4. Staffel II. Gruppe Zerstörergeschwader 1- 5./ZG1 coded S9+

Messerschmitt Bf-110 D-0 Zerstorer 4./ZG1 (2J+MM) WNr 3188 Stammkennzeichen KE+VF Russia 1942

Photograph Source: Flugzeug Classic 2011-01

Messerschmitt Bf 110E 4./ZG1 Zerstorer (S9+AM) Russia 1942

Messerschmitt Bf 110G 4./ZG1 Zerstorer (S9+EM) Trapani, Sicily 01

Photo 01: Bf 110 heavy fighters of II./ZG1 at Trapani. These aircraft carried out strafing attacks against Allied shipping and landing places in Sicily, during which missions they were escorted by Bf-109s.

Messerschmitt Bf 110G 4./ZG1 (S9+FM) W.Nr 6187 abandoned Monte Corvino Sep 1943 00

Profile 00: Messerschmitt Bf 110G.1 trop S9+FM, W.Nr 6187, of 4./ZG1, Monte Corvino, September 1943 As with the single-engined fighters, the Luftwaffe's twin-engined heavy fighters were also finished in an RLM 74/75/76 scheme. On this example, however, although the uppersurface of the wings would have been finished in a standard splinter pattern, this does not appear to have included the uppersurface of the fuselage which, instead, is virtually solid RLM 74 on the top decking with mottles on the fuselage sides. Although the engines had been removed when the aircraft was photographed, it is thought that the lower panels of the engine cowlings would have been yellow with the tips of the green RLM spinners in the 4. Staffel colour, white, as shown in the profile, or possibly plain green RLM 70. Note the extent of the overpainting on the fuselage which suggests the machine may have had at least two earlier codes.

Messerschmitt Bf 110G 4./ZG1 (S9+FM) W.Nr 6187 abandoned Monte Corvino Sep 1943 01

Photo's 01-03: Zerstorergeschwader 1 was formed and reformed several times in its history, the second formation being raised in Russia in January 1942 from elements of SKG210. In March or April 1943, II./ZG1 converted to the Bf 110G-1 and G-2 and arrived at Monte Corvino in June. This remained the Gruppe's base until August when it was withdrawn from Italy, leaving behind several aircraft which were later photographed by an advance party of the Royal Air Force's 324 Wing on 11 September 1943 which found a total of 21 Bf 110s on the airfield, some of which were G-2 trops. Known as the 'Wespen', or 'Wasp' Geschwader, the aircraft of ZG 1 invariably carried the unit's colourful stylised wasp decoration on the nose. The missing parts of the decoration may be seen on the gun access panels lying on the ground to the right of the photographs above and below. The machines shown here are W.Nr 6232, coded S9+AN with the letter 'A' in red - which was flown by the Staffelkapitän of 5./ZG1 - and S9+FM, W.Nr 6187, of 4./ZG1. Note that the nose panels on S9+AN have come from another aircraft, as shown by the mismatching of the wasp emblem. The Spitfires in the background belonged to 324 Wing.

Messerschmitt Bf 110E 4./ZG1 Zerstorer (S9+HM) Russia 1942

5. Staffel II. Gruppe Zerstörergeschwader 1- 5./ZG1 coded S9+

Messerschmitt Bf 110F Zerstörer 5./ZG1 (S9+IN) 01

Photo 01: In this view of 5./ZG1 Bf 110s, S9+IN has its yellow fuselage band forward of the fuselage code; S9+UP has its band around the rear fuselage. Note the high contrast between the two camouflage colours on the wing surfaces on S9+IN and the aircraft behind it.

Messerschmitt Bf 110G Zerstorer 5./ZG1 (S9+AN) Italy 1943

Photo 01: Bf 110G-2 of II./ZG1 seen in Italy in 1943. Note the yellow tips to the spinners and the yellow lower engine cowlings. An armoured windscreen is fitted.

Messerschmitt Bf 110G 5./ZG1 (S9+AN) W.Nr 6232 abandoned Monte Corvino Sep 1943 01

Photo's 01-03: Zerstorergeschwader 1 was formed and reformed several times in its history, the second formation being raised in Russia in January 1942 from elements of SKG210. In March or April 1943, II./ZG1 converted to the Bf 110G-1 and G-2 and arrived at Monte Corvino in June. This remained the Gruppe's base until August when it was withdrawn from Italy, leaving behind several aircraft which were later photographed by an advance party of the Royal Air Force's 324 Wing on 11 September 1943 which found a total of 21 Bf 110s on the airfield, some of which were G-2 trops. Known as the 'Wespen', or 'Wasp' Geschwader, the aircraft of ZG 1 invariably carried the unit's colourful stylised wasp decoration on the nose. The missing parts of the decoration may be seen on the gun access panels lying on the ground to the right of the photographs above and below. The machines shown here are W.Nr 6232, coded S9+AN with the letter 'A' in red - which was flown by the Staffelkapitn of 5./ZG1 - and S9+FM, W.Nr 6187, of 4./ZG1. Note that the nose panels on S9+AN have come from another aircraft, as shown by the mismatching of the wasp emblem. The Spitfires in the background belonged to 324 Wing.

