KITS 07/2021
Bf 109F-4/trop, WNr. 8693, Lt. Hans-Joachim Marseille, 3./JG 27, North Africa, February 1942
This aircraft was flown by Lt. Hans-Joachim Marseille, a fighter ace with 158 kills to his credit. Marseille was awarded the Knight´s Cross with Swords, Oak Leaves and Diamonds as the recognition of his remarkable success. He was shooting down enemy aircraft at rapid rate with many multiple one-day victories. The German propaganda made use of it to make Marseille a star.
The tale ended with Marseille´s death. He was killed in accident on September 30, 1942. The camouflage of his aircraft consisted
of RLM 79 “Sandgelb” on the upper surfaces and RLM 78 “Himmelblau” on the lower ones. The rudder was adorned with fifty kill
marks (Abschussmarken) and appears to be oversprayed with a red-brown primer. Marseille achieved his 49th and 50th kills
on February 21, 1942. His victims were two Kittyhawks. The white-painted wingtips and fuselage band were Luftwaffe markings
used on the aircraft flown in the Mediterranean theatre.
Bf 109F-4, WNr. 13325, Oblt. Viktor Bauer, 9./JG 3, Shchigry, Soviet Union, June 1942
This aircraft was flown by Viktor Bauer, holder of the Knight's Cross with an oak leaves and ace with 106 kills. He achieved most
of them in combats with Soviet pilots. Bauer flew this particular aircraft in the summer of 1942, when German Group of Armies
A advanced on Stalingrad. The unit received Messerschmitts originally intended for service in North Africa, thus camouflaged in
RLM 78/79 colors. The segments of RLM 74/70 (some sources state RLM 75/71) were added to the desert camouflage scheme to
better the camouflage effect in the Eastern Front environment. The yellow wingtips, fuselage band and lower cowling were typical for airplanes flown in the east. Note the III./JG 3 badge on the nose. The name Ellen referred to Bauer´s wife. Bauer achieved
his 106th and last kill on August 9, 1942, northwest of Stalingrad. The very next day he was hit by enemy fire, wounded, and had to
belly land his crippled plane. After rescue, Bauer served in various posts of Ergänzungs (replacement) units.
Bf 109F-4/B, W. Nr. 7629, Oblt. Frank Liesendahl, 10. (Jabo)/JG 2, France, June 1942
During late 1941, the Luftwaffe considered renewing bombing of Great Britain and coastal shipping. Each fighter unit fighting
against the Great Britain was ordered to single out one Staffel for this purpose. The 10. (Jabo) Staffel played this role within
JG 2. Under command of Oblt. Frank Liesendahl this Staffel sank 20 vessels (total tonnage 630.000 BRT) over a four-month
period. Liesendahl was killed when attacking cargo vessels near Brixham on July 17, 1942. Posthumously he was promoted
to Hauptmann rank and was awarded the Knight´s Cross as well. Liesendahl´s personal mount wore a standard day fighter
camouflage consisting of RLM 74/75/76. The ship-munching fox was a 10. (Jabo) Staffel badge. Note the symbols of vessels damaged or sunk by Liesendahl on the rudder.
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INFO Eduard - July 2021