Several 'undoctored' images from the Ritterkreuzträger II./ SG 1 Ernst-Christian Reusch photo series last seen one year ago on ebay. The F-8 of the Kommandeur was 'double chevron A' (small letter'A' just visible in the small chevron) with wing-racks faired over, universal wing (outer wing cannon bulges, no outer wing armament fitted). A single click on the image to view LARGE.
More 'new' and informal images on offer here. Reusch on the right in the second and third photos below.
No, me neither. It appears that Exito Decals is the new 'baby' of profile illustrator Dariusz Światłoń who has taken over from Thierry Dekker as the artist entrusted with illustrating the next volume in Erik Mombeeck's 'Luftwaffe Gallery' series which is due soon ( as usual English language text by this blog writer )
Exito have just launched a superb new line of Luftwaffe fighter decals. Taking subjects seen in previous " Luftwaffe Gallery Special " unit volumes from Erik Mombeeck each sheet features three mostly new and occasionally unusual machines with high-class profile illustrations featured on an A-4 sized 'fact-sheet' for collectors. A step up from the market standard.
Decals are printed by Cartograf.
Thanks for the heads-up to Adam at the 72nd scale blog here
Some neat footage of a selection of Ju 88s (note KG 51 badge in evidence) from the Junkers Frontbetriebreparatur (FBR - advanced maintenance facility) in the Nord Aviation factory at Méaulte in the Somme region of northern France seen during 1940.
Following the French defeat and subsequent armistice in June 1940 the Vichy French authorities had very quickly opened negotiations with their new German masters. On the table was an offer to produce spares for German aircraft manufacturers and establish overhaul and repair facilities for aircraft operating from French territory and in so doing preserve industrial capacity in aviation and preserve employment and some of their manufacturing base in France. In making themselves useful to the Germans, the French authorities hoped to avoid all their workers being drafted east to work as 'Auslandarbeiter' in German aircraft factories. Their offer was quickly taken up and led to the establishment of so-called Frontbetriebreparatur or FBR plants - advanced overhaul facilities. With Ju 88s, for example, operating from no fewer than thirty eight aerodromes throughout France at the height of the Battle of Britain the French had quickly gained a certain amount of expertise on the type. The Vichy Government thereafter concluded the so-called Wiesbaden Agreement with the Reich to bring the French aircraft industry fully into alignment with German production, with one aircraft or engine out of every three being retained for Vichy, the other two going to Germany. Certain types, such as the Messerschmitt Bf.108, Siebel Si.204 and Fiesler Fi.156 Storch were intended for wholesale transfer of their production to France. And indeed, even the Focke Wulf Fw 190 was intended for this move (and the post-war Armée de l'Air was briefly equipped with home-built Fw 190s, known as the NC.900). While some would argue that the French were not constructing war machines for the Germans, it is nonetheless the case that producing large numbers of transports and seaplanes enabled German industry to concentrate on fighters and other offensive weapons.
Today the Méaulte factory is home to Stelia Aerospace who turn out nose sections for Airbus.
The factory scenes appear in the first five-minutes of this 7-minute clip. A single click to view here.
New Friedrichs for JG 52, possibly II. Gruppe (Balken just visible in lower photo) pre-Barbarossa in the Netherlands, May 1941. No signs of the engine cowl covers which is strange- probably in the paint shop being sprayed yellow overall..
Pilots of 9./JG 300 seen in September 1944 in Jüterbog alongside Bf 109 G-14/AS "yellow 12". Standing third from the right is the ace of 9. Staffel Fhr. Klaus Grothues, third from left is Lt. Otto Köhler. Obfhr. Arnulf Meyer far left (standing) had been badly burnt earlier in the year and his face is dark brown from the numerous applications of antiseptic ointment. Note that some of the pilots are wearing life vests - despite being based in central Germany more than one JG 300 pilot had drowned after bailing out and coming down in a lake or reservoir...
Grothues was shot down and killed in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G 14/AS “Yellow 2” on 14 January 1945 north of Rathenow during the course of a huge 8th AF raid over Berlin. Credited with 17 victories he was the last ace of III. Gruppe. His disappearance, coming as it did one month after the loss of Lt. Otto Köhler - along with the losses in combat that day - had a profound impact on his comrades. In the space of thirty minutes on 14 January 1945, Jagdgeschwader 300 and 301 lost at least 90 fighters; 68 pilots, either dead, wounded or missing — 39 of whom belonged to JG 300 — were hors de combat! For Jagdgeschwader 300, aircraft losses, amounting to at least sixty machines , approached 50% of those committed during the course of the day...
