..following on from a previous recent post on JG 53's 'red rings' here are two images of JG 53 Emils with an 'unusually' positioned Hakenkreuz (swastika). Of course a number of III. Gruppe machines were photographed with no swastika at all (cf. Schmidt's machine below), which many have assumed is connected to the 'red ring' marking around the cowl, or the CO's wife or an order to 'tone down' conspicuous emblems..
I'm guessing that in a number of instances the fin was 'reserved' for victory tallies (cf. Schmidt's machine below) while the swastika - and hence the victory Balken - were possibly 'easier' to paint in these locations..unless of course these images have been 'doctored'. And having looked at a good number of JG 53 images I don't see (m)any Emils with 'red ring' minus the swastika...
Erich Schmidt III./JG 53, RK 23 July 1941.