[Charles Bavarois]

Hello Oberst,

Bf 109 Werknummer 110.244 was a Baureihe G-5 from Erla-Leipzig production. It was damaged 55% on 44-03-03 at Erla-Delitsch due to belly-landing after engine malfunction. As the otherwise very complete listings of acceptance dates filed at Erla have no entry for this plane, we can assume the crash was prior to official BAL-acceptance.

This a/c was reported damaged 60% again 44-08-12 piloted by Krupinski. The Baureihe was marked as G-6 in WASt. This may be a hint that the badly damaged plane was repaired after March 44 and altered to the G-6 standard (as II/JG 11 never mentioned the "AS" in its loss-reports, it also may be a G-6 AS from Erla-Antwerpen).

Looking at the fotos in Priens Geschwader-Chronik, II/JG 11 certainly had a lot of all-grey Bf 109 AS in spring 1944, but most of them were quickly given some more dull camo. After heavy losses in Normandy the Jagdgruppe was reposted to the Reich 44-07-06 for rest and refitting. In July the Gruppe was allocated 21 Bf 109s from repair, Krupinskis a/c probably being one of these. At that time, aircraft at II/JG 11 had the familiar dull-grey camo. It is very unlikely, that Kurupinsi plane was painted bright grey in August 1944.

Regard

Carl