Markings for Bf 109K-4 1/48
WNr. 331413, 1./JG 4, Berlin-Schönefeld, Germany, February-March 1945
The fighter unit 1./JG 4 was formed in August 1943 in Mizil (Romania) from 1./JG 77 to defend the oil fields and platforms near Ploiești. After heavy fighting with the 15th AF USAAF and a retreat from Italy, 1./JG 4 was reorganized in Kassel during the summer of 1944. It then engaged in combat with escorting P-51s and P-47s from the 8th AF and 9th AF USAAF. From November 1944 to January 1945, 1./JG 4 was stationed at the Darmstadt-Griesheim airfield, from where it participated in Operation Bodenplatte, suffering heavy pilot losses. From February 1945, it was based at Berlin-Schönefeld airfield, where it was dissolved on March 19, 1945. The last known commander of 1./JG 4 was Oblt. Alfred Neumayer, who, after being injured on January 1, 1945, underwent recovery but, despite his combat experience, was assigned to the infantry after recuperation. Following infantry training in Bohemia, he has been missing since April 1945. White 4 features a camouflage scheme in RLM 74/75/76 colors and displays production series markings of 331xxx. The white spiral has black borders applied by mechanics of JG 4. On the left side of the nose was the JG 4 insignia, and on the right side, a depiction of a rooster.
WNr. 332884, 9./JG 3, Leck, Germany, May 1945
Since the Allied landings in Normandy in June 1944, 9./JG 3, like other units on the Western Front, was under constant pressure from Allied fighters and bombers. During Operation Bodenplatte, JG 3 was one of the few successful units, yet the loss of sixteen pilots was significant. From January 1945, 9./JG 3 frequently relocated to various German airfields, and at the end of the war, White 8 was stationed at the Leck airbase. From mid-1944, 9./JG 3 was led by Lt. Oskar Zimmermann, who was awarded the Knight’s Cross and credited with 34 victories, including 14 four-engine bombers. In mid-March, he fell ill and, at the end of the war, fell into Czech captivity, from which he was released after one year. By the end of the war, the commander of the unit was Hptm. Willy Althof. The camouflage on the fuselage of this aircraft consisted of RLM 81/82 with camouflage patterns typical of production series 332xxx. Many areas are repaired with RLM 82 and RLM 02 paints. The engine covers are painted in lighter shades of RLM 74/75/76. On the left side of the fuselage under the cockpit, the white name Gabi was painted. Beneath White 8, the previous marking has been painted over in RLM 75. In front of the tail surfaces, the black number 884 was hand-painted.
WNr. 334xxx, 11./JG 27, Goslar, Germany, April 1945
The CO of III./JG 27 from October 1944 until the end of the war was Austrian Hptm. Dr. Peter Werfft (26 victories). In the same month, the unit was reequipped with the Bf 109K-4. However, from February onward, Werfft was temporarily replaced in this role by the CO of 12./JG 27, Oblt. Emil Clade, who in the final month of the war officially became the CO of I./JG 27. After the war, Clade worked as an airline pilot, pursued sport flying, and published his memoirs in 1996. While serving with II./JG 27 in Africa, he shot down an aircraft in August 1942 carrying the commander of the British Eighth Army, Lt. Gen. W. H. E. Gott, who was killed. Lt. Gen. Montgomery was appointed to replace him. At the end of the war, III./JG 27 was deployed in northern Germany. Yellow 1 from 11./JG 27 was discovered by advancing Allied forces in April 1945 at the Goslar airbase in Germany, where the unit had been stationed from March 29 to April 8, 1945. It later operated from locations in Bohemia, Bavaria, and Austria. From December 1944 until the end of the war, 11. Staffel was led by Oblt. Heinz-Günther Hennig, who had previously commanded 2./JG 53 and 2./JG 102 and was credited with two victories. The fuselage camouflage in RLM 81/82 colors corresponds to production series 334xxx.
