[David E. Brown]

Gents,

Regarding the aircraft in the image:

9K+KL / 110590: Certainly a KG 51 aircraft as they most commonly painted the fourth letter of their aircrafts’ v-kenn. in 20 cm high letters. KG(J) 54’s machines had the last two letters the same size and larger (~60 cm high). I agree that if the last letter was “L”, then the “K” would be yellow (3. Staffel). Presumably 5.KG 51 was accurately reporting this aircraft’s identity “KL”. It could have been an aircraft that was being transferred to the unit, coming in for repairs, in transit, etc. Also, the camouflage scheme fits well with other machines in the 1105xx and lower 1106xx series (lots of KG(J) 54 examples).

Uncoded. I agree this is likely a KG 51 aircraft too, but sadly no code was applied. Its base camouflage pattern is similar to the similarly uncoded aircraft WNr.110506, captured by Canadian troops at Deipolz or Nordholz, Germany in a dismantled state. Its base colour was very light, interpreted as RLM 76, with a thick meandering mottle of a dark colour, probably RLM 81. The scheme on the wings was applied in a much denser manner and in tight, small, individual swirls. The aircraft above appears to have a base coat of RLM 82 and irregular, widely spaced and unconnected wavy lines of RLM 81. However, what is really interesting is the application of RLM 76 is tadpole-shaped blobs over the entire fuselage surface, somewhat Picasso-esque. The wing looks to be RLM 82 and segmented patches of RLM 76.

Cheers,

David