Hasegawa Bf 109G-2 trop, Flown by Oblt. Werner Schroer, CO of 8./JG 27, Rhodes, early November, 1942

1/48 Hasegawa Bf 109G-2 trop,
Flown by Oblt. Werner Schroer, CO of 8./JG 27, Rhodes, early November, 1942 Werner Schroer achieved 61 kills in the skies over Africa., the first of which was a Hurricane downed on April 19, 1941 over Tobruk, Libya. Later, Schroer served as a Gruppenadjutant of I./JG 27. He assumed command of 8th Staffel JG 27 and in April, 1943, assumed command of the entire II./JG 27.
 
He ended the war as Geschwaderkommodore of JG 3 with 114 kill to his credit (including 26 four-engined bombers). He was awarded the Knight´s Cross on October 21, 1942 and on April 19, 1945 he became the recipient of the Swords as well. The typical desert camouflage scheme of RLM 79 and RLM 78 is topped off with irregular splotches of green, probably in RLM 70. The aircraft is depicted from early November, 1942, going by the sixty kill marks on the rudder.

IMG_1648

Bf109 G-14 Werknummer Unknown Blue 5, 16/JG53, flown Gefreiter Alfred Michalwski, Stuttgart-Echterdigen base, December 1944, Germany.

Bf109 G-14 Werknummer Unknown Blue 5, 16/JG53, flown Gefreiter Alfred Michalwski, Stuttgart-Echterdigen base, December 1944, Germany.
This Bf109 was painted in standard camo scheme RLM 74/75/76. Previous fuselage number paint, probably RLM02. Traces of an overpainted unit badge, possibly that III./JG77, visible on the engine cowling. Spinner RLM70.

IMG_1633

Bf 109G-6, W.Nr. 15 909, Flown by Hptm. Gerhard Barkhorn, CO of II./JG 52, Eastern Front, September, 1943

Bf 109G-6, W.Nr. 15 909, Flown by Hptm. Gerhard Barkhorn, CO of II./JG 52, Eastern Front, September, 1943

The personal aircraft of Gerhard Barkhorn, the CO of II./JG 52, was manufactured by the Erla factory. At least a part of Erla G-6 production utilized the cowling designed for the G-5 version with an additional small bump on the right side. The name ‘Christl’ is a reference to Barkhorn´s wife Christa. The black double chevron identifies the Gruppe’s CO aircraft. Barkhorn achieved 301 aerial victories during WWII, all of them as a member of JG 52, putting him in second place among German fighter aces. The first victim was downed on July 2, 1940 and the last on January 5, 1945. In 1945, Barkhorn became the CO of JG 6 and flew Me 262 jet fighters as a member of JV 44 shortly before the German surrender. In the post war era he joined Bundesluftwaffe. Barkhorn was awarded the Knight´s Cross on August 23, 1942 with Oak Leaves (on January 11, 1944) and Swords (on March 2, 1944).

IMG_1618

1/48 Tamiya Spitfire Mk.Ia,RN-N

1/48 Tamiya Spitfire Mk.Ia,RN-N (serial number over-painted) Flight Officer Desmond Sheen 72 Squadron, Acklington, June 1940. Flight Officer Des Sheen was one of the early Spitfire aces. His Mk.I Spitfire is painted in the “B” pattern of the Temperate Land Scheme. Note his personal emblem below the cockpit.
IMG_1589

Bf 109G-14, W.Nr. 464534, 19./EJG 2, Pilsen airfield, May, 1945

1/48 Eduard Bf 109G-14, W.Nr. 464534, 19./EJG 2, Pilsen airfield, May, 1945

This Bf 109G-14 was one of the aircraft captured after the war at Pilsen (Plzen), Czechoslovakia. The Luftwaffe unit that flew this aircraft is unclear. The previous markings are still visible under the more recent ones and the KG 55 badge is painted on the cowling. This former bomber regiment used the twinengined He 111. The Luftwaffe found itself in a bad position in the second half of 1944 and bomber units became less and less of a priority. Thus the three Gruppes of KG 55 were redesignated KG(J) 55 in September/October 1944 and were supposed to be equipped with Me 262 fighters. This never happened and Bf 109Gs and Fw 190As were delivered instead. Only the IV. Gruppe was based in Pilsen and it was subordinate to Erg.KGr(J). This unit was redesignated I./EKG(J) in January 1945 and then V./EJG 2 in March. The only part of this unit that stayed in Pilsen through to the end of the war was 19./EJG 2 (formerly 4./EKG(J)).

IMG_1459