Croatian Gustav Bf 109 G-10/G-14 deserter - in colour

 via Troy Smith; 

 ".. As a child I was given a bound copy of some Aircraft In Profiles, volume 5 I think. The dust jacket has long since gone. I was model mad anyway, it was the second real aircraft book I owned, and was much looked at over the years. As with anything new, certain images stayed with me, as it was all new, one was the Croatian "G-10" with stylised leaf fuselage cross ...

..but recently this 'new' image turned up on-line... "Bf 109 G-14/AS W.Nr. 782 104 (?) "Crni 4", flown by deserting pilot Vladimir Sandtner, I.Zrakoplovna Skupina. 2. Lovačko Jato, seen at Falconara after 16 April 1945.."

This image was totally new to me, and pretty jaw dropping... note the B-25 in the background too. I realised that the Croat 'cross' is much further forward than the original German one, and centered on a filler point (oxygen?) The colour looks washes out so I'm wondering if this is actually a base colour of 82/75.  There was much gnashing of teeth when this pic surfaced recently and essentially retired all those cherished late war brown/green camo theories. The goat's head emblem is still debated but IMO it's the variation of the one seen on a Fiat G.50. This newly released photo will hopefully result in a new set of decals..."

 Note too the over-painted wing crosses

Below; another view, taken with a film or filter that has made the yellow appear dark, has also made the area round the cockpit really dark, so maybe it is green/grey?

"...This view shows the port side artwork, note the goats head design which is just visible below the cockpit, and the C3 in the filler triangle. ..."

Are there any suitable decals out there ? I have a set from Intech but they do not include the cockpit artwork. some Kora sheets do..

Below; original intel report confirms that the type was a G-14 as flown by defecting pilot Sandtner. According to "Bf 109 Late Versions" (Wolowski, published by MMP) the 78xxxx serial confirms that this was a G-14/AS built by Messerschmitt Regensburg. Even though the small "chin" bulges were not required by the DB 605 AS engine, the theory is that this was done to increase parts commonality with the DB 605 D-engined G-10 and K-4 also being built at that time..

 

click on the images to view full screen

The external visible difference between the G-14/AS and the G-10 was apparently the position of the cold weather starter hatch on the starboard side of the nose - on the G-10 it was in line with the little hole on the rear of the cowl, on the G-14/AS it was lower down - this picture of Black 4 shows this clearly (just above the A of viscarra).

more on this britmodeller thread here