Bf 110 Skull and Bones nose marking

[GrahamB]

Hi All,

I don't think that it has been pointed out - and I have been meaning to contact Luftwaffe Im Focus about this - that there are THREE aircraft illustrated in that publication, or at least three different skull/crossbones insignia. This is quite obvious and suggests that it was a unit marking, not merely a personal emblem.

Cheers

GrahamB

[F19Gladiator]

Thanks Graham! Interesting observation.

[Snautzer]

Originally Posted by GrahamB

Hi All,

I don't think that it has been pointed out - and I have been meaning to contact Luftwaffe Im Focus about this - that there are THREE aircraft illustrated in that publication, or at least three different skull/crossbones insignia. This is quite obvious and suggests that it was a unit marking, not merely a personal emblem.

Cheers

GrahamB

at least 2 are certain i think.
I compared the bones art work on the 2 pics

[GrahamB]

Hi again,

I guess I'll have to spell it out:


Foto 26 no crossover of bones, lines lateral to teeth long, but wavy, teeth with central pair and a lateral pair (I II I).

Foto 27 top bone crosses top right to bottom left, line lateral to teeth different angles to foto 26, but otherwise similar, teeth I II II I.

Foto 28 top bone (probably) crosses top left to bottom right, lines lateral to teeth relatively short and curved, teeth short, possibly I III I.

Look closely and this is unambiguous - 3 different types.

Cheers

GrahamB

[F19Gladiator]

Thank you to all of you who have reponded!


I found this profile giving both the code B9+LK and W.Nr 110307.
Captioned as a "Bf 110 G of III./ZG76"

In "Luftwaffe Codes, Markings & Units 1939-1945" by Barry C. Rosch, Schiffer, 1995, B9+LK is commented under Code / Unit as "Unknown" but with the remark "Bf 110 and W.34" under examples of aircraft operated with this code.

The same source gives M8 and 2N as codes used by ZG 76.

It might be that the profile is completely or partially spurious but does anyone know of any photo supporting this work of art?

I am cautious to trust the accuracy as it was published already in 1967 in "Messerschmitt Bf 110", Aero Series 16, Aero Publishers, Inc., California.
(Price 3 USD at the time!)

Cheers
Goran

[RolandF]

In Karl Ries´:"Markings and camouflage Systems of Luftwaffe Aircraft in WW2" Vol. 1 these markings are described and depicted as Bf 110C of III./ZG 76


Regards

Roland