Aircraft numbering

[Celtic]

Hey everyone,
This is a basic question, must have a simple answer that's proving elusive.
I don't quite understand the Staffel Numbering system (Jagd).

Staffeln usually had a strength of 9-12 aircraft correct? What I don't get is how some Jagdflieger flew 'white 13' or Hans Marseille himself flew 'yellow 14'. Do the numbers include spares, which take the place of an aircraft if say, number 8 is lost?

Thanks,

Sean

[G.R.Morrison]

You may be seeking logic or consistency where it never resided. While some pilots certainly had "preferred" numbers, an examination of the Flugbücher of others show them using a broad variety. Generally, numbers above 13 or 14 are less-represented, but some machines, passed along from a different owner, might have a quirky variation. Pichler, flying with the JG 77, wrote-off a 109E-7 (WNr.1963) coded "25," on 22.May 1941. It had previously been used by the Erg.Staffel of the JG 53, whose "Pik As" emblem was still on the cowl. (JG 77 was the recipient of many "previously owned" 109Es at this time, as the 109F became available.)

In the latter part of the war, some units used numbers in the 20s for Staff aircraft. A pilot of JG 26 who had previously preferred "6" might use "16," but that doesn't mean that there were fifteen other aircraft on the Staffel's strength.

Hope this ads some clarity, GRM

[Harold Lake]

Sean,

A few general observations may help you see things a bit more clearly. In the early war years, Jagdgruppen had three Staffeln per group with a total of four staff aircraft plus 16 fighters per Staffeln. These numbers were later expanded to include a 4th Gruppe with three additional Staffeln. In 1944, many changes occurred. First, each Gruppe was expanded to include 4 Staffeln. In addition, each compliment per Staffel was increased to 17 aircraft although it is unclear if this was permanent. The traditional four for the Stab flight remained unchanged.

As for the individual numbers painted on their fighters, in the beginning numbers "1" through "16" were used applied in their appropriate Staffel color. When in late 1944, 17 aircraft per Staffel was authorized, the top number then became "17." Numbers "18" and "19" were used only very rarely. Typically, individual pilots may have favored one number over another, but only "distinguished" pilots were allowed to harbor these numbers for their own.

However, by 1944 things changed. In an effort to render VIP pilots less a tempting target, two-digit numbers were instituted for front-line fighter units having been previously associated only with training units. Training units then switched to three-digit numbers from "100" up to "800" blocks. Front-line fighter units favored two-digit numbers in the twenties, thirties, forties and all the way up the eighties. Command, or staff, aircraft appear to have favored their four aircraft with four consecutive two-digit numbers (e.g. 20, 21, 22, 23) after abandoning their previously displayed chevrons and bars. It appears that the choice of such two-digit blocks became an individual unit choice.

It must be stressed that there were many exceptions to the foregoing. For example, some fighter staff aircraft, in spite of regulations, continued to display their chevrons and bars until the very end while some single-seat advanced trainers (older Bf 109s) wore only two-digit numbers.

Lastly, there is evidence two-digit numbers were also used late in the war for aircraft transfers, but there does not appear to have been any special series of numbers favored by such activities.

Hal

[Nick Beale]

"It must be stressed that there were many exceptions to the foregoing"

Amongst these was 5.(F)/123 which seems consistently to have used high double-digit black numbers in 1944 whereas 4.(F)/123 used blue numbers in the "normal" range.