Strana 35
WNr. 331413, 1./JG 4, Berlin-Schönefeld, Germany, February-March 1945
WNr. 332884, 9./JG 3, Leck, Germany, May 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.
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.
KITS 01/2025
INFO Eduard
35
January 2025