed by the Hurricanes, while Lt.Wolfgang Tonne and Uffz. Herbert Tzschoppe survived their encounters. One further death occurred when Fw. Alfred Stark flew into the remnants of a Blenheim he had just destroyed. Further elements of I./JG 76 took on a combined British and French force attacking the
bridgehead over the Meuse, resulting in claims for two Fairey Battles, two MS 406s, and four Bloch MB 152s. The fighting for the bridgehead wasn’t all one sided, however, as two I./JG 76 aircraft were lost to the defenders. The ferocity of the fighting on the 14th can be seen in the claims versus losses; the Armée de l’Air claimed ten Bf 109s, sixteen Bf 110s, and 20 other bomber and reconnaissance types against the loss of sixteen Bloch MB 152s, 7 Moranes MS 406s, two Dewotine D.520s, and 3 Hawk 75s. The British forces suffered equally; 22 out of the 27 Hurricanes lost on the 14th fell to the Messerschmitts, with a total of 17 pilots killed.Actual German losses averaged about half of what was claimed; for example, the AASF claimed a total of eleven 109s confirmed killed, while German records showed
the loss of only seven. This should not be seen as minimizing the efforts of the desperately overworked defenders, however; given the fluid and confused combat situation, honest mistakes were certain to be made on both sides. On the 15th, there were sporadic actions through the day with Stab III./JG 53 and 1./JG 3 encountering Hurricanes and Blenheims attempting to attack the bridges over the Meuse once again. Two Bf 109s were claimed by the Hurricanes, but three of their number fell along with two Blenheims. III./JG 26 drew
The top scoring Jagdwaffe pilot of the French campaign was Hptm. Wilhelm Balthasar of I./JG 1, with 23 victories. His Emil is pictured later in the summer when he had scored further victories over Britain; the up arrows indicate aerial victories, while the down arrows indicate strafing kills
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Key: FSA = Fallschirmabsprung, parachute jump POW = prisoner of war MIA = missing in action KIA = killed in action WIA = wounded in action DOW = died of wounds Stfhr = Staffelführer Stkp = Staffelkapitän Kom = Kommandeur T.O. = Technischer Offizier
As this mechanic inspects spark plug leads, another in the background services the supercharger of ‘yellow 14’ of 3./JG 2, which may be the aircraft flown by Lt. Franz Fiby
Combat did not always go the way of the Luftwaffe in France. ‘Brown 12’ of 6./JG 26 was lucky to return to base following a sharp encounter with defending fighters; the aircraft was set down on its belly, as evidenced by the crushed oil cooler housing beneath the aft fuselage
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bomber escort duty for a squadron of Do 17Zs, and they scored one Hurricane but lost two of the Dorniers to the aggressive British attackers. Despite the arrival of further reinforcements from England on May 16th, the situation on the ground was rapidly becoming untenable. Squadrons were taking off from bases in friendly territory, and returning to find their fields under fire or captured by the rapidly advancing Wehrmacht troops. The British and French attack squadrons had suffered horrifically, with the Battles, Blenheims, and Breguet 693s being hacked down in droves by the omnipresent Messerschmitts and the intense and accurate flak defenses, and the Allies had precious few aircraft which could compete with the Bf 109 on a level playing field. Even more telling was the clear confusion among the defenders; British squadrons still followed prewar doctrine of three basic attack patterns, and formation flying was done in a three-plane ‘Vic’, arranged with one leading aircraft and two spaced evenly behind.When faced with an attack from a determined Rotte (two plane element) or Schwarm (four plane formation, formed of two Rotten), the Allied fighters quickly fell apart into an ‘every man for himself’ defensive scheme. Reynaud telephoned Churchill in a panic on the morning of the 15th, declaring the situation hopelessly lost due to the German breakthrough at Sedan, and he was soon proven correct. By the 21st, the British and French forces in the north of France were being pushed towards the sea, and on the 27th, Belgium’s King Leopold sued for peace. The end was nigh, and an enormous rescue and recovery plan was put into effect... Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of Allied fighting forces from Dunkirk. It was to be over Dunkirk that the Emil pilots were to meet their stiffest foe, the Supermarine Spitfire. The Hurricanes still bore the brunt of the fighting, and the turret-armed Boulton Paul Defiant briefly proved to be a nasty surprise to those Messerschmitt pilots who mistook the outline for a Hurricane, but it was the Spitfire that would finally level the playing field for the Allies against the vaunted Messerschmitts. 616, 222, 19, and 92 Squadrons all shuttled their Spitfires across the Channel in a regular rotation over a nine-day period, alternating with the Hurricanes of those squadrons which had not been completely decimated in France. They took on elements of JG 27, JG 52, and JG 53 through 4 June, by which time the motley fleet of a
thousand disparate vessels had succeeded in rescuing over 338,000 men from continental Europe. The RAF fought like men possessed to protect the hodge-podge of ships below, and the wreckage of dozens of Spitfires, Hurricanes, and Messerschmitts along the French coastline bore mute testimony to the ferocious fighting above. Sporadic but relatively disorganized resistance continued in France through late June, until the 20th. In the same rail car, at the exact same spot in the Compiègne forest where the Germans had been forced to sign an armistice on 11 November 1918, Hitler finalized the defeat of France with the signature of Marshal Petain. Continental Europe now belonged to Germany, and England was the next logical target... but not just yet. The Jagdwaffe was physically and mechanically worn out, after the hectic pace of charging across France and the Low Countries for the previous six weeks. Older aircraft were relegated to the Ergänzungsgruppen (replacement squadrons) or simply written off as newer aircraft arrived. The earlier Bf 109E-1s armed with four light machine guns were steadily being replaced by the cannon-armed E-3s and E-4s; in many cases, the E-1s were brought up to the later standard in the field or at repair depots, by having the MG17 muzzle port faired over and all the necessary equipment for the MG-FF (or MG-FF/M, in the case of the E-4) cannon added to the airframe. The pilots finally had a chance to relax and unwind, with sightseeing trips to Paris proving an irresistible lure. Promotions and awards were also quick in coming, and Hitler held a glittering award ceremony at the Kroll Opera House where he promoted Hermann Göring to Generalfeldmarschall, along with several other commanders and generals whose performance had been particularly noteworthy in the French campaign. Among the speeches that evening was a statement from Hitler offering to make peace with Britain. It is not known whether he genuinely expected a favorable response, but he was no longer dealing with the same overly cautious champion of appeasement from Munich two years earlier; Chamberlain had stepped down the same day that Germany invaded France and the Low Countries, and the new Prime Minister would hear nothing of the sort. Winston Churchill’s response was an emphatic call to arms to his countrymen, who dug in and stood fast side by side with their Commonwealth brethren and thousands of refugees from all over Europe... Polish, Czech, French, Dutch, Belgian, Norwegian, and Danish troops and pilots prepared themselves for the coming storm.
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Bf 109 losses in France Partial Loss Listing for May-June 1940 Jagdwaffe operations. The following listing is merely a sample of the known Jagdwaffe losses from the May campaign; this table is provided to offer a wider choice of subjects when deciding to build a 109 from this theatre of operations. As there are only 40 entries, the list has been sorted alphabetically for easier searching. Responsibility for any transcription or data errors lies solely with the author. Date 1/6/40
Type Bf 109E-3
WNr Unk.
Pilot Beese, Uffz. Artur
Unit 9./JG 26
Code yellow 2 + |
Reason POW during transfer flight, shot down by Morane 406. Later released Stkp. Undercarriage damage on landing after combat with Morane 406 FSA due to Flak WIA in combat with Spitfires. FSA, DOW
19/5/40 Bf 109E-3 677 Bertram, Oblt. Otto ‘Bonzo Dog’, tiny fuselage cross, hakenkreuz overlaps fin/rudder 31/5/40 Bf 109E-4 Unk. Bethke, Oblt. Siegfried 28/5/40 Bf 109E-1 Unk. Biegert, Fw. Ernst
1./JG 2
white 1 +
2./JG 2 2./JG 26
red 7 + red 13 +
7/6/40
Bf 109E-3
Unk.
Daig, Ltn. Erwin
5./JG 27
black 13 + -
15/5/40 28/5/40
Bf 109E Bf 109E-3
Unk. Unk.
Führing, Oblt. Karl Gath, Oblt. Wilhelm
Stab I./JG 77 8./JG 3
10/6/40 25/5/40 30/5/40
Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-1
707 Unk. 3247
Goetting, Uffz. Werner Griener, Uffz. Albert Hager, Uffz. Robert
1.(J)/LG 2 5./JG 52 1./JG 76
3471 1304
Hausmann, Oblt. Richard Hier, Ofw. Paul
2./JG 21 1./JG 76
unk. unk. 1541 unk. unk. 1215
Hintze, Oblt. Otto Hotzelmann, Uffz. Fritz Iberle, Uffz. Rudolf Jürgens, Uffz. Hermann Keller, Ltn. Fritz Kloimüller, Ofw. Herfried
4./JGr. 186 1./JG 54 4./JG 26 2./JG 21 2./JG 27 2./JG 51
Knüppel, Hptm. Herwig
Stab II./JG 26
Injured, ramming a Bf 109E from I./JG 1 during take-off black 15 + Crash landing. Nosed over black 1 + | (?) Stkp. POW after combat with Spitfires. Returned 6.6 white 11 + Crash landing black 13 + Emergency landing due to engine trouble white 6 + POW after becoming lost during test flight and landing at French airbase. Returned? black 9 + Emergency landing white 1 + POW due to crash landing after combat with Morane 406. Released white 15 + Emergency landing after combat with Spitfire white 10 + POW after ground attack. FSA. Returned white 13 + KIA in combat with Hurricane. Collision black 4 + Flak. Safe landing black 4 + Emergency landing after combat red 14 + POW due to emergency landing after becoming lost black << + – (?) Kdr. KIA in combat with Hurricane from
Kolbow, Ltn. Hans
3./JG 20
yellow 2 +
29/5/40 Bf 109E-1 22/11/39 Bf 109E-3 Note: RLM 70/71 finish 1/6/40 Bf 109E 16/5/40 Bf 109E-3 7/6/40 Bf 109E-3 24/5/40 Bf 109E 23/5/40 Bf 109E 22/11/39 Bf 109E-3
19/5/40 Bf 109E-3 1542 Note: Tophat, Schlageter badge 31/5/40 Bf 109E unk.
Belly landing after combat with Defiants NW of Dunkirk 27/5/40 Bf 109E unk. Kornatz, Ofw. Hans 2./JG 53 red 5 + (?) WIA in combat with Potez. Hit in cabin 5/6/40 Bf 109E-3 unk. Leisse, Uffz. Paul 4./JG 26 white 9 + KIA in combat with Curtisses 11/5/40 Bf 109E unk. Meimberg, Ltn. Julius 4./JG 2 white 1 + Overturned on landing 21/5/40 Bf 109E-3 1526 Mix, Major Erich Stab III./JG 2 black outline Kdr. Reported lost due to emergency landing Note: R badge; high RLM65 line << + ^^ after combat. Returned WIA 23.5 5/6/40 Bf 109E-4 unk. Mölders, Hptm. Werner Stab III./JG 53 black << + | Kdr. POW after combat with Dewoitine. FSA Note: Pik As badge on cowl, tiny triangle in chevron, 18 white kill markings on fin, swastika in early location 28/9/39 Bf 109E-1 3326 Pavenzinger, Uffz. Georg 2./JG 51 red 9 + POW after becoming lost. Landed OK, aircraft captured 29/5/40 Bf 109E-1 1399 Perthes, Ltn. Hasso von 3.(J)/LG 2 brown 13 + Photographed after first kill, a Hurricane 19/5/40 Bf 109E-1 4072 Priebe, Oblt. Ekkehard 2./JG 77 red 1 + Stkp. WIA in combat Note: I/JG77 badge 16/6/40 Bf 109E-4 5294 Redlich, Oblt. Wolfgang 1./JG 27 white 1 + Stkp. His plane rammed by a landing Do 17 3/6/40 Bf 109E-1 unk. Schade, Ltn. Kurt JG 29./ yellow 8 + ^^ WIA due to combat. FSA. 19/5/40 Bf 109E-3 unk. Schäfer, Oblt. Hans-Christian5./JG 27 black 1 + Stkp. POW after combat with Hurricanes. Returned after surrender 24/5/40 Bf 109E-3 unk. Scheuermann, Uffz. Karl 8./JG 2 black 3 + ^^ Injured in crash while landing 22/11/39 Bf 109E-3 1251 Schulz, Ltn. Heinz 3./JG 76 yellow 11 + POW due to crash landing after combat with Morane 406 17/3/41 Bf 109E-8 1237 Seidl, Uffz. Alfred 2.Erg/JG 53 black 15 + Emergency landing due to engine damage. 14/5/40 Bf 109E-4 unk. Stark, Fw. Alfred 1./JG 53 white 3 + KIA in combat with Blenheims. Collided with shot down Blenheim 19/5/40 Bf 109E-1 unk. Strobl, Ltn. Helmut 5./JG 27 black 2 + Reported lost after combat with Hurricanes. Crash landing. Returned 18/5/40 Bf 109E-3 unk. Wilcke, Oblt. Wolf-Dietrich 7./JG 53 white 1 + | (?) Stkp. POW after combat with P-36s. FSA, returned later 14/5/40 Bf 109E-1 unk. Ziehl, Ltn. Dieter 3./JG 76 yellow 2 + Injured, overturned on landing 20/5/40 Bf 109E-1 unk. unknown 1./JG 1 white 13 + Emergency landing due to fuel shortage 22/5/40 Bf 109E 720 unknown 9./JG 3 yellow 8 + | Photographed on this date
Location Lille area
Damage 100%
near Cambrai
10%
Béthune St. Pol-sur-Mer, NW of Calais Fl.Pl. Guise-Nord
100% 100%
Sourbrodt Nieuport/Ostende area
5% 100%
Liegescourt Rehlingen Fl.Pl. Orconte, west of St. Dizier Near redux near Goesdorf
20% 35% 100%
near Furnes Fl.Pl. Luxeuil SE of Dieppe near Hirson Bienwald near Strasbourg-Neuhoff near Lille 615 Sq. (F/O Eyre) near Calais
near Chièvres Hamminkeln near Charleville Loe, La Selve, west of Compiègne near Brumath
100%
10% 100% 65% 100% 100% 10% 30% 100% 100% 75% 5% 100% b b 100% 100%
Mont St. Ecouvez Le Quesnay area
b
Auxerre East of Epernay Lille area
70% 100% 100%
Signy-le-Petit near Puttelange, west of Metz Fontenet Sedan area
100% 100%
East of Lille
100%
west of Rethel
100%
Trier-Euten Namur Probably Gosselies
70% 35% 0%
75% 100%
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Reel, Britannia
7
Chapter
W
ith the French signing of the armistice with Germany in the Compiégne Forest on 21 June, there remained only one active combatant facing the might of Hitler’s Luftwaffe... Great Britain. To a man, the people of England understood the magnitude of the threat which they now faced. In the space of nine short months, German forces had swiftly dispatched army after army, nation after nation, concluding with the almost unbelievable capitulation of France after all of six weeks of combat. In the years leading up to the war, England’s armed forces suffered from the same general malaise affecting the remainder of the Allied powers after their victory in the Great War; namely, the weariness of the populations and governments of military matters in general led to a long period of stagnation.While new aircraft types were built and placed in service, none were produced in any significant quantity, and none produced prior to 1935 could claim to be ‘revolutionary’ in any sense of the word.With the ascendancy of the Nazi party in Germany in the early 30s and Hitler’s enthusiastic promotion of a stronger Germany, however, some forward thinking members of the British Ministry of Defence recognized that they had some serious catching up to do. As a result, specifications were issued for an advanced monoplane
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fighter design in 1934, resulting in the Hawker Hurricane. First entering service in late 1936, the Hurricane was an absolute epiphany to the men of the RAF.Accustomed to forests of struts, bracing wires, hand-cocked machine guns and the benign handling of biplane designs which had scarcely advanced since 1918, this new monoplane with its enclosed cockpit, high speed and much-improved firepower caused an immediate sensation. Much press was given to the aircraft, and Squadron Leader John Gilliam of 111 Squadron set a trans-England speed record in 1937 which added further laurels to the Hurricane’s image. By 1939, the majority of RAF front line fighter strength lay in the Hurricane, with a few squadrons still on older Gloster Gladiators, Hawker Furies, and the like. There was one other design just coming into widespread service use at the time, however, which would become an icon of the battles to come. Designed by Reginald J. Mitchell, the genius behind the S.6B floatplane design which had permanently retired the Schneider Trophy to England, the Supermarine Spitfire was the result of a complete rework of a disappointing entry in the design competition to replace the Bristol Bulldog in 1931. Every consideration was given to aerodynamic efficiency in the Spitfire’s design, culminating in the gracefully tapered and amazingly thin
Ltn. Erich Rudorffer of 9./JG 2 is seen climbing from his E4/N after a late afternoon mission. Note the missing upper half of the head armor, the roughly applied mottling and the C-3 notification in the octane triangle, indicating that 100 octane fuel is required in this aircraft
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wing section which made the Spitfire such a delight to fly.Within that wing, Mitchell managed to fit the same battery of eight pneumatically fired .303 Browning machine guns as carried by the Hurricane, and to reduce outboard weight as much as possible, he arranged the landing gear to retract outwards... this kept the bulk of the retracting mechanism as close to the aircraft’s centerline as possible, aiding maneuverability. The fuselage, wing, and empennage were all constructed of aluminum, with fabric covered control surfaces, and power was supplied by the same Rolls-Royce Merlin which powered the Hurricane. It is worth noting the basic design similarities between the Spitfire and the Messerschmitt 109, which was developed at approximately the same time. Both Mitchell and Messerschmitt arrived at the same basic conclusions regarding aerodynamic efficiency balanced against operational requirements; the biggest difference between the two designs was that Messerschmitt intentionally tailored his design for ease of production and maintenance. The Spitfire had first entered service with 19 Squadron in June 1938, and a total of nine squadrons were outfitted with the Spitfire Mk I at the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939.When the Air Component of the BEF was sent to France shortly thereafter, it was outfitted with Hurricanes only; the Spitfire squadrons remained in England. Occasional clashes took place between the Spitfires and German bombers and reconnaissance aircraft over the next few months, but nothing of the order of what the Hurricane pilots in France were experiencing. By late May 1940, with the Advanced Air Striking Force virtually decimated and the British ground forces in full retreat towards the beaches of Dunkirk, the Spitfire pilots were called upon to assist with standing patrols over the evacuation taking place below. By 4 June, the debacle in France was over for the majority of British forces. Many were left behind in the hasty retreat, but many thousands more had been rescued, and this included hundreds of trained pilots, aircrew, and maintenance men from the squadrons which had been so thoroughly destroyed in France. These men, and the thousands of refugee pilots and ground crew from occupied European countries, were ready to fight... but they had precious little to fight with. Thanks to careful resource
management, Dowding’s Fighter Command had a reasonable number of Spitfires, but the Hurricane force was in tatters, having lost no fewer than 386 Hurricanes to all causes in the six weeks of fighting on the continent. British industry was rising to the challenge, however. Under the iron-willed leadership of Lord Beaverbrook, aggressive and previously unthinkable production rates were not only being required, but being met by the round-the-clock efforts of British men and women. Repair centers were rapidly created with the expectation that aircraft which fell on British soil could be recovered, repaired, and returned to service more economically than building a new replacement. Those citizens not directly involved with the material production effort did their parts as well; housewives were scrupulous about recycling, retirees joined locally formed loose regiments, often armed with nothing
more than a few pistols, and the children were sent into the countryside, away from the population centers and hopefully, away from danger. The expected Luftwaffe attacks began in earnest at the end of June.As a preliminary to an amphibious invasion, air superiority needed to be achieved and maintained, and all shipping traffic in the Channel needed to be brought to a halt, thereby stopping the flow of supplies. Having massed much of their air strength along the French coast and on Guernsey, the Luftwaffe began sending escorted missions to bomb convoys in the Thames Estuary and the Channel proper. The first few days of these operations were inconclusive, although two Bf 109s were claimed on 4 July. One of those aircraft, a III./ JG27 machine, successfully returned to France. The first relatively intact Bf 109 to come down in England fell to a 74 Sqn Spitfire on 8 July. Ltn. Johann Böhm, of 4./ JG51 force landed his damaged Bf 109E-3 just before 4 pm.A few hours later, Ltn. Albert Striberny of 3.(J)/LG2 was brought down and taken prisoner, while his Emil crashed in Kent after he bailed out. For the next ten days, there was a small amount of give and take between the opposing fighter forces, with four Emils being shot down, and several others severely damaged. On 19 July, however, the Emils of II./JG51 and II./JG2 encountered the Boulton Paul Defiants of 141 Squadron and fell upon them with a vengeance. Over Dunkirk, the Defiant had proven to be a nasty surprise to unwary Messerschmitt pilots who mistook the aircraft for a Hurricane. That mistake was not made again, as no Bf 109s were downed in this encounter, although one Emil of 9./JG 51 sustained heavy damage. Suffering two wounded pilots in other action on the 19th, JG 27 would be particularly hard hit the next day with two 3. Staffel aircraft being lost in an attack on Dover, and a Gruppenkommandeur, Major Riegel, was lost to a pair of 501 Sqn Hurricanes. JG 51 suffered the loss of two Bf 109s as well on the 20th. Two more Emils would go down on the 21st, and seven would be lost on the 24th, including Hptm.Wolf-Heinrich von Houwald, Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 52, Hptm. Erich Noack, the Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 26, and Oblt.Werner Bartels, the Technizsche Offizier of JG 26. Bartels force-landed his damaged E-1 WNr 6296F in Kent, and the damaged Messerschmitt subsequently made a tour of England in support of the War Bond drive, while Bartels spent the remainder of the war in captivity. Houwald had just been married on the 9th of May, and his wedding reception was interrupted by an urgent request to return to his unit... the attack on France was to begin the next day! The sadness felt over his loss stood in stark contrast to the general feeling within JG 26 that they were plenty happy to be rid of Noack, who apparently had much to say but little
JG 2’s stipple camouflage was unique to the unit; this E1 has suffered a technical failure of some sort, and serves as a photographic prop while awaiting repair
Seen in the spring of 1941 while on strength of Erg.Gr./JG 26, Maj. Adolf Galland’s former Emil WNr 5819 still carries his victory markings and Gruppenkommandeur chevrons
Reel, Britannia
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An E-1 of 5./JG 3 comes in for a landing. Just barely visible are the drooped ailerons, which lowered 11 degrees when the flaps were at their max extension of 42 degrees
The reason this 5. Staffel E-1 from an unidentified unit is being pushed about is not known, but one fact is clear; just as in every other military unit, the enlisted men work while the officers supervise...
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experience or ability to back up his statements and lectures. Another seven Bf 109s would be lost on 25 July, with one further Emil lost on the 26th. The 27th brought a respite with no combat, although Oblt. Gert Framm of 2./JG 27 claimed a Spitfire in the vicinity of Weymouth Bay. The attrition rate climbed again on the 28th, with one 2./JG 51 machine being lost and two damaged, including the aircraft of Major Werner Mölders. Between the 29th and the 31st, no further aircraft were shot down outright, although an additional six Bf 109s were damaged enough to force a return to base, and two pilots were killed when attempting forced landings. The Jagdflieger had entered the month full of confidence, and ready to take on the task of dismantling the Royal Air Force.After all, had they not just finished sweeping the sky clean of Hurricanes over France? By the beginning of August, though, it was becoming increasingly evident that they had seriously underestimated the strength of their opponents. This time, the RAF had not just the advantage of fighting from their home turf, where a parachuting pilot could be returned to his unit within hours, but they also had a significantly better understanding of
the German forces composition as they assembled thanks to the Chain Home radar arrays. They also had vastly improved communications, although to be fair, any communications at all would have marked an improvement over the situation in France back in May.As a result, the RAF now knew when a raid was coming, roughly how many aircraft were involved, and the various squadrons nearby could be marshaled to get them in an advantageous position to resist the attack. The Luftwaffe pilots, on the other hand, were hampered by the short range of their Messerschmitts, and they had overwater flights both to and from the target area which began to weigh heavily on the pilots’ minds. The attrition in aircraft could be made up; German industry was just barely operating at anything like war capacity, and there was significant room for growth. The loss of the highly experienced
pilots, though, many of whom went through the intensive prewar training syllabus, would soon be keenly felt. Following a one week lull at the beginning of August during which only one Bf 109 was lost, a massive attack was launched against a west-bound Channel convoy on the 8th. In the course of successive running battles throughout the day, a total of nine Bf 109s were shot down, with II./JG 27 losing four of these. In return, however, a total of 39 claims were filed against the British defenders, with JG 27 and LG 1 claiming well over half of this total between them. The balance sheet was all in favor of the Bf 109s on the following day, with 15 kills against no losses. JG 2’s rising star Oblt. Helmut Wick claimed three Hurricanes in the day’s actions, and a young Fähnrich named Hans-Joachim Marseille with 3.(J)/LG 2 claimed a Spitfire. The next large scale action came on the 11th, with the Jagdwaffe units losing a further 14 aircraft; this time, JG 2 took a real beating, the majority of the downed 109s coming from this unit.Among those lost were another Staffelkapitän, 6./JG 2’s Oblt. Edgar Rempel, and the Gruppen Adjutant of III. Gruppe, Oblt.Adolf Steidle.Another fifteen claims were made, with several pilots including Ofw.Willi Roth of 4./JG 26 and Hptm. Heinz Bretnütz of Stab II./JG 53 claiming two apiece. Two pilots of 1./JG 51 did very well this day, with Ltn. Heinz Bär claiming two Hurricanes and Oblt. Georg Claus taking top honors with a total of three Hurricanes downed. Up until this point, the resources of the RAF had not yet been sorely tested over Britain, but that would change beginning on 12 August. Luftwaffe units began a concentrated series of attacks against the radar stations which had been providing such excellent advance notice of Luftwaffe units forming up over the Channel. The other prime objective was to be the airfields of the RAF.After roughly six weeks of continuous combat with Fighter Command, the Luftwaffe was still no closer to achieving air superiority than they were back in June, so the decision was made to expand the bomber pilots’ role from simply attacking Channel convoys to include raids on the sector and outlying airfields which dotted the southeastern English landscape. This first series of attacks proved to be moderately successful, with the Ventnor radar station being put out of commission for three days, and Hawkinge, Lympne, and Manston fields being rendered unserviceable until the next day. In the course of the day’s combats, the Luftwaffe lost a total of nine Messerschmitts against 41 claims. Three Bf 109 pilots scored multiple kills on this day; Oblt. Hans-Karl Mayer of 1./JG 53 shot down a pair of Hurricanes, Ltn. Heinz Ebeling of 9./JG 26 claimed another pair of Hurricanes as well as a Spitfire, and Hptm. Harro Harder, Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 53 claimed two Hurricanes as well. However, one of the nine Messerschmitts which failed to return was that of Harder, dealing yet another bitter blow to the Jagdwaffe. The attacks of the 12th were a prelude to some of the heaviest raids against England to date. Göring had dramatically designated 13 August as ‘Adler Tag’, but events conspired against the well-laid plans of continuous, coordinated attacks throughout the day. The morning raids were disrupted first by changeing weather, then by poor communications which left the Dornier Do 17Zs of KG 2 unescorted as they proceeded towards their target, losing five of their number as a result.Another raid by Ju 88A-1s of KG 4 was postponed due to weather, but their Bf 110 escorts headed towards the rendezvous point anyway, again the victims of poor communication as they were unaware their charges had not yet left France. The RAF met them with a fierce reception, with one of the Zerstörers falling to the British. JG 2 represented yet another broken link in the communications chain; they set out on a fighter sweep which was supposed to be in conjunction with a raid by the Ju 88A-1s of KG 54, but the bombers had aborted the raid without alerting their escort, and JG 2 lost Oblt. Paul Temme of I. Gruppe to a Spitfire attack. Temme brought his
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above and below: Photographed between 15 and 29 October 1940, the E4 of Hptm. Helmut Wick, Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 2, is seen with 42 victory bars on the rudder
Fw. Paul Boche, the T.O. of 4./JG 52, ran into a haystack at Little Grange Farm in Essex on 10 August 1940 after his Arado-built E-1, WNr 3465 overheated following strikes to his radiator from behind (Photo: Wadman)
‘Yellow 8’ in the foreground of this photo has seen particularly hard action; the filthy fuselage sides indicate an abundance of throttle movement while in flight, and the ground crew has not had the time to scrub the soot off of the aircraft
A Bf 109E-4 of 6./JG 52 is seen at Peuplingues in the late fall of 1940
This E-4/B of II.(S)/LG 2 was photographed at Guines-Calais in the fall of 1940
One of the signature symbols of the Battle of Britain; Fw. Arno Zimmerman’s Bf 109E-1 from 7./JG 27 on the shingle beach at Lydd on 27 October. Zimmerman’s aircraft, WNr 3576, had been hit by an incendiary cannon shell in the port side of the engine, burning out all the plug leads and cracking the water jacket. As he was in combat with Hurricanes, all of which carried .303 guns, he may have been hit by ‘friendly’ fire
When Italy entered the war against Britain in September 1940, a contingent of Regia Aeronautica aircraft and personnel were sent westward to participate in joint raids against England. Here, a Fiat G.50 of the 352 Squadriglia, 20 Stormo is seen at Maldegem, Belgium with a pair of Emils, possibly of I./JG 51
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This otherwise pristine 6./JG 3 Emil is fitted with a replacement aft cowling. Note also the lack of head armor in the cockpit
When the order rescinding the application of the red ring around the cowling of JG 53’s aircraft was received, the men of the unit took great delight in repainting their charges with the ‘Pik As’ badge. Photographed in November 1940, these Emils have recently had their badges reapplied
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damaged aircraft down in a skillful belly landing on Shoreham airfield, and spent the duration of the war in British captivity. The coordinated attacks finally materialized in the afternoon, and four airfields were successfully bombed, although three of those were not part of the Fighter Command structure.At the end of the day, the Bf 109 pilots had put forth claims for 14 Hurricanes and 13 Spitfires against the loss of another nine Messerschmitts. Actual RAF losses numbered about 13, although this does not take into account aircraft which belly-landed in England and were repaired and returned to service. The 14th saw further intensive attacks against the airfields, including a positively
massive raid by 80 Junkers Ju 87B dive bombers escorted by the entire Geschwader of JG 26. The Stukas were handled extremely roughly by the defenders, and JG 26 suffered a number of losses in the encounter as well. Six Bf 109s were lost to all units throughout the day, with five of their pilots being killed outright and one taken prisoner, and sixteen RAF fighters were claimed, with three pilots killed in action. The continuous strain of operations across the expanse of the Channel, with the pilots having to keep one eye on the sky and one eye on the red ‘low fuel’ lamp, as well as the steadily mounting losses was beginning to take a heavy mental toll on the German pilots. They were not used to such a ferocious defense, let alone one which could withstand the continual bombardment of their airfields and still keep appearing, day after day. Göring, too, was becoming impatient. Operation Sea Lion, the plan to invade Britain, had a relatively strict time schedule which needed to be adhered to, and he called for a meeting of senior commanders at
his home for the 15th.While Göring held his meeting to discuss the abysmal performance of the vaunted Stukas and Zerstörergruppen and reinforced the idea that the destruction of anything and everything to do with Fighter Command was the primary goal, another set of large-scale attacks was carried out. The Hurricanes and Spitfires rose admirably to the challenge, however, causing the loss of 76 aircraft, with the vast majority of these being bombers and a large number of Bf 110s. Five 109s were counted among that total, although 86 claims were put forth by the various elements of the Jagdwaffe. Oblt.Adolf Galland of III./JG 26 claimed three Spitfires shot down, bringing his score to 21, while Hptm. Horst Tietzen, Staffelkapitän of 1./JG 51, shot down three Hurricanes in the vicinity of Folkestone. Numerous other pilots scored double victories on this day as well, but the stunning loss of 76 total aircraft in one day further dulled the airmens’ enthusiasm. Friday,August 16th brought further attacks against the British airfields, with the Jagdwaffe suffering more than double the losses of ‘Black Thursday’; twelve Bf 109s were lost outright, and another eight were damaged to some extent.Among the notable losses on this date was Hptm. Karl Ebbighausen, Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 26. Prior to assuming the Gruppenkommandeur position, Ebbighausen regularly flew a Bf 109E-3 coded ‘white 4 + -’ with 4./JG 26. This aircraft, WNr 1190, was later passed to a recently arrived pilot, Horst Perez, and he force-landed WNr 1190 near Hornchurch after combat on 30 September. The aircraft was recovered with relatively minor damage, and sent on a War Bonds tour across the Atlantic. Miraculously, the airframe survived the war, and is displayed today at Duxford in a partially-restored state. Hptm. Ebbighausen’s five previous kills still remain on the fin of this tremendously historic survivor. In exchange for 20 Messerschmitts damaged or destroyed, the German pilots claimed 42 British aircraft on this date, with Hptm. Josef Fözö of 4./JG 51 claiming two Hurricanes and a Spitfire to take top scoring honors for the day.A large number of other aces also had double claims on the 16th, including Hptm. Heinz Bretnütz of 6./JG 53, Hptm.Walter Oesau of 7./JG 51, and Hptm. Horst Tietzen of 1./JG 51 scoring his 17th and 18th victories. The recent heavy pace of operations led to a brief pause on 17 August, with no action taking place. The following day would more than make up for it, however. It could rightly be said that the Luftwaffe took several correct lessons away from their losses on Adlertag. Chief among these was the fact that, instead of being nearly annihilated, Fighter
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Command was still capable of offering a vicious defense.As a result, a renewed effort to break the back of the RAF was launched on 18 August with no fewer than seven individual single-engine Jagdgeschwadern assigned to bomber escort and freie Jagd (literally,‘free hunt’- uncoordinated attacks on targets of opportunity). The day’s action began as elements of Luftflotte 2 headed to attack the airfields at Biggin Hill and Kenley. There were at least four Bf 109 units attached to this raid. III./JG 26 and JG 53 formed an advance guard some 25 miles in front of the main attack force, III./JG 54 accompanied the bomber formations, and 2. and 3. Staffel of JG 52 waited along the bombers’ return path.As the usual Kommandeur of III./JG 26, Adolf Galland, was not flying in this operation, the tactical leadership of III. Gruppe was assumed by the Kapitän of 9. Staffel, Oblt. Gerhard Schöpfel. Shortly after crossing the coast, a formation of Hurricanes was spotted below, racing upwards to meet the attackers. Schöpfel carefully worked his way down to the group of 501 Squadron aircraft, keeping himself invisible to the British pilots by continually staying in the glare of the sun, and began picking off aircraft from the back of the formation.Within five minutes, four Hurricanes were spiraling downwards, with no response whatsoever from the defenders. The 501 Sqn. aircraft and pilots involved were P/O K.N.T.‘Hawkeye’ Lee in P3059, P/O F. Kozlowski in P3185, Sgt. D.A.S. McKay in N2617, and P/O J.W. Bland in P3208. Of the four downed pilots, only Bland was to perish in the crash of his Hurricane; the remaining pilots were able to successfully escape their machines by parachute. While JG 26 and JG 53 swept across the English countryside, the bombing attacks on Biggin Hill and Kenley went off relatively smoothly. The escorting fighters of JG 54 saw little action, although three pilots of III. Gruppe scored individual victories, including Ltn. Hans-Ekkehard Bob of 9. Staffel, who downed a Hurricane east of Ramsgate for his ninth kill. Despite
participating in the advance sweep, the pilots of I./JG 53 were similarly luckless. Three members of 2. Staffel did file claims, including Hptm. Rolf Pingel who downed a Spitfire for his tenth victory. The men of 2. and 3./JG 52, assigned to cover the withdrawal route of this first raid, were detached from this primary duty after the bombers were well on the way back to France, and performed an inconclusive freie Jagd before returning themselves. Elements of III./JG 3 were also involved in this attack, with Uffz. Herbert Springer of 7./JG 3 claiming a Spitfire south of London, and a Hurricane east of Dover. The British aircraft they were seeking were otherwise occupied by this time, with the second major raid of the day taking place along the southern English coast. The structure of this raid was somewhat different than the first, as the primary force consisted of dozens of Ju 87Bs from St.G 3 and St.G 77 attacking airfields at Lee-on-Solent and Thorney Island, as well as the RDF station at Poling. Elements of
II. and III./JG 2 flew as the advance unit on this raid, but the British wisely waited for the main body of the attack before responding in force. Consequently, only two ‘Richthofen’ pilots filed claims following this action; Ofw. Magnus Brunkhorst of 6. Staffel and Oblt. Rudolf Möllerfriedrich of 9. Staffel each claimed a Spitfire over the Isle of Wight as their first victories on this date. I. and II./JG 27 drew escort duty for the Stukas, and as the force withdrew towards France, they became embroiled in a vicious fight which saw sixteen of the vulnerable Ju 87s shot down. The defenders also downed six Bf 109s from JG 27, with three of the pilots being killed, but they paid a heavy cost for their bravery; no fewer than eighteen kills were claimed by I. and II. Gruppen. Three JG 27 pilots scored multiple victories on this date, including Ltn. Ernst Börngen and Oblt. Hermann Hollweg of 4. Staffel who each claimed two Spitfires near Selsey Bill, and Oblt. Emmerich Fluder of 5. Staffel, who claimed a pair of Spitfires east of the Isle of Wight. These two attacks paled in comparison to the strength of the day’s third raid, a massive affair consisting of over 100 Heinkels and Dorniers escorted by over 140 aircraft from JG 3, JG 26, JG 51, JG 54, and ZG 26. Their intended targets were the vital airfields at Hornchurch and North Weald, but the notoriously shifty English weather had changed yet again, obscuring the airfields in clouds. Unable to complete the assigned mission, the bombers aborted the raid, but did attack Shoeburyness and Deal on their flight back to France. The majority of the fighter units on this raid saw little action, but the II. and III. Gruppen of JG 51 were heavily engaged by fighter opposition. Several JG 51 pilots scored victories in this action, with Hptm.Walter Oesau of 7. Staffel achieving his 19th and 20th kills, which qualified him for the coveted Ritterkreuz (Knight’s Cross). Oblt. Horst Tietzen,
Hptm. Wick’s rise through the ranks might best be described as meteoric; a mere Leutnant in June with 13 kills, by late October he had been promoted to Major, in command of the entire ‘Richthofen’ Geschwader. Wick was to be killed in his trusty WNr 5344 by Plt Off John Dundas on 28 November after downing his 56th victim
The quality of the yellow identification paint applied to the noses of Luftwaffe fighters varied widely; oftentimes, the paint would wear quickly and chip or peel away to reveal the previous camouflage beneath, as is evident on this E-4 of 9./JG 2
Tucked up in the shrubbery, this Emil is being cranked up for an afternoon mission. The random overspray of RLM 02 over the entire uppersurface is reminiscent of what would later become known as the ‘Wellenmuster’ scheme
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‘White 5’, a machine of 1./JG 2, is seen in a French field sometime in late July or early August 1940 after suffering some sort of engine malfunction. Note that the stippled mottling does not extend inside the ‘5’
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Staffelkapitän of 5. Staffel, also reached his 20th kill on this date, but he paid for it with his life. He, along with his fellow 5. Staffel comrade Ltn. Hans-Otto Lessing, were both shot down and killed in a melee with over 30 Hurricanes from 501 and 503 Squadron. Lessing fell to Flt Off Witorzenc of 503 Sqn., while Tietzen was downed by Plt Off P. Zenker of 501 Sqn. The actions of 18th August have been characterized by historian Dr.Alfred Price as ‘the hardest day’. Indeed, while the Luftwaffe suffered the loss of 61 aircraft in total, with fifteen of these being Bf 109s, Fighter Command had no fewer than 73 fighters destroyed... a loss rate which would soon result in Fighter Command ceasing to exist as an effective defense force. The following day, Göring called for another meeting at his
Hptm. Waldemar Wübke of 9./JG 54 was one of the more disenchanted pilots when the order to equip their aircraft with bomb racks was handed down. He felt that they had been reduced to mere ‘boxcars’, and had the slogan and emblem of the German State Railway painted in very large format on the side of his aircraft; ‘Im Auftrage der Reichsbahn’
The Emils of I./JG 3 are gathered on thier field at St.Omer-Wizernes before a mission. Note the carefully masked ‘Tatzelwurm’ on the cowlings, and the typically squared off style of the aircraft numbers common to I. Gruppe
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estate, and vented his frustration with the continued resistance of the RAF. The Jagdflieger, he claimed, were not pursuing the destruction of Fighter Command with sufficient enthusiasm, nor were they protecting the bombers as they should; the Stukagruppen had been decimated over the previous two weeks and the Heinkels and Dorniers of the Kampfgeschwadern had been shot down by the dozen. Most embarrassingly, the Bf 110 Zerstörergruppen of which Göring was so fond had proven to be a significant liability. Lacking the maneuverability of the lighter, more nimble Bf 109s, the Bf 110s were invariably singled out for attack by RAF pilots, and were also being downed in droves. Erp.Gr. 210 had suffered the loss of the entire Stabskette (the three-plane command section), along with four other aircraft, in an attack on Croydon airfield on the 15th, and ZG 52 was losing pilots and aircraft faster than they could be replaced. In Göring’s eyes, the responsibility for all of these setbacks lay squarely on the shoulders of the Jagdflieger.All of the intelligence failures concerning Fighter Command strength, the flawed operational plans, and the technical shortcomings of Luftwaffe aircraft were overlooked or ignored by the Luftwaffe high command. The early, relatively easy successes of the early 1940 campaigns had led to significant overconfidence, so critical re-evaluation of the current situation was not even considered. Göring felt that the fighter pilots might be further inspired by more aggressive leadership, so he began replacing older Geschwaderkommodoren with younger, more successful pilots such as Adolf Galland, Günther Lützow, and Hannes Trautloft. In addition, the bomber escort issue was addressed by requiring a
number of fighters to remain in the company of the bombers at all times. It was acknowledged that the greater portion of the Jagdgruppen involved in such operations should continue to operate independently, with the goal of drawing the opposing fighter force into combat and defeating them. Lastly, in what must be considered a tacit admission of the failure of the Bf 110 as an escort fighter, the single-engine fighter units were to escort the Bf 110s when they were assigned bomber escort missions. The net result of these additional demands on the Jagdflieger was a further increase in the tempo of operations, with a correspondingly higher strain on the machines and the nerves of the men flying them. The conference of the 19th was followed by four days of adverse weather, but operations against English airfields began with a renewed fury on the 24th. One of the more sensible conclusions reached at the conference on the 19th was a further escalation of efforts against the Fighter Command airfields, with correspondingly dire results for the British defenders. The fields at Manston, Hornchurch and North Weald came in for heavy attacks throughout the day, with hundreds of German fighters ranging across southeastern England and bringing significant pressure to bear on Fighter Command. 49 claims were filed (including two from ZG 26), while actual English losses numbered 32. Most alarmingly, however, 22 of the 32 aircraft lost were single-engine fighters. The 25th saw another massive fighter umbrella covering a relatively small number of bombers, with no fewer than 214 Bf 109s and 103 Bf 110s accompanying 37 Junkers Ju 88s on a raid against Warmwell. In spite of this onslaught, only 37 claims were filed against Fighter Command for the day, although two of the most successful Jagdflieger managed to increase their scores. Maj. Adolf Galland, newly appointed Geschwaderkommodore of JG 26, scored his 22nd victory against a Spitfire over DungenessFolkestone, while Oblt. Helmut Wick of 3./JG 2 scored his 19th and 20th victories over a Hurricane and a Spitfire over Portland. This resulted in the award of the Ritterkreuz to Wick, who was rapidly becoming one of the rising stars of the Jagdwaffe. Fighter Command scored a significant moral victory on the 26th, dispersing several attacks against Biggin Hill, Kenley, Debden, Hornchurch, and North Weald. This was not achieved without cost, however; 46 claims were filed by Bf 109 pilots, with the RAF actually losing 28 fighters. Helmut Wick shot down two Hurricanes over Portsmouth on the 26th to bring his score to 22, even with Galland. The undisputed star of the Jagdwaffe at this time, however, was Maj.Werner Mölders, Geschwaderkommodore
of JG 51.A Spitfire fell to his guns over Folkestone on the 26th, marking his 27th victory. Galland and Wick would soon close that gap, however, as operations continued. The 27th saw a single major raid on Portsmouth harbor, but results were negligible.August 28th saw repeated attacks against Rochford and Eastchurch, and a huge fighter versus fighter melee which resulted in an additional 21 RAF fighters being destroyed or otherwise damaged. JG 3 was heavily involved with the day’s action, with Fw. Josef Bauer of 7. Staffel downing a pair of Spitfires in the vicinity of Southend, and Oblt. Franz von Werra of Stab II./JG 3 equalling the 18th August feat of Gerhard Schröder by
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Chalk up one more damaged VDM propeller... this III./JG 3 Emil taxied into a patch of soft ground, and the mechanic in the background does not seem too impressed with the situation
downing four aircraft in one day. Oblt.Walter Horton, T.O. of III./JG 26, scored his first and second victories over a pair of Defiants on this date as well, and would go on to later fame in partnership with his brother Reinhard by developing and building a series of flying wing designs, several of which still exist today. Total Jagdwaffe claims for the 28th totalled 38. 29 August brought further Luftwaffe incursions in the afternoon, although few combats developed; RAF commanders were well aware of how precarious their situation was, and were carefully husbanding their resources to counter heavy bombing raids wherever possible. Fighter versus fighter combat was being avoided wherever possible, although a total of 16 claims was filed by the Luftwaffe on the 29th.Among those claiming victories was Hptm. Rolf Pingel, now flying with Stab. I/JG 26. He claimed two Spitfires off Dungeness for his 11th and 12th victories, but this was the only multiple claim filed by a single pilot on this date. Fighter Command might have been forgiven for thinking they had won a small reprieve over the preceding twelve days, with a series of defensive successes which broke up bombing raids on several airfields. The Luftwaffe had other ideas, however, and launched a series of attacks on 30 August which rivalled those of the 18th in their intensity. Throughout the day, Biggin Hill was hit repeatedly, with the result that it was temporarily put out of action. The squadrons at Hornchurch took over sector duties for Biggin Hill, while other attacks heavily damaged the fields at Detling, Kenley, North Weald, Radlett, and Hatfield.Aircraft repair and distribution centers were also targeted, with Hawker Aviation’s facilities at Slough receiving damage along with Vauxhall’s works at Luton and a Spitfire and Hurricane repair center at Oxford. Out of a total of sixty claims of all types filed on 30 August, the single-engine fighter force claimed 37, with Oblt.Werner Machold increasing his score to 17 after downing three Hurricanes in two separate sorties during the day. Other notable pilots scoring victories on this date included Ltn. Heinz Ebeling of 9./JG 26, who downed a Hurricane in the day’s last action, and Oblt. Herbert Ihlefeld of 2.(J)/LG 2 who claimed a Spitfire for his 10th victory while escorting the Bf 110 Jabos of Erp.Gr. 210 in the surprise attack on Biggin Hill in the late afternoon. Twelve fighters were lost to the Luftwaffe throughout the day, but Fighter Command had lost another 21 irreplaceable Hurricanes and Spitfires. Following the hard-fought battles of the 30th, the Luftwaffe
started early on the 31st, with the first raid of the day arriving around 8 am. The morning raids targeted Debden, North Weald, West Malling, Eastchurch, Detling, and Duxford, with the latter attack being successfully broken up.A small break followed, then another series of heavily escorted raids struck the embattled defenders of Biggin Hill, Croydon, and Hornchurch. Biggin Hill was again the target of the day’s last attack, and again suffered severe damage. Losses for the day were steep on both sides, with no fewer than 26 Messerschmitts being lost or damaged. 12 of those pilots were taken prisoner, with another four killed outright. The RAF suffered the shocking loss of 34 aircraft, against a total of 97 claims of all types by the Luftwaffe, highlighting the fact that overclaiming was certainly a regular occurrence. Two pilots of 2./JG 51 claimed seven aircraft between them; Hptm. Ernst Wiggers claimed four Spitfires in the course of two sorties during the day, while his squadron mate Ofw Fritz Ströhlein claimed another three Spitfires. Ltn. Kurt Votel of 3./JG 2 claimed a Hurricane in the day’s first raid around 9 am, and followed this with two Spitfires claimed in an early evening sortie. Uffz. Hugo Dahmer of 6./JG 26 claimed two aircraft, while his Geschwaderkommodore,Adolf Galland, added another three aircraft to bring his personal score to 26. Ltn. Heinz Ebeling of 9. Staffel was also very active, claiming three Hurricanes during the day. Oblt. Hans von Hahn of 4./JG 2 also had multiple kills for the
Maj. Galland is seen in the cockpit of another Emil, this one outfitted with a ZFR 4 telescopic sight for long range aircraft identification. The very light camouflage of the aircraft contrasting with the darker canopy frames would suggest the canopy assembly has been retrofitted to this aircraft, and left in the original RLM 66 paint
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In this superb closeup of an Emil, the red horizon alignment line on the windscreen side panel can be seen; this was a visual aid to assist the Jabo pilot in attaining the correct dive angle
day, claiming two Spitfires off of Dover in the morning action, and a third Spitfire in the same vicinity during an early evening mission. Oblt. Karl-Gottfried Nordmann of the newly arrived 3./JG 77 downed two Hurricanes in two missions, but his victories were the only bright spot in an otherwise entirely dismal day for JG 77. Having just arrived from coastal defense duties in northern Germany, I./JG 77 was positively savaged by the British defenders, losing nearly an entire Staffel’s worth of aircraft. Seven Messerschmitts failed to return to their base in France, with only one of the pilots actually recovered and returning to the unit. Of
Hptm. Adolf Galland (left) and Ltn. Hannes Trautloft compare notes during a meeting sometime after 1 October 1940; Galland wears the Oak Leaves to the Knights’ Cross, awarded for his 40th aerial victory on 24 September
