Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8/R2 Butcherbirds / Rammjäger of IV./JG 3 - archive photo scan #42

 

New Fw 190 decals in 48th from the Czech ASK Art Scale Kit (Art Scale Kit Item No. D48075 - Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8/R2 Part 2) features Butcherbirds / Rammjäger of IV./JG 3.

Reference photos are provided in the package ..but here is a better view of 'black 12' which was apparently lost during the transit from Germany to Normandy making a forced landing in France shortly after the Gruppe was sent west following the D-Day landings. Note over-painted rear fuselage band. Click on the image for a wide-screen view.

Fw-190 A-8/R2, 'black 12', Wnr.730282, IV.(Sturm)/JG 3,  June 1944.

Fw 190 coded 'JFE' , Bf 108 PS-T

 

According to the Robinson/Derry "Flightcraft" book on the Fw 190 (to which this blogger largely contributed) this is Fw 190 F-8, WNr 933849, which was found abandoned on a Luftwaffe airfield and appropriated by W/Cdr James Francis ‘Stocky’ Edwards, RCAF, 127 Wing, in late 1944/early 1945. The story goes that W/Cdr Edwards spotted the Fw 190 in an adjacent field while returning from a sortie during the Allied advance through Belgium and the Netherlands and had it transported to the base where the Wing was operating from which, according to the photo’s original caption was Soltau, Germany, but may possibly have been B.58 Melsbroek or B.56 Evere in Belgium. All the aircraft’s Luftwaffe markings were overpainted and RAF roundels and fin flashes applied, as were the Wing Commander’s initials ‘JFE’. Apparently, the aircraft was unofficially flown several times, although its ultimate fate is uncertain. The Messerschmitt Bf 108 in the background also carries RAF markings and the initials ‘PST’ of fellow Canadian, Group Captain Percival Stanley ‘Stan’ Turner, who oversaw the conversion of 127 Wing on to ground attack duties and flew with the Wing on several missions. (Courtesy of Carl Vincent)

Uffz. Kunze Fw 190 A-6 JG 1

Some time ago now I received a message from Falk Boersch, the nephew of JG 1 Fw 190 pilot Uffz. Bernhard Kunze, seen here (above) standing between his two mechanics. Unfortunately Falk's web site is now defunct but Falk had researched the circumstances and details of his uncle's fatal crash at the controls of his 2./ JG 1 FW 190 A-6 (Black 1, WN 550884) on 5 January 1944 close to Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany. A subject that Falk and I agreed on was the very inconsistent discussion of the checkerboard colour of the fighters he piloted. Falk had written to all the relevant publishers to get what he himself called the 'truth' published - but unfortunately without success. Nowadays of course everyone knows that black/white was the only combination of coloured checks on JG 1 Fw 190s - there were no black/yellow checkers on Kunze's machines such as can be seen on those old profiles published in the Mombeek JG 1 book series (and on EagleCal decal sheets) There were no exceptions at any time - all the different Staffeln of JG 1 were painted the same identical black/white colour combination irrespective of the Staffel or Staffel Kennung...

Bernard Kunze had been shot down the previous summer attacking B-17s as the U.S. 8th Air Force launched one of its first large-scale bombing raids against aircraft factories in Oschersleben on 28 July 1943. As the formations of over 300 B-17s struggled to their targets they were widely dispersed by repeated attacks from the Jagdgruppen - over 300 Fw 190s and Bf 109s were scrambled. Up from Deelen just before 10:00, Kunze, flying 'white 12', attacked a lone, damaged B-17 in the vicinity of Groningen with his Rottenflieger. Kunze was relatively inexperienced, having claimed his first victory only on 13 June, a B-17 downed during a raid on Kiel. He added a second on 22 June and had claimed his third B-17 just two days prior to the 28 July interception. The two Fw 190s immediately closed with the straggler to finish it off. An easy target. As Kunze maneuvered into a firing position and opened up, the American bomber suddenly returned fire. The gunners' bursts of fire struck Kunze’s aircraft hard, sending it into a steep dive. Though he managed to pull out, his Fw 190 was barely controllable and continued to lose altitude rapidly. To his horror, Kunze realized he was on a collision course with a public outdoor swimming pool in Drachten (Netherlands) — and there was nothing he could do to steer clear. It was a warm summer day, and the pool was packed. The aircraft skimmed just above the water and clipped a woman standing near the pool's edge with its wingtip, throwing her into the water but miraculously leaving her unharmed. The plane came to a stop at the far end of the pool. Swimmers, still in their bathing suits, fled out into the streets. Meanwhile, Kunze calmly walked across the road to a garage and phoned the nearby Leeuwarden airbase to request a car to come and retrieve him. In total six I./JG 1 Fw 190s were either brought down or made forced landings after attacking the bombers - a second sortie was flown by those fighters that could be refuelled and rearmed in time. For no visible result... 

