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Re: Bf 109G fin
Hello!
The oldish Prien & Rodeike book "Messerschmitt Mf 109 F,G,&K -series" (1st edition, 1993) does have photo of similar fin of "G-14/AS, WNr. 165??3" at page 149. White 1 of III/JG 300 late Summer 1944. And similar fin also on the photo at page 150 (upper).
For me the most interesting part of the fin of WNr 165641 is the colours. The reason is that the photo does show the sprayed on lighter colour over the darker camo colours.
This lightening is shown on many Finnish AF Bf 109s. Underneath the camo pattern seems to be that very uniform one seen on the wooden high fins and rudders. I have wondered if the early examples were already painted in the later dark camouflage colours of brown and green (I leave out the RLM numbers here). And when they were mated to otherwise RLM 74/75/76 coloured airframes the fins (or whole empennages - horizontals too?) were lightened (with RLM 76?) to match the rest. Similar lightened fins can also be found on photos of Italian Bf 109s of Summer-Fall 1944. In any case the light overspray was painted already in Germany. In Finland the fins received additional layers of paint when markings were changed and the swastika on fin was painted over.
This relic could be the verification of use of the late camo colours already on the early Summer/late Spring 1944. Or if the photo colours do not reflect reality and the darker colours are RLM 74/75 that would be good information too.
Cheers,
Kari
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