Quote:
Originally Posted by Jochen Prien
So, that is how I arrived - for tthe time being - at the conclusion, that these four a/c may have belonged to III./JG 300.
Your opinion ?
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your 'highly likely' is now 'an assumption' - but no arguments from me - it certainly looks like these are JG 300 machines despite some anecdotal evidence that may suggest otherwise..
A couple of points regarding III. Gruppe perhaps; the closest loss to 150816, G-10 Black 4+ found at at Bad Langensalza that I can see is in fact a I. Gruppe machine - also in this WNr. range there are a good number of machines assigned to I. & IV Gruppen.
I./JG 300 were in the throes of disbandment. We know too that III. & IV./ JG 300 did not use any Gruppe symbol as regular practise certainly through to April 45 - neither did I./JG 300 of course- that seems to rule out Olivier's theory of confusing the enemy- so why a horizontal bar and for what purpose..? All four Gruppen of JG 300 were in action in the sector
Gotha-Langensalza-Eisenach-Kassel during early April 1945 and on more than one date sorties were flown by various ad-hoc unit groupings as far as I can tell from my reading of the JG 300 history. The "numeral argument" is valid perhaps - but leaving aside II./JG 300, 'Black 4' could be a 4. or 14. Staffel machine couldn't it..? 'Yellow 1' (?) likewise, a 3. or 15 Staffel aircraft ..? 16. Staffel had blue numbers. 150 XXX series losses were recorded by IV./JG 300 during April 45. Final comment - Fhj.-Uffz. Erik von Barnekow (11./JG 300) was brought down on 2 April in the same sector. His POW interrogation report is reproduced in the JG 300 history (Vol II) - there is no evidence there of any 'special markings' on his machine ...just about every other pertinent detail is noted - or, presumably, would have been, if it had been there.....