Re: RLM 64 and the Junkers Ju 52???
 

Underside of this aircraft is not 65, but rather appears to have been painted black, as can bee seen on the cowl and nacelle.



http://home.earthlink.net/%7Esaeisenman/OverAllDark.jpg

Re: RLM 64 and the Junkers Ju 52???
 

Nice photo! Pity about the anti-copying stamp across it.

I guess this one dates from the night-operating period and black certainly looks to have been applied on the cowl and nacelle, probably 'in the field' judging from its appearance. It also looks as if the upper surface painting is fairly rough and incomplete (near cabin door?). It looks as if the upper surfaces may have been one colour - there are hints of colour divisions but they may be lighting/photo artifacts and there are shadows above the officer type standing inboard of the right engine and on the left cowl/nacelle

I don't think it invalidates at all the other evidence that many g3e s were painted a dark green (?) overall (not black underneath) and in my previous posts I had agreed with evidence that some Ju 52's were black underneath. In fact, I think this photograph helps to corroborate the idea, linked to their role as night-bombers and provides a date (1937-early 1939?) for the pre-war addition of black (to an originally 61/62/63/65 or 63 painted aircraft). The subsequent adoption by all types of a daylight 70/71/65 scheme matches a switch in policy of the Luftwaffe and the withdrawl of the Ju 52 from offensive duties.

I wonder what unit the aircraft belong to? According to Ken Merrick in Luftwaffe Colors Vol2. the 0- series may have belonged to the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe.

Thanks for posting this.

Graham

Re: RLM 64 and the Junkers Ju 52???
 

Hi all,

just to report and correct an error on the post replying to Pilot. I've only just noticed this. I inadvertently wrote 'overall RLM 70' in relation to Michael Ullmanns's description of the 1936 Bf 109 V5. This should have read 'RLM 70/71'. My apologies for this misleading error.

Cheers

GrahamB

Re: RLM 64 and the Junkers Ju 52???
 

No problem :) Thank you anyway.

Re: RLM 64 and the Junkers Ju 52???
 

But aren't there decals for another snake? The undercarriage of this other Tante Ju isn't spatted. If the color profile in Luftwaffe im Focus is correct, there's another problem with ‘3U+ML’ - it is depicted with an additional cabin door on the stbd side right aft of the cockpit. And the snake on this a/c may have lacked its head.

Re: RLM 64 and the Junkers Ju 52???
 

Hi,

of course there are decals for another option - it is just not quite as appealing. If I'm really determined to do the '3U+ML' I might see if Revell can supply the separate sprue from the civilian version.

As for the so-called 'additonal' door - you can see plenty of photographs of g3e and g4e aircraft with this (original) door - welded-up or still functional.

There is another photograph of a Ju 52 g3e (with faired/spatted undercarriage) with a 'snake' marking: Model Fan Encyclopaedia No.4 Junkers Ju 52, page 9. This is strangely captioned "Note the painting scheme of the aeroplane, typical for the period 1936-1938..". This could be '3U+ML' and - as you have said- the head is not easily discerned.

Thanks

GrahamB

Re: RLM 64 and the Junkers Ju 52???
 

Hi,

forgot to say this: what is wrong with the profile of '3U+ML' is not related to the 'additional' cabin door, but the cargo door is shown as the higher 3-piece version introduced with the g10e.

Cheers

Graham