KITS 03/2023

WNr. 5901, Oblt. Walter Fiel, CO of 8./JG 53,

Le Touquet-Etaples, France,

September 1940

After the Luftwaffe tactics changed during the Battle

of Britain, when the bombing of London and Southern

England was switched to night operation, the decision

was made to use certain Staffels in the fighter-bomber

roles and to lure RAF fighters into combat. One of these

units was 8. Staffel JG 53 commanded by Oblt. Fiel. On

October 2, during his unit’s attack, he was attacked

by superiority of Spitfires. His aircraft was damaged

and made to force-land nearby the little town of East

Peckham in the Kent County. The pilot was taken

a prisoner of war. The camouflage in RLM 71/02/65

colors was supplemented by the gaudy marking in the

form of yellow engine cowling and rudder. The original

aircraft’s marking was probably oversprayed with

RLM 70 color, the unit marking, originally located on

the engine cowling, was overpainted in the red stripe

wrapping around the whole engine cowling.

Lt. Josef Eberle, 9./JG 54, The Netherlands,

August 1940

A very interesting camouflage was created in the

summer of 1940 by the ground staff of JG 54 on many

of unit’s aircraft in an attempt to darken the light blue

fuselage sides of their Bf 109Es. To achieve such an

effect, they sprayed vertical to diagonal stripes with

RLM 71 paint. The standard scheme of RLM 02/71/65

was applied along with the quick identification

elements. The period scheme was applied to Yellow

13 with which Lt. Josef Eberle managed to cross the

Channel and belly land in France despite personal

injury on August 12, 1940. The wingtips and fin of

Eberle’s aircraft were painted RLM 27 Yellow, which

was lighter than the color of the spinner, tactical

number and background of the III./JG 54 emblem. The

white color cannot be ruled out on the wingtips and

fin as well. The bottom wing RLM 65 color extended

marginally to the upper surface. Some sources

erroneously identify this aircraft as an E-3. Despite

having tempted fate once over the Channel, Eberle

was not as successful on October 9, 1940, when he lost

his life in combat with RAF fighters.

WNr. 2060, Lt. Hans Guse, 2.(J)/LG 2, Tudora,

Soviet Union (Republic of Moldova today),

July 1941

Like JG 77, Lehrgeschwader 2 was withdrawn from

the combat operations after the end of the Greek

campaign for rest and rearmament, which was to take

place in Belgrade. This was followed in mid-July by

a move to Romanian territory, where LG 2 equipped by

Messerschmitts Bf 109E (some in the fighter-bomber

Recommended:

for Bf 109E-4 1/72

D72030 Bf 109E stencils (Decal)

44

INFO Eduard

configuration) was on alert to be deployed against

the Soviet Union. It joined Operation Barbarossa in the

early hours of July 22. The Black 10, which retained its

camouflage from the battles over Greece and Crete

and was equipped with a tropical filter, was shot down

on July 10, 1941, by Soviet I-16s. The pilot is still listed

OVERLEPT

OVERTREES

#7033X

Bf 109E-4/7

1/72

as missing in action. The markings of the aircraft are

complemented by the insignia of I.(J)/LG 2 under the

windshield and 2.(J)/LG 2 on the side behind the fuselage

cross.

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#7033-LEPT

Bf 109E-4/7

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March 2023