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the remaining six, one was killed and the remaining five were taken prisoner.Among the lost pilots were two of the three Staffelkapitäne of I. Gruppe. It was a stark reminder of just how brutal this campaign had become, and did nothing for the morale of the increasingly exhausted and disheartened Jagdflieger. The tempo of operations was unrelenting on the first of September.Additional raids on the long-suffering airfields of Kent saw Gravesend, Hornchurch, Kenley, North Weald, and Biggin Hill on the receiving end of bombing and strafing attacks during the day, with Hawkinge, Lympne, and the radar station at Dover coming under fire later in the afternoon. Despite the relatively low loss of five Messerschmitts, yet another Staffelkapitän was
numbered among those pilots taken prisoner; Oblt.Anton Stangl of 5./JG 54 was forced to bail out of his aircraft after colliding with another Messerschmitt, whose pilot was lost. Out of 32 total Jagdwaffe single-engine fighter claims for the day, only two were for multiple victories; Oblt. Eberhard Henrici of 1./JG 26 downed a pair of Hurricanes in the vicinity of London for his fifth and sixth claims, while Oblt. Gustav Rödel of 4./JG 27 brought down two Spitfires to bring his score to eight. Rödel would go on to much greater things, eventually surviving the war with a total of 114 victories and receiving the Schwerten (Swords), the secondhighest decoration in the German armed forces. 2 September saw a dramatic spike in Jagdwaffe losses, with seventeen 109s being lost in the course of over 1,000 sorties during the day. Seven of those pilots were taken prisoner, with another six being killed. Jagdwaffe claims for the day totalled 56, with 45 of those being attributed to the single-engine fighter units.Among the pilots scoring victories this day was a young Fähnrich named Hans-Joachim Marseille of 1.(J)/LG 2. Flying a Bf 109E-1 with the WNr 3579 and coded ‘white 14’, Marseille downed a Spitfire near Detling for his second victory. However, he force landed ‘White 14’ upon returning to his base at Calais/Marck, and the Messerschmitt sustained 50% damage. The aircraft was sent back to Germany for repair, and it reentered service with I./JG 77 in Finland in 1941.After sustaining 20% damage in a forced landing on 7 December 1941, WNr 3579 was repaired, upgraded to E-7 standards, and issued to 4./JG 5 as ‘white 7 + -’. On 2 August 1942, the aircraft was damaged once again in combat, and this is the last instance of WNr 3579’s appearance in Luftwaffe records. Nearly fifty years later, the surprisingly complete remains of WNr 3579 were retrieved from Finland and found their way to Craig Charleston’s restoration facilities in England, where the aircraft was meticulously rebuilt to flying condition. Today,WNr 3579 is in the capable hands of Canadian collector Ed Russell, where it is regularly and carefully flown. Losses for the 3rd were negligible, with only one 109 being lost to enemy action, but three more Bf 109s were written off completely due to collisions during landing and forced landings due to combat damage.Attacks continued to focus on the airfields, with Debden, Hornchurch, and North Weald all coming
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Maj. Adolf Galland is seen here preparing for another mission over the Channel. Of note is the ZFR 4 telescopic sight projecting through the starboard side of the windshield; Galland used this for long-range identification of aircraft
Fuel starvation was a constant problem for units operating over Britain. The pilot of ‘white 15’ was lucky to make it back to the beaches of France after his engine quit
Seen at Brest in late July, this 7./JG 53 E-4 showcases both the highly unusual mottled scheme so typical of III. Gruppe, as well as both the ‘Pik As’ badge and the Hakenkreuz. Gˆring ordered the overpainting of the unit badge with a red ring not long thereafter, prompting the unit to respond by overpainting the Hakenkreuz as well... a surprisingly strong statement which surely caused more than a few raised eyebrows II./JG 26 was based at Marquise-Ost throughout the Battle of Britain, where this 5. Staffel Emil awaits the next mission
‘Don’t just stand there, give us a hand...’ The mechanics seem to be having issues with trying to start this worn-out Emil. Note the immense amount of exhaust staining, scuffs and chips along the wing root, and the flaked paint on the fabric covered flaps
The ‘Piepmatz’ of 8./JG 54 was carefully avoided by the Staffel painter when giving a thin, random overspray of RLM 71 to the cowling of this Emil
Oblt. Karl Fischer of 7./JG 27 thought he had escaped unscathed from a brief battle during his bomber escort mission on 30 September 1940, until his wingman pointed out the telltale stream of petrol spraying from beneath the fighter. Realizing he would not make it back to France, he force-landed his Bf 109E-1 WNr 4851 without injury, despite overturning in the process (Photo: Wadman)
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Lectures on tactics and other operational considerations were held during rare periods of rest between missions
Ltn. Erich Schmidt, Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 3, demonstrates the international language of fighter pilots while describing his latest victory. In common with other JG 53 aircraft in the late summer and early fall of 1940, the Hakenkreuz has been overpainted, with the fin area now being used as a victory board (Photo: Prien)
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in for harsh treatment once again. The emphasis shifted to aircraft production centers on the following day, with Short Brothers’ factory in Rochester and the Vickers-Supermarine factory at Brooklands being heavily damaged.A total of 83 claims were submitted by the Jagdwaffe from operations on the 3rd and 4th, with 53 being claimed by the single-engine units.Among the pilots scoring claims on these days were Maj. Galland, who downed a Hurricane near Chelmford for his 28th victory; Hptm. Walter Oesau, Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 53, claiming a Spitfire for victory number 21; and several pilots with double kills, including Hptm. Otto Bertram of 1./JG 2, Uffz. Hans Hahn of 4./JG 2 with a pair of Hurricanes, and Fw. Karl-Heinz Bendert of 4./JG 27, who shot down a pair of Spitfires on the 3rd. September 5th brought a continuation of the heavy attacks, with Biggin Hill being targeted yet again in both the morning and afternoon attacks. Other airfields which were hit hard included Croydon, Eastchurch, Lympne, North Weald, Detling, and Thameshaven. Sixteen Messerschmitts were downed, with one particular prisoner becoming immortalized in print and film thanks to his successful bid to escape from prison in Canada and make it back across the sea to Germany. Oblt. Franz von Werra was the Technical Officer of Stab./JG 3, and he had a number of kills to his credit.After his motor seized due to combat damage, von Werra was obliged to put the aircraft down
The mechanics at this captured field are keeping busy with ‘white 4’ on a lovely fall day; they will be needing that shelter in the background soon enough, however, as the snows of winter set in
on a farm at Winden Hill in Marden. Taken into custody, he managed to escape again and again, with no amount of solitary confinement or other punishment dimming his enthusiasm for returning to Germany. In December, he led a prison breakout which led him to Hucknall airfield, where after convincing all and sundry he was a Dutch officer who desperately needed to return to Holland, he was actually in a Hurricane preparing to take off when a Squadron Leader smelled a rat and forced von Werra from the Hurricane’s cockpit. He was then shipped off across the Atlantic, where his continual attempts at escape were to finally bear fruit; he leapt from a train traveling through
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Ontario, and made his way through the bitterly cold January weather to the United States. This proved to be quite an embarrassment to the US authorities, who attempted to have him extradited back to Canada. The German Embassy got him out of the country in short order, and he eventually made his way back home to a hero’s welcome, only to perish due to a mechanical failure in his Bf 109F-4 in October, 1941. Single engine fighter unit claims for the day totalled 46, with Helmut Wick increasing his score to 23, and a great number of pilots claimed double victories. Oblt. Helmut Reumschüssel of 2./JG 3 avenged the downing of von Werra and his Gruppenkamerad Ltn. Heinz Schnabel of 1./JG 3 by downing three Spitfires near London, thereby taking top honors for claims during the day. The 6th brought further airfield attacks, which were successfully beaten back by determined British fighter opposition, but it also brought a raid on a fuel storage area which caused significant damage. Thirteen additional Jagdwaffe fighters had been lost, with five pilots killed and eight taken prisoner, but the claims from the single-engine fighter units for the day totaled 56, with Mölders, Galland,Wick, Oesau, Ihlefeld, Meimberg, Müncheberg, and Rödel being among the pilots claiming victories on this date. Fighter Command’s back was against the wall; the RAF was weakening, and both the supply chain and the pilots were rapidly approaching the breaking point. If the airfield attacks continued at
this pace, the Hurricanes and Spitfires would be wiped out, and then nothing would stand in the way of large-scale bombing raids and outright invasion. But in one of the stranger twists of fate in WWII, Hitler himself provided the breathing room the RAF pilots so desperately needed. It came at the expense of ordinary Londoners, however. Despite the gruelling struggle throughout the late summer of 1940, the British had been conducting piecemeal bombing raids against Germany to continue to keep pressure on the home front. Among those raids was a small one on Berlin, and this wound up having an effect completely out of proportion to the actual size of the raid or the damage inflicted. Hitler was positively furious that enemy aircraft had gotten through to bomb the capital, and the raid provided the pretext for a shift in the focus of the Luftwaffe’s operation. Discussions were held between Göring, Kesselring, and Sperrle to determine how best to draw the remaining RAF fighters into the air to have them destroyed. Kesselring argued that an attack on London proper would draw an appropriately heavy response, given the importance of the city. Sperrle didn’t entirely trust the intelligence, and argued for a continuation of the airfield bombing campaign.With the Führer’s speech concerning retaliation fresh in mind, a decision was then made to focus on attacking London. In hindsight, this shift certainly cost the Luftwaffe the battle, and may have well set the stage for their eventual defeat five years later. As was now common, several large formations began forming up over France and heading towards England on the afternoon of
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8./JG 54 was one of the few Channel coast units to use very little mottling on their aircraft, as evidenced by ‘black 7’ seen here at Sitzbereitschaft on a dreary autumn afternoon
the 7th, and the RAF set up defensive patrols around the approach lanes to the airfields. However, they had completely misread the German intentions, and were therefore in no position to oppose the bomber fleets which proceeded to successfully bomb the Woolwich area. Several squadrons were vectored to intercept this raid as it headed back to France, but another series of attacks were inbound, all headed towards London. The escorting fighters had learned their lesson well in the raids of previous weeks, and the British pilots were continually thwarted from concentrating their attacks on the bombers. Confusion reigned again amongst the RAF fighter controllers, as the structures of these raids were unlike any they had previously experienced, and the weak defense gave the Germans the false impression that Fighter Command was indeed on its last legs. The bombing raids continued into the night, and would continue to come for all but one of the next 76 nights. The total German losses for the day amounted to 41, with 16 Bf 109s being lost to all causes. In contrast, however, the RAF had suffered another huge blow, with 26 fighters being lost and half of those pilots being killed outright. Fw. Erich Rudorffer of 9./JG 2 raised his score to 18 on this date by downing a Hurricane and two Spitfires in actions around the mouth of the Thames, while Oblt. Herbert Ihlefeld of 2.(J)/LG 2 brought down a brace of Spitfires between Rochester and Maidstone. Ofw. Max Bucholz of 3./JG 3 demonstrated the need for some remedial aircraft identification when filing claims for two ‘Moranes’ near Rochester; these were likely Hurricanes. Ltn. Helmut Meckel of 1./JG 3 claimed two Spitfires on this date as well, and both Wick and Mölders increased their scores by one each. Total singleengine fighter claims by the Jagdwaffe were again well in excess of the true British losses, with claims for 72 aircraft being filed, but in the heat of battle, one might be excused for assuming that a damaged aircraft pouring smoke and heading for the ground was completely destroyed. This was true for both sides, as claims by Fighter Command pilots were also higher than actual German losses. September 8th brought a period of inclement weather which limited the day’s operations; one Dornier Do 17Z and one Emil from I./JG 53 were lost in the course of a late afternoon raid. Of particular note on this date, Oblt. Helmut Wick of 6./JG 2 increased his score to 28 with the downing of three Hurricanes. The 9th saw an upswing in activity, with Fighter Command doing a much better job of vectoring the defending aircraft towards the incoming German raiders. The German formations were effectively broken up and a further 12 Bf 109s fell in combat, although 39 RAF aircraft were claimed in return. Oblt. Gerhard Schöpfel, Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 26, scored another three
victories, while Maj.Werner Mölders of JG 51 increased his score to 35 with the downing of a Spitfire around London. Hptm. HansKarl Mayer of I./JG 53 downed a Hurricane for his 20th victory, which qualified him for the Ritterkreuz, and Oblt. HermannFriederich Joppien of 1./JG 51 increased his score to 17 with the downing of a pair of Hurricanes during the day. No large-scale raids took place on the 10th due to the weather, but September 11th saw a series of large attacks against London, Portsmouth, and Southampton. Only five Bf 109s were lost, but the RAF was dealt another harsh blow with the loss of 25 aircraft and 11 of their pilots. Oblt. Herbert Ihlefeld of 2.(J)/LG 2 reached his 20th victory during the day, which brought the award of the Ritterkreuz, and Maj.Adolf Galland, Geschwaderkommodore of JG 26, increased his score to 30 with the downing of a Hurricane northwest of Dungeness. Ltn. Günther Büsgen of 1./JG 52 scored two victories on the 11th, although the victims were not the usual Hurricanes and Spitfires; a number of Fleet Air Arm Fairey Albacores and Bristol Blenheims were caught near the French coast, and Büsgen claimed one of each. Ltn.Waldemar Wübke of 9./JG 54 also downed a Blenheim, as did Oblt.Walter Fiel of 8./JG 53 and Oblt. Jakob Stoll of 9./JG 53. The shifting autumn weather was beginning to come into play more frequently now, with no raids on the 12th due to inclement weather. The 13th and 14th brought additional attacks on the London area, with only three 109s lost on the 14th. Oblt. Joachim Müncheberg of 7./JG 26 scored a victory over a Spitfire south of Maidstone for his 20th victory and the award of the Ritterkreuz, while Mölders and Galland increased
Proper knowledge of one’s location at all times is vitally important in aerial combat. Being able to recognize landmarks after emerging from a swirling dogfight often meant the difference between returning to base or ending the war in a POW camp
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Indicative of the hectic pace of operations, this 3./JG 27 Emil sports a replacement aft cowling and aft canopy section from another aircraft
The ‘Bonzo Dog’ emblem of 1./JG 2 is clearly seen here, as are the relatively orderly rows of hand-applied stipple camouflage on the cowling of this Emil
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their scores to 37 and 31, respectively, with single kills. Hptm. Walter Oesau, Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 51, was beginning to catch up to this group; he downed a pair of Spitfires to increase his score to 26. A decision was made to launch another major attack on London on the 15th which would mirror that of the 7th, with the intention of inflicting a mortal blow on Fighter Command. The RAF was ready for this assault, however, and no fewer than 16 squadrons were airborne and awaiting the arrival of the raiders. Each of the raiding formations was set upon with a vengeance and broken up, with bombers jettisoning their loads and scurrying for the French coast. This was no guarantee of safety however, as the British fighters continued to attack many of the bombers all the way back across the Channel. The Jagdwaffe had lost the initiative, and their previously successful escort scheme had fallen to pieces in the course of the afternoon. The strength of the defense came as a nasty surprise to the Germans, who had been continually deceived by their own intelligence...‘The RAF is down to its last 50 fighters’ had become something of a running
joke. Those ‘last 50 fighters’ managed to shoot down 20 Bf 109s and 41 other Luftwaffe aircraft, in spite of losing another 27 aircraft with 12 of those pilots being killed. Such a dramatic loss would have been a dying gasp just two weeks previous, but with the weight of attacks shifted from the airfields and production centers to London, Fighter Command was beginning to make good their losses. JG 3, JG 51, JG 52, and JG 53 were heavily involved in the day’s fighting, with I.(J)/LG 2 getting involved as well. Four pilots from that unit scored victories on the 15th, including Herbert Ihlefeld with his 22nd kill over a Spitfire near London, and Ofw. Hans-Joachim Marseille downing his fourth aircraft, a Hurricane, near the mouth of the Thames. Oblt. Hermann-Friederich Joppien of 1./JG 51 downed his 20th aircraft to qualify for the Ritterkreuz, and Maj. Galland of JG 26 brought down a single Hurricane to increase his score to 32. In a repeat of the events following Adlertag in August, Göring convened a conference the day after this major raid amongst the bomber and fighter squadron commanders as well as representatives from Luftflotten 2 and 3 to discuss the current situation, and what direction operations should take from here. Rather than summon the men all the way to Karinhall, however, Göring traveled via his personal armored train to Beauvais. The discussions were anything but pleasant, with the bomber crews accusing the fighter pilots of abandoning them to the vicious British defenses. The fighter commanders, for their part, were incensed to say the least, as they had been losing dozens and dozens of pilots and aircraft in trying to accomplish two mutually exclusive tasks; protect the bombers and destroy the British fighters. The intelligence failures leading to inaccurate British strength assessments were also shifted onto the fighter pilots, with Göring accusing them of falsifying victory claims. How else could the mysterious continual existence of those ‘last 50 fighters’ be explained? The continued heavy losses among the bombers led to a change in tactics which would see only the fastest Luftwaffe bomber, the Junkers Ju 88, taking part in daylight raids while the
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slower Heinkel He 111s and Dornier Do 17s would operate primarily at night. In addition, to keep up pressure on the defenders, it was decided to employ the 109 as a Jagdbomber, outfitting the aircraft with a centerline rack. Erp.Gr. 210 and II.(Schlacht)/LG 2 had already been employing the Bf 109 in this manner with a reasonable degree of success, so this was not an entirely unreasonable suggestion from a strategic point of view. However, fighter pilots are not typically strategically-minded, and this decision was met with something less than enthusiasm on the part of the Bf 109 pilots.Waldemar Wübke, flying in HansEkkehard Bob’s 9./JG 54, went so far as to paint the emblem of the German State Railway beneath the cockpit of his Messerschmitt, with the stencil ‘Im Auftrage des Deutsches Reichsbahn’ (In the service of the German State Railway... the standard marking on railway freight cars). Despite the misgivings of the Jagdwaffe pilots, however, the Jabo attacks achieved results far out of proportion to the amount of effort expended. The British had recovered several 109 wrecks over the past month and noted the presence of bomb racks, but they were still caught completely offguard by the appearance of bomb-carrying 109s. Indeed, one frantic conversation between a ground controller and a British patrol during a raid by 22 aircraft from II.(Schlacht)/LG 2 on 20 September had the controller demanding the British pilots attack the bombers that were currently causing havoc on the ground, while the pilots responded that no bombers were to be seen, just a group of Bf 109s. Fighter Command’s assets had been carefully preserved by focusing their defensive efforts on the bombers, avoiding the Jagdwaffe’s attacks whenever possible in order to avoid further
losses to fighter-vs-fighter combat. Now, that plan was thrown into complete disarray, and Göring was eager to take advantage of the confusion.All eight Channel coast Jagdgeschwadern were to designate one-third of their Staffeln as Jabo units, and field conversion units wasted no time in equipping the affected Staffeln with the necessary bomb attachment and release gear. The 21st through the 23rd brought no substantial action, but an all-Messerschmitt raid on the 24th with JG 2, JG 27 and JG 53 escorting the Bf 110s of Erp.Gr. 210 and ZG 76 was dispatched against the Supermarine factory in Southampton. In the meantime, I./JG 52 got into a fight with Spitfires northeast of Dover, and Oblts. Helmut Bennemann and Karl-Heinz Leesmann of 2.Staffel claimed a pair of Spitfires each. Oblt. Ulrich Steinhilper of 3. Staffel claimed a pair of Spitfires as well, flying ‘yellow 2’; he was shot down and taken prisoner on 27 October, surviving the war to write about his experiences in the book Spitfire On My Tail. 25 September saw Erp.Gr.210 on a diversionary raid while the Bristol Aeroplane Works was severely damaged by a heavy daylight attack. Opposition to the raids was light, with only Hptm. Helmut Wick and Fw.Wilhelm Hermes of JG 2 scoring victories. On the 26th, the raids shifted back to Supermarine’s works once more, with a successful attack being escorted by the
Emils of II./JG 53 and elements from all of JG 2. Indicative of the changing nature of the battle at this point, only thirteen claims were filed by the escorting pilots, with Helmut Wick scoring his 30th victory on this date. Fighter Command showed up in force on the following day, with over 70 claims being filed by Jagdwaffe pilots from nine different Jagdgeschwadern during the course of several raids on London, Dover, Maidstone, and other areas.Among the notable pilots scoring their first victories on this date were Uffz. Rudolf Ehrenberger of 6./JG 53, Fw. Xaver Ray of 8./JG 53, Uffz. Kurt Wolff of 3./JG 52, and Oblt.Wolfgang Ewald of Stab I./JG 52. Action on the 28th was heavy, with Oblt. Gustav ‘Mickey’ Sprick of 8./JG 26 scoring his twentieth victory, qualifying him for the Ritterkreuz. Other aces scoring kills on this date included Mölders,Wick, Schöpfel, and Machold.A newcomer to the Channel front with JG 53, 5. Staffel’s Uffz. Josef ‘Sepp’Wurmheller scored his second victory on this date as well. The 29th brought further freie Jagd patrols, with III./JG 51’s Gruppenkommandeur Hptm.Walter Oesau extending his score to 33, and Oblt. Ignaz Prestele of 2./JG 53 downing a pair of Hurricanes near London for his 7th and 8th victories. The largest series of attacks in September was launched on the 30th, with six individual daylight raids being launched against targets all across southeastern England. Fighter Command rose to the occasion, and successfully broke up almost every attack, causing the bomber formations to jettison their loads and speed back towards France. The pilots of the seven Jagdgeschwadern assigned escort duties and freie Jagd missions throughout the day did the best they could to protect their charges and disperse the RAF counterattacks, but despite claiming 49 victories, Fighter Command succeeded in downing 47 aircraft, including 11 Bf 109s from one of the afternoon attacks alone. True RAF losses amounted to 18 aircraft and five pilots.Among the Jagdwaffe pilots lost this afternoon was Uffz. Horst Perez of 4./JG 26. Attacked by Spitfires near Eastbourne, he was wounded and his
The Emil belonging to the Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 54, Hptm. Hubertus von Bonin, is seen here in a very interesting scheme consisting of a heavy, random overspray of RLM 02 followed by irregular streaks of RLM 71. The command chevrons consist of only a white outline, and von Bonin’s personal emblem is beneath the canopy (Photo: Riebl via Prien)
The pilot of ‘yellow 6’ from 9./JG 2 must have been a particularly brave soul, as his E-4 lacks the normal head armor in the canopy section
The Staffelkapitän of 5./JG 3 is seen here after returning from a mission. Note the command pennant on the antenna mast, and the barely visible aircraft name on the engine cowling
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This 1./JG 3 machine has had all the rivets and panel lines beneath the wing puttied over and sanded smooth, in an effort to further streamline the aircraft. The reason for all this attention is bolted beneath the belly; a brandnew ETC500 bomb rack. A fully-loaded Emil carrying an SC500 bomb would lose between 30 and 50 km/h of speed, so every effort was expended to maximize the performance of the aircraft serving as ‘bomb trucks’
This Emil of 8./JG 53 is having its MG17s rearmed; the mechanic on the wing appears to be working with the slide-in ammunition canisters
‘Yellow 11’ of 3./JG 53 has force-landed on the French beach at Nieuport, and a crew of men is attempting to retrieve the aircraft before the tide comes in
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Emil suffered sufficient damage that he was obliged to perform an emergency landing in an English field. The aircraft was recovered and sent across the Atlantic on a War Bonds tour, and then disappeared for dozens of years. In the late 1990s, the whereabouts of this aircraft became known, and it was brought back to England for a partial restoration. It is now on display on its belly in a diorama setting which simulates it ‘as received’. Having previously been flown by the Staffelkapitän of 4./JG 26, Hptm. Karl Ebbighausen, this is a truly significant survivor. With the successful dispersal of the last afternoon raid, the daylight attacks of September came to an end. This was also the last major daylight bombing attack against Britain; the ‘Night Blitz’ would continue unabated for weeks to come, but increasing reliance on the Jabo saw the massed formations of Heinkels, Dorniers, and Junkers in the daytime skies over Kent become a thing of the past. The 1st of October saw hundreds of sorties by Jabos and standard fighters, with the RAF remaining on alert for virtually the entire day. Damage from the Jabo raids was minimal, but Fighter Command suffered several losses to the speedy raiders. I./JG 2 scored four of the day’s nine Jagdwaffe claims, with newly-promoted I.Gruppe Kommandeur Helmut Wick raising his score to 36 by downing two Spitfires near Swanage. His former Staffelkamerad in 3. Staffel., Ltn. Franz Fiby, downed another Spitfire in this same engagement, as did Fw.
Rudolf Täschner of 1. Staffel. The 2nd saw further Jabo missions against London and longsuffering Biggin Hill, and 9./JG 53 logged the day’s only Jagdwaffe claims, with Ltn. Erich Schmidt and Uffz. Robert Wolfgarten each downing a pair of Spitfires in a melee near the mouth of the Thames River around 11 am. Little activity took place again until
the 5th, when heavily escorted Jabo raids on Dover and London saw 28 claims filed against 7 Bf 109 losses. I./JG 2’s Helmut Wick continued his streak of victories, claiming no fewer than five aircraft; three Hurricanes near Bournemouth around 11am, and two Spitfires east of the Isle of Wight on a late afternoon mission, bringing his total claims to 41. The pattern of concentrated overflights, freie Jagd patrols, and quick strikes by Jabo fighters continued without letup throughout the remainder of October.Although it was not discussed openly, the advantage had long since passed to the RAF; with the Luftwaffe’s failure to destroy the airfields and aircraft manufacturing centers in August and September, Fighter Command continued to grow despite continual raids, and those pilots who landed with injuries or bailed out of damaged aircraft landed on home soil, to rest and soon return to action. The Jagdwaffe had no such luxury; pilots who fell over England were lost for good, and those who ditched in the Channel faced the unpleasant prospect that rescue might be some time off, if ever.As the battle wore on through the fall, in fact, the English Channel became a bigger threat than Fighter Command in the minds of the increasingly exhausted Jagdflieger. They were being bled dry, with their most experienced men languishing in prison camps or,
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like Hptm. Horst Tietzen of 5./JG 51 lost on 18 August, having their bodies wash ashore days or weeks later, to be identified only by the documents carried in their waterlogged pockets. Still, there were battles to fight, and new equipment to be introduced. On 22 October, Maj.Werner Mölders flew a freie Jagd mission in a prototype of a brand new Messerschmitt fighter, the Bf 109F. He claimed a Hurricane on this sortie, the first kill for what many regard as the most excellent pure fighter aircraft to serve with the Luftwaffe. The ‘Friedrich’, as it was nicknamed, was not to enter full squadron service for a few months yet, but Mölders’ experience had shown it would be a formidable weapon indeed.Another weapon introduced by the Jabos during the month was the SD2 anti-personnel bomb. This fiendish little device, weighing a mere 2kg, caused all manner of havoc when fitted with motion sensitive fuses.Any attempt to remove them caused their immediate explosion, and their use led directly to significant war labor disruptions due to personnel evacuations. The Jagdflieger still swept across southeast England and those who survived continued to raise their scores. October proved to be a very productive month for Maj.Werner Mölders, with numerous days where he had two or more victories. On the 12th, he downed three Hurricanes around Lympne, Dungeness, and Canterbury, and on the 22nd, he raised his score to 51 with an additional trio of Hurricanes downed northwest of Maidstone. Maj. Galland of JG 26 was not far behind, and the newly promoted (again) Maj.Wick, the new Geschwaderkommodore of JG 2, had raised his score to 44 by the end of the month. The German propaganda corps made a great fuss about this trio of outstanding aces, and they were showered with public praise, but the strain of trying to stay in front, added with the normal administrative stress of running an enormous fighter wing, was beginning to take its toll on Wick in particular.With Mölders reaching 50 victories on 22 October, and Galland reaching that same milestone on 1 November,Wick went on another scoring spree. Three victories on the 5th, and an additional five more on the 6th made Wick the leading ace in the Luftwaffe.A mere three months before, he was happy to have been appointed the Staffelkapitän of 3./JG 2, and now he commanded the entire Geschwader. But three
weeks later, on 28 November,Wick was shot down into the Channel by a 609 Sqn. Spitfire after downing his 56th victim, and no trace of him or his aircraft has ever been found. On the same day, Maj. Galland raised his score to 56 as well, downing a Hurricane near Dartford. Mölders had gone on leave after his 54th victory on 29 October, and would not return until the beginning of 1941.Wick’s death provides a symbolic epitaph for the operations of the Jagdwaffe in the summer and fall of 1940. With the onset of bitter winter weather in December, operations effectively ceased for the remainder of 1940.All but two of the Channel coast Jagdgeschwadern were rotated back to Germany to rest and refit; some units had but one original pilot remaining of those present in July. The two units which remained, JG 2 and JG 26, soon traded their trusty Emils for the new Friedrich, and the older aircraft were sent to the Ergänzungsgruppen (replacement squadrons) and the Jagdfliegerschulen now scattered across Germany and the occupied territories. The 7. Staffel of JG 26 retained its Emils, however, and took them south to a new theatre of operations in February 1941. Their destination was Gela, Sicily, and they were to support operations against a tiny but stubborn little island named Malta.
There was no formal dress code in the field; these men of 1./JG 2 are wearing whatever they had handy as they watch ‘white 15’ warms up for an early evening mission. The overpainted cross areas are particularly noteworthy on this aircraft
Key: FSA = Fallschirmabsprung, parachute jump POW = prisoner of war MIA = missing in action KIA = killed in action WIA = wounded in action DOW = died of wounds Stfhr = Staffelführer Stkp = Staffelkapitän Kom = Kommandeur T.O. = Technischer Offizier
Bf 109 losses in Channel Coast Operations Partial Jagdwaffe Loss Listing for Channel Coast Operations. The following list is by no means comprehensive; there are nearly 300 Bf 109s in this table, but these are only the ones for which complete or nearly complete information exists, such as subtype, WNr, pilot, unit, markings, date of loss, reason for loss, location of loss, and any additional details. This list has been selected and offered to aid the modeler in choosing less well-known subjects; while Luftwaffe camouflage is always subject to interpretation, often times aircraft within the same Staffel or Gruppe would have the same basic camouflage and marking schema, such as 7./JG 26’s habit of carrying the aircraft number beneath the windscreen. Any errors in translation or data lie solely with the author.
JG 2 Losses Date Type 10.05.41 Bf 109E-7 23.09.40 Bf 109E-4
W.Nr. 6254 1969
Name Adrian, Oblt. Ulrich Dilthey, Uffz. Fritz
Unit 1./ JG2 4./ JG2
Code white 3 + white 2 + -
09.07.40 30.08.40 15.10.40
Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-4
3909 2765 1588
Götz, Oblt. Adolf-Friedrich von Harbauer, Ofw. Karl-Heinz Hellriegel, Fw. Horst
1./ JG2 4./ JG2 3./ JG2
white 8 + white 1 + yellow 8 +
11.06.40
Bf 109E-4
2751
Klopp, Ofw. Heinrich
5./ JG2
black 1 + -
14.10.40 06.09.41 30.12.41 09.07.40 09.06.40
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7/U2 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-1 Bf 109E
720 5983 7676 3320 unk.
Lux, Ogefr. Johann Machold, Oblt. Werner Mayer, Ltn. Kurt Melchert, Uffz. Willi Metz, Oblt. Karlheinz
7./ JG2 7./ JG2 1./ JG2 5./ JG2 8./ JG2
white 12 + | white 15 + ^^ white 13 + black 6 + black 2 + |
15.11.40
Bf 109E-4
5947
Miese, Uffz. Rudolf
4./ JG2
white 10 + -
Reason Stkp. Killed in crash during test flight POW after combat with Spitfires from 72 Sqn (Cosby & Glew). Belly landing POW after combat. Emergency landing KIA in FSA after combat with Spitfires POW after combat. Emergency landing MIA after combat with Spitfire from 602 Sqn (McDowall). FSA MIA, probably due due to altitude sickness. Crashed. Stkp. POW due to Flak KIA in combat POW after combat with Spitfire from 41 Sq. (Scott) Stkp. POW after collision with Bf 109E of Fw. Gotz Also attacked by Johnson of 46 Sq. before crash landing POW after combat with 74 Sq. (Glendinning). parachuted. Poss. WNr 5949 POW after combat with Spitfires. Stkp. POW after combat with Spitfire from 145 Sqn (Plt Off Offenberg). Belly landing POW after combat with Hurricane from 43 Sqn
15.10.40 Bf 109E-1 3279 Pollach, Gefr. Alois 4./ JG2 white 10 + 11.01.40 Bf 109E-4 5159 Reifferscheidt, Oblt. Herman 1./ JG2 white 9 + Note: Overpainted R badge and Stab markings; yellow cowling and rudder. Dense mottling over original high camo line 09.02.40 Bf 109E-4 1452 Stein, Uffz. Emil von 4./ JG2 white 12 + Note: R badge: white cowling and crudely painted yellow rudder. Dense mottling over original high camo line 13.08.40 Bf 109E-1 5068 Temme, Oblt. Paul Stab I./ JG2 black < + Adj. POW after combat with RAF fighters. Emergency landing Note: R badge; overall dark green with high RLM65 line just forward of tailplanes, red tipped spinner, 3 kill markings on top of rudder, thin white on fuselage cross 28.11.40 Bf 109E-4 5344 Wick, Major Helmut Stab./ JG2 black < – + Kom. MIA after combat with Spitfire from 609 Sqn Note: 54 kill markings (Flt Off Dundas)
Location Kernicis near Brest off Folkestone
% Damage 100% 100%
St. Ragegund’s Abbey, near Dover100% Walderslade 100% Bowcombe Down, near 100% Newport, Isle of Wight off Monk’s Bay, Bonchurch, 100% near Ventnor, Isle of Wight Sway, Hampshire 100% Swanage, England 100% off Brest 100% off Folkstone 100% Detling 100% off Bognor Regis, West 100% Sussex Everton, near Lymington, Hants 100% Sidlesham, near Selsey 100% West Hythe, south of Lympne 100% (Flt Off Reynell) Emergency landingCastle Shoreham 100% SW of the Isle of Wight
100%
Reel, Britannia
59
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JG 3 Losses Date Type WNr Name Unit Code Reason 24.08.40 Bf 109E-4 unk. Achleitner, Ltn. Franz 9./ JG3 yellow 8 + | POW after combat. FSA 15.10.40 Bf 109E-4 1294 Bauer, Ofw. Willi 8./ JG3 black 7 + | POW after emergency landing due to combat 15.08.40 Bf 109E-4 unk. Ehlers, Fw. Hans 2./ JG3 black 6 + Emergency landing after combat 23.09.40 Bf 109E-1 6304 Elbing, Uffz. Karl 7./ JG3 white 3 + | POW after combat with British fighters. Parachuted 30.10.40 Bf 109E-4 6360 Fahrian, Uffz. Alfred 6./ JG3 yellow 9 + POW, shot down by Hurricane of 17 Sqn (Czernin) 09.07.40 Bf 109E-4 5249 Göttmann, Oblt. Leonhard Stab III./ JG3 black < + | Adj. KIA in combat 09.05.40 Bf 109E-4 750 Grabow, Uffz. Heinz 3./ JG3 yellow 7 + POW after combat. emergency landing Note: Cowl is yellow with masked out area for yellow Tatzelwurm. Rudder is white. Yellow spinner tip. On starboard only is a small black disk with a white ‘X’ behind cross 10.05.40 Bf 109E-1 4865 Herwarth-Bittenfeld, Fw. Fritz von 1./ JG3 white 2 + POW after combat. 24.08.40 Bf 109E-1 unk. Kaiser, Uffz. Wilhelm 9./ JG3 yellow 12 + | POW after combat. 28.09.40 Bf 109E-4 5338 Lampskemper, Ofw. Bernard 2./ JG3 black 8 + POW after combat with Booth of 85 Sqn. Emergency landing Note: Red Tatzelwurm and tip of spinner. Cowl, wingtips, and rudder are yellow. Area of Tatzelwurm is masked off. 09.09.40 Bf 109E-1 6316 Massmann, Uffz. Matthias 7./ JG3 white 6 + | POW after engine damage in combat. Emergency landing Note: Segmented spinner. Smallish Fuselage crosses. Yellow cowling (all the way back to cockpit) and rudder. 31.08.40 Bf 109E-4 1082 Rau, Oblt. Helmut 3./ JG3 yellow 4 + Stkp. POW after combat. emergency landing. Shot down Note: Yellow Tatzelwurm. Yellow spinner tip, segmented spinner. Very small Fuselage crosses. 3 black kill markings on fin by Berry of 603 Sqn 17.11.40 Bf 109E-4 4898 Riedel, Gefr. Richard 2./ JG3 black 8 + KIA, failing to pull out of a dive in attack on Spitfires 13.10.40 Bf 109E-4 860 Rungen, Gefr. Hubert 7./ JG3 white 7 + | POW after combat while escorting Jabos Note: White tip to spinner. Yellow upper cowling and rudder. Factory code letters ‘GY’ still visible behind cross Emergency landing 09.05.40 Bf 109E-4 1985 Schnabel, Ltn. Heinz 1./ JG3 white 6 + POW after combat. Emergency landing. Almost escaped in Note: White Tatzelwurm spinner tip; segmented spinner; smallish fuselage crosses; 2 red kill markings at top of white rudder 1941, stole a Magister but ran out of fuel 30.10.40 Bf 109E-4 1474 Schuller, Gefr. Eugen 6./ JG3 yellow 1 + POW after being shot down by Griffiths of 17 Sqn (Hurricane) 18.08.40 Bf 109E-4 1990 Tiedmann, Oblt. Helmut 2./ JG3 black 13 + Stkp. POW after combat. Emergency landing Note: Red Tatzelwurm, earliest-known spiral spinner. Wing, tailplane and rudder tips are yellow 09.01.40 Bf 109E-4 3237 Troha, Oblt. Egon 7./ JG3 white 12 + | Stfhr. crash landing after combat. Hit in instrument panel, caused propellor and engine damage 29.10.40 Bf 109E-4 5153 Troha, Oblt. Egon 9./ JG3 yellow 5 + | Stkp. POW after combat. (Achleigner’s 109; Troha flew Note: III Gruppe on cowl, seahorse badge fuselage side; yellow upper cowl & rudder, 5 regular & 1 other kill marks on rudder ‘gelbe 13’) JG 26 Losses Date Type WNr Name Unit Code Reason 22.10.40 Bf 109E-4 1124 Arp, Uffz. Heinrich 2./ JG26 black 10 + KIA in combat by Hurricane from 257 Sqn (Coke) 24.08.40 Bf 109E-4 Beese, Fw. Artur 9./ JG26 yellow 11 + | crash landing after combat Note: Hollenhund badge, yellow cowl 18.08.40 Bf 109E-4 unk. Blume, Ltn. Walter 7./ JG26 white 13 + | POW after combat with Hurricane from 32 Sqn WIA. Note: Red heart badge? Repatriated 10/43 17.09.40 Bf 109E-1 6294 Bock, Uffz. Karl-Heinz 7./ JG26 white 2 + | POW after emergency landing due to engine trouble Note: Schlageter badge. Yellow cowl, spinner and rudder. Small A/c number and crosses. Previous to yellow cowl (early August) had staffel badge on a small 6-sided white design 11.05.40 Bf 109E-4/B 3259 Braun, Fw. Walter 9./ JG26 yellow 11 + | POW after collision with Bf 109E-4 WNr 3740 (EBELING) Note: Hollenhund badge, Schlageter badge, yellow cowl panels and rudder. Very high camo line typical of this unit Crash landing 09.01.40 Bf 109E-1 3892 Bürschgens, Ltn. Josef 7./ JG26 white 11 + | POW after combat with Spitfires, hit by 110 while attempting its defense 08.11.40 Bf 109E-1 4495 Bürschgens, Ltn. Josef 7./ JG26 white 7 + | Emergency landing after combat with Spitfire from 74 Sqn Note: Small A/c number and crosses, ‘red heart’ badge, yellow triangle section on rudder top, high color line camo (poss. WNr 1195) 14.09.40 Bf 109E-1 5813 Dähne, Oblt. Kurt Stab I./ JG26 black < + Adj. KIA in combat with Hurricane from 253 Sqn (Sgt. Dredge) (Or collision with same?) 11.05.40 Bf 109E-4/B 3740 Ebeling, Oblt, Heinz 9./ JG26 yellow 3 + | Stkp. POW after collision in flight with Bf 109E WNr 3259 Note: Hollenhund & Schlageter badges, yellow cowl, spinner, rudder. 18 red kill marks on blue block, rudder. Very high camo line 31.08.40 Bf 109E-4 3712 Ebeling, Oblt, Heinz 9./ JG26 yellow 3 + | Stkp. combat with RAF fighters. Rescued 25.10.40 Bf 109E-4 3724 Eichstädt, Oblt. Kurt 8./ JG26 black 12 + | KIA in combat, probably with Spitfire from 66 Sqn 07.08.41 Bf 109E-7 3711 Finke, Uffz. Karl 5./ JG26 black 6 + KIA, cause unknown 27.06.41 Bf 109E-7 4183 Friedrich, Gefr. Otto 4./ JG26 white 10 + KIA in combat 31.08.40 Bf 109E-4 1184 Fronhöfer, Oblt. Wilhelm 9./ JG26 yellow 10 + | POW after combat with Spitfire from 54 Sqn (Gray) Note: Hollenhund badge, Schlageter badge. Very high camo line. Smallish a/c number. 1 black kill markings on rudder. Small crosses 25.10.40 Bf 109E-4 5815 Gärtner, Fw. Josef 8./ JG26 black 7 + | POW after combat with Spitfire from 92 Sqn (Villa). Poss. WNr 5185 23.09.40 Bf 109E-4 5817 Grzymalla, Ofw. Gerhard 8./ JG26 black 9 + | POW after combat with Spitfire from 92 Sqn (Kingcombe). Parachuted (or emergency landing?) 07.10.41 Bf 109E-7 3855 Hammen, Uffz. Hermann 2./ JG26 black 7 + MIA, Cause unknown 12.05.40 Bf 109E-7 5968 Heinemann, Ltn. Hans 1./ JG26 white 4 + KIA in combat with Spitfires 17.11.40 Bf 109E-7 5967 Henrici, Oblt. Eberhard 1./ JG26 white 13 + (?) Stkp. MIA after combat with Hurricanes from 257 Sqn 09.06.40 Bf 109E-1 3877 Holzapfel, Gefr. Peter 7./ JG26 white 5 + | MIA after combat with Spitfires 29.10.40 Bf 109E-4 5794 Jäckel, Fw. Konrad 8./ JG26 black 1 + | POW after combat with Hurricanes from 17 Sqn (Kumiega & Hogg). Poss. WNr 3794 15.11.40 Bf 109E-4 6353 Jaros, Fw. Otto 3./ JG26 yellow 9 + POW after combat with Hurricane frim 605 Sqn (Wright) Parachuted 14.06.41 Bf 109E-7 4105 Kahse, Oblt. 1./ JG26 white 5 + Combat with Spitfire from 603 Sq. Pilot rescued. (Loss report says WNr 4501, III./JG26) 28.11.40 Bf 109E-4 3755 Kaminsky, Fw. Wolfgang 1./ JG26 black 13 + MIA, probably after combat with Spitfires from 19 Sq. 14.08.40 Bf 109E-1 4827 Kemen, Uffz. Gerhard 1./ JG26 white 8 + POW after combat with Hurricanes, 32 Sqn. Parachuted, WIA 27.12.40 Bf 109E-1 4911 Koch, Gefr. Dietrich 9./ JG26 yellow 6 + | KIA in combat with Coastal Command Blenheim. 09.07.40 Bf 109E-4/B 5385 Krug, Oblt. Hans 4./ JG26 white 12 + Stkp. POW after combat with Hurricanes of 501 Sqn. Note: Tiger Head badge Emergency landing 23.09.40 Bf 109E-4 3735 Küppers, Fw. Arnold 8./ JG26 black 4 + | POW after combat with Spitfires from 92 Sqn. Emergency landing 12.12.40 Bf 109E-4 3708 Lindemann, Uffz. Rudolf 7./ JG26 white 2 + | POW after combat with Hurricanes from 229 Sqn. (F/O Bright & P/O Bary). FSA 21.06.41 Bf 109E-7 6497 Lüders, Ofw. Franz 6./ JG26 brown 2 + POW, shot down by Burton (616 Sq.) & Macachek (145 Sqn). Parachuted 15.11.40 Bf 109E 5796 Martin, Uffz. Max 8./ JG26 black 13 + | Transfer flight- maybe Sprick’s a/c? 26.03.41 Bf 109E-7 3738 Martin, Uffz. Max 8./ JG26 black 2 + | Test flight 01.11.41 Bf 109E-7 4163 Martin, Uffz. Max 8./ JG26 black 2 + | Transfer flight 14.06.41 Bf 109E-7 6490 Menge, Ltn. Robert Stab I./ JG26 yellow 1 + KIA in combat with Spitfire from 92 Sqn (Sqn Ldr Rankin) 11.07.40 Bf 109E-4 677 Müller, Ofw. Wilhelm 3./ JG26 yellow 1 + MIA after combat with Hurricanes from 249 Sqn 15.11.40 Bf 109E-7 1442 Otto, Oblt. Hans 1. Erg./ JG26 black 13 + Injured in FSA due to collision in flight with Bf 109E-4 WNr 1150 21.06.41 Bf 109E-7 6462 Otto, Uffz. Ewald 6./ JG26 brown 13 + POW, shot down by Spitfire of 74 Sq. (Carlson). Parachuted 30.09.40 Bf 109E-3 1190 Perez, Uffz. Horst 4./ JG26 white 4 + POW after combat with Spitfire from 92 Sqn. Emergency landing. Note: Schlageter badge, tiger head badge of 4./JG 26 beneath cockpit. Yellow cowl & rudder. 5 white kill markings on fin Formerly Ebbinghausen’s a/c; now on display at Duxford 15.11.40 Bf 109E-4 1150 Richter, Fhr. Heinz 1. Erg./ JG26 black 4 + Killed in FSA due to collision in flight with Bf 109E-7 WNr 1442 25.10.40 Bf 109E-4 5795 Ripke, Ltn. Hermann 8./ JG26 black 2 + | KIA in combat with Spitfire from 92 Sqn (Sherrington). Poss. WNr 3795 11.05.40 Bf 109E-4 1374 Scheidt, Fw. Erhardt 1./ JG26 white 12 + POW after combat with 242 Sqn (Fg Off McKnight) and 19 Sqn (Fg Off Haines), parachuted. Poss. WNr 3625
60
Chapter 7
Location % Off Herne Bay Princes Golf Course, Sandwich Colembert Off Kingsdown Leylands Themse-Mündung Wichling, Faversham, Kent
Damage 100% 100% 25% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Runsell Farm, Bethersden Broom Hill Farm, Camber Pevensey (Kent)
100% 100% 100%
Cooper’s Field, Flimwell
100%
Shoeburyness (Essex)
100%
Melon Farm, Ivychurch, Kent Cuckold Coombe, Hastingleigh near Ashford Handen Farm, Chapfall, near Aldington, Kent Court Lodge Farm, East Farleigh, Kent Leeds near Maidstone
100% 100%
100%
Desvres near Boulogne
100%
Wootton Cross Roads Sheppardswell, Kent
100%
Location Off Littlestone Golf Links St. Inglevert
100% 100%
% Damage 100% 100%
near Canterbury
100%
Broomhill Farm, Rye
100%
Wittersham
100%
Newbridge, Iden near Rye
100%
near Caffiers
80%
Beacon Hill, Stone, near 100% Teynham Wittersham 100% Crash landing. Loss rep’t. says WNr 2740 100% Church Street Farm, near 100% Ticehurst Road Station, Sussex 100% 100% Jubilee Hill, Ulcombe 100% Congelow Farm, Yalding
100%
Biddenden, near Tenterden
100%
SE of Dover 20km east of Harwich South of London Marsh House Farm, Tillingham, Essex Blackbush Corner, Horndon on the Hill, Essex
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
10km NE of Dungeness Coldred, west of Dover West of Le Treport Sheerlands Farm, Pluckley, Kent Grain Fort, Isle of Grain Abbey Farm, Leeds Castle Estate, Kent Bridge, Kent
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Caffiers Abbeville Dieppe (?) South of Fl.Pl. Marquise Themsemündung Grand Fort Philippe SE of Ramsgate East Dean, near Eastbourne
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Fort Philippe Sevenoaks
100% 100%
Albion Road, Birchington
100%
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15.11.40
Bf 109E-4/B
1250
Schiffbauer, Ofw. Robert
3./ JG26
yellow 2 +
28.08.40
Bf 109E-4
1353
Straub, Fw. Karl
7./ JG26
white 13 + |
30.10.40 Bf 109E-4 5242 Töpfer, Uffz. Kurt 7./ JG26 white 8 + | 28.11.40 Bf 109E-4 1289 Wolf, Uffz. Heinz 2./ JG26 red 2 + Note: Devil’s head badge on cowl, Schlageter badge. Yellow cowl & rudder. Factory codes ‘FA’ show through (aft of cross)
POW after combat with Hurricanes from 605 Sqn. Emergency landing POW after combat with Hurricanes from 79 Sqn. Emergency landing KIA in combat Spitfires of 41 Sqn POW, probably after combat with Spitfires from 19 Sqn. Emergency landing. Remains on display in South Africa
JG 27 Losses Date Type WNr Name Unit Code Reason 30.08.40 Bf 109E-1 3271 Arnold, Fw. Ernst 3./ JG27 yellow 12 + POW after combat with Spitfire from 603 Sqn (Carbury) Note: JG 27 badge; high camo line. Top color is grey. Yellow cowl and spinner. Scissors/R badge behind cockpit Faversham 30.08.40 Bf 109E-1 6270 Axthelm, Oblt. Erwin 3./ JG27 yellow 6 + POW after combat with enemy fighters 10.07.40 Bf 109E-4 751 Bartsch, Uffz. Lothar 9./ JG27 yellow 13 + POW after combat. FSA 09.09.40 Bf 109E-4 1394 Bode, Oblt. Gunther Stab I./ JG27 white < + Gruppe Adj. POW after combat with enemy fighters. Note: JG 27 badge; yellow lower cowl and rudder. High camo line Emergency landing 09.06.40 Bf 109E-4 2762 Braun, Fw. Erich 5./ JG27 black 6 + POW after combat with enemy fighters. FSA 09.09.40 Bf 109E-1 3488 Daig, Oblt. Erwin 5./ JG27 black 13 + POW after combat with Spitfires. Emergency landing Note: II Gruppe ‘bear’ badge; overall dense camo. Yellow cowl and rudder. Green/white spinner. II Gruppe symbol is red with white umrand! 30.09.40 Bf 109E-1 4851 Fischer, Oblt. Karl 7./ JG27 white 9 (below screen) POW after combat. Emergency landing Note: 9’ unoutlined on nose; overall dense camo. yellow cowl (with masked off area for a/c number) and rudder. black/white spinner. Factory codes still visible (PH+LV) 09.03.40 Bf 109E-1 2686 Fluder, Oblt. Emmerich 5./ JG27 black 15 + Injured, being rammed by Bf 109E-1 WNr 6336 which was taking off 18.09.40 Bf 109E-1 2674 Glöckner, Gefr. Walter 9./ JG27 yellow 1 POW after combat. Emergency landing 28.10.40
Bf 109E-8
4906
Gonschorrek, Uffz. Artur
5./ JG27
black 2 + -
POW after combat with enemy fighters
17.11.40 30.09.40
Bf 109E-1 Bf 109E-1
4082 6306
Grotum, Uffz. Willi Hammer, Uffz. Robert
3./ JG27 4./ JG27
yellow 6 + white 7 +
POW after combat with enemy fighters. Crashed into the sea POW after combat with enemy fighters
27.09.40
Bf 109E-1
3369
John, Gefr. Hans-Dieter
5./ JG27
black or red 11 + -
POW after combat with enemy fighters (Died 4.5.41)
18.09.40
Bf 109E-4
5388
Krafftschick, Oblt. Rudolf
1./ JG27
white 10 + (?)
KIA in combat with enemy fighters
10.07.40 10.07.40
Bf 109E-1 Bf 109E-1
3665 3881
Lederer, Uffz. Paul Lege, Uffz. Paul
5./ JG27 5./ JG27
black 10 + black 14 + -
POW after combat, shot down by Hurricanes of 605 Sqn KIA in combat, shot down by McKellar of 605 Sqn
24.10.40 18.08.40
Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-4
1558 unk.
Linke, Uffz. Ulrich Mitsdörffer, Ltn. Gerhard
8./ JG27 1./ JG27
black 2 (cowl) white 6 +
Missing after crash due to engine trouble POW after combat with enemy fighters. Crashed at sea
09.03.40 Bf 109E-1 6336 Morgenstern, Uffz. Wilhelm 4./ JG27 white 9 + Injured ramming Bf 109E-1 WNr. 2686 during take-off 18.08.40 Bf 109E-4 1455 Neumann, Oblt. Julius 6./ JG27 yellow 6 + POW after emergency landing due to combat 11.05.40 Bf 109E unk. Niederhöfer, Uffz. Hans 5./ JG27 red 9 + emergency landing due to engine trouble 09.06.40 Bf 109E-4 6318 Nittmann, Gefr. Ernst 7./ JG27 white 8 (below screen) POW due to emergency landing after combat Note: III Gruppe badge. ‘8’ unoutlined on nose; overall dense camo. White cowl (with masked off area for a/c number) and rudder. Black/white spinner 27.10.40 Bf 109E-4 1603 Pointer, Oblt. Anton 8./ JG27 black 10 (cowl) Stkp. POW after combat 09.09.40 Bf 109E-1 6280 Rauwolf, Uffz. Georg 6./ JG27 yellow 7 + POW after combat with enemy fighters. Parachuted 27.09.40 Bf 109E-4 1447 Scheidt, Uffz. Josef 6./ JG27 yellow 5 + KIA in combat with enemy fighters 20.07.40 Bf 109E-1 3271 Scherer, Ltn. Ulrich 3./ JG27 yellow 12 + MIA after combat with enemy fighters 30.09.40 Bf 109E-1 3859 Schmidt, Ltn. Herbert 6./ JG27 yellow 3 + POW after combat with enemy fighters 09.06.40 Bf 109E-1 3225 Schüller, Oblt. Werner 3./ JG27 Note: JG 27 badge; green 70 rudder. High camo line. Scissors/R badge behind cockpit 18.09.40 Bf 109E-1 6327 Schultz, Fw. Ernst 9./ JG27 Note: 7’ on nose. Overall dense grey camo, yellow cowl and rudder, red/yellow striped spinner 09.05.40 Bf 109E-1 3627 Ströbl, Ltn. Helmut 5./ JG27 15.09.40 Bf 109E-1 6147 Walburger, Uffz. Andreas 2./ JG27 Note: Dense overall camo. Yellow cowl panels. red/white spinner 09.12.40 Bf 109E-1 3859 unknown 6./ JG27 27.10.40 Bf 109E-4 2794 unknown 8./ JG27 JG 51 Losses Date Type WNr Name 25.10.40 Bf 109E-4 3737 Asmus, Hptm. Hans 09.02.40 Bf 109E-4 3714 Bär, Fw. Heinz Note: I Gruppe badge & 1. staffel Mickey Mouse on disc; 8 kill markings on fin 24.08.40 Bf 109E-4 5587 Beeck, Ofw. Fritz
yellow 11 +
POW after combat with enemy fighters. FSA
Location Westwood Court, near
100% 100% 100% 100%
% Damage 100%
Park House, Westwell 100% Oak Farm, Headcorn 100% Knowle Farm, Mayfield, Sussex 100% Bank Farm, Tudeley Charity Farm, Cootham, near Storrington, Sussex Queen Anne’s Gate, Windsor Great Park Fiennes
100% 100% 100% 70%
Royal St. George’s Golf Links, 100% Willow Farm, Sandwich near Pinewood Garage, London 100% Road, Maidstone Off Portsmouth 100% Pelsham House, Peasmarsh, 100% Sussex Mays Farm, Selmeston, 100% near Lewes Squirrels Wood, Stockbury, near 100% Sittingbourne Bedgebury Wood nr Cranbrook 100% Mayfield Flats, Hadlow Down 100% near Heathfield Cap Gris Nez 100% 10-30km south of the Isle 100% of Wight Fiennes 95% Shanklin, Isle of Wight 100% Brüssel b Blean, near Canterbury 100% Hooks Woods, Lenham Mounts Farm, Benenden, Kent Hale Farm, Eccles 40km NE of Cherbourg Holmans Grove, Grayswood, near Haslemere West of Themsemündung
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
brown 7 (cowl)
POW due to emergency landing after combat
Harringe Court, Sellindge
100%
black 2 + black 5 +
KIA due to combat with Spitfires POW after combat with British fighters. Emergency landing
Appledore Stn, nr Elham/Kent Homestead, Ifield, nr Uckfield
100% 100%
yellow black 13 + (?)
Taxiing accident emergency landing after combat
Fl.Pl. Rennes By Cap Gris Nez
30% 20%
Unit 9./ JG51 1./ JG51
Code black < – + white 13 +
Reason POW after combat (was Mölders’ usual aircraft) Crashed into Kanal due to combat. Pilot rescued
Location Marden, Kent Kanal
6./ JG51
yellow 10 + badge
East Langdon, Kent
100%
100%
7./ JG51 4./ JG51
white 4 + | white 4 + badge
POW after combat, probably with Hurricanes from 501 Sqn POW after combat
Crundale House Farm, Crundale, Kent Stonewall Farm, Hunton, Kent Elham (Kent)
5./ JG51 3./ JG51 7./ JG51
black 2 + badge yellow 13 + white 14 +
MIA after combat with 12 Spitfires of 602 Sqn POW after combat with Spitfires of 602 Sqn POW after combat with 12 Hurricanes and Spitfires. FSA
POW due to engine damage during combat with 56 Sqn (Plt Off Wicks) Only 6./JG51 pilot lost in BoB Note: Yellow segment in rudder & cowl, 3 white kill markings on fin. II Gruppe badge. Yellow tips on wings and tailplanes. Dense camo. red/white spinner 27.11.40 Bf 109E-4 1634 Benzinger, Uffz. Adolf 3./ JG51 brown 6 + KIA in combat with Spitfires of 74 Sq. and 41 Sqn
25.10.40 Bf 109E-4 3548 Birk, Fw. Leonhard 07.08.40 Bf 109E-3 1162 Böhm, Ltn. Johann Note: Dense overall camo (greens). black spinner. Red surround to number 29.10.40 Bf 109E-4 1397 Brunk, Fhr. Otto 29.10.40 Bf 109E-1 4816 Bubenhofer, Fw. Karl 28.08.40 Bf 109E-4 1523 Dau, Ofw. Arthur
RAF Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey Goodnestone House Farm, Goodnestone Brook Farm, Marden Udimore near Rye/Sussex
% Damage 100% 100%
South of London Gate Inn, west of Elham Garden Wood, Pulton Farm, South Alkham
100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
27.11.40 Bf 109E-4 3745 Dhein, Uffz. Heinz 27.11.40 Bf 109E-4 1653 Erdniss, Fw. Wilhelm Note: Yellow rudder & cowl. Dense grey camo. Black spinner 11.11.40 Bf 109E-4 5210 Filke, Uffz. Hans-Joachim 08.05.40 Bf 109E-3 unk. Fleig, Ofw. Erwin Note: ‘Zylinder hut’ 10.01.40 Bf 109E-4 5814 Gerneth, Uffz. Eduard 27.11.40 Bf 109E-4 4104 Heidorn, Gefr. Werner
2./ JG51 3./ JG51
black 6 + brown 5 +
MIA while on Jabo sortie after combat with 74 Sqn and 66 Sqn POW after combat
Monks Horton, Kent
100% 100%
7./ JG51 1./ JG51
white 9 + | white 8 +
MIA after combat Ground collision with Bf 109E of Pitcairn during take-off
Themsemündung Fl.Pl. Pihen
100% b
1./ JG51 2./ JG51
white 9 + black 7 +
Chequers, Shadoxhurst
100% 100%
29.07.40 27.11.40
6./ JG51 3./ JG51
yellow 10 + brown 2 + -
KIA in combat with Spitfire from 41 Sqn (Lovell). POW? MIA while on Jabo sortie after combat with Spitfires from 74 Sqn and 66 Sqn KIA in combat with Soitfires MIA after combat with Spitfires of 74 Sqn and 41 Sqn
SE of Dover probably Sarnden Farm, Iden Green, Kent Owls Castle Farm, Lamberhurst Nieuport Laindon, Essex
100% 100%
Bf 109E Bf 109E-1
1342 6218
Hemmerling, Fw. Eduard Hergesell, Gefr. Joachim
15.10.40 Bf 109E-1 3535 Höhn, Uffz. Erich 4./ JG51 04.12.41 Bf 109E 3819 Hübner, Ofw. Werner 4./ JG51 11.05.40 Bf 109E-1 4826 Illner, Ofw. Johann 4./ JG51 Note: II Gruppe badge 07.09.40 Bf 109E-3 1160 Illner, Ofw. Johann 4./ JG51 Note: II Gruppe badge. ‘Gretel’ and lips w/cigarette butt, at least 2 variations in camo.
white 2 + badge white 6 + white 6 + badge white 2 + badge
POW after combat with 3 Spitfires and 14 Hurricanes Killed in crash POW after combat with Spitfire from 92 Sqn (Plt Off Bartley). Parachuted, WIA Emergency landing after combat, repaired and flown again from 3.8. Claimed a Spitfire off Le Touquet 5.7. P.O.W 5.11.40
100% 100% 100%
Le Touquet
b
Reel, Britannia
61
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11.05.40 Bf 109E-1 Note: II Gruppe badge 28.10.40 Bf 109E-4 26.02.41 Bf 109E-4/B 09.07.40 Bf 109E-4 29.10.40 Bf 109E-1 23.11.40 Bf 109E-1
4868
Jäger, Oblt. Franz
5./ JG51
black 6 + badge
Killed in crash, cause unknown
off Dungeness
100%
1420 3753 4097 4828 3868
John, Fw. Hans Dieter Keitel, Oblt. Hans-Karl Koch, Uffz. Kurt Lenz, Uffz. Alfred Loppach, Ogefr. Günther
4./ JG51 Stab IV./ JG51 9./ JG51 4./ JG51 11./ JG51
white 10 + badge black << + yellow 11 + | white 5 + badge black 3 + +
10km off Cap Gris Nez Mitte Kanal Little Clacton, Essex Horsham, Sussex Ivychurch near New Romney
100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
12.01.40 10.07.40
Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-4/B
4852 4103
Miesala, Uffz. Walter Mölders, Oblt. Viktor
9./ JG51 2./ JG51
yellow 4 + | black 1 +
Mitte Kanal Doleham Farm, Guestling
100% 100%
22.10.40
Bf 109E-1
4822
Müller, Fhr. Kurt
3./ JG51
yellow 10 +
East of Hastings
100%
white 8 + + white 3 +
KIA in FSA after combat. Chute didn’t open. Kdr. KIA in combat with Hurricanes of 615 Sqn POW after combat with Spitfires. KIA in combat with 30 Spitfires from 74 and 253 Sqn (Marsland) POW after combat with Spitfires from 41 Sqn (Sqn Ldr Finlay). Emergency landing KIA in combat Stkp. POW after combat, probably shot down by Sgt. Wright of 605 Sqn. Emergency landing POW after severe damaged in combat with Spitfires from 74 Sqn (Mungo-Park & Malan). Crash landing in Kanal Stkp. Injured in ground collision with Bf 109E of Fleig during take-off KIA, probably in combat with Spitfires from 66 Sqn KIA in combat, presumably in this machine
yellow 3 + black 9 + | black 2 + white 2 + black 12 +
Stkp. Flak over Dover, but returned to base. Actually struck by wingman KIA in combat with 253 Sqn (Edge) Foxhole Farm, Wadhurst POW after combat with 18 Hurricanes off Margate Adj. MIA after combat with Spitfires of 602 Sqn South of London POW after Jabo sortie. Emergency landing. On display at Hendon RAF Manston
50% 100% 100% 100% 100%
black 1 +
Stkp. KIA in combat with 30 Hurricanes. Believed shot down by Zenker of 501 Sqn KIA in combat with 30 Spitfires from 253 and 74 Sqn (Nelson)
off Whitstable
100% 100%
08.05.40 Bf 109E-3 unk. Pitcairn, Hptm. Douglas 1./ JG51 Note: ‘Zylinder hut’ 26.11.40 Bf 109E-4 2052 Rosen, Fw. Adolf 10./ JG51 08.05.40 Bf 109E-4 5337 Schmid, Fw. Karl 1./ JG51 Note: 9 black kill markings on fin 25.10.40 Bf 109E-4 4099 Schnell, Oblt. Karl-Heinz 9./ JG51 09.11.40 Bf 109E-1 6293 Siemer, Fw. Hermann 8./ JG51 15.08.40 Bf 109E-4 unk. Stiegenberger, Fw. Otto 5./ JG51 29.10.40 Bf 109E-4 5334 Terry, Oblt. Ernst Stab I./ JG51 27.11.40 Bf 109E-4 4101 Teumer, Ltn. Wolfgang 2./ JG51 Note: Yellow rudder & cowl. Grey camo. Black/white spinner 18.08.40 Bf 109E-3 unk. Tietzen, Oblt. Horst 5./ JG51 Note: II gruppe badge on aft fuselage; 15 white kill markings in one row on fin + 3 atop 29.10.40 Bf 109E-4 5370 Tornow, Ltn. Heinrich 4./ JG51
white 1 +
b 100% 100%
14.11.40
Bf 109E-4
6266
Vorbach, Fhr. Erich
1./ JG51
white 8 +
09.07.40
Bf 109E-3
5091
Werner, Gefr. Heinrich
3./ JG51
yellow 9 + -
KIA in combat with RAF fighters. (Fg Off Barclay of 249 Sqn and Flt Lt Burnett of 46 Sqn) POW after combat. Parachuted
09.11.40 Bf 109E-4 1641 Note: 10 black kill markings on fin 09.07.40 Bf 109E-1 4840
Wiggers, Hptm. Ernst
2./ JG51
black 1 + (?)
Stkp. KIA in combat with 253 Sqn (Higgins)
Dodds Farm, Langton, Tunbridge Wells Sacketts Hill Farm, St. Peters, Broadstairs Oad Street, Borden, near Sittingbourne Houndean Bottom, Lewes
zur Lage, Uffz. Heinz
3./ JG51
yellow 7 +
POW after combat. Parachuted
Bethersden, near Ashford
100%
Name Bacher, Fw. Alfons Barkhorn, Ltn. Gerd Bielefeld, Oblt. Willy Bielmeyer, Fw. Ludwig
Unit 2./ JG52 6./ JG52 7./ JG52 5./ JG52
Code red 2 + yellow 2 + white 6 + ^^ (?) black 4 +
Reason POW after combat with Spitfires from 54 Sqn emergency landing Notwasserung after combat. Rescued. Stkp. KIA in combat with 111 Sq. (P/O Wilson) POW after combat with Spitfires from 41 Sqn (M.P. Brown). Parachuted POW due to engine damage, after combat with Spitfire from 54 Sqn (Plt Off Gribble) POW after combat with RAF fighters. WIA
Location % Golf Club House at Sandwich Kanal SE of Dover Mereworth Wood
Damage 100% 100% 100% 100%
Minster Road, Westgate
100%
JG 52 Losses Date Type 26.08.40 Bf 109E-1 29.10.40 Bf 109E-7 25.07.40 Bf 109E 20.10.40 Bf 109E-7
W.Nr. unk. 5922 unk. 5930
white 9 + badge
Fl.Pl. Pihen SE of Hastings, Sussex
24.08.40 Bf 109E-1 unk. Bischoff, Fw. Herbert 1./ JG52 white 9 + Note: I Gruppe badge. Dense grey/green camo. Black/white spinner 10.08.40 Bf 109E-1 3465 Boche, Fw. Paul 4./ JG52 white 2 + Note: Yellow rudder and cowl. 4 staffel badge on right side only. Dense green camo. Black/white spinner 27.09.40 Bf 109E-4 5181 Bogusch, Fw. Hans 4./ JG52 white 4 + 27.09.40
Bf 109E-1
3442
Bosch, Gefr. Ernst
4./ JG52
white 12 + -
27.10.40 12.10.40
Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-3
1268 1966
Bott, Gefr. Karl Büsgens, Oblt. Günter
2./ JG52 1./ JG52
black 5 + white 11 +
11.02.40 20.10.40
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-4
3784 2780
Ensslen, Hptm. Wilhelm Friedemann, Ofw. Walter (Albert?)
Stab II./ JG52 6./ JG52
black << + yellow 1 + -
27.09.40 27.09.40
Bf 109E-1 Bf 109E-1
6245 3431
Geiss, Ltn. Heinz Hoffmann, Fw. Herbert
4./ JG52 5./ JG52
white 5 + black 3 + -
POW after combat with RAF fighters. Parachuted POW after combat with 222 Sqn (Sgt Scott). Emergency landing. WIA POW after combat with 605 Sqn (Flt Lt McKellar). FSA. Staffelfuhrer. POW after combat with Spitfires from 92 Sqn (Plt Off Wade). FSA, WIA Kdr. MIA after combat KIA in FSA after combat with Spitfires from 41 Sqn (Fg Off Lovell & Brown). Chute didn’t open POW after combat with RAF fighters. Emergency landing POW after combat with Hurricanes from 249 Sqn (Plt Off Barclay) FSA POW after combat with RAF fighters POW after combat. Emergency landing
26.08.40 Bf 109E-1 unk. Malecki, Ogefr. Wladislaw 2./ JG52 red 1 + 30.09.40 Bf 109E-4 3417 Mummert, Gefr. Erich 4./ JG52 white 2 + Note: Yellow rudder and cowl. A/c number is small. 4 staffel badge on right side only. Dense green camo. Black/white spinner 25.07.40 Bf 109E unk. Reiss, Uffz. Max 8./ JG52 black or red 6 + ^^ POW after combat with Spitfires of 610 Sqn. Emergency landing 27.10.40 Bf 109E-4 3525 Schieverhöfer, Fw. Lothar 3./ JG52 yellow 4 + POW after combat with Spitfires from 74 Sqn. Emergency landing 27.10.40 Bf 109E-4 2798 Steinhilper, Oblt. Ulrich 3./ JG52 yellow 2 + POW after combat with Spitfires from 74 Sqn. FSA, WIA 26.10.40 Bf 109E-7 5929 Strack, Ofw. Oskar 1./ JG52 white 6 + MIA, probably due to combat 24.04.41 Bf 109E-7 5895 Struck, Ofw. Günther 2./ JG52 black 6 + POW, shot down by Spitfire Vbs of 92 Sqn (Sqn Ld Rankin & Flt Lt Brunier) 09.02.40 Bf 109E-4 1261 Uerlings, Fw. Heinz 1./ JG52 white 12 + POW after combat with 46 Sqn (Plt Off Ambrose). Belly landing. Note: I Gruppe badge. Dense grey/green camo. Black/white spinner. Rear portion of rudder is white Poss. WNr 1251 12.10.40 Bf 109E-4 5283 Voss, Fw. Siegfried 3./ JG52 yellow 3 + POW after combat. Parachuted 30.09.40 Bf 109E-4 1262 Wolff, Fw. Kurt 3./ JG52 12.08.40 Bf 109E-1 3367 Zaunbrecher, Uffz. Leo 5./ JG52 Note: 5 Staffel badge. High camo line (70/02/65). Red spinner. Thin white outline to a/c number
yellow 12 + red 14 +
POW after combat. FSA POW after combat with Spitfires from 610 Sqn. Crash landing
JG 53 Losses Date Type 09.09.40 Bf 109E-1
W.Nr. 6139
Name Becker, Gefr. Peter
Unit 8./ JG53
Code black 1 + |
Reason KIA in combat
28.10.40 18.09.40
1531 4842
Berg, Fw. Albert Bodendiek, Ltn. Erich
4./ JG53 4./ JG53
white 3 + white 10 + -
POW after combat. emergency landing POW after combat with Spitfires from 66 Sqn (Oxspring) Parachuted, WIA Kdr. emergency landing after combat
Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-1
20.10.40 Bf 109E-1 4112 Bretnütz, Hptm. Heinz Stab II../ JG53 black << + Note: Yellow rudder, 20 white kill markings in masked area; yellow cowl, NO JG53 badge; long II gruppe bar 15.09.40 Bf 109E-1 3619 Feldmann, Uffz. Karl-Heinz 3./ JG53 yellow 2 + POW after combat. Emergency landing 10.02.40 Bf 109E-4/B 5901 Fiel, Oblt. Walter 8./ JG53 black 7 + | Stkp. POW after combat with Spitfires. Belly landing Note: Red/white spinner, trimmed with white and black. Yellow cowl and rudder. red stripe around cowling. 70/71/65 with 02 mottle 12.02.40 Bf 109E-4 5328 Fischer, Ltn. Siegfried 1./ JG53 white 8 + MIA after combat with Spitfires 10.05.40 Bf 109E-4 1804 Gehsla, Uffz. Wilhelm 1./ JG53 white 10 + POW after combat with Hurricane. Emergency landing Note: Yellow rudder, wingtips and upper cowl, 7 black kill markings on rudder. Grey camo. Black/white spinner 26.10.40 Bf 109E-1 6391 Geisswinkler, Uffz. Karl 6./ JG53 yellow 8 + KIA in combat with Spitfire (Fokes) of 92 Sqn 16.08.40 Bf 109E-4 unk. Hansen, Fhr. Christian 2./ JG53 black 2 + POW after combat. Emergency landing- first recorded ‘red ring’ 109 downed in UK
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Chapter 7
100% 100% 100%
Little Grange Farm, Woodham 100% Mortimer, Essex Morrison House Farm, near 100% St. Nicholas at Wade, Thanet Northbourne Park, near 100% Sandwich East Park, East Grinstead 100% Beans Hill, Harrietsham 100% London area Woolwich
100% 100%
Petham, near Canterbury Brick House Farm, High Halden, near Tenterden, Kent near Acol Detling
100% 100%
Elvington Court near Deal Penhurst landing-ground Ramsgate, 25km north Dover Off Littlestone Black House Farm, Camber, Kent Tile Lodge Farm, Hoath, near Westbere, Canterbury The Limes, Brabourne Down, near Ashford Clayton Farm, Peasmarsh Berwick (Sussex)
Location Sundown Farm, Ditcham, Hampshire Haywards Heath Guilton Ash near Sandwich St. Inglevert
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
% Damage 100% 100% 100% 5%
Dymchurch Redoubt, Kent 100% Addelsted Farm, East Peckham 100% Dungeness area Frith Farm, near Aldington
100% 100%
Chalket Farm, Pembury Godshill, Isle of Wight
100% 100%
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12.08.40 Bf 109E-4 unk. Harder, Hptm. Harro Note: 6 white kill markings on fin; red cowl band; thin fuselage cross, swastika 11.02.40 Bf 109E-4 5171 Hofmann, Oblt. Friedrich 13.08.40 Bf 109E-4 unk. Hohenfeldt, Uffz. Wilhelm 09.09.40 Bf 109E-4 1508 Höhnisch, Fw. Heinrich
Stab III./ JG53
black << + |
Kdr. KIA in combat with Spitfires
East of the Isle of Wight
100%
7./ JG53 5./ JG53 1./ JG53
white green 10 + white 5 +
MIA after combat with Spitfires POW after combat with Spitfire from 609 Sqn (Crook). FSA POW after combat. FSA, injured
100% 100% 100%
POW after combat with Hurricanes. Emergency landing. Injured MIA after combat. Crashed on take-off Crash landing POW after combat with Spitfire. Emergency landing
London area Poole Harbor (Dorset) Cherry Tree Farm, near Old Jail Inn, Jail Lane, Biggin Hill NW of Hythe Themsemündung Berck-sur-Mer St. Aubin Monkton, near Manston
MIA after crash during transfer flight, probably due to icing Undercarriage damage
Über See Rennes
100% b
09.02.40 Bf 109E-1 3584 Karl, Uffz. Werner 1./ JG53 white 14 + 11.11.40 Bf 109E-4 865 Kauffmann, Ofw. Werner 4./ JG53 white 9 + 10.08.40 Bf 109E-1 6200 LItjens, Ofw. Stefan 4./ JG53 white 5 + 05.04.41 Bf 109E-4 1223 Louis, Ofhr. Joachim Erg.St./ JG53 black 6 + 09.05.40 Bf 109E-1 5375 Meyerweissflog, Hptm. Wilhelm Stab./ JG53 black < | + Note: Red/white spinner. Red stripe around cowling. White rudder and, according to SAM, wingtips. 75/76 with 75 mottle 12.11.40 Bf 109E-8 4882 Müller, Uffz. Rudi 1./ JG53 white 9 + 19.08.40 Bf 109E-4 unk. Ohly, Oblt. Hans 1./ JG53 white 7 + Note: 4 white kill markings; interesting camo line on fuselage, wings; red cowl band 13.08.40 Bf 109E-1 unk. Pfannschmidt, Fw. Hans-Heinz 5./ JG53 green 9 + -
100% 100% 65% 25% 100%
POW after combat with Spitfire from 609 Sqn (Nowierski). off Weymouth 100% WIA. Released in POW exch. 23.10.43 Note: Green 70 spinner. Yellow cowl & rudder. Red stripe around upper cowling. Green 71 uppers(?), grey 02 sides & 65 undersurfaces 30.09.40 Bf 109E-1 5175 Poschenrieder, Uffz. Ernst 7./ JG53 white 12 + | POW after combat. Emergency landing Strood, near Rochester, Kent 100% Note: Yellow rudder, spinner and cowl. Dense green camo. Thin white outlines to balkenkreuz. Long III Gruppe bar 11.02.40 Bf 109E-1 4034 Ray, Fw. Xavier 8./ JG53 black 6 + | POW after emergency landing due to engine trouble. Lower Herdres, Kent 100% Poss. WNr 4031 09.02.40 Bf 109E-4 1569 Rühl, Uffz. Heinrich 1./ JG53 white 10 + Crashed in the sea after combat. Pilot rescued SE of Dover 100% 17.10.40 Bf 109E-4/B 1106 Rupp, Oblt. Walter 3./ JG53 yellow 1 + Stkp. POW after combat with Spitfire from 74 Sqn Manston 100% (Plt Off Draper). Belly landing Note: Yellow spinner, lower cowl and rudder. Red stripe around lower cowling. 70/71/65 with 02 mottle. 2 white kill markings. Semi-high camo line 27.10.40 Bf 109E-4 5243 Schlitt, Uffz. Hermann 4./ JG53 white 5 + MIA after combat with Spitfire from 66 Sqn (Cook) near Tunbridge-Wells 100% 30.11.40 Bf 109E-1/B 4900 Schmid, Fw. Hermann 6./ JG53 white 11 + POW due to engine damage Wheelsgate Farm, Old 100% Note: Pik-As’ badge. yellow/green 70 spinner. Yellow rudder and cowling Romney, Kent 12.10.40 Bf 109E-4 885 Schmid, Uffz. Hermann 6./ JG53 yellow 9 + WIA in combat over London Über London 5% 30.09.40 Bf 109E-4 1325 Scholz, Fw. Walter 3./ JG53 yellow 13 + POW after combat. emergency landing Langley, nr Eastbourne (Sussex) 100% Note; RLM 70 spinner with yellow tip, yellow cowl, wingtips, rudder and possibly the tips of the tailplanes; appears to 70/71/65 (or 70/02). Solid color on sides, Mid-level camo line. 4 white kill markings on fin – his? 09.06.40 Bf 109E-4 1506 Schulte, Uffz. Hans-Georg 7./ JG53 white 5 + | POW after combat with Spitfires. Belly landing Vincents Farm, near Manston 100% Note: White nose, spinner and rudder. Overpainted red stripe around cowling. 70/71/65. Dense color on sides of plane. Thin white outline to balkenkreuz. Also appears to be 2 overpainted kill markings on tailfin 16.08.40 Bf 109E-4 unk. Schulz, Gefr. Karl 6./ JG53 gelb 11 + – (?) Combat. Crashed into the sea, rescued Kanal 100% Note: Red band, overpainted Pik-As badge 25.10.40 Bf 109E-4 1080 Schulz, Uffz. Karl 6./ JG53 yellow 2 + MIA after combat with Spitfires from 66 Sqn FSA 10km NE of Hastings 100% 12.01.40 Bf 109E-4 885 Seufert, Ofw. Bernhard 6./ JG53 yellow 9 + KIA in combat with Spitfire of 421 Flight (Fg Off Hartas) off Dymchurch, 4-5km SE 100% of Folkestone 09.01.40 Bf 109E-4 5087 Strasser, Ltn. Herbert 7./ JG53 white 10 + | POW after combat with Hurricane. parachuted. Shot down Strand Bridge, Winchelsea, 100% by Goodman of 85 Sqn Near Rye 10.02.40 Bf 109E-4 5374 Stronk, Oblt. Siegfried 8./ JG53 black 4 + | KIA in combat with Spitfires. Sutherland Avenue, Biggin Hill 100% 30.09.40 Bf 109E-1 6384 Vogel, Uffz. Karl 4./ JG53 white 3 + POW after combat. Off Beachy Head 100% 11.11.40 Bf 109E-8 4888 Volk, Oblt. Josef 9./ JG53 yellow 12 + | POW after combat with Hurricane. parachuted. Peasmarsh, Sussex 100% 30.11.40 Bf 109E-4/B 1145 Wägelein, Uffz. Fritz 5./ JG53 grey 3 + WIA in combat. POW. DOW on 3.12. Poss. ‘grüne 3’ Court Lodge Farm, Ruckinge 100% 10.02.40 Bf 109E-1 6370 Zag, Gefr. Heinz 8./ JG53 black 3 + | POW after combat with Spitfire. emergency landing. Forge Farm, near Goudhurst 100% 23.11.40 Bf 109E-1 4010 Zauner, Ltn. Otto 5./ JG53 grey 12 + POW after combat with Hurricane from 605 Sqn (Sgt Pettit). Near Smeeth, Kent 100% Note: Yellow rudder and cowl. ‘Pik-As’ badge. Dense green camo. Black/white/red spinner Emergency landing 10.05.40 Bf 109E-4 1564 Zeis, Ltn. Alfred 1./ JG53 white 3 + POW after combat with Hurricanes of 501 Sqn Sheerlands Farm, Pluckley 100% Note: 10 white kill markings; RLM 71/02 patchy camo 30.11.40 Bf 109E-4 5052 Zerr, Gefr. Franz 9./ JG53 yellow 9 + | Rammed during combat. Notwasserung. Pilot rescued. Dover area 100% Poss. ‘gelbe 5’ 09.03.40 Bf 109E-4 1244 unknown 4./ JG53 white 5 + Emergency landing after combat Sempy 55% 27.09.40 Bf 109E-4 1168 unknown 6./ JG53 yellow 4 + Combat Berck-sur-Mer (?) 10% 20.09.40 Bf 109E-1 5175 unknown 7./ JG53 white 12 + | Emergency landing after combat Boulogne 5% 26.07.41 Bf 109E-1 2781 unknown Erg.Gr./ JG53 white 11 + Crash landing due to engine trouble Near Vannes 75% JG 54 Losses Date Type 17.11.40 Bf 109E-4 22.12.40 Bf 109E-4/B 30.09.40 Bf 109E-4
W.Nr. 1627 3752 5116
Name Aspern, Oblt. Roloff von Bauch, Uffz. Willi Braatz, Uffz. Wilhelm
Unit 5./ JG54 7./ JG54 9./ JG54
Code black 1 + black << + ~ yellow 6
17.11.40 Bf 109E-4 984 Dollinger, Ofw. Wilhelm 5./ JG54 black 9 + 12.08.40 Bf 109E-4 unk. Dresz, Oblt. Albrecht Stab III./ JG54 white < – + Note: III Gruppe badge. White stripe on green 70 spinner. Yellow wingtips. Coloured in green 71/02 with same colors as mottle 12.08.40 Bf 109E-4 unk. Eberle, Ltn. Josef 9./ JG54 yellow 13 + 09.02.40 Bf 109E-1 3470 Elbers, Uffz. Heinrich 8./ JG54 black 2 +
Reason Stkp. MIA after combat with Spitfires from 41 Sqn Injured in crash landing due to fuel shortage KIA in combat MIA after combat with Spitfires from 41 Sqn T.O. POW after combat. Emergency landing. (Also spelled ‘Drewes’) WIA in combat. Belly landing POW after combat. Emergency landing
Location Themsemündung Dairy Farm, Golden Green near Tonbridge, Kent Themsemündung Hengrove near Margate
% Damage 100% 90% 100%
Finns Farm, Kingsnorth, near Ashford Note: 8 staffel badge. Green 70/white spinner. Rear half of rudder is white. Appears to be 70/71/65 with large 02 blotching. A/c number is below and in front of cockpit. Thin white outline to Balkenkreuz 11.02.40 Bf 109E-4 1624 Grothe, Ltn. Otto 4./ JG54 white 3 + MIA after combat with enemy fighters Near Dungeness 23.11.40 Bf 109E-4 4114 Helmberger, Ogefr. Simon Stab II./ JG54 black < + Reported lost, believed to have crashed into the sea. Apparently returned 03.12.41 Bf 109E-4/B 3911 Helmberger, Uffz. Simon 4./ JG54 white 8 + Killed, crashing into the sea after take-off Near Cherbourg 15.11.40 Bf 109E-4 1501 Hier, Ofw. Paul 4./ JG54 white 10 + KIA in combat Off Shoeburyness 16.03.41 Bf 109E-4 5909 Hofe, Oblt. Werner Pichon Stab./ JG54 black <- + T.O. belly landing due to engine damage. near Le Mans Kalau vom 28.09.40 Bf 109E-4 unk. Hrabak, Hptm. Dietrich Stab II./ JG54 black << + Emergency landing after combat with Spitfires Fl.Pl. Marck 20.10.40 Bf 109E-4 1525 Iburg, Fw. Adolf 9./ JG54 yellow 6 POW after combat with Spitfire of 605 Sqn (McKellar) North Fording House, near New Romney 12.10.40 Bf 109E-4 4869 Malischewski, Ltn. Bernard Stab III./ JG54 bk/wh/bk < | + POW after combat with Spitfire from 92 Sqn (Sqn Ld Tuck) Small Hythe, Tenterden, Kent Poss. WNr 0968 Note: Incomplete III Gruppe badge. Green/white spinner with green 25 tip. Yellow upper cowl (to cockpit) and rudder. Another bizarre JG54 scheme, appears to be primarily 02. 4 white kill markings on rudder 30.09.40 Bf 109E-1 6050 Marcke, Uffz. Fritz 7./ JG54 white 4 (below screen) POW after engine damage in combat. Emergency landing Rock House Banks, near Normans Bay, Bexhill, Sussex 28.08.40 Bf 109E-1 6204 Schöttle, Fw. Otto 1./ JG54 white 4 + POW after combat with S/L Denholm of 603 Sqn. Copt Hill Farm, Capel/Kent Emergency landing 9.10.40 Bf 109E-4 5327 Schweser, Fw. Fritz 7./ JG54 white 6 + POW after combat with Thomas of 222 Sqn. Emergency landing Meridan Hunt Farm, west of Hawkinge 25.10.40 Bf 109E-4 1988 Schypek, Oblt. Joachim 5./ JG54 red 7 + POW, cause unknown Walls Farm, Kent Note: Unfinished II Gruppe badge. Yellow lower cowl and rear 1/2 rudder. 5 black kill markings on rudder. Green/white/red spinner. Cross-hatched 02 camo on sides. Topsides appear to be in greys 09.01.40 Bf 109E-4 1277 Stangl, Oblt. Anton 5./ JG54 black 14 + Stkp. POW after mid-air collision with another Bf 109E Bonnington, near Ashford, Kent 27.09.40 Bf 109E-4 5165 Steegmann, Oblt. Hans Stab II./ JG54 black < + Adj. MIA after combat (Hastings) 25.10.40 Bf 109E-4 5178 Wagner, Ltn.Dr. Ernst 5./ JG54 black 2 + POW after becoming lost trying to elude fighters. Galloways, Dungeness Emergency landing
100% 100% 50% 100%
100% 100% 100% 100% 70% 70% 100% 100%
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Reel, Britannia
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JG 53 was not the only squadron to experiment with camouflage differences. ‘Yellow 5’ of 6./JG 51 is seen here with its pilot and crew, with heavily applied soft patches of RLM 02 on the upper fuselage causing a very patchy appearance. The 5 and the background of the ‘Gott Strafe England!’ badge are in RLM 27, a lighter yellow than RLM 04 (Photo: Wadman)
Oblt. Karl-Heinz Leesman of 2./JG 52 certainly knows how to show a lady a good time, as evidenced by this whimsical scene (Photo: de Visser via Prien)
27.10.40 Bf 109E-1 3576 Zimmermann, Uffz. Arno 7./ JG54 white 13 (below screen) POW after combat with enemy fighters. Radiator damage Note: 7 staffel badge. White spinner. Yellow upper cowl and rudder. Appears to be very light grey with same color blotching. A/c number is below and in front of cockpit 26.08.40 Bf 109E-1 3639 5./ JG54 black 4 + Belly landing due to engine trouble JG 77 Losses Date Type 01.05.41 Bf 109E-4 31.08.40 Bf 109E-4
W.Nr. 1305 5105
Name Baumgartner, Uffz. Wilhelm Ehrig, Oblt. Hans-Jürgen
Unit 9./ JG77 1./ JG77
Code yellow 8 + white 13 +
8.10.40 14.09.40
966 3854
Escherhaus, Ltn. Heinz Ettler, Fw. Heinz
1./ JG77 1./ JG77
white 10 + white 4 +
Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-1
Reason Take-off accident Stkp. POW after combat. Shot down by Robinson of 601 Sqn. Crash landing POW after raft opened up in the cabin, forcing him to land! POW after combat. emergency landing
31.08.40 Bf 109E-1 3652 Evers, Fw. Walter 1./ JG77 white 9 + POW after combat. DOW. Shot down by MacDonald of 601 Sqn 09.07.40 Bf 109E-4 5811 Goltzsche, Ofw. Gotthard 1./ JG77 white 11 + POW after combat. Shot down by S/L Johnstone of 602 Sqn Note: Yellow spinner, cowl (to cockpit) & rudder. white tip to spinner. Camo in greys with heavy, almost solid mottle on fuselage sides 31.08.40 Bf 109E-1 4068 Keck, Uffz. Xaver 1./ JG77 white 8 + POW after combat. FSA. 31.08.40 Bf 109E-1 6092 Kramer, Fw. Günther 1./ JG77 white 5 + POW after combat. Shot down by Taylor of 601 Sqn. Emergency landing 26.11.40 Bf 109E unk. Lange, Hptm. Franz Stab II./ JG77 black << + Kdr. Before a sortie to England 31.08.40 Bf 109E-1 4448? Petrenko, Ltn. Bruno 1./ JG77 white 4 + POW after combat. Crash landing 25.10.40 Bf 109E-4 5104 Raisinger, Gefr. Karl 3./ JG77 brown 13 + POW after radiator damage in combat. Belly landing Note: 3 staffel badge. Yellow spinner,cowl & rudder. Camo in greys with heavy mottling on fuselage sides. 4 black kill markings on fin, 3 in front of swaztika, 1 behind 20.10.40 Bf 109E 4007 Wilhelm, Fw. Heinz 3./ JG77 yellow 11 + POW after combat 17.01.41
Bf 109E-4
LG 2 Losses Date Type 14.09.40 Bf 109E
743
W.Nr. 2014
Name Blazejewski, Uffz.
7./ JG77
white 7 +
Take-off accident
Unit 6.(Schl)/ LG2
Code yellow 1 + -
Reason POW after combat with Spitfires from 72 Sqn. FSA
Lydd Marshes
100%
Insel Beveland
30%
Location Fl.Pl. Dinan Gates Farm, High Halden
% Damage 50% 100%
Eastry, Kent 100% Long Barn Farm, Boxley Hill, 100% near Detling, Kent Court Farm, Hunton 100% Rolvenden, near Tenterden, 100% Kent between Walderslade and Boxley100% Shornemead Fort, Gravesend 100%
Brook House Farm, Navestock 100% Harveys Cross, Telscombe, 100% near Saltdean, Sussex Foxhunt Green, Chervey Farm, 100% Waldron, near Uckfield Fl.Pl. Dinan 20%
Location % Damage Thanet Wood, New Street Farm, 100% Great Chart, near Ashford, Kent Off Greatstone 100% Little Stour River, Wickhambreux 100% Hawkinge 100%
10.07.40 Bf 109E-4/B 5391 Bley, Uffz. 4.(Schl)/ LG2 white ^ + A POW after combat. Crashed at sea 09.07.40 Bf 109E-7 5798 Goetting, Uffz, Werner 1.(J)/ LG2 white 11 + POW after combat. Shot down by Furst of 310 Sqn 09.06.40 Bf 109E-4/B 5567 Gottschalk, Fw. Werner 6.(Schl)/ LG2 yellow ^ + C POW due to Flak Note: Front to back, white, blue, white, black spinner. white rudder. 6 staffel badge. Camo in greys with fairly light overall overspray. Black triangle in front of Balkenkreuz 29.10.40 Bf 109E-4/B 5593 Harmeling, Ofw. Josef 4.(Schl)/ LG2 white ^ + N POW after combat with RAF fighters. Emergency landing. WIA Langenhoe Wick (Essex) 100% Note: White/blue/whiteblue spinner, yellow upper cowl and rudder, 4. Staffel badge; Camo is grey with fairly light overall overspray. Black triangle in front of Balkenkreuz 15.09.40 Bf 109E-7 2058 Klick, Uffz. August 3.(J)/ LG2 brown 2 + badge POW after combat with Spitfires. Emergency landing Shellness Point, Isle of Sheppey 100% Note: Yellow cowl (to cockpit), spinner and rudder. 3 staffel badge (in yellow) behind Balkenkreuz. Camo in greens and greys with heavy grey overspray 12.11.40 Bf 109E-7 5941 Kraft, Oblt. Victor Stab II.(Schl)./ LG2 green ^ + D POW after combat with Spitfires from 66 Sq. (Fg Off Allen). Forge Farm, Badlesmere, Kent 100% Parachuted. Poss. WNr 5491 15.10.40 Bf 109E-7 3734 Lenz, Oblt. Ludwig Stab I.(J)/ LG2 black < + KIA after bomb was hit by groundfire Spruce Lawns, Elham 100% 20.10.40 Bf 109E 2059 Maierl, Uffz. Franz 3.(J)/ LG2 brown 8 + KIA after combat with 74 Sqn (Mungo-Park). FSA Chapel Farm, Lenham Heath 100% 09.02.40 Bf 109E-1 3579 Marseille, Fhr. Hans-Joachim 1.(J)/ LG2 white 14 + crash landing. Now airworthy with Ed Russell in Canada Fl.Pl. Calais-Marck 50% 10.07.40 Bf 109E-4/B 5566 Mörschel, Uffz. 4.(Schl)/ LG2 white ^ + F POW after combat. WIA. Crash landing? Tunbridge Wells 100% Note: Black triangle in front of Balkenkreuz 10.05.40 Bf 109E-4/B 3726 Pankratz, Fw. Erhardt 6.(Schl)/ LG2 yellow | ^ + M POW after combat. Emergency landing Pelsham Farm, Peamarsh 100% Note: Front to back, white, blue, white, blue spinner. Yellow upper cowl and rudder. 6 staffel badge. Camo in green 71 and grey 02 with fairly heavy grey overspray. black triangle in front of Balkenkreuz 29.10.40 Bf 109E-4/B 5562 Rank, Fw. Max 4.(Schl)/ LG2 white ^ + B Crashed after combat. Pilot DOW Goldhanger, Essex 100% 02.10.41 Bf 109E-4 1084 Ryback, Uffz. Karl 1.(J)/ LG2 white 3 + KIA in combat with Hurricanes of 249 Sqn Mardyck area 100% 29.10.40 Bf 109E-4/B 4145 Schenk, Oblt. Benno von 5.(Schl)/ LG2 black ^ + S Stkp. POW after combat with RAF fighters. FSA, DOW Langenhoe 100% 15.03.41 Bf 109E-7 3725 Seidel, Ofw. Albert 5.(Schl)/ LG2 black ^ + L KIA, shot down by Hurricane of 615 Sqn (Adj. Lafont) Off coast of Kent 100% 31.08.40 Bf 109E-4 1399 unknown 3.(J)/ LG2 brown 13 + Combat. Crashed Kanal 100% 23.09.40 Bf 109E-7 2057 Unknown 3.(J)/ LG2 brown 1 + Crash landing after combat Fl.Pl. Calais-Marck 90% 12.05.40 Bf 109E-4/B 5563 Vogeler, Oblt. Heinz 4.(Schl)/ LG2 white ^ + C Stkp. MIA, believed shot down by Fg Off O’Meara of 421 Flight 100% 30.11.40 Bf 109E-4/B 6223 Wacker, Uffz. Paul 4.(Schl)/ LG2 white ^ + G POW after combat with enemy fighters. Poss. WNr 6313 South coast of the Isle of Wight 100% of 2./JG27 Note: Front to back, white, blue, white, blue spinner. Yellow upper cowl and rudder. 3 red kill markings on upper rudder. Camo 75/76 with fairly light overall overspray. black triangle in front of Balkenkreuz Other unit Bf 109 Losses on Channel Front Date Type W.Nr. Name 01.07.42 Bf 109E-7 4970 Thüne, Uffz. Kurt
Unit 1.(F)/ 123
Code white S (4U + SH)
15.08.40 Bf 109E-4/B unk. Marx, Ltn. Horst 3./ Erpro.210 yellow 3 + 29.10.40 Bf 109E-4/B 2024 Hintze, Oblt. Otto 3./ Erpro.210 yellow 6 + Note: May have had EGr.210 badge beneath cockpit, but Payne says this staffel used small numbers, and no badges 20.02.42 Bf 109E-7 5949 unknown Eins.St./ JFS5 white 1 + 20.02.42 Bf 109E-7 6505 Uffeln, Gefr. Friedrich Eins.St./ JFS5 white 17 + 14.03.42 Bf 109E-7 5949 Langott, Fw. Roland Eins.St./ JFS5 white 1 +
64
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Reason POW when engine failed while on recon of Plymouth
Location % Damage Mardle Wood, Buckfastleigh, 100% Devon Stkp. POW after combat. Frant 100% POW after combat with Spitfire from 222 Sqn (Sgt Burgess). WIA Pluckley 100%
Crash landing due to technical failure MIA, cause unknown MIA, cause unknown
Fl.Pl. Octeville Pl.Qu. 00321/05 Ost
b 100% 100%
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Colour Side-views • 1
The Bf 109 V1 was rolled out of the factory in late May 1935, and photos were taken of the aircraft before the registration code D-IABI had been applied
The Bf 109 V3 was the first armed prototype, and was sent to Spain in December 1936 for a period of ‘operational evaluation’. When first flown in the summer of 1936, the aircraft carried the registration D-IOQY
The V3 was later repainted with the code 6-1, and a green heart representing Thuringia, Hannes Trautloft's home town, in the ‘green heart of Germany’, was applied beneath the canopy
Repainted in Spanish markings not long after arrival, the V3 originally carried the code 6-2 in service Colour Art © Jerry Boucher
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Colour Side-views • 2
The Bf 109 V7 was one of the aircraft which took part in the Dübendorf flying meet in late July 1937. Flown by Dipl.Ing. Carl Francke, the V7 decimated the field in the climb and dive competition
On November 11, 1937, Dipl.Ing. Hermann Würster flew the highly modified Bf 109 V13 coded D-IPKY to a new world speed record of 379.8 mph. The fuselage sides were faired and polished to a high sheen; the color is speculative, but it appears to be a dark grey in existing photos
Bf 109A coded 6-7, as flown by Ofw. Norbert Flegel with 2.(J)/88 at Santander, during the Spanish Civil War
Bf 109D-1 of an unknown unit
Colour Art © Jerry Boucher
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Colour Side-views • 3
Bf 109D-1 of JFS1, circa 1940-41
Bf 109D-1 of ??(J)/88 at La Ciena, Spain in mid-1938
Bf 109D-1 of an unknown unit operating in Poland, September 1939. One kill marking is shown on the fin
Bf 109D-1 of 12.(N)/JG 2 operating in Norway in the late spring of 1940. 12 Staffel moved from Trondheim-Vaernes to Kristansand, Gardermoen, and back to Germany at Köln-Ostheim in the space of six weeks Colour Art © Jerry Boucher
Colour Side-views
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Colour Side-views • 4
Bf 109D-1 of Oblt. Gotthard Handrick, 3.(J)/88
Bf 109A of Ofw. Herbert Ihlefeld, at La Ciena in mid-1938
Bf 109B-1 of J./88, as photographed shortly after delivery. The first batch of 25 B-1s to reach Spain were delivered in a factory standard 70/71 splinter scheme, and were later repainted in the more familiar RLM 63 over RLM 65 around the time that the first Cs and Ds reached Spain
Bf 109E-1 of 6./JG 53
Colour Art © Jerry Boucher
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Colour Side-views • 5
Bf 109E-3 belonging to the Major beim Stab of I./JG 1 during the French campaign in May 1940
Bf 109E-3 flown by the Gruppen Adjutant of II./JG 51 at Marquise-West, August 1940
Bf 109E-3 of the Gruppen Adjutant of II./JG 77 at Kristiansand-Kjevik in May 1940
Bf 109E-3 of 6./JG 26, at Werl in early 1940
Colour Art © Jerry Boucher
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Colour Side-views • 6
Bf 109E-3 flown by the Gruppen Adjutant of II./JG 53 at Mannheim-Sandhofen in April, 1940
Bf 109E-3 of 7./JG 27 in August, 1940. This may be the aircraft of Uffz. Karl Born or Oblt. Ludwig Franzisket, both of whom had a number of kills by late August
Bf 109E-3 of Ergänzungstaffel/JG 2 at Le Havre, France in December, 1940
Bf 109E-3 belonging to the Geschwader Adjutant of Stab./JG 53 at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim, early 1940 Colour Art © Jerry Boucher
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Colour Side-views • 7
Bf 109E-3 of 1./JG 53 at Darmstadt-Griesheim, in early May, 1940
Bf 109E-4 of 8./JG 77 at Larissa, Greece in April, 1941
Bf 109E-7/trop of 3./JG 27 at Ain-el-Gazala, Libya, in late 1941
Bf 109E-7 of Oblt. Gerhard Schoepfel, Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 26, at Abbeville-Drucat, France in January, 1941 Colour Art © Jerry Boucher
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Colour Side-views • 8
Bf 109E-3 of 13 Letka, Slovakian Air Force, in the spring of 1942
Bf 109E-7 of Stoyan Stoyanov, the leading ace of the Bulgarian Air Force, in 1943
Bf 109E-4 of 6./JG 3 at Colembert, France in September, 1940
Bf 109E-3 of 9./JG 52 (designated JG 28) at Bucharest, Romania in April, 1941
Colour Art © Jerry Boucher
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Colour Side-views • 9
Bf 109E-3 of 5./JG 26 at Marquise-Ost, France in November, 1940
Bf 109E-3 of 4./JG 26 at Bönninghardt in late 1939
Bf 109E-3 of an unidentifed Jagdfliegerschule
Bf 109E-3 of 1./JG 1 at Jesau in mid-1939
Colour Art © Jerry Boucher
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Colour Side-views • 10
Bf 109E-3 of 2./JG 77 at Breslau-Schöngarten, July, 1939
Bf 109E-3 of 7th Fighter Group, Romanian Air Force, Tuzov, Russia, September, 1941
Bf 109E-3 of 4./JG 51, Böblingen, April, 1940
Bf 109E-7 Jabo of 9./JG 27, Kozani, late April, 1941
Colour Art © Jerry Boucher
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Colour Side-views • 11
Bf 109E-3 of Grupo 5-G-5, mid-1939
Bf 109T-2 of 2./JG 77 at Stavanger-Sola in early 1942
Bf 109T-2 of 4./Jagdgruppe Drontheim at Trondheim-Vaernes in early 1941
Colour Art © Jerry Boucher
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Colour Photos • 1
In these stills from a prewar German propaganda film, the changing reflectivity of the 70/71 paint scheme is well illustrated. Also noteworthy is the blue supercharger intake suggesting that this aircraft may have been attached to the Geschwaderstab. The aircraft in the background is ‘red 4’ of 2. Staffel; JG 77 was one of the few units to use the I. Gruppe ‘dot’ device aft of the cross, which would suggest this was filmed at Breslau-Schöngarten sometime in the summer of 1939
A group of 2 Staffel ground crew are concentrating on a card game while Bf 109E-7/trop ‘black 2’ sits nearby. The aircraft still wears the standard 71/02/65 uppersurface scheme, although this has been overpainted along the sides with an unusual striped camouflage. This, in turn, has been overpainted to change the aircraft’s number. The cowling is a replacement item as well
Gen. Erwin Rommel’s activities in the Libyan desert captured the imagination of the German people, and Propaganda Kompanie (PK) photographers did their best to feed that interest. Here, 3./JG 27 has provided a freshly painted E-7/trop coded ‘yellow 4’ as a suitable backdrop for a color photo which later appeared in ‘Signal’
Ostensibly the aircraft of Ltn. Hans Remmer, this E-7/trop of I./JG 27 carries the early desert paint scheme, but also retains the yellow nose, rudder, and lower wingtips from I./JG 27’s week-long tenure in Graz, Austria where they took part in operations against Zagreb, Yugoslavia as part of Operation Marita
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Colour Photos
Rearming the cowl guns of an E-7/trop belonging to an unidentified unit. Comfort was the order of the day in the desert, and the ordinarily strict German dress code went right out the window with daytime temps soaring above 100 degrees F. The scoured paint on the VDM propeller of this Emil is noteworthy as well
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This remarkable series of photos shows a group of Italian pilots undergoing a training course with I./JG 1. The 2. Staffel Emil being used as a photo prop displays a wealth of useful detail, from the grey gun troughs to the red station numbers on the fuselage. The overall tone of the camouflage colors is noteworthy as well; while color photography can be somewhat misleading, the tone of the 65 is much closer to what we would consider RLM 76, and this is seen in other period color photos as well (Photos: D’Amico and Valenti)
Although wartime color photography can be slightly misleading, this obviously staged ‘Signal’ photo is useful as it shows an early 1940 transitional scheme of 70/71 uppersurfaces with 65 fuselage sides and undersurfaces. The uniformly warm tone of the 65 in this and other color photos is worth noting as well
A pair of Yugoslavian Bf 109E-3s are seen in this posed photograph. The JKRV received a total of 73 Bf 109E-3s out of an order for 100 prior to the German invasion of April 1941 A pair of Bulgarian Bf 109E-4 ‘Strelas’ are seen here on a lowlevel pass. The aircraft are painted in a solid coat of RLM 71 on the uppersurfaces, with a wide band of RLM 02 down the flanks of the aircraft. RLM 65 was used on the undersurfaces
Colour Photos
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Colour Plan-views • 1
The Bf 109 was the first fighter aircraft in the Luftwaffe to have an uppersurface camouflage scheme applied. Reflecting a defensive line of thought, the early production Bf 109s, from the B-1 through the early E-3, carried a tightly segmented ‘splinter’ scheme applied in 70 Schwartzgrün and 71 Dunkelgrün. Small changes in the layout of the uppersurface patterns were made between 1937 and 1939; this overhead view gives a .good approximation of the most common variation seen on late B-1s, all C and D models, and many early Emils
One of the lessons taken from the Polish campaign was that the very dark defensive camouflage colors 70 and 71 were not well suited to an air superiority role. As a result, the undersurface color 65 was extended well up the fuselage sides, and the uppersurface scheme was revised to incorporate 71 Dunkelgrün and RLM 02 in a simplified, angular pattern. These colors were light enough to camouflage the aircraft while airborne, yet dark enough to break up the aircraft’s outline when viewed from above against the ground. The scheme seen here is representative of that introduced between November and December 1939
Colour Art © Jerry Boucher
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What colour were the later Spanish 109s?
T
here has been much discussion over the years regarding the actual colors used on the Bf 109s sent to Spain as part of the Legion Condor. The release of Ken Merrick’s much anticipated Luftwaffe Camouflage and Markings 1933-1945, Vol 1 has added further fuel to this debate, proposing that the commonly accepted light grey 63 over light blue 65 scheme may not, in fact, be correct. The earliest operational Bf 109s to reach Spain were a batch of A models, which wore an overall silver coating. The suggestion has been made that the aircraft were in fact in natural metal, with a very thinly applied translucent surface protectant applied which carried a very faint greenish tinge. Photos of operational early aircraft, however, show a very smooth and uniform surface finish to the aft fuselage Fig 2
assembly, with no variance in tone or any visible panel lines between the fuselage stations. This suggests that the panel lines were taped or puttied, then the assembly was painted, perhaps in silver. Other areas may well have been in natural metal, including the fin and forward fuselage; the photo of 6-7 certainly suggests the presence of a natural metal fin, wing root fillets, cowlings, and forward fuselage section. The wings also appear to be very uniform, and a photo of Bf 109A 6-4 taken from above exhibits considerable paint wear along the inboard wing area where the crew and pilot would typically tread. This suggests the wings also received a coat of silver paint. The first batch of B models to reach Spain carried their factory finish of 70 and 71 over 65, which has been previously discussed. With the introduction of the C and D models to Spain, however, a new color scheme began to appear, and it is this which causes such puzzlement. The aircraft were Fig 3
completed in the standard 70 and 71 scheme, but upon arrival in Spain, received an overall coat of a lighter color on their uppersurfaces. For many years, it has been suggested that this color was RLM 63 Hellgrau, but Merrick proposes that the color used was RLM 62 Hellgrün. No supporting documentation has been unearthed one way or the other to date, which leaves us with the tricky task of deducing colors based on tonal values in old photos. This can be a dodgy enterprise at best, given the differences between orthochromatic and panchromatic film, operational environment, and even the amount of carrier added to the base pigment by the painter. However, scholarly works such as those by Merrick, Ullmann, Crandall, and others help us make an educated guess as to these colors based on known production practices. It is those practices which would suggest that 63 would indeed be the more likely of the two colors used as an overall
This photo shows 6-88 warming up prior to a mission. The remains of this exact aircraft are currently in storage awaiting a buyer and restoration
Fig 1
Fig 4
Spanish Colours
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Fig 5
Fig 6
upper surface camouflage color. Quoting from Merrick’s book, pg. 26:
This unaltered photo of Dornier Do 17E 27 o 15 from A./88 is shown to demonstrate the contrast of the aircraft’s markings against the camouflage colors on the aft fuselage; the colors, from front to rear on the aft fuselage, are 62 Hellgrün, 61 Dunkelbraun, and 63 Hellgrau behind the upper part of the ‘15’
This photograph of Dornier Do 17Es of KG 255 demonstrates the warm nature of RLM 63, as well as the sheen of the aircraft after being freshly painted (Photo: via T. Fischer)
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From 1936 onwards, 63 replaced 02 as the external finish. That favoured the rationalization policy of colours and raw materials since 63 also formed the base colouring for the new three-colour upper surface camouflage introduced very early in 1936 for the new Ju 86 all metal bomber. To the base coat 63 were added segments of 61 and 62 to form a disruptive pattern, with 65 used for the lower surfaces. The painting schedule for the Do 17 bomber, which had also entered production that year, listed 63 simply as ‘Nr. 63 grau’. Given the timeframe of Spanish service and the extraordinarily rigid instructions regarding the application, care, and maintenance of the external paint finish on metal aircraft as documented so thoroughly in Merrick’s work, it seems more probable that the officially specified base coat of 63 would be used on the aircraft. An interesting opportunity to test this theory has recently presented itself. In mid-2005, a Bf 109E-3 hulk was offered for sale by William Moore of AeroLocker (www.aerolocker.com). As it turns out, this aircraft was the second Emil to be sent to Spain, where it received the code 6 o 88. The aircraft spent its entire service career in the Spanish Air Force, being unceremoniously consigned to a dump at the end of its service life. Fortunately, the remains were recovered, and will form an excellent basis for a thorough restoration (back to its original Spanish identity, it is hoped!). Mr. Moore was contacted regarding this aircraft, and he was gracious enough to supply several photographs of the tail area, which still retains a good
deal of original paint. Figures 1 through 5 all show the top and side of fuselage stations 8 and 9, where the fin fairing bolted to the fuselage itself. The first thing which is immediately evident is that the aircraft was originally finished in 70 and 71, as shown by the close-ups in figures 1 and 2. Figure 3 is a photo taken in ambient light with no flash; there has been no color correction applied in this photo. Figure 4, however, is the same shot with the orangeyellow tinge removed via Adobe Photoshop.While still not perfect, this gives a more realistic interpretation of the colors on the airframe. Figure 5 is a view of the port side of fuselage section 9, while figure 6 shows the starboard side of section 9, at the point where the rudder meets the fuselage. The cold, light grey tones in these photos are remnants of the oxidized surface paint; note the chipped areas where the underlying coat of 70 and 71 shows through. In Figure 6, several fresh scrapes in this paint show a slightly warmer tone, more consistent with a faded 63 Hellgrau, which was quite similar to RLM 02 in tone and hue. These photos, while not 100% conclusive, do give strong credence to the theory that 63 was used on the uppersurfaces of Messerschmitts in Spanish service. Finally, it cannot be stressed strongly enough that this is not meant to be taken as ‘gospel’; there are far too many variables at work to definitively declare 63 was used as opposed to 62, and research still continues on this subject. The interpretations expressed above are strictly those of the author, and are certainly open to discussion; the reader is encouraged to study other published works and photos, and to use their own best judgment when building a model of a Spanish Messerschmitt.
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This series of photos demonstrates the hazards of interpreting black and white photographs. The pilot in the photo is Lt. Werner Ursinus of 2.(J)/88, and he is seen climbing from his wrecked Bf 109E-3 coded 6 o 111. The aircraft carried the nickname ‘Bärchen’ (Little Bear), a play on the similarity of Ursinus’ name to the Latin word for bear (ursus). In the first photo, Ursinus is still in the cockpit, explaining his situation to a ground crewman. The pristine white spinner and immaculate condition of the paint suggests this aircraft had only recently arrived. The second photo has had no digital modification or highlighting; this is how the print appears. The third image is the same scene, after conversion and a slight contrast adjustment... note how this can give a different appearance to the tones in the photo. The last photo is again unmodified, showing the overall scene of Ursinus’ exit from his damaged aircraft
Bf 109A 6-7 demonstrates the varied natural metal panels along the airframe, with the smooth rear fuselage assembly appearing to be painted in silver
Bf 109A 6-4 is seen here warming up for another mission. This aircraft was lost on 12 July 1937 with Ltn. Guido Höness being killed in combat. Note the heavy wear along the wing root area, indicating that the wings were painted
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Balkan Domination
8
Chapter
A
s the new F model was introduced into service with the Channel coast squadrons, their tired but faithful Emils were finally given a rest. Many were sent to the Ergänzungsgruppen, to help train the flow of neophyte pilots arriving to take the place of the hundreds of men lost in the bitter struggle with England since the previous summer. Others, however, were sent to repair facilities where they were upgraded to the most current Emil variant, the E-7. Featuring a slightly improved DB601N with a higher compression ratio, as well as factory provisions for an external 300 litre droptank to extend range and strengthened main and tailwheels to cope with the increase in weight, the E-7 was still a potent adversary. Indeed, the new Friedrich was only being introduced piecemeal into the Jagdwaffe, with initial deliveries comprising 12 each to those Channel front Staffeln from JG 2 and JG 26 which had the highest-ranking pilots. Other units which had previously been rotated away from the Channel zone, such as JG 27 and LG 2, would not be reequipped with the F for some time yet. They would soon find themselves back in combat, however, in a far different environment from what they were used to. After belatedly entering the war on 30 June 1940 with the sole intention of staking some sort of claim to territory
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conquered by Germany, the Italian leader Mussolini soon grew tired of taking a continual back seat to Hitler’s military successes. Apparently forgetting the debacle of Ethiopia in 1935, when his forces suffered significant losses to the pitifully equipped Ethiopian Army, Mussolini unilaterally decided to settle a simmering political score with Greece. In the early 1900s, following a series of conflicts in the Balkans, the Kingdom of Albania was established between Italy and Greece at the insistence of the ‘Great Powers’. Unfortunately, there was precious little organization to the newly created Albanian state, with the result that both Greek and Italian forces took over sections of the country while the remainder of Europe was occupied with the First World War. The war would soon have its effect on this region, however, and the Allied Powers contrived to get Greece to enter the conflict. This led to Allied calls for the abdication of the Greek king, and the establishment of an Italian protectorate in Albania. The Italians misread this Allied Call as a mandate to do as they wished in Albania. At the insistence of the French and British, they were forced to withdraw an occupying force sent into Southern Eprius. None of these actions were satisfactory to the Greeks, anf the Greco-Albanian border situation remained in flux well into the early 1920s.
Noteworthy in this particular shot are the narrow yellow wing bands outboard of the upper wing crosses, as well as the antenna mount and insulator on the port stabilizer of the aircraft in the foreground
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Widespread Italian dissatisfaction with how the situation was being handled led to Mussolini and his followers marching on Rome in 1922 and staging a popular coup which brought Mussolini’s Fascists to power, with the swaggering Duce becoming the unquestioned leader of the country. Taking a lesson from Hitler’s recent political successes in annexing Austria and Czechoslovakia, Mussolini followed suit by marching into Albania in 1939 and taking over the country. Greece now found itself with a hostile neighbor immediately to the west, and began a rearmament program with the intention of modernizing its forces. No particular favoritism was shown by the Greeks in where the equipment originated; PZL P.24 fighters were purchased from Poland, Fairey Battles and Bristol Blenheims were purchased from England, and Bloch 151s and Potez 63s were purchased from France. Greece also maintained a cordial relationship with Germany, and purchased a number of Henschel Hs 126 and Dornier Do 22 reconnaissance aircraft as well as several Junkers Ju 52 transports. As Hitler rolled to victory after victory, first in Poland and then through Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, and ultimately France, Mussolini decided that it was time to demonstrate that he, too, could lead an army of conquest and chose Greece as his victim. He naively expected that Italian forces would be able to sweep into Greece virtually unopposed, and Italy could then rightfully lay claim to some degree of military glory. Accordingly, Italian forces attacked across the Albanian border on 28 October 1940. However, instead of steamrolling through the Greek mainland, Mussolini’s forces were met with unexpectedly fierce
resistance, and by 8 November, the offensive had turned into a retreat, with the Greek forces continuing to attack deeper into Albania. Three days later, on 11 November, further humiliation was in store for Il Duce as a large formation of antiquated Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers from the Royal Navy delivered a stunningly effective attack on the Italian Fleet at Taranto, leaving a number of capital ships sunk or damaged. The only area where the Italian forces were still having any effect was in the air, with the Fiat CR.42s and G.50s keeping the brave but uncoordinated Greek defenders in their PZLs tied up with continual combat. This allowed the Italian bombers to get through and wreak havoc on the ground, with an attack on Salonika in early November proving especially deadly. The Greeks were no longer fighting this alone, however, as British forces had been sent to aid in pushing back the Italian advance. Among the pilots taking part in these actions was Marmaduke St. John Pattle, known to all and sundry as ‘Pat’. Pattle, who joined the Greek battle in late November flying Gloster Gladiators with 80 Squadron, became the best known British pilot in this theatre and is commonly thought to hold unofficial top honors as the
highest scoring British Commonwealth ace with as many as 52 claims. Unfortunately, as many records did not survive the subsequent German invasion and British retreat, Pattle’s true score may never be known. Other British forces sent to Greece included the Bristol Blenheims of 30 Squadron, and the Vickers Wellingtons of 70 Squadron. These groups were in action almost immediately after the Italian offensive was launched, with the Blenheims in action from 4 November and the Wellingtons following suit the next day. The Italian defense against these raids was stiff, with numerous bombers being lost to the nimble Fiats. The situation remained relatively unchanged for the next few months, as increasingly poor weather curtailed operations through December and early January. With the onset of more favorable conditions, however, both sides committed everincreasing numbers of forces to the conflict, with the Greek and British forces successfully holding the Italians at bay. Such action was bound to draw the attention of Hitler, although the Greek government did their best to remain on friendly terms with the Nazi government. Mussolini’s actions had not just proven to be an embarrassment... they had also inadvertently created a strategic problem for the Germans. By November 1940, Hitler’s enthusiasm for the subjugation of Britain had waned, and he began laying out the initial plan for the invasion of Russia. Among the preparations necessary was the forming of alliances via strong-arm negotiations with Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Yugoslavia. The vast oil fields of Romania would provide the fuel for the Wehrmacht advance eastward, and in order to protect those resources, it was necessary to have a ‘buffer zone’ of friendly nations. This plan was no surprise to the British, and they viewed their operations from Greece as an ideal staging point for future raids against the oilfields. By attacking Greece and thereby inviting an active defense from the British forces, Mussolini had managed to jeopardize Hitler’s carefully laid plans. As a result, a German military reaction was inevitable.
‘Brown 10’, an E-1/B of 6./JG 54, is seen after a ‘Fahrwerkschade’... a landing gear failure. II./JG 54 relinquished their older Emils to JG 77 prior to the start of Operation Marita, and this photo gives an exceptionally clear view of the complex fuselage camouflage so typical of II./JG 54
A Romanian officer looks over the cockpit of ‘yellow 3’ as the aircraft prepare for the assault on Greece and Yugoslavia. III./JG 52 had moved to Bucharest-Pipera in October 1940, and had been temporarily redesignated I./JG 28 for the duration of their stay; ‘yellow 3’ was therefore a 3./JG 28 aircraft, actually belonging to 9./JG 52
Seen at Bucharest-Pipera immediately prior to their involvement in the Balkan operation, these Bf 109Es of 3./JG 28 carry full theatre markings
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This Bf 109E-4 belonging to the Staffelkapitän of 8./JG 77 suffered an in-flight engine failure, and the pilot successfully set the aircraft down with little further damage. Note the wide yellow wingtip markings and the replacement aft cowling
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In the course of preparations for action against Greece, the Germans had successfully negotiated with Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary and brought them into the Axis fold. Discussions with the Yugoslav government, however, were held up due to Yugoslavia’s insistence on not being committed to combat operations. All seemed set to have Yugoslavia be the next signatory to the Tripartate Pact, when three Serbian ministers resigned from the government on 22 March 1941, causing yet another delay. Hitler’s patience had worn extremely thin by this point, and 23 March brought an ultimatum demanding Yugoslavia’s signature to the pact within 24 hours. Another flurry of negotiation took place, and the Yugoslav government signed on 25 March. Hitler’s satisfaction at having completed the diplomatic preparations for protecting his oil supplies was short-lived, however. A mere forty-eight hours after signing the Tripartate Pact, the
Maintenance at the forward air bases was almost always performed al fresco, as typified by this Emil undergoing an engine change
Yugoslav government was overthrown in a coup led by the chief of the Air Staff, General Dusan Simonovitch. The current Regent was replaced with the young Prince Paul, and Yugoslavia’s signature on the pact was declared null and void. When word of this reached Hitler, he flew into a rage, and immediately amended the Greek invasion plans to include the rapid and total subjugation of Yugoslavia. The Yugoslav air force was not particularly large, but there were a sizeable number of modern, front-line aircraft available to them. Interestingly, the two mainstays of the JKRV (Jugoslovensko Kraljevsko Ratno VazduhoplovstvoRoyal Yugoslav Air Force) were two of the primary antagonists on the Western Front: the Hawker Hurricane I, and the Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 (referred to in Yugoslav service as the ‘Me 109’). These were obtained beginning in 1939 as a massive restructuring program was put into place. At the time of the invasion, the JKRV had 37 Hurricanes and approximately 61 Me 109s available (out of a total of 73
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received), with 29 of the Messerschmitts stationed around Belgrade to defend the capital. Ranged against this meagre force were the aircraft of Luftflotte 4 stationed in Austria, with elements in Rumania and Hungary, and virtually all of Fliegerkorps VIII, operating from Bulgaria. The coming attack was fully anticipated, down to the exact hour; a British liaison officer had advised the Yugoslav government that operations would commence at 6:30AM on 6 April, and the intelligence was only off by 75 minutes. At 5:15AM, elements of the 2. and 12. Armee struck across the border, supported by the omnipresent Junkers Ju 87 Stukas. In the south, operating with the 12. Armee from Bulgaria, the units subordinated to Fliegerkorps VIII immediately set out to destroy any JKRV opposition, with their first targets being the airfields in the region. In the course of the first raid, units of JG 77 encountered the Me 109s and Ikarus IK-3s of the 6th Fighter Regiment, with the JKRV pilots being handled very roughly by the seasoned Luftwaffe combat veterans. 9 of the Yugoslav Me 109s were claimed by JG 77 pilots along with one IK-3, although the JKRV actually lost 5 Me 109s outright with a further six being heavily damaged. Two more raids on Belgrade through the afternoon were escorted by JG 77 once again, along with elements of III./JG 54. Among those claiming victories over fellow Messerschmitt pilots in the afternoon were Oblt. Hans-Ekkehard Bob of 9./JG 54, along with Oblt. Gerhard Koall and Ltn. Max-Hellmuth Ostermann. Meanwhile, to the north, I./JG 27 was temporarily operating from Graz, Austria, subordinated to Fliegerführer Graz. No air-to-air claims were filed by the pilots of this Gruppe on the first day of Marita, but one notable Luftwaffe pilot was to fall foul of the airfield defenses of Ljubljana; Ofhr. Hans-Joachim Marseille had joined 3./JG 27 from his previous posting at 1.(J)/LG 2, and his aircraft was hit by flak on this date. He was able to return safely to Graz, however. Marseille’s former unit was in action as well, with his former Kommandeur, Hptm. Herbert Ihlefeld, being brought down by ground fire near Nisch. Ihlefeld was then captured and beaten by Yugoslav soldiers; he survived this episode to be repatriated after the capitulation of Yugoslavia. Oblt. Joachim Müncheberg’s 7./JG 26 took a break from their incessant harassment of Malta to participate in the invasion on 6 April; they flew a strafing mission against a field defended by two ancient Avia BH-33s which were rapidly dispatched by Müncheberg and Klaus Mietusch. Five days later, 7. Staffel was operating again from its temporary home at Gela, Sicily, continuing their private war against Malta, with Müncheberg claiming a pair of Hurricanes and Mietusch another before the day was out. 7 April day saw the near total annihilation of the JKRV in the south, with little aerial resistance offered to the bombing attacks through the day. Records show that three Me 109s were claimed by 5./JG 54, although two of these were only listed as probable. Several unescorted JKRV bombing raids attempted to strike some kind of blow against the German invaders, but these too were quickly disposed of. 9 April did bring substantial activity, with III./JG 54 first encountering two IK-2s of 107 Eskadrila and attempting to shoot them down. The pilot of one of these aircraft, Sgt. Branko Jovanovic, successfully tied up both Staffeln of III./JG 54 long enough for a group of JKRV Hurricanes and Me 109s to arrive and assist. Jovanovic miraculously avoided damage during this combat, but one each of the Yugoslav aircraft fell in the course of the battle. This was effectively the end of coordinated Yugoslav aerial resistance. With Belgrade in German hands by the 13th, all but one of the single-engine Jagdwaffe units involved in the Yugoslav action were sent
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south to aid in the Greek invasion. The sole unit to return to Germany, I./JG 27 moved to Munich and prepared to ship out for North Africa. Actions against Greece had begun on 6 April as well, with 8./JG 27 losing fully half of its 8 aircraft to 33 Squadron Hurricanes in a well-coordinated attack. With the introduction of additional units from the Yugoslav theatre, a dramatic upswing in aerial activity took place on 15 April when II./JG 77 flew a strafing mission against 33 Squadron’s base at Larissa. 4./JG 77’s Ltn. Jakob Arnoldy and Fw. Otto Köhler each downed a Hurricane, but then they were in turn shot down themselves, evening the day’s claims at two victories for each side. III./JG 77, with 1.(J)/LG 2 attached, was also active in the same area, Elsewhere, II./JG 27 attacked the Greek base at Kalambaka, and claimed six Greek fighters in combat, with Oblt. Gustav Rödel of 4. Staffel accounting for half of this number. The only German fighter loss from this mission was a II. Gruppe aircraft which crash-landed after suffering damage from ground fire. Aerial activity on the 16th was limited to transfer flights, but the 17th brought an anti-shipping raid where Oblt. Wolfdieter Huy of 7./JG 77 began an impressive run of maritime claims by scoring a hit with his Jabo against a 4,000 ton British cargo ship. 9./JG 77 was engaged in a brief combat with Blenheims the following day, claiming two against one confirmed British loss, and 33 Squadron’s base at Larissa was overrun on the 20th , as was Trikkala. Activity on this day was fierce, with II. and III./JG 77 being heavily engaged by 33 Squadron. Oblt. Armin Schmidt, the Staffelkapitän of 9. Staffel, was killed during this engagement, and Oblt. Kurt Ubben, the Staffelkapitän of 8. Staffel, was shot down without injury and retrieved by an Fi 156 Storch from his unit. Ubben and Lt. Hans Wilhelm Schopper each claimed a Hurricane, although both of their victims managed to return to their base, albeit heavily damaged. II./JG 27 flew escort on a raid against Piraeus on the 20th, and was engaged by Hurricanes from both 33 and 80 Squadrons. Oblt. Gustav Rödel, the Staffelkapitän of 4. Staffel, claimed three Hurricanes, while Ofw. Otto Schulz and the
Geschwaderkommodore, Maj. Wolfgang Schellman, claimed a Hurricane apiece. The RAF admitted the loss of eight Hurricanes in this engagement, while a ninth suffered significant damage. Among those lost, however, was Squadron Leader R.M.S.‘Pat’ Pattle of 33 Squadron. Suffering from influenza and exhaustion, he was the last to take off from Eleusis to challenge the large Luftwaffe raid that was headed to attack shipping in Piraeus harbor. His squadronmate Plt Off W.J. Woods attacked an escorting Bf 110, and Pattle immediately made for another 110 which was headed for Woods. The remainder of the Zerstörer formation now fell upon the hapless Hurricanes, and despite Pattle’s dispatching another 110 as well as a Bf 109E which may have belonged to 9./JG 77, Pattle’s aircraft was set alight, and two
Bf 110s continually attacked the burning fighter as it crashed into Piraeus harbor. The deaths of Pattle and Woods in this engagement essentially signaled the end of Allied resistance on the mainland, and the British hastened their evacuation to Crete over the following days. The Greek government surrendered on the 23rd, but attacks continued on the retreating Commonwealth troops and JG 77 sustained several more losses to ground fire. With the entry of German troops into Athens on 27 April, the Wehrmacht had completed yet another astonishing victory, albeit against two significantly weaker foes. In three weeks, Germany had overrun both Yugoslavia and mainland Greece, dealing the already reeling Commonwealth forces yet another bitter blow. The final chapter had yet to be written, however; with Britain still in control of the mountainous island of Crete and the natural harbor at Suda Bay, the Royal Navy could still wreak havoc on the Mediterranean sea lanes. It was decided, therefore, that Crete must be taken at any cost. On 20 May, the assault on Crete, codenamed ‘Unternehmen Merkur’ (Operation Mercury) was launched, with the initial phase of the attack being led by the elite troops of the Fallschirmjägern in DFS 230 gliders, while their fellow airborne troops were parachuted in shortly thereafter. The Stab./, II./ and III./JG 77 were essentially the sole remaining single-engine fighter units remaining in the Greek theatre, with I.(J)/LG 2 still maintaining a partial presence. Few British aircraft remained in the theatre, as the majority had been withdrawn to Egypt after suffering continual losses in the week prior to the invasion. The 32,000 Commonwealth and approximately 10,000 Greek defenders of Crete understood that this attack was inevitable, and prepared defenses as best they could in the few weeks between the fall of Greece and the launch of Operation Merkur. As such, the primary role of these fighter units would shift to ground attack over the coming days, although several aerial battles did materialize. In addition to air-to-ground sorties in support of the German land assault, the Emils of all three Gruppen involved in the invasion of Crete were also tasked with anti-shipping sorties, intercepting merchant and navy traffic attempting to bring reinforcements and supplies to the beleaguered Commonwealth defenders. On 22 May, the Jabos of JG 77 and LG 2 were to achieve successes all out of proportion to their numbers when a 7./JG 77 Emil piloted by Oblt. Wolfdieter Huy damaged the British cruiser HMS Fiji, with a I.(J)/LG 2 Emil suspected of finishing the job later in the day and
Despite the relatively undamaged condition of this JG 52 E-4, believed to be ‘white 4’ of 7. Staffel, it was unlikely that the machine returned to service with this unit. III. Gruppe began transitioning onto the F model in May, and their Emils were sent to various training units
The machines of 8./JG 52 are seen here at rest, possibly at Bucharest-Pipera. The narrow fuselage bands abutting the Balkankreuz and the barely visible wing band on the aircraft in the background date the photo around April 1941
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transferring their few completely worn-out Messerschmitts to III. Gruppe, and III./JG 52 moved down from Bucharest, Romania to relieve the badly battered II. Gruppe. By this time, the evacuation of Allied forces was well under way, with the last troops leaving the island in German hands and sailing for Alexandria on 2 June. The men of the three Jagdgeschwadern involved in the Balkans and Greek operations had driven themselves and their machines to the point of absolute collapse over the past eight weeks, with JG 77 being particularly affected. II./JG 27 under Maj. Wolfgang Schellman had left Greece on 11 May to return to Vienna, where they would rest and refit for the beginning of a campaign which would see the entire Wehrmacht tested as never before, and prove to be the Emil’s swan song in front-line Luftwaffe service. Twenty days after the last Allied troops left Crete for Alexandria, thousands of German troops, tanks and aircraft poured across the Russian border, marking the start of Operation Barbarossa. Photographed at Molaoi, Greece in May or June 1941, this is an E-7 of an unknown Gruppenstab. Note that the oil cooler and radiator flaps are fully open
Emils from III./JG 27 are relatively easy to identify in photos, thanks to their persistence in applying the aircraft’s individual identifier on the cowling. Here, a Bf 109E-7 of 8./JG27 is seen in Greece with full theatre markings including yellow wingtips, cowling, rudder, and fuselage stripe. The aircraft is also outfitted with an ETC500 centerline fuselage rack
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sinking the ship. Huy also hit the battleships HMS Warspite and Valiant, as did other JG 77 aircraft. Warspite, Valiant, and other surface vessels which managed to survive the continual attacks through the week subsequently spent months under repair, depriving the Royal Navy of their presence at a critical time in the battle for the Mediterranean sea lanes. On the 25th, III./JG 77 intercepted a trio of 14 Squadron Bristol Blenheims from Egypt heading to bomb the German units which had survived the ferocious anti-aircraft defense as well as the crash-landings of their Ju 52s on Maleme airfield. The Fallschirmjäger units were particularly savaged during the fighting, suffering thousands of casualties to the accurate fire of the well-concealed defense emplacements. JG 77 ensured those Blenheims would not reach Crete, however, and all three were shot down, with Uffz. Rudolf Schmidt
being credited with two of these claims. A second battle with Blenheims on the afternoon of the 25th would prove disastrous for II./JG 77, as the Gruppenkommandeur, Hptm. Helmut Henz, was shot down and killed by accurate defensive fire from the British bombers. In another hard-fought engagement on the following day, II. and III./JG 77 intercepted a formation of Martin Marylands, with Oblt. Walter Höckner of 6. Staffel claiming two ‘Blenheims’ as well as a Hurricane of 274 Sqn. The recently returned Kommandeur of I.(J)/.LG 2, Herbert Ihlefeld, also claimed a Hurricane as did his wingman, Ltn. Friedrich Geisshardt. The final aerial victory in the battle for Crete fell to Oblt. Erich Friederich of Stab./JG 77, who downed a 274 Sqn. Hurricane on 29 May. II./JG 77 had been withdrawn several days earlier,
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Losses in the Balkans/Greek Operations Selected Loss Listings for Balkan/Greek operations. The Jagdwaffe units involved in the eight week campaign through Yugoslavia, Greece, and Crete were heavily engaged at all times, moving bases so frequently that in one instance, the signals company that was to travel by road and rail to catch up with the operational element never managed to reach the same base as their parent unit; they did not get back together until after the unit had returned from Greece. Because of the severe operational pressure, recorded losses are significantly less than what might otherwise be expected; at one point, the entire III./JG 77 could only muster nine serviceable Bf 109s. This operational tempo is reflected in the official loss listings in the strength reports sent in by the units. Out of a list of approximately 90 losses, only the following 20 had full identifying information for specific aircraft...there just was not enough time to keep up with the paperwork. This list is provided to give the modeler a few more options than what might ordinarily be available commercially; responsibility for any transcription errors lies solely with the author. Type WNr Pilot Unit Codes Date Bf 109E-4 1276 Arnoldy, Ltn. Jacob 4./JG 77 white 5 + 15.4.41 Note: Earlier photographed at Fl.Pl. Mandal Norway in 9.40. Bf 109E-7 4185 Becker, Oblt. Arno 8./JG 27 black 1 + 6.4.41 Note: Shores says 'black 2' Bf 109E-7 3282 Borchert, Uffz. Fritz 9./JG 77 black 10 + ^^ 20.4.41 Note: ‘Lockenkopf und Tröte’ Staffelzeichen, yellow rudder. Bf 109E-7 6399 Bretano, Ltn. von Stab III./JG 77 black < + 30.5.41 Note: Wolfshead badge, yellow cowling and rudder, 'snakeskin' camo. An ex-II./JG 54 machine Bf 109E unk. Brunsmann, 5./JG 77 black 8 + 22.4.41 Uffz. Heinrich Bf 109E-7 6435 Eichel-Streiber, Stab III./JG 77 black << + ^^ 14.5.41 Ltn. Diethelm von Bf 109E 5376 Faltings, Ofw. Adolf 8./JG 27 black 6 + 6.4.41 Bf 109E-4 5072 Frömming, 8./JG 27 black 8 + 6.4.41 Ofw. Gerhard Bf 109E-7 5799 Grobe, Oblt. Rudolf 5./JG 77 black 5 + 22.5.41 Note: Prien says 3799--corrected in V.III Bf 109E-7 4173 Jung, Oblt. Berthold 5./JG 77 black 13 + 20.5.41 Note: Loss report says 'black 3' Bf 109E-4 Kromer, Uffz. Alfred 9./JG 54 yellow 8 + 15.4.41 Bf 109E-7 4191 Niederhöfer, Uffz. Hans 5./JG 27 black 4 + 6.4.41 Bf 109E-7 3334 Niemayer, Fw. Otto 4./JG 77 yellow 9 + 20.5.41 Bf 109E-7 4814 Perrey, Ofw. Herbert 8./JG 77 black 4 + ^^ 16.5.41 Note: Prien says 4914--corrected in V.III Bf 109E-7 3487 Petermann, 5./JG 77 black 1 + 20.5.41 Ofw. Werner Bf 109E-7 4918 Rahm, Oblt. Gerhardt 5./JG 77 white <<+ 20.5.41 Bf 109E-7 4952 Rockel, Ofw. Fritz 4./JG 27 white 13 + 20.4.41 Bf 109E-7
1255
Saake, Fw. Dietrich
7./JG 77
white 6 +
Bf 109E-7 6453 unknown 4./JG 27
20.5.41 15.4.41 19.4.41
Circumstance WIA in combat with Hurricanes of 33 Sq. (F/L Mackie). FSA. Made perfect belly landing. DOW Stkp. KIA in combat with Hurricane
Location near Larissa
% Damage 100% 100%
WIA due to Flak. emergency landing
Rupel Pass, west of Gephyroudi Larissa/Piraeus area
Taxiing accident
Maleme, Crete
60%
Crash landing
Almiros
10%
100%
crash landing due to Flak. Molaoi Note: Staffelzeichen of 8./JG 54 on nose, yellow tail band Combat with Hurricane. West of Gephyroudi POW after combat with Hurricane. Pilot West of Gephyroudi returned on 29.4 after surrender POW due to Flak Kythera area
100%
Stkp. POW due to Flak. Ditched along the coast
Chanea, Crete
100%
Crash landing Noseover due to severe ground conditions Reported lost due to Flak. Pilot returned POW after combat with Hurricane of 33 Sq. (Ramsay). Crash landing POW after belly landing due to Flak Note: Returned later? POW due to Flak. POW after combat with Hurricane, emergency landing. Returned after surrender KIA due to Flak POW? Emergency landing due to Flak.
Fl.Pl. Pancevo, Yugoslavia20% Belica-Nord, Yugoslavia 10% Crete 100% Crete 100%
Reported lost after combat, emergency landing. Returned 24.4
Near Chanea on the beach Maleme area near Monlki, Greece
65% 100% 100%
100% 100% 100%
20km east of Rethymnon Bitolj, Yugoslavia
100%
Balkans theatre
100%
30%
Greece had purchased a few Blenheim IVs from England before the outbreak of hostilities, and Britain transferred more to the Hellenic Air Force in early 1940
On 6 April 1941, the two main JKRV fighter types opposing the German invasion of Yugoslavia were the Hawker Hurricane I and the Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3. Here, a license-built Hurricane from Zmaj, serial 2347, is seen at the time of delivery
Key: FSA = Fallschirmabsprung, parachute jump POW = prisoner of war MIA = missing in action KIA = killed in action WIA = wounded in action DOW = died of wounds Stfhr = Staffelführer Stkp = Staffelkapitän Kom = Kommandeur T.O. = Technischer Offizier
Balkan Domination
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Emils in the Sun
9
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hile Germany had marched across Europe and achieved victory after victory, Benito Mussolini, the ‘elder partner’ in the Axis alliance, could not help but begin feeling somewhat jealous of the repeated successes achieved by Hitler’s forces. Wanting to bask in some of the reflected glory from Hitler’s efforts, Mussolini declared war on a nearly beaten France on 10 June 1940, and Italian troops began to cross into southern French territory. However, as depleted and worn out as the French army was, they still had enough fight left in them to thoroughly repulse the Italian attack. On 11 June, as his Alpine forces were meeting with stiff resistance from the French troops, Mussolini opened a new phase of the war by commencing air attacks against the island of Malta. Sitting almost square in the middle of the Mediterranean, Malta was considered a vital link in defending the Mediterranean sea lanes. In contrast to other military weaknesses, Italy possessed a relatively modern navy which could pose a significant threat to the Royal Navy as well as commercial shipping traffic. In addition to her surface fleet, Italy also had a number of bold and aggressive small craft squadrons which would play a significant role in the battles to come.
None of this was lost on the British, of course, and they resolved to offer the strongest defence possible. In August 1940, as the Battle of Britain raged and Fighter Command was losing dozens of fighters per week, a shipment of 12 Hurricanes was dispatched to Malta to bolster the weak defences of the island... the only fighters in place at the time were four heavily worn Gloster Gladiator biplanes. Despite the numerical advantage of the Italians, the British pilots were quite successful in combatting attacks on the island over the next few months. In November, a bold and skillfully executed attack on the Italian fleet in Taranto harbor resulted in significant damage to three Italian capital ships, as well as a number of other ships being successfully attacked. In addition to this, Italian forces which had launched an unprovoked attack on Greece just two weeks prior on 28 October, were being forced back across the Greco-Albanian
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border by a determined Greek resistance. Instead of impressing Hitler with the might and power of the Italian armed forces, Mussolini’s ill-thought out gambles were resulting in heavy losses and substantial embarrassment to both the Italian and the German leaders. It was recognized in Germany that some sort of subtle assistance should be rendered, but pains were taken to ensure Mussolini still felt the operation was under his control. Accordingly, in February 1941, a single Jagdstaffel was pulled from duty on the Channel coast, re-equipped with the recently introduced Bf 109E-7, and sent south to Sicily. 7./JG 26 set up camp at Gela, Sicily, and from here, Oblt. Joachim Müncheberg and his men joined the Regia Aeronautica in applying pressure to the Maltese defenders. Flying their first mission over Malta on 12 February, 7. Staffel immediately claimed three 261 Sqn. Hurricanes on a Stuka escort mission. Ten days later, Müncheberg’s men destroyed four more Hurricanes, with Flying Officer Eric Taylor being among the fallen Hurricane pilots. The introduction of the more powerful Bf 109E-7 with its 1175 hp DB 601N was a nasty shock to the Hurricane I pilots, who could only watch as the German fighters sped off into the distance, thanks to the 50 mph difference in speed between the two aircraft. Despite the RAF having a greater number of both aircraft and pilots, the initiative had completely passed to the Germans. They dictated the terms of
Pilots and groundcrew of 7./JG 26 pass the time at Gela, Sicily in the late spring of 1941. The first aircraft in the background appears to be ‘white 14’, possibly flown by Ltn. Hans Johannsen
Although of poor quality, this photo of a 7./JG 26 E-7 is interesting as it shows the 300 litre centerline droptank mounted in preparation for a long flight. Also noteworthy is the small vent immediately in front of the exhaust manifold; this vent hole has thus far only been seen on 7. Staffel’s Messerschmitts, and was obviously a field modification, perhaps to aid in spark plug cooling much like the small factory-installed cowling scoops on the later Bf 109G models
The Gruppenkommandeur of the highly successful 7./JG 26 was Ritterkreuzträger Oblt. Jochaim Müncheberg. He flew two E-7s during his tenure in Sicily, coded ‘white 1’ and white 12’. Here, we see ‘white 12’ with the centerline drop tank fitted. The additional vent hole in front of the exhaust manifold can be clearly seen as well
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every engagement, and could enter and break off combat at will. By 2 March, the Hurricane force had been virtually eliminated through damage or attrition, and 3 Fairey Fulmars originally belonging to HMS Illustrious were used as interceptors. Müncheberg, leading a daily freie Jagd with two other Emils over the island, damaged all three of the Fulmars and claimed another Hurricane shot down. Two more Hurricanes were shot down on the 5th, and a Hurricane and a Martin Maryland were downed on the 7th. A Sunderland moored in St. Paul’s Bay was then used for target practice by the Schwarm of Messerschmitts, with another group finishing the job and sinking the hapless flying boat on the 10th. Five days later, new prey presented itself near Sicily. A small flight of Vickers Wellingtons was spotted off Sicily, and Müncheberg launched out of Gela at full power, going nearly straight up. He zeroed in on the bomber formation, and attacked a 148 Sqn. machine from below, where the aircraft was virtually defenseless. This marked Müncheberg’s 32nd kill, and more importantly, it led directly to a decision by the RAF to move the vulnerable Wellingtons and Sunderlands to North Africa. If the British defenders thought that February was a difficult month, March was to prove doubly so. On 18 March, 261 Sqn. received 12 desperately needed new Hurricanes from North Africa. Four days later, the 12 pilots of 7./JG 26 destroyed seven of the Hurricanes, killing five pilots, when the British attempted to intercept a bombing raid being escorted by the ‘Red Hearts’. Oblt. Klaus Mietusch downed two of the Hurricanes, while Uffz. Ehlen scored his first, second, and third victories all in this engagement. Most telling of all, not one single 7. Staffel Messerschmitt suffered so much as a paint scrape in this slaughter. On 3 April, another dozen replacement Hurricanes arrived; these were Hurricane II’s, whose uprated Merlin engines shaved 20mph off of the speed discrepancy between the older Hurricane Mark 1 and the Bf 109E-7. After a 72 hour diversion to take part in the invasion of Yugoslavia, where Müncheberg and Mietusch each downed an antiquated Avia BH33E, 7.Staffel returned to Gela on 11 April to continue their mastery of the Maltese skies. By the first of May, a further 13 Hurricanes had fallen to the guns of the Messerschmitts, along with yet another Sunderland set alight in St. Paul’s Bay. Müncheberg achieved his 39th and 40th victories on this date- a pair of Hurricanes, naturallywhich qualified him for the award of the Oak Leaves to the Knights’ Cross, presented on 7 May. Early May also saw the arrival of III./JG 27 at Gela, and from the 5th until their departure for Germany on 20th, this Gruppe experienced the same level of success as 7./JG 26 had been enjoying since February. Oblt. Erbo Graf von Kageneck downed four Hurricanes over this two week period, taking top honors for III./JG 27 during this period. 25 May 1941 should be a day of celebration for the Maltese, as this was the day Müncheberg and his men left Gela for
Greece. By way of a goodbye, he led eight of the Staffel’s Emils on two unopposed strafing runs against Takali field, leaving five burning Hurricanes in their wake. In their operations over Malta from early February to late May 1941, 7./JG 26 had lost no pilots, and not one single Messerschmitt was damaged an unheard-of feat. From Sicily, the Staffel moved to Molaoi for a short time between 31 May and 14 June. Their next destination would take them to the burning sands of the Northern Desert in Libya, where they would share a field at Ain-El-Gazala with I./JG 27. Arriving in April 1941, I. Gruppe had been immediately engaged in combat around the Tobruk area in support of Gen. Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps. Flying their first combat mission on 19 April,
This ‘yellow 6’ is clearly a replacement aircraft, as indicated by the overpainted Gruppenkommandeur’s chevron behind the cockpit. Ensuring the radio set was fully operational at all times was a vital job for the ground crew
Ltn. Erbo Graf von Kageneck, the Staffelkapitän of 9./JG 27, is seen here warming up his ‘brown 1’ before a mission. III./JG 27 spent a few weeks at Gela, Sicily in company with 7./JG 26 flying operations against Malta before transferring to Suwlaki in Lithuania prior to the invasion of Russia
Lt. Werner Schroer was shot down in his Bf 109E-7/trop ‘White 12’, WNr 3790 by a Hurricane piloted by Pilot Officer Spence of 274 Squadron, but four Hurricanes fell to the Messerschmitts in exchange. Schroer escaped the crash without injury, but was not quite so lucky two days later, when he was downed in Bf 109E-7 WNr 4170... very likely again by Plt Off Spence! A certain Ofhr. Marseille was also brought down on this day after downing a Hurricane, belly-
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Losses in the Desert The following loss listing is by no means comprehensive; it is included to offer the modeler a wider choice of marking possibilities. As always, it is wise to check references for other aircraft serving in the same unit at the same time to determine what the most likely camouflage combination was before beginning. Any errors in the following transcription are the sole responsibility of the author. Type Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
WNr 6305 1642
Pilot Borth, Major Roland Haumann, Ltn. Hans-Günther
Unit Stab III./ZG 1 III./ZG 26
Codes Date S9 + AD (green A) 9.1.42 3U + 2 28.2.42
Bf 109E-7
1299
Hülle, Ltn. Fritz
4.(H)/12
6.6.42
Bf 109E-7
3234
Jünger, Uffz. Wilhelm
III./ZG 26
white 11 (aft fuselage) 3U+3
Bf 109E-7
1259
3./JG 27
yellow 13 + (?)
Bf 109E-7
5160
3./JG 27
Bf 109E-7
4835
Marseille, Ofhr. Hans-Joachim Marseille, Ofhr. Hans-Joachim Müller, Uffz. Max
7./ZG 1
Bf 109E-7
4157
Mürmann, Uffz. Fritz
Bf 109E-7
3487
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
6414 762 4170
Petermann, Ofw. Werner Pickel, Uffz. Hans Ritter, Ofw. Wilhelm Schroer, Ltn. Werner
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7/N Bf 109E-7
3790 4964 2682 3789 3927 4161 6467 6431
Schroer, Ltn. Werner Sennholz, Uffz. Unger, Oblt. Rolf Unknown. Unknown. Unknown. Unknown. Unknown.
The fighter units were not the only squadrons to operate the Emil in North Africa. Here, an E-7/trop of either 2.(H)/14 or 4.(H)/12 begins its takeoff run. These reconnaissance units worked closely with Heer (army) units, hence the ‘H’ designation
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Location
% Damage 100% Crashed in sea north 100% of Trapani (Acroma-El Aden-Gowi) 100% 100%
20.4.41
Injured after colliding with 109E-7 WNr 1642. Crashed in sea north Pilot rescued. Unit was using Bf 109s apparently of Trapani. due to a shortage of Bf 110s. Other sources give code as 3U + G3 Emergency landing due to engine damage near Cahela
yellow 6 + (?)
23.4.41
Injured in belly landing after combat
near Tobruk
100%
S9+CR
17.9.42
MIA after crash due to technical fault. Code reported as CR MIA after combat.
near El Hammam
100%
unknown
100%
near Chanea on the beach unknown unknown Ain-el-Gazala
100% 100% 100% 40%
Ain-el-Gazala unknown unknown Gela Tunis El-Aouina Fl.Pl. Ain-el-Gazala Fl.Pl. Ain-el-Gazala not reported
60% 100% 100% 65% 100% 95% 50% 100%
Stab I./Schl.G. 1 S9+ED (should be green D) 5./JG 77 black 1 +
28.2.42
Circumstance Kdr. KIA due to enemy fighters Killed in collision with 109E-7 WNr 3234. Unit was using Bf 109s apparently due to a shortage of Bf 110s. Other sources give code as 3U + G2 WIA by Flak
31.10.42 20.5.41
4.(H)/12 4.(H)/12 1./JG 27
white (aft fuselage) 6.6.42 white 6 + 6.6.42 white 11 + 21.4.41
1./JG 27 7./ZG 1 7./ZG 1 8./ JG 27 1./Schl.G. 2 2./JG 27 7./JG 26 2./Schl.G. 2
white 12 + S9+DR S9+AR black 7 (cowl) 3+ black 6 + white 8 + (?) S9 + IS (black I)
19.4.41 31.8.42 24.10.42 16.5.41 29.4.43 9.1.41 8.2.41 11.1.42
POW after belly landing due to Flak, returned later? MIA, cause unknown Reported lost, cause unknown. Pilot returned Injured in emergency landing after combat with enemy fighters. May have been ‘white 3’ (Prien) Belly landing after combat. MIA due to Flak. Code reported as DR + -. MIA due to Flak. Loss report reads ‘S9 + 4R’. Take-off accident. Found by Brits. Burned. Destroyed in bombing raid. Crash landing. Emergency landing after engine damage.
landing his WNr 5160 with minor injuries. In return, however, six Hurricanes and two Blenheims were brought down. Top scorers for the day were two pilots from 1. Staffel, Ltn. Hans-Jürgen von Möller who brought down two Hurricanes, and Oblt. Wolfgang Redlich, who claimed a pair of Blenheims to the north of Tobruk. Marseille reached his 10th and 11th victories on 1 May, downing another pair of Hurricanes south of Tobruk. Sporadic activity resulted in occasional claims over the next two weeks, but on 15 May, the British began an offensive against the Afrika Korps, but the Luftwaffe protection was too strong, and they could not consolidate the temporary gains they had made. 15 May is also notable as the date that Oblt. Gerhard Homuth reached his 20th victory, thereby qualifying
80%
‘Brown 5’ of 9./JG 27 is seen in a Sicilian field following a forced landing due to an engine failure. One of the ammunition canisters for the fuselage-mounted MG 17s is seen in the foreground
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Key: FSA = Fallschirmabsprung, parachute jump POW = prisoner of war MIA = missing in action KIA = killed in action WIA = wounded in action DOW = died of wounds Stfhr = Staffelführer Stkp = Staffelkapitän Kom = Kommandeur T.O. = Technischer Offizier
him for the Knight’s Cross. The following day, Fw. Franz Elles of 2./JG 27 scored his first victory over a Hurricane south of Tobruk. Elles would have a total of four victories marked on the rudder of his attractively painted ‘black 8’ when it was photographed by a PK (Propaganda Kompanie) photographer for the magazine Signal. In the intervening decades, the aircraft has been commonly attributed to Lt. Werner Schroer or Oblt. Gustav Rödel, but as these men served with 1. and 4. Staffel respectively and had considerably more victories than shown on this aircraft, it must belong to Elles. Aside from the failed British ‘Battleaxe’ offensive launched on 15 June 1941, the air situation remained fairly static, with small raids on each side being met and occasional losses dealt. 7./JG 26 had arrived on the 15th as well, and aside from the general lack of targets, they continued to lead charmed lives with the only flying loss to the Staffel between their arrival in June and departure in late August was an E7/trop which was destroyed in a crash landing at Derna, Libya on 17 July. I./JG 27 also continued to score piecemeal during this time, losing Uffz. Heinz Greuel of 1. Staffel and Lt. Heinz Schmidt of 3./JG 27 in combat in June. While the occasional loss of a pilot was certainly hard to take, the continual loss of aircraft due to environmental factors was rapidly becoming a problem. 7./JG 26 had reported 8 out of 14 Bf 109E-7s being serviceable on 1 July; by 4 August, this total had dropped to 4 of 11 being ready for operations. The temperamental DB601N engine was therefore deemed unsuitable for desert climes, and 7./JG 26 ended their grand Mediterranean adventure at the end of August. The only two losses suffered by the entire Staffel were incurred when a Ju 52 carrying several ground crew back to Germany was attacked by British fighters; two men were severely wounded, and later succumbed to those wounds. With the departure of 7./JG 26, another Staffel was rotated into the theatre in mid-September; II./JG 27 arrived fresh from a rest and refit period after the hectic pace of the opening weeks of Barbarossa, and brought with them an aircraft which would become singularly identified with the North African theatre, the Bf 109F. I./JG 27 would soon rotate back to Germany to refit with these aircraft, and when they returned, they would write themselves into the history books. With the departure of I. Gruppe, the sole remaining units operating the Emil as standard equipment in North Africa were 10./JG 27, a special Jabo unit administratively attached to JG 27, and a pair of short-range reconnaissance units, 2.(H)/14 and 4.(H)/12 (H = Heer, indicating an army cooperation unit). These too were eventually replaced with improved Bf 109F models, and their tropical Emils sent back to be refurbished and reissued to training units or other Axis air forces. A pair of Afrika Korps troops are seen here clowning around on a derelict Bf 109E-7/trop belonging to 3./JG 27. There is a loss attributed to Hans-Joachim Marseille on 23 April 1941 which is listed as possibly being ‘yellow 6’; Marseille was injured in the crash landing of WNr 5160 after combat, with the aircraft coming down near Tobruk. It cannot be claimed with certainty that this is the same aircraft, but the timeframe and location of the photo seem to match
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Eastern Twilight
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ith the successful conclusion of operations in the Balkans, the last loose ends on continental Europe had been tied up, and Hitler was now ready to unleash his forces on his erstwhile trading partner and coconspirator in the division of Poland, Josef Stalin. Despite the outward show of amity in the signing of the MolotovRibbentrop Non Aggression Pact of 24 August 1939, each party held irreconcilable ideological differences, and their joint dissolution of Poland was merely a matter of mutual convenience. Hitler had made no secret of his desire to completely eradicate Bolshevism, and this formed one of the core concepts of his book ‘Mein Kampf ’, the wordy biography written during his incarceration at Landsberg prison in 1923-24. Now, Hitler prepared to lead his people into a cataclysmic, ideological struggle where no quarter was asked and none given. The brutality of Stalin’s regime had already seen the ‘liquidation’ of tens of thousands of officers in a series of pogroms through 1937 and 1938. This single-minded devotion to their interpretation of the Communist ideology was such that those men returning from Spain after fighting with the Republican forces were murdered simply due to their ‘foreign taint’. Such actions caused incalculable damage to the Russian armed forces, and faced with the battlehardened veterans of the German Luftwaffe, the relative inexperience of the men who replaced those thousands of dead officers would result in victory claims measured not in the dozens, but in the thousands. As III./JG 77 completed their tour of duty on Crete, massive amounts of men and materiel were already being gathered along Germany’s eastern borders. By mid-June, more than 3.6 million soldiers stood ready for their Führer’s command. Among the massive amounts of machinery were over 3,000 front line combat aircraft. The majority of the Jagdgruppen were equipped with the superlative Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 and F-4, an example of which had been combat-tested by Maj. Werner Mölders as early as October 1940. There were still a few Gruppen which were equipped with the trusty Emil, however; II./JG 27 and II./JG 77 both retained the older aircraft, as did I.(J)/LG 2 and II.(Schlacht)/LG 2, along with elements of III./JG 52. On 22 June 1941, the most overwhelmingly destructive invasion in history was launched against Russia. Covering the entire border from the Baltic to the Black Seas, thousands of tanks, hundreds of thousands of vehicles, and millions of troops began pouring across the Russian border. Above, hundreds of Luftwaffe bombers headed for Soviet airfields, escorted by hundreds more fighters. At 0340 hours on 22 June 1941, Oblt. Robert Olejnik, Staffelkapitän of I./JG 3, claimed the first aerial victory in the East when he downed a Polikarpov I-16 in his Bf 109F. However, the Emils of II./JG 27 were also active in the central sector on this crucial day, and Lt. Hans Witzel of 5. Staffel downed two I-15s in the space of 60 seconds at 0354 hours. 4./JG 27 under Oblt. Gustav Rödel
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led a Schwarm of Emils on a ground attack mission, each 109 being loaded with 96 individual SD-2 mines. First used to devastating effect over England the previous fall, the fuses were set such that the small bombs would explode amongst the parked aircraft on an airfield. Rödel could not have imagined that he and his men would find an airfield chock full of aircraft lined up wingtip to wingtip, as though on parade. Their SD-2s took a terrible toll of the gathered aircraft, destroying 45. It was the same story up and down the front. Incredulous Luftwaffe pilots returned to base with stories of hundreds upon hundreds of burning aircraft on the airfields. In the air, the vast majority of Soviet pilots seemed to lack either ability or initiative, or in some cases a combination of both; the vastly more experienced Jagdflieger downed aircraft after
With the onset of winter, the men of I./Sch.G. 1 continued to fly ground support missions in all manner of foul conditions. This Rotte of E-7s awaits the takeoff signal for their next mission; both aircraft carry four SC50 bombs on their ETC50 racks.
This belly-landed Bf 109E-7 may possibly be the aircraft of Uffz. Willi Bodden of II.(S)/LG 2. His aircraft, WNr 820 coded ‘+ L’, was lost to unknown causes near Birzniki on the opening day of Barbarossa, 22 June 1941, and Bodden returned to his unit.
aircraft, scarcely believing their own successes. There were Soviet pilots who were not inclined to simply serve as targets for German fighter pilots, however, and one of them intentionally dove his I-16 into the Emil of Maj. Wolfgang Schellmann, the Geschwaderkommodore of JG 27. Schellmann was able to parachute from his damaged aircraft, but was captured by the NKVD and murdered 48 hours later. All told, the Luftwaffe reported the total loss of only 61 aircraft of all types on this first full day of war in the East, with an additional 50 sustaining enough damage to remove them from operations. However, the Soviet Air Force had sustained the incredible loss of nearly 1200 aircraft in 24
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hours; 336 of these were downed in aerial combat. Many pilots downed multiple aircraft in individual sorties, and this pattern continued over the next few days. On 25 June, II./JG 27 was one of a number of units opposing large Soviet formations of Tupolev bombers attempting to mount a counterattack. The bombers were positively savaged, with 25 claims being filed by the men of II. Gruppe alone. Oblt. Walter Höckner of 6./JG 77 personally claimed eight Tupolev SBs on this day as well, and Ofw. Reinhold Schmetzer of 8./JG 77 claimed five out of 32 SBs shot down on 26 June. Oblt. Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber of Stab III/JG 77 added four Illyushin DB-3 bombers to his score on this date as well. 30 June saw Ltn. Walter Nowotny of JG 54’s 9. Staffel become involved in a scrap with Polikarpov I-153s south of the Baltic Sea island of Ösel. He dispatched three of them, but return fire from his last victim damaged his Bf 109E-7 ‘white 2’ enough that he was forced to ditch. As WNr 1137 sank to the bottom of the Baltic, Nowotny clambered aboard his life raft and spent three days adrift, finally washing ashore at Mikelbaka in Latvia. By 1 July, the outright destruction of the Soviet Air Force seemed well in hand, with men like Günther Lützow, Walter Oesau, and Werner Mölders increasing their scores by a factor of five or more every couple of days. As such, II./JG 27 under Hptm. Wolfgang Lippert was recalled to Germany to re-equip with the latest Bf 109F, and then join their hardpressed squadronmates of 1. Staffel in North Africa. III./JG 27 was also rotated rearwards to Döberitz, leaving their Emils for other units at Wilna on 1 July. The men of III. Gruppe remained in Wilna for another 22 days, only leaving for Germany on 23 July. III./JG 77 was beginning to receive examples of the F as well, with the erstwhile anti-shipping specialist Oblt. Wolfdieter Huy of 7. Staffel flying his ‘white 1’, W.Nr. 8334, from Iasi, Romania. II./JG 77 under Maj. Anton Mader continued flying the Emil until early December, when they rotated westwards to Vienna for a three month rest and refit period during which they transitioned on to the Bf 109F. In the north, I./JG 77 remained at Stavanger-Sola until a major reorganization saw the unit renumbered as I./JG 5 on 6 January 1942. The highly successful I.(J)/LG 2 under Hptm. Herbert Ihlefeld was then renumbered I./JG 77, and Ihlefeld remained the Gruppenkommandeur through May. I. Gruppe held onto their Emils much longer than any other JG 77 unit, with the Bf 109F being introduced while the unit was still flying operational sorties from Stalino and Konstantinovka. In the midst of this conversion, Ihlefeld transferred command of I. Gruppe to one of the best-known pilots of the Luftwaffe, Maj. Heinz Bär, on 11 May, and the next strength report from Sarabus on 26 May indicated that the last of the long-serving Emils had been retired. No matter how many aircraft the Jagdflieger hacked out of the sky, the Soviet air force was still able to mount missions, and they were gradually increasing their combat skills to
allow them some chance of survival against the Messerschmitts. The Soviet army was also being sorely tested by Jagdwaffe pilots, with II.(Schlacht)/LG 2 under Hptm. Otto Weiss flying their Emils on Jabo missions nearly around the clock to help support the eastward advance of the Wehrmacht. As the front lines of the German offensive moved further and further east, especially in the central and southern sectors, the Luftwaffe units were compelled to move from field to field, often after only a few days. A brief examination of II.(S)/LG 2’s movements in the last half of 1941 illustrates this well. After their involvement in Marita and Merkur in the Balkans, the Gruppe had moved to Tutow until June, then to Praschnitz where they flew many of their initial Ostfront sorties. July found the elements of II. Gruppe scattered in and around Solzy, where they remained until September when they moved to Kalinin, near Orenburg. October brought them to StarajaRussa for two months, and the last move of the year in December took the frozen men and machines of II. Gruppe to Dugino, where they would remain through the bitter winter. In March 1942, the unit was transferred to Werl to be rested and re-equipped with fresh Bf 109E-7s.
In the dry, dusty conditions prevailing on the Russian steppes in the summer of 1942, it was essential that the pilot have guidance to avoid ground obstacles. Here, a I./Sch.G. 2 E-7 taxies out for another mission, with a member of the ground crew directing the pilot from his vantage point on the starboard wing. The aircraft carries four SC50 bombs on the ETC50 centerline rack
The Bf 109E-7 of the Gruppenkommandeur of I.(J)/LG 2, Hptm. Herbert Ihlefeld, is pictured here in late August or early September 1941, with 52 kill markings on the tail. Ihlefeld had raised his score to 47 on 3 August with the downing of six Illyushin DB-3 bombers
While in Werl, II.(S)/LG 2 was redesignated I./Sch.G. 1 (Schlachtgruppe), and the unit moved to Nikolayev, on the Crimean Peninsula, in the first week of May to support the Kerch offensive. The strength of the aerial support was such that Kerch was taken on 15 May. It was during this offensive that the future Messerschmitt Me 262 ace Hermann Buchner experienced his baptism of fire, and was introduced to the brutal nature of the Eastern Front in short order. His friend
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This E-7 of I./Sch.G. 2 struck a stationary object with the port wing, ripping the wing and engine from the fuselage. The aircraft is fitted with remanufactured E-1 wings, as evidenced by the missing blast tube cover on the port wing, just inboard of the MGFF barrel
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Ltn. Lange suffered engine damage and had to force-land behind enemy lines. As his fellow pilots watched from above, he made a skillful belly landing, and opened his canopy to await capture from the numerous Russian soldiers. They had no intention of taking Lange alive, however, and physically dragged him from his cockpit and began to mercilessly beat him to his knees. Horrified, the German pilots realized the Russians were killing Lange before their very eyes, and dove down to strafe the entire area to bring a swift end to their comrade’s suffering and kill as many of the enemy as they could. When the Schlachtflieger had finished the job, the only
The centerline ETC500 bomb rack is seen in this photo of a I./Sch.G. 2 Emil
Key: FSA = Fallschirmabsprung, parachute jump POW = prisoner of war MIA = missing in action KIA = killed in action WIA = wounded in action DOW = died of wounds Stfhr = Staffelführer Stkp = Staffelkapitän Kom = Kommandeur T.O. = Technischer Offizier
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movement visible on the ground was the flame and smoke billowing from Lange’s destroyed Messerschmitt. Following the successful conclusion of the Kerch operation, I./Sch.G. 1 moved north to Kharkov Rogan to help stem a Russian breakthrough south of Kharkov itself. For over ten days, the Messerschmitt pilots did nothing but fly and sleep when they could to support the Wehrmacht counteroffensive, and the efforts were successful; the Russians were stopped by 28 May. The next task assigned to I. Gruppe would be to provide the 6th Army with air support as
the Wehrmacht pushed across the Don River and towards Stalingrad. The Gruppe relocated from their recently occupied field at Slaviansk to Tatinskaya in July, followed immediately by a transfer to Frolov-West. In the middle of August, I. Gruppe found itself south of Kallach for a brief period before moving to Tusow, merely a grass field in the Russian steppes. Hermann Buchner gave an excellent description of the area in his biography Stormbird: ‘We stuck out like peas on a plate, without any protection against the constant bombardment.’ Their operations against Stalingrad continued day after day, although without the same level of urgency as those launched at Kerch or Kharkov in the spring. The routine was shattered with a surprise Russian counteroffensive around Stalingrad, launched on 19 November, and the Gruppe was forced to move back to Millerovo in late November. The Soviets had now seized the initiative, and Soviet fighters claimed two of the four I. Gruppe E-7s lost between 30 November and 19 December. The brutal weather conditions went from bad to worse, and the unit found itself flying support missions from Schachty and Voroshilovgrad in the most foul winter weather imaginable through January 1943. Another move in February, this time to Gorlovka, brought I./Sch.G. 1 back to the Donets Basin area where the Soviets retook Kharkov on 16 February. This time, it was the Wehrmacht’s turn to grasp the initiative, and a tremendous counteroffensive was launched which saw Kharkov back in German hands by early March 1943. Now based at Kharkov-North, I./Sch.G.1 had written the final chapter in the Luftwaffe’s operational use of the Bf 109E, as they began to transition onto the Focke Wulf Fw 190F. Given the critical supply situation across the Eastern Front, Emils would continue to be found in operational units for some time yet, but with I./Sch.G.1’s transition to an aircraft vastly better suited for ground attack, the majority of Bf 109Es still wearing the Balkankreuz were to be found serving in the various training units across the Reich.
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Eastern Losses The following is a partial list of Bf 109E losses on the Eastern Front. This is by no means a comprehensive listing; rather, these have been provided to offer a wider choice of subjects when deciding to build a 109 from this theatre of operations. The list has been sorted alphabetically for easier searching, and responsibility for any transcription or data errors lies solely with the author. Type Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
WNr 3357 1789 741 4195 6095
Pilot Unit Ameln, Fhr. Kurt 5./JG 77 Andres, Fw. Alfred 1./Schl.G. 1 Arnold, Uffz. Alfred 2./JG 77 Bergmann, Ofw. Georg 9./JG 77 Berres, Ofhr. 3./JG 77 Heinz-Edgar Beruwka, Fw. Hans 3./Schl.G. 1 Blaurock, Ofw. Friedrich7./JG 77 Bochmann, Uffz. Horst Stab II./JG 77 Bodden, Uffz. Willi II.(S)/LG 2 Braukmann, Ltn. 2.(J)/LG 2 Broddem, Uffz. Wilhelm4./Schl.G. 1 Czink, Uffz. Karl 6./JG 77 Deicke, Ltn. Joachim 4./JG 77 Dite, Uffz. Julius 4./JG 77
Codes black 5 + white A + ^ black 14 + yellow 10 + | black << +
Date 10.02.41 8.1.42 5.12.42 7.7.41 17.3.42
Circumstance MIA in combat after Alarmstart KIA, cause unknown MIA due to Flak. FSA POW after combat. Collided with DB-3. FSA Belly landing. Ihlefeld's old plane
Location South of Perekop Kalatsch Kertsch Tigkina area Stalino area
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-4/B Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-4/B Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
6392 2012 3764 820 2045 2805 1799 3508 813
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
1114 6420 5935
Bf 109E-7
3392
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
5397 4919
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E
4209 2060 4199 2786
Bf 109E-4
3639
Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-1
5288 6331
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
4134 1326
Bf 109E-7
4883
Bf 109E-4
yellow M + ^ yellow 5 + black < + +L black 5 + white R + yellow 9 + white 10 + white 7 + -
24.8.42 25.7.41 8.1.41 22.6.41 26.6.41 19.3.42 18.8.41 8.1.41 30.9.41
Faslow
Dorfer, Uffz. Albin Dyck, Ofw. Olav Fahrenberger, Uffz. Hans Fahrenberger, Uffz. Hans Füntmann, Gefr. Hans Grimpe, Fw. Friedrich
8./JG 27 4./JG 77 8./JG 27
black 2 (cowl) white 12 + black 6 (cowl)
29.7.41 7.1.41 14.7.41
MIA, cause unknown Reported lost, cause unknown. Pilot returned MIA after combat. emergency landing. Reported lost, cause unknown. Pilot returned Combat MIA, cause unknown MIA after combat with I-16 Emergency landing due to Flak POW after combat during Stuka escort sortie Died in captivity 3.2.42 Reported lost after combat. Returned on 10.8.41 KIA due to groundfire during Tiefangriff. Burned Reported lost due to enemy fire. Pilot returned
8./JG 27
black 7 (cowl)
23.7.41
Emergency landing
8./JG 27 7./JG 27
black 4 (cowl) white 9 (cowl)
27.7.41 28.7.41
MIA after combat MIA due to engine damage
4./JG 77 2.(J)/LG 2 9./JG 27 4./JG 77
white 3 + black 10 + yellow 10 (cowl) white 3 + -
24.10.41 7.10.41 21.9.41 27.8.41
Reported lost in combat. Pilot returned MIA after combat with I-16s and DB-3s WIA, cause unknown KIA in combat with enemy bombers
9./JG 27
yellow 2 (cowl)
21.9.41
Reported lost, cause unknown. Pilot returned
6./JG 77 6./JG 77
yellow 4 + yellow 6 + -
30.10.41 13.7.41
Stkp. Reported lost after combat. Returned WIA due to Flak. belly landing.
6./JG 77 9./JG 27
yellow 9 + yellow 1 (cowl)
23.6.41 20.8.41
100% 50%
8./Schl.G. 1
black L + ^
30.7.42
MIA due to Flak. Loss report shows W.Nr. 1434 near Kishinew Stkp. belly landing. Markings: 1 on nose, III Tschudowo Gruppe badge, 40+ Abschussbalken on rudder (white?) MIA due to enemy fighters. emergency landing Pl. Qu. 1800
3328
Grübling, Uffz. Josef Guse, Ltn. Hans Hacker, Uffz. Ewald Himmelmann, Ltn. Wilhelm Hinkelmann, Ltn. Joachim Höckner, Oblt. Walter Horstmann, Uffz. Herbert Illner, Uffz. Hans Kageneck, Oblt. Erbo Graf von Katzerowski, Uffz. Helmut Kreplin, Ogefr. Heinz
4./JG 77
white 5 + -
7.5.41
100%
Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-7
5050 3572 6034 1536
Kreplin, Ogefr. Heinz Kuhn, Uffz. Walter Kunold, Ltn. Wolfram Langer, Fw. Hugo
4./JG 77 8./ZG 1 2./Schl.G. 1 1./JG 77
white 5 + 13.7.41 S9 + CS (black C) 13.7.42 black ^ + R 7.4.42 red 5 + 3.1.42
Bf 109E-7
5365
Laster, Fw. Jura
8./JG 77
red 5 + -
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
4137 unk. 6437 5896
6./JG 77 yellow 6 + 4./Schl.G. 1 (or 2) white U + 2./Schl.G. 1 yellow O + ^ 5./JG 77 black 7 + -
28.7.41 24.7.41 6.12.42 13.8.41
Bf 109E-7
4092
Leban, Hptm. Karl Leicher, Ltn. Otto Luft, Uffz. Hans Marschhausen, FhjGefr. Günther Martens, Fw. August
2./JG 77
white 7 +
5.8.42
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-4/B Bf 109E-7
6441 4885 1517 3352 1137
Mejer, Uffz. Heinrich Müller, Uffz. Rudolf Neumann, Uffz. Hans Niederhöfer, Uffz. Hans Nowotny, Ltn. Walter
Stab III./ZG 1 1./Schl.G. 1 1./Schl.G. 1 5./JG 27 Erg.St./JG 54
S9 + DD (green D)13.6.42 white A + ^ 17.12.42 white + L 4.7.42 black 7 + 22.6.41 white 2 + 19.7.41
Bf 109E-7
5960
Painczyk, Ofhr. Roman 4./JG 77
white 4 + -
27.11.41
Bf 109E-7 3291 Bf 109E-4/B 6036
Pandel, Fw. Willy 3./JG 77 Paskowski, Gefr. Kurt 5./JG 27
yellow 3 + black 8 + -
23.3.42 22.6.41
Reported lost after combat with I-16 Kamenez area Pilot returned Reported lost due to Flak. Pilot returned Tiraspol area MIA due to enemy fighter near Pestschany MIA due to enemy fighters near Stari-Nikolskoje Lost in combat. Loss report shows WNr 5365; Alexandrowka confused with Laster? MIA, cause unknown. Confused with Langer, WNr 1536? KIA, flew into the ground during combat West of Serby Reported lost, cause unknown. Returned Missing from transfer flight, cause unknown Nikolajew-Schischigry MIA due to ship's Flak. Listed in losses South of Otschakow as Bf 109E-4/B Reported missing after combat due to fuel Turkey problem, emergency landing in Turkey. Pilot returned KIA, cause unknown Reported lost due to enemy fighters. Pilot returned Schesstakow MIA due to enemy fighters Near Vorozneh Emergency landing Grodno Reported lost after combat and downing 2 Ratas. near Insel Ösel Notwasserung. Paddled raft with hands for 3 days to reach Ösel MIA after combat, emergency landing on South of Rostow Russian side of the lines MIA after combat, emergency landing Slawjansk Injured in emergency landing due to fuel Ostrolenla/Ostrow shortage. Knyszyn, Strasse
3.1.42
% Damage 100% 100% 100% 100% 30%
Grigoriupol area Berzniki Pl.Qu. 4761 Over Brinowka Grigoriupol area near Ischum Toropez NE of Kamenez 2 km south of Ljesno, near Zubki Szatschkowo, north of Jarzewo 30 km SW of Bjelej 30 km east of Welikije-Luki Bataisk area Tigkina Kronstadt area South of KasatschiLageri Kronstadt Sinjawka
100% 100% 100% 100% 30% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
100%
100% 100% 100% 35% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% continued...
Eastern twilight
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Easter Losses continued... Type Bf 109E-4
WNr 1314
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-4/B Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
749 4172 707 1572 5039 6216
Bf 109E-7
1416
Bf 109E-7
4189
Bf 109E-7
1962
Pilot Polscher, Uffz. Wolfgang Reinders, Uffz. Rennert, Ltn. Heinz Rhorer, Ltn. Franz Riedl, Uffz. Otto Riepe, Fw. Ernst Rietenbach, Ltn. Herbert Röder, Gefr. Ewald
Unit 4./JG 77
Codes black < + -
Date 21.8.41
Circumstance Location MIA after combat with I-153. FSA. Shot in chute East of Jagorlyskij
1./Schl.G. 1 3.(J)/LG 2 9./JG 27 3.(J)/LG 2 9./JG 27 Stab. II(S)/LG 2
white M + ^ white 5 + yellow 4 (cowl) yellow 9 + yellow 11 (cowl) +G
17.8.42 22.10.41 27.6.41 22.9.41 19.9.41 19.8.41
KIA due to Flak KIA in combat MIA, cause unknown KIA in combat MIA after combat. parachuted WIA from combat
3.(J)/LG 2
yellow 5 +
26.9.41
Stab./JG 27
black << +
22.6.41
Stab II./JG 77
black
20.7.41
Injured in crash landing. Loss report shows Tschaplinka W.Nr. 4116. Kom. POW after combat with I-16s. FSA. near Grodno Murdered by NKVD Adj. Struck the ground. Schirmböck's plane, Balti but was he flying it? KIA in combat Slawjansk Belly landing. Clausen's old plane On bank of the Donets Emergency landing after taking hits to the Balti engine. Collided with Kubelwagen Reported lost, cause unknown. Pilot returned near Soty Stkp. emergency landing after hit in radiator. 5th Sambel-Seregigei and 6th victory on 15.7.41. Six white kill markings on rudder WIA by Flak near Taganrog Reported lost, cause unknown. Pilot returned OK. Stkp. Reported lost after emergency landing due West of Minsk to fuel shortage. Plane & pilot returned (28.6) Defected to the Soviets. Taganrog Reported lost after hit in radiator. emergency landing. Pilot returned 2 days later MIA, cause unknown Near Grodno MIA, cause unknown Minsk area Overturned on landing. (may be WNr 2037, Molodeczno also with II./JG 27) Crash landing due to severe ground conditions Fl.Pl. Mariupol Reported lost after emergency landing. Karschinow-Ivanosk Pilot returned Defected to Soviets. Emergency landing after combat with 147th IAP. 8 km NW of Murmansk Evaded capture and rescued on 28.2 MIA, cause unknown Pl.Qu. 2946 Reported lost after engine damage, emergency NE of Domnitza landing. Pilot returned Killed in crash, cause unknown. Euböa Kymi KIA due to ground fire during Tiefangriffen. 1 km NE of Ruda
1./JG 77 1./JG 77 8./JG 77
red 6 + white 4 + x black 5 +
22.3.42 17.3.42 20.7.41
Bf 109E-4/B 2025 Bf 109E-4/B 1384
Schellmann, Major Wolfgang Schirmböck, Oblt. Georg Schleif, Fw. Wilhelm Schlick, Uffz. Horst Schmetzer, Ofw. Reinhold Sdun, Uffz. Gerhard Setz, Oblt. Heinrich
8./JG 27 4./JG 77
black 2 (cowl) white 1 + -
28.6.41 21.7.41
Bf 109E-7 3291 Bf 109E-4/B 1159 Bf 109E-7 4199
Stahl, Uffz. Hermann Stratmann, Uffz. Emil Strössner, Oblt. Rolf
3.(J)/LG 2 3./JG 77 6./JG 27
yellow 3 + (?) yellow 3 + yellow 10 + -
28.12.41 28.6.41 26.6.41
Bf 109E Bf 109E-7
Supek, Hptm. B. Taubert, Uffz. Helmut
15(kroat)/JG 52 6./JG 77
green 4 + yellow 9 + -
27.4.42 26.7.41
Bf 109E-7 1635 Bf 109E-4/B 1651 Bf 109E-7 4187
Toop, Ltn. Paul Umbach, Ofw. Hans unknown
II.(S)/LG 2 8./JG 27 9./JG 27
+A black 1 (cowl) yellow 5 (cowl)
22.6.41 27.6.41 30.6.41
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
5207 3429
unknown Voss, Uffz. Werner
I.(J)/LG 2 7/ZG 1
white 11 + (?) 1.5.42 S9 + FR (white F) 21.7.42
Bf 109E Bf 109E-7
1506 1093
15(kroat)/JG 52 5./JG 5
green 9 + red 9 +
5.4.42 26.2.42
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
1266 6429
Vucina, Oblt. Nikola Weinitschke, Uffz. Dietrich Weiss, Uffz. Helmut Wempe, Ltn. Friedrich
3./Schl.G. 1 6./JG 77
yellow A + ^ yellow 3 + -
12.11.42 25.7.41
Wempe, Ltn. Friedrich 1.Erg.St./JG 77 Wiesinger, 4./JG 27 Oblt. Wilhelm Wintergest, Ofw. Eugen 4./JG 77
white 3 + white 2 + -
30.11.41 23.6.41
white 13 + -
24.9.41
Wollmann, Ofhr. Horst 6.(Schl)/LG 2 Zickerhofer, 4./JG 77 Gefr. Johann Zuzic, Ltn. Herwig 4./JG 77
yellow L + white 14 + -
20.8.41 23.9.41
white 7 + – (?)
24.9.41
Bf 109E-7 3354 Bf 109E-7 6389 Bf 109E-4/B 3605
1411 5189
Bf 109E-7 3215 Bf 109E-7/N 4914 Bf 109E-7
3632
Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7
4184 1614
Bf 109E-4/B 1459
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% Damage 100%
Gnikowskoj Rostow area Minsk area Perekop Kolpino area Tschudowo
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 65% 100% 40% 80% 100% 30% 35% 60% b 100% 100% 100% 100% 20% 65% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
POW after collision with Zuzic's WNr 1459. FSA. North of Perekop ‘Defected’, then escaped to fly in JG 1, later KIA KIA, cause unknown Tschudowo KIA in combat Preobrashenko area
100%
POW after collision with Wintergerst's WNr 3632. North of Perekop FSA. ‘Defected’, then escaped to fly in JG 1, later KIA
100%
100% 100%
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The Bf 109 as Trainer
11
Chapter
T
he Luftwaffe training program in the late 1930s and early 1940s was among the most rigorous in the world at the time, and the result was a large core of highly skilled and motivated pilots and aircrew.‘Air-mindedness’ was fostered at all levels by official Party organizations, and a prospective Luftwaffe pilot would first find himself working with the Reichsarbeitdienst (RAD for short, the state labor organization) for a period of time before taking part in basic glider flying with the Nationalsozialistiches Fliegerkorps (NSFK). From here, the recruits would spend 6 to 12 months in a Fliegerersatzabteilung (FEA, later known as a Flieger Ausbildungsregiment, FAR). This was the equivalent of basic training, where the recruit would learn basic military skills and doctrine as well as take part in an extensive physical training regimen. in unit designations). The A/B referred to the two levels of aircraft used at this unit; this was based on RLM weight classifications.A brief table below indicates the differences between the A and B level aircraft: A-class aircraft used included the Focke Wulf Fw 44, Bücker Bu 131, Klemm Kl 25 and 35, and the Heinkel He 72 Kadett. Larger aircraft were used in the B-class, such as the Gotha Go 145,Arado Ar 65,Ar 66, and Ar 76, and the Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun.
As the earlier Jumo-engined variants were replaced in front-line service by the Bf 109E model, they were sent to training units. This B-1 is fitted with the deeper windshield retrofitted to the earlier aircraft, and the photo gives a good view of the interior of the aft upper cowling
Upon successful completion of the FEA/FAR courses, officer candidates would be sent to a Luftkriegschule (LKS), while other recruits would move to a Fluganwärterkompanie for approximately two months where they would study aviation concepts. Pending successful completion of these courses, the prospective pilot would then transfer to a primary flight training unit known as a Flugzeugführerschule A/B (abbreviated FFS A/B
Class A-1 A-2 B-1 B-2
Personnel 1-2 1-2 1-3 4-6
Total weight Max 500kg Max 1000kg Max 2500kg Max 2500kg
Engines 1 1 1 1
One of the more unusual marking combinations to be seen on a Bf 109 is this Erlamanufactured B-1 of the Flugzeuglehrschule der Luftwaffe at BrandenburgBriest. Wearing a full 1940era camouflage scheme of 71/02/65, WNr 378 also features a dark area along the wingroot to hide exhaust staining
Registration D-YAAA thru D-YZZZ D-EAAA thru D-EZZZ D-IAAA thru D-IZZZ D-OAAA thru D-OZZZ
Training at the FFS A/B unit would include 100 to 150 hours of primary training on A-2 and B-1/2 aircraft, with the first five hours being dual instruction. Following a solo flight, the next 25 hours would include takeoffs and landings, basic turns, and other rudimentary flight maneuvers; aerobatics would follow once the fledgling pilot was judged to be sufficiently Ejector stacks much like those fitted to the DB601 mounted in the Bf 109E were retrofitted to a number of Jumo-engined aircraft; one is seen here at a fighter training school. The black streak above the exhaust assembly is soot gathered on the downwards-opening spark plug inspection door
One can only imagine the panic going through the student’s mind as he stood on the brakes to avoid ramming the building in the photo; the results of locking the brakes are seen here, as this D-1 has neatly flipped onto its back
The Bf 109 as trainer
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The circumstances of this accident are not known, but it is clear that this Bf 109D-1 has seen better days. This is another aircraft retrofitted with the ejector exhausts
The groundcrew appear to be enjoying a joke at the pilot’s expense in this photo of a 2.Staffel Bf 109C or D from an unidentified training unit
The winter of 1939-40 was one of the coldest on record for continental Europe, but training had to continue. Here, an unidentified Bf 109D-1 taxies out for another training flight. The plated-over lower quarterlight in the windscreen has a flare tube projecting from it; this may denote a Staffelführer’s aircraft
This particularly happy looking crew is seen servicing a Bf 109C or D from the 2. Staffel of an unknown Jagdfliegerschule. Note the ejector exhaust stack assembly on the aircraft in the background
Enjoying the weather on a hot summer’s day, this trio of mechanics has gathered by Bf 109E ‘white 18’ for a snapshot Another day, another belly landing... all in a day’s work for the Jagdfliegerschulen. ‘White 8’, a 2.Staffel Bf 109D-1 of an unidentified JFS, is seen here during recovery operations after the aircraft was set down with the gear up
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skilled by his instructors. Those pilots who received their Bclass pilot’s certificate and were selected for fighter aircraft would then move to a Jagdfliegervorschule (JVS) for primary fighter training. These schools were equipped with obsolescent fighters such as the Arado Ar 68E and F, and the Heinkel He 51B, as well as captured foreign aircraft such as the Avia B.534 and Dewoitine D.520. The pilot then graduated from the JVS to a far more demanding syllabus at a Jagdfliegerschule (JFS). Upon the successful completion of this course, the pilot would be assigned to an operational unit. Difficulties in integrating the new pilots into the highly fluid combat environment in battles of 1940 led to the introduction of the Ergänzungsgruppen within individual Jagdgeschwadern. This fourth Gruppe functioned as an intermediate training ground
for the recently arrived pilots (known as ‘Nachwuchs’, to their squadron mates, literally ‘new growth’), which allowed them to move into front-line operations with a better understanding of the combat situation. As the Jagdgeschwadern graduated to newer, more powerful variants of the Bf 109, the surviving older versions were transferred directly to the Jagdfliegerschulen, often still wearing their operational markings. The JFS would then apply their own designators to the aircraft, frequently consisting of a number on a colored band around the aft fuselage. The B, C, and D models were mainstays of the JFS well into 1943, but by the end of the war, brand new aircraft were being issued directly to the fighter schools.
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Foreign Users
12
Chapter
The Emils sent to Bulgaria were well used, as evidenced by the wear visible on this E4 coded ‘White 7’. The aircraft carried their identification numbers repeated below the wings in black, just outboard of the national insignia
Bulgaria Bulgaria took delivery of a total of 19 Bf 109Es, with 10 E-4s being delivered in June 1940 and another 9 E-7 models being received in 1941. The aircraft, which received the nickname ‘Strela’ (arrow) in service, served as fighters with the 3/6 Orlyak and saw service against American bomber raids in 1943. Poruchyk Stoyan Stoyanov, the leading Bulgarian ace of WWII with 4 individual victories, opened his score on 1 August 1943 when he shot down a B-24 Liberator which fell near the village of Kokartzi. His usual mount at that time was a Bf 109E-4 coded ‘white 4’, with the Bulgarian air force serial 4/7047. Other identified Bulgarian Emils are listed in the table below.
Croatia Following the German invasion of Yugoslavia on 6 April 1941, a pro-German Independent State of Croatia (Nezavisna Drava Hrvatska, abbreviated as ‘NDH’) was established on 14 April, led by Ante Pavelic´ . This state was divided into two zones of influence; the Italians controlled areas in the south, while the Germans oversaw activities in the north. The 4th Fighter Group, composed of the 10th and 11th fighter squadrons, was established in July 1941 and their crews sent to Jagdfliegerschule 4 at Fürth for training on the Bf 109. After conversion training was complete, the 11 Bf 109Es of the 10th squadron were subordinated to 3./JG 52 at Poltava in late September, being incorporated as 15.(kroat.)/JG 52, and flew their first combat missions on 10 October. In December, the 11th squadron joined the unit at Taganrog, and the 4th Fighter Group was disbanded the following month. In its place, the 10th Reinforced Wing was established with the 7 remaining Emils from the 10th squadron. The Jagdgruppe continued to utilize their increasingly worn Emils through July, when the first Bf 109G-2s began to arrive at Mariupol
Romania Romania had placed an order for fifty Bf 109E-3s in December 1939, with the first 11 being delivered in the spring of 1940, and they were delivered to the 57th Fighter Squadron, 7th Fighter Group at Pipera, near Bucharest. In the fall of 1940, Hitler successfully brought Romania into the Axis fold, which brought about a marking change; instead of a red/yellow/blue roundel, the national marking now became a yellow cross
thinly outlined in blue, whose outer arm ends formed an ‘M’ in tribute to Prince Michael, the country’s de facto leader. The previous roundel was reduced to a small circular device in the midst of the cross. The remaining Emils were delivered on 18 February 1941, and the 56th and 58th Fighter Squadrons were added to the 7th Fighter Group at this time. With the beginning of Operation Barbarossa on 22 June 1941, the 7th Fighter Group was heavily committed to the battle and scored their first aerial victories on 23 June, destroying 6 Soviet fighters from a group of 25 without suffering any losses. The first loss for the ARR was suffered on 5 July, when adj.stg.av. Illie Vatamanu was downed by Soviet anti-aircraft fire. The following two days saw an additional three kills over Soviet I-16s credited to the group. Losses for the 7th Fighter Group continued to mount, although many of
Stoyan Stoyanov was the leading Bulgarian ace of WWII, and he is seen on the right next to his Bf 109E-4 coded ‘white 4’. Note the relatively sharp demarcation line between the RLM 71 and RLM 02 on the fuselage side
Bulgaria The following is a list of positively identified Bf 109Es which served with 15.(kroat.)/JG 52, including fates of identified Croatian Emils in other units. Type Code Bulg. AF serial Bf 109E-4 White 1 Unknown Bf 109E-4 White 2 Unknown Bf 109E-4 White 3 Unknown Bf 109E-4 White 4 4/7047 Usual mount of por. Stoyan Stoyanov Bf 109E-4 White 5 Unknown Bf 109E-4 White 6 6/7047 Bf 109E-4 White 7 Unknown Bf 109E-4 White 8 Unknown Bf 109E-4 White 9 Unknown Bf 109E-4 White 10 Unknown Bf 109E-4 Red 11 Unknown Possibly renumbered earlier aircraft? Bf 109 ‘E-3’ White 12 12/7047 Earlier, rounded canopy; possible replacement aircraft? Bf 109E-7 White 7 7/7047 Bf 109E-7 White 9 9/7047 Bf 109E-7 White 13 Unknown Bf 109E-7 White 16 Unknown Bf 109E-7 White 17 Unknown Bf 109E-7 White 18 Unknown Bf 109E-7 White 19 Unknown Bf 109E-7 Unknown Unknown Bf 109E-7 Unknown Unknown Bf 109E-7 Unknown Unknown With the introduction of large numbers of the more capable Bf 109G, the remaining E-7s were withdrawn from service in 1944.
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Croatia The following is a list of positively identified Bf 109Es which served with 15.(kroat.)/JG 52, including fates of identified Croatian Emils in other units. Type Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E Bf 109E-1 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E Bf 109E-1 Bf 109E Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E-7 Bf 109E Bf 109E-7
W.Nr. 950 950 1285 1285 1285 1285 1285 1285 1411 1431 1438 1438 1438 1438 1438 1438 1438 1479 1483 1506 1618 1932 2680 3238 3324 3333 3498 3664 3779 3792 3864 3864 4217 4864 5057 5058 6034 6034 6034 6087 6087 6087 6087 6124 6354 6354 6393 7672
Pilot Lasta ,J. Seidel, Ogefr. Willi
Unit 15./JG52 I./NAG 102 Erg.St./JG 51 Gali , C. 15./JG52 Vu ina, N. 15./JG52 Gali , C. 15./JG52 15./JG52 15./JG52 Supek, Hptm. B. 15./JG52 15./JG52 ulinovi , M. 15./JG52 ulinovi , M. 15./JG52 Gali , C. 15./JG52 Gali , C. 15./JG52 D al, F. 15./JG52 D al, F. 15./JG52 15./JG52 Jergovi , I. 15./JG52 15./JG52 Vucina, Oblt. Nikola 15./JG52 15./JG52 15./JG52 15./JG52 15./JG52 15./JG52 15./JG52 15./JG52 15./JG52 15./JG52 15./JG52 Radi , S. 15./JG52 Ferencina, Hptm. 15./JG52 15./JG52 JGr.West 15./JG52 15./JG52 Lasta, J. 15./JG52 Lasta, J. 15./JG52 Kunold, Ltn. Wolfram 2./Sch.G. 1 Mikovi , V. 15./JG52 Mikovi , V. 15./JG52 Mikovi , V. 15./JG52 15./JG52 15./JG52 Martina evi , S. 15./JG52 John, Gefr. Heinz Erg./JG 51 15./JG52 Boskic, Ltn. Stamkoma 15./JG52
Codes
green 4 + (Stkz DB+WH)
(Stkz DB+WO)
green 9 + (Stkz GH+NG)
^ + R (black)
Date 24.3.42 12.5.44 9.1.41 2.3.42 20.3.42 7.4.42 28.4.42 17.5.42 27.4.42 1.10.41 9.2.42 9.2.42 5.3.42 5.3.42 20.3.42 29.3.42 15.7.42 8.3.42 1.6.42 4.5.42 13.6.42 29.4.42 1.6.42 10.6.42 12.12.41 28.3.42 1.1.42 3.5.42 1.6.42 21.4.42 24.3.42 23.4.42 12.5.42 27.4.43 9.6.42 13.5.42 5.3.42 5.3.42 4.7.42 20.3.42 20.3.42 7.4.42 24.4.42 28.3.42 8.3.42 9.4.41 30.4.42 10.2.42
Circumstance Victory over I-16 Injured in crash due to engine trouble. Engine trouble. Victory over R-10 Victory over I-16 Victory over I-16 Landing accident due to engine trouble. Crash landing due to tire damage. Defected to the Soviets. Pilot error. Victory over I-16 Victory over I-16 Victory over I-16 Victory over I-16 Victory over MiG-3 Victory over I-153 crash landing due to pilot error. Victory over enemy aircraft Rammed by Bf 109E-4 WNr 3779 (taking off) Defected to Soviets. Taxiing accident. Flak. Tire damage. Undercarriage damage. Taxiing accident. Take-off accident. Taxiing accident. Undercarriage damage. Rammed Bf 109E-4 WNr 1483 while taking off. Crash landing. Victory over MiG-? Crash landing due to engine trouble. Crash landing. Emergency landing due to technical failure. Crash landing. Destroyed in bombing raid Victory over I-16 Victory over I-16 MIA due to enemy fighters. Victory over I-16 Victory over I-16 Victory over MiG-3 , 28th victory of squadron Destroyed in bombing raid Undercarriage failure. Victory over enemy aircraft Injured in crash landing due to pilot error. Take-off accident. Pilot injured in belly landing – technical failure
One of the first 11 Bf 109E-3s received by the ARR in the spring of 1940 displays the Romanian roundel in red/yellow/blue; this was soon replaced with ‘Michaels Cross’ when Romania was pressured into joining the Axis
the aircraft were able to make it back to their own lines after being damaged by Soviet ground fire. By the last week of July, the entire Group was down to only 26 serviceable aircraft. Escort missions continued into August, and victories mounted for the ARR pilots, but the loss of the 7th Fighter Group commander on 21st August, lt. cdor. av. Alexandru Popisteanu, was a significant blow to the morale of the group.
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Location % unknown Klettendorf Fl.Pl. Marquise unknown unknown unknown near Uspenskaja Mariupol-West (Taganrog) Fl.Pl. Lemburg unknown unknown Lisonogorskaja Lisonogorskaja unknown unknown Taganrog-West unknown Mariupol unknown Mariupol-West Taganrog Mariupol Mariupol-West Fl.Pl. Taganrog Fl.Pl. Lemberg Fl.Pl. Mariupol Sarabus Mariupol Taganrog unknown Mariupol Eupatoria Fl.Pl. Mont de Marsan Mariupol Sarabus Lisonogorskaja Lisonogorskaja near Stari-Nikolskoje unknown unknown unknown Mariupol Fl.Pl. Mariupol unknown Gelnhausen Stalino Mariupol
Damage 15% 30% n/a n/a n/a 20% 65% 100% 45% n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 35% 60% 100% 50% 30% 35% 40% 60% 25% 40% 65% 10% 30% n/a 30% 70% 70% 40% 100% n/a n/a 100% n/a n/a n/a 100% 15% n/a 80% 15% 80%
Another four victories were achieved by the ARR pilots through September, but attrition had reduced the number of serviceable Emils down to a mere four machines by the beginning of October. When the group rotated back to Bucharest, they had achieved a total of 62 confirmed victories against only six losses. Fifteen new Bf 109E-7s were received in the spring, and the group remained at Pripera field until being sent to Tuzov, in the Stalingrad sector, in September 1942. Here, the 7th Fighter Group was primarily tasked with bomber escort, and moved from Tuzow to Karpovka in October. A month later, however, a Soviet winter counteroffensive caught the unit by surprise, and in the course of an emergency evacuation to Tachinskaya, seven unserviceable Emils were left behind, with an additional five aircraft being written off. By the time the survivors of the winter battles were rotated back to Romania in January 1943, the 7th Fighter Group had a total of three Emils remaining out of the original group of 37 that they had brought to the Stalingrad area. During the rest and refit
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period, the first shipments of new Bf 109Gs arrived for the 7th Fighter Group. The 5th Fighter Group at Cocargeaua then began receiving some of the older Emils as replacements for their Heinkel He 112s and IAR-80s. The 51st Squadron could only muster four Bf 109E-7s by April, but the 52nd Squadron had 11 Bf 109s on strength by the end of the year. The 53rd also flew Emils briefly in 1943, before becoming the first ARR unit to transition to the new Bf 109G.
Slovakia The Slovak air force began conversion training onto the Bf 109E in February 1942, with the unit being declared operational on 1 July as 13. Letka. The unit was administratively attached to JG 52 as 13.(slowak.)/JG 52, and was first deployed to the Kuban area in October 1942 with a total of 7 Bf 109Es. The first Slovak claims occurred on 28 November in a battle with Soviet I-153s near Tulapse; three Polikarpovs were claimed against no Slovak losses, but these were not confirmed. Among the aircraft and pilots taking part in this action were V. Kriko in Bf 109E-7 WNr 6474, coded ‘white 12’. Other known Slovak Bf 109Es were coded 38, 43, 60, and 72. 27 well-used Bf 109E-4s and E-7s had been delivered to the unit by the end of the year.
Switzerland Impressed by the performance of the Bf 109 prototypes on display at the Dübendorf flying meet in July 1937, the Swiss approached Germany about purchasing a number of the fighters for their own air force. After a series of negotiations and some behind the scenes maneuvering, the Swiss purchased 10 Bf 109D-1 fighters, minus weapons, and 50 unarmed Bf 109E-3s with spares as well. The Swiss installed their own weaponry in the aircraft, installing two 7.45 mm MG 29 machine guns with 960 round magazines each in the cowling, an additional pair of MG 29s in the wings of the D-1s, and Oerlikon FF-K 20 mm cannon with 60 round magazines in the wings of the E-3s. Aside from being of a smaller caliber, the MG 29 was also fed, cocked, and fired via cables and handles, rather than the electro-pneumatic feed and firing system of the MG 17. Switzerland would depend heavily on her Messerschmitt fleet as the rest of Europe became embroiled in the Second World War. The Swiss played no favorites when protecting their neutrality; on 10 May, a 7./KG 51 He 111H coded 9K + DR flew into Swiss airspace, and did not heed the warning shots of Hptm. Hörning and Oblt. Ahl of Fl.Kp. 21, choosing instead to attempt to evade the Messerschmitts. This proved to be the Heinkel’s undoing, as the two Swiss pilots set it alight. It crashed just on the Austrian side of the border, with the crew being injured. Six days later, another He 111P of 9./KG 27 became lost in a snowstorm while returning from a raid, and Oblt. Streiff and Oblt. Kisling intercepted the aircraft, positioning themselves about 500 meters astern. At this point, the upper gunner on the Heinkel opened fire on Streiff in J–349, who then returned fire and heavily damaged the aircraft. The Heinkel disappeared into the clouds, only to reappear over a Swiss flak battery which caused further damage; the radio operator and flight engineer parachuted from the stricken bomber into captivity, while the pilot crashlanded the aircraft near Kemleten and set the remains alight. A further incursion by a II./KG 53 He 111H coded A1+DM on 1 June resulted in another successful interception. This time, the bomber exploded in mid-air, killing all five crewmen. A damaged KG 55 He 111P coded G1+HS wandered into Swiss airspace the following day after a heavy attack from a Dewoitine D.520 of GC II/7. The pilot did not
respond to instructions ordering him to land, and Hptm. Lindecker proceeded to inflict further damage on the Heinkel, forcing it down to a reasonable belly landing. After disassembly the aircraft and inspection, the Heinkel was returned to Germany. In Germany, Göring was positively outraged by these losses, and on 4 June he ordered a KG 55 He 111 along with a heavy escort of II./ZG 1 Bf 110s to fly over the border back and forth, intentionally attempting to provoke a Swiss response. The result was not exactly what he had hoped for; one Bf 110C of 6./ZG 1 was shot down outright, crashing in France, a second was heavily damaged and seen in a dive over the border, and the Heinkel was also spotted headed north with a heavy trail of smoke. The Swiss lost Lt. Rudolf Rickenbacher in Bf 109D-1 J-310; his aircraft was set alight, and in attempting a hard aerobatic maneuver, he was thrown from the aircraft with sufficient force to rip the seatbelts and cause his parachute to open prematurely. The parachute tore straight through, and Rickenbacher fell to his death. After further combat on the 8th which saw the loss of a single antiquated Swiss biplane against four more Bf 110C’s from II./ZG 1, the diplomatic traffic between Bern and Berlin increased significantly. Fortunately, these incidents were allowed to quietly die away, and no further encounters between the Luftwaffe and the Swiss Fliegerkompanie were noted. From 1943, the primary visitors to Switzerland were damaged USAAF bombers from the 8th and 15th Air Forces which would be escorted to Dübendorf or another suitable base nearby, and the crews and aircraft interned. There were isolated incidents of jumpy turret gunners opening fire on the Swiss Messerschmitts, but this was rare, and the only significant combat to take place occurred on 5 September 1944, when a pair of 339th Fighter Group P-51s flown by 1st.Lt. Erickson and 2nd. Lt. Ostrow mistook two Swiss Emils for German aircraft, and dove to attack them with fatal results.
The first Bf 109s to enter Swiss service were 10 D-1s, most of which survived into the late 1940s. Here, Bf 109D-1 W.Nr. 2302 is seen in full 1944-era markings; these highly visible red and white stripes were added to indicate their neutrality, but it was soon found that these stripes closely resembled the D-Day markings added to US aircraft around the same time (Photo: via Hoch)
With the installation of the MG 29, the upper cowl configuration changed on the E-3s in Swiss service. Here, the cowling of J-374 is seen after a belly landing (Photo: via Hoch)
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Swiss The following is a comprehensive list of all Swiss Bf 109D-1s and E-3s, based on the exhaustive service history listing of every Swiss Messerschmitt originally compiled by Georg Hoch. Model Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109D-1 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3
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WNr 2297 2299 2295 2298 2300 2301 2302 2303 2304 2305 2159 2160 2161 2162 2163 2164 2165 2166 2167 2168 2169 2170 2171 2172 2173 2174 2175 2176 2177 2178 2189 2190 2191 2192 2193 2194 2195 2196 2197 2198 2362 2363 2364 2385 2386 2403 2404 2405 2406 2407 2408 2409 2420 2421 2422 2423 2438 2425 2426 2427 2428 2429 2430 2431 2432 2439 2440 2441 2442 2351
Code J-301 J-302 J-303 J-304 J-305 J-306 J-307 J-308 J-309 J-310 J-311 J-312 J-313 J-314 J-315 J-316 J-317 J-318 J-319 J-320 J-321 J-322 J-323 J-324 J-325 J-326 J-327 J-328 J-329 J-330 J-331 J-332 J-333 J-334 J-335 J-336 J-337 J-338 J-339 J-340 J-341 J-342 J-343 J-344 J-345 J-346 J-347 J-348 J-349 J-350 J-351 J-352 J-353 J-354 J-355 J-356 J-357 J-358 J-359 J-360 J-361 J-362 J-363 J-364 J-365 J-366 J-367 J-368 J-369 J-370
Rec'd 19.1.39 19.1.39 17.12.38 10.1.39 5.1.39 10.1.39 7.1.39 10.1.39 19.1.39 5.1.39 5.7.39 20.6.39 20.6.39 7.5.39 20.6.39 20.6.39 23.6.39 28.6.39 23.6.39 24.6.39 28.6.39 24.6.39 27.6.39 27.6.39 28.6.39 27.6.39 27.6.39 27.6.39 28.6.39 29.6.39 29.6.39 29.6.39 29.6.39 29.6.39 30.6.39 30.6.39 30.6.39 30.6.39 30.6.39 30.6.39 10.10.39 8.10.39 8.1.39 10.10.39 10.10.39 8.10.39 10.10.39 12.10.39 26.10.39 26.10.39 26.10.39 7.11.39 26.10.39 7.11.39 7.11.39 16.12.39 16.4.40 15.12.39 6.4.40 20.12.39 9.4.40 20.12.39 18.12.39 14.4.40 5.4.40 20.12.39 15.12.39 16.12.39 25.4.40 16.12.39
SOC 28.12.49 28.12.49 9.2.48 28.12.49 28.12.49 28.12.49 28.12.49 2.9.47 28.12.49 4.6.40 28.12.49 3.3.40 3.3.40 7.6.39 20.11.46 26.6.42 28.12.49 14.8.48 14.8.48 9.5.47 28.12.49 24.4.40 14.8.48 28.12.49 28.12.49 28.12.49 14.8.48 14.8.48 14.8.48 14.8.48 14.8.46 23.12.46 14.8.48 7.7.44 14.8.48 14.8.48 20.11.46 14.8.48 2.10.46 28.12.49 14.8.48 14.8.48 14.8.48 2.10.46 7.7.47 14.8.48 23.12.46 23.12.46 8.2.45 1.10.46 14.8.48 14.8.48 27.6.46 12.10.43 28.12.49 14.8.48 14.8.48 14.8.48 14.8.48 28.12.49 28.12.49 14.8.48 14.8.48 29.3.45 10.8.42 10.8.42 14.8.48 24.6.42 14.8.42 14.8.48
Pilot
Unit
Bachofner, H.
Kdt.Rgt.4
Rickenbacher, R.
Fl.Kp. 15
Streiff, V.
Fl.Kp. 21
Suter, G
KTA
Nipkow, G
Fl.Kp. 9
Aschwanden, E
Fl.Kp. 9
Wannenmacher, E
Fl.Kp. 21
Brenzikofer, F
Fl.Kp. 9
Klichenmann, P
Fl.Kp. 9
Vivian, E de Pourtales, L
Fl.Kp. 9
Ernst, F.
Fl.Kp. 15
Arn, F. Fleury, M.
Fl.Kp. 15 Fl.Kp. 6
Rosenmund, P. Brocard, A.
Fl.Kp. 6 Fl.Kp. 6
Wild, J
Fl.Abt.5
Cause Disposed Disposed Crash landing, destroyed Disposed Disposed Disposed (received new fuselage in 8/42) Disposed Disposed Disposed Shot down by Bf 110 of ZG 1 Disposed Destroyed in crash Disposed Destroyed in crash. Pilot KIFA. Disposed Destroyed in crash. Pilot KIFA. Disposed Disposed Disposed Destroyed in crash; oxygen system failure. Pilot KIFA. Disposed Destroyed in crash; engine failure. Pilot WIFA. Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Destroyed in crash; wing failure in flight. Pilot KIFA. Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Destroyed in crash; collision with J-344, pilot KIFA. Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Destroyed in crash; collision with J-339, pilot KIFA. Written off in emergency landing after engine failure Disposed Disposed Disposed Written off in crash due to bad weather; pilot FSA, OK Disposed Disposed Disposed Written off in forced landing after prop pitch failure. Pilot WIFA. Destroyed in crash after running out of fuel. Pilot FSA, OK Now on display at Dübendorf Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Destroyed in crash; collision with J-366, pilot FSA, OK Destroyed in crash; collision with J-365, pilot FSA, OK Disposed CFIT, hit mountain. Pilot KIFA. Disposed Disposed
Location
Meringen
Boécourt Ottikon Altenrhein Schallenberg
Anenfirn VS Mollis
Kägiswil
Raron
Raron Fribourg
Erwil
Yverdon Isenfluh BE
Gerzensee Gerzensee Pilatus
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Model Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3
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WNr 2352 2353 2354 2355 2356 2357 2358 2359 2360 2361 2373 2374 2375 2376 2377 2378 2379 2380 2381 2392 2301 (mostly) spares spares spares spares spares spares spares spares
7:43 pm
Code J-371 J-372 J-373 J-374 J-375 J-376 J-377 J-378 J-379 J-380 J-381 J-382 J-383 J-384 J-385 J-386 J-387 J-388 J-389 J-390 J-391 J-392 J-393 J-394 J-395 J-396 J-397 J-398 J-399
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Rec'd 20.4.40 10.4.40 15.4.40 23.4.40 2.12.39 9.4.40 27.4.40 20.4.40 12.4.40 26.4.40 25.4.40 27.4.40 20.4.40 16.4.40 16.4.40 15.4.40 5.4.40 6.4.40 12.4.40 20.4.40 28.4.44 18.7.45 10.9.45 7.12.45 7.12.45 7.12.45 21.12.45 10.1.46 19.3.46
SOC 20.11.46 20.11.46 14.8.48 28.12.49 14.8.48 14.8.48 28.12.49 5.9.44 14.8.48 27.6.46 26.4.48 28.12.49 28.12.49 14.8.48 14.8.48 28.12.49 28.12.49 28.12.49 14.8.48 28.12.49 28.3.47 28.12.49 28.12.49 22.5.47 28.12.49 28.12.49 28.12.49 28.12.49 28.12.49
Pilot
Unit
Treu, P.
Fl.Kp. 7
Bueche, JP.
Fl.Kp. 8
Cause Location Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Shot down by P-51, USAAC; pilot KIA Neauffoltern Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Aircraft built by Buochs from fuselage of Bf 109D J-306 and spares Disposed Disposed Crashed due to bad visibility; pilot KIFA Montfaucon Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed Disposed
Oblt. Paul Treu in J-378 was killed in the crash of his Messerschmitt, while Oblt. Heiniger belly-landed his heavily damaged J-324 and survived the encounter. After the war, the Swiss constructed a further six Bf 109Es from spares, all of which were fitted with the locally developed Escher-Weiss propeller. Some of these propellers were fitted to German-built aircraft as well, but they did not perform as well as the VDM units. Eventually, all but one of the surviving early Messerschmitts in Swiss service were struck off charge between 1946 and 1949.
Spain Officially, Franco remained neutral during the Second World War, but he only declared his neutral status after diplomatic pressure from the US in 1944. Earlier, however, there were a number of Spanish volunteer units which fought alongside the Wehrmacht. One of the more celebrated formations was the Patrulla Azul, or ‘Blue Squadron’- so named for the blue uniforms worn by the Falangists. Established in Spain in July 1941 under the command of Angel Salas Larrazabal, a wellknown Nationalist ace with 17 aerial victories in the Spanish Civil War, the unit trained at JFS 1 in Werneuchen, and received 12 Bf 109E-4s and E-7s in September 1941. They arrived at Moschna airfield in late September and were incorporated into JG 27 as 15.(Span.)/JG 27. The 17 Spanish pilots acquitted themselves well in the four months they spent in Russia, scoring 10 victories against the loss of two pilots killed. The
unit was ordered to return to Spain and disestablished in Madrid in January, 1942. In June, another formation of Spanish pilots was established in Bordeaux with a mix of Bf 109Es and Fs, and was sent to Orel as 15.(Span.)/JG 51. The unit remained in the Orel area until November, when they returned to Bordeaux and completely converted onto the Bf 109F.
A Bf 109E-7 of 15.(Span)/JG 27 is seen at Moschna airfield in late 1941
Yugoslavia After protracted negotiations, 100 Bf 109E-3s and 25 extra DB 601s, with associated spares, were to be delivered from April 1939. In the event, only 73 Emils had entered Yugoslav service before the German invasion of April 1941. The Yugoslav pilots found it was difficult to transition from their old Hawker Fury biplanes onto the touchy Messerschmitt; eventually, the conversion course included about ten hours of time on Hawker Hurricanes before moving up to the 109. The 6th Fighter Regiment was the sole operator of the type in JKRV service, and they suffered heavily at the hands of the far more experienced German pilots of JG 27, JG 77, and LG 2 in the April invasion.
The Yugoslav air force experienced significant trouble transitioning from their obsolescent biplanes to the much more powerful Bf 109E-3. When the country was invaded in April 1941, their inexperience was to lead to heavy losses
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Bf 109E Camouflage & Markings
13
Chapter
An Overview of Bf 109E Camouflage and Markings, 1939 – 1940 by Dave Wadman ©1999–2005
C
onfirming the identities of the camouflage colours and patterns worn by Bf 109Es during the Battle of Britain presents an intriguing but complicated challenge. While it is known for the most part that the undersurface colour was usually a readily identifiable light blue[1], the diversity in upper surface patterns and colours is far more difficult to ascertain.
Splinter Scheme or Single Colour? A careful study of photographs of the camouflage worn by Bf 109s in northwest Europe in the months prior to the beginning of World War 2 reveals that the upper surface splinter patterns of Black-Green 70[2] and Dark Green 71[3] were applied with sharply defined, angular demarcation lines in keeping with standard Luftwaffe camouflage practice. The patterns applied to the Bf 109B, C and D variants were similarly typical for the E-1 and E-3 which, as with the earlier models, displayed considerable variation on the fuselage sides where the pattern in plan view was extended down to meet the undersurface colour. This remained essentially unchanged until the final months of 1939 when a more simplified form of 70/71 splinter pattern began to make its appearance on some E models. By the outbreak of war in September 1939, the camouflaged upper surfaces of Bf 109s were being regularly identified in Allied sources as being ‘dark green’, implying the use of a single colour rather than the two dark greens officially specified by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) in L.Dv 521/1[4] issued in March 1938. Did these observations accurately record that a single upper camouflage colour was being used or did the low tonal contrast between them prevent clear identification of the two separate colours or, more simply, was this due to fading through in-service use and weathering? During late 1939 – early 1940 and with the Luftwaffe fully committed to its wartime operations, the probability of a single upper camouflage colour being applied to individual aircraft or those of a specific unit is entirely credible. Although no valid or 100% supportable documentary evidence of any Bf 109s with a single upper camouflage colour during this period has yet been discovered, it remains entirely plausible to assume that, for whatever reason, some aircraft may have received a single colour finish to the upper surfaces on either a temporary or permanent basis. In the recent careful examination of a number of good quality original photographs, the presence of a single upper surface colour on some aircraft is strongly indicated and in the careful scrutiny of these original prints by several noted researchers, to date, no discernible evidence of a second colour has been determined with complete certainty. Nevertheless, and until factual evidence to the contrary is discovered, it may perhaps be presumed that contemporary
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references to a single dark green are nothing more than a broad generalisation of the camouflage colour, the singular ‘dark green’ reference possibly being due as mentioned earlier, to the low tonal contrast between these two colours?
The Colours Change Although the standard camouflage on the Bf 109 at the outbreak of war, the fighting in Poland made it clear that while the 70/71 scheme was more than adequate for ground concealment, the same did not hold true for aerial combat. Consequently, numerous field trials to find a suitable replacement were undertaken during the winter of 1939-40 utilising various combinations of the colours Grüngrau[5] 02 and the greens 70 and 71. The successful outcome of these trials resulted in a new camouflage pattern of 02 and 71 that was considered more practical for the then current operations than the earlier scheme. Accordingly, an order was issued dictating that 02 would replace Black-Green 70 in the pattern. Almost concurrently, the demarcation for the undersurface Blue 65 was increased in height to cover approximately three-quarters of the fuselage sides, including the entire sides of the vertical tail surfaces. Although this change effectively restricted the upper colours to the strict plan view of the aircraft, the actual height of the demarcation varied considerably between aircraft, most prominently on the rear fuselage between the rear of the cockpit canopy and base of the fin. Beginning in early 1940 with production of the Bf 109E-4, the 02/71 scheme was applied as a factory finish, whereas the earlier E models already in service appear generally to have been repainted at either local or unit level as and when time allowed, with the attendant broad interpretation of the contents of the order. Some units were noticeably slower than others in implementing the change and even for those
This fascinating photo demonstrates the low tonal contrast of the 70/71 scheme; noteworthy also is the exceedingly large underwing Balkankreuz applied after the Polish operations, as well as the Staffel color used on the supercharger intake lip and gun troughs. One last point of interest concerns the very dark paint on the gear legs, contrasting with what appears to be 65 used in the gear wells themselves; the darker area is the zippered liner (Crow)
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repainting their aircraft promptly it must be realised that not all aircraft within a single unit would or could be repainted at the same time. On some aircraft the 02 replaced the DarkGreen 71 rather than the Black-Green 70 as directed, while on many others, only the smaller areas of tail and fuselage sides were repainted in Blue 65 thus leaving the tops of the wings and fuselage uppersurfaces in the earlier greens. That this occurred is evident from photographs and the contents of intelligence summaries, which indicates that a number of Bf 109s in a variety of these finishes survived well into the early autumn of 1940 and beyond. Furthermore, it is entirely possible that many of these may have been either older aircraft or those held as reserve or ‘spare’ aircraft, retaining their finishes until they were either lost on operations or underwent major servicing, at which time the newer scheme would presumably have been applied. With these changes, which included revisions to the size, style and placement of the national insignia, several different examples of a simplified splinter scheme, including ‘mirror’ image reversal patterns, began to appear. In these, the colour divisions were far less angular than those of the original patterns and are often seen in photographs to have a ‘feathered’ rather than sharp demarcation. Although official confirmation for this simplification is unclear, it is reasonable to assume that they were implemented as a means both to expedite service requirements and to save on materials and cost, regardless of whether the finish was of factory or inservice origin.
The Summer Battles of 1940 As the aerial battles developed above the southeastern coast of Britain and the English Channel in the mid-summer of 1940, it soon became clear that again, more changes would be necessary to the camouflage worn by Bf 109s. Whereas the 02/71/65 scheme had worked sufficiently well over France and the Low Countries, it was found that this was not the case in the air war against England. The high demarcation level of Blue 65 on fuselage sides and tails made the aircraft stand out conspicuously against the waters of the Channel and the colours of the English summer countryside. To overcome this, several methods were employed to tone the blue down, the most common being an application of mottling to fuselage sides in 02 and/or one or both – on 70/71 finishes – of the upper surface colours. One of the earliest reports of this occurred in mid-July when Bf 109s of JG 51 were reported as having a fine, pale grey ‘overspray’ applied to their fuselage sides; an indication perhaps of one of the first uses of 02 in this manner. Taking into account the requirement to tone these areas down, it is entirely feasible that an order was originated, either at RLM level or from local area command with RLM approval, allowing individual units, notably JG’s 2, 53 and 54, to determine the extent and style of application as was dictated by their operational requirements. As the variations in mottling are far too extensive to describe in detail, it must be realised that while little similarity existed between individual units, a general uniformity of style and pattern was usually found amongst aircraft of the same unit. Believed for the most part to have originally been 02, it was usually sprayed along the sides of the fuselage and fin in varying degrees of density and pattern. On some aircraft it was occasionally intensified, usually where a colour transition was made such as at the roots of the wings or tailplane, by the random inclusion of one or both – if 70/71 – of the upper colours. In contrast to this the mottle used by some units was
applied in a much coarser form, suggesting the use of a brush or sponge, frequently applied so densely that it took on the appearance of an almost solid colour [6]. Noticeably, many aircraft wearing the coarse, stippled style of mottle[7] also displayed a modified fuselage cross that saw the proportions of the white segments reduced in area to decrease their visibility. Similarly, the height of demarcation between upper and lower colours was often altered, with segments of the upper fuselage colours being extended down the fuselage sides to random depths along its length. However some units, notably the III./ JG 26, were markedly reluctant to add any form of additional camouflage to their aircraft and throughout most of 1940, retained the high demarcation finish with fuselage crosses and numerals repainted in a smaller format than usual to help conceal the aircraft at higher altitudes. With more fighter engagements taking place over the sea and increasing numbers of replacement aircraft entering service, camouflage variations became all the more widespread, often occurring when easily interchangeable parts such as cowlings, rudders, armament access panels and battery hatch covers were swapped between aircraft to expedite servicing. Additionally, two other anomalies had appeared earlier in the camouflage schemes. The first was a lighter centre to the wing Balkenkreuz that often extended to include areas of the arms of the cross and
This photo of a I./JG 77 Stab aircraft clearly illustrates the apparent single-tone uppersurface camouflage referenced in the article (via MacDonald)
Believed to be the aircraft of Werner Machold, this 9./JG 2 Emil illustrates the heavily applied ‘stippled’ camouflage pattern favored by the Richthofen Geschwader. Also seen in this view is an example of one of the methods used to reduce the visibility of the white areas of the fuselage Balkenkreuz (This image is reproduced in colour on page 168)
surrounding areas. This may or may not have been a part of the random light camouflage overspray occasionally applied to wing upper surfaces or was, perhaps, evidence of the overall mottled finish seen and documented as being applied to some Bf 109Es of the period. Although no supportable documentary confirmation for this has been found, from photographic evidence[8] it is reasonable to assume that, in all probability, the additional colour was applied to reduce the visibility of the wing crosses and blend them in to the upper surface camouflage, thus helping to conceal the aircraft from observation from above. The second, and one that again is clearly evident in many period photographs, was the use of a light colour that
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The top of the port wing of the Bf 109E of Lt. Hans Illner of the 4./JG 51 clearly showing the soft, irregular overspray covering the Balkenkreuz to lessen its visibility
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wrapped around the upper leading edges of the main wings. This may clearly be seen in photos such as those of the aircraft of Oblt. Paul Temme the Gruppe Adjutant of the I./JG 2 who force-landed beside Shoreham airfield during the early morning of 13 August. From the detailed examination of photos of aircraft with this feature it is currently understood that this was actually a continuation of the underside Blue 65 applied so as to encompass the areas of wing leading edge visible in a head-on view. Whether this was an attempt to break up the outline of the wings when viewed from head-on or a characteristic of the location where the camouflage finish was applied has not, to date, been determined with any certainty.
battle progressed.‘light navy grey’,‘two shades of grey’,‘light grey with dark grey mottling’,‘Battleship grey’,‘mottled greys’ and ‘camouflage grey’ were some of the descriptions given, along with mention of varying shades of green-grey and blue-grey. Were these an indication of the earliest use of the greys 74[9] and 75[10] that would become the standard fighter camouflage the following year or, as recent research and correspondence indicates, that they were colours originally created at unit level? Since the appearance of the original version of this article I have received written confirmation from two former Jagdwaffe ground personnel confirming that on occasion, various grey shades were mixed and applied to some aircraft in an attempt to find suitable concealment when flying above the waters of the English Channel. Confirmation that this occurred ties in with known practices carried out on Luftwaffe aircraft where a new paint or colour was applied to selected parts of an airframe to test its viability under operational conditions. It can be found that the mixing of various combinations and percentages of the colours 02, 65, 66, 70 and 71, or similar colours in contemporary paints will produce a variety of grey and blue-grey shades. Most, if not all of these ‘grey schemes’ would have been suitable for use in the prevailing situation on the Channel Front in the latter half of 1940. It is reasonable to assume therefore that some of these shades were no doubt almost identical to the later 74/75 greys thus leading to the belief in some quarters that this series of colours had been applied to Bf 109s in the summer of 1940. However, as the use of 74/75/76 was not officially promulgated until the November 1941 issue of L.Dv 521/1[11], it is a wholly convincing possibility that the various greys used during 1940 were those from which they were developed.
Grey Camouflage? Although often totally destroyed, all enemy aircraft that came down in the British Isles during the Second World War were thoroughly examined by intelligence teams from the Air Ministry and RAF. The reports created from these examinations were known as Crashed Enemy Aircraft Reports, and recorded such information as Werknummer, engine type, armament, additional or special equipment and In contrast to the JG2 aircraft at left, this Emil of the 8./JG 26 showcases the smaller numbers and high demarcation line common to the III. Gruppe of this Geschwader
often, markings and colours. However, and to the disappointment of many post-war researchers, there were no set guidelines in these reports for describing the shades of the colours found on these downed aircraft. Generally, any examination of the paint was confined to an evaluation of the type of finish and occasionally, some undamaged panels would be tested for paint durability. By mid-August, the first uses of greys and blue-greys as an upper camouflage colour were making their appearance in these reports, appearing with increasing frequency as the
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Geschwader, Gruppe and Staffel Markings and Colours Stab Markings The origins of markings for Stab personnel date back to the pre-war period, being allocated to three officers of the Geschwaderstab: the Kommodore, his Adjutant and the officer in charge of flying operations. Correspondingly for the Gruppenstab, similar symbols were allocated to the Gruppenkommandeur, Adjutant and Operations officer. The entry into service of the Bf 109 made it apparent that the earlier Stab symbols would need revising. For that reason, Fl.Inst. 3 Nr.730/37 II 9 issued on 14 December 1937 by the Generalstab der Luftwaffe included a set of instructions and diagrams for the application of markings to fighter aircraft. Apart from containing detailed instructions on the dimensions of numerals and their spacing, new locations and dimensions for Stab symbols were designated, including a vertical bar symbol to be applied aft of the fuselage cross to signify the III. Gruppe instead of the earlier wavy line symbol. A horizontal bar aft of the fuselage cross identified the aircraft of the II. Gruppe while those from the I. Gruppe carried no symbol. All symbols were to be applied in black with white edging and a thin black outline, although it is evident in photographs and other records that these markings were not always applied in either the colours or locations officially specified. Despite the clearly worded instructions regarding the III Gruppe marking, at least two Jagdgeschwader; JG 2 & JG 52, declined to effect the change, retaining instead the earlier wavy line Gruppe symbol. In similar fashion, the III./JG 2 and JG 54 also declined to follow the wording of the directive by using white as the
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Paul Temme’s Bf 109E photographed in the field adjacent to Shoreham airfield where he was forced to land early on the morning of 13 August. The ‘wrapped-around’ underside 65 along the leading edge of the wing is clearly evident
predominant colour for their Stab symbols, usually outlining them with a thin black border. Likewise, the II./JG 51 also declined to display their Gruppe bar by using the designated area to display instead their ‘weeping bird’ emblem.
Staffel Markings The ordinary Staffel aircraft carried a number identifying the individual aircraft within the Staffel, and the colour in which it was painted identifying the Staffel within the Geschwader. These numbers were usually applied in one of two forms with the figures from 2 to 9 appearing in either a ‘rounded’ or ‘squared’ style that usually remained constant within the various Staffeln. Although regularly positioned ahead of the fuselage cross, some units did adopt alternative locations for these numbers. The III./JG 27 chose to apply them to either side of the cowling beneath the gun troughs while the III./JG 54 placed theirs on either side of the forward fuselage, just aft of the rear edge of the engine cowling. Likewise, there were also exceptions to the rule for Staffel colours; on several occasions, red was recorded as replacing the normal black of the second, fifth and eighth Staffeln, the third (Jagd) Staffel of LG 2, used brown instead of yellow and the 5.Staffel of JG 53 is recorded as using grey numerals throughout 1940. Spinners too received their share of colours. These were often repainted in black and white in the form of halves or quarters or would merely have a segment of white applied to the base Black-Green 70 spinner colour. In many instances the spinner tip or cap, if fitted, would often be painted in the Stab or Staffel colour. While there are no confirmed reports of the 1944 ‘spiralschnauze’ style of design being used at this time, those coloured bands that were painted on Bf 109E spinners during 1940 are recorded as being applied in concentric circles. However, it is again evident that there were exceptions to the rule here too. For example, the Bf 109E-4 of Oblt. Helmut Tiedmann, Staffelkapitän of the 2./JG 3, was described in Crashed Enemy Aircraft Report No.7 of 21 August 1940 as having concentric rings painted on the nose of the spinner, yet published photos of the nose of this aircraft clearly show it to be a thin spiral seen in this photo .
temporary identification feature. There was however one event which transpired at this time that may have been of some significance. During early August, at around the time of the appearance of these red bands, Göring replaced the majority of the Jagdwaffe Kommodore with younger men, although two units serving with Luftflotte 3, JG 27 and JG 53, retained their existing Kommodore until October. Then, after Oblt. Günther von Maltzahn had taken over command of JG 53 from Oblt. Hans-Jürgen von Cramon-Taubadel at the beginning of October, the ‘Pik As’ emblem began to reappear on the Geschwader aircraft in a somewhat newer and larger format than previously seen. As a matter of interest, the first recorded incident of a Bf 109E being brought down over England where the red band had replaced the ‘Pik As’ emblem occurred on 16 August. On that date the aircraft of Fw. Christian Hansen of the 2./JG 53 force landed at Godshill on the Isle of Wight and when examined was reported in Crashed Enemy Aircraft Report No.11 of 19 August 1940 as having a ‘red band around nose 6” wide’.
Colours: I, II & III Gruppenstab – Green 1, 4 & 7 Staffeln – White 2, 5 & 8 Staffeln – Black (Red) 3, 6 & 9 Staffeln – Yellow (Brown)
The Red Band of JG 53 For a short period during the second half of 1940, all three Gruppen of JG 53, and only JG 53, displayed two distinct anomalies in their markings, the purposes of which have yet to be fully determined with 100% certainty. The first case concerns the replacement of the ‘Pik As’[12] emblem. According to RAF intelligence sources in Air Ministry Weekly Intelligence Summary No.60, the emblem was ordered removed by Hermann Göring and a red band applied in its place, stating that the unit was to become known as the ‘Red Ring Geschwader’. While there is some evidence to suggest that it may have stemmed from some personal antipathy on the part of Göring, or possibly from some ideological difference with the leadership of the Geschwader[13], the definitive reason for the order has yet to be determined. In the past, several valid theories for this change have been examined in depth, but most have been subsequently disproven although one, containing some merit, submits that it may have been nothing more than a
The second case, and one frequently recorded as a political gesture on the part of the Geschwader, occurred almost concurrently with the reintroduction of the ‘Pik As’ emblem. Many aircraft from the II and III Gruppen had the Hakenkreuz on their fins overpainted with several pilots using these areas to display their individual Abschuss tallies rather than in the more usual location on the rudder. Although some aircraft of the Gruppen did reapply the Hakenkreuz after a short period of time it was often placed on the rudder rather than in the usual position on the fin. The period of time that these anomalies with the Hakenkreuz covered is not known for certain but some aircraft of the III./JG 53 were photographically recorded as still without their Hakenkreuz in late November 1940[14].
Tactical Markings The requirement that visually, a military aircraft should be invisible to its foe but instantly recognisable to friendly forces is something of a practical impossibility, and throughout the
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often be left on which the pilot would display his ‘Abschuss’ tally, usually marked as black or red vertical bars that often identified the nationality of the victim and the date of the victory. In addition to the painted rudder variations, at least two Bf 109Es of the period are documented where the fin was also painted in yellow or white but based on currently available information, these are seen to be the exception rather than the rule at this time.
Photo of the III./JG53 Gruppenadjutant Ltn. Erich Schmidt’s Emil illustrating the absence of the Hakenkreuz on the fin; photo dated Nov. 1940. Behind Schmidt’s aircraft can be seen another Emil carrying the ‘Pik As’ badge
history of military aviation, numerous methods to resolve this problem have been examined. With the Luftwaffe it was no different. In mid-August, the first incidents involving Bf 109s carrying distinctive yellow markings were being reported by RAF pilots who initially interpreted these markings, albeit incorrectly, as symbolising the aircraft of a ‘squadron of aces’. The earliest examples of the use of these markings occurred when aircraft of JG 26 and JG 54 were recorded as carrying areas of yellow paint applied to wing and tailplane tips and also to top sections of rudders and on occasion, to the vertical trailing edge section of the rudder. There is little doubt that these markings were established as an aid to instant recognition in the air where such conspicuous markings were invaluable to both sides. In appreciation of this value, the Jagdwaffe were quick to increase the use of such colours to include cowlings and entire rudders. Whereas the application of either yellow or white paint to wing and tailplane tips remained relatively constant from unit to unit, this was not often the case where cowlings and rudders were concerned.
With cowlings, it can be seen from photographs that the area covered by white or yellow paint varied considerably between aircraft, often extending rearwards as far as the base of the windshield. Any unit emblems that would otherwise be hidden by this paint were usually masked off carefully, and two such units, the I./JG 3 and the III./JG 27, masked off the distinctive JG 3 ‘Tatzelwurm’ and JG 27 numbers so as to leave them on a conspicuous rectangular background of the camouflage colour. From late August on, it is unusual to find a photograph of a Bf 109E without some part of its airframe covered in either yellow or white paint, and to date, no significant explanation for the use of the two different colours has been ascertained, suggesting that they may have been used somewhat indiscriminately. In addition to the use of yellow and white for these tactical markings, it is also claimed in some sources that red was used for the same purpose. However, despite several detailed investigations to date, no photographic or documentary evidence whatsoever has been discovered to support this claim. Although some references suggest that the change from yellow to white occurred at the end of August, it is evident from the contents of Crashed Enemy Aircraft Reports for the month of September that both colours were being used concurrently by different units during that time. As far as research to date has shown, it would appear that this use of white lasted only for a period of approximately three or four weeks and was seemingly confined in the main to units based within a small sector of occupied France. During the last week of August, the fighter units of Luftflotte 3 were placed under the control of Luftflotte 2 when the bomber units of the former were temporarily withdrawn from daylight operations in order to join the nightly attacks on centres of industry in the British Midlands. However, whether or not this was in any way connected with the use of the white tactical markings for the single-engined fighter force, remains a matter of speculation for the present.
Canopy Framework
This view of the rear port fuselage side of Illner’s Bf 109E shows the position aft of the fuselage Balkenkreuz where the II./JG 51 applied their ‘weeping bird’ emblem
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On rudders, it first appeared in the form of an inverted triangular area on the top section as may be seen in photo’s of the Bf 109 of Gerhard Schöpfel of the III./JG 26 circa mid – August. Not long after this, other Bf 109Es, often noted as being from the III./JG 54, were recorded as having approximately one-third of the rear vertical rudder surface painted yellow or possibly white, while on Bf 109s of other units, the entire rudder was finished in one of these colours. When the whole rudder was painted, the exact area covered frequently varied as a section of the original Blue 65 would
One other area of airframe colour that deserves mention is that applied to the canopy framework. For the earlier canopy style as fitted to the E-1 and E-3, photographs show that while the external areas were usually finished in accordance with those colours used for the upper camouflage, the internal faces could be finished in either 02 or a darker grey that, in all probability was Black-Grey 66. However, with the introduction of the heavier framed canopy and windscreen that was introduced on the E-4[15], recent investigation by Dutch and German researchers has established that both inner and exterior faces of the framework was painted in Black-Grey 66 at the source of manufacture, often leaving any external camouflage colour(s) to be applied at a later date or at unit level. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that in period photos of 109 variants with heavier framed canopies[16] that appear to be in a single, very dark colour were, for whatever reason and in all probability, left in 66 rather than having the appropriate camouflage colour applied.
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In Conclusion While it is a well-recognised fact that the RLM had a clearly defined administrative intent to regulate Luftwaffe camouflage practices, it must also be distinctly understood that, as surviving documentary and photographic evidence reveals, there were many exceptions to its established edicts. Unfortunately, since very few original documents or diagrams are available from which definitive information can be obtained, much of the interpretation for these variations must rely heavily on informed and educated speculation based upon such material and knowledge as is currently available.
Supplemental notes: 1. Throughout WW2, revisions to aircraft camouflage colours and patterns were strictly controlled by the E-Stelle at Travemünde. Excluding temporary hybrid schemes applied to reconnaissance aircraft and the mid-war field tests of variations in colours and patterns carried out by a small selected number of units (e.g. JG 54), the only time this strict control was officially eased was during the latter half Battle of Britain in 1940. 2. Camouflage changes initiated on the Channel Front in late 1940 were relatively simple additions or adaptations to existing camouflage schemes and not, as believed by many people, to have involved the complete repainting of airframes or revisions of the entire camouflage system. For the most part the changes were relatively simple. 3. The early autumn period of 1940 had been one of great changes in Luftwaffe fighter camouflage schemes. Even though the basic ‘field’ attempts to develop a suitable defensive camouflage for operations over the English Channel
and the intense air-to-air fighting over Britain produced a wide range of colour combinations at unit level, the RLM was already developing three new grey colours that would produce the same results. (e.g. 74/75 & 76). The known absence of these ‘new’ colours on production aircraft during the late 1940 period supports the contention that the new 74/75/76 colours were still in the field trial stages.
This view of the 7./JG 27s Oblt. K. Fischer’s Bf 109E-1 lying in Windsor Great Park on the afternoon of 30 September illustrates the aircraft number applied to the side of the engine cowling, a feature of aircraft of the III./JG 27
4. Had they been in production they would have been made available to fighter units when the air battles over Britain began, thus eliminating the endless series of innovative schemes that are in ample evidence in contemporary photographs, and the numerous hybrid colours mentioned in British Intelligence reports. 5.While some elements of the Jagdwaffe units involved had access to many captured and undamaged pre-war permanent French/Belgian/Dutch airfield facilities for this work, it is known that for many of the other Jagdwaffe units, the mobile Luftwaffe repair and maintenance Kommandos carried out such work using the captured facilities. 6. Although there are a few records, both written and photographic, of aircraft being painted in the non-standard colours by the ground staff of the actual units involved [17], the majority published refer to the application of tactical markings as the battle progressed. With routine daily maintenance being the first and foremost consideration, the majority of camouflage ‘modification’ work was actually carried out by servicing Kommandos [18]. This is probably the most likely explanation for the distinct variations in style of application seen amongst some units, where several aircraft of a Staffel had a very similar finish while a few others wore a completely different style of additional colouring.
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7. A single intelligence report on a 1./ JG 77 109E during the Battle of Britain referred to the airframe being ‘... Grey speckled on top’. Other reports on greys during September and October were recorded but were isolated cases and the term grey is a very broad one. Given the over water environment of the Channel, and the multitude of greys that could easily be mixed from the available paint stocks, it is not surprising that some Intelligence assessments refer to a generic grey colour. If any of them did record the greys 74/75/76 then they were still at the field trial stage and had not entered mainstream production. In addition, if greys were being applied at production centres then a standardized form of camouflage would have been reported rather than the different forms of application described in the Intelligence reports. 8. Intelligence officers were generally very alert to all changes to enemy aircraft and it is highly unlikely that such a significant change would have gone unrecorded. [1] RLM 65 Hellblau [2] RLM 70 Schwarzgrün [3] RLM 71 Dunkelgrün [4] Specification of Handling and Application Instructions for Aircraft Paints, March 1938 [5] AKA RLM 02 [6] e.g. JG 52. [7] e.g. JG 2 [8] The Bf 109E-1 of Lt. Johann Böhm of the 4./JG 51. Photos of this aircraft after capture clearly show the over-sprayed areas of the Balkenkreuz. [9] RLM 74 Dunklegrau [10] RLM 75 Mittelgrau [11] Although not officially promulgated until November 1941 there is evidence to indicate that the 74/75 schemes was first applied to Bf 109s early in the production run of the F-2 model in mid-1941. On 24 June 1941, an RLM order was issued which, it is understood, officially approved the changeover to a new day fighter scheme incorporating the colours 74 and 75 over 76, this change being further reflected in the reissue of L.Dv.521/1 in November of that year [12] Ace of Spades [13] Hans-Jürgen von Cramon-Taubadel is understood to have had a Jewish wife. [14] Hptm Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke, Gruppenkommandeur of the III./JG 53, photos of whose Bf 109E taken in November 1940 clearly show the overpainted Hakenkreuz and the newly applied Pik As emblem. [15] Also retrofitted to E-1 and E-3 aircraft. [16] Up to and including the later Erla Haube canopy fitted to late-war G & K variants [17] Photographic evidence does exist of paint spraying ‘al fresco’ for JG 3, 27 & 51 Also see correspondence on file from former ground personnel JG 3 & JG 27 [18] Letters/phone conversations with Erdmann, Kögel & Mündel
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Detailing
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Chapter
Bf 109B
Instrument Panel Back
Instrument Panel Front a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
supercharger boost gauge oil pressure gauge oil temperature gauge fuel pressure gauge fuel level gauge pump for fuel contents gauge coolant temperature gauge tachometer magneto switch starter switch propeller pitch selector climb and dive indicator altimeter airspeed indicator turn and bank indicator sensitivity switch climb and dive indicator gear position indicator clock compass dimmer switch pitot heat indicator lamp emergency shutoff switch instrument panel lighting switch navigation light switch pitot heat switch
Oil Cooler
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Bf 109C
C-3 Plan View
C-3 MG-FF Installation
C-1/3 Equipment Arrangement
Coolant Tank & Lines
Radiator Installation
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Bf 109D D-1 Equipment Arrangement
Flap Wheels
Fuel Tank Fuel Filler
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Bf 109D
Oil Circuit
Wing
Bf 109B/C/D Cowl Guns
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Bf 109B/C/D/E Elevator
Fin a b c d e f
a b c
fin cap with integral antenna post guide rail fin side panels mounting fork for starboard stabilizer connection eyebolt mounting plate for guide rail
elevator leading edge ribs trailing edge
d e f
trim tab strengthening plates counterweight
Slat a b
wooden strip mounting points
Rudder a b c d e f g h i
multi-piece rudder “spar”, or central section ribs strengthening plate trailing edge trim tab lower rudder section mounting hole for aft navigation light counterweight rudder control horn
Aileron a b c d e f g
control arm linkage bearing central “spar”, or main section ribs trailing edge rib attachment brackets trim tab mounting arm for counterbalance weight
Aft Fuselage a b c
fuselage stringers fuselage ribs fuselage half connection stringers
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Bf 109B/C/D
Cowl Guns
Cowl Guns
Front View
Cowl Guns
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Bf 109B/C/D
Cowl Guns
ESK2000 Training Camera
Cowling Engine Mount
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Bf 109B/C/D
Fuselage
Slat Arm
Oil Cooler
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Bf 109E
Cockpit Floor
Column Linkages
a b c d e
f g h i
middle panel throttle control attachment bolts ventilation tube attachment bracket
cover panel over control column mechanism fuel supply line fuel pressure equalization line engagement handle for manual fuel filter pump
a b c d e f g
control stick grip (KG 12B) rudder bar elevator control horns elevator control connection rod control column bearing housing aileron linkage connector (swing arm) aileron control rod
Fuel Tank
Fuel Filters a b c d e
fuel filter assembly fuel filter fitting connection tube for fuel vent warning horn fresh air tube
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Bf 109E Starboard Engine a b c d e f g h
oil cooler mounting bracket for oil cooler coolant tank variable pitch propeller (VDM) connection pipes for warm oil refill coolant system pressure equalization valve mounting plate propeller pitch change motor
Rear Panel a b c d e f g h i
upper fuselage decking windscreen attachment point distributor housing pressure line for altimeter static pressure line to air speed indicator pitot pressure line instrument panel attachment points panel mounting bracket
k
supercharger pressure gauge line l latch on mounting point for windscreen m attachment points for quick release latches n quick release latch o left main fuselage stringer p magneto switch q oil tank vent tube
Upper Panel a b
rubber bushing around mounting bolt prop pitch selector (only on aircraft without pitch selection on the throttle) c prop pitch setting gauge d magneto switch e circuit breaker f turn and bank indicator g air speed indicator h altimeter i pitot heat indicator lamp k compass l clock m tachometer n supercharger boost gauge o compass deviation table
Lower Panel a b c d e f g h i k l
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rubber bushing around mounting bolt mechanical landing gear position indicator electrical landing gear position indicator cutout for landing gear emergency release gear retraction handle fuel and oil pressure gauge coolant temperature gauge oil temperature gauge fuel quantity gauge fuel warning lamp dimmer switch
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Bf 109E Port Sidewall a b c d e f g h i k l m n o p q r s
throttle lever assembly throttle throttle control linkage fuselage rib control handle for oil cooler shutter Bowden cable for oil cooler shutter fuel cock inertia starter handle spark plug cleaning handle emergency shutoff electrical wiring equipment data card friction adjustment knob for throttle and oil cooler shutter levers emergency shutoff handle seat adjustment handle elevator incidence gauge outer handwheel for flap control inner handwheel for elevator incidence adjustment canopy jettison handle
Main Spar a b c d e f g h
torsion tubes main spar wing mounting points cockpit floor connection flange connection point for torsion bars connection bar to right main gear mount flare pistol holder
Radiator Exit
a b c d
fuel dump tube left radiator, aft face drive arm for radiator exit flap adjustable eye bolt for radiator exit flap
Radiator Housing a b c d e f
radiator exit flap attachment screws for radiator housing rubber bushings eye bolt for radiator exit flap control radiator mounting brackets bevel gears for radiator exit flap drive
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Bf 109E Radiator Mount a b c d e
radiator radiator mounting pads mounting bolts radiator mounting brackets fuel dump tube
Left Flap a b c d e
flap ‘spar’ or main section end plates trailing edge inner ribs (perforated) metal skinning
Fuse Board a b c d e f g h i k l
Starboard Sidewall a b c d e f g h i k l m n o p q u
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hand crank bearing cover gear housing hand crank for radiator exit flaps drive chain for radiator exit flaps fuel injection primer line fuel pump on/off switch oxygen apparatus mount cable flare pistol storage location oxygen apparatus fuel injection primer pump flare storage windscreen mounting screw manual fuel pump handle fuel injection primer pump mount emergency landing gear handle map case
fuse panel generator fuse navigation light fuse instrument panel lighting fuse pitot heat fuse temperature/fuel gauge fuse gear indicator and ignition system fuse propeller pitch mechanism fuse onboard weapons fuse radio fuse instrument panel light (starboard)
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Bf 109E
Main Gear a b c d e
main gear attachment bracket main gear leg brake shoes retraction ram link pivot point
Tail Wheel Well a b c d e f g
inner, lower counterweight attachment bolts (lower) inner, upper counterweight attachment bolts (upper) bumper rudder control horn rear nav. light wiring
Wing a b c d e f g
wing spar main spar attachment points (two bolts per wing) forward ribs aft ribs stringers forward connection point wing skinning
Radios
Radios
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Bf 109A-6 Walkaround
W
hen Fw. Otto Polenz force-landed his Bf 109A coded ‘6-15’ behind Republican lines in December 1937, he could not know that the subsequent examination of his aircraft would become the only known walkaround of a Jumo-powered Messerschmitt Bf 109. Test-flown extensively by Konstantin Rozanoff after capture, the aircraft was subsequently sent to Russia where it
was subjected to a thorough teardown and technical examination. Fortunately, this process was documented photographically, and those photographs are now kept at the Russian State Archive of the Economy. They are an invaluable guide to the modeler, and will prove immensely helpful in detailing any Jumo-engined Bf 109 model.
15
Chapter
Fuselage •1 Port overall view 1
•2 3/4 rear view from starboard. Note the overpainted wingtip and fuselage bands •3 The propeller was a wooden unit manufactured by Schwarz, with metal cladding extending partway out on the blades. The extended length starboard slat is seen on the left •4 A close-up of the lower cowling; note the field-added cooling vent. The spinner cap has been refitted
3
2
4
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Engine • 1 •1 A closeup of the accessory section from port. There is a rudimentary firewall between the engine and the fuselage bulkhead
1
•2 Close-up of starboard accessory section. The spark plug access door is dropped in this view 2
4
3
•3 A port view of the accessory section, with starter crank fitted •4 The manual cocking rods for the MG 17s are seen projecting into the instrument cover; also visible here is the oil fill, a characteristic of the A model. This was relocated to the port wing for the B-1 •5 The radiator exit flap viewed from port •6 The aft radiator housing is seen here in its entirety •7 The entire Jumo 210D engine and accessory assembly could be removed as one unit, as seen here •8 The splined drive hub is seen here •9 The forward fuselage bulkhead and gear mounting points are pictured here; note the offset MG 17 mounts at top, and the oil tank between the rudder pedals •10 The port exhaust panel is seen from behind; the angled bracket is a radiator mount.
6 5
7
8
9
10
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Engine • 2 •11 A further close-up of the gear mounting hardware
12 11
•12 One key external identification point of the A model is the oil cooler located at the port wing root, midway between the gear leg and flap •13 The interior of the cowling was fairly simple, as seen here •14 The lower engine cowling interior is shown here in its entirety •15 All Jumo-engined 109s had staggered MG17 cooling slots, as shown here. Note also the single grab handle which would be forward of the windscreen.
14 13
15
Canopy 1
4
•1 The fuel fill point for all A through D models was located beneath the port cockpit sill •2 The aft bulkhead of all Bf 109 models had a hinged door; early models had the first aid kit located inside •3 The door would swing forward to allow access to the top of the fuel tank and also formed a small baggage compartment •4 The canopy sections were easily removed with simple metric hand tools.
2
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Undercarriage 1
2
3
•1 The basic landing gear design remained the same through the entire Bf 109 production run. The narrow drum brake shoes and actuating cylinder are seen here •2 Early A models had a full half-circle design to the lower gear door; later models had a small angle cut at the rear edge for ground clearance. The two small holes were access points to grease the oleo linkages •3 The adjustable uplock for the gear leg is seen here •4 The inside surface of the wheel served as the brake drum; note the braking surface is actually separate from the alloy wheel, fastened with screws •5 The spokes of the wheel are hollow, not solid •6 Early 109s had an antishimmy oleo added to the tailwheel strut; this was later superceded by a sturdier oleo strut.
4
5 6
Cockpit • 1 1
2
•1 The cockpit interior differed significantly from later models; note the cocking handles for the cowl-mounted MG 17s in the instrument panel •2 The oxygen regulator valve is seen on the starboard cockpit wall, forward of the electrical heating junction box for the pilot's suit and aft of the engine primer pump •3 The manual fuel pump handle is seen here, along with the now-empty fuse board to the right •4 The starboard cockpit wall is quite bare in comparison to later models
3
4
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Cockpit • 2 6
5
•5 The map case is located to port. The two large handles in the throttle assembly are, from left to right, the primary throttle and supercharger control. The smaller circular knob is the ‘Hohengas’ control •6 The clock has already been removed, but the Revi 12A is still installed. Note that there is an indentation in the windscreen for the sight glass; later B models introduced a new, less sloped windscreen which fully encompassed the gunsight •7 The KG 12B spade grip stick is seen here; the metal hose on the oxygen regulator is noteworthy •8 A better view of the spade grip is shown here •9 The early oxygen mask is seen here on the floor, with the metal lines running to it. When worn with goggles, this must have presented quite a sinister sight •10 The flap and tailplane incidence wheels are seen in the center of the photo, with their associated drive chains. The seat adjustment handle is seen as well
9
•11 The pilot's seat remained basically the same through the Emil variant •12 A forward view of the seat assembly
7
•13 The seat assembly seen from starboard. Note the bungee cord, used to provide tension for the height adjustment 8
10
•14 The shoulder straps were attached to a tensioner mounted to the seat itself, then fastened to the cockpit floor.
11
14 12
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Bf 109E WNr 3579 Walkaround
P
ossibly one of the most historic military aircraft in existence today, this particular airframe was originally built by Arado as an E-1. By the summer of 1940, it had found its way to LG 1, and on 2 September, Fähnrich Hans Joachim Marseille used the aircraft to down a Spitfire near Detling. However, he force-landed the aircraft when he returned to Calais/Marck, with the Emil suffering 50 percent damage. It was recovered and sent back to Germany for rebuilding, where it was brought up to E-7 status and reissued to I./JG 77 in Finland. It was later lost
with 4./JG 5 as ‘white 7’, and recovered by well-known English collector Jim Pearce. Research quickly established the identity and importance of this particular airframe, and it was restored to airworthy condition by Charleston Aero Services. Today, 3579 resides in Ontario, Canada, and is looked after by The Russell Group, and the aircraft is the central attraction of any show it attends. These photos were taken by the author in the course of a business trip to Toronto in April 2005.
16
Chapter
Cockpit • 1 •1 The tailwheel lock is immediately under the canopy sill, and the throttle assembly is seen at lower right
1
•2 The rudder pedals are Elektron magnesium units, and the fresh air tube is seen just along the right side of the picture, behind the stick
2
•3 The instrument panel is mostly original, although a master cutoff switch has been installed where the original prop pitch control would be •4 An original oxygen regulator is installed, and the radiator flap drive chains are seen to good effect •5 The canopy lock is exceedingly simple, as can be seen here
3
•6 The windscreen assembly differes from original only in using screws in placed of rivets. Note the small fresh air flap at the base of the windscreen •7 The canopy hinges to starboard, and is restrained by a wire stop bolted to the aft top edge
5
6
7 4
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Cockpit • 2 •8 The canopy restraining wire has a spring installed to take up tension
9
8
•9 The seat mirrors the original style, except there is no hole through the back for the shoulder straps •10 The characteristic angular style of the later Emil canopy is seen here •11 A view of the entire canopy assembly engine captions
11
10
Engine • 1 1
•1 The magneto assembly is atop the engine accesory section, seen in the center of this photo. The crankcase breather is seen at the center right of the photo
2
•2 A view of the right engine bearer mount, and a good view of the spark plug arrangement. The Daimler Benz engines had two plugs per cylinder; the later DB 605 introduced a revised installation arrangement for the spark plugs •3 The silver tank just behind the prop spinner is the coolant header tank 3
•4 A closeup of the propeller pitch change motor immediately behind the coolant header tank on the right side of the engine •5 A closeup of the casting numbers in the cylinder head, along with the spark plug leads
5
4
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Engine • 2 •6 A view of the supercharger intake. Note the extremely close tolerances of the various assemblies in the engine bay 6
7
•7 The coolant tank fill point on the port side •8 The propeller blades on Russell's machine are not original, being of composite construction. They do, however, look the part •9 The spinner is also a fabricated item, but great care has been taken to replicate the shape of the original •10 A view of the port spark plug leads, as well as the downward-hinged spark plug inspection door •11 A closeup of the quickrelease engine cover latch •12 An unusual view; this is the reduction gear assembly behind the spinner backplate
8
•13 The engine as viewed from starboard; note the square exhaust stacks •14 A view of the engine from port
9
10
13
11
12
14
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Fuselage •1 A view of the upper spar bolt cover on the port wingroot
2
1
•2 The antenna mast is wrapped in one single sheet of aluminum in a teardrop shape, riveted together up the trailing edge •3 The footstep at the bottom of fuselage station 2 should have a half-moon shape. Note the sparse rivet detail along the fuselage sections •4 The fuel fill door has an additional retaining latch for safety considerations. The fuselage spine seam is just visible in this photo •5 A view forward from the cockpit. On wartime Emils, the aft cowling had a slightly flatter contour than this restored example
3
•6 The starboard wingroot is seen in this photo •7 A view of the windscreen assembly •8 Note the spring at the top of the mast to maintain tension on the antenna wire •9 W.Nr. 3579 was originally constructed as a Bf 109E-1 by Arado in 1939, and later upgraded to E-4, then E-7 status with the addition of type-specific equipment
5
4
6
7
8
9
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Undercarriage •1 A view straight inboard of the inner gear well in the port wing. Note the forged knuckle of the landing gear mount
2
1
•2 The landing gear well opened into the inner structure of the wing, and a canvas liner was stitched around the circumference of the well for protection •3 A view of the port main gear strut •4 The upper portion of the gear door was fastened to the upper portion of the strut, while the lower section was fastened to the strut section which carried the wheel •5 A closeup of the upper gear door mount and connection linkage between the upper and lower gear doors 3 5 4
Tail 1
•1 The tailplane incidence adjustment screw was accessible through these openings in the forward part of the fin
2
•2 A view of the fin and stabilizer assembly from port. The heraldic device on the rudder was not present on the aircraft when flown by Marseille •3 The fin and stabilizer assembly from starboard
3
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Wings • 1 •1 The leading edge of the radiator bath is held by a stiffening strut. Note the contoured wing surface forming a rudimentary duct into the radiator
1
•2 The inside face of the starboard wing root where the flap meets the fuselage is seen in this photo •3 The starboard flap drive is seen here •4 Each flap had a cutout to clear the extended area behind the gunbay, as seen in this photo •5 The inside face of the starboard aileron is seen here •6 The mass balance consisted of a teardrop-shaped lead weight bolted to an aerodynamic metal post which was an integral part of the aileron structure •7 The aircraft could be secured on the field by lines fastened to these eyebolts, one of which was in each wing
2
•8 The MG-FF/M cannon barrel is seen in this photo; note the flat spots near the front of the barrel for fitting a wrench and unscrewing the barrel for maintenance
4
3
5
7
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Wings • 2 •9 The slats can be moved with mere fingertip pressure, and are mounted to the two swingarm assemblies by a castellated nut and bolt
9
10
•10 A view from below of the slat mounting bolt •11 In service, the mounting bolt access hole in the upper portion of the slat was covered by a doped-on circular canvas patch •12 Note the almost imperceptible step between the slat area and the upper wing surface •13 A view of the gunbay access door and the pinking tape over the flap structure
11
•14 The ailerons would drop 11 degrees when the flaps were at their max extension of 42 degrees; this effect is shown in these two photos •15 The inboard face of the port wing root at the flap juncture is seen here
13
14
12
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Bf 109E-3a WNr 2422 Walkaround
D
elivered on 7 November 1939, Bf 109E-3a WNr 2422 served for over ten years in the Swiss Air Force, finally being stricken from inventory on 28 December 1949. The aircraft was delivered with the older Revi 3C gunsight and KG 11 spade grip, and was outfitted with Swiss-built, manually-cocked MG 29 machine guns in the cowling, and Oerlikon FF cannons (virtually identical to the German MG-FF copies) in the wings. Later, the aircraft
17
was outfitted with a flare rocket launcher in the lower aft fuselage; all of these features make the Swiss Emils slightly different than their German cousins. The following photos were taken by David ‘Falcon’ Weiss, webmaster of http://messerschmitt-bf109.de, at the Swiss Air Force Museum in Dübendorf.
Chapter
Bf 109E-3a 1 2
•1 A close-up of the windscreen from starboard. The older Revi 3C gunsight was fitted to Swiss Emils in service •2 Another photo of the Revi 3C •3 The Oerlikon FF 20mm cannon were virtually identical to the MG-FFs on Luftwaffe aircraft •4 The cowling area differed somewhat from Luftwaffe machines •5 The inertia starter handle engaged this cog on the starboard side of the aircraft
4
•6 The wheel wells were protected by a sewn-in canvas liner with a zipper to tighten the entire assembly •7 The starboard gear leg and brake piping is seen in this photo 3
•8 The wings of this machine were originally built for an E-1, as shown by the circular patch to the right of the cannon barrel
5 6
8
7
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Bf 109E-3a 10
9
•9 The top of the antenna mast has a simple hook to hold the antenna wire
12
•10 A starboard view of the whole canopy assembly •11 A closeup of the rudder actuating cable and port stabilizer support strut •12 The tailplane incidence was adjustable from +3 degrees to -8 degrees •13 Swiss aircraft featured a flare rocket launcher in the aft fuselage
11
•14 A view of the canopy assembly from port •15 An overall view of the aircraft from the front right. Note the air splitter is still present in the oil cooler intake
14
•16 This small door opened downward to reveal the coolant fill point. The stencil reads, ‘Warning – Steam when motor is hot’ •17 Each part on the aircraft had an identification tag, similar to this one. The ‘Werk Nr’ here is for the part, not the aircraft •18 The intake assembly is seen here
13
16
15
•19 The changes to the upper cowling to accommodate the MG 29s are just visible in this photo, as are the slightly angled ejector exhausts
19
17
18
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Bf 109E WNr 4101 Walkaround
T
his particular Bf 109E was originally constructed as an E-1 by Erla at Leipzig in 1939, with the WNr 4101 and the Stammkennzeichen (radio codes) GH+DX. Coded ‘black 12’ while serving with 2./JG 51, the aircraft was damaged in combat on 27 November 1940 and the pilot, Oblt.Wolfgang von Teumer was obliged to belly-land the
aircraft in England.Von Teumer remained a guest of the British government for the duration of the war, and the aircraft was repaired and tested extensively by the RAF. It was eventually selected for display, and spent many years at St.Athans before being brought to Hendon, where these photographs were taken by the staff of the RAF Museum.
18
Chapter
Fuselage & Canopy • 1 1
2
•1 The shape of the VDM propeller blade is seen in this forward view. •2 The spinner sections were riveted together around their circumference; these rivets show up well in this image •3 Each propeller blade was fastened to the hub by a series of locking collars; these, in turn, were screwed together as seen here •4 The spinner is seen from port; the coolant fill flap is seen as part of the upper cowling, just aft of the spinner baseplate •5 An overall view of the cowling from port •6 An overall view of the cowling from starboard
4
3
5
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Fuselage & Canopy • 2 •7 The windscreen framing was fairly simple, with prominent rivets along the exterior
7 8
•8 The port windscreen side panel was bisected, with the forward portion serving as an inward-opening vent window •9 A view of the port MG 17 gun trough •10 The windscreen is still an original Emil unit, while the canopy comes from a Gustav; this view highlights the interchangeability of the various canopy components between different 109 models •11 The hand grip behind the canopy is a high-wear area; this is often seen worn to natural metal on examples in service •12 A view forward from the starboard wing root 10
9
•13 Trestling of the aircraft was done via a bar passed through this tube between fuselage sections 7 and 8 •14 The antenna lead entered the fuselage via this ceramic insulator bolted just to port of the centerline on fuselage section 5 •15 The aft section of the supercharger intake was integral with the aft cowling; this example appears to have been taken from another aircraft, or fabricated from scratch, as the fit was usually much better than this
11 12
14
15
13
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Undercarriage
1
2
•1 The port landing gear assembly is seen here •2 Taken from directly beneath the port wing, the wheel well structure is clearly visible in this photo •3 A close-up of the port gear leg and brake piping •4 A view of the uplock mechanism on the port gear leg
4
•5 The small hole towards the bottom of the gear door was to allow access to the oleo joint for greasing •6 A view of the starboard landing gear
3
6 5
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Tail •1 The aft antenna mast was integral with the vertical fin •2 The rudder control cables extended from the rear fuselage to external control horns; the starboard control horn is seen here
1
•3 The port rudder control horn is visible in this closeup •4 An overall view of the empennage from port. Note that the stabilizer strut is missing its upper cover 2
4
•5 A unique view of the underside of the starboard stabilizer; note the attachment point, as well as the liner in the tail wheel well •6 A closeup of the liner in the tail wheel well; the tire is a postwar item. The seam along the underside of the fuselage is visible here as well •7 A profile view of the vertical fin and upper rudder •8 Continental was a prime supplier of German tires during the war, while Dunlop supplied tires for RAF fighters. When the correct tire is not available, though, one uses whatever is handy…
3
5
6
7
8
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Wings • 1
2
•1 The MG-FF cannons have been removed from this example, but the blast tube is seen here •2 The wing root junction was covered by a thin sheet metal strip, as seen here •3 A view of the inboard hinge point of the starboard aileron
1
•4 Another view of the inboard hinge point; note the flap and aileron share this bracket •5 A commonly overlooked detail is this gear position indicator in the starboard wing 4
•6 The bulge at the wingroot covered the upper wing bolt attachment
3
5 6
•7 A view of the deflected starboard aileron •8 The partially inset radiators had a small stiffening rod centrally located along the lip of the radiator bath
7
•9 The oil cooler vent door is seen in this view. 8
9
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Wings • 2 10
11
•10 The four small mounting lugs for the ETC500 rack are seen here; the fresh air intake is covered by a flat panel on this example, where it should be more hemispherical
13
•11 The honeycomb structure of the oil cooler is seen in this frontal view •12 The bottom of the coolant tank and part of the induction tubing can be seen through the lower chin vent •13 The characteristic angular vent of the supercharger air intake is seen here, along with the ten airflow guide vanes
12
•14 The pitot tube is painted black on this example; this was often left in natural metal on service examples •15 Note the shaped ducting of the oil cooler vent exit in this view
14
•16 The radiator baths were constructed such that they could pivot downwards for radiator maintenance; this junction has been covered in pinking tape on this example •17 The covers are missing from the lower wing attachment points; the aft mounting eyes for the ETC500 rack are seen from the side •18 A view of the port wing root
15
16 17
18
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Cockpit • 1 •1 The magneto control knob is missing in this photo; the cabin vent window mechanism is just barely visible
1
•2 Von Teumer's aircraft was configured as an E-3/B when it was captured; this is the control panel for the electrical bomb release
2
•3 The landing gear control handle is set to ‘down’, and the lower handle is the emergency gear release which released the uplocks and allowed the gear to drop down under force of gravity •4 The crank controls the radiator exit flaps, and the small switch above and to the right is the fuel pump on/off switch. The fuel primer pump is immediatley below the crank handle •5 A view of the fuse board. The interior appears to have been repainted at some point, although bits of original RLM 02 can be seen under the chipped paint just above the fuse panel
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•6 A view of the throttle and other control handles on the port fuselage wall. The orange electrical cable is decidedly non-standard! •7 The forward antenna mast mounted directly to the aft canopy section
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Cockpit • 2 •8 An overall view of the gauges and equipment on the left side of the instrument panel
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•9 The rudder pedals also actuated the brakes; the brake actuating cylinders for each wheel were on the rudder pedals themselves •10 The KG 13B control stick is seen in this view. The leather boot covering the pivot mechanism at the base is missing from this example
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•11 The pressue line from the oxygen cylinders in the aft fuselage entered the cockpit through this union, and was then routed to the oxygen regulator. Blue was the color for all oxygen lines and bottles in Luftwaffe aircraft •12 The Revi C/12D gunsight is seen here mounted, with the smoked glass sun shield retracted •13 Despite having a later Gustav canopy, the seat is still a proper Emil unit, with the shoulder belts passing through a hole in the back of the seat proper
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•14 The brownish gauge is the airscrew pitch indicator; monitoring of this gauge was crucial at all times in operating the Bf 109E
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Modelling the Bf 109 • Bf 109E WNr 4101 Walkaround
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Modelling the Bf 109 Messerschmitt Bf 109 V1
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Chapter
MPM – 1/72
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eleased in 1995, this is currently the only injection-molded early prototype Bf 109 available in this scale. Typical of MPM’s earlier short run kits, it features a rudimentary cockpit that builds up with the use of some very lovely photoetch, delicately engraved panel lines, and heavy sprue attachment points, where the lowpressure injection of the plastic is generated. The nose parts breakdown is a bit unusual, but is easy to work with and results in a convincing representation of the Kestrel-engined prototype. The wings are molded in one piece, with the proper longer slats and shorter dihedral (at 4 degrees, instead of the 7+ degrees of later aircraft), and this is a nice touch. Unfortunately, there are a number of shortcomings in the kit as well.
The first thing one notices as construction commences is that the interior is practically devoid of detail.A small photoetch fuse panel and instrument panel are provided, as are the flap and tailplance incidence wheels and drilled Elektron rudder pedals (they should be solid on this aircraft, although this is a minor point). The seat is not too bad, and the photoetch seat belts look quite nice once installed. However, the overall effect is one of emptiness when viewed through the nicely molded vacuform canopy. The canopy itself is molded from
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reasonably thick acetate, and proved to fit like a glove once properly trimmed. Construction went quickly, although my hopes of achieving a tight wingroot fit were to be in vain. The cockpit and fuselage items went together quite smoothly, including the unusually engineered nose section, and the entire kit virtually flew together in no time at all. After adding the wingroot oil cooler inlets and cleaning up a few seam lines, the assembled aircraft was cleaned and polished. I mixed up a batch of Model Master RLM 63 Lichtgrau, thinned with straight lacquer thinner, and this helped the semi-gloss paint spray on nice and smooth, drying quickly to a nice, even finish. Once fully cured, I gave the aircraft a few coats of Future polish to result in a beautiful shine, in spite of the questionable scale effect of such a finish! The decals were amazingly sticky, and fortunately proved somewhat resistant to tearing as quite a bit of moving about was necessary to get the registration codes exactly where I wanted them. The tail bands were added
as full decals with only half a Hakenkreuz; it was the remaining half of the swastika that caused the only drama on the kit, when the right-side decal decided to turn itself into a tiny, rolled-up ball. I wound up hand-painting this area, and am reasonably pleased with the result. After the decals had been applied, I gave the aircraft another couple thin coats of Future to seal the whole affair, and began adding details such as the gear and prop. The landing gear wheels are from a G, and the doors are from an E; both are
wrong for the kit, and should be replaced. The prop is quite nice, having a separate spinner and blades, and the spinner was painted in Floquil New Silver, then polished with SNJ aluminum powder. The backs of the blades were painted flat black, and the fronts were coated in Bare-Metal Foil. The radiator body and oil tank in the port wing root also received Bare-Metal Foil panels, while the oil cooler in the starboard wing was made from lead foil, scored lightly with a hobby knife which resulted in slight ridges in the panel. Overall, MPM’s Bf 109 V1 is a handsome little kit that fills an important gap in any 1/72 Luftwaffe collection. It is not without flaws, but looks wonderful when completed.
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Messerschmitt Bf 109B/C/D Hobbycraft/Academy – 1/48
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hen these kits were first released, they were quite a welcome addition to the rapidly expanding stable of 1/48 Bf 109s that were available. The construction breakdown and other details through the kit strongly suggested that the Hasegawa kit was used as the ‘master pattern’ for this release, but this was just the start of the errors incorporated into this kit. First and foremost is the completely misshapen cowling area. As rendered in the kit, the nose is essentially flat from the windscreen forward, while the actual article has a distinctive downward slope, nearly matching that of the later Emil series. The forward cowling piece was rendered as a one-piece affair, but it is a complete mystery as to which plans were used to create this. The aft edge of this upper cowling piece stops right at the aft edge of the spark plug inspection door, when it should be located a bit further aft. Because of this error, the remainder of the nose geometry is completely thrown off as well; the gun troughs end too far forward, and the air intake scoop on the upper starboard cowling is too far forward as well. The underside of the nose is somewhat better, but the radiator cowling needs attention on the aft edge; it has a very subtle upwards sweep, while the kit gives this as a simple flat area.
Moving aft from the cowling, the wing root fairings have the characteristic stiffening strips of the later Emil model, as well as the aft-mounted fuel fill position. Neither of these features are correct... the fairings on the A through D models had no reinforcing strip, being affixed directly through the skin to the underlying monocoque. The fuel filler was located on the port cockpit side, beneath the hinged portion of the canopy in approximately the same position as the later F model. The cockpit is also wrong for any Jumoengined variant, with the clues here being the map case and radiator shutter crank on the starboard wall. It has been suggested that the Verlinden detail set was used as a master for the Hobbycraft interiors, as the overall level of detail is far superior to that offered in the earlier Hasegawa kit. Despite the control stick being rendered as a vaguely Sshaped stick of plastic, the seat and sidewall details more than make up for that shortcoming. The
instrument panel is also a bog-standard Emil unit, but this detail will not be evident to any but the most diehard Messerschmitt fans. Further aft, the empennage is nicely rendered, although the chord of the fin may be a bit off; when assembled, the incidence adjustment opening for the tailplane winds up forward of the tailplanes themselves. The tailplanes are much more accurate than their later G/K series, and the tailwheel opening is molded shut, again as per the Hasegawa example. Moving to the wings, these were again based on Hasegawa units, although Hobbycraft wisely chose to mold the wings without the MG-FF ammo drum bulges. The flaps are separate, although the leading edge slats are molded shut... this is easily rectified by careful work with a razor saw and a hobby knife, however. The main gear legs and doors are interchangeable with Hasegawa units, and the wheels are actually quite a bit nicer than those included in the Hasegawa kit, having more depth and definition to the spoked areas. Finishing at the front, a choice of two propellers is available in at least one of the releases, while others feature only the propeller style applicable to the variant being built. The representation of the wooden Schwarz propeller in the B kit is absolutely awful, with the spinner being far too pointy, and huge molding steps behind the blades themselves
which must be carefully ground down to match the profile of the surrounding spinner cap. The later variable pitch prop is much nicer, although the center cap can be dressed up with a small bit of aluminum tubing as a muzzle bore for the central MG 17.
If being built from the box, construction presents no particular challenges; the various bits all fit well enough, with minimal filler needed around the cowling area. However, if one is interested in building a more accurate Jumoengined variant, then you have your work cut out for you. The decals in the original Hobbycraft releases from the mid-90s were bordering on hideous, but later boxings with the characteristic black side panels have absolutely gorgeous decal sheets whose quality rivals those of aftermarket companies. The kit has also been released by Academy as a D model with Werner Mölders’ Spanish D-1 coded ‘6 o 79’ as the primary option.
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Messerschmitt Bf 109C Hobbycraft/Academy – 1/48
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hen I first obtained one of these kits back in 1995, I was positively thrilled to have an early model 109 to add to my collection.As such, I did not spend much time in researching shapes, vent configurations, and the like; I merely wanted to build the model and get it done! I had purchased the C model, with the striking shark mouth motif of ZG 76 on the cowling, but the decals themselves were hardly inspiring. So, I tracked down a copy of the Ministry of Small Aircraft Production sheet featuring early 109s, and chose to built a I./JG 20 machine (later II./JG 51). I also grabbed a pair of red 9’s from an Aeromaster fighter numbers sheet (one of the greatest decal sets ever released, in my humble opinion), as I wanted to have something just slightly different than the option on the sheet, and got to work.
I had purchased this kit at MasterCon in Saint Louis, MO, along with about $300.00 worth of other modeling related goodies and accessories, and among those accessories was an Eduard photoetch set for the early Jumo-engined 109s. I used several of the parts from this set, including the beautiful radiator grille, the seat belts, and other cockpit bits to help dress up the already well-appointed kit pieces. Only later would I find out that the interior is correct for an Emil, but nothing like an early 109... ignorance is truly bliss! I also airbrushed the interior in RLM 66; another faux-pas, as the interiors of all Jumo-engined variants were in RLM 02. Live and learn, right? I built the fuselage, then added the cockpit tub assembly up from the bottom, fairing in the
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resulting seam along the cockpit sills with putty. The entire fuselage assembly was then mated with the already completed wing, and I found I had a number of small gaps to fill. Once those were taken care of, I moved to some of the smaller subassemblies. One trick I wanted to incorporate was the use of aluminum tubing for the central prop boss; after a bit of trial and error, I managed to build up a sleeved insert for the propeller assembly which allowed the prop to freely rotate (and also to fall off on the contest table...). It was a neat idea, but I eventually cemented the assembly in place. The landing gear could not have been more simple, although I wasn’t very careful about my alignment. Later, when one of the gear legs snapped, I was able to re-align the main gear more accurately when reattaching the strut. At the time,Aeromaster Warbird Enamels were still in plentiful supply, and I used their RLM 65 Hellblau, RLM 70 Schwartzgrün, and RLM 71 Dunkelgrün for the prewar splinter camouflage scheme. Masking of the uppersurface camo took quite a while, as I was determined to get the pattern just right.When the masks were removed, my patience was rewarded, although did have a bit of touch-up work to do in a few areas. Testors Metalizer Sealer was then used as a gloss coat, and I could begin applying the decals. It was at this point that I started having some difficulties. I had purchased the MSAP decals from Verlinden’s warehouse, and they must have either deteriorated or been flawed in some manner, as the backing paper came up with the decals themselves.
Thankfully, the decal film was strong enough to withstand the efforts to remove the paper from the markings, but it was certainly touch and go for a while. The few Aeromaster markings went down flawlessly, as usual, and with the completion of the decal session, I sprayed a coat of Walthers’ DDV (Decal Dulling Varnish) on the model to give a nice, overall flat sheen.
This turned out to be another mistake. I discovered to my dismay that DDV has a nasty tendency to turn yellow after a year or so; soon, my Bf 109C looked as though it had taken a bath in beer. I didn’t particularly feel like stripping the whole thing down, so I eventually decided to try airbrushing a few coats of Future over the entire aircraft. I had swapped the ridiculous single-piece kit canopy for a very nice Squadron vacuformed item, and the Future not only improved the finish dramatically, it also improved the clarity of the canopy dramatically. As I continued to study the 109, I found more and more errors with the Hobbycraft Jumo-engined kits, and I resolved I would do something about this with the next one I built.
