Ju 88 squiggle Mäandertarnung, Italy 1943-4 KG 76, KG 77

"F1+DP" of 6./KG 76, captioned " March 1944 - Italy"

Junkers Ju 88, Italy 1944 Mäandertarnung (squiggle camo) - click to view large

  difficult to even guess at a potential identification for this machine since, as pilot Joachim Siebers of KG 76 recalls in Smith and Gallaspy's " Luftwaffe Camouflage and Markings 1935-45" Vol.3 (Kookaburra, 1977),  elements of at least five Ju 88 bomber units were stationed in Italy around the summer of 1943. Some of these were also - now famously - supplied with aircraft dispatched from Munich direct to the front line, pre-painted in royal blue (RLM 24?) uppersurfaces with RLM 76 Wellenmuster pattern superimposed. Possible Geschwader codes could be "3Z", "F1" or "L1" or even "B3". However the white theatre band seems to have been a feature of KG 77 machines..

Ju 88s of KG 77 on this blog
http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/ju-88-torpedobomber-im-mittelmeerraum.html

http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/diving-luftwaffe-wrecks-in-med-junkers.html

http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/junkers-ju-88-3zer-kg77-besatzung-nach.html

Stabsstaffel. StG 77 'Death's hand' emblem on Bf 110 and Ju 88

Junkers Ju 88 A-4 operating with the Stabstaffel St.G 77 in the spring of 1943 in Kalinowka (Poland). Note the Schwartzkopf heraldic badge alongside the death's hand emblem, also more clearly  visible in the pictures below. This emblem was designed to honour an earlier Geschwaderkommodore, Oberst Günther Schwartzkopf, who was killed during the Westfeldzug. The Stabsstaffel  StG 77 operated both the Bf 110 and the Ju 88 A-4. The Totenhand emblem has previously and mistakenly been attributed to the Stab. NAG 1.

Below; a Bf 110 of the Stabstaffel StG 77 photo taken in 1942 when the unit was operating on the Eastern front. Note the sign in celebration of  the unit's 1000th combat flight clearly associating the skeleton hand emblem with the Stabsstaffel of StG. 77. Click to view full screen

 Jet & Prop 3/06 featured an article entitled 'Nahaufklärergruppen und ihre Verbandskennzeichen" by Rudolf Hecke which depicted Ju 88 A-4 S2+LA of the Stabsstaffel StG77 in early 1943 in Kalinowka. This photo was taken during the time that StG 77 and StG 2 were being reorganized, both operated the Bf 110 and Ju88 A-4. Both units had about 12 Ju 88 A-4s. According to unit strength records from May 21, 1943 both units were disbanded and their crews reassigned to bomber groups.

Below; a Bf 110 of the Stabstaffel StG 77 photo taken in 1942 when the unit was operating on the Eastern front. Note the sign in celebration of  the unit's 1000th combat flight clearly associating the skeleton hand emblem with the Stabsstaffel of StG. 77.

The following photo, colour profile and information is from Jet & Prop 2/05 in an article entitled 'Uber die Nauaufklärungsgruppen (NAG 1-NAG 16) und deren Verbandkennzeichen (VKZ)" by Rudolf Hecke.

 The unit emblem includes a profile of the Geschwaderkommodore Günther Schwartzkopf who was killed on May 14, 1940. The unit Kennzeichen was S2+xA. Stabstaffel StG 77 relocated to Kolinowka in March, 1943 and was reorganized (as stated previously).

At least one StG 77 Bf 110 was transferred to Stab./NAG1 with the Kennzeichen Q1+VB and still retaining the Totenhand emblem on the nose. There is a photo of this machine, which has been widely circulated, and for this reason the Totenhand emblem has been mistakenly attributed to Stab. NAG 1.

