Markings for Bf 109G-14 1/72
Hptm. Erich Hartmann, CO of 4./JG 52, Csór, Hungary, November 1944
Erich Hartmann, the most successful fighter pilot of all times, joined the 7. Staffel of JG 52 on October 10, 1942, as his first unit to serve with. He remained with Jagdgeschwader 52 till the end of World War Two; in fact, he became the commander of its I. Gruppe. The total count of his victories is believed to be 352. For his exceptional success he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. After WWII he was transferred to the POW camp in the Ural Mountains in the Soviet Union and was not released until 1955. The following year he joined the ranks of Western German Luftwaffe. He became the commander of JG 71, the first fighter plane Luftwaffe squadron equipped with jet fighter aircraft. Hartmann retired in 1970 and died on September 20, 1993. Standard camouflage of Hartmann’s “white 1” was complemented by black tulip outlined in white on the nose of the aircraft. This was the appearance from the time of his command of 4. Staffel. On the left side, underneath the cockpit, there was a heart with Hartmann’s wife’s name written over it. The yellow bottom wingtips and the yellow band around the rear fuselage were markings of the aircraft serving on the Eastern Front. The photograph of the nose of this aircraft shows that the engine cover is identical to those produced by Erla factory in Leipzig.
WNr. 462649, Hptm. Alfred Grislawski, CO of III./JG 53, Paderborn, Germany, September 1944
Alfred Grislawski was born on November 2, 1919, in Wanne-Eickel in the Ruhr area. In July 1940, he joined III./JG 52 on the Western Front. After several months III./JG 52 moved to Romania and was tasked with defense of Ploesti in mid-1941. Later, the unit participated in combat on the southern front in the USSR. In April 1943, Grislawski achieved his 100th aerial victory. In June 1943, he and his comrades were wounded by a mine explosion near Taman. After recovering, he was transferred to the Western Front, joining JG 50 in August 1943. In November 1943, he was transferred to JG 1, where he served in command positions. In August 1944, he was given command of 11./JG 53. On September 26, 1944, he shot down a P-38, his 133rd and final victim in aerial combats. Shortly afterward, he was downed by Colonel Hubert Zemke flying P-51. Grislawski bailed out but, fearing he might be killed while parachuting, deployed his parachute too late at low altitude. That resulted in a hard landing that injured his spine. He was treated in Bad Gastein and fell into American captivity in May 1945. Due to his war injuries, he did not join the Bundesluftwaffe. The Black 6 aircraft was a relatively new aircraft, recently built at the Erla factory in Leipzig. It’s camouflage reconstruction was based on Grislawski’s description.
WNr. 781183, Uffz. Werner Zetzschke, 4./JG 4, Darmstadt-Griesheim, Germany, January 1945
The target of the mission flown by I. and III. Gruppe JG 4 on January 1, 1945, was Le Culot airfield but neither pilot of these groups was able to attack it due to the very strong anti-aircraft defense. Instead, the 4. Staffel probably attacked the Ophoven airport. One of its pilots was 21 years old Werner Zetzschke, who was shot down nearby the town of Sittard and crashed into its street. Upon the impact he was catapulted from the cockpit and died within couple of minutes because of the injuries he suffered. He was buried in the German Military Cemetery in Ysselsteyn. Appearance of this airplane is a conjecture based on the other aircraft of the same manufacturer’s block and on the planes operated by I./JG 4. The camouflage was spray-painted in RLM 74/75/76 complemented by black-white-black band on the rear fuselage which was carried by JG 4 aircraft deployed in the Reich Defense role. There is a JG 4 marking painted on the left side of the engine cowling, on the right side there is a I./JG 4 – a rooster on the blue base, reminder of the former I. Gruppe JG 4 commander Franz Hahn.
WNr. 462xxx, Uffz. Karl-Heinz Erler, 16./JG 5, Rygge, Norway, April 1945
After its establishment in mid-1942, IV./JG 5 was tasked with operations against Western Allied forces based in Norway. However, from August 1944 to early November, it was deployed to Finland, where its mission was extended, as it included fighting the Soviet units as well. Additionally, a new adversary emerged: the Finns, who had switched to the Allied side. In October 1944, a newly formed fourth Staffel was added to the Gruppe’s three existing Staffels, designated as 16./JG 5. The unit was commanded by Lt. Hans Vollet, who had previously served with III./JG 5 and II./JG 54. The 16. Staffel scored its first victory on December 28, 1944, when Uffz. Walter Smejkal claimed an RAF Mustang. Lt. Vollet achieved a victory over a Mosquito on January 11, 1945, marking his 11th and final kill. In March 1945, Lt. Adolf Gillet took over command of 16./JG 5, but on April 11, he was killed during a parachute jump after being shot down by a Mustang from No. 65 Squadron RAF. Following his death, Lt. Höhn took over the administrative command of the unit, while Fw. Heinz Halstrick assumed command during combat operations.
WNr. 464068, Str. Josip Cekovič, 2. ZLJ (Zrakoplovno Lovačko Jato), Iesi airfield, Italy, April 1945
After the Red Army’s summer offensive in 1944 on the southern front and its troops’ entry into Hungary and Romania, the German High Command had to address the security of its positions in the Balkans. One of the components of this effort was the Croatian Air Force. To strengthen it, the delivery of thirty new Bf 109Gs was arranged in three stages during October 1944. By November 1944, the Croats had already received ten Bf 109Gs. On December 1, 1944, these aircraft landed at Lučko airfield near Zagreb and were assigned to the 2. Zrakoplovno Lovačko Jato (ZLJ). Subsequently, the 2. ZLJ was incorporated into the Defence of the Reich and stationed at Borongaj airfield. In January 1945, additional Bf 109Gs were delivered, making the 2. ZLJ the only combat-ready unit on this section of the front. Its combat operations were diverse, engaging Soviet forces, domestic Communist forces, USAAF and RAF units. The Black 10 aircraft had its original German crosses repainted. Also a yellow fuselage band was overpainted as well as a yellow V on the bottom of the wing. On April 16, 1945, Str. Josip Cekovič defected to Iesi airfield in Italy with this aircraft.
WNr. 464444, Maj. Carlo Miami, CO of 2o Gruppo Caccia, ANR, Aviano, Italy, February 1945
After the declaration of Italian Social Republic on September 18, 1943, a puppet state on the territory of Italy occupied by German military under the command of Benito Mussolini, Germany allowed this Republic to establish its own military force consisting of four divisions. Its air force component called Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana consisted of two fighter plane groups (Gruppo Caccia), torpedo groups (Gruppo Aerosiluranti Buscaglia) and several transportation squadrons. In 1945, both fighter plane squadrons flew Messerschmitts Bf 109G-6/G-10/G-14. The commander of 2o Gruppo Caccia was Maggiore Carlo Miami. His aircraft was camouflaged with RLM 74/75/76 colors. The staff marking was asymmetrical on the right side of the fuselage, probably due to the 24V electric plug. The German crosses were retained, only on the upper surface of the wing they were oversprayed with dark green and Italian insignias were added. The fuselage emblems were supplemented with Italian insignia in the shape of a postage stamp.