[F19Gladiator]

Hi,

I haven’t given up on this riddle yet -The true identity of this Bf 109.

Going through old books I found this image published in “German Aircraft Markings 1939-1945” by K.A. Merrick, Ian Allan, 1977.
The three aircraft visible at the same photo might assist in where and when the photo was taken.
(In the photo caption it is mentioned that this photo was taken at Catania.)

Aircraft 1. Bf 109 <<<4+
Aircraft 2. Ju 88A-4(?) L1+EH from 1./LG1. “White E”, with partly black camouflage.
Aircraft 3. P-40 marked “CV” which indicates No 3 RAAF Squadron
"CV" would match with No 3 RAAF Squadron, which fought both in Libya, Sicily and Italy as far as I can find out.

(Not to be misled by the Ju 88 L1+EH, I noted there is a photo of another Ju 88 with this very same identity published on P. 326 in “Luftwaffe Camouflage and Markings Vol Two, K.A. Merrick, 2005, Classic Colours.
According to it’s caption this other Ju 88 A “crashed in the Libyan desert in December 1941” and shows a camouflage void of black camouflage paint. )

Seems as if Mr. Merrick is sitting on several photos of this Bf 109 since he has published different photos in his books in 1977 as well as in 2005.