Did the Luftwaffe "cheat" with their markings in 1945?
 

I've read several combat reports from Mustang pilots, describing German Fw 190s and Me 109s wearing crosses on their wings, that were modified to resemble roundels. Most likely to confuse allied pilots, which occasionally worked.
Here's one such example of an encounter report where the pilot describes "small crosses on dirty white roundels":

http://www.spitfireperformance.com/m...-22march45.jpg

Are any photos known of such modified crosses?

Re: Did the Luftwaffe "cheat" with their markings in 1945?
 

Hi.

I guess that the answer will be best coming from experts on late-war III./J.G.54 camouflage, as this is in my opinion the best candidate for the Luftwaffe unit hammered this day.

Regards,
Andreas

Re: Did the Luftwaffe "cheat" with their markings in 1945?
 

It is quite possible that the aircraft were F-8s. I belive that at the time many of the 74/75 uppersurfaces received an over painting of "green" (or Farbton 81) in a random manner. The result could be that the crosses were left on a lighter colored background, appearing as a defined area.

Perhaps some of the green was brought in around the upper wing cross, making it appear smaller.

Note that the report indicates crosses applied on a roundel, not that the roundel itself was the marking.

There appears to have been no confusion, as the aircraft were identified and shot down.

Re: Did the Luftwaffe "cheat" with their markings in 1945?
 

Ronnie,

I've noticed the same thing in combat reports filled out by fighter pilots of the Royal Canadian Air Force; especially towards the end of the war. So, who knows, but all I know is that they were only reporting what the saw in those fleeting seconds of combat to the I.O.

Stephen

Re: Did the Luftwaffe "cheat" with their markings in 1945?
 

Thanks for the replies, guys.

Good thinking Modeldad, you may well be right. However I have also seen it in reports of 359th FG pilots fighting against JG 27 (24 March1945 - see: http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=4661). I don't know of any 109s with such mottling, but it's a plausible explanation.

Re: Did the Luftwaffe "cheat" with their markings in 1945?
 

But as the post you link noted, notwithssatnding what the US pilots reported, the gun cameras recorded the crosses as usual.

Given the validity of eyewitness acounts in stressful situations, I'd say it was business as usual with proper corsses in place.

Re: Did the Luftwaffe "cheat" with their markings in 1945?
 

The encounter report stated that some of the aircraft had modified crosses. This one clearly didn't :) Also the pilot who shot this 109 wasn't the one to report it.