II./ZG76 Shark teeth markings

[Doolittle81]

deleted

[Doolittle81]

II./ZG76 Bf110 Shark teeth markings on noses.
Does anyone have reference/knowledge on whether or not all ZG76 II Gruppe 110's had shark teeth nose decoration throughout Battle of Britain?
I've read that the Gruppe began applying the markings as early as the Danish/Norwegian campaign...but I've also seen photos of II Gruppe 110's in BofF campaign without teeth.
I've seen quite a few Profiles/Pictures of II Gruppe 110's with teeth notated as August/Septmber 1940 timeframe.

I've seen one reference to the teeth having been first applied as late as the 1941 Balkans, but I believe that to be totally erroneous.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Larry Hickey]

Hello Doolittle,

The shark's teeth marking dates back to the Bf109 and 1939 even before II./ZG76 was equipped with the Bf110. There are examples of this in Prien's Volumes. I'm not aware of any II./ZG76 aircraft without this marking during the French Campaign or the Battle of Britain, and I've got a large number of examples to refer to in the EOE Data Base. Can you cite an example during this period of a II./ZG76 a/c with a visible code that does not carry that marking? It's certainly possible a plane was photographed before this was painted on the plane, but that would likely on a newly received replacement.

Regards,

[Doolittle81]

Originally Posted by Larry Hickey

Hello Doolittle,

... I'm not aware of any II./ZG76 aircraft without this marking during the French Campaign or the Battle of Britain, and I've got a large number of examples to refer to in the EOE Data Base. Can you cite an example during this period of a II./ZG76 a/c with a visible code that does not carry that marking? ...

Thanks for the quick response, Larry. I do not have any photos of II./ZG76 110's, indentified as being during the BofB timeframe, without the teeth. I did come across a Profile of one, but I later realized that it had been misidentified/mislabelled as belonging to II gruppe.

FYI, the subject came up with regard to the forthcoming Flight Simulator "Storm of War: Battle of Britain". I noted in updates from the creators (Maddox 1C) some WIP screen captures which included a couple of Bf110's with incorrectly colored code letters and also this one of a II./ZG26 with code letters (correctly colored) for the II. Stab (adjutant I believe)...however, as you can see the 110 has no teeth.



Admittedly, all of the updates have been declared as being WIP (works in progress); however I've been suggesting on the Maddox 1C forum that the shark teeth should be added to any 'default' II./ZG76 110's which will be included with the Flight Sim release...anticipated by me to be sometime this Spring...I HOPE. I wanted to confirm here that my suggestion with regard to the shark teeth is historically correct/justified.

Thanks again.

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

One other point, most II./ZG76 a/c photographed during the BoB had a solid two-tone green upper surface camouflage, not the mottling seen here. This is more typical of early 1941 and the Balkans and later for that unit. This is based on about 50 photos of the unit's a/c during 1940, including both the WC and the BoB.

Happy New Year

[Doolittle81]

Thanks...I'll try to pass that info along to the FlightSim guys.

Happy New Year to you also!

[Larry Hickey]

Doolittle,

One other point on markings. These aircraft have the 1939-style fuselage crosses that were not generally used on II./ZG76 aircraft in 1940.

Regards,

[Doolittle81]

Originally Posted by Larry Hickey

Doolittle,

One other point on markings. These aircraft have the 1939-style fuselage crosses that were not generally used on II./ZG76 aircraft in 1940.

Regards,

Could you possibly send me a photo of each...II./ZG76 Bf110 with 1939 and 110 with 1940 fuselage balkenkreuz? I assume you mean that width of the white border looks narrow on the flight sim screencaptures, but should be the wider white border/trim used I believe starting in 1940...

[Larry Hickey]

Doolittle,

Send me a PM with your direct email address.

Regards,

[Doolittle81]

Larry, here are some photos posted at the flight Sim forum in a thread about 110 markings during BofB. There is agreement that the balkenkreuzen would have had the wide white border/trim, generally as you also said...with documented/photographs showing exceptions. (These are not II./ZG76 aircraft which was my original focus):

Bf 110 [/b]3M+AA ZG 2flown by Oblt.Wilhem Schaefer shot down on September 4th 1940.





Bf 110 C-1 U8+HL W. nr. 1372 ZG 26 crewed by Fw. Hermann Brinkmann and uffz. Erwin Grüschow shot down on September 11th 1940.

Note the I. Gruppe white nose and rear fuselage band applied in the latter stage of the Battle of Britain.





On the Russian theatre, this Bf 110 E S9+AH, 1./SKG 210 (SchnellKampfGeschwader 210)
of Oblt Wolfgang Schenk has been seen at Seschtchinskaya in september 1941 wearing these "early style Balkenkreuz".