II./JG 77 Emil and Friedrich - ebay photo find #388

 

According to the seller this is a II./JG 77 Emil - and I'm inclined to think that he is correct. But for the II. Gruppe bar I might have said this was a I.(J)/LG 2 machine. Note narrow fuselage band ahead of the Kennung, yellow cowl and the interesting 'stripey mottling' probably of 71 and 02. Wing tips appear to be white..

See today's 'Featured blog post' entitled "..from Larissa to Salonika.." for similarly marked II./JG 77 machines in Greece during April 1941..(especially the combination of white wingtips and yellow rudder/cowl)

Another JG 77 Emil in Greece - note 'R' Richthofen badge beneath the cockpit...

Below; Another ex-JG 2 Bf 109 E in Greece,  JG 77 ace Emil Omert in the cockpit probably at Molaoi

 

Staying with the same seller, this is a neat view of Anton Hackl's 5./JG 77 Bf 109 F-4 'black 5' during the summer of 1942 (Crimea). Note the Seeadler emblem ahead of the cockpit..

Also on this blog;

Herbert Ihlefeld Kommandeur I.(J)/LG 2

Ostermann's Friedrich - ebay photo find #387

 

Sold as an 'original' photo for 172 euros, this 'white 1' of 7./JG 54 is an F-2 sometimes assigned to Max-Hellmuth Ostermann and is an image previously published in several JG 54 books. Note the 30 black Abschussbalken. Ostermann claimed his 30th on 5 September 1941. click to view large. Via 'Snautzer'

JG 2 Friedrich 'Notlandung Cherbourg' - ebay photo find #384

 

..and the seller also states 'Wick 1940'.  So probably not Cherbourg either - III./JG 2 was mostly based at St.Pol/Brias during the summer and autumn of 1941.

This yellow-nosed  7.Staffel JG 2 Bf 109 F-2 'white 10' with (barely visible and rare for a Friedrich) 'top hat' or Zylinderhut emblem on the cowl appears to have made a wheels-up landing and slid off the end of the field during the late summer of 1941 - or perhaps the gear has collapsed after the machine has run over the slight embankment around the perimeter. Certainly the prop does not appear to have been damaged. Subsequent images show the aircraft back on its gear and being pushed around the perimeter road. The focus of attention though in the picture below is not on the aircraft but on something in the road behind it - has the aircraft hit something? There certainly seems to be some damage on the spinner. Note (presumably) the pilot near the tailplane (in life jacket) and the onlooker behind him wearing a black beret. 7. Staffel gave up their Friedrichs in May 1942 to convert to the Fw 190. Kapitän during this period was Oblt. Egon Mayer.

also on this blog

III./JG 2 convert onto the Fw 190 May-June 1942 - 7. Staffel Kapitän Oblt. Egon Mayer.

St.G 2 Ju 87 im Osten, October 1941 - ebay photo find #381

 

Soldaten des Pz.Rgt.29 bei Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" mit Truppenkennzeichen der Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 im Osten, 1941. 

 This is 'T6+GT', a 9. Staffel Ju 87 R-2 of III./St.G 2 (WNr. 5780) photographed during the late summer of 1941 following a forced-landing close to the Rollbahn, which occurred on 27 August 1941. The pilot may well have been attempting an emergency landing on the road. The emblem of III Gruppe visible forward of the cockpit was adopted in late 1939. The 'GT' appears on the yellow fuselage band on the port side, the 'G' being outline only. More images of this aircraft were published in the superlative book Stukageschwader 2 'Immelmann' authored by Marc Hazard. (Lela Presse, 2018). Additional caption info via GRM.

SS Fallschirmjäger Btl. 500 Drvar May 1944, "Rösselsprung" - ebay photo find #380

 

 "Rösselsprung" was a failed German airborne and ground operation aimed at capturing or killing the Yugoslav Partisan leader Marshal Josip Broz ('Tito') in the Bosnian town of Drvar. Launched on 25 May 1944, the 'airborne' part of the assault was carried out by the SS-FJ battalion 500 - some 340 paratroopers were transported on board 34 DFS 230 gliders, the remainder of the battalion jumping from TG 4 Ju 52 Transporter. Meanwhile the town of Drvar was also bombed by the Luftwaffe. The gliders were towed by Hs 126 and Ju 87 tugs. A number of these images appeared in subsequent German newpaper reports - almost certainly taken by PK Berichter. In the end the operation was a failure - the area was well-defended by strong partisan forces while German intelligence regarding Tito's exact location was faulty. 

This was the image of victory that was publicized. These F-J paras show off their trophies including the flags of the Allied Mission. The rifle of the man in the middle has a grenade launcher on its muzzle.

more SG Fw 190s - ebay photo find #379

on offer here

Fw 190 F-8 "White 12" / USA marking "G*K4" W.Nr 583234, 4./SG 2, Kitzingen, May. 1945...

