NJG Ju 88 C-6 - daily Ebay photo find #165

Looking for all the world like C-6's of KG 40 and/or ZG 1 at Bordeaux during the spring of 1944, these Ju 88 C-6s are taken from an album page marked 'Kastrup spring 1945'. The machine shown here has suffered an undercarriage failure on taxiing (note close proximity to other parked aircraft but little damage). Note also the mix of camo schemes with another parked C-6 in normal 70/71/76 still - all in keeping with other photos of KG 40 and I and III ZG 1. However if this is Denmark after the capitulation, then these machines are on the strength of NJG 102 - there is a Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen table for the Stab NJG102 elsewhere which shows a single C-6 on strength from around April 1944...more hopefully on the Luftwaffe Research Group here

http://www.ebay.de/itm/1945-Deutsche-Flugzeuge-Stuka-Zerstorung-Commander-Original-Fotos-2-WK-/401084115909?hash=item5d6279ebc5:g:zLUAAOSwvgdW3TdZ

8./ JG 2 Fw 190 'black 9' -daily ebay photo find #164

A Wart points out the finer details of his latest wooden model to Fw. Rudolf Eisele (8./JG 2) and right, Lt.Wilhelm Godt (8./JG 2). Perhaps Eisele is holding a model of a Spitfire; Eisele claimed a Spitfire on 29 January 1943 for his 9th victory. Godt is wearing a recently awarded EK II, probably earned for his 19 Sqn Spitfire claimed on 18 January 1943 north-west of Brest....click to view large

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Orig-Foto-Kleinformat-Flugzeug-Jaeger-Fw190-Pilot-mit-frischem-verliehenem-Ek-/222045007239?

Also on this blog

III./JG 2 in France, December 1942 first frontal attack on the bombers

Ju 88 C-6 9H+SL - expired ebay auction #163

Abandoned Ju 88 C-6 9H+SL with a yellow fuselage band and spinner spirals (just visible to the right of the image -click on the photo to view large). According to this old TOCH thread the code 9H was used by the Nahaufklärungsstaffel Kroatien on its Hs 126s and Do 17s from its formation in March 1943 to May 1945. The Staffel was based at Zagreb-Lučko during its entire existence, although it operated from other airfields in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

One contributor to the TOCH thread suggests that this code might be '8H' belonging to the recce Staffel (F)33. See my previous post - this unit's Ju 88s also had a yellow fuselage band and was for a time at least based in the East. The photograph was subsequently published in Roger Gaemperle's "Captured Eagles" book reviewed on this blog here. I'm sure '8H' fits the historical 'story' of this machine better but, that said, you do see what you see.. '9H' appears to fit rather than any other characters. The spinner spirals are of interest - and certainly quite rare on a Ju 88 C-6. Croatian Dornier Do 17s also occasionally featured spinner spirals.

 I asked John McIllmurray of AIMS (the Ju 88 modelling site) to identify the variant and to explain why this was a C-6; ..." obviously it is an A-4 airframe as it has Jumo 211 J engines- you can see the radiator scoop under the engines and the engine temp and propeller pitch window (un-used on outside of engine - the engines were not handed so the window appears on both sides). The angle of the vertical stabilizer rules out a G-variant, as does the small outboard rear bomb bay hatch open, instead of the G series large weapons pack. Finally you can just make out the nose gun battery protruding out from the armour plate - the nose is off that is all .."

Fw 200 of KG 40 Bordeaux- Mérignac and Ju 88 of 3.(F)/AufklGr 33 -daily Ebay photo find #162

Startklar zum Feindflug

C-4s of III./KG 40 seen at Bordeaux- Mérignac. The Germans carried out extensive works at Mérignac for their Atlantic air operations - the aerodrome was developed into arguably the most important Atlantic coast base for anti-shipping and reconnaissance operations. The Germans constructed two concrete runways -  the main runway 2 was oriented north-west/south-east and was some 2,000 metres in length and 80 metres wide. Also constructed were thirteen large metal hangars of some 6,000 sq m organised in three groups. Large numbers of taxiways and dispersal points were constructed over the 410 hectare site - which was surrounded by pines - in attempts to minimise the effects of any Allied air raids. The aerodrome was defended by the RAD-Flakabteilung 595.

