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Info Eduard - February 2011
Page 26
HISTORY
Bf 110 G-2/R1 coded ‘S9+AN’ Panzerjaeggerstaffel ZG1, Poltava AB, 1943
The location of the yellow band on ZG 1 aircraft varied while serving on the Eastern Front.
According to available photographs of machines with this Staffel, the band appears on the rear
section of the fuselage. This aircraft was crewed by pilot Brandl and Bf Casper. The appearance
depicted is the most likely one, and the code comes from the daily log. The quartet of MG 17s
in the nose and their openings are tube covered, a common modication on the Eastern Front
that protected the weapons from adverse conditions.
Bf 110G-2/R1 coded ‘M8+LM’ of 4./ZG 76
This aircraft dates from the autumn of 1943, when letter codes were used by ZG 76. The bird
carries the identier ‘L’, and the forward section of the spinner in white identies the 4. Staffel.
The purpose of the white rudder is not certain, but the most probable hypothesis attributes this
to being the ight leader’s aircraft. The nose armament remained a quartet of MG 17 machine
guns.
Another Bf 110G-2/R1 of 4./ZG 76,
This time carrying the code ‘M8+KM’ , and the aircraft also had yellow wingtips, which could
have been a remnant of Eastern Front service. Later, this marking was also used with the RVT
(co to je????). The aircraft carried underwing W.Gr.21s. The nose mounted duet of MK 108s
is debatable, as is if it even was a common G-2 mounting. Note the yellow rear fuselage.
On the known photograph of this plane, there is no MG 81Z visible in the rear cockpit, but it could
have been stowed.
Bf 110G-2/R1 coded Red ‘H’, belonging to Erprobungs Kommandu 25
One third of the spinners are white. In question is the white quick identication band on the
fuselage. Some aircraft of Kommando carried it, but, according to photographs, this Bf 110 did
not.