Hungarian Bf 110 G-4 - 101 Night fighter Squadron

In December 1944 the Hungarians received about a dozen Bf 110 G-4 nightfighters that served with the 101st Nightfighter Squadron. It was planned to establish a second squadron, pilots were trained but never equipped with the aircraft. The 101 was first stationed in western Hungary but due to the advance of the Red Army the unit was soon transferred to Austria where the aircraft were flown out of Wiener Neustadt and Parndorf. From January to March 1945 they made only a few interception missions with little or no successes to report. Around early April 1945 the machines were blown up because of lack of fuel. Afterwards the crews fled from Austria to Germany in order to become US POWs and avoid falling into Russian hands. Reference for this project was the Bernad and Punka "Hungarian Fighter Colours 1930-1945 Vol.2" .

The exact number of Bf 110 G-4's actually put into service by the Hungarians late in the war is the subject of some debate. Some sources quote 12, others 14, while others far fewer aircraft than this.

Bundesarchiv-Militararchiv RL 2 III/647 Stand über Lieferungen Kriegsgerät Ausland Flugzeuge 31.12.1944: Ungarn 12 Bf 110 in November 1944 ausgeliefert für Nachtjagd. ('war materiel deliveries abroad aircraft 31 December 1944; 12 Bf 110s to Hungary for nightfighting in November 1944')

The following from Denes Bernad; "..There were a total of 14 Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4s in the MKHL, delivered as night fighters during late 1944/early 1945. This, of course, doesn't necessarily mean all of them ended up in active service within the Hungarian night fighter squadron, as some could have been lost en-route, following acceptance, or before being impressed into active duty (e.g, due to bombing or strafing of airfields). The figure is based on German delivery documents.."


 The model is the Revell kit with Cutting Edge decals, Gunze RLM paints. The aerials were EZ-Line, muzzle dampers are parts from the spares box, upper wing markings are masked and painted.

with thanks to Reinhard 'Reini78' for allowing me to show these images of his father's fabulous model build!  Click to view large

More pictures via britmodeller.com here

Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 Uffz.Siegfried "Napp" Rudschinat, II./ JG 11 Aalborg Ost/Denmark 17 May 1944.

Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 Uffz.Siegfried "Napp" Rudschinat,  of II./ JG 11 Aalborg Ost/Denmark 17 May 1944. On this day Rudschinat chased and shot down the P-51 B flown by Lt Edward Philips over the southern part of neutral Sweden at low altitude for his sixth victory. Profile by Claes Sundin.

List of Rudschinat victories via Rudschinat fils - originally posted on "The Messerschmitt Fighters" FB page and reposted here for those who search via google and/or do not visit FB

#1 B-17 on 13 June, 1943.
#2 B-24D 50 km S of Christianland, 18 November, 1943
#3 B-24 on 5 January, 1944
#4 B-17 at Odensee on 20 February
#6 P-51 on 15 April, 1944, no location.
#7 P-51 at Aalborg on 17 May, 1944.
#8 P-51 at Herning-Silkeborg (Jutland) on 20 May, 1944.
#9 B-26 on the Normandy front 8 June, 1944.
#10 P-47 at Alencon on 11 July, 1944.
#11 Spitfire E of Angers on 12 July, 1944.
#12 Typhoon near Amiens on 14 July, 1944.

Frappé in his 'La Luftwaffe face au débarquement' records Rudschinat's claims over Normandy as " details unknown". His first claims were made with II. Gruppe while the Spitfire (!) and Typhoon ('details unknown') were claimed with I. Gruppe of JG 11..

JG 3 Bf 109 Emils Cambrai - Daily Ebay photo find #121

A selection II./JG 3 Bf 109 Emils at Cambrai, northern France, according to the seller's caption. Click to view large

currently on offer here

Elsewhere on this blog - "Ebay Emils ", a collection of 60+ Bf 109 Emil images for modellers, subjects include Battle of Britain, Galland, Wick, JG 26, JG 2

http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/ebay-emils.html

Luftwaffe Attack Aircraft Profile Book by Claes Sundin, Junkers W 34, 'Spitfires over Berlin', Stuka Modellbauschule - new Luftwaffe books #62

