Seeking photos/info concerning the Bf109 of Hptm Walter Oesau, Gr Kdr III./JG3 from the winter of 1940-41

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Hptm Walter Oesau took over command of III./JG3 from Hptm Wilhelm Balthsar at the beginning of Nov., 1940, and apparently continued to fly Balthasar's previous a/c, now repainted as Green 1+I, with an elaborate scoreboard. Concurrently, or sometime later, Oesau received a new a/c, probably an E-4 or E-7, that was marked with the conventional double chevron for Gr Kdr. This a/c had a white or yellow nose. We have three photos of this a/c with Oesau exiting the cockpit area, apparently at least some of them frames printed from a film clip. However, we don't know exactly when Oesau first began flying this a/c, its W.Nr., and what the rest of its markings looked like. Did it care a rudder scoreboard, and the new III./JG3 axe on a white shield on the cowling, as did the previous a/c?

Can anyone help us document the appearance and details of this a/c?

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator