[jjp_nl]

I think it's very unlikely this is the A/C Gildner used to fly? I've learned since that at the time of Gildners victory in febr/march '41 4./NJG 1 was exlusively equipped with 'C' and 'D' BF-110 sub-types (and perhaps an odd Do-17/Do-215 too although I'm not sure if these had arrived yet at that time). This picture however is constantly being referred to as being an 'E' sub-type flown by Wilhelm Herget during operation Donnerkeil.

Also, in "Zerstörer und Nachtjagdverbände, Teil 1" by Meyer & Stipdonk, p. 62. There is supposed to be a picture of a BF-110 G9+HM sitting on the apron on Schiphol airport taken in sept '41. Although I've not been able to aquire this picture or the book for that matter (it's unavailable in just about every webshop/bookshop I've looked, and the publisher is apparently very hard to reach as far as information regaring a reprint or availablility of this book), I've been told that the aircraft in that particular picture has an extented tail, which would most likely make it a 'D' sub-type, or an early 'E' sub-type at best (with which 4/ NJG 1 wasn't equipped in febr/march '41, so I'll stick with the 'D' sub-type as far as Gildners plane is concerned) The extended tail is not visible on the picture you just posted.

So, in short: while the picture of the ditched BF-110 does show an A/C with the fuselage code G9+HM belonging to 4./NJG 1, I think this is a different aircraft with the same fuselage code. This assumption can fairly safely be made
because in november 1941 4./II./NJG1 was redesignated 5./II./NJG 2 and a new 4./II./NJG 1 was formed from the remainder of II./NJG 1, so pictures said to be of 4./NJG 1 taken after that date have nothing to do with what used to be 4./NJG 1 in early '41