KITS 11/2022

WNr. 785185, Lt. Heinz Schüler, 16./JG 5, Stavanger-Forus, Norway, March 1945

In November 1944 in Stavanger 16. Staffel Jagdgeschwader 5 was established in order to boost the IV. Gruppe inventory to four Staffels. The

IV./JG 5 equipment was unified to Bf 109G-14 even

though couple of Fw 190 continued flying with

the unit till the end of 1944. Bf 109G-14/AS marked

blue 17 was flown by Lt. Heinz Schüler who painted

Berlin’s coat of arms under the windshield. It is apparent in the photographs that at that time the aircraft did not carry the Defense of the Reich markings,

however when Lt. Schüler landed it on March 27,

1945 at Stavanger-Sola airport it sported black and

yellow bands (JG 5 aircraft marking) behind the

fuselage national insignia.

WNr. 785083, Sgt. Magg. Aroldo Burei, 1a Squadriglia, 1o Gruppo,

Caccia ANR, Malpensa, Italy, April 1945

After declaration of the Italian Social Republic on

September 18th, 1943, a puppet state on the German

armed forces occupied territory, and under the leadership of Benito Mussolini, Germany allowed this

state to form the army in the strength of four divisions. Its aviation component, named Aeronautica

Nazionale Repubblicana, consisted of two fighter

40

INFO Eduard

groups (Gruppo Caccia), a group of torpedo bombers (Gruppo Aerosiluranti Buscaglia) and several

transport flights. 1o Gruppo Caccia (Asso di Bastoni)

initially flew Macchi C.205 but from November 1944

till February 1945 went through the transition training on Messerschmitt 109 in Holzkirchen, Germany.

In February the unit received Messerschmitts 109

of the versions G-10 (manufactured by Erla factory in Leipzig), G-14 and G-14/AS and several K-4s.

The original German markings were oversprayed

in Italian colors and the aircraft received the Italian markings. The German iron crosses were left on

the wing underside surfaces.

November 2022