Junkers Ju 88 C-6 of 3./ NJG 2 in Gilze-Rijen

A rainy day during the spring of 1941 at Gilze-Rijen. Waffenwarte (armourers) carrying out gun harmonisation tests on a jacked-up Ju 88 C of 3./ NJG 2. The aircraft is in an in-flight attitude, note the lifting device supporting the rear fuselage. Note too the armoured firewall behind the gun compartment and the undercarriage fully extended (unloaded). The gun smoke indicates that a live firing test is being carried out.  (see also page 83 of Stipdonk & Meyer Teil 2)

http://www.ebay.de/sch/engelbubu-fotos/m.html?item=400498830013&pt=Militaria&hash=item5d3f972abd&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

more on this blog from NJG 2 at Gilze Rijen

http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/more-scenes-from-gilze-rijen-ju-88s-of.html

Dornier 217 J Nachtjäger

Currently on offer via Ebay.de seller wasabogoa are these very nice shots of a Dornier 217 J complete with Englandblitz Wappen. (link below)

Given that the FuG 202 (or possibly 212 ) Lichtenstein BC antenna array has been dismounted perhaps these machines were deployed by day against USAAF bombers - Dornier night-fighters achieved their last successes during August and October 1943 against 8th AF Flying Fortresses. Perhaps the most significant feature of the Dornier 217 nightfighter was its nose - toting armament of 4 x MG 151/20 cannon and MG 17 machine guns the business end of the aircraft is a very busy area. In the lower image the shell ejector chute apertures are visible

http://www.ebay.de/sch/wasabogoa/m.html?item=290923209134&pt=Militaria&hash=item43bc5fe1ae&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

KG 4 Heinkel He 111 Wintertarnung Ostfront - Ebay Luftwaffe photo find

KG 4 General Wever (Geschwaderkennung 5 J) He 111 deployed on low-level ground strafing and bombing sorties on the northern sector of the Eastern Front during late 1941. From an album currently available on ebay.de (link below)

On 17 November 1941 Lt. Rudolph was forced to carry out an emergency landing after attacking troop concentrations east of Tichwin (Leningrad sector)

".. we were airborne from Dno at 09h45 in Rotte formation with He 111 5J+DK flown by Leutnant Mueller. We attacked the village at low altitude at 10h53 and observed the detonations of the 12 SD 50 bombs in and among the houses - we could see Russian soldiers running for cover. During our bomb run we came under heavy defensive fire from the north-eastern corner of the village, the first salvoes hitting the starboard engine and the tail fin. The exact number of hits could not be ascertained. The damage to the starboard engine was of some consequence; the spinner and pitch control were shot away and oil and coolant loss considerable. The hits to the tail quickly rendered lateral stability difficult and the aircraft threatened to veer out of control.. We were still some 12 km from German lines and the only way to get home was with carefully manipulation of the throttle controls - applying power until we were at 180 km/h and then easing off the power until we started to lose altitude. We crossed our front lines at a height of 150 metres but could not immediately see a large enough area to risk a belly landing. We continued further westwards until our observer could identify an area free of trees for a crash landing. By now the starboard engine was smoking and the danger of a fire breaking out was considerable - I had been unable to shut it down as I would have been unable to keep the aircraft in the air. We were still travelling at quite high speed when we hit the ground and I was thrown forward and struck my head heavily on the control column, briefly losing consciousness. Fortunately a 20 cm thick blanket of snow cushioned the impact somewhat. The aircraft sustained some 50% damages. The crew fired off signal flares which attracted the attention of our CO Hptm. Boltze who was able to put down nearby and get airborne again with myself, my crew and some of our equipment on board..."

(from Grundelach's Kampfgeschwader General Wever 4)

http://www.ebay.de/itm/org-Luftwaffe-Fliegeralbum-Flugzeuge-Bomber-Winterkrieg-Ostfront-95-Fotos-/121112307422?pt=Militaria&hash=item1c32db26de

KG 1 Junkers Ju 88 Wintertarnung Feldflugplatz Ostfront - Ebay Luftwaffe photo find

 Neat selection of Ju 88s of KG 1 (Geschwaderkennung  V4)  in Wintertarnung (winter camo) seen at a Feldflugplatz somewhere on the Ostfront being bombed up....

courtesy Ebay sales dmz344 

" Happy Easter Dno 1942"

"2000th combat sortie, 7. Staffel "

Jeff Groves 72nd scale Experten series Fine Molds Bf 109s- Major Kurt Bühligen's Fw 190 A-8 - Planes of the Luftwaffe Aces

Max-Hellmuth Ostermann's Bf 109F-2, 7. / JG54, Dno, Russia, September 1941

I've just discovered the superlative work of US modeler Jeff Groves on the 72nd Aircraft Forum and present here a small selection of his work. Thanks Jeff for allowing me to post your fantastic models here..Amazing! 

