[Jon]

This question is on another site i visit, can anyone help ?

Looking for help for all you historians and relic collectors...... 6th September 1940 George Bennions shot down Ernst Hempel of 8 JG53 over the Medway Estuary, the BF109.... 1129 landing in the mud near Kingsnorth Isle of Grain, propeller found and preserved by the Norwood Brothers from Gillingham Kent and donated to Hawkinge Museum 1982. Can anybody remember when retrieving parts of this aircraft whether the engine cowling had the red stripe of shame or the ace of spades emblem of JG53?. Bert Norwood, now 91 years old cannot remember and never took photos despite his family spending many hours playing on the BF 109 in the 1960's..... reason for asking is I live close by to where the BF109 came down and where Bert Norwood still lives, I had a painting commissioned by the wonderful artist Brian Petch where I asked for the BF109 to include both the Red band and the ace of spades. Despite exhaustive efforts I cannot find any details of the paintwork on the engine cowling at the time...... also the Norwood brothers saw Hempel bale out over the Estuary, confirmed by Bennions combat report.... although not correctly shown in any books??, I understand the aircraft was also ' black 5 from 8/JG53'............any info from all you diggers in the 1970's.... what was the engine cowling markings please!