Claes Sundin's latest self-published work is this 'Profile book No. 4' devoted to Luftwaffe Attack aircraft. A little pricey perhaps at first sight but you will not see work of this quality anywhere else, it has to be said! This is quite simply another superlative selection of photo-realistic Luftwaffe side views from Claes. Schlacht aircraft do not ordinarily receive the sort of treatment habitually reserved for fighter aces and their 'glamorous' killing machines. But this 'injustice' is now righted. The attention to detail on these works-of-art is breathtakingly good. They simply leap out from the page! In addition this latest volume offers historical text and camouflage commentary from experts such as David E. Brown on each profile page. A number of rare Schlacht photographic subjects featured on this blog have been brought to life in outstanding fashion! And its not all Stukas either - subjects covered range from the Hs 123 to the Me 262! But don't just take my word for it, see what other Luftwaffe enthusiasts are saying right here on Claes' own site, where of course you can order the book directly. Review copy courtesy of my wallet  - as Scott over at 'Modelling Madness' always so irritatingly puts it!

From the team at Geramond (publishers of Flugzeug Classic among others) is this very nice Modellfan 'Der Stuka im Modell' special issue. Stuka Modellbauschule is a great 98-page A-4 monograph for Stuka modellers - five start-to-finish builds are shown in full colour as well as an historical overview and - cherry on the cake - some twenty or so of Simon Schatz's great artworks. Although these appear to be the same artworks that Simon published in the Mushroom Stuka book. Well worth getting even if you don't read German as every aspect of each build is photographed; subjects include the Special Hobby Antons (72nd) to the Hasegawa Dora (32nd) and the Italeri Kanonevogel (48th). At just £5 via amazon.co.uk do get this rather than the latest Flypast Luftwaffe special!

new from the team of Mulder, Andersson and Endres,

 "Junkers W 33, W 34 and K 43. Workhorse in Peace and War".

 21.6 x 27.9 cm, 272 pages, hard covers, 270 b/w photos, five pages of drawings, many tables and full production list. Colour section with profiles and philately appendix

 to order and more information go to the EAM books website here

'Spitfires over Berlin' is a nice 132-page A-4 softback currently on UK news stands published by Mortons Media and authored by Dan Sharp with contributors such as Andrew Arthy - excellent value at less than £7. Articles cover the last few months of the war over Europe and feature very little actual Spitfire content - rather this is a title for Luftwaffe enthusiasts; "Volksjäger victory", " 24 April 1945 - German air operations two weeks from the war's end " and "Final Dogfight" are just some of the articles featured; subjects covered include Mistel sorties, the Me 163 Komet's last combat mission and JV 44. There is even a piece on Natter test pilot Lothar Sieber. Get this rather than the latest Flypast Luftwaffe special!

Ju 290 A " 9V+LK " of 2./ FAGr.5, Bf 110 NJG 1 - daily Ebay photo find #120

Ju 290 A " 9V+LK " of 2./ FAGr.5 photographed in Neuburg/Donau on 19 August 1944. This aircraft flew a Verlegungsflug - transfer flight - back to the Reich on this date, returning to Germany from the French Atlantic coast base of Mont de Marsan before making a forced landing in Neuburg according to the seller's caption. The photo shows the Staffel 'band' after disembarking from the machine - note also among the passengers a number of French women 'repatriated' back to Germany from the unit's 'staff'.

View from inside the cockpit of Ju 290 A "9V+LK" of 2./FAGr 5 in flight over the Atlantic in early 1944. To the left is Staffelkapitän and Flugzeugführer Hptm. Georg Eckl

via horrido511 Ebay sales here

Sicilian-based Me 210

neat photo set of an NJG 1 Bf 110 in the 'early' overall black scheme seen at Köln/Ostheim coded 'G9+EN' with yellow fuselage band..

Go here 

Russian Beute types, La 5 and MiG 3

via Marco at koelsch333 here 

Above; F-2 'Doppelwinkel' of the Stab III./ JG 3. Wknr.8127. Hptm. Werner Andres. Uman, 28 August 1941...caption Frank Benoiton here
 These images 'JuJu' on offer here