Unusually for a Battle of Britain Emil this Bf 109 E-4, “White 1” WNr. 963 of 4./JG 53, featured a small personal emblem under the cockpit in the form of a 'wasp'. It was regularly flown by the Staffelkapitän Oblt.Günther Schulze-Blanck. Schulze-Blanck led 4. Staffel of JG 53 during August 1940 to 9 September 1940 flying from Sempey in the Pas de Calais. During the afternoon of 9 September there were two large Luftwaffe raids on southern England and Schulze-Blanck was killed in a dogfight over Hastings. Reported MIA his body was washed ashore some two weeks later in France. In addition to the 'wasp', details of note on the Emil are the red stripe around the cowling, which was painted only in the period from the end of July 1940 to 20 November 1940. There are five victory markings on the tail fin. The first – not confirmed – was followed by claims on 13, 24, 25 and 29 August. Schulze-Blanck's last victory, returned on 6 September, does not appear here, thus dating the photo to the 29 August– 6 September time frame; the photo was taken on the airfield at Sempy in the Pas de Calais. Note the over-painted 'later 1940' mottle finish and the rear view mirror on the windshield as well as areas of white paint on the wings along with a white (?) rudder. The lower image from a recent Ebay sale shows what may have been an earlier JG 53 Emil (given the cowl 'ace of spades') also with the 'wasp' emblem below the cockpit - this 'white 11' was presumably also a 'white 1' flown by Schulze-Blanck but re-assigned to another pilot by simply adding another figure '1'...
More on the Luftwaffe Research Group and in JAPO's "German fighters in the West" (Stipdonk/Meyer, 2024)
Also on this blog;
AI Overview
Historical Context of the Red Markings
The Order: Hermann Göring ordered the unit's famous Pik As (Ace of Spades) emblem to be covered up or replaced with a red cowl band/stripe under disputed circumstances.
Prien's Analysis: Jochen Prien's seminal 1980 study (re-examined on FalkeEins) analyzed which aircraft carried these red ring markings.
AI Overview
Refers to the historical research by Luftwaffe historian Jochen Prien, featured on the FalkeEins Luftwaffe Blog, regarding the red stripe or "rote Ringe" cowl markings applied to Messerschmitt Bf 109 "Emil" fighters of Jagdgeschwader 53 (Pik As).
Historical Context of the Red Markings
The Order: Hermann Göring ordered the unit's famous Pik As (Ace of Spades) emblem to be covered up or replaced with a red cowl band/stripe under disputed circumstances.
Prien's Analysis: Jochen Prien's seminal 1980 study (re-examined on FalkeEins) analyzed which aircraft carried these red ring markings.
Significance: Prien concluded the red stripes likely identified command aircraft flown by formation and unit leaders (Staffelkapitän and Schwarmführer), or designated specific aircraft assigned tactical roles like Jabo (fighter-bomber) duties.