Friday, May 9, 2014

Bf109G-6 of Wilhelm Schilling, 9./JG54

http://www.cptfarrels.com/blog/Bf109G-6_Schilling_JG54_1200.jpg
Willhelm Schillings Yellow 1 as it looked in February 1944 at Ludwigslust. Several publications are giving the W.Nr for this aircraft as 440 141 which is a WNF W.Nr. The relase of Eduards 1/48 Bf109G-6 includes decals for this aircraft and the instructions are consequently showing a wing pattern  for a WNF aircraft too. The problem is that the camouflage on the fuselage of this aircraft is a very typical Erla camouflage. 

Going through a JG54 losslist compiled by Bob Wartburg I found two entries for a Yellow 1 flown by Schilling on the same date in February 1944. One is the aforementioned 440 141 and the other is 27 068. Now 27 068 IS an Erla built Bf109G-6 so it's also quite likely the correct W.Nr for this particular Yellow 1. This also means that the wings would have had the saw toothed pattern rather than the WNF one.

For a run down of the various pattern, check my previous blog post on the subject!

4 comments:

Simon said...

Superb work Anders!

FalkeEins said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
FalkeEins said...

..I'm just doing the Eduard kit in these colours. Thanks for the heads-up. See Prien's 'F, G, K' page 126 for an eye-level view of the port wing of what is given as WNr 440141. AFAIKT it is the standard WNF splinter, although apparently sprayed free-hand..the darker fuselage mottle Prien suggests may be 'dark green' ...

Anders said...

The Erla and WNF pattern are basically the same, it's only the demarcation that was different with sawtooth vs soft transition between the colors. The famous Black 12 of II./JG2 is also a 27.xxx series aircraft (Erla built) with a softer camouflage than the regular sawtooth one so perhaps Yellow 1 were painted similarly. The fuselage leaves no doubt in my mind that it's an Erla built aircraft. Both RLM 02 and 70 was used for the mottle so Prien is likely correct about the dark green.