Arado Ar 196 in the harbour at Kos -archive photo scan #26

 

Arado Ar 196 in the harbour at Kos town, on the Aegean island of Kos. The Neratzia castle ramparts are visible in the background. The Bundesarchiv image is dated October 1943, shortly after the island was 'captured' following the Italian change-of-sides.  Bottom, a modern image by way of comparison.

A reminder that BATAILLES AÉRIENNES N°100 covering the air battles over and around Kos and Leros entitled " La dernière victoire de la Luftwaffe en Méditerranée - Les combats du Dodécanèse (Sept-Nov. 1943)" by Shores and Roba is still available from the Lela Presse website here 

yet more late-war Gustav profile artworks from Angantyr

 

 A third installment of late-war Gustav profile artworks from Angantyr.

First out is a WNF Bf 109 G-6/U4 WNr 441744. Flown by 11./JG 27 -  it was lost (31.07.1944) in Saint-Germain-d´Elle near Saint-Lô in Normandie, captured by US troops. The original Staffel was back in Dortmund by this time. 

Next is a WNF Bf 109 G-14 of Stab I./JG 4 as seen in Babenhausen in April 1945. WNr 510XXX. The fuselage seems to be covered with something, as the Balkenkreuz cannot be seen. By this time, I Gruppe personnel was being drafted as infantry. (source MAH)

Next, the speculative aircraft last flown by the German cousin of the French fighter ace Pierre Clostermann, namely Bruno Klostermann of 11./JG 300 who was KIA on 14 January 1945 in a Bf 109 G-10 manufactured by Erla. There seems to be some disagreement as to whether he flew “Green 2” or “Green 12” . Erla production G-10's lacked the black cross on the fuselage, only showing the white outline, sometimes “filled in” by the ground crew(as here).

 

Lastly I have reworked a profile presented in Falcons Messerschmitt website depicting a Bf 109 G-10 produced by Erla, which, in my opinion, is grossly inaccurate, more resembling a Bf 109 G-6/AS than anything else. It also carries the camouflage that was used by 460XXX series G-14:s, ie “spotted dog” pattern. Anyhow, this is WNr 491 375 flown by Uffz Franz Keicher of 3./JG 4 who was lost on 11 February 1945 in air combat over Lübben/Steinau. Pilot was declared MIA.

The last two are both from JG 300, one from 3 Staffel, flown by an unknown pilot in the summer of 1944, the last one is a G-14 flown in the winter of 44-45 by Gefr Ernst Sharf of 16 Staffel.

More late-war Gustav artwork from Angantyr on this blog here

Me 163 BV45 'PK+QP'

 

One reason for re-posting some of the better images from Peter Petrick's archive is that they can be displayed at a much larger size than they were ever published  - and usually without the 'moire' pattern too. Presumably one reason why they are also selling for large amounts. 

The following photo of the Me 163 B V45 'PK+QP' just sold for 80 euros. Here it is having its C-Stoff tank filled. Franks states that this was the first pre-production Me 163 airframe known to have been fitted with the MK 108 cannon. Note the retractable tailwheel fairing. According to Ransom it was re-painted in August 1944 as C1+05 and later went to Brandis for armament trials.

Fw 190 A-6s Gruppenstabschwarm III./JG 11, Oldenburg, March 1944 (Hackl)

 

JG 11 ace Hptm.Anton Hackl (left) preparing for a sortie with the Gruppenstabschwarm of III./JG 11 during March 1944 in Oldenburg. The Focke Wulfs appear to be lined-up prior to engine start. The Fw 190 A-6 in the background is 'chevron 2 + I' and the 'Drache' (dragon) Wappenschild can be seen under the cockpit. The Kommandeur of III./JG 1 Hptm. Friedrich Eberle is an interested spectator. As the machines prepare to start their takeoff runs (below), Hackl's Kommandeur machine ('chevron triangle') can be seen far left with the all-white tailfin. See pages 225-227 'Jagdflugzeug 190' (Rodeike, Struve)

Oblt. Hans Kriegel, Lt. Felix Brandis, 'German eagle hunting the British lion' - ebay photo find #378

 

