IL2

Messerschmitt Bf-109E JG27 (W7+) Gazala, North Africa 1941 01

Photo’s 01-02: A Rotte of Bf-109Es from an unidentified unit in North Africa, still retaining their European paint schemes. Both have the white Mediterranean theatre band around their rear fuselages.

Messerschmitt Bf-109E JG27 Amourers reloading Gazala, North Africa 1941 01

Photo 01: Armourers re-loading the fuselage-mounted MG 17 machine-guns on a Bf-109E of JG27. Although unquestionably taken in the Western Desert, this photograph clearly shows the grey and green camouflage and conspicuous yellow tactical nose markings previously employed in Europe.

Messerschmitt Bf-109E JG27 North Africa 1941 01-03

Various views of Bf-109E-7 Trap aircraft on desert airfields. As explained elsewhere, the sand scheme with green mottles is believed to have been applied in workshops in Sicily using stocks of Italian paints. It is interesting to note the variations in the spinner coloring applied to these aircraft. Photo 01 The aircraft appears to have three-quarters of its spinner painted white. The spinner shown Photo 02 has approximately a third painted white while that seen Photo 03 is half white and half black-green. The latter photo shows to advantage the box-like structure of the early sand filters.

Messerschmitt Bf-109F JG27 North Africa 1942 01

Photo 01: Jacked up on trestles, a Bf109F undergoes undercarriage retraction tests, but a new wingtip will be required before the aircraft can be signed off as fully airworthy. In order to ensure that the machine does not nose over, sandbags have been placed on the horizontal tail surfaces and a number of ground crew provide added weight.

Messerschmitt Bf-109F JG27 North Africa 1942 02

Photo 01: On this aircraft, the white ring around the engine cowling is unusual in that it is only two-thirds of the normal width and does not extend back to the first panel joint. To judge from the warm clothing worn by the two visitors watching the technical personnel working on this machine, this photograph was probably taken early in 1942.