[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

We're currently working on the EOE color profile artwork for II./StG77 Ju87Bs during the Polish Campaign. It appears that from various photo collections and photos purchased on eBay with location captions, that the standard II Gr shields began to appear on unit aircraft at Radom-Sadkow Airfield in Poland, after the unit moved there on 10/11.9.39. The unit remained there until the end of the month, so the unit began the PC without unit insignias painted on their a/c, but over the course of their almost three week-stay at Radom, it is pretty certain that at least 4 and 6 St had their respective rooster and bull insignias first applied. I've got several photo examples that confirm that. It is reasonable to assume that both II Gr Stab and 5 Staffel also got their insignias there. I've got good photos captioned Radom that show a 5 Staffel Stuka there that has the II Gr shield, but no Staffel insignia painted inside. This appeared only on the port side, whereas it is known the both 4 and 6 St painted their insignias on both sides, so this was probably in the process of being painted on at the time. According to the standard reference sources (K & R #518, for example), the first version of the 5 Staffel insignia should be a running black rabbit "wearing a Polish 'czapka' hat. 1939 only." By the Western Campaign of 1940, examples show the later crouching black panther insignia that replaced the rabbit.

When I actually looked for an example of this running rabbit insignia in photos however, I don't have, or remember ever seeing, any examples of this completed insignia on a Ju87B. Presumably this insignia would have at least started to appear while the Staffel was a Radom, but I've got no photographic proof of this. Can anyone refer me to any photo sources for this insignia actually on an aircraft? It apparently didn't last out the year on unit a/c.

I also have no known photos of the black rampant lion insignia of Stab II./StG77 (K & R #516) on a Ju87B from the Polish Campaign period. I've got an excellent photo of one FL during the 1940 WC, but none during the 1939 period prior to the enlargement of the national insignias that took place just after the PC about mid-Oct., 1939. Can anyone refer me to photo sources for this insignia on a Ju87B prior to the change in the national markings in mid-October?

Thanks for your continuing help here. I've had excellent help on similar questions relating to profile issues from my board postings here, some made privately, and I want to thank you all for this help.

Regards,