Klaus Haberlen's Ju 88 KG 51 "Edelweiss"
 

Hi assorted experts!
I need your help!
I recently finished reading "A Luftwaffe Bomber Pilot Remembers" and as a result I SIMPLY MUST build his aircraft in 1/48 scale.

The problem I have is that while my knowledge of what his aircraft code and coloring is above average- it does not fit AT ALL with the documentary evidence in his own book.

In Oct 1942- Hauptmann Haberlen was 2nd Staffel Commander of the I./Gruppe of KG 51- thus his aircraft code should have been 9k+AR (red A)

In February 1943- he was promoted to I./Gruppe Commander- thus his aircraft code should be 9k+AB (Green A- green as the stab color)

In his book - and the attached picture below- in April 1943 he flew his 300th mission and it is THIS moment I wish to memorialize in a diorama. I custom printed the Memmingen Coat of arms, I have the 20mm cannon from Verlinden, BUT the yellow (or is it white?) Spinner color does not seem to match the color of the aircraft code letter.
Shouldn't the spinner be GREEN?
I know this isnt a hard rule with all KG's- but KG51 was pretty good about matching the spinner color to the code color of the 3 letters in the aircraft code.
Is there an exception for Stab aircraft?

What do you guys think?

Thanks in advance for any help with this!

Re: Klaus Haberlen's Ju 88 KG 51 "Edelweiss"
 

Hello,

Consider the following:

Two photos taken at Bagerovo [sic] on 17th April 1943 on the occasion of Haberlen's 300th front flight.

Above: Haberlen in the cockpit of his Ju 88 9K+BB, which bears the coat of arms of the city of Memmingen.

Below: Haberlen with the staffel mascot "Seppl".

Apologies about the lack of umlauts.

See:
Die Ritterkreuztrager der Kampfflieger. Band 1.
Kaiser,Jochen
Bad Zwischenhahn:Luftverlag-Start,2010.
p.185.

Col.

Re: Klaus Haberlen's Ju 88 KG 51 "Edelweiss"
 

Hi,
There is a photo in the Chronik of KG 51 by Wolfgang Dierich that shows the aircraft with green spinners and a white ring on the engine cowling.

Regards,
Norbert