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Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 Hobbycraft – 1/48 3./JG 51, Speyer, Germany; October, 1939
A
t the beginning of the Second World War, the Jagdwaffe had not quite completed the changeover from the Jumo-engined C’s and D’s to the faster, more powerful Bf 109E model. Among the Gruppen which had received the new aircraft, however, was I./JG 51 at Bad Aibling. Formed from I./JG 233 on 1 May 1939 when the Luftwaffe unit structure underwent a wholesale reorganization, I./JG 51 had moved elements to Speyer after the outbreak of hostilities. 3. Staffel would remain at Speyer longer than the other two Staffeln, not moving to Mannheim until November.
The paint schemes of the Jagdwaffe were bland in the extreme, with the dark splinter scheme of RLM 70 and 71 on the uppersurfaces being applied with an eye towards ground concealment. Several aircraft appear to have received a much simpler scheme of RLM 70 in place of the complex uppersurface splinter scheme, however, and this 3. Staffel aircraft,‘yellow 3’, appears to be one such machine. Photographed at Speyer in October, 1939, the aircraft sports a decidedly non-standard fuselage cross, and enormous, oversized wing
crosses designed to maximize visibility to friendly forces.A number of deadly ‘friendly fire’ incidents had occurred during the Polish campaign, and the oversized crosses appeared for a time on both fighter and bomber aircraft. It was one of the earliest examples of conflicting markings on Luftwaffe aircraft; the carefully applied camouflage was effectively rendered useless by the addition of these gigantic wing markings.
• the slats are molded integral with the wing • the MG-FF bulges are provided as separate items, meaning the wing is already configured as an E-1 • the fin is slightly broader in chord than the Hasegawa kit; that fin is just about perfect • the interior is much more detailed than the Hasegawa offering, although the lap belts on the seat are a bit indistinct
Having found this aircraft on a long out of production Ministry of Small Aircraft Production sheet, I decided I would use the Hobbycraft kit to build this unusual E-1. The Hobbycraft kit is a virtual copy of the Hasegawa offering, but with several key differences:
• the Hobbycraft canopy is a thick, one-piece affair that should be chucked into the spares box and replaced with a vacuformed item • the main wheels of the Hobbycraft kit are much nicer than Hasegawa’s • the main cowling has no notch where the supercharger intake would go; this needs to be scribed into the aft port cowling, and the supercharger intake attaches to this Construction of the kit follows essentially the same pattern as the Hasegawa offering, with the only surprise being the aforementioned supercharger mounting. Care must be taken to get this in the right position, as no locating area is given on the kit parts. The exhausts are also somewhat weakly molded, although replacing them with Moskit items may be an exercise in frustration. The major subassemblies fit well, with little putty being required, and the aircraft certainly looks the part when finished.While not as nice as the Hasegawa or Tamiya kits, the Hobbycraft Emil family is a relatively inexpensive and fun model to build, and makes a handsome addition to the model shelf when done.
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Messerschmitt Bf 109E Academy – 1/72
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f ever a kit had a split personality, it would be this one. Upon opening the box, the expectant modeler is greeted with finely engraved panel lines, a well-detailed multi-piece cockpit, and a fully separated canopy that’s respectably thin and clear. But on closer inspection, it becomes apparent that all is not what it seems. The beautifully executed panel lines on the fuselage lead up to a horribly misshapen nose. The gun troughs, a prominent feature of the Emil cowling, are laid into the side of the cowling like some sort of mutated Gloster Gauntlet. The oil cooler beneath the nose is approximately a whopping .010 inches deep, as near to flush as one cares to go, and is too narrow to boot. The spinner is a touch on the long side, and the prop blades are a bit ovoid, but these pale into insignificance when compared to that sad proboscis. The wonders of the cockpit have already been noted, and the aft fuselage is also well executed, with panel lines where they belong. The empennage is nicely rendered as well, although the rudder is a bit off in shape. The rudder actuating horns are present, and the horizontal tailplanes and elevators are also cleanly done, with a somewhat heavy fabric effect that benefits from a few light swipes of sandpaper. The tailwheel is well done, but the stabilizer struts bear no resemblance to the actual items, having enormous, misshapen blobs at each end of a flat stick... somewhere, a 1/35 scale rowboat is missing a pair of oars. Having gone the length of the fuselage, we now come to the wings. Let’s look at the upper halves first, as covering the well-done parts will take significantly less time. Here again, we find cleanly executed panel lines where they belong, although the same shallow scalloped effect from the empennage is present on the flap and aileron surfaces. Another slight, but easily rectified annoyance is the lack of a line or trough of any sort at the junction of the aileron, flap, and wing. Scribing such a line is a quick affair, but be careful of the protruding end of the gun bay doors over the flaps.
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The lower wing is another matter entirely, however. The panel lines are nice and crisp, as elsewhere on the kit, but that’s the sole redeeming feature of this area. Mirroring the absurdly shallow oil cooler, the radiators appear to have been based on the later F-G-K units, as they are entirely too shallow, and extend clear out to the end of the flap. The MG-FF ammo canister bulges are wee little things, and the hinge lines for the flaps and ailerons are very confused; there are two sets of deeply engraved lines running parallel to the trailing edge, and the aftmost lines must be filled. The main gear recesses are too large, and extend too far outboard; these need to be walled in with a bit of .005 or .010 styrene. Having covered this small exercise in scale schizophrenia, one is left with the following choices: a) Build it as-is, b) Strip the kit for usable parts and bin the rest, c) Build it, fixing the incorrect parts
along the way, or d) Build three of them, adding a pointed steel tip in the noses, and impress the lads down at the pub on darts night with your new set. Not being very adept at darts, I chose to build my example and see what I could do to fix the most glaring errors. In retrospect, d) might have been the better option. I originally intended to complete the aircraft as an E-4, so I built up the cockpit and painted it in Schwartzgrau 66, followed with a quick wash and drybrush session. The fuselage halves were then brought together, and the magnitude of the profile problems with the nose became fully apparent. Picture, if you will, the aeronautical equivalent of a walleye trout. The depressions on the upper sides of the nose needed to be filled, then new troughs needed to be cut into the upper nose section. I hollowed out the incorrect troughs, then shoved two bits of cut sprue into them and liberally coated
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the plugs with gap-filling superglue.After the glue had time to set, I sanded down the plugged areas with progressively finer sanding sticks until the area was nice and smooth. I then drilled two holes for the muzzle apertures, and carefully expanded them with a #11 X-Acto blade, followed by careful shaping with a narrow rat-tail file. Small bits of stretched sprue were added to simulate the muzzles; the result is not perfect, but it is light years better than what came in the kit. The oil cooler depth was increased by adding two plates of .010 styrene to the bottom, fairing them in with superglue and putty, then sanding them to shape. Again, nothing like perfect, but still a vast improvement on what Academy gives you.
Doing something about the lower wing was next on the list. I began by using a razor saw to cut the radiator housings along the flap hinge line, then gouging out the excess plastic with the trusty #11 blade. This was followed by sanding, filing, puttying, sanding, cursing, puttying again, sanding, more cursing, and putting down the model for a while. After a lengthy break, I returned to continue working on reshaping the radiator housings. Were I to do this again, I would have sanded off those absurd ‘radiators’ and simply scratchbuilt replacement items. Never being one to take the easy route, though, I eventually arrived at something approximating an Emil radiator shape, and called it a day. The gear wells were also walled in with .010 styrene sheet and trimmed to shape (a surprisingly simple task), and I decided at this point that I
would simply shave off the anemic MG-FF blisters and backdate the aircraft to an E-1. (Yes, I am aware the cockpit should be in 02, but it’s not going to happen at this point). There is sufficient plastic in the lower wing to allow you to sand those wee blisters flush, although filler of some sort will be needed for the surrounding panel lines. I used gap filling super glue again, as I had no intentions of waiting a day for the putty to dry... I could sense completion was near! One important point to note is that the apertures for the MG17s are slightly inboard of the MG-FF cannon muzzles; to do this properly, one needs to fill the square panel lines surrounding the cannon port as well. I must confess that one prime reason I chose to do an E-1 was that the dark tones of the early overall 70/71/65 scheme would help mask some of the errors made during the construction of this little beast.A friend sent a long out of production set of Ministry of Small Aircraft Production decals my way, and I chose to build ‘red 10’ of 2./JG 77, circa mid-1939. I used Model Master’s RLM 65 enamel thinned with straight lacquer thinner on the undersurfaces, and Model Master’s US Marine Corps Green thinned with lacquer thinner for the RLM 71 up top. I then mixed up a cup of RLM 70
Schwartzgrün by mixing Model Master’s Aircraft Interior Black with the USMC Green at about a 50/50 ratio; I’m quite pleased with the result, and the colors are far better than the colors Model Master offers as RLM 70 and 71.After a liberal glosscoat of Future and decaling, the whole affair was given a coat of Testors Dullcote, canopies were added, and voila – it was done. Would I recommend this kit? For those who might still need some sort of encouragement one way or the other after reading of my experiences, I would say if you wish to have an accurate 1/72 Bf 109E on your shelves, then no, this kit is not for you. However, if you enjoy the challenge of improving a substandard kit, then this will certainly fit your style.
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Messerschmitt Bf 109E Tamiya – 1/72 WNr 1480; Oblt. Franz von Werra, Stab II./JG 3 Love’s Farm, Marden, Kent; 5 September, 1940
Oblt. Franz von Werra in the cockpit of WNr 1480 with his pet lion, Simba (Photo: Crow)
O
f the hundreds of Luftwaffe airmen who parachuted into British captivity during the Battle of Britain, many tried to escape but only one managed to complete the feat. This was Oblt. Franz von Werra, the Geschwaderadjutant of II./JG 3.With eight victories to his credit, fully half of those falling on 28 August, von Werra was the first ‘ace’ to be made a prisoner of war, and the British noted his extremely high morale. He made no secret of his intent to return to Germany, and led several unsuccessful escape attempts including one which found him about to take off in a Hawker
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Hurricane before being shipped off to Canada, presumably for the duration of the war. Von Werra had other ideas, however, and as the train carrying the prisoners crossed through snowy Smith Falls, Ontario on 24 January 1941, he jumped from the train and headed south. Thirty miles away was the St. Lawrence River, and beyond that, the still neutral United States.After an arduous trip across the partially frozen river in a small rowboat, using a plate as an oar, von Werra landed on the American shore. His successful escape was celebrated at the highest levels in Germany, with Hitler and Göring greeting him personally upon his return from the US, and the resultant embarrassment caused to the British led to more stringent security measures which saw to it that no further successful escapes took place for the duration of the war.Von Werra went on to serve in Russia, and was later transferred to the Netherlands as the Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 53. He was killed on 25 October 1941, when his Bf 109F-4 WNr 7285 inexplicably dove into the sea... von Werra made no distress call, and made no attempt to escape the doomed aircraft. Continuing their tradition of excellence, Tamiya’s 1/72 Bf 109E-3 and E-4/7 are virtually identical to their superlative 1/48 Emil series. The kit stands head and shoulders above every other 1/72 Emil release, with laser-straight panel lines and perfectly rendered detail from the prop blade collars all the way to the molded-in rudder control cables. What’s more, Tamiya has accomplished this with the bare minimum of parts; all the airframe bits are given on one sprue section. The fit of the
kit is nothing short of amazing, with little to no filler required at any point on the model. Most impressively, the upper and lower cowlings are supplied as separate pieces, with a multi-piece oil cooler insert which allows you to build the model with or without the airflow straightening vane; early Emils had this, but it was infrequently seen by August 1940. The propeller blades are a bit narrow, but not excessively so. The cockpit is fully detailed with a mixture of molded-in details in sharp relief, and well-sculpted individual parts. The rudder pedals are molded to the firewall, the flap and tailwheel trim wheels are molded to the port fuselage half, and the oxygen regulator is molded to the starboard fuselage. Once the cockpit area is painted and a wash is carefully applied, a light drybrushing session makes these items pop right out. The instrument panel is a thing of beauty, with all instruments where they belong, and raised sections for the compass deviation card, gear selector, etc. The seat has the correct shape, but
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needs to have the characteristic oval hole for the shoulder belts drilled into the back. The aft fuselage is again absolutely beautiful, and the vertical tail and separate rudder are shaped correctly. One area of concern involves the length of the aft fuselage; according to factory measurements, each fuselage station from section 2 through section 8 should be equidistant, with a length of 453mm each. The kit, however, has the fuselage section between station 4 and 5 (just forward of the radio compartment door) noticeably shorter than the others. This causes issues with decals not specifically scaled for the Tamiya kit. With the introduction in early 1940 of the revised markings and camouflage, the fuselage Balkankreuz was to be applied from the forward edge of station 5 to the aft edge of station 6, fully covering those two fuselage sections from panel line to panel line. That shorter fuselage section means that many aftermarket Balkankreuze decals will be too wide for this area, throwing off other marking alignments. This is a surprising error, given the
incredible accuracy evident elsewhere in the kit. The wings differ from their 1/48 counterparts in having the flaps and slats molded permanently in the retracted position. It would not be too much trouble to separate these, although again, care must be taken around the extended gun bay panel on the upper wing section. The only addition necessary to the wing area would be the two stiffening posts centrally mounted in the front of the radiator baths; use a #78 drill bit to make an forward-angled hole through the lip of the radiator bath, then superglue a piece of 28 gauge wire or appropriately sized stretched sprue, trim, and sand flush. Five minutes work, and you’re done. Construction of the kit begins with the cockpit items. I would recommend painting the instrument panel on the sprue, as it’s far easier to hold and control for detail work; the seat, stick, and forward bulkhead with the rudder pedals should be assembled and painted simultaneously. Once detail painting on the sidewalls is complete, the fuselage halves can be closed up, with the cockpit floor assembly being inserted into the fuselage from below. Cleanup of the fuselage upper and lower seams should be minimal; the 109 did feature a seam along the top and bottom of the fuselage, created by a lap joint of the left and right fuselage half assemblies, and it would be as pronounced as the vertical panel lines along the flank of the aft
fuselage. I will often lightly bevel the outermost edges of this area on the individual fuselage halves before joining them using sparing amounts of gapfilling cyanoacrylate (CA) cement. The CA dries much quicker than a liquid, and can be sanded or carefully scribed through, if necessary. Mounting the wings to the fuselage is never done according to the instructions... I find I can achieve much better alignment with nearly perfect seams by affixing the upper wing halves to their mounting areas on either side of the fuselage using CA, then dryfitting the lower wing section and carefully dressing the rearmost points for an optimal fit. Typically, if there is to be any filler used on the kit, this staggered seam will be the area which will require it. Again mirroring the 1/48 scale kit, the upper and lower cowling sections are separate which is fantastic news for those building ‘yellow nose’ aircraft; it means less masking! As von Werra’s aircraft had a clean replacement cowling, I did not permanently attach these until after weathering was complete; the fuselage of WNr 1480 was positively filthy with soot deposits from the overworked DB 601, but the cowling sections were so clean that many postwar sources have shown his aircraft as having a white cowling. This was not the case, although the wingtips and rudder (which is also separate in the kit) were painted white. The propeller spinner is a two-part affair, and I carefully hand-painted the characteristic
black/white quarter panels on the forward part, painting the rear part RLM 70 along with the blades themselves. The airframe assembly was airbrushed with Model Master RLM 65, RLM 02, and Marine Corps Green for the RLM 71 areas; I strongly recommend avoiding the stock Model Master equivalents of RLM 70 and 71 as they bear
no resemblance to the actual shades whatsoever. After a coat of Future, I used the kit decals for the national insignia, and spare ICM decals for von Werra’s markings. The aft canopy and windscreen were then attached, the antenna rigged, and the whole affair could be considered finished. Tamiya’s baby Emil is an absolute delight, and to paraphrase a well-known commercial phrase here in the US:‘Betcha can’t build just one!’
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Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 ‘early release’ Hasegawa – 1/48
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n the late 1980s, the hobby of scale aircraft modeling was turned on its collective ear by releases from two Japanese companies. One, Trimaster, released an incredible 1/48 scale Focke Wulf Fw 190D-9 with impeccable recessed panel lines, cast white metal parts, and a fret of photoetched parts... all at the then-exorbitant cost of $55.00. Not long thereafter, Hasegawa introduced a newly tooled Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 at a far more reasonable price, which made it immediately attractive to a wider range of modelers. Compared to the then-current state of the art, the kit was a revelation.A reasonable parts breakdown was crisply rendered in light grey plastic; all panel lines were recessed, and the separate flaps and slats were a sensation at the time. The canopy was an admirably thin multipiece affair, and a huge variety of markings were provided on the decal sheets in each subsequent reboxing. Photoetched radiator and oil cooler grilles were also included, along with a very fiddly but very scale-looking photoetch head armor piece. When it was released, the only other injected 1/48 Emil on the market was the ancient Monogram kit, retooled from an even more ancient Aurora offering. Raised panel lines, vacant cockpit, no wheel wells to impede the retractable gear, and highly questionable outlines awaited the intrepid builder wanting an early Messerschmitt on his or her shelf. Hasegawa’s release immediately relegated the Monogram offering to the scrap pile, and the popularity of the kit may be judged by the fact that just recently, Revell-Germany has released their own boxing of the Hasegawa kit, minus the
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Ltn. Hans Illner of 4./JG 51 in early August, 1940. (Photo courtesy David Wadman)
photoetch fret, and the kit continues to be released with new decal options well over fifteen years after it was originally introduced. Despite the immense strides forward made with the Hasegawa kit, however, all was not sweetness and light. There were some significant shape issues with the nose, notably the small rocker cover bumps on the lower forward cowling, and the windscreen was far too vertical. The parts breakdown of the fuselage came in for criticism too, with a very odd seam line on the vertical fin. In a move which earned them considerable praise, Hasegawa retooled the Emil molds to improve the fuselage shape and assembly method, and considerably improved the canopy assemblies as well.
The model seen here has been built from one of the ‘original’ releases, and despite the profile issues noted above, it builds up into quite an attractive representation of an Emil. I did dress up the rather Spartan cockpit with a Cutting Edge resin seat with molded-on seatbelts and a few bits from an Eduard photoetch set, but this was the extent of the modifications made to the kit. Decals from Cutting Edge were used as well, to build the aircraft of Ltn. Hans Illner of 4./JG 51 in early August, 1940. Illner’s aircraft featured perhaps the most striking ‘nose art’ to be applied to a Luftwaffe aircraft during the war, in the form of an enormous pair of lips. After his first victory in July, a smoking cigarette was added to the
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design, and it is this marking variation which I chose to build. Construction of the model itself could not be simpler; by paying careful attention to alignment during construction, very little filler will be needed. As per my usual method, I assembled the fuselage halves first, then carefully dressed the mating surfaces of the upper wing halves, and glued those to the fuselage with CA. Cockpit construction followed, with the aforementioned photoetch bits
being added and the whole affair receiving a coat of Model Master RLM 02, thinned with straight lacquer thinner to speed drying time.After detail painting, a carefully applied wash of thinned Model Master Aircraft Interior Black and drybrushing with titanium white oil paint, the cockpit was assembled and slipped upwards into the completed fuselage assembly. The fit was predictably good, and once dry, the completed lower wing assembly was
secured to the rest of the model.Again, careful attention during the initial construction phase should result in a nearly flawless match, minimizing seam cleanup. I had drilled holes along the front edge of the separate engine cowling, simulating the lightening holes in the forward support frame of the actual article; this is a subtle and easily added detail which is just visible behind the prop baseplate. The canopies had already been dipped in Future and allowed to dry, and these were now added and masked off. The upper cowling was then added, and the aircraft was ready for paint. The yellow spinner and rudder was painted first with Floquil Reefer Yellow, then masked and the undersides and fuselage flanks were given a coat of Model Master RLM 65. The camouflage was applied freehand, using Floquil Pullman Green for the 71 Dunkelgrün and Model Master’s RLM 02 straight from the bottle.Aircraft in II./JG 51 carried a very indistinct, foggy mottle to the fuselage sides, and this was accomplished with very thin and light coats of both RLM 02 and patches of RLM 71. The landing gear legs and doors were then cleaned up and assembled, and these were painted, followed by a wash and drybrush session. I did substitute a spare pair of Hobbycraft Emil wheels for the kit items, as Hasegawa’s wheels are one of the weak points of the kit. Following a coat of Future, the excellent Cutting Edge decals were applied, and an additional light coat of Future was
sprayed over top of these for protection.A carefully applied wash was then applied in all panel lines around opening panels or movable surfaces (such as ailerons, gun bay doors, etc), and the aircraft was given a coat of Testors Dullcote.With the entire airframe assembled at this point, light weathering was applied using a silver Prismacolor pencil and pastel chalks, with a bit of drybrushing on the
fabric control surfaces to give a slight tonal contrast.With the addition of the antenna wire, the model was complete, and I had a very distinctive Emil to put on the shelf! Hasegawa’s Emil is still readily available and can still be made into a real head-turner, although it has since been surpassed in detail and accuracy by the Tamiya offering.
Modelling the Bf 109
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Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 Tamiya – 1/48 WNr 1944; Fw. Ernst Nischik, 6./JG 26 ‘Schlageter’ Werl, Germany; January 1940
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his aircraft is shown in a series of photos on pages 296 and 297 of Classic Colours’ Jagdwaffe – Attack In The West, taken in early 1940 while 6./JG 26 was stationed at Werl. Aeromaster released a series of decals based on aircraft from the Jagdwaffe series, which on the whole are a welcome addition to the schemes available to the modeler, but they do require doublechecking for accuracy. The book and the Aeromaster decal instructions indicate a 71/02 splinter scheme on the uppersurface of this particular aircraft, but close examination of the photos reveals this to be incorrect... the interiors of all the aircraft in this series of photos of 6. Staffel Emils are painted in RLM 02, and the uppersurface camouflage is much
darker than that interior color. In addition, there are several other interesting details on this aircraft; the gear legs and inner doors are in a very dark color, perhaps 66 Schwartzgrau, the supercharger intake still retains its original RLM 70 color from being masked off when the rest of the airframe was painted, and the exhaust shrouds are in either RLM 70 or black. I have opted for black on this model, as such a treatment was not uncommon. Aeromaster also calls for larger, mid 1940-style crosses above and below the wings; this, too, is incorrect, as the photos show the earlier prewar-style
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crosses to be placed well outboard on the upper wings. The Werknummer of this aircraft is theorized to be 1944, based on one photo of Uffz. Nischik in the cockpit of his aircraft; it is certainly not WNr 1937 as given on the decal sheet, as this was ‘Brown 9’. Other aircraft from this production batch in the unit include WNr 1935‘Brown 8’ and WNr 1943, ‘Brown 4’.An interesting feature of this particular batch was that the WNr was stenciled on the aft canopy section, and this is visible in other photos of 6. Staffel aircraft from this time period as well. As with so many other early Emils, WNr 1944 was later converted to E-7 standard, and re-entered
service with the ErgGr./JG 27. It subsequently served on the Eastern front with the 7. Staffel of JG 54’s Ergänzungsgruppe, where it was coded ‘13 +’. It was lost on 7 September 1941 due to Russian flak with Ltn. Hans-Leopold Henkemeier being killed in action. The ‘original’ release of the Tamiya Bf 109E-3 with the inaccurate cowling was used for this kit,
and the model was built straight from the box, with the exception of masking tape seatbelts. Colors used were ModelMaster 65, Floquil Classic 70 Schwartzgrün, and Floquil Pullman Green for the RLM 71 Dunkelgrün. The primary reason this particular scheme was chosen was to showcase a transitory field-applied camouflage scheme from early 1940, with the high 65 demarcation line but early-style national insignia. As is usual with the Tamiya kit, the fit was flawless, and the completed model certainly makes an attractive addition to the collection.
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Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 Tamiya – 1/48 G9 + JV, 10./NJG 1; Düsseldorf, Germany; September, 1940 Built from the box, with aftermarket and Revell/Germany kit decals
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t is a little-known fact that several all-black 109s saw service with the Luftwaffe in WWII. Under the command of Hptm. Conrad von Bothmer, III./NJG 1 was formed on 1 July 1940 from II./NJG 1, using older Bf 109D fighters carried over from their previous incarnation as IV.(N)/JG 2.As the three Staffeln of III. Gruppe began conversion training onto the Bf 110C in August 1940, two additional Staffeln were formed: 10. and 11./NJG 1. These two units operated surplus Emils from Düsseldorf until October 1940, when they were detached from III./NJG 1 and moved westward to Vlissingen and reconstituted as verstärkte Jagdstaffel Holland. This lasted until December, when Jagdstaffel Holland was redesignated 1./JG 1. The recent Revell/Germany re-release of the of the model which is present on the real aircraft is the blister covering the Peil Gerät direction finding equipment under the aft fuselage. A closeup of this device is shown in the color photo, taken of a 2./JG 1 aircraft during a Regia Aeronautica pilot exchange program. The teardrop-shaped blister itself is clear Plexiglas, with thin metal strips running fore and aft across the entire lower surface of the device. The inner electronics have Bakelite components, accounting for the dark rusty brown color visible in the photo. In the photo of G9+GV, note that the
Hasegawa Bf 109E-4 actually comes with the decals to build G9 + JV, but they give the codes in RLM 77 light grey.While this does conform with the L.Div. requirements for code colors used on black aircraft, it is unfortunately wrong for these aircraft. NJG 1’s Bf 110s used a dark red, not unlike British Dull Dark Red, for their codes and the included photos show that this dark color was used on the 109s as well.As such, I had to carefully overpaint the grey areas of the code letters with a custom-mixed dark red... the results are certainly more satisfying! This is the Tamiya Bf 109E-4/7 kit, built straight from the box using tape seatbelts. One item I left off
Photo: D’Amico and Valenti collection
starboard lower quarterlight of the windscreen has been plated over. The upper wing crosses as given in the Revell kit are conjectural, and though I did use them, I would replace them were I to build another of these aircraft. Given that these aircraft were in service during the Battle of Britain, it is more likely that the national markings would mirror those carried by the day fighters.
Above two photos via T. Fischer
Modelling the Bf 109
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Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3a (Swiss Conv.) Tamiya – 1/48
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his Bf 109E-3 (J-317, W.Nr. 2165) was taken on strength of the Schweizer Flugwaffe on 23 June 1939. It served briefly with 21. FlKp before being transferred to 8. FlKp, where it remained until being struck off charge on 17 June 1947.
The model used was the ‘old-tool’ Tamiya Bf 109E-3 with inaccurate cowling and intake. I modified the cowling to Swiss standard with two MG29s fitted side-by side (not staggered); this necessitated filing off the MG17 synchronization gear bulges on the main cowling as well as the raised troughs around the gunports, filling a few panel lines with superglue, rescribing new panel lines, and adding two small breech covers from spare resin off-cuts sanded to shape. The gun barrels are simply stretched sprue, drilled and
of the spray pattern. Just be sure the room is thoroughly ventilated, as the fumes are quite stiff! The Floquil paints were thinned with DioSol, and as usual they went down perfectly. The markings came from an out-of-production Cutting Edge sheet graciously sent to me by Dr. Sinuhe Hahn, another Swiss friend; it should be noted that the instructions are slightly wrong, in that they give a ‘fish in a ring’ emblem for J-317. That emblem belonged to 7. FlKp, whereas a number of aircraft in 8. FlKp featured very skillfully executed floral arrangements on the cowlings (!!!) along with the specific names of said
flora. Unfortunately, while a number of these beautiful artworks were captured on film, no one seems to have thought to link them to a particular airframe; thus, the only 8. FlKp aircraft to be linked with one of these emblems is J-360 (‘Narziss’/Narcissus). As I couldn’t be certain whether my chosen aircraft had one of these artworks or not, I simply left the cowling bare, which was the usual standard for 8. FlKp.
Other details added include a scratchbuilt KG11 spade-grip stick, Cutting Edge resin seat with molded-on seatbelts (every Emil fan should have a number of these in their parts box), True Details resin wheels to replace the skinny kit items, and two lengths of solder for the brake lines. mounted to the Tamiya piece in lieu of the MG17 barrels... those were saved for another project. The rest of the kit practically fell together, and it was soon ready for paint. Painted in a fairly free-form ‘export’ scheme of RLM 70 and 71 over 65, Floquil’s RLM 70 Schwartzgrün and Floquil Pullman Green were used on the uppersurfaces, with Model Master 65 beneath.A quick note about the Model Master colors... spraying gloss or semi-gloss colors is definitely not a favorite option of mine due to the time required for the paint to dry thoroughly. However, I’ve found that thinning these with straight lacquer thinner not only offers a far quicker drying time, it also allows for much better control
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Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 Trop Tamiya – 1/48
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erner Schroer was an excellent fighter leader and one of the few ‘Experten’ to serve throughout the entire war and survive. Born on 12 December 1918, he joined the Luftwaffe in 1937 as a groundcrew member. By May 1940 he had soloed, and joined 2./JG 27 in August 1940. He did not see action during the Battle of Britain, however. Schroer was to find his greatest fame with JG 27 as they moved south to join Rommel’s Afrika Korps. He claimed his first victory, an RAF Hurricane, on 19 April 1941 with 1./JG 27, but his own aircraft was heavily damaged in the engagement. Two days later, he again entered combat with Hurricanes and collided with one in the fight which ensued; this necessitated a forced landing at Ain-El-Gazala with his 109, WNr 4170 ‘white 11’ incurring 40% damage. Schroer went on to achieve 114 victories, and finished the war as Kommodore of JG 3 ‘Udet’. He passed away peacefully in Munich on 10 February 1985.
78 blue, 79 tan, and 80 olive green were not available yet, it has been widely speculated that I./JG 27 utilized Italian colors for their uppersurface pattern, and this was the route I chose. I used Model Master 65 on the underside, and Aeromaster acrylic Italian Sand on the uppersurfaces, mottled with Model Master
is documented photographically, and was also documented on Wolfgang von Teumer’s Bf 109E WNr 4101 of 2./JG 51 which is currently displayed at the RAF Museum at Hendon. Weathering was kept relatively light, as the
aircraft had not been in theatre long before Schroer’s battle with the Hurricane on 21 April. I utilized chalk pastels for exhaust and cordite staining where appropriate, and a sharpened silver Prismacolor pencil for paint chipping along the wing roots where the ground crew would operate as well as the cockpit sills. The undersized Tamiya tailwheel was binned, and one of the many spare tailwheels in my leftovers box from a Hasegawa 109G-6 kit was used instead. There is some confusion regarding the number of the 109 Schroer was flying on 21 April; some sources say it was ‘white 3’, while others say ‘white 11’. I elected to build this Tamiya kit as ‘white 11’ but acknowledge that it may not be 100% correct. This is the ‘retooled’ E-4/7 built almost straight from the box with decals pieced together from various sources. Construction of the kit presented no surprises, as is the norm with Tamiya’s offerings, and the sole aftermarket accessory used was the excellent Cutting Edge resin seat with belts. These make a tremendous difference in the finished item, and are reasonably priced. Plus, you get two seats per package, which is just further encouragement to build more Emils! The paint job was an exercise in patience.When the first aircraft from I./JG 27 arrived in Libya in the spring of 1941, they wore the standard European temperate camouflage of 71/02/65. This quickly proved ill-suited to the desert terrain, and a new scheme was applied featuring tan with very tight dark green mottles on the uppersurfaces, with light blue below.As the new RLM tropical colors of
34086 thinned with lacquer thinner for a finer spray pattern. Several photographs of other I. Gruppe E-7s were used to determine the shape and space of the mottling, and it took several attempts to get the effect I wanted. The interior shows a notuncommon practice with reworked Emils of previous series... the cockpits of early Emils were produced in 02, but when they were rebuilt as E-7s they would sometimes receive a coat of 66 on the upperworks immediately beneath the canopy. This
Modelling the Bf 109
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Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 ‘early release’ Tamiya – 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/N WNr 1190 Uffz. Horst Perez, 4./JG 26 Eastbourne, England 30 September 1940
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ne of the most significant survivors from the Battle of Britain is the Bf 109E-3 currently on display in ‘as received’ condition at Duxford. WNr 1190 was originally flown by the Staffelkapitän of 4./JG 26, Hptm. Karl Ebbighausen. He used this aircraft to down a Fokker D.XXI and T.V on 13 May, and achieved two other kills in it as well before receiving a new aircraft.‘White 4’ was then passed to Uffz. Horst
Perez, who flew it on operations over England until being downed near Eastbourne on 30 September, earning for himself an all-expenses paid vacation in Canada for the remainder of the war. The kit used for this model was the original Tamiya release of the E-3, with the overly pronounced exhaust stubs, too-narrow
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supercharger intake, and generally misshapen cowling. Considering the amazing quality of the rest of the kit, many modelers were dismayed to see such errors, and to their credit, Tamiya listened. They retooled the entire nose and quietly introduced the newly redone and much more accurate model with zero fanfare, and no notice on the box to indicate whether the plastic inside was the old or new version. For those interested, check the origin on the side panel of the box... if it says ‘Made in the Philippines’, it is a new version with the correct nose. I utilized Aeromaster sheet 48-166,‘Emils over Europe’, and initially made the mistake of following the suggested uppersurface paint scheme of two
blue shades (!!!).As interesting as the model looked, it was irredeemably wrong, and after several emails back and forth with noted Luftwaffe researcher and author Dave Wadman, I repainted the entire model in the correct 71/02/65 scheme. After studying a number of photos taken of the reassembled aircraft during a War Bond tour of the US and Canada, I came to the conclusion that the flaps, ailerons, and elevators appeared to have been painted in yellow as well. This practice was not unheard of; there are photos taken in Greece of JG 77 aircraft featuring this treatment. Subsequent investigation, however, seems to suggest that I was seeing something that wasn’t there...‘White 4’ was just a standard Emil in a standard scheme. So, be
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careful when trying to interpret black and white photos; sometimes, things aren’t what they seem! Construction of the kit was typical of Tamiya... open box, add glue, close box, shake vigorously, and retrieve completed model.Well, perhaps not quite that easy, but the Tamiya Emil series must rank among the most ‘modeler-friendly’ kits on the market today. Tamiya manages to capture the maximum amount of detail with a minimum number of parts, and the engineering of the pieces is such that it is possible to avoid the use of filler altogether on the kit. The canopies are the only ones
to correctly capture the external rivet detail, although this makes them a challenge to mask properly. The interiors are also stellar, light-years beyond the basic shapes of the Hasegawa kit, and the only detail improvement I would recommend as
necessary would be the addition of the beautiful Cutting Edge resin seat with molded-on seatbelts. One of the few niggling detail errors is the diminutive tailwheel; if you have any of Hasegawa’s Bf 109G-6 through K-4 kits, retrieve the smaller of the two spare tailwheels from one of those kits and replace the Tamiya unit with this more accurate wheel. The mainwheels are a bit on the anemic side as well; a set of True Details resin wheels improves the look of the landing gear considerably.Another improvement over the Hasegawa kit is the shape of the gear legs themselves; instead of simple bent pegs at the base of the gear strut, Tamiya went to the trouble to correctly mold an inset oleo section, and the oleo linkage is crisply molded onto the strut as well. Continuing the trend towards thinness, the Tamiya prop blades are also too skinny, but the prop hub is positively exquisite...
perhaps one of the most outstanding features of the kit. Ultracast and Aires manufacture resin replacement blades for the Tamiya kit, for those so inclined. The surface detail of the Tamiya kit is another strong point.Where Hasegawa gives light panel lines that easily disappear with sanding, Tamiya’s Emil features strongly recessed panel lines and exquisite surface detail in areas such as the reinforcing plate at the horizontal stabilizer root and the bolt heads along the sides of the radiator baths. One curious omission on the Tamiya kit is the prominent stiffening strut at the front of the radiator; this is easy enough to add, though. The fabric effect on the control surfaces is a bit heavy, but this can be minimized by a light sanding session.
The oil cooler beneath the nose is a masterpiece of engineering on the Tamiya kit as well, with a separate cooler piece and fully accurate ducting shape, whereas this area on the Hasegawa kit is too wide. Side-by-side comparison of the Tamiya and Hasegawa kits, in fact, show a significant width discrepancy along the entire fuselage; measurements have not been made as yet, but my impression from examining Ed Russell’s Bf 109E WNr 3579 are that the slimmer Tamiya kit is more accurate. Overall, the Tamiya kit stands head and shoulders above the Hasegawa kit in detail and ease of construction.
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What do judges look for?
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ere in the US, one of the most heavily populated contest categories at any IPMS show is category 107: Single Engine Prop,Axis. It is almost a given that at any regional or national convention, there will be enough Bf 109 models to warrant their own separate category.And as competitive as that category is, there are certain things which many folks miss completely when building their models. Horror stories abound of modelers who get completely wrapped up in ensuring some tiny detail is absolutely correct, then they place one of the insignia upside down; other modelers get in a hurry, and install things wrong, such as one well-known builder here in the States who built an otherwise very nice US Navy reconnaissance jet, but put the underside reconnaissance canoe on backwards! We all make silly mistakes in the pursuit of scale perfection, and I’m no exception; I’ve got several models on the shelf which never had their gunsights installed, as I got in a hurry to get the canopies on and simply forgot to install them. I brought another model to a contest some time ago which somehow had all the decals on the underside left off; again, I was in a hurry to finish it for the show, and I overlooked the screamingly obvious in trying to get the little things right. It’s things like this that always leap out at judges when evaluating the models in a given category. It’s been said time and time again, but it bears repeating once more: 90% of models in any given category will be eliminated from consideration for an award because the builder forgot to focus on the basics.We spend hours arguing amongst ourselves, in meetings and online, about the proper shade of RLM 71, or who makes the best Hellblau, but color shades do not win contests... proper alignment and construction does. Having been building models for over 30 years, and having judged at contests up to the Nationals level, there are a few tips and tricks that I can offer to help you refine your 109s for the next contest.
Wheel alignment We might as well start with one of the most obvious traits of the 109 when seen sitting on the ground. This is one of the trickiest things to get right on a 109 model, because the wheels are angled outwards on gear legs which are angled both outwards and forwards. Hasegawa and Hobbycraft do not make things much easier by having simple round pins for mounting the gear legs; this makes it possible to get the gear leg pointing in a different direction, which is obviously something you want to
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avoid! Tamiya, on the other hand, engineered a square mounting peg on the top of their gear leg, which simplifies matters considerably. To check the fore/aft alignment of the gear once mounted, hold the model straight in front of you and look straight down on it, rocking it backwards until the foremost edge of the wheels touches the leading edge of the wing. Using a slow-setting cyanoacrylate (CA) or liquid cement is helpful here, as it allows you to make minor adjustments as necessary while the cement sets.You also want to view the model from the front and rear, to make sure the outward gear alignment matches on each side. One trick I use is to compare the mounting angles to the inboard edges of the dropped flaps from the rear; presuming those flap angles are correct (which is covered later), you can get the gear aligned almost perfectly this way.
Wheel alignment
Wing alignment For whatever reason, Tamiya, Hasegawa, and Hobbycraft all recommend fully assembling the wing before mounting to the fuselage. However, there is a better way which will not only assist in getting the wing angle alignment correct, but will also eliminate unsightly wing root gaps! Rather than building the entire wing at once, mount the upper wing halves to the completed fuselage instead. Using a liquid cement such as Tenax or Ambroid Pro-Weld will allow you to quickly tack it in place, and then make minor alignment adjustments. Tamiya’s kit has a distinct edge with this method as there is a very small step at the aft junction of the upper wing and the wing root; you can butt the aft corner of the upper wing against this step, apply a quick touch of liquid cement from below, then align the pieces at the front edge. This will give you a perfect wingroot seam with no filler necessary, every single time. I always run a bead of gapfilling CA cement along the underside of this seam to strengthen the bond and help keep the seam from cracking somewhere down the road. Once the upper wings are in place, dryfit the lower wing to ensure that it matches up OK, and then you can install it. My usual practice is to apply a bead of CA cement around the
Leading edge
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circumference of the wing, and place small dots of CA along the rear mounting edges. I work from back to front on the center section, ensuring they’re in place, and then working from the fuselage outboard on each wing panel. I use enough cement to form a small bead along the seam, and let this dry; later, that proves to be enough to seal the seam with no need for additional filler. Two areas you will likely need a small amount of filler are along the outermost seams at the aft mounting point of the wing, and on the flat areas facing the inboard edges of the flaps. When the whole affair has dried, you will find that your alignment is bang-on.
Tailplane alignment Fortunately, the Hasegawa, Hobbycraft, and Tamiya kits all feature very good fit of their horizontal stabilizers, so it’s wise to leave them off until after the aircraft has been painted. This saves you from having to mask around the tailplanes and support struts when trying to capture a difficult mottling or striping job on the aft fuselage. However, this also means you will have to be more vigilant when mounting these to the fuselage. The Tamiya kit has interlocking tabs, but if you are not careful, you can wind up with a slight ‘kink’ to the stabilizers; when viewed in comparison to the wings, one stabilizer end looks to be higher than the other. This is simple to fix, but is an absolute killer in contests. It is best to ensure the stabilizers are straight before mounting the support struts, as they’ll just get in
(and be sure the open bottle is properly supported; you do not want to try cleaning up a desk covered in plastic puddles that used to be model parts after a spill of that stuff). Gap-filling CA cement is my adhesive of choice, as it works quickly, dries very hard, and forms an ideal filler once dry. I utilize foam-core sanding boards in a variety of grits that were originally intended as nail files; the polishing boards do a fantastic job of finishing the seam to the point of invisibility. However, there are invariably instances when some areas get filled that you didn’t intend, and this is equally important when evaluating a model in competition. Panel lines which fade in and out are a common sight on contest tables, such as where a modeler has filled a fuselage seam, but forgot to go back and rescribe the panel lines which crossed the seam. The aft fuselage of the 109 is the most obvious area that comes to mind. First of all, it should be noted that there IS a panel line which runs the entire length of the top and bottom of the aft fuselage. The 109 was assembled much like a model, with two fuselage shells brought together. The halves were attached in a lap joint, so to be strictly correct, the fuselage seam of the model should be filled, a strip of tape laid down just barely off of the centerline, and a couple coats of primer should be sprayed against the edge of the
Wing root
Elevators
the way if you need to adjust one downwards. To check the alignment of your stabilizers, hold the model pointing away from you, and rotate it up until the outer tips of the stabilizers appear to touch the upper surfaces of the wings. If they do not touch at the same time, CAREFULLY adjust the offending item up or down and recheck. I have had instances where I had to physically remove the stabilizer half and file the mounting tab thinner, then reattach it, so be aware that just bending it might not fix it completely.
Seams Properly dressing mounting surfaces with a file or sandpaper will help minimize seams, but will not eliminate them entirely. Liquid cements which form a thin bead of melted plastic along the seam work fantastic, so long as you are careful... Tenax, ProWeld, and other MEK (methyl-ethyl-ketone) based cements are indiscriminate about what they melt, so apply them sparingly
tape. That would give a perfect lapped panel effect. However, for those of us who prefer the easy way out (myself included), careful work on the fuselage halves before joining them will help preserve this panel line and give approximately the same appearance. I use a medium grade sanding board along the very outer edge of the mounting face of each fuselage, sanding at about a 45 degree angle, and dryfit the fuselage halves continually to ensure I’m not sanding at too steep an angle. Too steep, and the resulting panel line will look like a trench. Too shallow, and the glue will fill it in, resulting in a notso-fun rescribing job. Once the fuselage halves are together, use a fine-grade sanding stick to dress the upper and lower seams, and you should have a nearly perfect panel line. One further
Stabs
Mass balance alignment
What do judges look for?
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ailerons would drop 11 degrees when the flaps were set at their maximum depression of 42 degrees. The walaround photos of Ed Russell’s E-7 WNr 3579 show this clearly.
Decals
Flaps
point to make is that the Hasegawa and Hobbycraft kits have much finer panel lines than the Tamiya offering; consequently, one should exercise more care when angling the mounting faces of those kits, as the upper and lower panel lines should not be any wider than the vertical fuselage lines.
Details
Seams
Cowl seam
Canopy
With the major areas out of the way, there’s just a few more things to keep an eye on when building your 109. One area of confusion is the mass balance on the aileron; should they be perpendicular to the ground, or to the wing? The answer is, mount them perpendicular to the wing; they will have a slight outward angle when viewed from straight ahead. The same applies to the underwing pitot tube on the port wing. If you choose to reposition your elevators (a very quick and simple task that really livens up the model), be careful when aligning the elevators; they should be perfectly equal no matter what angle you pose them at. On models with posed elevators, some judges will actually check to see if the control stick in the cockpit has been repositioned accordingly; that may seem a bit much to some folks, but it’s an easy task to simply cut the base of the stick and angle it back for elevators posed in the up position, or angle it forward for elevators posed downwards. One of the many nice features of the Tamiya kit is a separate rudder. This simplifies things greatly when building a Battle of Britain aircraft with a yellow rudder, or an ace’s mount with dozens of kill markings, as these can be applied to the rudder before mounting it to the fuselage. Thanks to the simple shape of the hinge line, cutting and repositioning the rudder on the Hobbycraft and Hasegawa kits couldn’t be easier. Be advised, however, that just like with the elevators, some judges will check the cockpit to see if the rudder bar has been repositioned as well. A feature which I have yet to see in any contest is the aileron droop. On the early 109s all the way through the Emil, the
With approximately 35,000 Messerschmitt 109s built, there is no shortage of marking options out there.Very few judges will be able to identify Werner Pichon Kalau vom Hofe’s Bf 109E-3, but they will certainly be able to tell if the decals were not aligned properly, or if the decals did not adhere fully to the surface. To help minimize the chance of silvering, make sure that you apply a decent gloss coat once the paint job is completed. I have used both Future floor wax and Testors Metalizer Sealer with good results, although I prefer Future for its ease of use.A decent gloss coat also forms a good base for applying a wash in the panel lines; here, I use thinned black enamel paint, although oils and inks also work well. Before applying the decals, study the available documentation, and identify comparison points in the instruction sheet versus the model so you can line up the decals properly.After applying the decals and a flat coat, if there is any silvering evident, make a small cut in the affected area of the decal and add a drop of decal setting solution.Walthers’ Solv-ASet has always worked well for me, although care should be taken with the decals as it is a fairly strong solution.
Canopies Fogged or dirty canopies are another killer on contest models. If you choose to affix your canopies using CA cement, use a toothpick or similar device to apply several small dots of CA cement to the mounting face of the canopy piece, rather than trying to run a bead of CA down the length of it. The cement is sufficiently strong to hold the piece with just those few dots; plus, it minimizes the chances that the piece will fog up as the CA cures and dries. It is possible to use liquid cement to affix the canopies, as I’ve seen other modelers do it, but great care must be taken that the cement does not go where it shouldn’t! Dipping the canopy sections in Future or Johnson’s Kleer is also highly recommended; this improves the clarity of the pieces tremendously, showing off all that lovely cockpit detail (including the repositioned control stick and rudder bar mentioned above!).
Summary The relative merits of the IPMS-USA competition format will continue to be debated, but one fact will remain: it’s all about the basics.Whether you build for yourself, for a customer, or for competitions, paying attention to basic construction points while building your 109 will result in a more accurate model, and may well make the difference when the model is entered in a contest.
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Kits
Appendix
T
he kits and accessories listed below represent only a small fraction of the many items released over the years that relate to this most popular of subjects. Present are a selection of those most current or most readily available, and as space precludes a more comprehensive selection it is the intention of this appendix to point the modeller towards those manufacturers most likely to be of help in this field, rather than to act as a definitive guide to available products. MANUFACTURER
A Model #7205 A Model #72116 A Model #72117 Academy #2133 Academy #2178 Academy #2214 Air fix #02048 Air fix #12002 AML #7208 AML #7228 Classic Air frame #4123 Hasegawa #00263 Hasegawa #008 Hasegawa #09601 Hasegawa #09624 Hasegawa #09643 Hasegawa #09671 Hasegawa #001 ICM #72131 ICM #72132 Revell #4572 Seminar #1472 Sword #72005 Tamiya #60750 Tamiya #60755 Tamiya #61050 Tamiya #61063
SCALE
SUBJECT
1:72 1:72 1:72 1:72 1:48 1:72 1:72 1:24 1:72 1:72 1:48 1/72 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:32 1:72 1:72 1:48 1:72 1/72 1:72 1:72 1:48 1:48
Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt
I
A Model #72116 1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3
NOTES
Bf 109E Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3/E-4 Me 109E Bf 109D Bf 109E Bf 109E Bf 109E Bf 109D Bf 109D Bf 109 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E3 Bf 109E-4/7 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109E-4/7 Bf 109E-4 Bf 109D Bf 109E-3 Bf 109E-4/7 Trop Bf 109E Bf 109E-4/7
Review Romanian Aces
with Kubelwagen
A Model #72117 1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3/E-4
with etched par ts upgrade with resin details. prototypes and early B versions ‘Helmut Wick’ Spanish Civil War Romanian Air Force Trop Nor th Africa Helmut Wicks
Academy #2178 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109D
Academy #2214 1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109E Hasegawa #09601 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3
Hasegawa #09624 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E3
Revell #4572 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/7
Airfix #02048 1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109E
ICM #72131 1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3
Sword #72005 1/72 Messerschmitt Bf 109D
ICM #72132 1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4
Tamiya #61050 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E
Appendix I
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Accessories & Conversions MANUFACTURER Aires Aires Aires Airwaves Airwaves Airwaves Airwaves Airwaves Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Czech Master Kits Czech Master Kits Czech Master Kits Czech Master Kits Czech Master Kits Czech Master Kits Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Eduard Falcon Falcon Falcon Par t Par t Par t Par t Squadron/Signal Squadron/Signal Squadron/Signal Squadron/Signal Squadron/Signal Squadron/Signal True Details True Details True Details True Details True Details True Details
PRODUCT #7081 #4067 #4090 #72018 #72094 #72137 #48039 #48063 #48249 #48379 #48397 #48399 #48413 #32088 #32106 #32107 #32108 #32110 #32113 #7067 #4057 #4058 #4059 # #2125 #73199 #SS141 #SS164 #SS173 #XS505 #XS551 #XS553 #136 #139 #48276 #48348 #48355 #48419 #48445 #49205 #49220 #FE205 #FE220 #XF513 #XF561 #XF563 #XF570 #32046 #32048 #XL014 #XL506 #0572 #1648 #5048 S72054 S72055 S48049 S48050 #S9106 #S9535 #9536 #9591 #9623 #9409 #72004 #72464 #48003 #41001 #49005 #32452
TYPE Resin cockpit set Resin cockpit set Resin detail set Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Resin control sur faces Resin cockpit set Resin seat Resin seat Resin detail set Resin detail set Resin cockpit set Resin seat Resin seat Resin instrument panel Resin detail set Resin engine Resin detail set Resin engine Resin engine Resin propellers Resin figure Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Paint masks Etched stencil Etched stencil Paint masks Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Paint masks Etched stencil Etched stencil Paint masks Etched par ts Etched par ts Paint masks Paint masks Vacform canopies Vacform canopies Vacform canopies Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Etched par ts Vacform canopies Vacform canopies Vacform canopies Vacform canopies Vacform canopies Vacform canopies Wheels (weighted) Resin cockpit set Wheels (weighted) Paint masks Resin cockpit set Resin cockpit set
SCALE 1:72 1:48 1:48 1:72 1:72 1:72 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:32 1:32 1:32 1:32 1:32 1:32 1:72 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:32 1:72 1:72 1:72 1:72 1:72 1:72 1:72 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:32 1:32 1:32 1:32 1:72 1:48 1:48 1:72 1:72 1:48 1:48 1:72 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:32 1:72 1:72 1:48 1:48 1:48 1:32
ITEM Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3/4 Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 Messerschmitt Bf 109E/G Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3/8 Panels Messerschmitt Bf 109B/C/D Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3/8 Panels Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E DB-601A/B engine Messerschmitt Bf 109E Luftwaffe Aces Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/7 Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109B/C/D Messerschmitt Bf 109D Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109C/D Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/7 Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 Messerschmitt Bf 109E4/7 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/7 Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E/F Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E/F Messerschmitt 109 B/E Messerschmitt Bf 109 B/E Messerschmitt Bf 109 Messerschmitt Bf 109B Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109B Messerschmitt Bf 109B/E x 2 Messerschmitt Bf 109B/E x 2 Late Messerschmitt Bf 109E x2 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 Messerschmitt Bf 109B/C/D/E/F/G Messerschmitt Bf 109E Messerschmitt Bf 109B Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/ E-7 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/7 Messerschmitt Bf 109E
DESIGNED FOR / NOTES For Tamiya kit For Tamiya kit For Tamiya kit For any kit For any kit For Hobbycraft kits For Hasegawa kit For Hasegawa kit Pilot’s seat without belts x 2 Pilot’s seat with belts x 2 Instrument panel For Hasegawa and Matchbox kits For Hasegawa kit Pilot’s seat without pads or belts Pilot’s seat with pads but no belts Wheel Wells For Tamiya kit Control sur faces for Tamiya kit For Tamiya kit For Tamiya kit VDM propeller A.Galland standing Pre-painted For Tamiya kit Zoom set for Academy kit Zoom set for Tamiya kit Zoom set Hasegawa kits Camouflage for Hasegawa kits Large blotch mask Small blotch mask For Academy and Hobbycraft kits For Academy and Hobbycraft kits For Tamiya Kit For Academy and Hobbycraft kits For Hasegawa kit Access panels and templates Access panels and templates Pre-painted for Tamiya kit Pre-painted for Tamiya kit Pre-painted for Tamiya kit Pre-painted for Tamiya kit Camouflage for Hasegawa kit Large mottle Small mottle National Insignia Interior for Hasegawa kit Exterior for Hasegawa kit For Hasegawa kit National Insignia Luftwaffe par t 1 Luftwaffe par t 2 Special set For Heller Kit For Academy Kit For Hasegawa Kit For Hobbycraft Kit
For Hasegawa kits Radial tread For Hasegawa kits For Hasegawa kits
Appendix
II
A
n enormous quantity of accessories have been released over the years. Many are now unavailable, but will surface regularly on the secondhand market. Others may still be stocked by dealers and retailers, but in limited quantities and may become unavailable in due course.
