KG54 emblem1. Staffel I. Gruppe Kampfgeschwader 54 - 1./KG(J)54

II. Gruppe Kampfgeschwader(J) 54

Messerschmitt Me 262A1a II./KG(J)54 B3BC Friedrich Gentsch Neuburg Germany March 1945 0A

Image Source: Kagero Topcolors 9 Luftwaffe Fighters 1945 Pages 31-32

Messerschmitt Me 262A1a II./KG(J)54 B3BC Friedrich Gentsch Neuburg Germany March 1945 0B

Image Source: Kagero Topcolors 9 Luftwaffe Fighters 1945 Pages 31-32

1. Staffel I. Gruppe Kampfgeschwader(J) 54

Messerschmitt Me 262A1a Schwalbe 1./KG54 B3BH Giebelstadt Germany 1945 0A

Messerschmitt Me 262B1a Swallow 1./KG54 B3SH WNr 170075 Giebelstadt Germany 1944 0A

3. Staffel I. Gruppe Kampfgeschwader(J) 54

Messerschmitt Me 262A1a 3./KG(J)54 B3CL WNr 110567 Giebelstadt Germany March 1945 01

Messerschmitt Me 262A1a 3./KG(J)54 Yellow 2 Bohemia 1945 0A

The unit emblem leaves no doubt about aircraft's assignment to I.Gruppe, its yellow number points to the 3. Staffel. KG(J) 54frequently modified the camouflage of its aircraft, which was alsothe case of this plane. The standard base was a pattern of RLM 81and 82 on the fuselage with a horizontal division line with RLM 76roughly in the middle of the fuselage. This line was shaped into afairly regular series of small waves; mottles of both dark colours were applied on the fuselage sides. A similar camouflage patterncan be found on a fuselage coded B3+DL, W.Nr.1106?? (3./KG(J) 54) that was found with two other Me 262 fuselages abandoned inGiebelstadt: W.Nr.W.Nr.110567, B3+CL (3./KG(J) 54) and W.Nr.111630, B3+EK (2./KG(J) 54).

Light, snaky patches were applied on top of this originalcamouflage pattern. They were a notch darker than RLM 76 onthe lower surfaces, but much lighter than dark colours of the top. Itcould possibly have been green-blue frequently used instead of RLM 76. The patches stretched from the fuselage spine all the way down to the lower edge of fuselage profile. In some sectionsof the fuselage the painters considered them too light, so narrowstripes of very dark paint were added, most likely a dark green,possibly RLM 83 or even 70 or 71. The dark stripes more or lesstraced the shape of light mottles. Nevertheless, only the sectionahead of the trailing edge was modified this way. A similar pattern appeared on the wings, and to the standardpattern of RLM 81 and 82 was added snaky mottles of green-blue,occasionally with dark narrow stripes. The latter seem to havebeen applied very carelessly, as if with a rough brush. Similar lightcoloured mottles occur on engine nacelles. On the other hand,only light snaky mottles were applied on the standard pattern onthe elevator. It seems as if the dark paint was applied only in easily accessible areas. Even though the camouflage may seem very unusual, it was probably not all that exceptional, as confirmed by aforementioned Me 262 of the same unit abandoned atGiebelstadt airfield; B3+DL, W.Nr.1106??, 3./KG(J) 54. The nose section of 'Yellow 2' had been replaced and provided with a totally different camouflage pattern corresponding with thatof late production Me 262's with dark colours covering the entirefuselage top and sides. Whether this component came as a sparepart or from a cannibalized aircraft is not clear, even though thelatter seems more likely, in particular due to the fact it wasprovided with camouflage. A spare part would probably have beendelivered uncamouflaged, all the more so since even new Me262's were given camouflage only upon completion of assembly.No rectangular instruction markings can be distinguished belowthe weapons, and so the part was most likely manufactured by Messerschmitt in Regensburg, i.e. a completely differentmanufacturer.

Markings

The black-outlined yellow number '2' was not the original tacticalmarking. Dark patches under the digit suggest an earlier marking 'B3+??'. The re-marking most likely took place at the same time ablue-and-white chequered band was applied ahead of the tail unitand was probably a part of effort to unify markings according tothe 'fighter' standard once the unit was registered as a fighter unit.Other photo-documented Me 262s of III./KG(J) 54 had their markings modified in the same manner, such as 'Yellow 3' W.Nr.170302 found abandoned at München-Riem (this Werknummer listed on the 26th April Werknummer list), and 'White 1' of 1./KG(J) 54 that was shot down on 17 April 1945 near Nesvačily.

These were not exceptions as the I. Gruppe KG(J) 54emblem was painted on either side of the fuselage. With thereplacement of aircraft's nose section, the yellow and most likely white-outlined 3. Staffel nose tip disappeared. Interestingly, Me262's of KG(J) 54, unlike their KG 51 counterparts, did not havetheir fin and rudder tips coloured. The aircraft is definitely one of the most interesting Me 262A’sphotographed in Bohemia. Unfortunately, it is the only Me 262A of I./KG(J) 54 that, despite their fairly high numbers in Bohemia, couldbe reconstructed.

