a fiddlersgreen - Plan on two sheets of paper!

Asisbiz Messerschmitt Me 262A-1a Geschwader Stab KG(J)54 (B3+AA) Giebelstadt Germany 1945

The TA 152 at NASM going through the paces to get her back looking good............ Walter Loos's mount Grüne 4 of Geschwader Stab./JG 301 you can see...

Fokker Dr.I 425/17, flown by Rittmeister Manfred Freiherr von Richtofen, Kommandeur Geschwader 1 (Jastas 4, 6, 10 & 11), Jasta 11, France, March 1918. Revell 1:72 scale plastic kit.

Das MFG 5 Gelände ist immer einen Besuch wert! Das schöne Areal, das direkt an der Kieler Förde liegt, beherbergte früher das Marine-Geschwader - seit etwa einem Jahr ist das Gelände jedoch für die Öffentlichkeit zugänglich und bietet schöne Spazierwege und Sitzgelegenheiten. Zu Fuß oder mit dem Fahrrad lässt sich das einmalige Gelände optimal erkunden - die Ostsee dabei immer im Blick!

During February 1944 the Fw 190s of II./JG 54 had been particularly active flying freie Jagd and Begleitschutz (escort) for Ju 87s north and north-east of Uman (Korsun-Cherkassy pocket). PK Berichter Richard Kamm took a series of images following a move to the airfield at Petseri (43 km west of Pleskau) in early March, a period during which the Gruppe saw relatively little action, most likely due to the 'Tauwetter'  - or thaw. These photos depict Fw 190 A-5 'black 2' and 'black 7' of II./JG 54 undergoing maintenance during March 1944 - note melting snow. 'Black 7' has a distinctive Mäander-Tarnung (with a dark squiggle/mottle overspray).  A comprehensive account of the activities of II./JG 54 during this period appears in the latest volume from Jochen Prien and his team in the new JfV  -Teil 15/II ('Einsatz im Osten 1.1 bis 31.12.1944', pages 400-497) It was during this period that Lt. Albin Wolf  claimed the 7000th victory of the Geschwader as described in an earlier photo report  (see link below). Also on this blog; Wolf and Rudorffer - Horridoh for the 7,000th kill at JG 54

Above; three nice clear shots of a Henschel Hs 123 undergoing weapons harmonisation on the Fliegerhorst at Fürstenfeldbruck, photos from the album of a Waffenmeister (armourer) serving with Geschwader Immelmann. Note the Vorkriegstarnung, pre-war camouflage scheme. From the feedback ratings of my preferred Ebay seller the Fly Hs 123 is 'flying' off the shelves. Given the antique nature of the Airfix kit the new Fly offering looks superb with its finely moulded resin, plastic and etch parts - at least in the box. The 'Eastern Front' boxing includes four options on the decal sheet (the Legion Condor and 'China' options feature in a separate boxing). A selection of resin parts including the one-piece cowl are bagged separately, along with two sets of fuselage halves, with and without head rest fairing. From the parts break down - undercarriage legs moulded separately - an 'unspatted' or partially 'spatted' build will also be possible.. Reference images from Der Adler (issue 2-1942), Ebay, Luftfaht International (3 issues from 1974) and Jan van der Heuvel collection (see link below) L2+AM during the Polish campaign, regular mount of Adolf Galland. Above; photo from Jan van der Heuvel's personal collection. 4.(Sch)/LG 2 Mickey Mouse emblem possibly L2+BM or L2+PM

Rowan Gough recently posted his latest stunning Bf 109 model on Britmodeller. Built from the Tamiya kit and beautifully airbrushed and mottled, Rowan selected a subject from the 48th Bf109s Sky decal sheet,  basing his model on a photo that was first published in 'Stukas-Jagdbomber-Schlachtflieger' by Aders/Held. In their caption Aders states that the aircraft is a Bf109 E-7 from 11. (Schlacht)/LG 2 in 1941. Rowan had a few queries with regard to the book caption, the machine and its colours and as usual the members of britmodeller were quick to supply some answers .. Dave Wadman posited that the photo was likely taken on the Eastern Front sometime between June 1941 and mid to late 1942 and the aircraft was probably on the strength of Schlachtgeschwader 1 (Sch.G.1) and was thus not a machine from LG 2. In particular the fuselage markings identify it as belonging to Sch.G.1, which consistently used the black Schlacht triangle and coloured letter on its Bf 109Es. The red letter 'E' on the yellow fuselage band indicates a machine of 2. Staffel. As far as the colours and markings are concerned, 02/71 became the standard factory finish for 109Es with the introduction of the E-4 in May 1940 and the aircraft was thus most likely to have been finished in these colours with the fuselage mottle in varying densities of any combination of 70, 71 or 02. The lower wingtip surfaces were most likely yellow but not the upper surfaces. The spinner cap was either white or yellow.  The variant was most probably an E-7 as 2. Staffel had considerably more E-7s on strength between December 1941 and late 1943 than it did E-4/Bs. However in theory the Bf 109 in the Aders/Held photo could be anything from an E-1 to an E-7 - the later canopy and spinner cap is no indication of sub-type as they could easily be retro-fitted to earlier models. It is not possible to determine from the image if the aircraft is fitted with wing cannon (which would definitely rule out its being an E-1). However, as the Geschwader strength returns for the period list only a few -3s with the balance made up of -4s and -7s, the odds are against it being an E-1. Note the shield beneath the cockpit, which probably features the infantry assault badge,  frequently worn by the Hs 123s, Bf 109Es and Hs 129s of the Schlachtgeschwader on the Eastern Front. The aircraft has the large belly bomb rack for four SC50 bombs. 2./Sch.G.1 was briefly formed from 5./LG 2 in December 1941 but was redesignated again as 5./LG 2 in January 1942! At this same time, a new 2./Sch.G.1 came into being but, as with 3.Staffel, official documentation on this formation is sketchy. This new 2.Staffel remained in service until October 1943 when it became 5./SG 77. Two images of a crash-landed LG 2 Schlacht 109 came up on eBay recently below (thanks Chris!) - note the rather rare 'bear-wielding-axe' emblem of 5.(Schlacht)/LG 2 on the cowling plus the Schlacht triangle. The 'bear' is actually depicted on the emblem chopping up an umbrella (presumably Chamberlain's?), a throw-back to LG 2's Jabo Battle of Britain campaign... More Eastern Front Jabos on this blog here