Model of Kunze's 'white 12' by 'Elger'. Thanks to Elger for the images and text outline of Kunze's July 43 sortie. Elger presented Falk with a model of this machine for his aunt, Bernhard Kunze's sister, who was still alive in the early 2000s. This is his most recent superb representation of 'white 12' using the Hasegawa 1:32nd kit.

 

Oblt. Rudolf Smola Stukageschwader 'Immelmann', Schlachtflugzeug Luftflotte 4, April-May 1944 - Bundesarchiv photo report #9

 

from Bernard Roland's excellent two volume history of Stukageschwader 'Immelmann' (Lela Presse)

" ..New crews joined the Immelmann as the unit's losses began to accumulate. The arrival of the Austrian Oblt Rudolf “Bazi” Smola during September 1943 was of particular note. From Vienna, Smola had been a Gebirgsjäger (light infantry 'mountain' troops) before applying to fly as an observer in various Hs 126 reconnaissance units. In March 1943, he submitted a request to be trained as a pilot. It took him just six months to join the Immelmann, where he carved out his reputation..[..]..during April 1944 II./SG 2 operated out of Karankut before being called up at Chersones and flying missions over the Crimea. Appointed Staffelkapitän of 5./SG 2, Smola made a name for himself and his Staffel. According to one report, Smola's Staffel destroyed numerous armoured vehicles to the north of Sebastopol in just a few days, as well as thirty-six enemy aircraft in combat and twenty on the ground. Three of these victories and fourteen ground destructions were credited to Smola himself.." 

Still at the head of his 5.Staffel SG 2, Smola was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 27 July 1944 after some 530 combat sorties including approx 130 as an observer with 7.(H)/21, 12.(H)/13 and NAG 13 from the Polish campaign and including the opening phases of ‘Barbarossa’. During September 1944, he was named Kommandeur of IV./SG 151 (with the rank of Hptm.) then commanded I./SG 3. He was shot down and killed on 27 March 1945 by Russian flak at Zinten (East Prussia). In total Smola was credited with some 600 war flights and 17 victories.

more Fw 190s - archive photo scan #36

 

more Fw 190s scanned - #36 in a series of photos scanned for this blog..

Staffelkapitän 2./JG 11 Erich Hondt’s A-5/U12 WNr 410 266 ‘schwarze 13' with the Staffelzeichen on the cowl. Hondt's machine displayed the so-called Schwarmführerstreifen or red diagonal stripes of a Schwarm leader along the fuselage sides appearing as a 'Vee' from above..The U12 Rüstsatz comprised underwing gondolas each containing a pair of MG 151 cannon, one of the few armament Rüstsätze to reach operational status

Ofw. Bigge's 'Black 2' of the Fw 190 nightfighter Staffel 2./JG 2 in the early summer of 1943 in western France seen flipped over after a bombing raid according to the hand-written caption on the image - or as a result of a landing accident on 6 September 1943 according to another source....Fw 190s of this Staffel were finished in overall 76..

 Another JG 11 Kanonenboot with the underwing Gondelwaffen

..and from the ongoing Petrick archive ebay sell off.  Oskar Romm's Dora seen in Prenzlau, March 1945. I don't recall this image from Jochen Prien's history of IV./JG 3. A nice find...

