KITS 07/2021

Bf 109E-4, WNr. 3709, Oblt. Josef Fözö, CO of 4./JG 51, Desvres, France, second half of September 1940

This is Fözö´s aircraft after he scored his 14th victory on October 15 in the morning near London when escorting fighter bombers. Yellow cowling and rudder were identification markings introduced at beginning of September to identify Bf 109s assigned

to fighter bomber missions.

WNr. 1480, Oblt. Franz von Werra, Gruppenadjutant of II./JG 3, Wierre-au-Bois, France, September 1940

Franz von Werra became the first German fighter ace to fall into British hands. It happened on the morning of September 5, 1940,

when he was shot down with this “Emil” over the county of Kent. Von Werra then became famous for his escape from

a Canadian prison camp. He was able to return halfway around the world to German territory, where he rejoined the Luftwaffe

and continued his combat flights. He served on both the eastern and western fronts but was strictly ordered to avoid the shores

of England. This proved fatal when he failed to return from a flight over the English Channel as CO of I./JG 53 on October 25, 1941.

The WNr. 1480 carried the standard camouflage of RLM 02/71/65 with white identification markings. These included the rudder

and wingtips. It is also often depicted with a white engine cowling, but a careful study of photographs and archival documents

prove contrary to it and the supposed white paint was in fact a newer and lighter coat of RLM 65 paint. It is possible that the

cover came from another aircraft. The vertical tail area bears the symbols of von Werra's achievements, i.e. eight aerial victories

and five aircraft destroyed on the ground. They are depicted on each side in a slightly different form. The RLM65 color extended

to the upper surfaces of the leading-edge wing.

Bf 109E-4, WNr. 5153, Oblt. Egon Troha, CO of 9./JG 3, Desvres, France, October 1940

Egon Troha was born in Austria in 1916 and after finishing his pilot and fighter training, he started to serve in the ranks of the JG

26 in 1939. Later he joined the JG 27 before being finally assigned to III./JG 3. Troha scored five victories during 1940 including one

Dutch Fokker C.V and on October 1 he became commander of 9./JG 3. His last kill, probably a Hurricane of No. 605 Sqn., was scored on October 26 just after midday west of Boulogne. On October 29 Oblt. Troha was attacked by Spitfires of No. 74 Sqn. during

mission over England. He believed his wingman was covering him, but instead he got a burst of fire which damaged radiator of

his Messerschmitt. He force-landed near Shepherdswell. During his stay in Canadian prison camp, Troha lost an eye in a prisoner´s riot and was repatriated. After return to Germany he was promoted to Hauptmann and served with operational training

unit JG 108 till the end of war. Troha´s plane was manufactured by WNF in autumn 1939 as Bf 109E-3. In 1940 it was not upgraded

only with new canopy but probably also with new MG FF/M cannons, so unit kept the airplane in records as E-4. The sea horse

emblem was created by the core of original unit´s pilots who were supposed to form fighter squadron of German aircraft carrier

Graf Zeppelin.

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eduard

INFO Eduard - July 2021