1./KG(J) 6, Prague-Kbely, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, March/April 1945

The huge losses suffered by Luftwaffe fighter units were one of the reasons that led in October 1944 to the decision to reduce the number of bomber assets and to distribute their personnel among fighter squadrons following the necessary conversion training. One of the Geschwader units affected by this change was KG 6. The unit was redesignated as KG(J) 6 and was re-equipped with the Bf 109G-10s and K-4s. Training was undertaken at Prague-Kbely, Prague-Ruzyně and also at Klecany airfields. On March 31, KG(J) 6 aircraft fought against 309th FS/31st FG Mustangs over Prague. The resulting heavy losses led to the disbandment of the unit a few days later, on April 9. This aircraft was abandoned at Kbely, probably due to irreparable damage where it was photographed after the war. It's KG(J) 6 ownership is indicated by the red and black square fuselage band on the rear of the aircraft.

WNr. 130342, 5./NJG 11, Fassberg, Germany 1945

The all-grey painting of 5./NJG 11 aircraft was used on the so-called “Mosquito Hunters” at the beginning of 1945. The surface of the aircraft was polished for maximum aerodynamic effectiveness. The last combat against Mosquitos took place through March 1945, after which these aircraft were pressed into service in night attacks against Allied ground equipment.

WNr. 130297, Fw. Horst Petzschler, 10./JG 51, Insterburg, East Prussia, May 1945

Horst Petzschler was born in Berlin on September 1, 1921 and joined the Luftwaffe on April 1, 1941. After fighter pilot training, he was assigned to JG 51 on August 23, 1943, and there he achieved his first three kills. On April 13, 1944, he was transferred to 2./JG 3 which was a component of the Defense of the Reich structure, but by June 1944, he would return to JG 51 on the Eastern Front. On May 4, 1945, III./JG 51 was relocated to Schleswig-Holstein from eastern Prussia. Horst Petzschler did not reach that location due to a navigation error and landed at Bulltofta in Sweden, where he was interned and in January 1946, the Swedes handed him over to the Soviets. He was released from captivity on September 22, 1949. On his return, he worked for the Berlin Police Department and in 1953, he emigrated to Canada and then the United States, where he worked in the aviation industry. He retired in 1988. Over the course of the Second World War, Horst Petzschler downed 26 enemy aircraft. The number 0297, the last four digits of the serial number, was brush-painted ahead of the tail plane. The bottom of the wing was painted in RLM 76, but due to the short supplies of the color some panels were left in natural metal. 

13./JG 27, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, May 1945

After the Allied landings in Normandy in early June 1944, IV. Gruppe JG 27 moved from Hungary to the French airfield of Champfleury-la-Perthe and began their participation in combat on the Western Front. After suffering heavy losses, the unit went to Lower Saxony for rest and replenishment. The unit was assigned to the Defense of the Reich structure. The unit was disbanded on March 31, 1945, and its pilots were distributed among the other units of JG 27. The white wave marking on the rear fuselage identified this aircraft as being assigned to the IV. Gruppe, and the green band to the Defense of the Reich unit JG 27. The nose carried the unit emblem.

WNr. 130282, Hptm. Franz Wienhusen, CO of IV./JG 4, Frankfurt/Rhein-Main, Germany, November 1944

Franz Wienhusen joined the Kriegsmarine in 1934, but just a year later began service with the Luftwaffe. After training, he was assigned to occupied Norway. There, he would serve with JG 77 and JG 5. up to October 1944, when he was given command of IV./JG 4. He died on December 3, 1944 near Aachen, when, during an attack on an American convoy, he was hit from the ground. He claimed twelve kills over the course of WWII.

The reconstruction of this aircraft is based on a listing of losses from December 3, 1944, where the serial number and fuselage code of Wienhusen's aircraft are recorded. It is very likely that the aircraft was camouflaged the same way as others manufactured within an almost 130-aircraft production run at the Messerschmitt factory at Regensburg.