Did the LW had "Follow me" black and white painted vehicles?
 

Good night for all.

Although I do have seen several photograph of American Jeeps with black and white checkerboard or other kind of paint on those "Follow Me" vehicles, I had never seen a similar shot onto Luftwaffe PKW or Kübelwagen or other vehicles.

My question is: Did the LW possess those kind of "Follow-me" vehicles? And has someone seen in books or on private hands such kind of painted vehicle?

Were those attached to the unit/squadron or to the base/field?

Adriano

Re: Did the LW had "Follow me" black and white painted vehicles?
 

Adriano,

This is a new subject for me. I would like some details. This suggests that some American vehicles served as guides or "took point" in a column. Is that right?

Best,
Ed

Re: Did the LW had "Follow me" black and white painted vehicles?
 

ED,

The jeeps were used for taxying purposes (I guess). I remember landing one night and we were aware via RT that the airfield (SBKP) would close due to fog. Whe landed and by the time we were taxying fog closed in....the Cargo 747 behind us managed to land as well, but it was unable to taxy and had to follow a "Follow me" Mitsubish L-200 in front of it up to the APRON.

I have seen several 8th Air Force jeeps with such checkberboards (white and black) on them...helping P-47 and B-17. I am not quite sure if those vehicles were only used to guide machines from the aprons or hangars up to the take-off (active) runways. I believe so, with the background of my experience; however have not read more details about it, the purpose and "official use" of those vehicles.

I asked about the LW using similar vehicles because I have seen only ONE shot of a Mercedes 170 with some kind of "Anhänger" behind it and white and black bands (similear to those 8th AF vehicles)....hence my question. I remember reading Nick Beale's site (and books) about the Ar 234 of Sonderkommando Sommer being taxied up to the take-off point by vehicles (if memory does not fail me). I wonder if such vehicles were "Follow me" or just what they had at hand by that time (in which colour was available).

Adriano

Re: Did the LW had "Follow me" black and white painted vehicles?
 

Adriano,

I understand now. In the case of Ar 234s, everything was planned before the mission. In one case, I read where an expected mission return time was given to the radio operators. They would hear three bursts of static, no words, between this and that time, indicating the aircraft was near. At night, the landing lights were turned on briefly, then, after landing, an available vehicle would pull the aircraft into the hangar. I have never seen a photo of American jeeps with such black and white markings.

Best,
Ed

Re: Did the LW had "Follow me" black and white painted vehicles?
 

Ed,

https://br.pinterest.com/pin/551972498050005322/
http://www.missing-lynx.com/reviews/...eviewcs_1.html

OBS: guess the photo I saw was black and white and I assumed the colours were black and white instead of white and red or yellow..so my mistake!

Re: Did the LW had "Follow me" black and white painted vehicles?
 

Some more:

https://forums.g503.com/viewtopic.php?t=193706
https://ar.pinterest.com/pin/602075043927792709/

Re: Did the LW had "Follow me" black and white painted vehicles?
 

At least some were indeed black and white as I had thought previously. I have seen some shots in one or two books, but can not remember by heart now.

If you GOOGLE + Foto PKW Oldtimer KFZ Einzelstück Umbau für Flughafen ??? 50 iger = you will find the Mercedes I am talking about....I guess this may be 1940 period....but as the seller pointed...could be 50's and for gliding??

Sinc I had never saw before such a photo of a German vehicle painted "on the follow me pattern", I thought it could be a similar WW2 LW vehicle...used likewise in the US for the "Follow Me" purposes....hence the thread.

Adriano

Re: Did the LW had "Follow me" black and white painted vehicles?
 

When I was on detachment at Jever in the early 80s such vehicles carried a large red and white flag. I should know as I liberated one

Re: Did the LW had "Follow me" black and white painted vehicles?
 

Der Flugbetrieb der Luftwaffe L.DV.L/5.1 make no mention of cars.