Aires #4090 Resin detail set 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 For Tamiya kit
Eduard #139 Etched parts 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109D For Academy and Hobbycraft kits
Falcon #5048 Vacform canopies 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109 Special set
Eduard #139 Etched parts 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109D For Academy and Hobbycraft kits
Eduard #73199 Etched parts 1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/7 Pre-painted For Tamiya kit
166
Appendix II
Cutting Edge #48379 Resin cockpit set 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E For Hasegawa kit
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Decals
Appendix
III
O
bviously there are many more decal sheets in circulation than listed here, and new releases and deletions will constantly change the available ranges. These are some of the main decal manufacturers producing new sheets at time of writing. MANUFACTURER PRODUCT DETAILS ME BF 109B Ventura Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge
#7203 #48264 #48265 #48266
1:72 1:48 1:48 1:48
ME BF 109C Ventura AeroMaster AeroMaster
#7203 #48456 #48458
1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109B/C and G. Spanish Croatian and Finnish 1:48 Birth of the Luftwaffe Pt 1 1:48 Spanish Civil War
ME BF 109D Tally Ho
TY72012
1:72 Luftwaffe Nightfighters
ME BF 109E AeroMaster AeroMaster AeroMaster AeroMaster AeroMaster AeroMaster Almark Almark Blue Rider Blue Rider Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Cutting Edge Eagle Cal Eagle Cal Eagle Cal Eagle Cal Eagle Cal Eagle Strike Eagle Strike Eagle Strike Eagle Strike Eagle Strike Eagle Strike Eagle Strike Eagle Strike Eagle Strike Eagle Strike Eagle Strike Eagle Strike Eagle Strike Eagle Strike Iliad Design Sky Models Techmod Techmod Techmod Techmod
#48496 #48497 #48514 #48645 #48685 #48707 #C11 #4803 #220 #506 #72056 #48056 #48188 #48189 #48191 #48197 #48215 #48216 #48243 #7266 #4850 #4851 #4866 #3250 #72015 #48045 #48051 #48055 #48120 #48121 #48122 #48123 #48132 #48139 #32040 #24002 #32059 #32060 #48005 #48027 #72077 #72078 #48013 #48014
Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt Messerschmitt
Bf Bf Bf Bf
109B/C 109B/D 109B/D 109B/D
and G. Spanish Croatian and Finnish Early Messerschmitts Part 1 Early Messerschmitts Part 2 Early Messerschmitts Part 3
Aeromaster 48514 Aeromaster 48707
1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E Blitzkrieg on Poland 1 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E Blitzkrieg on Poland 2 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E Attack in the West 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E Battle of Britain 1:48 Defenders of the Reich 1942-43 1:48 Kommodore Adolph Galland 1:72 Messerschmitt Me 109E 1:48 Messerschmitt Me 109E 1:72 Slovak Air Force 1:48 Croatian Air Force 1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109E/G 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E/G 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E Part 1 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E Part 2 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E Part 4 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E Part 5 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1/3 1:48 Desert Messerschmitt Bf 109E/F 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E/F Operation Barbarossa 1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1/G-2 1:48 Major Hans ‘Assi’ Hahn Part 1 1:48 Major Hans ‘Assi’ Hahn Part 2 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1/G-2 1:32 Major Hans ‘Assi’ Hahn Part 1 1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109E 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E/F/G Augsburg’s Flyers 1 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E/F/G Augsburg’s Flyers 2 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E/F/G Augsburg’s Flyers 3 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E in the Balkans Pt 1 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E in the Balkans Pt 2 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E of the Balkans Pt 3 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E of the Balkans Pt 4 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E/F Op Barbarossa Pt 1 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E/G Augsburg Flyers 1:32 Messerschmitt Bf 109E Aces 1:24 Messerschmitt Bf 109E 1:32 Battle Of Britain Aces 1:32 Battle Of Britain Aces 2 1/48 Early Me 109Es 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E (36 Options) 1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 1:72 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3
Eagle Cal 4850
Eagle Strike 24002 Cutting Edge 48266
Eagle Strike 48045 Cutting Edge 48265
Iliad 48005
Sky Models 48027
Appendix III • Decals
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Bf 109 Units
Appendix
IV
Units known to have used the Bf 109 in Luftwaffe service Unit Codes used Angriffsführer England unk Art.Flg.Lehrgang — Aufkl.Erpr.Stab unk (Aufklärungs Erprobung Stab) Jüterbog-Damm Aufklärungs Fl.Schule 1 — Aufklärungs Fl.Schule 2 — Aufklärungs Fl.Schule 3 — Aufklärungs Fl.Schule (H)/ Jüterbog-Damm — Aufkl.Gr. 10 T1 (2T, P2 also noted) (Aufklärungs Gruppe, reconnaissance group) Aufkl.Gr. 11 6M (3K, 8H also noted) Aufkl.Gr. (H) 12 H1 (2S also noted) (H= Heer, Army reconnaissance group) Aufkl.Gr.(H) 13 4E (2Q also noted) Aufkl.Gr. 14 5F Aufkl.Gr. (H) 21 P2 (C2, L2 also noted) Aufkl.Gr. (F) 22 4N (K7 also noted) (F= Fern, long range reconnaissance group) Aufkl.Gr. (H) 32 V7 (M4, 1R, 4E also noted) Aufkl.Gr. 33 H8 (8H, G7, T4, 7A also noted) Aufkl.Gr. (H) 41 C2 (M4 also noted) Aufkl.Gr. (F) 100 T5 Aufkl.Gr. (F) 120 A6 (4N also noted) Aufkl.Gr. (F) 121 7A (8H also noted) Aufkl.Gr. (F) 122 F6 (P1, R3, 4U, 5M also noted) Aufkl.Gr. (F) 123 4U (F6, 5M, 7A also noted) Aufkl.Gr. (F) 124 G2 Aufkl.Gr./Ob.d.L, Kdo. Rohwehl T5 (K9, G2, L2 also noted) (Ob.d.L = Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe) Deutsch-Kgl.Rum. Jagdverband — (Kgl.Rum. = Königsliche Rumanische, Royal Romanian fighter unit) Eins.Jabo Staffel Ost — (Eins. = Einsatz, operational. All Eins.Jabo Staffeln later incorporated into SKG 10, April 43) Eins.Jabo Staffel Süd — Eins.Jabo Staffel West — Eins.Kdo Liedtke — Erg.Aufkl.Geschwader 1 F2 (maybe; N5 also noted) (Erg. = Ergänzungs, basically a replacement air group) Erg.JG 1 — Erg.JG 2 — Erg.JGr. Merseburg — Erg.JGr. Nord — Erg.JGr. Ost — Erg.JGr. Süd — Erg.JGr. West — Erg.KG (J) unk (Ergänzungs Kampfgeschwader – Jagd, bomber to fighter transition unit) Erg.KGr.6 unk Erg.Nahaufkl.Gr Bromberg N5 (Nahaufklärungs – short range reconnaissance) Erg.Schlachtgruppe 4M Erg.Staffel/JG — Erg.Zerstörergruppe 4M Erpr.Gr. 210 S9 (Erprobungs = Experimental) Erpr.u.Lehr Kdo 25 unk (Erprobungs und Lehr = Experimental and training unit) Erpr.Staffel d.Lw unk Erprobungstelle Rechlin E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7 Erprobungstelle Werneuchen unk Feldluftzeuggruppe Belgien-Nordfrankreich unk FFS Jgr. Drontheim — Flgz.Verteilungsstelle Warschau unk Fl.H.Kdtr. 4/XI unk Fliegerdivision I (Stab) unk VIII Fliegerkorps/ Führungskette unk Flugber./Luftflotte 2 F5 Flugzeugleitstelle Bari unk Fl.Techn.Schule 1 — Fl.Techn.Schule 2 — Fl.Techn.Schule 3 — Fl.Techn.Schule Stade —
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Appendix IV • Units
Believed to be the aircraft of Werner Machold, this 9./JG 2 Emil illustrates the heavily applied ‘stippled’ camouflage pattern favored by the Richthofen Geschwader. Also seen in this view is an example of one of the methods used to reduce the visibility of the white areas of the fuselage Balkenkreuz
Unit Fl.Ziel-Gesch. 2 Fl.Ziel-Staffel 50 Fl.Ziel-Staffel 51 Frontrep.Werk 7 Erla Gefechtsverband Helbig Gefechtsverband Weiss Gen.D.Jagdfl. (L.In.3) Geschwader Bongart Jabo Staffel Afrika Jabo Staffel/ Luftflotte 3 Jagdfliegerfürher 2 Jagdfliegerfürher 3 Jagdfliegerfürher 5 Jagdfliegerfürher Oberitalien Jagdfliegerschule 1 (JFS 1) Jagdfliegerschule 2 (JFS 2) Jagdfliegerschule 3 (JFS 3) Jagdfliegerschule 4 (JFS 4) Jagdfliegerschule 5 (JFS 5) Jagdfliegerschule 6 (JFS 6) Jagdfliegerschule 7 (JFS 7) Jagdfliegervorschule 3 (JFVS 3) Jagdgruppe Drontheim Jagdgruppe Nord Jagdgruppe Ost Jagdgruppe Stavanger Jagdgruppe Süd Jagdgruppe Süd/ (Ost) d.Ob.d.Lw. Jagdgruppe West Jagdgruppe z.b.V. Jagdstaffel 102 (Ung) Jagdstaffel Erla Jagdstaffel Helgoland Jagdstaffel Holland
Codes used unk unk V5 (maybe) unk L1 unk unk unk unk unk unk unk unk unk — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Unit Jagdstaffel Kirkenes Jagdstaffel Münster-Loddenheide JG 1 ‘Oesau’ JG 2 ‘Richthofen’ JG 3 ‘Udet’ JG 4 JG 5 ‘Eismeer’ JG 6 JG 7 ‘Nowotny’ JG 11 JG 20 JG 21 JG 23 JG 25 JG 26 ‘Schlageter’ JG 27 ‘Afrika’ JG 28 JG 50 JG 51 ‘Mölders’ JG 52 JG 53 ‘Pik As’ JG 54 ‘Grünherz’ JG 70 JG 71 JG 72 JG 76 JG 77 JGr. 88 (J./88, Legion Condor) JG 101 JGr 101 (II./ZG 1 for Poland, 9/39) JG 102 JGr 102 (I./ZG 2 for Poland, 9/39)
Codes used — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
An unidentified E-4 or E-7 sits at readiness at a Scandinavian field; this may be a JG 5 aircraft at Herdla, judging by the proximity of the tree-covered mountain in the background. Note the full yellow cowling and the yellow tip to the full spinner
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Unit Codes used JG 103 — JG 104 — JGr 104 — (temp. established for Poland 9/39) JG 105 — JG 106 — JGr 106 — (temp. established for Poland 9/39) JG 107 — JG 108 — JG 109 — JG 110 — JG 111 — JG 112 — JG 113 — JG 114 — JG 115 — JG 116 — JG 117 — JGr 126 — (III./ZG 26 in Poland, 9/39) JG 130 — JG 131 — JG 132 ‘Richthofen’ (later JG 2) — JG 133 — JG 134 ‘Horst Wessel’ — (later ZG 26) JG 135 — JGr 136 (See) — JG 137 — JG 138 — JG 141 (Schwere) — JG 142 (Schwere) — JG 143 (Schwere) — JG 144 (Schwere) — JGr 152 (I./ZG 52 in Poland, 9/39) — JGr 176 (II./ZG 76 in Poland, 9/39) — JG 186 — JGr 200 — JG 231 — JG 232 — JG 233 — JG 234 ‘Schlageter’ (later JG 26) — JG 300 ‘Hermann’ — JG 301 — JG 302 — JG 331 — JG 333 — JG 334 — JG 400 — JG 433 — Jagdlehrgang Galatz/ — Ausb.Kdo.d.Fl.Lehrstabes Befh.d.dtsch.Lw.in.Rum Jagdlehrgang Kronstadt — Jagdlehrer-Überprüf.St. — KFS 1 — KFS 2 — KFS 3 — KG(J) 6 3E KG(J) 27 1G KG 30 ‘Adler’ 4D (B3 also noted) KG(J) 30 4D KG(J) 54 B3 KG(J) 55 G1 KG 200 A3 Koluft Panzergruppe 2 unk Kommando Welter unk Kroat JGr 1 — (Croatian fighter group) LG 2 (I. Gruppe only) — on fighters, L2 on others LG 3 3X LS-Staffel 230 Afrika unk Luftdienst-Kdo 3 unk
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From the beginning of the war, JG 53 had experimented with camouflage schemes, and many III. Gruppe aircraft were noted with a “cloudy” mottling effect on their aircraft, as showcased here by ‘yellow 16’
Unit Codes used Luftdienst-Kdo 7 unk Luftdienst-Kdo 8 unk Luftdienst-Kdo 11 unk Luftdienst-Kdo 13 unk Luftdienst-Kdo 61 unk Luftdienst-Kdo 67 unk Luftdienst-Kdo 68 unk Luftdienst-Kdo/ Westfrankreich unk Luftflotte 1 (Flzg.-Leitstelle) unk Luftflotte 1 (Uberführungs Kdo.) unk Luftflotte 2 (Flugber.) F5 Luftflotte 2 (Flgz.Leitstelle) unk Luftflotte 2 (Aussenst.Riem) unk Luftflotte 2 (Lfl.Reserve) — Luftflotte 3 (Jabostaffel) — Luftflotte 3 (Lfl.Reserve) — Luftflotte 4 (Lfl.Reserve) — Luftflotte 5 (Lfl.Reserve) — Luftzeuggruppe 3 unk Luftzeuggruppe 8 unk Luftzeuggruppe 11 unk Luftzeuggruppe 12/13 unk Luftzeuggruppe 17 unk Luftzeuggruppe unk Belgien-Nordfrankreich Lw.Kdo. Ost 8V NAGr 1 Q1 (Nähaufklärungsgruppe – short range reconnaissance) NAGr 2 J8 NAGr 3 J2 (C2, 5D, 5F also noted) NAGr 4 L8 NAGr 5 (also NAGr Sell) U2 (F5, H8 also noted) NAGr 6 F7 (P2, Y2, 5H also noted) NAGr 8 6M noted on some aircraft NAGr 9 J3 (P2 also noted) NAGr 10 NAGr 11 NAGr 12 NAgr 13 NAGr 14 NAGr 15 NAGr 16 NAGr Bromberg NAG 102 Nakafü 2 NJG 1 NJG 4 NJG 5 NJGr 10
P2, V7, 2Q all noted X9 Y9 2U M9 (C2, 5F also noted) 2Q (4E also noted) 8I (5H also noted) N5 unk 5M noted on some aircraft G9 3C (3U also noted) C9 1L
Unit NJG 11 NJG 100 NJG 101 NJG 102 Nachtjagdschule 1 NNJ Schwarm Ost (Lw.Kdo. Ost) Oberbefehlshaber Süd (Flzg. Leitstelle) Oberbefehlshaber Süd (Jabo Staffel) Oberbefehlshaber Süd (Reserve) Ölschutzstaffel Ploesti Rum. JGr. (Rumanian fighter group) Sch./Fl.Ausb.Rgt. 42 Sch./Fl.Ausb.Rgt. 61 Schlacht Flg.Schule 1 Sch.G.1 Sch.G. 2 SeeJgr 136 SG 1 SG 2 ‘Immelmann’ SG 4 SG 101 SG 103 SKG 10 SKG 210 St.G.3 Träger Geschwader 186 TVK Werneuchen Überprüf.Schule 1. Ung.J.Staffel/101 (Hungarian fighter staffel) 2. Ung.J.Staffel/101 3. Ung.J.Staffel/101 Verbandsführerschule Gen.d.Jagdflieger Verbindugs Staffel 70 Versuchsverband/ Ob.d.L./ OKL ZG 1 ‘Wespen’ ZG 2 ZG 26 ‘Horst Wessel’ ZG 52 ZG 76 Zerstörerschule 1 Zerstörerschule 2 ZG 101
Codes used 3N (maybe) W7 (C9 also noted) — — — 8V unk — — — — — — — — — — A5 (6G also noted) T6 unk
G3 (maybe) S9 S7 (S1, 2F, A5, T6 also noted) — unk — — — — — unk T9 2N / S9 (6U and 1E also noted) 3M / 2S (A2, 2A also noted) U8 / 3U (4A, 1B, A4 also noted) A2 M8 / 2N (A2, Y9 also noted) — — —
Appendix IV • Units
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V
Airframes & Production
The short exhaust stubs, the half-circle lower gear doors and the Schwarz wooden propeller are telltale identification points of an early Bf 109B-1
Appendix
The only absolute way to identify a C from a D is to view the aircraft with the engine cowling off. In this photo, the upper portion of the taller coolant header tank is seen at the very front of the Jumo 210G on this Bf 109C-1, photographed in Poland. The aircraft formerly carried the code of 11, and is currently awaiting reassignment
Bf 109B-1
Bf 109C-1
The first major production variant of the Bf 109, the B-1 introduced a repositioned oil cooler further outboard on the port wing and dispensed with the centrally mounted MG17 due to overheating issues. Later models introduced a pair of wing-mounted MG17s with shorter leading edge slats; these would remain a standard feature of all subsequent Bf 109 variants through the Emil. A total of 341 B-1s was built.
The C-1 introduced the Jumo 210G with direct fuel injection. The engine gave continual trouble in service, however, and the C was soon superseded in service by the D-1. 58 airframes were built, with a portion of these being completed as C-3 variants- these were the first models to carry the 20mm MG-FF cannon in the wings. External identification points are the relocated electrical plug and pressurized air fill points to aft of the cockpit, and round ejector exhaust stubs in place of the B-1’s flush exhaust pipes.
AIRFRAME As given in official factory manual for the Bf 109B (L.Dv. 556/1, September 1937) Length overall: 8700 mm Wingspan: 9900 mm Wing dihedral angle: 7’10 degrees Tailplane span: 3000 mm Height, ground to top of cowling: 2450 mm Angle on ground: 15 degrees Wheel track: 2000 mm Weight, empty: 1580 kg Weight, loaded: 1955 kg ENGINE Powerplant:
Junkers Jumo 210D (carbureted) 60 degree, inverted-V engine
Bore: Stroke: Displacement: Weight: Power: Reduction gear ratio:
124mm (4.88 in) 136mm (5.35 in) 21 litres (1200 cubic inches) 445 kg (981 pounds) 500 kW (680 horsepower) at takeoff 0.62
ARMAMENT B-1 (early): B-1 (late):
AIRFRAME As given in official factory manual for the Bf 109C (L.Dv. 556/2, July 1938) Length overall: 8700 mm Wingspan: 9900 mm Wing dihedral angle: 7’10 degrees Tailplane span: 3000 mm Height, ground to top of cowling: 2450 mm Angle on ground: 15 degrees Wheel track: 2000 mm Weight, empty: not given Weight, loaded: 2160 kg ENGINE Powerplant:
Junkers Jumo 210G (fuel injected) 60 degree, inverted-V engine
Bore: Stroke: Displacement: Weight: Power: Reduction gear ratio:
124mm (4.88 in) 136mm (5.35 in) 21 litres (1200 cubic inches) 445 kg (981 pounds) 536 kW (718 horsepower) at takeoff 0.57
2 x MG17, 7.92mm in cowl, 500 rounds ea. 4 x MG17, 7.92mm (2 in cowl, 2 in wings)
PRODUCTION Factory Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, Leipzig
ARMAMENT C-1: C-3:
4x MG 17, 7.92mm 2x MG 17, 7.92mm in cowl, 2x MG-FF, 20mm in wings*
Quantity produced 76
Werknummer ranges 998 – 1064 1701 – 1719*
Erla Maschinenwerk, Leipzig
175
272 – 416 540 – 617*
PRODUCTION Factory Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, Augsburg
Quantity produced 58
Fieseler-Werke, Kassel
90
3000 – 3089
Total production 341 * Some serials from the blocks 1701–1719 and 540–617 do not appear to have been used
170
Appendix V • Airframe & Production
Werknummer ranges 1720 – 1777
Total production 58 * All known Bf 109C-3 airframes fall within this single production batch range as well
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A single unbent propeller blade on this 6./JG 27 E-1 is a sure sign of airborne engine failure; the propeller was not turning when the pilot slid the aircraft to a halt in this French field As the Bf 109E entered widespread service in the Jagdwaffe, the earlier Jumo-engined variants were transferred to training units. Here, a mechanic cranks the inertia starter of a D-1 at a training school during the winter of 1939-40
Bf 109D-1 Externally, the D-1 was virtually identical to the C-1, and indeed both aircraft are covered by a single factory manual as the sole difference lay in the engine fitted to the aircraft.Whereas the C-1 had a troublesome fuel-injected Jumo 210G, the D-1 reverted to the more reliable carbureted Jumo 210D. The round ejector exhaust stubs and relocated pressurized air fill point and electrical plug of the C remained the same on the D. AIRFRAME As given in official factory manual for the Bf 109D (L.Dv. 556/2, July 1938) Length overall: 8700 mm Wingspan: 9900 mm Wing dihedral angle: 7’10 degrees Tailplane span: 3000 mm Height, ground to top of cowling: 2450 mm Angle on ground: 15 degrees Wheel track: 2000 mm Weight, empty: not given Weight, loaded: 2160 kg ENGINE Powerplant:
Junkers Jumo 210D (carbureted) 60 degree, inverted-V engine
Bf 109E-1 The Bf 109E-1 introduced the larger and more powerful Daimler-Benz DB601A into service, and rapidly replaced the earlier Jumo-engined variants in front-line service.All E-1s carried an armament of 4 MG17s (2 in the cowling and 2 in the wings) as standard when built; many were later upgraded to E-4 or E-7 status. AIRFRAME As given in the official factory manual (L.Dv. 556/3, Entwurf) for the Bf 109E Length overall: 8800 mm Wingspan: 9900 mm Wing dihedral angle: 7’10 degrees Tailplane span: 3000 mm Height, ground to top of cowling: 2600 mm Angle on ground: 15 degrees Wheel track: 2000 mm Weight, empty: 1860 kg Weight, loaded: 2573 kg ENGINE Powerplant: Bore: Stroke: Displacement: Weight: Power: Compression ratio: Block details:
Bore: Stroke: Displacement: Weight: Power: Reduction gear ratio:
124mm (4.88 in) 136mm (5.35 in) 21 litres (1200 cubic inches) 445 kg (981 pounds) 500 kW (680 horsepower) at takeoff 0.62
Crankshaft:
ARMAMENT D-1:
4x MG 17, 7.92mm
Ignition system:
PRODUCTION Factory Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, Augsburg Erla Maschinenwerk, Leipzig
Quantity produced 4 168
Werknummer ranges unknown 417 – 539 618 – 665
Fieseler-Werke, Kassel Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau, Bremen AGO Werke, Oschersleben Arado Werke, Warnemünde
80 123 128 144
3090 – 3170 unknown unknown 2066 – 2080 2201 – 2325
Total production: 647 * Other known WNr blocks for D-1 production are: 2110 – 2150; 2365 – 2370; 2440 – 2476; 2513 – 2625; 2560 – 2730; 2812 – 2940 It is possible that not all numbers were used in these production blocks
Valve train: Fuel system:
Supercharger:
Daimler Benz DB 601A 60 degree, inverted-V design 150mm (5.91 in) 160mm (6.29 in) 33.9 litres (2068 c.i.) 600 kg (1322.8 lbs) 865 kW (1175 HP) at sea level/ 2500 rpm 6.8:1 The block and cylinder heads are each a single alloy casting, with steel cylinder liners screwed into the block Machined steel forging carried on seven lead-bronze bearings. Piston rods have roller bearings at big ends, plain bearings on wristends 2 intake and 2 sodium-filled exhaust valves per cylinder, actuated via bevel-gear driven overhead camshafts Bosch mechanical; twelve individual pumps feeding through equal-length fuel lines to individual cylinders. 87 octane B4 fuel for DB 601A motor Bosch dual-magneto system, two plugs per cylinder. 30 volt generator Single-speed, single stage, gear-driven and boost is automatically regulated
ARMAMENT E-1:
4x MG 17, 7.92mm
PRODUCTION Factory Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, Augsburg Fieseler-Werke, Kassel
Quantity produced 14 447
E-1/B: Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau, Bremen AGO Werke, Oschersleben Arado Werke, Warnemünde
61 90 80 442
E-1/B:
49
Werknummer ranges 1791 – 1804 * 3171 – 3299 6001 – 6318 6319 – 6401 4001 – 4090 3300 – 3379 3380 – 3364 3854 – 3919 ** 4801 – 4975 ***
Total production: 1183 * Last 15 airframes in this block may have been completed as E-3s ** Additional Arado production blocks not known at this time *** E-1/B, E-6/N, E-7, and E-8 airframes are seen in the Arado 4801 block as well
Airframe & Production • Appendix V
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In this classic pose, the E-3 belonging to the Adjutant of II./JG 54 undergoes routine maintenance while a Dornier Do 17Z rests in the background
Romania used a large number of Emils in service; a Bf 109E-4 of the 7th Fighter Squadron is seen in this photo
Bf 109E-3
Bf 109E-4
With the Bf 109E-3, the wing armament was superseded by a pair of 20mm MG-FF cannon.All other mechanical systems remained essentially the same between the two models.
The E-4 was virtually identical to the E-3, with the exception of a newer version of the MG-FF cannon which would fire thin-wall ‘Minen’ (explosive) shells. This version, the MG-FF(M), had a weaker spring and lighter recoil than the earlier model. The total production of this variant including field and factory conversions is still being researched, but known production quantities and WNr blocks are given below.
AIRFRAME As given in the official factory manual (L.Dv. 556/3, Entwurf) for the Bf 109E Length overall: 8800 mm Wingspan: 9900 mm Wing dihedral angle: 7’10 degrees Tailplane span: 3000 mm Height, ground to top of cowling: 2600 mm Angle on ground: 15 degrees Wheel track: 2000 mm Weight, empty: 1865 kg Weight, loaded: 2608 kg ENGINE Powerplant: Bore: Stroke: Displacement: Weight: Power: Compression ratio: Block details: Crankshaft:
Valve train: Fuel system:
Ignition system: Supercharger:
Daimler Benz DB 601A 60 degree, inverted-V design 150mm (5.91 in) 160mm (6.29 in) 33.9 litres (2068 c.i.) 600 kg (1322.8 lbs) 865 kW (1175 HP) at sea level/ 2500 rpm 6.8:1 The block and cylinder heads are each a single alloy casting, with steel cylinder liners screwed into the block Machined steel forging carried on seven lead-bronze bearings. Piston rods have roller bearings at big ends, plain bearings on wristends 2 intake and 2 sodium-filled exhaust valves per cylinder, actuated via bevel-gear driven overhead camshafts Bosch mechanical; twelve individual pumps feeding through equal-length fuel lines to individual cylinders. 87 octane B4 fuel for DB 601A motor Bosch dual-magneto system, two plugs per cylinder. 30 volt generator Single-speed, single stage, gear-driven and boost is automatically regulated
AIRFRAME As given in the official factory manual (L.Dv. 556/3, Entwurf) for the Bf 109E Length overall: 8800 mm Wingspan: 9900 mm Wing dihedral angle: 7’10 degrees Tailplane span: 3000 mm Height, ground to top of cowling: 2600 mm Angle on ground: 15 degrees Wheel track: 2000 mm Weight, empty: 1865 kg Weight, loaded: 2608 kg ENGINE Powerplant: Bore: Stroke: Displacement: Weight: Power: Compression ratio: Block details: Crankshaft:
Valve train: Fuel system:
Ignition system: ARMAMENT E-3:
PRODUCTION Factory Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, Augsburg Messerschmitt AG, Regensburg
2x MG 17, 7.92mm in cowl, 500 rounds ammo each 2x MG-FF, 20mm in wings, 60 rounds ammo each
Quantity produced 35 E-3 – 75 E-3a – 75
Erla Maschinenwerk, Leipzig
812
WNF Wiener Neustadter Flugzeugwerke
249
Werknummer ranges 1927 – 1954 * 1955 – 1979 2159 – 2178 2189 – 2198 2346 – 2443 2479 – 2513 2622 – 2640 666 – 994 1074 – 1574 5001 – 5259
Total production: 1246 Note – There may be discrepancies between the Messerschmitt/ Regensburg and Erla production figures. * Additional WNr blocks not known at this time for BFW/Augsburg
Supercharger:
ARMAMENT E-4:
PRODUCTION Factory Messerschmitt AG, Regensburg Erla Maschinenwerk, Leipzig
WNF Wiener Neustadter Flugzeugwerke
Daimler Benz DB 601A 60 degree, inverted-V design 150mm (5.91 in) 160mm (6.29 in) 33.9 litres (2068 c.i.) 600 kg (1322.8 lbs) 865 kW (1175 HP) at sea level/ 2500 rpm 6.8:1 The block and cylinder heads are each a single alloy casting, with steel cylinder liners screwed into the block Machined steel forging carried on seven lead-bronze bearings. Piston rods have roller bearings at big ends, plain bearings on wristends 2 intake and 2 sodium-filled exhaust valves per cylinder, actuated via bevel-gear driven overhead camshafts Bosch mechanical; twelve individual pumps feeding through equal-length fuel lines to individual cylinders. 87 octane B4 fuel for DB 601A motor. Bosch dual-magneto system, two plugs per cylinder. 30 volt generator Single-speed, single stage, gear-driven and boost is automatically regulated
2x MG 17, 7.92mm in cowl, 500 rounds ammo each 2x MG-FF(M), 20mm in wings, 60 rounds ammo each
Quantity produced E-4 – 82 E-4/B, E-4/N – 64 E-4 – 85 E-4 (+70 E-4/B) – 84 E-4/B – 26 E-4 – 41 E-4 – 75 E-4 – 42 E-4/B – 33 E-4/B, E-4/N – 29
Werknummer ranges 2724 – 2806 * 3701 – 3764 1575 – 1659 1980 – 2063 4091 – 4222 ** 5260 – 5300 5326 – 5400 5559 – 5600 *** 5791 – 5823 5891 – 5919
Total known production: 561 * Some sources claim first actual Mtt-Regensburg E-4 is W.Nr. 2789, with earlier aircraft in batch being E-3s retrofitted to E-4 status ** 106 E-7s are also in this W.Nr. batch *** 32 aircraft upgraded to E-4/B status by Arado
172
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The Technical Officer of JG 26, Ltn. Walter Horten, is seen here in front of Gerhard Schoepfel’s Gruppenkommandeur machine in January 1941. Horten went on to later fame with his brother Reinhard for their pioneering work on tailless aircraft.
The Fieseler-built T models saw service almost exclusively in the north. This nondescript T-2, possibly of JGr. Drontheim, is fitted with a centerline bomb rack
Bf 109E-7
Bf 109T-1/2
The E-7 introduced the more powerful DB 601N engine, with provision for an external 300 liter fuel tank as well as strengthened landing gear. The total number which entered service is something of a mystery at this point, as numerous earlier E-1s, E-3s, and E-4s were rebuilt to E-7 status while undergoing combat damage repair. The E-7 also introduced the ability to utilize the GM-1 nitrous oxide power boosting system; aircraft so outfitted received the designation E-7/Z.
Originally developed for use on the aircraft carriers Graf Zeppelin and Peter Strasser, the first seven Bf 109Ts were completed to T-1 standard, with all navalised equipment installed; the remainder of the aircraft were completed as T-2s, equipped for land operations.All Bf 109Ts were built by Fieseler at Kassel.
AIRFRAME Length overall: Wingspan: Height, ground to top of cowling: Weight, empty: Weight, loaded: ENGINE Powerplant: Bore: Stroke: Displacement: Weight: Max power: Compression ratio: Block details: Crankshaft:
Valve train: Fuel system:
Ignition system: Supercharger:
ARMAMENT E-7:
PRODUCTION Factory Messerschmitt – Regensburg Erla Maschinenwerk, Leipzig Fieseler-Werke, Kassel Wiener-Neustadter Flugzeugwerke
Arado
8800 9900 2600 1865 2608
mm mm mm kg kg
Daimler Benz DB 601N 60 degree, inverted-V design 150mm (5.91 in) 160mm (6.29 in) 33.9 litres (2068 c.i.) 600 kg (1322.8 lbs) 865 kW (1175 HP) at sea level/ 2600 rpm 8.2:1 The block and cylinder heads are each a single alloy casting, with steel cylinder liners screwed into the block Machined steel forging carried on seven lead-bronze bearings. Piston rods have roller bearings at big ends, plain bearings at on wristpins 2 intake and 2 sodium-filled exhaust valves per cylinder, actuated via bevel-gear driven overhead camshafts Bosch mechanical; twelve individual pumps feeding through equal-length fuel lines to individual cylinders. 100 octane C3 only for DB 601N motor Bosch dual-magneto system, two plugs per cylinder. 30 volt generator Single-speed, single stage, gear-driven and boost is automatically regulated
AIRFRAME As given in an Erprobungstelle specification sheet dated 23 December 1941 Length overall: 8765 mm Wingspan: 11,080 mm Height, ground to top of cowling: 2600 mm Weight, empty: 2800 kg Weight, loaded: 3080 kg ENGINE Powerplant: Bore: Stroke: Displacement: Weight: Max power: Compression ratio: Block details: Crankshaft:
Valve train: Fuel system:
Ignition system: Supercharger:
ARMAMENT T-1/2:
Daimler Benz DB 601N 60 degree, inverted-V design 150mm (5.91 in) 160mm (6.29 in) 33.9 litres (2068 c.i.) 600 kg (1322.8 lbs) 865 kW (1175 HP) at sea level/ 2600 rpm 8.2:1 The block and cylinder heads are each a single alloy casting, with steel cylinder liners screwed into the block Machined steel forging carried on seven lead-bronze bearings. Piston rods have roller bearings at big ends, plain bearings at on wristpins 2 intake and 2 sodium-filled exhaust valves per cylinder, actuated via bevel-gear driven overhead camshafts Bosch mechanical; twelve individual pumps feeding through equal-length fuel lines to individual cylinders. 100 octane C3 only for DB 601N motor Bosch dual-magneto system, two plugs per cylinder. 30 volt generator Single-speed, single stage, gear-driven and boost is automatically regulated
2x MG 17, 7.92mm in cowl, 500 rounds ammo each 2x MG-FF(M), 20mm in wings, 60 rounds ammo each
2x MG 17, 7.92mm in cowl, 500 rounds ammo each 2x MG-FF(M), 20mm in wings, 60 rounds ammo each
PRODUCTION Factory Fieseler-Werke, Kassel
Quantity produced 70
Quantity produced E-7 – 65 E-7 – 106 E-7 – 99 E-7 – 36 E-7 – 66 E-7/N – 3 E-7/Z – 17 E-7 – 46
Total production:
70
Werknummer ranges 3765 – 3827 4091 – 4222 (mixed block) 6402 – 6500 7661 – 7696 5920 – 5985, 6501 – 6523 * See above See above 4801 – 4975 (Mixed block)
Werknummer ranges 7728 – 7797
Total known production: 438 * – 88 WNF aircraft in quantity column scattered throughout these two WNr blocks
Airframe & Production • Appendix V
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Bf 109 Bibliography Periodicals Bent Throttles #14 ‘A Dominant Debut – The Messerschmitt Bf 109 at the 1937 Zurich Air Meeting’; Anders Bruun
Official Documentation Bf 109 B Entwurf eines Flugzeughandbuches, L.Dv.556/1, September 1937 Bf 109 C und D Entwurf eines Flugzeughandbuches, L.Dv.556/2, July 1938 Bf 109 E Flugzeughandbuch (Entwurf) L.Dv.556/3, December 1939 Bf 109 C, D, E Entwurf einer Beschreibung, Bedienungs-, Wartungs-, Einbau- und Prüfvorschrift der Bordfunkanlage L.Dv.228/2a und /3a, April 1940 Bf 109 B Entwurf einer Beschreibung, Einbau- und Prüfvorschrift für die Waffenausrüstung L.Dv.228/1, August 1937 Nachtrag für Bf 109 C3 Entwurf einer Beschreibung, Einbau- und Prüfvorschrift der starren Schußwaffe L.Dv.228/2 (Nachtrag), 1939
Books Aders, Gebhard and Held, Werner. Jagdgeschwader 51 ‘Mölders’ – Eine Chronik Motorbuch Verlag, 1999 Belcarz, Barlomiej and Peczkowski, Robert. White Eagles – The Aircraft, Men and Operations of the Polish Air Force, 1918 – 1939 Hikoki Publications, 2001 Beaman, John. Messerschmitt Bf 109 In Action Squadron/Signal Publications, 1980 Bowyer, Chaz. Hurricane at War The Promotional Reprint Company, 1993 Buchner, Hermann. Stormbird Hikoki Publications, 2000 Caldwell, Donald The JG 26 War Diary, 1939-1942 Grub Street, 1996
Hinchliffe, Peter. The Other Battle. Airlife Publishing, 1996 Hoch, Georg. Die Messerschmitt Me 109 in der Schweizer Flugwaffe – ein Stück Zeitgeschichte Dietschi AG, 1999
Ketley, Barry and Rolfe, Mark. Luftwaffe Fledglings 1935-1945 Hikoki Publications, 1996
Rosch, Barry. Luftwaffe Codes, Markings, and Units 1935 – 1945 Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 1996
Laureau, Patrick. Condor- The Luftwaffe In Spain 1936-1939 Hikoki Publications, 2000
Schliephake, Hanfried. The birth of the Luftwaffe Henry Regnery Company, 1971
Lindbergh, Charles A. The Wartime Journals of Charles Lindbergh Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1970
Shores, Christopher, Cull, Brian, and Malizia, Nicola. Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece, and Crete 1940-41 Squadron Signal Publications, 1987
Marshall, Frank. Messerschmitt Bf 109T – Der Jäger der ‘Graf Zeppelin’ Marshall-Verlag
Van Ishoven, Armand. The Messerschmitt Bf 109 At War The Promotional Reprint Company Limited For Book Sales Inc., 1993
Macksey, Kenneth. Kesselring – The Making of the Luftwaffe David McKay Company, New York 1978 May, Ernest R. Strange Victory: Hitler’s Conquest of France Hill and Wang, 2000 Merrick, Kenneth A. German Aircraft Interiors 1935 – 1945, Vol 1 Monogram Aviation Publications, 1996
Weitz, John. Hitler’s Banker – Hjalmar Horace Greeley Schacht Warner Books, 1999 Wróbel, Jaroslaw. Luftwaffe 1935-1945 Pt. 1 Agencja AJ Press, 1994
Websites
Mombeek, Eric. Jagdwaffe- Blitzkrieg and Sitzkrieg Classic Publications, 1999
Holm, Michael. ‘The Luftwaffe in World War 2’ http://www.ww2.dk
Mombeek, Eric. Jagdwaffe- The Spanish Civil War Classic Publications, 1999
Lednicer, David. ‘The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage’ Analytical Methods, Inc. http://www.aae.uiuc.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.htm
Mombeek, Eric with David Wadman and Martin Pegg. Jagdwaffe- The Battle of Britain, vols. 1-4 Classic Publications Mombeek, Eric with Christer Bergström and Martin Pegg. Jagdwaffe- Barbarossa, The Invasion of Russia Classic Publications, 2003
Osborne, Peter and Steinhilper, Ulrich. Spitfire On My Tail Independent Books, 1989
Cull, Brian and Lander, Bruce with Weiss, Heinrich. Twelve Days in May Grub Street, 1995
Price, Dr. Alfred. The Hardest Day – The Battle of Britain, 18 August 1940 Janes Publishing, 1979
Fernàndez-Sommerau, Marco. Messerschmitt Bf 109 Recognition Manual – A Guide to Variants, Weapons, and Equipment Classic Publications, 2004
Price, Dr. Alfred. Battle of Britain Day – 15 September 1940 Greenhill Books, 1999
Appendix VI • Bibliography
Weal, John. Bf 109D/E Aces 1939-41 Osprey Publishing, 1996
Mombeek, Eric. Jagdwaffe – Birth of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force Classic Publications, 1999
Crandall, Jerry. Major Hans ‘Assi’ Hahn – The Man And His Machines Eagle Editions, 2002
174
Prien, Jochen et al. Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945, Teil 4/II Struve-Druck Publishing Radinger, Willy and Schick, Walter Messerschmitt Bf 109 A-E Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 1999 Ries, Karl and Obermaier, Ernst. Bilanz am Seitenleitwerk – Erfolksmarkierungen der Deutschen Luftwaffe, 1936 – 1945 Verlag Dieter Hoffman, 1970
Murray, Williamson. Strategy for Defeat, The Luftwaffe 1933-1945 Air University Press, Maxwell AFB Alabama 1983
Haycraft, James B. Messerschmitts over Spain International Graphics Corporation, 1979
VI
Kaplan, Philip and Collier, Richard. The Few – Summer 1940, The Battle of Britain The Orion Publishing Group, 2002
Corum, James S. The Luftwaffe – Creating the Operational Air War, 19181940 University Press of Kansas, 1997
Haberfellner, Wernfried and Schroeder, Walter. Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke Weishaupt Verlag, Graz, 1999
Appendix
Prien, Jochen. Chronik des Jagdgeschwaders 53, Teil 1 Flugzeug Publishing, 1990 Prien, Jochen et al. Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945, Teil 1 Struve-Druck Publishing
Safarik, Jan. Air Aces Page http://math.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/index.html Butler, Les. O.K.L. Fighter Claims: Chef für Ausz. Und Dizsiplin Luftwaffen-Personalamt L.P. (A) V Films and Supplementary Claims from Lists (compiled by Tony Wood) http://www.lesbutler.ip3.co.uk/tony/tonywood.htm EADS, On The Wings Of Time http://efw.eads.net
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At the end of a long day of flying at the fighter schools, the ground crew’s work was just beginning. Here, one mechanic is seen gathering wheel stops, fueling hoses, and all manner of other equipment while two more begin work on ‘black 24’ from the 3. Staffel of an unidentified training unit
Index Please note: this index does not reference the appendices or tables.
A Ahl, Oblt.: 101 Arnoldy, Ltn. Jakob: 85 Awe, Lt. Fritz: 16
B Balthasar, Hptm. Wilhelm: 16, 19, 38 Bär, Maj. Heinz: 27, 46, 93 Bartels, Oblt. Werner: 45 Bauer, Fw. Josef: 50 Bauer, Ofw. Willi: 38 Bendert, Fw. Karl-Heinz: 54 Bennemann, Oblts. Helmut: 57 Bertram, Hptm. Otto: 16, 54 Bob, Oblt. Hans-Ekkehard: 49, 57, 84 Bock, Gen.: 35 Bodden, Uffz. Willi: 92 Böhm, Ltn. Johann: 45 Bonin, Oblt. Hubertus von: 17, 57 Borchers, Uffz. Adolf: 16 Born, Uffz. Karl: 70 Börngen, Ltn. Ernst: 49 Bretnütz, Hptm. Heinz: 46, 48 Brunkhorst, Ofw. Magnus: 49 Bucholz, Ofw. Max: 55 Büsgen, Ltn. Günther: 55
C Christmann, Herbert: 31 Claus, Oblt. Georg: 46
D Dahmer, Uffz. Hugo: 51 Douhet, Giulio: 18
E Ebbighausen, Hptm. Karl: 41, 48, 58 Ebeling, Ltn. Heinz: 46, 51 Ehlen, Uffz.: 89 Ehrenberger, Uffz. Rudolf: 57 Eichel-Streiber, Oblt. Diethelm von: 93 Elles, Fw. Franz: 91 Ertel, Fw.: 31 Ewald, Oblt. Wolfgang: 57
F Falck, Wolfgang: 11 Fiby, Ltn. Franz: 42, 58 Fiel, Oblt. Walter: 55 Fischer, Ltn. Siegfried: 40 Fischer, Oblt. K.: 109 Flebbe, Uffz. Karl: 38
Flegel, Ofw. Norbert: 11, 66 Fluder, Oblt. Emmerich: 49 Fözö, Hptm. Josef: 48 Framm, Oblt. Gert: 46 Francke, Dipl.Ing. Carl: 66 Franzisket, Oblt. Ludwig: 38, 70 Friederich, Oblt. Erich: 86
G Galland, Maj. Adolf: 45, 48, 49, 50, 53 Gäth, Oblt. Wilhelm: 38 Geisshardt, Ltn. Friedrich: 28, 86 Grabmann, Oblt. Walter: 17 Greuel, Uffz. Heinz: 91 Grimmling, Ofw. Walter: 41
H Hackmack, Hans: 7 Hahn, Oblt. Hans von: 51 Handrick, Oblt. Gotthard: 15, 68 Harder, Hptm. Harro: 15, 46 Heiniger, Oblt.: 103 Held, Fw. Alfred: 25, 28 Henlein, Konrad: 24 Henrici, Oblt. Eberhard: 52 Henz, Hptm. Helmut: 86 Herfeld, Ofw. Erich: 31 Hermes, Fw.Wilhelm: 57 Höckner, Oblt. Walter: 86, 93 Hollweg, Oblt. Hermann: 49 Homuth, Oblt. Gerhard: 90 Honess, Uffz. Guido: 15 Hörning, Hptm.: 101 Horten, Ltn. Walter: 51, 173 Houwald, Hptm. Wolf-Heinrich von: 45 Hrabak, Dietrich: 28 Huy, Oblt. Wolfdieter: 85, 93
I Ibel, Max: 11 Ihlefeld, Hptm. Herbert: 51, 55, 68, 84, 86, 93 Illner, Ltn. Hans: 106, 154
J Jänisch, Uffz. Franz: 14 Jasinski, Kpr. Wawrzyniec: 27 JG 1: 5, 19, 21, 31, 38, 41, 69, 73, 77 JG 2: 16, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 67, 70, 82, 105, 106, 157, 168 JG 3: 39, 41, 46, 48, 49, 50,
51, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 72, 92, 107, 152 JG 5: 30, 31, 33, 52, 93, 129, 168 JG 11: 31 JG 20: 37, 39, 148 JG 21: 41 JG 26: 6, 20, 22, 36, 39, 41, 42, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 69, 71, 73, 82, 84, 88, 89, 91, 105, 106, 173 JG 27: 35, 36, 38, 41, 42, 45, 46, 47, 49, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 70, 71, 74, 76, 82, 84, 85, 86, 89, 91, 92, 93, 103, 107, 156, 171 JG 28: 83 JG 51: 27, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 55, 56, 57, 59, 64, 69, 74, 105, 106, 138, 148, 149, 154 JG 52: 38, 42, 45, 47, 49, 55, 56, 57, 64, 72, 83, 85, 86, 92, 99, 110 JG 53: 28, 35, 36, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 49, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 64, 68, 70, 71, 105, 169 JG 54: 39, 49, 50, 52, 53, 55, 57, 83, 84, 93, 105, 156, 172 JG 76: 40, 41 JG 77: 19, 21, 25, 28, 30, 31, 33, 35, 52, 69, 71, 74, 75, 76, 83, 84, 85, 86, 92, 93, 103, 105, 129, 151 JG 130: 21 JG 131: 22, 23 JG 132: 14, 16, 18, 22, 23 JG 134: 22, 23 JG 135: 22, 23 JG 136: 22, 23 JG 137: 23 JG 138: 23 JG 142: 20 JG 232: 22 JG 233: 149 JG 234: 18, 22, 23 JG 333: 20 JG 334: 22, 23 Johannsen, Ltn. Hans: 88 Joppien, Oblt. HermannFriederich: 55, 56
K Kageneck, Oblt. Erbo Graf von: 89 Keil, Uffz. Josef: 38 KG 2: 46
KG 4: 46 KG 27: 101 KG 53: 101 KG 54: 46 KG 55: 101 Kisling, Oblt.: 101 Kley, Lt. Erwin: 11 Knoetzsch, Hans-Dietrich: 9 Knüppel, Oblt. Herwig: 15 Koall, Oblt. Gerhard: 84 Köhler, Fw. Otto: 85 Krißko, V.: 101
L Lange, Ltn.: 94 Larrazabal, Angel Salas: 103 Leesman, Oblt. Karl-Heinz: 57, 64 Lessing, Ltn. Hans-Otto: 50 Leykauf, Fw. Erwin: 38 LG 1: 46 LG 2: 20, 21, 25, 28, 45, 46, 47, 51, 52, 55, 56, 57, 82, 85, 86, 92, 93, 103 Lindecker, Hptm.: 101 Lippert, Hptm. Wolfgang: 93 Litjens, Uffz. Stefan ‘Steff’: 40 Lützow, Günther: 11, 13, 15, 17, 50, 93
M Machold, Oblt. Werner: 51, 168 Mader, Maj. Anton: 93 Marseille, Ofhr. Hans-Joachim: 46, 52, 56, 84, 89, 91, 129 Massow, Kommodore Gerd von: 16 Mayer, Hptm. Hans-Karl: 40, 46, 55 Meckel, Ltn. Helmut: 55 Mietusch, Oblt. Klaus: 89 Milch, Erhard: 7, 8, 35 Mitchell, Reginald J.: 44 Mölders, Maj. Werner: 11, 16, 46, 50, 55, 59, 93 Möller, Ltn. Hans-Jürgen von: 90 Möllerfriedrich, Oblt. Rudolf: 49 Müncheberg, Oblt. Joachim: 55, 84, 88
N Nischik, Fw. Ernst: 156 Noack, Hptm. Erich: 45 Nordmann, Oblt. Karl-Gottfried: 52 Nowotny, Ltn. Walter: 93
O Oesau, Hptm. Walter: 17, 48, 49, 54, 56, 57, 93 Olejnik, Oblt. Robert: 92 Opolski, Uffz. Kurt: 31 Ostermann, Ltn. MaxHellmuth: 84
P The presence of this solitary Bf 109E-3 among a lineup of Jumo-engined variants is somewhat unusual. As newer models of 109s entered service with front-line units, the older Emils were sent to the training units; this is clearly an older aircraft, given the prewar camouflage, and the photo dates from at least mid-1940, judging by the lighter scheme worn by the third machine in the row
Perez, Uffz. Horst: 48, 57 Pingel, Hptm. Rolf: 11, 40, 49, 51 Polenz, Ofw. Otto: 13, 16 Popisteanu, lt. cdor. av. Alexandru: 100 Prestele, Oblt. Ignaz: 57
R
W
Radinger, Willy: 8 Ray, Fw. Xaver: 57 Redlich, Oblt. Wolfgang: 90 Rempel, Oblt. Edgar: 46 Reumschüssel, Oblt. Helmut: 54 Richthofen, Gen. Wolfram von: 11 Rickenbacher, Lt. Rudolf: 101 Riegel, Major: 45 Robitzsch, Oblt. Dietrich: 37 Rödel, Oblt. Gustav: 52, 85, 91, 92 Roth, Ofw. Willi: 46 Rozanoff, Konstantin: 124 Rudorffer, Fw. Erich: 44, 55 Rundstedt, Gen.: 35 Ruthammer, Oblt. Wilhlem: 31
Weiss, Hptm. Otto: 93 Werra, Oblt. Franz von: 50, 54, 152 Wever, General Walther: 18 Wick, Oblt. Helmut: 46, 47, 50, 55, 57, 58, 59 Widowitz, Ltn. Wulf-Dietrich: 33 Wiggers, Hptm. Ernst: 51 Wilhelm, Fronhöfer, Ltn.: 6 Williams, Generalmajor Ernst Udet.: 38 Witzel, Lt. Hans: 92 WNr 378: 97 WNr 540: 7 WNr 758: 9 WNr 759: 10 WNr 760: 10 WNr 820: 92 WNr 878: 11 WNr 1010 – 1020: 14 WNr 1021: 14 WNr 1029: 7 WNr 1050: 7 WNr 1137: 93 WNr 1184: 6 WNr 1190: 48, 160 WNr 1480: 152, 153 WNr 1935: 156 WNr 1937: 156 WNr 1943: 156 WNr 1944: 156 WNr 2023: 33 WNr 2877: 27 WNr 3276: 19 WNr 3523: 33 WNr 3576: 47 WNr 3579: 52, 129, 161, 164 WNr 3790: 89 WNr 4101: 138, 159 WNr 4170: 89, 159 WNr 4851: 53 WNr 5160: 90, 91 WNr 5344: 49 WNr 5819: 45 WNr 6296: 45 WNr 6474: 101 WNr 7285: 152 WNr 7728 – 7797: 31 Wolff, Uffz. Kurt: 57 Wolfgarten, Uffz. Robert: 58 Wübke, Ltn. Waldemar: 50, 55, 57 Würster, Dipl.Ing. Hermann: 10, 66 Würster, Hermann: 7
S Saborowski, Uffz. Rudolf: 38 Schellman, Maj. Wolfgang: 85, 86, 92 Schick, Walter: 8 Schmetzer, Ofw. Reinhold: 93 Schmidt, Ltn. Erich: 54, 58, 108 Schmidt, Oblt. Armin: 85 Schmidt, Uffz. Rudolf: 86 Schnabel, Ltn. Heinz: 54 Schoepfel, Oblt. Gerhard: 71 Schöpfel, Oblt. Gerhard: 49, 55, 108 Schopper, Lt. Hans Wilhelm: 85 Schröder, Gerhard: 50 Schroer, Lt. Werner: 89, 91 Schulz, Ofw. Otto: 85 Sochatzki, Kurt: 16 Sommer, Ofw. Walter: 33 Sprick, Oblt. Gustav ‘Mickey’: 57 Springer, Uffz. Herbert: 49 Stab, Major Beim: 69 Stangl, Oblt. Anton: 52 Stark, Fw. Alfred: 41 Steidle, Oblt. Adolf: 46 Steinhilper, Oblt. Ulrich: 57 Stierle, Ofw. Herman: 31 Stoll, Oblt. Jakob: 55 Stoyanov, Poruchyk Stoyan: 99 Streiff, Oblt.: 101 Striberny, Ltn. Albert: 45 Ströhlein, Ofw Fritz: 51
T Täschner, Fw. Rudolf: 58 Temme, Oblt. Paul: 46, 106 Teumer, Oblt. Wolfgang von: 138, 159 Tiedmann, Oblt. Helmut: 107 Tietzen, Hptm. Horst: 48, 49, 59 Tonne, Lt. Wolfgang: 41 Trautloft, Ltn. Hannes: 11, 50, 52 Treu, Oblt. Paul: 103 Troitzsch, Fw. Alfred: 25 Troitzsch, Fw. Hans: 28 Tzschoppe, Uffz. Herbert: 41
Z ZG 1: 101 ZG 26: 49, 50 ZG 52: 50 ZG 76: 21, 57, 148 Ziegler, Lt. Rudolf: 41 Zimmerman, Fw. Arno: 47
U Ubben, Oblt. Kurt: 85 Udet, Gen. Ernst: 7, 18, 35 Ursinus, Lt. Werner: 81
Index
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In this photo from the wartime German propaganda magazine ‘Signal’, the pilot of this Emil is in the process of fastening his shoulder restraints. This photo is full of useful details; note the internal frame of the aft canopy section in RLM 02, the tight demarcation line of the 65, and the smearing on the fuselage where the ground crew attempted to clean the aircraft for the photographer!
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Modellers Datafile • 9
THE MESSERSCHMITT
Bf 109
Part 1: Prototype to 'E' Variants The Bf 109 Part 1: Prototype to ‘E’ Variants
by Lynn Ritger
9 78095 5 1 85 809
SAM Publications
Printed in UK
SAM Publications
ISBN 0-9551858-0-7
9
9
SAM Publications
Bf 109A Oil cooler location
9 Bf 109B Oil cooler location
Bf 109A Oil cooler location Bf 109D upper
Bf 109D front
Bf 109B lower Bf 109B rear Oil cooler location
Bf 109B upper
Bf 109D lower
Bf 109D rear
Bf 109A Oil cooler location
Bf 109A Oil cooler location
Bf 109B starboard (without radio aerial)
Bf 109B port (with radio aerial)
1/48 SCALE © 2005 Jacek Jackiewicz
1m
2m
3m
Bf 109D starboard
Bf 109D port
1/48 SCALE © 2005 Jacek Jackiewicz
1m
2m
3m
99
Bf 109E-1 front
Bf 109E-1 upper Bf 109E-7 starboard
Bf 109E-7 front Bf 109E-4/trop lower
Bf 109E-1 lower
Bf 109E-7 upper
Bf 109E-7 rear
Bf 109E-1 rear
Bf 109E-1 starboard
Bf 109E-4 starboard
Bf 109E-1 port
Bf 109E-7 port 1/48 SCALE © 2005 Jacek Jackiewicz
1m
2m
3m
1/48 SCALE © 2005 Jacek Jackiewicz
1m
2m
3m
