III./JG 54 in March 1945

[Leo Etgen]

Hi guys

I saw that Neil Page recently updated his excellent blog with an article by Peter Kassak regarding the "new" III./JG 54 which was formed from II./ZG 76 in February 1945. My question is related to the number of Staffeln this Gruppe had; three or four? We only have black and white photographs to work with and some limited loss list information but it's pretty clear from both sources that 9./JG 54 used white numbers and 10./JG 54 used black numbers. We then have several photographs of what the article states is Fw 190 A-8 "Blue 7" (W.Nr. 350 859) which I have also seen described as having been "Red 7" and which possibly was of 12./JG 54. We then have an aircraft that appears with a number of derelict fighters in a wreck yard at Flensburg and the article states this is "White 11" and thus almost certainly belonged to 9./JG 54. However, I've also seen this described as "Yellow 11" and if that’s true then it possibly belonged to 11./JG 54. I have to say that although I’m no expert in black and white photographs, nor anything else for that matter, it does appear to me that the colors of the number and the Wellenlinie are a different shade than the white stripe on the tail fin. I’m also aware these machines may have been repainted when the Gruppe was disbanded and its aircraft were taken over by IV./JG 51 in April 1945. Any comments on this are greatly appreciated!

Horrido!

Leo