Werfer rocket launcher-toting A-7/8s of I./JG 26 getting airborne from a field strip in western France during the summer of 1944. These aircraft were used with limited success on ground attack sorties against Allied armour and road convoys..

new-tool Fw 190 in 1:72 from KP - first (..and second build) from Michel Wilhelme

 

"...Hi Neil, here is the latest new-tool Fw 190 kit from Kovozavody KP - this is from the A-3 "Aces" box finished in the markings of Oskar 'Ossi' Romm of JG 51 in Eastern front greens. This is one of the markings options on the kit decal sheet. Unfortunately this new-tool KP Fw 190 is not a particularly straight forward build. It requires a fair bit of filler and sanding of various parts. Even so I think I got a nice model out of it. The pictures give you an idea of the other options in the A-2 and A-4 boxes..."  Michel Wilhelme

 

" Hi Neil, here is the second Fw 190 from KP that I just finished. This is Detlev ROHWER's A-3 in 1942 in France. Nothing special on this assembly I begin to know what it is necessary to make to obtain a good result.."

Fw. Kurt Knappe - first Abschuss in the West

An 'unexpurgated' view of Fw. Kurt Knappe's rudder scoreboard on his Fw 190 A-4 WNr. 2413 from the ECPA-D file DAA 2693 - recently posted elsewhere without commentary. Knappe arrived in the West at III./JG 2 with 51 Eastern Front 'red star' victory markings on his rudder. This image was taken on the occasion of his first 'kill' in the West - his 52nd - marked with what appears to be an RAF 'roundel' visible here (bottom row) but which is in fact an American 'star'. This first victory with 7. Staffel was achieved on 30 December 1942 -a USAF B-17- shot down over the sea during a 1st Bomb Wing raid comprising some 40 B-17s on the U-boat pens at Lorient. B-17 'kills' were soon represented with a double-bar with US star superimposed on JG 2 rudder scoreboards. Knappe was posted to the West in late 1942 along with another JG 51 ace - Erich Hohagen - to 'beef up' 7./JG 2 who had lost Oblt. Egon Mayer following Mayer's appointment as Kommandeur of III./JG 2. Mayer replaced 'Assi' Hahn who departed for JG 54 in the East on 1 November 1942.

The 8th USAF's raid on the U-boat pens at Lorient on Wednesday 30 December 1942 - the 27th mission of this fledgling force- was significant in the story of the Fw 190-equipped III./ JG 2. Kommandeur Mayer and his Stab along with nine Fw 190s from 7. Staffel were airborne from Vannes to counter the incursion. Mayer was determined to carry out a new tactic that he had been considering over the previous weeks - the frontal attack, hitting the B-17s where their defensive fire was at its weakest. Flying alongside Knappe that morning was another ace encountering four-engine bombers for the first time - Lt. Georg-Peter Eder.
 

new from KP - early Fw 190s in 1:72

new-tool early Fw 190s in 1:72nd from KP due imminently. I built the Zvezda A-4 some time ago, but that one was a little disappointing in the area of the cowl exhausts, especially the lower cowl. More on that one here - and Peter Rodeike's article re the JG 1 'devil in the clouds' emblem, research which KP appear not to have seen...

Hptm. Rolf Hermichen, 3./JG 26 Fw 190 A-5 'yellow 5' - and a new magazine from Eduard, " Eduard Modeller's Den "

I recently responded to a request for images of the Fw 190 A-5 'yellow 5' flown by 3./JG 26 StaKa Oblt. Rolf Hermichen as featured by Eduard as a markings option in their Fw 190 A-5 kit. 

Seen here perched on the tailplane of his I./JG 26 Fw 190 A-5 'yellow 5'. Hermichen was a successful Bf 110 Zerstörer pilot in the Westfeldzug and went East with 6./SKG 210 before joining I./JG 26. Hermichen led 3./JG 26 on the Eastern Front from late January 1943 out of Dno and Riebiltzi, the Gruppe having 'swapped' sectors with III./JG 54 - and adopted their Wintertarnung camouflage finish for their new Fw 190s. Full story in the April 2003 issue of the now defunct Belgian magazine 'Histoire de Guerre'. Covered by Eduard in their boxing of the Fw 190 A-5. Another photo below..