Also on this blog;

Unsere Kondor, unser Pilot;  Knight's Cross winner Oberleutnant Bernhard Jope's F8+EL here

Above, Ju 88 of 3.(F)/AufklGr 33; individual letter "Y" in code 8H+YL, yellow ETO fuselage band. Note unusual rune Staffel emblem


Below KG 1 Kopfstand 

Part II Philippe Rico's "French aircraft in German colours"

new and forthcoming from our friends at Lela Presse, the second part of Philippe Rico's "French aircraft in German colours" published on 25 March 2016. Order here.

Website text by this blog author

Following on directly from the first part of Philippe Ricco's photographic study of French aircraft in German colours (Avions HS 40 covering the aircraft produced by Amiot, Arsenal, Bloch, Breguet, CAMS, Caudron, and Delanne ), this second installment features aircraft manufactured by French firms from Dewoitine to Starck. Once again we expect readers will be surprised and delighted by the remarkable range of images presented - some in colour - and the quality of their reproduction here. Detailed French-language image captions are complemented with lists of known codes and units for individual aircraft types while Pierre Tilley has produced a large number of well-rendered colour artworks. We are confident that the superb photographic content will render any potential language barrier irrelevant. This series is a 'must' for enthusiasts of both the Luftwaffe and French WWII aircraft. 

and an 'independent' review of Part 1 on Tom G. Fischer's blog here

refuelling and bombing up KG 77 Dornier Do 17 - daily Ebay photo find #161

Bombenbeladung einer Dornier Do 17. Click to view large. Markus Paul Ebay sales here

Also on this blog;

building the Airfix new-tool Dornier Do 17 Z in 1:72nd scale

Dornier 17 handbook illustrations, detail views, interiors, walkaround - reference for the new-tool Airfix Do 17 in  72nd scale 

more Russian Front Luftwaffe aces, Uffz Alfred Döllefeld "Gelbe 7", 9./JG 54, 9./ JG 3 ace Lt. Rolf Diergardt

 Bf 109 F-2 WNr.8086 Uffz Alfred Döllefeld "Gelbe 7", 9./JG 54, Notlandung 28.January 1942 at Gr. Machim due to engine damage (damage reported as 30%).Eastern Front, Winter 1941-1942

below; currently on offer via Manuel Rauh here

Zvezda 1:48th kit built by Brettas

Aces of 9./ JG 3, one of the most successful Staffeln in JG 3, from a well-known sequence (cf. Prien/Stemmer Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei der III./ JG 3 pages 215-224 ). Below, Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 ‘Yellow 8’ of 9./JG 3, May 1942. Ofw. Georg Schentke on the wing. III./JG 3 emblem on the cowl and the inscription 'Peterle' under the cockpit. Schentke's nickname.

III./JG 3 ace Georg Schentke had some 43 victories - the same total as his Staffel comrade Ofw. Eberhard von Boremski, as per the rudder scoreboard - when the Staffel left the Russian Front to collect new Friedrich F-4s in Straubing during May 1942. Schentke was later that year one of the leading aces in the Platzschutzstaffel Pitomnik but was shot down (KIA) in the vicinity of Stalingrad on Christmas Day 1942. Currently on offer here

Below; Staffelkapitän 9./JG 3 Oblt. Viktor Bauer in the cockpit of his 'Yellow 7', 'Ellen' was Bauer's wife..

 Below; photo print in my shoebox of another 9./ JG 3 ace Lt. Rolf Diergardt in the cockpit of his Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 ‘Yellow 10’ ‘Li - Li - Li’ (WNr. 13324), Straubing, May 1942.  On 21 May, just two days after returning to the front - note the 'luggage' stowed behind his head - Diergardt returned his seventh victory in this machine. On 13 June ‘Yellow 10’‘Li - Li - Li’ was hit by another aircraft on the ground and sustained damages assessed at 20%. Diergardt was KIA on 11 August 1942 in the vicinity of Stalingrad in another Friedrich 'Yellow 10'. He had at least ten victories. The day before Staffelkapitän Bauer himself had been shot down and seriously wounded...