[S Sheflin]

Greetings all,

In late 1984, I published a color photo of a very darkly camouflaged Bf 109 G (AIRFOIL #1, page 21 top). Even though my photo was taken at Frankfurt Rhein-Main on 30 April, 1945, and Searl says Grafenwohr, April, 1945, I believe they are one in the same. Everything in the background of Mr. Searl’s photo matches my AIRFOIL color photo: the same berm, trees, and concrete bunker are in both photos, and both plane’s main wheels are resting near what looks like a small drainage ditch. Also, both aircraft have the “Erla-style” refined cowling and wider oil cooler, large upper wing bumps and short tail wheel leg; the same light patch above their raised oil filler hatch; and their Morane antenna is curved the same. While the Bf 109 in AIRFOIL has its spinner in 2/3 black and 1/3 white, apparently some time between the two photos being taken someone has turned its prop and opened its Erla-Haube canopy. Its camouflage is still somewhat of a mystery, however. In my color shot its looks very, very dark indeed (in fact, I thought it was black?). However, in Searl’s photo I think I can see some camouflage demarcation lines behind the cockpit and the fuselage Balkenkreuz. Finally, perhaps it is just wishful thinking, but on Searl’s photo I think I just make out a low-contrast blur on its fin and rudder where a Werknummer would normally be on an Erla-built G-10.

Steve Sheflin