Aircrew Luftwaffe pilot I./ZG1 Rudolf Scheffel 01

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstörer ZG1 01

Photo 01: Excellent colour photo of a Bf 110 E of ZG1.

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstörer ZG1 02

Photo 02: Close-up of the nose of a Bf 110 F of ZG1 showing some wear on the famous 'Wespe' emblem. This view shows heavily mottled fuselage sides, the armoured windscreen, and pilot's back armour.

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstörer ZG1 03

Photo 03: This Bf 110 E of ZG1 appears to have its entire starboard engine cowling painted yellow.

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstörer ZG1 04

Photo 04: This Wespengeschwader Bf 110 is unusual in that it does not appear to be fitted with a fuselage bomb rack.

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstörer ZG1 05

Photo 05: ZG1 field maintenance section on the Russian front. Note the tents made up from the capes of several personnel of the unit.

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstörer ZG1 06

Photo 06: These mechanics of ZG1 are well wrapped up to combat the severe conditions of a Russian winter at Tazinskaja in December 1942.Two emblems can be seen on the nose of this Bf 110, the SKG 210 shield emblem, and the large Wespe of ZG1.

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstörer ZG1 07

Photo 07: Bf 110 E of ZG1 being prepared for another mission. The machine in front of the aircraft is providing hot air to the engines by means of blowers placed in the undercarriage bays. An armoured windscreen is fitted, and the undersides of the wingtips are yellow. Note the individual aircraft letter, 'G', under the port wing.

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstörer ZG1 Dnjepropetrovsk, Russia March 1943 01

Photo 01: Bf 110E of ZG1 at Dnjepropetrovsk in March 1943.The muddy ground during the day became frozen at night. Note that one spinner of the Bf 110 is capped, the other is not.

Messerschmitt Bf 110F Zerstörer ZG1 engine change 01

Photo 01: Mechanics of ZG1 preparing a Bf 110F for an engine change. Note the supports holding the engine clear of the ground, and the two horizontal bars with hooks which were in place on the crated engine for initial ease of movement. Ground crew used attachment points on the engine to lift it by crane into position once it had been removed from its crate, as can been seen in later photographs.

Messerschmitt Bf 110F Zerstörer ZG1 engine change 02-04

Photo's 02-04: Three views showing mechanics changing starboard engines on Bf 110 of ZG1.

Messerschmitt Bf 110F Zerstörer ZG1 four machine guns 01

Photo 01: Rarely seen view of the four machine guns in the nose of a Bf 110, in this case from ZG1.

Messerschmitt Bf 110F Zerstörer ZG1 (S9+M ) crash landed 01

Photo 01: Crash-landed Bf 110 of ZG1. The individual aircraft letter of 'M' can just be discerned aft of the fuselage cross. The upper surface camouflage appears to be a solid application. Note the fitment of an armoured windscreen.

Messerschmitt Bf 110G Zerstörer ZG1 belly landed 01

Photo 01: Rarely seen miniature emblems the Wespe and SKG 210 shield on a Bf 110G-2 of ZG1. The fuselage side carries a light mottle, while the lighter of the two top surface camouflage colours has been sprayed around the top of the Wespe. An armoured windscreen has been fitted.

Messerschmitt Bf 110G Zerstörer ZG1 W.Nr 5243 01

Photo 01: This view of the Bordfunker's cockpit area of a ZG1 Bf 110G-2 shows the W. Nr. 5243 repeated twice on the panel in front of the Bordfunker. The MG81Z twin machine guns are shown to excellent effect, as are the twin gunsights.

Messerschmitt Bf 110 - Germany

As a long-range escort, fighter the Bf 110C received a disastrous mauling at the hands of the RAF during the 'Battle of Britain.' Rather than protecting the bombers under escort, the Bf 110C formations usually found that they were hard pressed to defend themselves.

Messerschmitt Bf 110 I./ZG1 HQ Konstantinowka Russia 1942 01

Photo 01: This house was used by I./ZG1 as its Gruppe headquarters on the Russian front at Konstantinowka during July 1942. There appears to be a watch tower built onto the side of the building.

Luftwaffe pilots I./ZG1 pilot Rudolf Scheffel 01

Photo 01: Seen on the Russian front, personnel of I./ZG1 gather to celebrate Rudolf Scheffel's 200th mission.

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

Photo 01: Five victory bars on the fin of this Bf 110 marks it out as the aircraft of an unknown 'ace' of ZG1 The enlarged black centre of the fuselage cross was a practice normally seen on I. Gruppe Bf 110s of this unit.

Messerschmitt Bf 110C Zerstörer II./ZG1 01

Photo 01: A formation of Ju-87s fly over Bf 110Cs of II./ZG1. The distinctive 'three wasps above clouds' emblem is carried on the nose of all three Bf 110s.

Messerschmitt Bf 110C Zerstörer II./ZG1 02

Photo 01: A ground mechanic poses in front of a Bf 110C of II./ZG1. The emblem of three wasps above a cloud can be seen to good advantage, as can the two tone upper surface camouflage of RLM 70 and 71.

Messerschmitt Bf 110C Zerstörer II./ZG1 03

Photo 01: A view of a II./ZG1 machine inside a hangar. The starboard spinner tip appears to be in yellow when contrasted with the white of the wasps' wings, which would indicate a 6.Staffel aircraft. The forward section of the starboard engine cowling is unusually free from any staining or oil smears.

Messerschmitt Bf 110C Zerstörer II./ZG1 (S9+ C) derelict 01

Photo 01: A derelict Bf 110 of II./ZG1 in winter camouflage can be seen on an unknown airtleld that has been retaken by the Russians.

Messerschmitt Bf 110G Zerstörer II./ZG1 (S9+ ) Nikoleijev, Russia 01

Photo 01: Views of II./ZG1 Bf 110s at the time the Gruppe was based at Nikoleijev in March 1943.

Messerschmitt Bf 110G Zerstörer II./ZG1 (S9+ N) crash landed Nikoleijev, Russia 01

Photo 01: Views of II./ZG1 Bf 110s at the time the Gruppe was based at Nikoleijev in March 1943.

Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstörer 5./ZG1 01

Photo 01: Mission instructions to flying personnel of 5./ZG1 on the Russian front. Note the heavily worn Wespe on the nose of the Bf 110 E, and the red tip to the spinner.

Messerschmitt Bf 110C Zerstorer III./ZG1 01

Photo 01: A Bf 110C of 3./ZG1 carrying the Staffel emblem of a lion's head on the nose. Note the early style fuselage cross and the light-coloured spinner, almost certainly in the Staffel colour of yellow.