Bf109F Identity?

[stephen f. polyak]

Hello. I'm hoping someone will be able to ID this airplane. The photo was taken in Egypt. An examination of the photo by members of LEMB yielded these conclusions…

http://www.luftwaffe-experten.org/fo...howtopic=19934

Thank you,
Steve

[ouidjat]

Hello Steve,

And what are those conclusions? No access to LEMB!

Regards, Franck.

[RolandF]

This is a recycled Bf 109F, recognizable at the simplified fuselage cross. There are not few Bf 109F frames which were repaired after accidents to be used in the African theatre. Thus we may see a yellow fuselage band on fuselage segment 7 bleeding through the sand yellow paint after being exposed to the sun and the weather for a certain time. Just remember Ju 88A L1+EH. The brighter ring seems to be painted on fuselage segments 7 and 8; partially overlapping the aforementioned band. The whole thing photographed with an orthochromatic film.
Concerning the different (red?) colour of the Gruppe bar I remember an African fighter unit using such red bars regardless of the Staffel. Without my ref material at hand I don´t remember which one.

Regards

Roland

[stephen f. polyak]

Roland, thank you for that interpretation. Here's another photo, on the back marked 109s in El Alamein May 1943, showing several derelict Bf109s in Egypt. Both photos here are from the same veteran's scrapbook. Perhaps, together, some additional thoughts, conclusions may be offered - anyone?

Steve