WNr. 335215, Lt. Willy van de Kamp, Stab II./JG 52, Neubiberg, Germany, May 1945
The markings on this aircraft identify it as the wingman of the commander of II./JG 52, Maj. Wilhelm Batz. In February 1943, Batz was assigned to the staff of II./JG 52 on the Eastern Front. He achieved his first victory on March 11 and was appointed commander of 5./JG 52 in May. By March 1944, he had achieved his 100th victory and was made commander of III./JG 52 in April. In early February 1945, he assumed command of II./JG 52, which at the time was fighting in Hungary. His final 237th victory was recorded on April 16, 1945. Five days later, he was awarded the Swords to the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves. On May 8, 1945, Batz and his unit flew into captivity, transferring from Zeltweg in Austria to Bad Aibling in Bavaria, accompanied by a formation of Thunderbolts during the final leg of the journey. The aircraft Black 1 was painted in RLM 74/75/76 camouflage, consistent with production series 335xxx. The yellow band on the nose and yellow rudder were identification features of German aircraft within Luftflotte 4. This particular aircraft was photographed at Neubiberg airfield near Munich. Its pilot was Batz’s Adjutant, Lt. Willy van de Kamp, who had served with II./JG 52 since May 1943 and was credited with one victory.
WNr. 335xxx, Lt. Ernst-Dieter Bernhard, Stab III./JG 53, Kaufbeuren, Germany, April 1945
JG 53 was established in 1937 and was one of the oldest German fighter units of the Second World War. Its III. Gruppe participated in the early months of fighting in the USSR after the campaign in the West and was deployed in the Mediterranean from late 1941. After relocating from Italy in June 1944, it was stationed at Bad Lippspringe, operating against Allied air raids on the Reich. In September 1944, it contributed to repelling Operation Market Garden. From late 1944, the unit gradually retreated under pressure from Allied forces to the southern part of Germany. The pilot of this aircraft was Lt. Ernst-Dieter Bernhard, who joined 12./JG 53 in December 1944. In mid-March, he was appointed Adjutant to the CO of III./JG 53, who at the time was Hptm. Siegfried Luckenbach. After Luckenbach’s collision during landing in April 1945, Hptm. Wolfgang Ernst, who had 36 victories to his credit, replaced him. Lt. Bernhard crashed with the depicted aircraft on April 19, 1945, due to a landing gear failure while landing in Kaufbeuren after combat with a formation of Marauders escorted by Thunderbolts. Bernhard was earlier credited with heavily damaging one Mustang.
WNr. 330230, Uffz. Heinrich Munninger, 10./JG 77, Neuruppin, Germany, November 1944
In October 1944, III./JG 77 became the first Luftwaffe fighter unit to be fully reequipped with the Bf 109K-4s, possessing 68 aircraft. Its commander was the experienced veteran of JG 77, Major Armin Köhler (40 kills, KC). After test flights and familiarization with the new type, it was combat-deployed on December 2, 1944. Aerial combat peaked during the Battle of the Bulge. Uffz. Heinrich Munninger, born on June 30, 1923, flew on January 1, 1945, during Operation Bodenplatte with White 17 as the wingman of Uffz. Johann Twietmeyer. During an attack on the RAF airfield in Antwerp-Deurne (B.70), he was hit by flak and attempted an emergency landing near Tilburg in the Netherlands. He crashed and was killed. His body was buried in Lommel. In this operation, III./JG 77 lost 11 aircraft and pilots. From mid-January 1945, it was deployed on the Eastern Front. At the end of the war, it fought in Upper Silesia, based in Dolní Benešov (Beneschau) in the Hlučín region (Hultschiner Ländchen) in Silesia. White 17 was from production batch 330xxx, with a high demarcation of camouflage colors RLM 74/75 on the sides of the fuselage. On both sides of the nose, there was the emblem of III./JG 77, a red heart.