Deutsche Republik - Die neue Luftwaffe

[apophenia]

1946 - Die erneuerte Luftwaffe

Top 'Hanna' (Graue Vier) is a Bf 109G-10/U8 of an unknown Schlachtgeschwader. This aircraft is armed with four 27 kg RP-3B (Raketenprojektil 3 Britisches) on Mk.III/GM rails. In late January 1946, this aircraft was shot down by Soviet anti-aircraft fire whilest attacking a Red Army armoured column east of Kaunas in Lithuania.

'Hanna' demonstrates the confusion in the field at the beginning of the Neustart der Ostfront. Instructions were to repaint operational Republikanische Luftwaffe aircraft in all-over silver where available. As an alternative, RLM 65 Hellblau was to be substituted. Despite these Oberkommando der RepLuft directives, 'Hanna' has been repainted in the duller and greyer RLM 78 Himmelblau. But, at the time of the loss of 'Hanna', her touched-up repaint was already beginning to look scruffy.

Bottom 'Die Botin' ('The Messenger') is a Bf 109G hybrid typical of later-war component swapping. While JaBo Messerschmitts tended to wear bomb racks or wing guns, many of the 'Schlachter' wore both. 'Die Botin' belonged to Schlachtgeschwader [1] 120 flying out of Stanislau, Galacia, in April 1946. The pilot was Hauptmann Rudolf Dörnbrack, SG 120's Gruppenadjutant. On the tail is a Reichsadler emblem (such personal markings being very rare in this period).

'Die Botin' is seen kitted out with an ETC 227 belly rack carrying a US 500 lb AN/M64 GP bomb. For strafing, this Bf 109G is armed with three MG 151/20 cannons and twin MG 131 cowl guns. She wears the prescribed overall silver paint (probably from USAAF stocks). 'Die schwarzen Männer' have made a bit of a hash out of the newly-ordered 'roundel and bars' markings. [2] For some reason, the earlier roundel has been erased and the new 'roundel and bars' added further forward. As a result, the 'Winkel' marking has been obscured. Obviously, the Gruppenadjutant was not a stickler for protocol.

________________________________________________

[1] Schlachtgeschwader 120 was formed after der Zusammenbruch des Deutschen Reiches. In the aftermath of the collapse, SG 10 was split in two - becoming SG 110 and SG 120. Such RepLuft squadron renumberings were seen as part of the 'de-nazification' process.

After vetting by Allied authorities, the former commander of SG 10 - Georg Jakob - was raised to Oberst and put in charge of SG 120.

[2] The RepLuft's dreifarbig roundels were displayed on the fuselage and wing top surfaces. By agreement with the Allies, the port wing underside was left blank while the starboard underside was marked with a USAAF-style roundel for easier ground recognition.

NB: 'Graue Vier' is based on a work-in-progress profile by the great Simon Schatz.

[apophenia]

1946 - RepLuft lange Nase Focke Wulfs

Top 'YG' is a Focke Wulf Fw 190D-9 of Jadgeschwader 702. [1] This aircraft began life as a 6-gunned Fw 190D-9/R1 but, like its stablemates, the outboard MG 151/20s were removed to improve performance.

'YG' is in full presribed RepLuft finish for an Fw 190D - stripped and polished skin, Gelb theatre bands, dreifarbig rudder, USAAF-style rounder under the starboard wing, and RepLuft roundels mit Balken in four positions. 'YG' shows one of several variations on anti-glare panels - note the RLM 71 Dunkelgrün extends down onto the supercharger intake.

This 'Dora' was damaged in a scrap with Soviet La-9s. 'YG' was written-off in the resulting forced landing at Landeplatz Kurtna in northwestern Estonia (about 40 km WSW of Narva). Pilot, Uffz. Hans-Bruno Kind, came out of this crash moreorless unscathed.

Bottom 'CF' is a Focke Wulf Ta 152H-1 of Jadgeschwader 714. This unit flew a mixture of Ta 152C and Ta 152H fighter-interceptors. Like the Fw 190Ds, JG 714 'Tanks' mainly flew top-cover for the Fw 190Gs and Bf 109s of the Schlachtgeschwaders. 'CF' is shown as it appeared while II./JG 714 was operating from Fliegerhorst Poniewesch (or Panevėžys, in Lithuania) in March 1946.

'CF' is finished in all-over polished RLM 65 Hellblau paint. Above the Werk nummer on the tailfin is the crest of Stuttgart (here, as a personal emblem of pilot Hauptmann Rudolf Dörnbrack). The anti-glare panel pattern is slightly unusual as it forms a ring behind the cowling gills. The colour is also odd - perhaps coming from USAAF stocks? [2]

________________________________________________

[1] Jadgeschwader 702 was formed from elements of II./JG 26 'Schlageter' and III./JG 54.

[2] RepLuft anti-glare panels tended to be painted in RLM 71 Dunkelgrün or RLM 82 Olivgrün. On 'CF' the colour looks more like USAAF Medium Green No. 42.

BTW, Both Fw 190D and Ta 152H are based upon Claes Sundin profiles. Love that guy's stuff 

[GTX_Admin]

 

[Buzzbomb]

Very nice schemes

[Geoff]

Love the idea and the art. Excellent!