Luftwaffe im Focus 2 - overview
 

Pardon my lack of expertise, but what follows are highlights from this fine publication. My primary interest is the photographs. Photo 1: captured Storch with S + triangle with outline. Photo 2: Fw 44 with markings indicating HQ Geschwader of JG 301. Note that "An in-depth article on III./JG 54 (II.ZG 76) will appear in a coming edition." Article about Lt. Alfred Heckmann, 3./JG 26 which includes a rudder photo indicating that his victories as published in the past "contains serious errors." An article about "Fw 190 D-9, The Late War Fighter." Photo 11 includes a "Ju 88 C-6 with FuG 212 Lichtenstein C-1 radar." in unusual camouflage where even the propeller blades are painted.

An excellent photo of Uffz. Leo Dombrowa and Uffz. Schmidt (his crew chief). Photos 20 and 21 show an Me 262 B with lightning bolt starting just in front of the cockpit (coded B3 + SH, Werknummer 170075) Photo 22 shows a pilot on the wing of an Me 262 with no identification (aside from the camouflage pattern which is not elaborate). Photo 23 shows the remains of Me 262 A-1 Yellow 3, Werknummer 501221 (nose missing, no cockpit canopy, top of vertical tail missing and engine in foreground). Photo 24 shows a wrecked Ar 234 B-2 of 9.KG 76 (+ HT is visible on the fuselage).

Photo 25 shows an Me 262 flown by the commander of III./JG 7, Major Rudolf Sinner. There are diagonal bands on the aircraft that are angled forward toward the nose. Photo 26 is most extraordinary as it shows another Me 262 with banded camouflage that angles toward the rear. Also, two rocket tubes are visible under the fuselage. Photo 27 and accompanying color illustration show White 5 of the 11. Staffel of III./JG 7 (Werknummer 111588) An unusual feature highlighted in the color illustration is an "upwards facing black chevron" followed by the number 17 which is located below, and just ahead of the horizontail tail piece and another just behind the horizontal tail piece.

Next is "Almost a Miracle: 'Green 5' of 2./EJG 2 in Colour." The color photo is from a slide and whether it is a fault due to age or some other reason, the photo that is published shows a blue 5 outlined in white. Photo 29 and an accompanying color illustration "shows the Bf 109 G-6 of the Gruppe commander of III./JG 5, Hptm. Franz Dorr (umlaut over O), at Gossen in mid-May 1945 (<< + solid black dot, Wnr. 411960)."

Photo 39 shows a partially concealed He 219 A-7 night fighter. It carries a FuG 220 d "Lichtenstein" radar and flame dampers. Only a partial code ( + OH) is visible. Photo 40 and accompanying color illustration show a P-51 C marked T9 + CK. Photo 42 and accompanying color illustration shows a La-5FN coded T9 + PK.

Next is a lengthy article titled "May 1945: Objective Courland, The Luftwaffe's Last Large-Scale Operation." There is a list of Luftwaffe units known to have taken part, a report of aircraft on strength in Courland dated 12 April 1945, and a list of units from Windau, Libau-North, Libau-Groubin, Libau-?, Cirava, Zabeln and Nikas, and aircraft types flown in all but one entry. There is also an accompanying map. Photo 48 shows Ju 88s and Ju 188s of II./KG 26 photographed at Bradufoss, Norway after the surrender (only a 1H unit code is visible). Photo 49 shows an Fw200 C-5, F8 + MS, flown by a crew from 1.(F)/22. Photo 50 is a Ju 88 T-3 (4N + CH). Photo 51 shows a Ju 188 (4N + EH) of 1.(F)/22.

Finally, photo 53 shows a Mistel S 2 training combination. The aircraft was captured and along with a red star painted on the fuselage cross is the legend "RUF-1" just behind it.



Ed

Re: Luftwaffe im Focus 2 - overview
 

The smiling face cannot be removed. I did not place it there.



Ed

Re: Luftwaffe im Focus 2 - overview
 

" Next is "Almost a Miracle: 'Green 5' of 2./EJG 2 in Colour." The color photo is from a slide and whether it is a fault due to age or some other reason, the photo that is published shows a blue 5 outlined in white.."

blue 5 ..??? ....

just a thought Ed....but I personally like to enjoy some surprises when I purchase a new recommended publication ...

Re: Luftwaffe im Focus 2 - overview
 

Ed,
Betcha the Smiley is actually an 8 followed by the closing parenthesis. So the wn would be 111588. I noticed the same thing happen with Chris Goss' Errata for Sea Eagles 1.

Re: Luftwaffe im Focus 2 - overview
 

Yes indeed. If you write 111588) you get the unwanted smiley. If you put an empty space between the 8 and the closing parenthesis it's OK: 111588 )

Re: Luftwaffe im Focus 2 - overview
 

Dear Ed West,

I fully agree with you that LiF Special No. 2 - again - is a very helpful and interesting source especially for new photos.

Concerning the rudder photo of an Fw 190 with Alfred Heckmann standing in front of it however LiF has been misled; as a matter of fact the published claims list of Alfred Heckmann - at least as far as the JFV series and the illustrated history of II./JG 3 from our team are concerned - needs no re-writing at all as it is 100% correct and complete, being based on wartime original records as well as a list compiled by Alfred Heckmann himself many years ago.

The simple solution of this seemingly mysterious photo is that the aircraft behind Alfred Heckmann was not his personal mount but that of - in all likelihood - Hptm. Rolf Hermichen, then his Staffelkapitän. Although some of his early victories claimed as a Zerstörer-pilot are still shrouded in mystery, he is one of very few - and exclusively - Zerstörer-pilots who had a confirmed claim against a Swiss a/c ( claimed in June 1940 ) and he opened his score list with a Dutch ( not Checoslovakian ! ) a/c. The number and positioning of his claims in the East also fits with the tally on the Fw 190's rudder.

This has already been sorted out with Axel Urbanke who will get additional information and a copy of the a/m document referring to Alfred Heckmann's claims so that he can elaborate in more depth in the next issue of LiF.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Jochen Prien

P.S.: ... and, Ed, thank you for your constant and unselfish service.

Re: Luftwaffe im Focus 2 - overview
 

Dear Mr. Prien,


Thank you for your detailed reply. It never occurred to me that the aircraft could have been someone else's. And thank you for your kind words about my work.



Regards,
Ed West

Re: Luftwaffe im Focus 2 - overview
 

Dear Ed,

Thanks for the alert on the new LiF Special Nr. 2. Hopefully, among the 5 or so Me 262 photos you mentioned, some will be new to me. Anyway, I have ordered a copy.

Regards,
Richard