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstorer 5./ZG1 (S9+BN) Sicily 1943 00

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstorer 5./ZG1 (S9+CN) Kuteinikowo Russia Aug 1942

Messerschmitt Bf 110G 5./ZG1 (S9+AN) W.Nr 6232 abandoned Monte Corvino Sep 1943 01

Photo's 01-03: Zerstorergeschwader 1 was formed and reformed several times in its history, the second formation being raised in Russia in January 1942 from elements of SKG210. In March or April 1943, II./ZG1 converted to the Bf 110G-1 and G-2 and arrived at Monte Corvino in June. This remained the Gruppe's base until August when it was withdrawn from Italy, leaving behind several aircraft which were later photographed by an advance party of the Royal Air Force's 324 Wing on 11 September 1943 which found a total of 21 Bf 110s on the airfield, some of which were G-2 trops. Known as the 'Wespen', or 'Wasp' Geschwader, the aircraft of ZG 1 invariably carried the unit's colourful stylised wasp decoration on the nose. The missing parts of the decoration may be seen on the gun access panels lying on the ground to the right of the photographs above and below. The machines shown here are W.Nr 6232, coded S9+AN with the letter 'A' in red - which was flown by the Staffelkapitn of 5./ZG1 - and S9+FM, W.Nr 6187, of 4./ZG1. Note that the nose panels on S9+AN have come from another aircraft, as shown by the mismatching of the wasp emblem. The Spitfires in the background belonged to 324 Wing.

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstorer 5./ZG1 (S9+DN) Russia 1942

Messerschmitt Bf 110G 5./ZG1 (S9+AN) W.Nr 6232 abandoned Monte Corvino Sep 1943 01

Photo's 01-03: Zerstorergeschwader 1 was formed and reformed several times in its history, the second formation being raised in Russia in January 1942 from elements of SKG210. In March or April 1943, II./ZG1 converted to the Bf 110G-1 and G-2 and arrived at Monte Corvino in June. This remained the Gruppe's base until August when it was withdrawn from Italy, leaving behind several aircraft which were later photographed by an advance party of the Royal Air Force's 324 Wing on 11 September 1943 which found a total of 21 Bf 110s on the airfield, some of which were G-2 trops. Known as the 'Wespen', or 'Wasp' Geschwader, the aircraft of ZG 1 invariably carried the unit's colourful stylised wasp decoration on the nose. The missing parts of the decoration may be seen on the gun access panels lying on the ground to the right of the photographs above and below. The machines shown here are W.Nr 6232, coded S9+AN with the letter 'A' in red - which was flown by the Staffelkapitn of 5./ZG1 - and S9+FM, W.Nr 6187, of 4./ZG1. Note that the nose panels on S9+AN have come from another aircraft, as shown by the mismatching of the wasp emblem. The Spitfires in the background belonged to 324 Wing.

Messerschmitt Bf 110E1 Zerstorer 5./ZG1 (S9+EN) WNr4054 piloted by Willi Dibowski and Kurt Meier Bordfunker belly landed this aircraft near Woroschilowgrad after taking a flak hit from a Russian Tank July 17 1942

Messerschmitt Bf 110G 5./ZG1 (S9+AN) W.Nr 6232 abandoned Monte Corvino Sep 1943 01

Photo's 01-03: Zerstorergeschwader 1 was formed and reformed several times in its history, the second formation being raised in Russia in January 1942 from elements of SKG210. In March or April 1943, II./ZG1 converted to the Bf 110G-1 and G-2 and arrived at Monte Corvino in June. This remained the Gruppe's base until August when it was withdrawn from Italy, leaving behind several aircraft which were later photographed by an advance party of the Royal Air Force's 324 Wing on 11 September 1943 which found a total of 21 Bf 110s on the airfield, some of which were G-2 trops. Known as the 'Wespen', or 'Wasp' Geschwader, the aircraft of ZG 1 invariably carried the unit's colourful stylised wasp decoration on the nose. The missing parts of the decoration may be seen on the gun access panels lying on the ground to the right of the photographs above and below. The machines shown here are W.Nr 6232, coded S9+AN with the letter 'A' in red - which was flown by the Staffelkapitn of 5./ZG1 - and S9+FM, W.Nr 6187, of 4./ZG1. Note that the nose panels on S9+AN have come from another aircraft, as shown by the mismatching of the wasp emblem. The Spitfires in the background belonged to 324 Wing.

Messerschmitt Bf 110G2 Zerstorer 5./ZG1 (S9+FN) Monte Covino, Italy - Summer 1943

One of the units to be withdrawn from the eastern front and activated in Italy in the spring of 1943 was ZG 1. Here, it operated first and foremost as a Jabo (fighter-bomber) unit. For this reason, the aircraft is pictured with bomb racks and dust filters. The yellow theatre markings from the eastern front were supplemented with a white MTO fuselage band that partially obscures the codes. Over the course of 1943, the unit's aircraft also acquired the very distinctive hornet emblem on the nose, associated with the Geschwader's name, 'Hornissen'. This aircraft belongs to the same Staffel as '2N+MN' from profile 'A', but from several months prior, accounting for several marking differences. It is noteworthy how the fuselage codes differed with II./ZG 1: while this aircraft carries 'S9' from Erp.Gr.210, profile 'A' uses '2N' that at different times denoted II./ZG 1 and III./ZG 76. For reasons of different timeframes, there is also a variation in the size of the first part of the codes.

