Saturday 22 November 2014

Bf 109 F-4 of 8./JG 27 on Rhodes and Crete, January/February 1943 pilot Liebhold - Ebay photo find # 101 - edit 28/11 more 'striped' pictures added




nice JG 27 Bf 109 F/G photo selection from Michael Beuckmann's current Ebay sales. According to the inscription on the rear of the photo the first images here depict machines (most probably F-4 Trop 'Red 3' and 'Red 5') of  8./ JG 27 at readiness on Maritsa airfield, Rhodes - note the striped camouflage effect over the wings! The aircraft are (presumably) finished in Sandgelb with squiggles and stripes of Olivgrün. 8./ JG 27 deployed to the island of Rhodes in mid-Janury 1943 from Crete for some six weeks, being tasked with intercepting British torpedo bombers attacking German and Italian shipping running supplies to island garrisons throughout the Aegean. On 11 February 1943 Oblt Werner Schroer donned his best uniform to fly back to Crete to get married and during the course of this flight claimed two British Beauforts. My max bid of 50 Euros was quickly out-bid - final selling price was well over 300 euros!..Click on the images to view large. At bottom, Oblt. Werner Schroer.


http://www.ebay.de/itm/Foto-Piloten-Me-109-Bf-109-JG-27-Bereitschaft-Rhodos-Griechenland-G-/381054280112?pt=Militaria&hash=item58b89ae1b0&autorefresh=true


Liebhold with Italian comrades, "Red 7" in the background - note "striped" upper surface camouflage




Below; "writing a few words of greeting to my beloved Marianne following my award of the EK II. 24 January 1943 "   - Liebhold with Schroer in deckchair and sunglasses and Schroer's "Red 1" in the background



Staffelhund 'Wussl' with Bf 109 F-4 'Red 5' 8./ JG 27 in the background...and again with pilot Liebhold


http://www.ebay.de/itm/Foto-Me-109-Pilot-Liebhold-und-Werner-Schroer-JG-27-Einsatzbesprechung-G-/381063734093?pt=Militaria&hash=item58b92b234d






Also on offer from the same seller and apparently in the same album, two views of a well-known "White 1" "Harro" a III./JG53 machine; picture taken in North Africa, also apparently featuring the same pilot (Liebhold) in these views. (thanks to Franck BENOITON for help with this ID!)


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John Weal profile by way of illustration; note the III. Gruppe Balken on the other side of the fuselage band!