This aircraft was flown by Alfred Surau, and ace with 45 kills (some sources state 46) to his credit. His first was on February 28th, 1943 in Russia, where he served with 9./JG 3. His first kill on the Western Front was one of two B-17s he is credited with on September 6th, 1943. Another two followed on October 1st. Surau last saw combat on October 14th, 1943, when he took part in attempt to repel a second American raid on Schweinfurt. His aircraft was hit from the bombers’ defensive fire and Surau was seriously wounded. He succumbed to his injuries in a Wertheim hospital the same day. The eye markings on the the engine cowl were carried by aircraft serving with 9 Staffel of JG 3, and the marking on the nose belonged to Jagdgeschwader 3 ‘Udet’. It is possible that the rudder was yellow. It is further possible that the lower engine cowl was in RLM 76, while the yellow remained only under the stencil on its side.