KITS 08/2023

Bf 109F-4/Z, WNr. 13325, Oblt. Viktor Bauer, 9./JG 3, Shchigry,

the Soviet Union, June 1942

This aircraft was flown by Viktor Bauer, the holder

of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and an ace

with 106 kills. He achieved most of them in combat

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 make the

camouflage more effective in the Eastern Front

environment. The yellow wingtips, fuselage band

and lower cowling were typical for airplanes

flown in the East Front. The name Ellen referred

to Bauer’s wife, the III./JG 3 emblem was painted

on the nose of the aircraft. 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, 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 pilots 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.

Bf 109F-4, WNr. 13169, Fw. Heinrich Bartels, 8./JG 5,

Petsamo, Finland, September 1942

The Austrian Heinrich Bartels, a German ace

with 99 kills achieved during some 500 combat

sorties and holder of the Knight’s Cross served

on all fronts the Luftwaffe units were engaged.

Half of his kills were gained in the north while

with JG 5 against Soviet pilots. He met his fate on

December 23, 1944, against P-47s of the USAAF’s

36

INFO Eduard

56th FG in the Battle for the Ardennes. The wreck

of his aircraft was discovered in 1968 near the

town of Bad Godesberg in Germany. He flew this

aircraft in the second half of 1942 during fighting

in northern Finland. The aircraft was camouflaged

in RLM 75/71/76 in a non-standard style dictated

by operational conditions. In September 1942, the

rudder displayed 29 kill marks, corresponding to

his score. After Bartels was awarded the Knight’s

Cross and after reaching 45th victory, his crew

chief painted the award on the rudder of the

airplane.

August 2023