Ju 88s of KG 66 - ebay photo find# 376

 

some nice KG 66 Ju 88s on ebay at the moment. ('archive being broken up following the death of a collector') Ju 88 S-3 with wing-mounted FuG 217

Below; identified as a T-3 coded '6M' from the 2. Staffel of Aufkl.Gr 11 - the last recce version of the Ju 88, only some 23 examples of this type were constructed by Henschel. FuG 101 beneath the port wing, FuG 217 on the upper wing. Camera ports visible. 

Go to AIMs site for decal options for some of these Ju 88s of KG 66. Link in the side panel, right. Thanks to John/Marc for ID info.

Dora-9 im Einsatz - Fw 190 D-9 in service with III./JG 54 -ebay photo find #375

 

The dispersal of the Peter Petrick archive continues apace via Oliver Rogge's ebay auction pages (Kurmark Antik). While published in many books that feature the D-9 (since Lorant's 'Focke Wulf Fw 190' first appeared in the early 1980s) this selection features one or two 'new' images. Two of my purchases from Oliver's offers have just arrived and they are pretty decent quality - in fact I'm told they are prints from Ungar's original negatives.

The Fw 190 D-9 entered service with III. Gruppe of JG 54 'Grünherz' during October 1944 at Achmer (12. Staffel) and Hesepe (9. Staffel), where they were deployed to cover Me 262 Kommando Nowotny 'Turbos'. While the first Doras in service undoubtedly piqued the interest of their pilots, according to Fw. Fritz Ungar of 9./ JG 54,  the sole reason for this picture series was to record the Staffel fox terrier mascot 'Struppi' for posterity. There is unfortunately no complete view of either "White 2" or "White 3". "White 2" was WNr. 210015 which was lost over Hesepe on 15 October 1944 after being shot down by 83FS T'bolts. Lt. Fritz Bartak  was wounded but managed to bail out.

Below; another view of 'Struppi', this time in the cockpit of  9./JG 54's 'white 3' with Fritz Ungar. "White 3" was the eighth series production machine (Wnr. 210008). Note the reinforcing strip required by the installation of the Jumo 213 to the 190 fuselage.

'Struppi'  enjoying the attention of the mechanics of 9./JG 54 perched on the horizontal stabiliser of  "White 3". Note the jack/support under the rear fuselage keeping the tail wheel just off the ground.  The aircraft finish again appears highly polished. Note that 'white 2' and 'white 3' have different style fuselage Balkenkreuze..

special weapons for the Fw 190 (1) - ebay photo find # 375

 

The General der Jagdflieger looks on dubiously as he is shown the SG 'Harfe' - unguided 20 mm missile launchers mounted in the rear fuselage on both sides of a Fw 190 - during a visit to Jagdgruppe 10 in Parchim during November 1944. At least one prototype machine had such armament as here presented to Galland.

Fw 190 A-7 with 21 cm BR Werfer - ebay photo find #368

 

..the rear of this ebay photo print offering states "JG 11 March 1945" 

Two images of this machine are reproduced on p188 of Peter Rodeike's 'Jagdflugzeug 190'. Rodeike identifies this machine as a Fieseler-manufactured A-7 transferred to Toul in France to I./JG 26 in March 1944 with Stkz 'KU+BG' WNr. 643713. According to Rodeike's caption, 'note the rare combination of 'stovepipe' rocket launchers and 30mm cannon  in the outboard wing stations'  - such Fw 190s received the 'Zusatzbezeichnung' R2/R6. Note also this machine has an ETC 501 rack for a 300 Ltr. droptank..

The photo sold for 300 euros  which is a quite ridiculous and stupid amount of money for an image that has been published a number of times previously. Moreover, it will stay posted here.

Junkers Ju 88 G-6 -ebay photo find #367

 

Two nice views of a Ju 88 G-6. Note the flame dampers on the Jumos and the prominent supercharger intake. Starboard wing lower surfaces appear to be in black. Two key 'identifiers' for a G-6 are the angled antenna (with the later SN 2d -frequency V AI radar) and the absence of a lower fuselage gondola. Naxos fairing is visible on the canopy.

On offer here

Fw 190 A-6 'Green 13', Walter Oesau, Stab./JG 1 - ebay photo find #366

 

Manuel Rauh ebay sale, see link at the bottom. Three images of one of Oesau's Fw 190 A-6s. This 'green 13', according to the seller, was seen with JG 1. A good view of the inner gear doors usually deleted on the A-6 and spoked wheel hubs. The key 'identifier' for an A-6 is the 'Abführschacht' cartridge ejector chute in the lower wing for the outer wing MG 151/20 visible in the photo below (p202, Rodeike, 'Jagdflugzeug 190'). Oesau flew an A-5 'green 13' in JG 2 during May 1943 and was appointed Kommodore of JG 1 on 23 November 1943. Note the angled style of the figure '3', similar to the style seen on his FW 190 A-6, "green 13" WNr. 550171. Photos published in "German Fighters in the West" (Stipdonk/Meyer, JaPo 2022) show that particular aircraft with a red fuselage band and the new, ‘winged-1’ emblem of JG 1 on the engine cowling introduced by Oesau in January 1944.

