1/48 Hasegawa Bf 109G-2, flown by Maj. Hannes Trautloft, CO of JG 54, Eastern Front, summer, 1942

Hannes Trautloft entered combat in the Spanish Civil War. He flew the Bf 109 and participated in the development of tactics for this fighter. He fought in the Polish campaign as well as in France and managed to achieve at least one victory in every campaign. On August 25, 1940 he assumed command of JG 54.

He led this fighter unit through Operation Barbarossa, the attack on the Soviet Union, and in subsequent combat til July 5, 1943. Trautloft is credited with 58 victories, and he was awarded the Knight´s Cross on July 27, 1941. His personal aircraft wore a non-standard camouflage scheme. It is not clear which colors were used by JG 54 during its deployment to the Soviet Union. One theory supports the notion that the scheme consists of RLM 70, 02 and 76. The ‘middle green’ color was mixed from 70 and 02 colors. Note the remnants of RLM 76 color around the swastika and Werk Nummer. This aircraft was equipped with pressurized canopy, typical for G-1 or G-3 versions.