Saturday, September 5, 2015

Bf109E-4 of Carl-Hans Röders

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzT90eXSUSBVdVI0aXo0RjZHSnM/view?usp=sharing
From September 2nd to September 6th of 1940 many 109's that crashed in England were reported to have had the wing tips and rudders painted white. Additionally some aircraft had white tail tips while others had a white spinner as well. Then, on September 7th, the white was gone and yellow noses was suddenly the norm through out all the fighter units. So far the white markings of the first week of September has not been tied to particular operation, Luftflotte or other development during the Battle so the exact reasons for the short switch to white is not known. A few isolated cases of white engine cowlings were reported during the same week but they are few and were likely not intended to become the norm. 

9./JG2 used RLM 26 brown numerals or some similar deep orange color although a bright yellow was used in the emblem. In the colorphoto of Röders' aircraft the white wing tips are clearly visible so although the date of the photo is not known, it would have been taken during the first week of September 1940.

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