Photo sold for over 300 euros, probably went to 'pimpf5175'  - a mad Frenchie. Why spend this sort of money on ebay photos only to then hide them away?

 

ZG 1 Caudron C.445 with Wespe emblem

JG 11 Fw 190 ace Schwarm leader machine - ebay photo find #365

 

A 3./JG 11 Fw 190 A-5/6 painted with the red 'V' of a Schwarm leader. Note the wooden planked dispersal, typical of Fl. Pl. Husum, north of Hamburg close to the Danish border on the North Sea.

Note the 3. Staffel emblem on the cowl with its 'Wer zuerst schiesst...' or  'He who shoots first lives longest..' motto. Another image shows a 'yellow 9' with the red 'V' - this aircraft may have been the usual aircraft of Lt. Michael Widmann or Fw. Heinz Stöwer. The so-called Schwarmführerstreifen or red diagonal stripes of a Schwarm leader along the fuselage sides appearing as a 'Vee' from above were typically featured on unit leaders' machines in JG 11 to aid re-formation in the air prior to the introduction of fuselage bands. This 3./ JG 11 machine also appears to feature a yellow fuselage Rumpfband.

Erwin ‘Caesar’ Clausen -6./JG 77 - ebay photo find #364

 

 Photos of JG 77 ace Erwin Clausen are comparatively rare - a large achive of JG 77 images gifted to this blog feature only a couple of this pilot. So a recent ebay find - a couple of which apparently depict Clausen's return with his 100th  - are of interest. (thanks Sinisa for the heads-up). 

Born on 5 August 1911 in Berlin, Erwin ‘Caesar’ Clausen joined the Reichsmarine (German Navy) in 1931, transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1935 where he received flight training as an Unteroffizier. When the war commenced Clausen flew in I.(Jagd) Gruppe of LG 2 under the command of Major Hans Trübenbach and filed his first claim on 9 September 1939 downing a Polish biplane. In France during the latter half of the Westfeldzug the Gruppe was stationed at Ferme Montecouvez, approx 15 kms south of Cambrai. Here I.(J)/LG 2 provided fighter escort for German transports resupplying the 4th Army in the vicinity of Cambrai. On 25 May Clausen would claim his second Abschuss, an Armée de l’air Potez 63, however his Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-4B, W.Nr. 5804, also received damage, resulting in a belly-landing near Cambrai (sustaining 75% damage). During the Battle of Britain flying fighter sweeps and ground attack missions he added just one more victory, a Spitfire on 23 September. Close to a month later, on 20 October Clausen’s Bf 109 was badly shot up over England by a Spitfire. He was able to limp back over the Channel for a forced-landing.

On the launch of Barbarossa I.(J)/LG 2 with some 40 Emils on strength was subordinated to JG 77 on the southern sector. Oblt. Clausen was CO of 1.(J)/LG 2 - Strakeljahn and Tismar led 2. and 3. Staffel respectively. He claimed two I-153 downed on 2 July. He was at Jassy, Romania on 15 July for the visit of King Mihail. I./LG 2 claimed 15 victories (six for Clausen) defending the oilfields from Soviet bombers during the interlude replacing III./JG 52 in this theatre. I./LG 2 returned to the 'front' in early October departing Romania for Mariupol. In early 1942 I./LG 2 was re-designated I./JG 77 (with the 'original' I./JG 77 being incorporated into JG 5). On 9 March Clausen claimed five for one of his his best days, reaching some 47 victories. A few months later - I./JG 77 departing the Eastern Front for the Mediterranean- Clausen was posted to II./JG 77 on the central sector of the Eastern Front.

 
Below;  Bf 109 F-4 'white 1' flown by Oblt. Erwin Clausen as Stkp. 1./JG 77. The rudder scoreboard shows 57 victories, the 57th being a claim for an I-16 on or around 14 June 1942..

During July 1942 as StaKa 6./JG 77 he was one of the leading 'scorers' in the Geschwader claiming some 43 victories for the month. During late September he was at Rastenburg to receive the Eichenlaub, having passed 100 victories during late August/early September.  Towards the end of the year he was replaced as StaKa by Lt. Johan Badum after falling ill with malaria. In February 1943 he was posted to EJG Süd and in June 1943 was named Kommandeur of I./JG 11. He was KIA on 4 October 1943 attacking USAF bombers near Borkum. Variously credited with as many as 132 victories although Matthews/Foreman located only one hundred claims on the microfilms. His awards included the DK (25 May 1942), RK (22 May 1942) and Oakleaves (23 July 1942). The image below may or may not show the celebrations for Clausen's 100th...