And while on the subject of Eduard, here's a heads-up for a new 'paid-for' magazine that Eduard are producing called "Eduard Modeller's Den".  This first 'Zero' issue features a lengthy piece by Dan Caldwell on the Schweinfurt-Regensburg raid from the Luftwaffe perspective, illustrated with archive photos and plenty of Eduard artwork. Produced under the direction of the two Jans - Zdiarsky and Bobek - the first issue is available to download for free. As I understand it, the "Eduard Modeller's Den" will be a more 'serious' publication than the regular Eduard 'newsletter' and feature a wide range and diversity of topics, but with less emphasis on the advertising of Eduard and their products. Subsequent issues are 'paid-for' but the small fee will enable the reader to exchange 'coupons' for discounts at the Eduard e-store. Good luck with this new venture guys!

https://emd.eduard.com/en

Oblt. Kurt Ruppert, Staka 9./JG 26 - Bundesarchiv photo report #8

 

Photographed in late August 1942, this is Oblt. Kurt Ruppert's Fw 190 A-3 WNr. 551 'gelbe 1+I' of 9./JG 26.  I'm assuming that is Ruppert seated on the cockpit being saluted by his comrades. There are 17-18 victory Balken on the rudder. Ruppert had returned his 15th in July and then claimed 3 Spitfires shot down on 19 August 1942 as he led his 9.Staffel over Dieppe flying out of Moorsele, Belgium. Note the high contrast finish and the very light yellow of the aircraft Kennung -  the 'darker' camo colour is either a 'grey-green' or 'green-grey' 74, almost certainly the Graugrün variation of '74'. See the link below for more on this. Claes Sundin's 'Profile book No. 10' has more on Ruppert and artwork. Strangely the only 'Ruppert' to appear in  'Buch 1, Flugzeugführer des Jagdgeschwaders 1939-Mitte 1944' is Ofw. Hans Ruppert. (109 Feindflüge, 2 victories) who, like his namesake, died bailing out of his burning machine. Kurt Ruppert was KIA during June 1943 as Kommandeur III./JG 26 with 21 victories. (thanks to Rudi Kneipp for help with this post)

Ruppert flew with;

3./JG 26 from at least the beginning of 1940 to 11.11.1940, 

9./JG 26 from 12.11.1940 - 06.04.1943 

9./JG 26 Staffelkapitän from 02.05.1942 (http://wp1097868.server-he.de/geschwader/jg26.html) from 01.09.1942 Hauptmann and T.O. (Technischer Offizier?) 

III./JG 26 Gruppenkommandeur m.d.F.b. (mit der Führung beauftragt, ie, he was only a interim commander) from 07.04.1943 - 13.06.1943

Also on this blog;

Richard Goyat on Fw 190 colours

RAD 'Arbeitsmann' on airfield guard duty -Instapic #18

  

RAD 'Reichsarbeitsdienst' (labour service) personnel were often employed as airfield 'guards'. Here an 'Arbeitsmann' on airfield guard duty somewhere in the West from an ECPA-D PK photo 'reportage' on the activities of the RAD. (from the DAA files). The second image shows a close-up of the 'Dienststellenabzeichen' on the left upper arm. 

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...

Fw 190 in JG 26 - archive photo scan #32

 

An early JG 26 Fw 190 - an enlargement from a Nicolas Grebert image previously published in the author's " La Jagdgeschwader 26 - Histoire de quelques aérodromes de la Luftwaffe dans le nord de la France.." Note the aircraft shelter in the background. If this is Wissant/Audembert, about 23 km south of Calais, then the remnants of these are still visible from the road that runs alongside the field. 

Click on the image to view large..

JG 53 Friedrich, JG 26 Fw 190 -archive photo scan #31

 

'white 8' of II./JG 53 with yellow cowl and spinner somewhere in Holland prior to Barbarossa. Note rough over-painting of the yellow areas. A single click on the images for a wide view.

Fw 190 A-5 of the Stab./JG 26 being prepared for a sortie in its 'shelter'. Electric starter cart plugged in.