Image Source: AIR Modeller 75 2017-12-20

Messerschmitt Me 262A1a 3./KG(J)54 Yellow 2 Bohemia 1945 0B

9. Staffel III. Gruppe Kampfgeschwader(J) 54

Messerschmitt Me 262A1a 9./KG(J)54 (Y3I) Germany 1945 0A

The following bomber units received the (J) designation.
KG 6 re-designated KG(J) 6 on 23rd Nov 1944
KG 30 re-designated KG(J) 30 on 23rd Nov 1944
KG 54 re-designated KG(J) 54 on 01st Oct 1944
KG 55 re-designated KG(J) 55 on 13th Nov 1944

KG 51 - although it re-equipped with the Me 410 and was used for Reichsluftverteidigung duties it never received the (J) designation and later coverted to the Me 262 in the bomber role.

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  Luftwaffe pilot Walter Nowotny 258 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Theodor Weissenberger 208 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Heinz Bar 175 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Franz Schall 133 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Rudolf Rademacher 126 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Adolf Galland 104 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Hermann Buchner 58 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Erich Hohagen 50 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Rudolf Sinner 39 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Ernst-Wilhelm Modrow 32 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Richard Altner 25 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Gunther Wegmann 21 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Wolfgang Schenck 18 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Franz Holzinger 10 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Helmut Lennartz 10 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Alfred 'Bubi' Schreiber 9 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Eduard Schallmoser 3 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Wilhelm Batel 1 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Joachim Fingerlos 1 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Edgar Witzmann 1 kills

  Luftwaffe pilot Edmund Delatowski 0 kills

    Bibliography: +

  • Angelucci, Enzo and Paolo Matricardi. World Aircraft: World War II, Volume I (Sampson Low Guides). Maidenhead, UK: Sampson Low, 1978. ISBN 978-0-528-88170-1.
  • Balous, Miroslav, Jiří Rajlich and Martin Velek. Messerschmitt Me 262 (in Czech/English). Prague: MBI, 1995. ISBN 80-901263-7-5.
  • Bekker, Cajun (1994). The Luftwaffe War Diaries: The German Air Force in World War II. New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 03-068060-4-5.
  • Bergstrom, Christer (2008). Bagration to Berlin: The Final Air Battles in the East: 1944–1945. Ian Allen. ISBN 978-1-903223-91-8.
  • Boyne, Walter J. (1994). 'Clash of Wings'. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-684-83915-6.
  • Boyne, Walter J. (November 2008). 'Goering's Big Bungle'. Air Force Magazine (11 ed.). 91.
  • Blair, Mac. 'Evolution of the F-86.' AIAA Evolution of Aircraft Wing Design Symposium, 18 March 1980.
  • Brown, Eric. Wings on My Sleeve. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2006. ISBN 0-297-84565-9.
  • Butler, Phil (1994). War prizes: An Illustrated Survey of German, Italian and Japanese Aircraft brought to Allied Countries During and After the Second World War. Leicestershire, UK: Midland. ISBN 0-904597-86-5.
  • Caldwell, Donald; Muller, Richard (2007). The Luftwaffe Over Germany: Defense Of The Reich. London: Greenhill Books. ISBN 978-1-85367-712-0.
  • Ethell, Jeffrey and Alfred Price. The German Jets in Combat. London: Jane's Publishing Company, 1979. ISBN 0-354-01252-5.
  • Ethell, Jeffrey and Alfred Price. World War II Fighting Jets. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International, 1994. ISBN 1-55750-940-9.
  • Foreman, John and S.E. Harvey. The Messerschmitt Me 262 Combat Diary. Surrey, UK: Air Research Publications, 1990. ISBN 1-871187-30-3.
  • Green, William (1970). Warplanes of the Third Reich. New York: Galahad Books. ISBN 0-88365-666-3.
  • Gunston, Bill (1984). Aerei della seconda guerra mondiale (in Italian). Milan: Peruzzo editore.
  • Gunston, Bill (1988). The Illustrated directory of Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London: Salamander Book Limited. ISBN 1-84065-092-3.
  • Haunschmied, Rudolf A., Jan-Ruth Mills and Siegi Witzany-Durda. St. Georgen-Gusen-Mauthausen – Concentration Camp Mauthausen Reconsidered. Norderstedt, Germany: BoD, 2008. ISBN 978-3-8334-7610-5.
  • Heaton, Colin. The Me 262 Stormbird: From the Pilots Who Flew, Fought, and Survived It. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Zenith Imprint, 2012. ISBN 978-0-76034-263-3.
  • Jenkins, Dennis R. and Tony R. Landis. Experimental & Prototype U.S. Air Force Jet Fighters. Minneapolis: Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-58007-111-6.
  • Levine, Alan J. The Strategic Bombing of Germany, 1940–1945. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger, 1992. ISBN 0-275-94319-4.
  • Miller, Donald L. (2007). Eighth Air Force: The American Bomber Crews in Britain. London: Aurum Press. ISBN 978-1845132217.
  • Morgan, Hugh; Weal, John (1998). German Jet Aces of World War 2 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces No 17). London: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-634-5.
  • O'Connell, Dan (2006). Messerschmitt Me 262: The Production Log 1941–1945. Leicestershire, UK: Classic Publications. ISBN 1-903223-59-8.
  • Price, Alfred (1993). The Last Year of the Luftwaffe: May 1944 to May 1945. London: Greenhill Books. ISBN 1-85367-440-0.
  • Radinger, Will; Schick, Walter Schick (1996). Me 262 (in German). Berlin: Avantic Verlag GmbH. ISBN 3-925505-21-0.
  • Price, Alfred (February 2007). 'Sleek and Deadly: The Messerschmitt Me 262.'. Flight Journal.
  • Samuel, Wolfgang W. E. (2004). American Raiders: The Race to Capture the Luftwaffe's Secrets. Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 1-57806-649-2.
  • Smith, J. Richard. Messerschmitt: An Aircraft Album. New York: Arco Publishing, 1971. ISBN 978-0-66802-505-8.
  • Smith, J. Richard and Edward J. Creek. Jet Planes of the Third Reich. Boylston, Massachusetts: Monogram Aviation Publications, 1982. ISBN 0-914144-27-8.
  • Speer, Albert et al. Inside the Third Reich: Memoirs. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. ISBN 0-684-82949-5.
  • Spick, Mike. Allied Fighter Aces of World War II. London: Greenhill Books, 1997. ISBN 1-85367-282-3.
  • Spick, Mike. Fighter Pilot Tactics: The Techniques of Daylight Air Combat. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens, 1983. ISBN 0-85059-617-3.
  • Stapfer, Hans-Heiri (2006). Walk Around #42: Messerschmitt Me 262. Carrolton, Texas: Squadron Signal. ISBN 0-8-9747-500-3.
  • Thompson, J. Steve with Peter C Smith. Air Combat Manoeuvres. Hersham (Surrey), UK: Ian Allan Publishing, 2008. ISBN 978-1-903223-98-7.
  • Warsitz, Lutz. English EditionThe First Jet Pilot: The Story of German Test Pilot Erich Warsitz. London: Pen and Sword Books Ltd., 2009. ISBN 978-1-84415-818-8.

