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Question about BofB German aircraft.....

Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2023 10:45 am
by BaronVonWreckedoften
OK, just watched a rather nicely done You Tube video on German day fighter markings (essentially side fuselage numbers and symbols) that, after many months - well, hours in real time - of faffing about, has greatly simplified identifying all aircraft from the JG command flight to the most junior pilot in the most junior Staffel. The one thing it didn't explain was where the yellow noses on Bf-109s come into the programme (or the red propellor bosses on He-111s). Can anyone help with these?

Cheers.

Re: Question about BofB German aircraft.....

Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2023 12:23 pm
by Etranger
The 'yellow nosed bastards'? It started off as an aerial recognition marking. My reference books are stuck in storage...

This https://www.ipmsstockholm.se/home/camou ... tt-me-109/ gives an overview. As always with markings there are exceptions and inconsistencies.
A bit more information here. https://aviation.stackexchange.com/ques ... ted-yellow

Later on in the war it was particularly associated with JG26 based at Abbeville.

The red spinners were probably a unit marking, possibly identifying individual Staffel within a Gruppe . This link from 'that place' gives some examples from KG 53 http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=416894

Re: Question about BofB German aircraft.....

Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2023 11:25 am
by BaronVonWreckedoften
Thanks, Huw - much appreciated!

Re: Question about BofB German aircraft.....

Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2023 1:20 pm
by Paul
The Kenneth Merrick Book says that the Yellow markings were tactical markings for the BoB. They were first used on the 18th of August but were used in numbers from the 28th. A few days later white also started to be used for the same reason and in the same places (Rudder, wingtips, engine cowling).
The spinners on the HE111 were likely to be a command marking, for instance Stab. HE111s seem to have the spinners in green (as well as outlining the aircraft letter in the same colour)