Jednou z jednotek sta�en�ch z v�chodn� fronty a nasazen�ch na ja�e 1943 v It�lii byla i ZG 1. Ta zde p�sobila zejm�na v roli Jabo (st�hac�-bombardovac�). Zobrazen� letoun proto nese pumov� z�v�sn�ky a m� namontov�ny p�skov� filtry. Ke �lut�m identifika�n�m prvk�m v�chodn� fronty v It�lii p�ibyl b�l� pruh identifikuj�c� st�edomo�sk� boji�t� na trupu, kter� z ��sti zakr�v� k�dov� ozna�en�. V pr�b�hu roku 1943 byl na stroj�ch ZG 1 je�t� pou��v�n p�sobiv� embl�m vosy (resp. sr�n�) na p��di, spojen� se jm�nem geschwaderu �Hornissen�.

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Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstörer 5./ZG1 (S9+HN) 01-02

Photo's 01-02: Two views of S9+HN, a Bf 110 E of 5./ZG1. Note the extended rear fuselage, and the yellow tactical marking on the lower port wingtip. An armoured windscreen is fitted, and the spinners are capped.

Messerschmitt Bf 110E2 Zerstorer 5./ZG1 (S9+NN) Herbert Kutscha Russia 1942

Messerschmitt Bf 110F Zerstörer 5./ZG1 (S9+SN) 01-02

Photo's 01-02: Two views of belly landed S9+SN of 5./ZG1. The individual aircraft letter 'S' is in red, and the spinners are capped. The first task of ground crew upon reaching a crashed aircraft was to remove the guns, and the Bordfunker's machine gun has already been removed from this machine.

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstorer 5./ZG1 (S9+DN) Russia 1942

Messerschmitt Bf 110E2/U1 Zerstorer 5./ZG1 (S9+UN) W.Nr 2542 Gottfried Seifert Alfred Brandt Bordfunker at Armawir Russia Aug 1942. This aircraft and crew where later lost when a Russian fighter ramed them 15 Kilometers East of Ischerskaja Sep 17 1942

6. Staffel II. Gruppe Zerstörergeschwader 1 - 6./ZG1

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstörer 6./ZG1 (S9+CP) 01

Photo 01: ZG1 aircraft no longer fit for flying duties were cannibalised and used as a supply point for replacement parts. Here II./ZG1 Bf 110s S9+CP and S9+KN can be seen. Note the light coloured rudders, possibly yellow, of the Bf 110 in the central distance.

Messerschmitt Bf 110 E-2 Zerstorer 6./ZG1 (S9+HP) South Russia 1942

Messerschmitt Bf 110 C-7 Zerstorer 6./ZG1 S9+LP W.Nr 3100 had both crew wounded in action South of Ssulazki Alois Sonntag and Bordfunker Christian Messner Russia 1942

Messerschmitt Bf 110G2 Zerstorer I./ZG1 S9+LP 'Red L' Lorient, France 1943

Bf 110 G-2 'Brockenhexe' from 6./ZG 1, with an unusual personal emblem, France, Autumn 1943. This aircraft has the well-known wespe (wasp) emblem on nose, a colourful and popular choice with modellers; standard RLM74/75/76 splinter camouflage, with fuselage mottled in RLM74/75; spinners RLM70 with RLM23 tips; of particular interest is an additional emblem underneath the cockpit depicting a bespectacled witch /crone wearing stripy red and white stockings on a broomstick flying over forest; underneath is the name “Brockenhexe”, which is a type of witch from German folklore.

Reference: LUFTWAFFE im Focus Edition 1 2002. http://www.luftfahrtverlag-start.de/decals.en.html and
http://www.scaleplasticandrail.com/kaboom/index.php/all-things-aviation/everything-else/aftermarket-decals/522-luftwaffe-im-focus-decal-sheet-48002-bf109-fw190-bf110-a-ju88

Messerschmitt Bf 110 C-7 Trop. W.Nr 3100 6./ZG 1 Russia 1942

The Bf 110 was, in the C-7, retrofitted with four ETC 50 bomb racks under the wing, and also received dust filters over the air intakes. During their service careers, the darker camouflage schemes were replaced by lighter ones. RLM 70 on the upper surfaces was replaced with what is probably RLM 02. The side surfaces were sprayed with a squiggle of lighter colors. The pattern on individual machines varied from one to the next, and three colors used simultaneously was not uncommon. The artwork here depicts a likely reconstruction.

Additional Information Eduard plastic models - http://www.eduard.com/

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstorer 6./ZG1 (S9+MP) Russia 1942