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Lt. Josef Eberle, 9./JG 54, the Netherlands, August 1940
WNr. 1480, Oblt. Franz von Werra, II./JG 3, Wierre-au-Bois, France, September 1940
WNr. 5819, Obstlt. Adolf Galland, CO of JG 26, Audembert,
France, December 1940
Ground personnel of JG 54 created very
interesting camouflage schemes on the unit’s
aircraft in summer of 1940. They applied
vertical to diagonal lines of RLM 71 in an
attempt to darken the light blue fuselage sides.
The standard scheme of RLM 02/71/65 was applied,
along with the quick identification markings.
The period scheme was applied also 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 shade than RLM 04 of
the spinner, tactical number and background of
the III./JG 54 emblem. The bottom wing color RLM
65 extended marginally to the upper surfaces.
Some sources erroneously identify this aircraft
as an E-3. Despite having tempted fate once over
the Channel, Josef Eberle was not as successful
on October 9, 1940, when he lost his life in combat
with RAF fighters.
This “Emil” became the subject of a fascinating
event that delivered the first German ace
Oblt. Franz von Werra into British hands.
On the morning of September 5, 1940, Franz von
Werra was shot down over Kent. He managed
a successful belly landing and was taken
prisoner of war. His plane was scrutinized by
RAF experts. Von Werra attempted to escape on
several occasions, and finally succeeded during
transfer to a POW camp in Canada. He managed
to go through the United States to South America,
and then back to Germany, where he rejoined the
Luftwaffe. He served on both the eastern and
western fronts but had strict orders to avoid the
shores of England. The Channel, nevertheless,
proved fateful for him when, on October 25, 1941,
as CO of I./JG 53, he vanished. Aircraft WNr. 1480
carried the standard camouflage of RLM 02/71/65
with white identification markings. These
included the rudder and wingtips. The RAF report
suggests that the engine cowl was in RLM 65
and looked cleaner than the rest of the airframe.
It may have been a replacement off another
aircraft. The tail surfaces carried victory marks
(eight aerial and five on the ground). Positioning
of them was different on each side of the fin.
The RLM 65 color extended to the upper surfaces
of the leading edge wing.
Adolf Galland flew the illustrated Emil in the
fall of 1940 to the beginning of 1941 as CO
of III. Gruppe, and later of the entire JG 26.
The tactical markings on the aircraft kept pace
with the changes during this period. The standard
camouflage of RLM 02/71/65 was darkened on
the fuselage sides with RLM 02/71. The yellow
cowling was complemented by the yellow rudder
that also bore the kill marks. The surface area of
the original RLM 65 was not enough for them and
the yellow was oversprayed with fresh RLM 65
for the next row of kill marks. The most typical
changes for WNr. 5819 at this time came with
the personal emblem of Mickey Mouse and most
of all the installation of the ZFR-4 telescope
(installed together with the regular Revi). It didn’t
serve as an gunsight but for the identification of
distant aircraft. Galland replaced Werner Mölders
who commanded the German fighter force as
General der Jagdflieger. Later on, he became
famous for locking horns with Hermann Göring.
He established JV 44 at the end of the war, the
famous unit well known for its Me 262 jet fighters
and colorful Fw 190D piston fighters. Galland
managed to shoot down 104 enemy airplanes and
was awarded with Knight Cross with Oak Leaves,
Swords and Diamonds.
KITS 08/2024
INFO Eduard
51
August 2024