Photo: Goskatalog

HISTORY

Among the aircraft that Soviet photographer V. P. Grebnev captured after the occupation of Finow airfield in Germany, was a Bf 109 K-4 “Yellow 4” from III./JG 3.

The design of the digit 4 suggests that this could be the aircraft flown by Fw. Hans Strebel of the 11. Staffel.

K-4s are highly likely to have been finished in

an RLM 76, 75 and 74 camouflage and had light

colored fuselage sides.

The other K-4 blocks (WNr. 332xxx and

333xxx) usually had a camouflage scheme

with large fields of dark colors on the fuselage.

From the color photographs as well as the color

contrast in the black and white photographs,

it is evident that a number of these aircraft

continued to be camouflaged with RLM 74 and

75 on the upper surfaces.

However, there are also later series aircraft

that carried colors similar to the Bf 109 K-4s from

the two initial ones. One possible explanation

is that the delivery of the subassembly units

was delayed for final assembly, and they were

allocated a higher serial number.

Bf 109 K-4 aircraft that were painted with

a combination of RLM 81 and 82 on the upper

surfaces were quite rare. In addition, the RLM

81 was produced in two versions. Simply put,

it was a dark brown and dark green variant.

The reason was that there were two formulas

with a significantly different composition of

raw materials, which was related to the critical

state of Germany's supplies in the last year of

the war.

When the new shades were introduced into

production, the aircraft manufacturers were

instructed to use up the stocks of old paints,

and in the case of the Bf 109 K-4, these were

the gray shades of RLM 74 and 75. However, the

composition of these colors changed in 1944

thanks to a new formula, so that these shades

were darker when compared to 1941 produced

paints, for example. So one aircraft could have

a fuselage painted with lighter colors made

with the older formulas and tail surfaces from

another subcontractor could be painted with the

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INFO Eduard

darker 1944 shades. RLM 81 and 82 colors were

allowed as older paint stocks were used up in

combination with other shades. For example,

there could have been aircraft painted RLM 81

and 75.

Paint manufacturers worked under extremely

complicated conditions, both in terms of logistics

and the quality of raw materials. The shades of

colors from their production could therefore

differ even for the same manufacturer. This can

also explain the different variants of the greyblue color, which is documented in photographs

and remains of German aircraft from the end

of the war. As a cost saving measure over

the final year of the war, paint was gradually

omitted on the lower surfaces, aside from the

key components that needed to be protected,

for example the canvas-covered surfaces

continued to be painted with camouflage paint.

When preparing our color schemes for the

kit No. 11177, we worked closely with Mr. Tomáš

Poruba (JaPo Publishing), and we incorporated

the latest findings from research of the

development of the Bf 109 K-4 color schemes.

When reconstructing the coloring of individual

aircraft, we took into account not only their

photos, but also photos of other machines of the

relevant production series, the approximate time

of their production and the customs prevailing

at the time in production, relevant regulations

and other known facts. We are aware that there

are also other interpretations of the coloring of

the planes depicted by us. You are certainly free

to follow your own research and findings if our

presentation does not quite suit you.

Sources:

BAUMGARTL,

Michael:

Das

Jagdflugzeug

Messerschmitt Bf 109. Technik / Eigenschaften /

Leistung / Stückzahlen / Bewährung

BEALE, Nick, D´AMICO, Ferdinando, VALENTINI,

Gabriele: Air War Italy 1944-45: The Axis Air Forces

from the Liberation of Rome to the Surrender

CIGLIĆ, Boris, SAVIĆ, Dragan, MICEVSKI, Milan:

Messerschmitt Bf 109: The Yugoslav Story; Volume II;

Operation records 1939-1953

GÓRALCZYK, Maciej, HÖGL, Gerald T., KIROFF, Jürgen,

MILLMAN, Nicholas, ORLOV, Mikhail V.: Real Colors of

WWII Aircraft

HALDIMANN, Marc-André: Flickr Bf 109 fotoarchiv

https://www.flickr.com/photos/28092068@N03/

MOMBEEK, Eric: Storming the Bombers: A Chronicle of

JG 4 : the Luftwaffe's 4th Fighter Wing; svazek 2

PORUBA, Tomáš, JANDA, Aleš: Messerschmitt Bf 109K

PORUBA, Tomáš, MOL, Kees: Messerschmitt Bf 109K

camouflage & markingy

PORUBA, Tomáš, VLADAŘ, Jan: Messerschmitt Bf 109s

of KG(J) 6

PRIEN, Jochen, RODEIKE, Peter: Messerschmitt Bf 109

F, G, K Series An Illustrated Study

PRIEN, Jochen a spoluautoři: různé díly svazků

jednotlivých Jagdgeschwader a Jagdfliegerverbände

ULLMANN, Michael: Luftwaffe Colours, 1935-1945

VALTONEN, Hannu: Messerschmitt BF 109 ja Saksan

sotatalous

VOGT, Harald Helmut: Messerschmitt Bf 109 Versuchs

Erprobungsträger Weg zur Serienproduktion

VOGT, Harald Helmut: Messerschmitt Bf 109

Einsatzmaschinen - Das Nachschlagwerk

www.ww2.dk

We would like to thank Mansur Mustafin and

Tomáš Poruba (JaPo) for their invaluable help

with the article.

September 2023