TR fuselage code
 

Hi,
Did someone knows what luftwaffe unit wore "TR" as fuselage code. Ju 87 and Bf 109 (15+TR) using this markings were seen in southern france during fall of 1943.

Thanks for your help
Guy

Re: TR fuselage code
 

Hi

This would not be the actual unit code. Since +TR are the last two letters then these are either the last two letters of a four letter stammkennzeichen (stkz) or verbandzeichen (vbkz). In the case of the vbkz +TR would indicate aircraft ‘T’ of a 7. Staffel. The two figure alpha-numerical unit code before the balkenkreuz would give us the unit. Two aircraft would not carry the same letters at the same time.

The number 15 before the balkenkreuz is however a tactical code used instead of the vbkz for fighters and some other units. There would not normally be any characters on the other side of the cross (other than gruppe markings).

I would suggest that your examples are actually part of a stkz. In this case the 15 has been painted over the first original two letters. Normally the last two letters (TR) would have also been painted over, but there are many examples where this was not done. It does seem odd (although not impossible) that a Bf 109 and Ju 87 would both have the same 15+TR code in the same location. I have however found eight Ju 87’s (mostly Ju 87D) with __+TR stkz and nineteen Bf 109 (F and G) with __+TR .

Ian

Re: TR fuselage code
 

Hello Guy

Perhaps if you post a picture of these aircraft we would have a better chance of identification.

Chris

Re: TR fuselage code
 

Thanks for this very accurate answer,
Unfortunatly I've got any photo just a report from "BCRA Alger 1944" (with some drawings) concerning the Montpellier airfiel's traffic on November of 1944. The Bf 109's code was 15+TR and the Stuka code was SO+TR
Thanks again
Cheers
Guy

Re: TR fuselage code
 

Thank you to Guy for sending me the document that he referred to. The document is from Free-French intelligence sources. It records aircraft spotted at Montpellier on the 27.11.1943 and again on the 5.12.1943. It must be noted that the skills of the amateur aircraft spotter were not accurate and there were errors made. The most obvious was an aircraft spotted on the 27.11 and listed as a ‘Heinkel’ coded 1H+FO. By the 5.12 this aircraft had transformed itself into a Ju 88! Many TOCH members will also be aware that the French spotter must have also miss-recorded the code, since ‘O’ was never used as a staffel identifier.

Some other recorded codes offer insufficient information to provide meaningful identifications. Accepting these reservations I have attempted to make some observations on what was recorded.
27/11
‘Junkers 88’ 1H+FD and CD Ju 88A of Stab.III/KG 26 which was based at Montpellier at this time.
1H+XA Ju 88A code of Stab./KG 26, (which were converting from He 111).
1H+UF Ju 88A KG 26 incorrectly recorded code.
‘Heinkel’ 1H+FO Could be a He 111H of KG 26, but incorrectly recorded code.
‘Storch’ +N Fi 156, but impossible to identify unit.
+RU Unclear whether this is listed as a ‘Storch’ or a ‘Stuka’. Possibly an aircraft of a 10 staffel, unknown unit.
‘Stuka’ SO+TR Looks like a stkz, but not recorded. SO+FR was a Ju 87D ?
15+TR One of four Bf 109’s recorded to have landed on this date and apparently the aircraft which crashed with death of the pilot. As stated in earlier post, this is almost certainly a numerical tactical code which has partially covered an earlier stkz. No obvious unit, but it could be possible to find in loss records?

5/12
Junkers 88, 1H+AT, BT, CT, FT, IT, ZT all 9./KG 26
Junkers 88, 1H+IR 7./KG 26
Junkers 88, 1H+CS 8./KG 26.....all part of III./KG 26 based at this airfield.
Junkers 88, 1H+ZU 10./KG 26, perhaps a replacement aircraft from IV to III./KG 26
Junkers 88, 1H+FO incorrect code as noted above.
‘Stuka’ SO+TR as above.
‘Storch’ +U and +T Two more unidentifiable Fi 156.#

Ian