[Mark Steinitz]

I'm interested in the segment of this film from 39:11:16 to 40:06:20, which shows what looks to be a Bf 109 G-2 with a Gruppenkommandeur chevron from III./JG 54. I speculate that the film was taken in late summer-fall 1942 because of when the G-2 was introduced and because the crew servicing the aircraft is dressed for mild temperatures. If I am correct in what the film shows, it would suggest that the plane belonged to Hauptmann Reinhard Seiler. However, the plane in the film differs in several aspects from a color drawing one generally sees to represent Seiler's G-2 in September 1942 at Lissino, USSR. The plane in the film is not armed with 20 mm underwing canon. The large chevron on the plane in the film is wider than in the popular picture and the small chevron is open, not closed. The Balkenkreuz in the film is not painted on a broad yellow theater band. In the film, the theater band appears much more narrow and appears to bisect the wavy III Gruppe marking. Could this be an earlier or later version of the Seiler plane in the drawing? Is it a separate aircraft? I'd like to solicit ideas on the identity of the plane in the film. If Seiler flew it, when did he fly it and did he score any victories in it?