[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

I'm seeking photo info that would allow the EoE team to create a color profile of the a/c of Hptm Joachim Schlichting, Gr Kdr III./JG27 during early Sept., 1940. He was awarded the RK on 14.12.40, while a PoW after being shot down over England on 6 Sept. 1940. We carry his loss report in our EoE Luft Loss DB as:

"September 6, 1940: Stab III./JG27 Messerschmitt Bf109E-4 (1380). Shot down by F/L E.N. Ryder of No. 41 Squadron during bomber escort sortie to Thameshaven and exploded in the sea near the artillery range buoy off Shoeburyness 6.02 p.m. FF Hptmn Joachim-Heinrich Schlichting (Gruppenkommandeur) baled out and captured badly burned. Aircraft 100% lost."

Presumably his a/c would have carried a double chevron on the cowling, as was typical of I./JG1 and later III./JG27 Stab a/c in 1940. Since his a/c went into the Channel any photos of it would have to have been taken in France on the airfield at Guines AF, France.

We have photos of every Stab I./JG1 a/c during the Western Campaign but a double chevron a/c. However, a 109 marked "<II" on the cowling was photographed about May, 1940 in France flying a Gr Kdr's pennant on the radio mast, apparently indicating that Schlichting might have flown an a/c with this marking for a while. Was double chevron lost or damaged during this campaign, or did Schlichting chose to fly an a/c with this unusual marking, perhaps even up to the time he was shot down while with the successor unit, Stab III./JG27?

Who knows anything that would help us here?

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator