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Markings for Bf 110F 1/72

COL A

Bf 110F-2, W.Nr. 2547, Ofw. Theo Weissenberger, 6.(Z)/JG 5, Petsamo, Finland, June 1942

Prior to becoming a German fighter ace with 208 kills to his credit and holder of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Theodor Weissenberger was, at an early age, already involved in flying on gliders. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1936. After completing fighter training, he became an instructor and in 1941 he was assigned to 1.(Z)/JG 77 (on March 16th, this unit was redesignated 10.(Z)/JG 5). In September 1942, Weissenberger was transferred to 6./JG 5, where he flew single engined Bf 109s. On October 24, 1944, he took over command of the newly formed I./JG 7, equipped with the Me 262. On January 1, 1945, he took over the entire JG 7 and remained in this function up to the end of the war. He was killed on June 11, 1950, during an automobile race in Nürnburgring. Weissenberger's Bf 110F was sprayed RLM 74/75/76, the standard camouflage used for fighter aircraft. The sides of the fuselage received a heavy and irregular overspray of RLM 74 and 75. The aircraft carries his kill marks on the tail surfaces and on the nose is the JG 5 Zerstörer unit's emblem, a dachshund with an I-16 in its mouth.

 

COL B

Bf 110F-2, W.Nr. 5080, Lt. Walter Forst, 13.(Z)/JG 5, Kirkenes, Norway, Winter 1942/1943

In preparation for the invasion of the Soviet Union, 1.(Z)/JG 77, a unit equipped with Bf 110 heavy fighters, was moved to northern Norway. Their main task was to attack the strategically important railway line to the port of Murmansk. In the spring of 1942 it was moved under the command of JG 5 and at first redesignated 6.(Z)/JG 5 in June 1942, then as 13.(Z)/JG 5. During the winter period, the upper surfaces of both warring sides' aircraft were sprayed over with a white washable paint for obviously better concealment. This applied also to this Bf 110F-2 which code letters were also partially painted over by the ground crew (except for the individual aircraft letter). The yellow wingtips indicated service on the Eastern Front.

 

COL C

Bf 110F-2, Oblt. Günther Tonne, CO of II./ZG 1, Belgorod, the Soviet Union, June 1942

Günther Tonne was born on May 21, 1916, in Frankfurt and in 1935 he joined the German Navy (Kriegsmarine). In 1937, he stepped into the ranks of the Luftwaffe. After undergoing training on Bf 110 heavy fighters, he was assigned to ZG 1. In 1940, he shot down seven British aircraft in combat over the English islands and added a British Blenheim to his score in April 1941, while serving as CO of 6./SKG 210. On January 4, 1942, this unit was redesignated as 6./ZG 1 and from February 4, 1942, Tonne commanded the entire II./ZG 1. In December 1942 he took over command of the newly formed SKG 10 armed with Fw 190 fighter-bombers. Engine failure on take off cost him his life while flying an Fw 190A-5 out of Reggio di Calabria on July 15, 1943. In combat during the Second World War he shot down some twenty enemy aircraft and for his success he was awarded the Knight's Cross on October 5, 1941, to which were posthumously added Oak Leaves on October 24, 1944. While serving with II./ZG 1 in 1942 over the Russian plains, Oblt. Tonne flew several Bf 110F-2s. Zerstöregeschwader 1 was named 'Wespe' (Wasp) and the noses of their aircraft carried artwork depicting these aggressive insects. The standard camouflage scheme was sprayed over with squiggles of RLM 70 or 71 on the upper and side surfaces while the yellow surfaces denoted service

on the Eastern Front.

 

COL D

Bf 110F-4, Oblt. Martin Bauer, CO of 11./NJG 6, Zilistea, Romania, June 1944

After the completion of pilot training in March 1941, Martin Bauer continued with blind flying instruction and was subsequently assigned to Nachtjagdgeschwader 1. At the beginning of June he was transferred to NJG 6, with which he would serve out the war. His final tally of aerial victories is not precisely known, and historians place it at between seven and nine. At the beginning, the night fighter Bf 110s of NJG 6 carried a monotone RLM 76 scheme on all surfaces, the  black starboard wing bottom appeared later.

 

COL E

Bf 110F-4, Ofw. Reinhard Kollak, 7./NJG 4, Juvincourt, France, June 1943

Reinhard Kollak entered the ranks of the Reichswehr in 1932 and after the formation of the Luftwaffe he transferred to this service, in 1935 he began his training as a fighter pilot, after which he joined ZG 1. After completing blind flying training, he was assigned to the newly formed NJG 1 in October 1940. While serving with this unit, he shot down his first aircraft, a British Whitley, on June 17, 1941. On May 1942, 1./NJG 1 was redesignated 7./NJG 4. His score steadily grew, and on August 29, 1943, he was awarded the Knight's Cross for his 29 kills. His final score at the end of the war was 49. He joined the newly formed Luftwaffe and served until his retirement. He passed away on February 6, 1980. Kollak's aircraft carried the standard Luftwaffe Bf 110 day fighter camouflage scheme. The RLM 76 on the sides of the fuselage were oversprayed with irregular patterns of RLM 74 and 75 for better concealment. The NJG 4 unit insignia was painted under the windscreen and kill marks were painted on the tail surfaces. It is possible that these also bore the national insignia of the aircraft he shot down.

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