Bf 109 Late versions- camouflage and markings (MMP books) - Krzysztof Wotowski

Now this was a nice surprise from MMP books (Mushroom). 'Bf 109 Late versions' is a large A-4 format, card-covered 112-page volume of Krzysztof Wotowski's superb artworks covering the later versions of the Bf109. If you have Banyl-Reipl's Warpaint 'book' then this is similar - although minus all the appalling errors in the B-R Warpaint booklet! Wolowski's new volume is much more carefully compiled and exploits the latest research and picture 'finds'. Starting with Günther Specht's G-5/AS, each late variant is given a page or so of text, scale side-views, three or four pages of photographs and up to eleven pages of very nicely rendered profile artwork (in the case of the K-4). Captions are lengthy and include full discussion of the likely colours. The artworks are reproduced mostly at around 1/32 scale (ie large !) at a guess, including top views, lower surface views and 'offical' camouflage schemes. The text introducing each variant details developmental differences and some operational highlights while providing information on manufacturers and Werknummer blocks and includes decent photographic coverage including some colour images. Are there errors in his artwork - well of course there are! I have yet to come across a 'profile artist' who doesn't fill his artwork with 'errors'. Perhaps it is fairer to say that interpreting colour information from black and white photos is a pretty subjective 'science' so some of the artist's choices will inevitably come under discussion (see below).

Unfortunately the odd photograph is not very well reproduced, being rather too dark and I would say that a majority of the pictures portray abandoned and wrecked aircraft. This certainly doesn't detract from the conviction of the overall presentation since this book is primarily about Krzysztof's artwork. As I mentioned, one or two of his colour choices will raise eyebrows, for example the well-known 'Green 7' of JG 300 (P73) has here become a III./JG 6 machine - 'because JG 300 were never based in Prague' - when we know that the rump of this unit was indeed in Prague, thanks to the accounts in Lorant and Goyat's JG 300 history quoted in this volume's bibliography. However this is pretty minor league criticism. To conclude the profile artist presents a wide range of reasonably convincing profile artworks that will be indispensable viewing/reading for late-war Bf109 enthusiasts and modellers.Certainly one of the better profile artwork books I've come across and an excellent incentive to check out some of MMP's other recent Luftwaffe titles. More info at http://www.mmpbooks.biz/

Sadly author/illustrator Krzysztof Wotowski passed away shortly after the publication of this book.

Preußischer Kultur Besitz picture archive - He 111s of KG26, KG100 (Luftwaffe colour)

 " With more than 12 million images from all areas of fine art, culture and history,  the picture archive of the Preußischer Kultur Besitz is your partner for licensing reproduction rights for editorial and commercial use. In our database you will find more than 300,000 selected images online. Each month we add new pictures for your choice. If you wish personal consulting or support by our research service please contact us "

http://bpkgate.picturemaxx.com/webgate_cms/en/

First flight of the DFS 331 cargo glider

The DFS 331 was a cargo glider developed in collaboration between DFS and Gotha. The glider was designed by Dr Hans Jacobs who had worked on the earlier DFS 230 and the design addressed many of the flaws present in the earlier DFS 230 design. The visibility from the cockpit was good, with the entire nose being glazed, and the body was very wide, allowing it to carry light Flak guns and light military vehicles. Contrary to what can be read elsewhere only a single example was constructed which flew for the first time on 30 September 1940.  Although the aircraft was flown and tested ahead of the Go 242, development on the type was halted by the RLM in March 1941. 

Ju-52 pilot for the first towed flights was Oblt. Karl-Heinz Blendermann, Staffelführer of 2./LLG 2 who recalled;

" ...On 27 September 1940 I was ordered to fly Ju 52 H$+BH fitted with glider towing equipment to Gotha where flight testing of a new type was to take place under the authority of a Flugkapitän whose name I no longer recall. There were two airfields at Gotha, one used by the Luftwaffe and the other belonging to the Gothaer Waggonfabrik. It turned out that the Flugkapitän in question had not towed a glider before and when told of my experience (Eben Emael, Drontheim/Norway) put a phone call through to the RLM to suggest that myself and my crew be retained for the flight trials. A telex order confirming this came through and my crew and I were sworn to secrecy and put up in a Gothaer hotel for the duration. On the following day we were taken to view the DFS 331 for the first time in its hangar where it was being prepared for flight testing . The type had been designed and built by a twenty-strong team of DFS Flugingenieure under Hans Jacobs (sic) and was designed to carry up to thirty men. I was then introduced to Flugkapitän Hanna Reitsch who would be at the controls of the new glider. Both Reitsch and the test engineers again questioned me closely on my experiences as a glider tow pilot. My responses seem to satisfy them as did those of my unit. Fine weather the following day, 30 September, saw us make the first test runs with the glider in tow. However the glider remained on the ground at that stage  - Reitsch ordered us to release the tow-rope as we got airborne. We completed a circuit and after landing prepared for the first flight of the glider itself which took place late that afternoon and lasted twenty two minutes. Everything ran without a hitch. The glider made over one hundred test flights and had very pleasant handling qualities which were confirmed by Flugkapitän Franke from Rechlin. In the meantime the Go242 had made its first flight ( 9 November 1940)  from the Gothaer Waggonfabrik works strip - I was at the controls of the Ju-52 tow plane and made two further flights on 9 and 10 November 1940.  While development of the Go 242 proceded - as far as I'm aware because loading and unloading operations proved easier - work on the DFS 331 was brought to an end on the orders of the RLM on 24 March 1941..."