    Some of the most widely used Book References:

  • Jagdwaffe: Battle of Britain: Phase One: July-August 1940 (Luftwaffe Colours: Volume Two, Section 1) Paperback Eric Mombeek (Author), David Wadman (Author), Eddie J Creek (Author)
  • Jagdwaffe: Battle of Britain: Phase Two: August-September 1940 (Luftwaffe Colours: Volume Two, Section 2) Paperback Eric Mombeek (Author), David Wadman (Author), Martin Pegg (Author)
  • Jagdwaffe: Battle of Britain: Phase Three: September-October 1940 (Luftwaffe Colours: Volume Two, Section 3) Paperback Eric Mombeek (Author), David Wadman (Author), Martin Pegg (Author)
  • Jagdwaffe: Battle of Britain: Phase Four: November 1940-June 1941 (Luftwaffe Colours: Volume Two, Section 4) Paperback Eric Mombeek (Author), David Wadman (Author), Martin Pegg (Author)

    Magazines: +

  • Airfix Magazines (English) - http://www.airfix.com/
  • Avions (French) - http://www.aerostories.org/~aerobiblio/rubrique10.html
  • EDUARD - https://www.eduard.com/
  • EDUARD - Are in my opinion are what modelers are looking for loads of pictures and diagrams and have become a leading historical information source. *****
  • FlyPast (English) - http://www.flypast.com/
  • Flugzeug Publikations GmbH (German) - http://vdmedien.com/flugzeug-publikations-gmbh-hersteller_verlag-vdm-heinz-nickel-33.html
  • Flugzeug Classic (German) - http://www.flugzeugclassic.de/
  • Klassiker (German) - http://shop.flugrevue.de/abo/klassiker-der-luftfahrt
  • Luftwaffe IM Focus (German) - https://www.luftfahrtverlag-start.de/
  • Embleme der Luftwaffe Band-1 (German) - https://www.luftfahrtverlag-start.de/
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://boutique.editions-lariviere.fr/site/abonnement-le-fana-de-l-aviation-626-4-6.html
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://www.pdfmagazines.org/tags/Le+Fana+De+L+Aviation/
  • Osprey (English) - http://www.ospreypublishing.com/
  • model airplane international magazine - https://adhpublishing.com/shop/store/magazine-backissues/model-airplane-international-backissues/
  • Revi Magazines (Czech) - http://www.revi.cz/

    Web References: +

  • eBay - https://picclick.de/ or https://www.ebay.com
  • Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com
  • Wikipedia.org - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt

 

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