Seeking info on Geschwaderstab markings and pilots of JG2 during 1939-40
 

Hello,

Finally gave up on trying to post four photos here, and went back to basics. We need to answer these questions to do a correct series of EoE profiles for the Geschwaderstab of JG2 during 1939-40.

This photo has recently been posted for sale on eBay:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/350941854806?...806%26_rdc%3D1

The victory tabs on the near a/c show the well known 54-victory tab rudder of Major Helmut Wick's scoreboard with Stab./JG2 as of 10.11.40. The aircraft in the background is actually more interesting. It shows -- (long bar)+-. Previously, I've always thought that this stab marking was for the Gesch Adjutant, but the victory tabs only total seven (we've scaled them out), and that would have been the scoreboard total for Oblt. Rudi Pflanz, the Gr T.O., on this date. The Gesch Adjutant's a/c, Oblt. Erich Leie, should have had 9 or 10 victory tabs painted on his rudder as of this date. So, either this a/c is that of Leie, and his scoreboard is a few days behind, or the a/c is the one flown by Pflanz.

So, who knows the correct JG2 Stab symbols for the unit flying positions during the fall of 1940? We thought that these should be <-+- Gesch Kde (Wick); --(long bar)+- Gesch Adj (Leie); and <-I-- (looks like a sword)+- for the T.O. (Pflanz), but this latest photo casts doubts upon this. Photos also exist of a '--(long bar)+- for a 4th Stab a/c, with one example of this showing Leie in the cockpit, although this doesn't make it his regular a/c. There is also some support for a <I-+-, for a 5th Stab a/c, although this isn't certain.

I tried to post photos of all of these variations but it hasn't yet worked out. If I can get this to work, I'll post these later.

I'm particularly interested in confirming whether the photo of the a/c in the background of the one on eBay shows the a/c of Erich Leie or Rudi Pflanz, and whichever it is, documenting the correct aircraft and scoreboard for the other. In addition, who would have been the 4th or even 5th flying officer on the Geschwaderstab of JG2 during the fall of 1940?

Who can help sort all this out?

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

Re: Seeking info on Geschwaderstab markings and pilots of JG2 during 1939-40
 

Hello,

Here are the photos relating to my previous post:

1) http://ihra.smugmug.com/photos/i-H63...-H63LDMH-M.jpg

Is this the Gesch Adj Leie, or the T.O. Pflanz?

2) http://ihra.smugmug.com/photos/i-5nQ...-5nQpTk2-M.jpg

Scaling out the scoreboard to confirm that this a/c had seven victory tabs.

2) http://ihra.smugmug.com/photos/i-gVt...-gVt5zkm-M.jpg

This looks like Leie, the Adj., but with a variation of the Stab symbols. Is this the #4 a/c in the Gerschwaderstab, or is this Leie's personal a/c?

3) http://ihra.smugmug.com/photos/i-T8Z...-T8ZCbq2-M.jpg

This is Maj. Helmut Wick, the Gesch Kde. Is this the a/c of the Gesch T.O. or a the plane of somone else?

4) http://ihra.smugmug.com/photos/i-MGq...-MGqCvRB-M.jpg

This appears to be a variation on insignia #3, but is clearly a different a/c. It looks like someone took <I--+- and made modified T.O. (?) marking, indicating that the <I-- may be a valid Stab symbol for the JG2 Geschwaderstab.

Who can answer the questions posed in these posts and help sort this out. Who has additional photography that might help clarify what is going on here?

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

Re: Seeking info on Geschwaderstab markings and pilots of JG2 during 1939-40
 

Hello,

Don Pearson sent me this image of another possible JG2 Geschwaderstab Bf109E. This one has a yellow nose all the way back to the cockpit, which would cover any JG2 insignia. Does anyone know whether this is from JG2 or, if not, what unit carried this very unusual stab marking?

http://ihra.smugmug.com/photos/i-nJ7...-nJ7hHtP-M.jpg

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

Re: Seeking info on Geschwaderstab markings and pilots of JG2 during 1939-40
 

HI Larry,

This last photo has been published in Lw im Focus N°21(2013), page 14 (Hoppe Collection). No unit given but JG 52 suggested.

My own strong feelings for JG 2 are cooled down because of camouflage. So no suggestion! :)

Regards, Franck.

Re: Seeking info on Geschwaderstab markings and pilots of JG2 during 1939-40
 

Franck,

I apparently don't yet have that lastest issue of LiF (#21), although I have all the rest, so this is new information to me. Will have to looks this photo up when it arrives. I too doubt that this is JG2, but it's worth looking at.

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator