Reichsverteidigung tailband for I/JG5

[kb]

Did this unit receive one after redeploying to Germany from Norway in the spring of 1944? If so, what was its color?

[alessandro bray]

Hi,

JG 5 machines received the black-yellow tailband

ciao
Alessandro

[Primoz]

Originally Posted by alessandro bray

Hi,

JG 5 machines received the black-yellow tailband

ciao
Alessandro

Certainly, but I./JG 5 was transferred to Germany in spring 1944, fought in Normandy in summer and became part of JG 6 in October. The question was about I./JG 5 - not JG 5 in general.

[Cpt_Farrel]

I have only seen tailbands on JG5 machines in Norway in late 44 early 45, not on machines serving in Germany or France. I haven't seen that many at all though so don't take it for certain...

[O.Menu]

I./JG5 was disbanded late 44 and JG5 tailbands were painted on airplanes only in March/April 45...

[Horst Kube]

Originally Posted by O.Menu

I./JG5 was disbanded late 44 and JG5 tailbands were painted on airplanes only in March/April 45...

Right you are.
Cheers Horst

[kb]

Thanks to all who responded.

[Mermet]

Originally Posted by Horst Kube

Right you are.
Cheers Horst

Hi,

No, not totally right because RVD bands were to be seen on planes (JG 2 and JG 6, at least) on 1 January 1945 during Unternehmen Bodenplatte.

These bands were officially worn in March 1945.

Cheers,
Jicehem

[Nick Beale]

The idea that there was such a thing as a Reichsverteidigung tail band probably stems from deductions in Karl Ries's books of 40 years ago, from limited information.

On the photographic evidence, coloured tail bands were adopted by some units operating against US bombers (e.g. JG 1, 11 and 54) by early 1944. My guess is that these were intended as an aid to reassembly after a pass through a bomber box — various memoirs say that the fighters were all over the sky afterwards.

From memory, bands were seen on shot down aircraft of JG 2 and JG 4 in November 1944 (Field Intelligence Unit reports) while they were employed in support of the army in the West.

The order to apply unit identification bands "for better differentiation in the air" was being relayed around the Luftwaffe in December 1944. See here.

[kb]

It would appear that excluding JG26 and JG2 gruppen, by early 1944 the Jagdgruppe involved in the defensive effort against the 8th Air Force in general all sported colored tail bands.

The only units that appear to deviate from this theory based upon photographic evidence (or lack of it) would be IV/JG27 (photos in Prien's unit history don't show any aircraft so painted) and the JG5 gruppen. II/JG53 aircraft displayed red tail bands since they shared aircraft with the Wilde Sau gruppen. JG3 units of course sported white tail bands.