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

Schlachtgeschwader 3 sortie at Dorpat, Estonia - Bundesarchiv photo report #6

A photo-report at SG 3 from PK Berichter Doege dated 9 March 1944 in Estonia (Dorpat, Estland), Einsatzbesprechung  - pre-sortie briefing (middle, Oberleutnant Hans Töpfer). Another sequence from the same photo report can be found in the ECPA-D files...

March 1944 Estland, Dorpat- Schlachtgeschwader 3. Junkers Ju 87 mit weißem Tarnanstrich auf verschneitem Flugplatz, nach der Landung in Parkposition

Special Hobby/Academy Junkers Ju 87 G-2 by Giampiero Piva

 

Special Hobby's re-release of the 1:72nd Academy Junkers Ju 87 G has been given the Giampiero Piva treatment!

 Academy's Ju 87 G-2 is a nice kit, and certainly looks looks impressive in the box with its very crisp, finely engraved panel lines, thin clear parts (two canopies included, one multi-part) and decent detail, especially in the cockpit which includes a nicely rendered radio set. GP has re-worked the model, added the superb Aires resin cockpit and much more detail to the cannon.

The kit features the longer-span wing and two 37mm anti-tank guns slung under the wings. The underwing 37mm cannon pods are especially well done. As might be expected in this scale, some of the more subtle elements are oversimplified. These include the "Zwilling" twin machine -guns in the rear of the cockpit and the hinge arrangement for the flaps/ailerons.

Subject of the model is a 10.(Pz)/SG 3 'Panzerknacker', as seen operating from Schippenbeil (Poland) or from Jakobstadt (Lithuania) in the winter of 1944. According to Giampiero. "..all my models are brush-painted, which makes my output somewhat slow. I post models made recently but also others made a while ago.."

Thanks to Del (James V. Crow collection) for images of the real machines - which are fairly rare. Note the 'Wolfskopf' emblem on the cowling of 'S7+ET'  (see below)

Ebay sale album depicting  Stukageschwader 3 Junkers Ju 87s, including images of the BK 3.7 anti-tank Panzerknacker Kanonenvogel cannon toting variant. - note unit prefix 'S7' partially visible.

Also on this blog; More on Rudel's Ju 87 Kanonenvogel

Bundesarchiv photo report series #3 - Fw 190s of Schlachtgeschwader 3

 More BA photos are available to view and reproduce on non-commercial web sites. These recent finds from PK reporter Doege are dated 09 March 1944. None of these images are labeled 'Fw 190' or 'Ju 87' ...

9 March 1944, Estland, Dorpat (?).- Fw 190s of Schlachtgeschwader 3 in white winter camo prior to a sortie (.. mit weißem Tarnanstrich auf verschneitem Flugplatz, vor dem Start ) according to the caption although the absence of any ordnance suggests otherwise...however with Ju 87s of an unnamed Schlachtgeschwader also getting airborne from the same field in this sequence this was possibly a Stuka escort mission

I./JG 54 Friedrich - Wintertarnung

 

an unpublished image from the album of Hans Girke, a Wart in I./JG 54. Girke contributed to the Lela Presse two volume history of JG 54 (Philippe Saintes) reviewed elsewhere on this blog. Reproduced large across the screen to maximise details of the winter  finish. A yellow (?) Kennziffer is just visible as is the green heart (?) under the canopy.

perhaps a different view of the same machine as it is pushed back into its 'shelter'

 

Russland Feldflugplatz Focke Wulf Fw 190 Junkers Ju 87 Wintertarnung - ebay photo find #346

 

I./JG 54 Fw 190 A-3? I./JG 51 A-2 a possibility. Note white-wash prop blades/cooling fan. Is the cowling the same colour as the fuselage band ?

Fw 200 C-4/U1 Fliegerstaffel des Führers Wintertarnung - ebay photo find #341

CE+IB WNr. 0137  was a machine from the Fliegerstaffel des Führers  more colloquially known as the 'FdF' ..Für den Führer ('for the Führer'). Note the emblem applied to the forward fuselage slightly ahead of the canopy - an eagle's head in a circular frame comprising a garland of oakleaves and the initials 'FdF' within the bottom curve of the frame.

The origin of the Fliegerstaffel des Führers dates back to February 1933 when Adolf Hitler directed Lufthansa Flugkapitän Hans Baur, who was already the Führer’s personal pilot, to establish a Regierungsflugdienst (Government Flight Service) at Berlin-Tempelhof with 2 Ju 52/3m  transports. In 1934, and now with 4 Ju 52s on hand, it was officially designated Flugbereitschaft RLM but informally referred to as the Regierungsstaffel. By 31 December 1936 the Regierungsstaffel had grown to 13 Ju 52s, two of which were reserved for Hitler’s use, 3 for General Göring’s use and 7 of the remainder assigned to Hess, Himmler, Rippentrop and several other high officials. The first Fw 200 Condor was delivered to the Staffel in July 1939 and a specially outfitted Condor (D-2600 “Immelmann III”) for Hitler’s use was delivered on 19 October 1939. Through its existence from 1933 to 1945 the Staffel’s sole function was to operate as a private passenger airline for Hitler and the highest ranking personages of the National Socialist regime and foreign heads of state on official visits to the Führer. At no time during its existence did the Staffel belong to the Luftwaffe. Instead, it came directly under the Reichskanzlei and the Führer’s personal military staff. The aircrew personnel and other senior officials were former Deutsche Lufthansa (DLH) employees who held honorary rank in the SS and wore high-ranking SS uniforms. The remaining personnel were a mixture of DLH civilians and after the war began a smattering of carefully selected Luftwaffe personnel. During the early war years Hans Baur created a Staffel emblem that consisted of an eagle’s head with a surrounding oak wreath or crown and the inscription “F.d.F.” The Regierungsstaffel was renamed Fliegerstaffel des Führers on or about 1 September 1939.

F.d F  Fw 200 C-4/U1 code CE+IB WNr.0137