Here's Jeff on his latest project; the aircraft of the 100+ Experten

" It's always fun to start a new build! The imagination sees nothing but perfection - fresh, unspoiled kits, full of potential. The reality of bad fit, rescribing lost seams, and sacrifices to the carpet monster are as yet unrealized. Modeling Nirvana!Half the fun is the planning, and this build has been long in the planning stage. I've had the kits and decals gathered for this one for quite awhile. Many times it has been "the next build", but has always managed to get bumped just one spot down the list when the time comes. Actually, there are a few "next builds", but this year I resolved to move several of these long-delayed projects from the stash to the bench.So here we are - a batch of Fine Molds Bf 109s. They will be part of a larger effort to model the mounts of the Luftwaffe Experten. Not all of them of course, only the few credited with one hundred or more victories. This is the collectors' scale, right? "   Jeff Groves

Erich Leie's Bf 109 F-4, Stab / JG2, France 1941:

Wolf-Deitrich Wilcke's Bf 109F-2, III / JG53, Berck-sur-Mer, March 1941

Anton Hackl's Bf 109 F-4, 5. / JG77, Oktoberfeld, Crimea, Jun 1942

Walter Schuck's Bf 109 F-4, 9. / JG5, Petsamo, Finland, Winter 1942-43:

Erich Rudorffer's Bf 109F-4, 6. / JG2, France, September 1941:

It goes without saying that Jeff's Fw 190s are equally as stunning. Here is his take on the A-8 of Major Kurt Bühligen, Kommodore of JG 2. Bühligen survived the war with 112 victories. 

"...The picture below appears in several publications including More Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft in Profile, and shows his aircraft wearing a non-standard camouflage. There are various interpretations of this scheme with most profiles showing the upper surfaces in 02 / 75, and several miss the darker tail color entirely. However, there is little contrast between 02 and 75 when photographed in black & white. After studying the aircraft in the background and the aft end of the droptank, I decided that the lighter color could be 76, and painted the model using 74 / 75 / 76... "  Jeff Groves

See much more of Jeff's superlative modelling on Robert Rensch's 72nd Scale Aircraft forum

Fw 190s of JG 26, JG 1, JG 2 & JG 54

Above;  FW 190 "schwarze 16" of 8./JG 26 with Spatzwappen (sparrow emblem) seen at Wevelgem during 1943. In the cockpit is Wart Gödecker and on the right of the shot is Lt. Gerd Wiegand.
From Michael Meyer's current Ebay sales 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=111072537209&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1123

Below; Fw 190 A-5 assigned to Gruppe TO II./ JG 1 summer 1943. Note red Tatzelwurm on the cowl and FuG 16 antenna mast under the port wing

more Luftwaffe Seaplanes - Dornier Do 24 of 6. Seenotstaffel, Dornier Do 18 and Bv 138

Do 24 of 6. Seenotstaffel in Syracus 1942. On the left of the shot is Oblt. Wölke Staffelkapitän der 6 Seenotstaffel, KIA on 13.11.1942 and Ernst Wargant along with Staffel Hund Helo....

Do 24 of  6. Seenotstaffel in the harbour at Patras following a collision with a fishing boat. Note the damaged nose. Picture is dated 1942.

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Foto-Flugzeug-Airplane-Dornier-Do-18-Pilot-Mechaniker-9017-/370811518092?pt=Militaria&hash=item565616bc8c

more Bf 109 Emils and a Friedrich of JG 27 and JG 26 - Ebay Luftwaffe photo find

 Me 109 E of the Stab I./JG 27 Major Eduard "Edu" Neuman preparing for a sortie 1941  (am Start zum Feindflug )

Below; Bf 109 F-4 trop. of 5./JG 27 seen in April 1942 after a sortie flown by the Staffelkapitän Hptm Ernst Düllberg, fourth from the left.  Düllberg was awarded the RK on 27.4.1944 and achieved around 45 victories.

Me 109 E "gelbe 6" of 6./JG 27 being put back on its undercarriage following a landing accident during the campaign in the Balkans, spring 1941

Me 109 E "schwarze 12 or 13" of 5./JG 27, pilot Uffz Hans Niederrhöfer seen in Bitolj, Yugoslavia mid-April 1941

Me 109 E of 8./JG 26 featuring the Adamsonstaffel Wappen late 1939. The 1 +2 Wart Hans... und Emil Jachowski pictured alongside "Red 6 ".

Michael Meyer's current Ebay sales are here