A "Bodenplatte" question

[cbe2009]

Hello!
Having "Operation Bodenplatte" as a hobby, I have purchased a picture of a pilot, who fell that day. Vowinkel from III./JG 11.
His machine wore the marking < 4
My questions are: How were these marking placed in relation to the fuselage cross? ( < + 4 )??
What colour was the number?

Maybe these are stupid questions, but I am building a model of his FW 190 A-8, and would like to do it as correct as possible.
Thanks in advance
Christian Berring

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi.

As he flew in the Stab of the III. Gruppe, his aircraft would most probably have been marked:

<4 + |

Thus the 'Winkel' a number 4 behind it, then the Balkenkreuz and then a vertical bar denoting III. Gruppe

The colors would be Black for the Winkel and the bar, but You could add some 'artistic' freedom with regords to the colour of the number 4... for example green... or blue...

Also, at the time the aircraft would probably wear the RVT band of JG 11.

I am not an JG 11 specialist, nor a specialist on Bodenplatte (John Manrho is Your guy there), and hopefully some that are can add if there are something to add.

Regards,
Andreas

[cbe2009]

Thank You very much Andreas.

Christian

[John Manrho]

There is not much that I can add to the explanation of Andreas. Except that I believe the colour of the number 4 would be black too and that it most likely would be a small 4 within the <. The number of casualties among JG 11 while attacking tha Asch area was dramatic. Even today 12 pilots of JG 11 are still listed as MIA. During research for the Bodenplatte book we found some 5 to 6 graves of unknown pilots killed near Asch on 1.1.45. Unfortunately it is highly unlikely that it will ever be possible to identify these airmen.

[cbe2009]

Hi John!

Thank You - I am building a model of the plane now!
All the best
Christian