Strana 28
4./KG 54, Catania, Sicily, spring 1943
W.Nr. 140206, Hptm. Heinrich Paepcke, CO of Stab II./KG 77, Gerbini, Italy, October 1942
After previous combat operations over France,
Great Britain, and the vast plains of the Soviet
Union, II. KG 54 was transferred to its sister
unit, I. Gruppe KG 54, which had previously been
operating with its Ju 88s on the southern front,
mainly against Malta, the convoys supplying the
island, and the fighting forces on African soil,
as well as against Allied airfields and ports in
Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia. KG 54 Totenkopf also
participated in supporting German troops in the
fighting in Africa. During deployment on the
southern front, the camouflage of the aircraft
was changed from the standard splinter pattern
on the upper and side surfaces with RLM 70/71
colors and the lower surfaces in RLM 65 color,
to upper and side surfaces sprayed with RLM
79 color, while the lower surfaces were in RLM
78 color. The upper RLM 79 was supplemented
with waves in RLM 70 and white, while the lower
surfaces received waves in RLM 70. The unit's
emblem, a skull and crossbones, visible on the
Ju 88 in previous battles, was slowly abandoned
in 1943. The modeler can decide if he wants to
place it on the fuselage, as it is not clear from
the photographs of this aircraft whether it was
there or not.
Heinrich Paepcke was born on December 11,
1910, in Wattescheid, Westphalia. In May 1929,
he began his career in the merchant navy,
he joined the army in July 1934, and enlisted
in the Luftwaffe in 1935, to which he remained
loyal until his death. After flight training,
he was assigned to KG 30, armed with Junkers
Ju 88s, in December 1939. In April 1940, he was
appointed commander of the 7. Staffel, and in
September 1940, he was awarded the Knight's
Cross. On October 1, 1941, he was promoted
to Hauptmann and appointed commander of
II. Gruppe KG 77, which was at that time in rest
and rearming at Ansbach Airfield, preparing for
deployment on the southern front. Paepcke's unit
was transferred to Comiso Airfield in Sicily in
January 1942, from where it carried out attacks
on Malta and against supplies being transported
to the island. On October 17, 1942, Hptm. Paepcke
and his crew were killed in a head-on collision
with a Spitfire approximately 15 km off the coast
of Malta during a raid on Luqa Airport. Heinrich
Paepcke was posthumously awarded the Oak
Leaves to the Knight's Cross and promoted to
the rank of Major. The camouflage of his aircraft,
consisting of splinter pattern of RLM 70 and 71
colors on the sides and upper surfaces, was
supplemented with spots in RLM 65 and RLM 79
colors.
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September 2025