Bf 109F-2 WNr. 8240 III. JG 3

[F19Gladiator]

A theory or two only:
1.
It was not uncommon practice that a number of victories was painted within a wrath of for example oak leaves after receiving a decoration such as the RK, or perhaps after an even number of victories.
Can it be that the top of the rudder was to be decorated by such a decoration commemorating an award or achievement? The picture of this F-2 shows 18 victory markings, whereof the first two seem to have circles or cockades painted above, followed by the others having a dark "spot" visible above the remaining bars, possibly red stars.

Assuming that the commemorative victory emblem would have been painted as the "Half century" celebration after 50 victories and comparing with the victory listing of Oeasau at http://www.luftwaffe.cz/oesau.html
The following is possible:

After his 50:th victory, a Spitfire on 16.5.1941, he is listed for a further Hurricane on 28.5.1941 over Pas-de-Calais. Depending on the actual known confirmed and approved victories at the time, the first two bars with roundels might represent his last two kills assumed won in the West. (Plus or minus one victory is possible at the time, I believe.)
The remaining 16 with red stars are then consequently his first Barbarossa campaign victories

2.
However as no such painted commemoration is visible, another theory mentioned earlier on this thread is simpler and perhaps more plausible:
As his victories from No. 49 and onwards came while flying with JG 3, according to the same source above, the theory that the bars only represent Oesau's victories while flying for JG 3 is possible.

The first two with roundels on top would then represent two out of his last three confirmed victories on the Channel front. The third was perhaps confirmed later? The remaining 16 are consequently the first 16 victories from Barbarossa.
If so, this photo might have occurred around the first week of July 1941when he might have been in the Ukraine area. Vegetation and nature in the background does no speak against time and location, I believe.

According to the above it might well have been the 109 of Oesau. - At least far from impossible.

Just some thoughts..........

[SMF144]

And who's to say that the rudder is not a replacement to the aircraft in question?

Stephen

[F19Gladiator]

Originally Posted by SMF144

And who's to say that the rudder is not a replacement to the aircraft in question?

Stephen

Which is basically the same as attaching a replacement aircraft to the rudder?

Leaving the jokes aside, when neglecting the rudder, we still have a F-2 in III/ JG 3 markings with Gruppenkommandeur markings, crash landed in an open country summer landscape, the fuselage adorned with a yellow tailband.
Assuming that the rudder, with first cokades and thereafter red stars over the victory bars, does origin from the same campaign front as the fuselage, Oesau must be a prime suspect behind this "mystery" aircraft. Or ?

The time given by aircraft version, unit, tactical markings, victory markings, vegetation and landscape together, fits reasonably well with Ukraine in the summer of 1941, which also coincides with III/JG 3 whereabouts at that time.

[SMF144]

No offence taken, Glad, about the joke(s) comment. I was making light of the fact that "we" should be thinking outside of the box instead of being transfixed on the tally - that's all.

Stephen

[Jim P.]

WNr. 8240 is recorded in the losses for 7.Jul 41. as 40% damaged. If the machine was repaired in field, it is entirely possible that it was involved in a later unreported incident during the summer of 41 (less/= 10%) - maybe when Kijewski was acting Kdr. MAchine later went to JG 51 and was again reported damaged 9.Aug 42 and was finally a total loss on 3.Sep when Karl-Heinz Weber was forced to bailout of this machine.

[John Beaman]

OK, let’s throw another “out of the box” thought into the mixture:

• Oesau was awarded the EL after his 40th on Feb 5, 1941.
• He does not make another claim until May 16, 1941. He was probably on leave after the award. He makes another claim on May 28th. Both these are RAF fighters.
• He then goes to the Eastern Front as Gruppen K. with III./JG 3 and makes his first claim on June 24th.
• He then goes on a tear and makes 44 claims by Jul 24th.
• His 16th Eastern Front claim is on July 6th.
• He is then sent back to JG 2 in the West where he makes his first claim on August 10th.
• WNr 8240 is listed as 40% damaged after Oesau makes a crash-landing on July 7th after a fight. (He also makes claims on July 7, 8, 10, and 11).

Now it just seems too coincidental that after being awarded the EL for his 40th,

• he adds two more RAF claims,
• then is transferred to Russia, makes 16 Russian claims by July 6th,
• and there are 18 marks on 8240’s rudder when it is crashed on July 7th by Oesau
• and this photo looks like a 40% damage.
• He was Gruppen K at the time of III./JG 3.
• There are the first two rudder marks which do look like they have roundels above them.
• This leaves the other 16 marks which happen to coincide with Oesau’s claims by July 7th.

Although absolute, definitive proof is not documented, I think all this can only lead one to conclude this is Oesau’s aircraft on July 7th, 1941 showing 18 claims since his EL award.

[F19Gladiator]

SMF 144 History can also be a bit of fun! (But still dead serious)

John B. Nicely put ! (Good to learn I might have been on the right track......at least not too deep into the darkest forest)

Cheers all!