[ChristianK]

Hi Reiner,
JG 301 was an exception to the normal system of Gruppe markings. It seems that every Gruppe used a horizontal bar, but in different colors. This theory was figured out by different Luftwaffe researchers some years ago, the colors are thought to have been the following:

Stab - blue bar
I. Gruppe - white
II. Gruppe - red
III. Gruppe - yellow
IV. Gruppe - green

Of course this theory is not free of discrepancies, e.g. if I recall correctly, no representative aircraft with a yellow horizontal bar is known so far. Others did not carry any horizontal bar at all, but this theory is the best we got on JG 301's unique marking system.

Jerry Crandall is working on a book on this unit I believe. Maybe he has discovered anything new and/or definitive here.

Cheers,
Christian