Note the 'Dita 13' on the nose above - usual marking of Oblt. Hans Kriegel, StaKa of 7./ZG 76 who was WIA in Bf 110 C-4 "2N+DR" in combat with a 252 Sqd Beaufighter on 28 June 1941. Kriegel was later Kommandeur IV./JG 5  (thanks to regular blog visitor Mr. Davis for spotting this one)

Emblem of 7./ZG 76 on the nose of the Bf 110 flown by Lt. Felix Brandis - image below shows him dismounting after his 3rd victory on June 1, 1941 and previously published in the JG 5 Special album ('Luftwaffe Gallery')

Peter Neuwerth's site has a page of photos of Kriegel's Bf 110s and Bf 109s here

Bf 109 aces - Hptm. Paul Schauder JG 26

 

Born in Munich on 27 April 1921, Paul Schauder was studying architecture when he was called up for the army. Like many of his comrades, he wanted to become an aviator. After training as a fighter pilot he was posted to 3./JG 26 at the beginning of 1941. He took advantage of the RAF's so-called 'Non-stop Offensive' of 1941 to open and then build up his score (9 victories). In December 1942 he was promoted to Kapitän of 11./JG 26. His command lasted only a month, however, as he was called up to the Stab II./JG 26 before taking over command of 9./JG 26 in May 1942. On the 23rd of that month, III./JG 26 shifted to northern Germany, where Schauder shot down his first first B-17. Back in the Netherlands and then to France, Schauder scored another victory over the RAF before seeing his 9./JG 26 renamed 10th Staffel. 1944 saw him fighting over France and, in the weeks following the landings in June 1944, he was one of the pilots to be credited with three air victories over Normandy, including a 354th FG P-51 on 17 July. Having taken temporary command of III./JG 26 at the end of 1944, Hptm Schauder was officially promoted to Kommandeur, claimed his 21st and last victory over Germany on 21 April 1945, a 3 Sqd Tempest near Perleberg. On 1 May 1945, he was shot down and captured. According to one source, he was a victim of anti-aircraft fire; he also claimed to have hit a P-38. In June 1945, he took advantage of a passing truck loaded with liberated POWs to clamber into the vehicle. Having ‘escaped’ in this way, he was soon reunited with his family. After the war, he resumed his pre-war activity but eventually joined the Bundesluftwaffe. Paul Schauder died in his home town on 22 January 2004.

Lt.Paul Schauder (3./JG 26) supervises the application of a victory bar on the rudder of his Friedrich.

There are currently 182 Bf 109 ace biographies on this blog, most featuring rare photos and personal accounts.

Fw 190 Dora 9 'blue 12' by 'kov1985'

 

Fw 190 D-9 "Blue 12" WNr. 500570 of II./JG 6 surrendered to elements of the U.S. 10th Photo Reconnaissance Group at Fürth, near Nürnberg on 8 May 1945

" ..This one is finally off my bench after a few months of work, my rendition of the 'famous' “blue 12” which surrendered at Fürth in May 1945. I used the Hasegawa 1/32 Dora -9 with Quickboost cowling, spinner and prop, Quinta studio cockpit interior, Hgw seatbelts, eduard brassin flaps, 1 Man Army stencil masks. Some small bits I took some artistic license, but I’ll get into that later...".

"..there are plenty of pics of this aircraft that are available, as well as a few that come with the Eaglecals decal set. However I’m less impressed with the Eaglecals set as I intended to only use the serial number, the “E9”, and the “12”. However for some reason, the “1” is smaller than the “2” in the 12. It makes no sense why they’ve done that as every photo I’ve seen of the thing doesn’t show this. Hence I made my own mask for that by painstakingly drawing and cutting it out of paper, tracing onto masking sheet and cutting that out. To make things worse I botched its placement on first go and had to use the mask 3 times…"

"..The colours of blue 12? Experts on the subject lean towards the top of the wings being 77/81, or 76/81, however in my honest opinion that may have well been the case for later Mimetall machines. My theory is that early ones such as 570 here had the standard grey wings, which were then painted 81 on the underside, either by factory or at unit level until Mimetall found their “groove” and painted the whole thing in 81 etc. My source for this theory being machine 581 (only a few airframes from blue 12) clearly having the grey tops, but notice landing gear doors being that dark colour still indicating to me RLM 81, which can clearly be seen also on the famous colour photo of blue 12.."

Thanks to Casey for his superb model images!