Fw 190 D-9 im Einsatz - Doras into service with III./JG 54 October 1944

The first Focke Wulf 190 Doras entered service with III. Gruppe of JG 54 "Grünherz" during October 1944 at Achmer and Hesepe. While the first service machines undoubtedly piqued the interest of their pilots, according to Fw. Fritz Ungar of 9./ JG 54 pictured in the cockpit of "White 2" (above) the sole reason for this picture series -first published in Jean-Yves Lorant's 'Le Focke Wulf  190' (Docavia, 1980) and then later in Axel Urbanke's "Focke Wulf 190 Dora im Einsatz"- was to record the Staffel fox terrier mascot 'Struppi' for posterity. There is unfortunately no complete view of either of the aircraft. "White 2" was D-9 WNr. 210015, which was lost over Hesepe on 15 October 1944 after being shot down by 83FS T'bolts which bounced the Dora after approaching the airfield undetected in the early morning sun. The Doras were up behind Lt. Erich 'Gandi' Kolodzie to cover the landing of a pair of  Me 262 Kommando Nowotny 'Turbos' returning from an early morning sortie. Lt. Fritz Bartak at the controls of "White 2" was wounded but managed to bale out.

"Struppi" perched on the forward fuselage between the twin MG 131s - note the highly polished finish for an extra turn of speed - anything up to 20 km/h according to the pilots. The pilot in the picture is Feldwebel Paul Drutschmann who would be shot down and captured unharmed on the Dutch-Belgian border during Bodenplatte on 01/01/1945
 

Two more views of 'Struppi'  -  enjoying the attention of the mechanics of 9./JG 54 perched on the horizontal stabiliser of  "White 3",  the eighth series production machine (Wnr. 210008) and again on Ungar's lap in the cockpit of  "White 3". Note the jack/support under the rear fuselage keeping the tail wheel just off the ground.  It can be assumed that this aircraft is wearing its factory finish which again appears highly polished. The lower image offers a good view of fuselage reinforcing strips required by the installation of the Jumo 213 to the 190 fuselage. Photos courtesy Jean-Yves Lorant

 



1:32/1:24 Airscale Model Aircraft Enhancements Fw190/Bf109 instrument dial decals

I was very pleased to be able help Peter Castle, a member of Britmodeller and long standing modeller  with his new instrument panel and dial decals range launched recently. Peter contacted me looking for help on various Luftwaffe dials and instruments and it was a simple matter to point him in the direction of Merrick's German cockpit interiors among other references. Pete was interested in improving the look of his instrument panels in larger scales. Indeed time spent detailing the cockpit really makes a difference in the larger scales. Unable to find anything that matched his needs, he decided to make his own, and to make the results available. For a very modest outlay you can order and receive a small Ziploc bag containing any of the following products:

Full Instrument Panels - all 1:24
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.1/Vb
Hawker Hurricane Mk.1
North American P-51D Mustang
Focke-Wulf Fw 190A
Messerschmitt Bf.109E
Junkers JU 87B Stuka
De Havilland Mosquito FB Mk.VI (available soon)

Each Instrument Panel pack contains a shaped black decal with white instrument dials, plus a small sheet of acetate to give the finished article a glass-like shine. The instructions are concise, and include a picture of the real instrument panel, and guide you step-by-step through the process of cutting a backing to the panel from scrap styrene sheet using the kit part as a template, then applying the decal, sandwiching it between the clear sheet (again cut to size), and finally thinning the kit instrument panel and reaming out the individual dials. Peter has also produced som generic dial decals which should look good applied to to the kit panel and then sealed with a drop of Klear.

WW2 RAF 1:24
WW2 Luftwaffe 1:24
WW2 RAF 1:32
WW2 Luftwaffe 1:32

Peter can be contacted at http://www.airscale.co.uk/

Sergey's Airfix Emil - Uffz. Karl Wolff 3./JG52

Best build I've seen anywhere of Airfix's new 48th scale Emil in the markings of Uffz. Karl Wolff of 3./JG 52. Wolff was shot down and bailed out over Sussex on 30 September 1940 in "Yellow 14". "Yellow 15" was the Emil he crash-landed one month earlier. Model build by Sergey, pictures with his kind permission. Click on the images for a close-in look. My review of this kit is here

The history of 3./JGr. 10 -Stopsack article in Luftwaffe im Focus (Krebsgerät)

 Pilot and mechanic in front of 'black 15' of 3./JGr10 fitted with the 'Crab' device. Note the unit code 'IL'  aft of the Balkenkreuz.



The Chris Stopsack article in  " Luftwaffe im Focus 16 " was an excellent acount of the activities of a little known unit and I was sorry to see that part II of his feature was not included in LiF 17. 3./JGr10 was an operational trials Staffel involved in the testing of heavy weapons against the bomber Pulks and flew alongside II./(Sturm) JG300 from Erfurt-Bindersleben during September 1944 equipped with the rearward facing (or firing) WGr. 21 rocket launcher dubbed the Krebsgerät or 'crab device' which was mounted under the fuselage centre section. Losses were severe - as indeed they were for II.(Sturm)/JG300 that month. However this wasn't the first occasion that II./JG300 had been in action alongside Krebs machines as Stopsack seems to suggest in his piece. Some five months prior to 3./JGr10's operational deployment back in May 1944 12. Staffel of IV.(Sturm)/JG3 had already flown Krebs-equipped Fw 190s (see Willi Unger photo above) and Ernst Schröder reports that he regularly saw their black-cowled  Krebs 190s then.  That trials with the weapon continued well into the autumn of 1944 points to the increasing desperation evident in the Reichs air defence hierarchy. Krebs pilots were little more than cannon fodder. Schröder is scathing about the usefulness or otherwise of the weapon  - the Krebsgerät he writes was " a completely senseless notion. A fighter pilot could neither see nor aim to the rear. Of course its additional weight impacted heavily on the manouevrability of the lumbering Sturmbock Fw 190. Tactically a drop tank of fuel would have been a far better idea !"