RV-fuselage bands of JG 301

[Jochen Prien]

Gentlemen,

I woluld like to know when exactly JG 301 - in particular I. and III./JG 301 - adopted the yellow/red fuselage band associated with service in the Reichsverteidigung; several JGs received orders to paint on the bands in their respective colours in the second half of December 1944, re-introducing this marking, which had first been used in early 1944, for most of the Geschwader. JG 301 as a newly formed Geschwader is known to have carried broad yellow/red bands in 1945, but when did they start to use them. The reason I ask is that I have several images that are slated for JFV 13/II captioned as taken as early as Oktober/November 1944 showing the two-coloured bands, which I don't believe to be correct. I'd be perfectly happy to get proof that they were introduced before the end of 1944, i.e. in the second half of December 1944 like in the rest of the units.

Is anybody out there who could confirm or disprove this ?

KR


Jochen Prien

[Nick Beale]

Hi Jochen,
As far as I can tell, the decision came following a conference on 27 October 1944 at which Gruppenkommandeure were instructed to send in proposals for the markings to be carried by their respective units. I've written six pages about the subject here: http://www.ghostbombers.com/markings/bands1.html (the conference is described on page 3).

[Erich]

Jochen though not wide spread....yet, Fw 190A's had bands as of November 26, 1944. have seen US 339th fg Mustang cine from several pilots in pursuit of JG 301 Fw's for this terrible operation and a couple are wearing the bands, so ...... ?

Erich ~