Tactical codes of Stab., I and II/SG4 (Ghostbombers.com -inspirated) question

[Kari Lumppio]

Salut!

First of all I would like to say to Nick Beale thank you very much for the Ghostbombers -site and especially the SG 4 section. At last I found time to read the last updates and it is of really great value for me!

Once again one of my house-of-cards was demolished. In the Osprey/Weal Schlachtgruppen –book there is that very interesting photo of a Fw 190 "7" (with exclamation marks!) on page 106. I took that to be "red 7" and as such 2./SG 4. BUT as Nick has provided the info 2nd Staffel used black numerals!

So what colour is that number “7”? The grey value is so light black doesn’t feel right. Could it be green as Stab/SG4 did have 7 Fw 190s in strength July 1944? (ref: http://www.ww2.dk/oob/bestand/schlacht/bstsg4.html ) The photo in question was probably taken then as it is published in “2. augustheft 1944” of Luftflotte Nordost.

There is slight possibility that the "7" was from III/SG3 which seems to have used for a while a really hodge-podge coding. Likely the planes received were sent to battle as they were without bothering any markings.

There was also that very interesting photo album sold at E-Bay awhile ago having photos of a JaBo Fw 190 unit which transferred from Italy to Latvia in 1944. In other words Stab. I or II/SG 4. The album had one photo in the “Kurland” part showing a bomb-laden Fw 190 “1” where the numeral tonal value is similar to the “7” and the fuselage cross is also of the earlier black-white-black type. Could that one be the “green 1” mentioned in Nick’s text?

One intriguing part more in Nick’s text (“June 1944”) is: “At 18.30 hours on the 12th, Fw 190s “black 4” and “D” landed at Airasca from “an airfield in the Ancona-Piacenza area” (almost certainly Piacenza).” Could this “black D” be the same as found pictured in the Aders&Held “Stuka” –book (ISBN 0-88740-216-X) page 191 (middle), at least I think it is D on the cowling)?

Do I understand correctly that II/SG4 tactical codes were not recorded during the transfer to Eastern Front?

Cheers,
Kari