Strana 57
Bf 109F-4, W.Nr. 7183, Hptm. Hans Hahn, CO of III./JG 2, St. Pol, France, October 1941
Bf 109F-4, W.Nr. 7243, Oblt. Otto Kath, Stab/JG 54, Staraya Russa,
Soviet Union, early December 1941
Hans “Assi” Hahn, a fighter ace and recipient
of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves was in
command of 4./JG 2 from December 1939, then
starting from October 1940, he overtook the lead
of III./JG 2. The fifty kill marks on the rudder
of this aircraft are related to his service on
the Western Front. Hahn added the fiftieth kill
to his tally on October 13, 1941, shooting down
a Spitfire near Boulogne-sur-Mer. Altogether
he destroyed 66 enemy aircraft in the West.
In late 1942 “Assi” Hahn moved to the East and
commanded II./JG 54 from November 1, 1942.
On February 21, 1943, he was downed and
captured. He spent seven years in captivity,
returning back to Germany in 1950. He wrote
a book about his life in prison Prisoner of War
in Russia (Ich spreche die Wahrheit – I Speak
the Truth). Hahn´s total score stands at 108 kills.
The rooster head was the crest of III./JG 2, based
on Hahn´s family name (der Hahn means the
rooster in English).
Otto Kath served as Geschwaderadjutant for
Hannes Trautloft, the famous fighter ace and
CO of JG 54 from March 1941 till September
1943. Trautloft retained Kath when moving from
I./JG 20 to JG 54. Kath is credited with 6 kills.
The standard camouflage of RLM 74/75/76 was
oversprayed with washable white paint on the
upper sides as the temporary winter camouflage.
The only exception was the framing of the
canopy. The non-standard Geschwader Stab
marking is green, which was the color reserved
for aircraft of the HQ members. The green heart
was the symbol of the JG 54 Grünherz. Note the
yellow Eastern Front markings on the wings,
rudder, and fuselage.
KITS 10/2025
INFO Eduard
57
October 2025