RLM 02 Mäander on Ju188

Hello,

back in 2001 I was able to take some colour slides of an Ju 188 right side elevator.

This item is interesting for two things. First it is the only part I have seen up to day with show an RLM 02 scribble pattern in real colour and not as a gues taken from black and white pictures. The second thing that makes that item so interesting is the way how the RLM 02 was applied.
The colour was sprayed on very very thick and splatterd. It look in no way as an properly applied aircraft finish.
The elevator was found in Fort Saint Roc, part of the Maginot Line in the Alpes Maritimes. The Fort is close to town of Sospel wich is not so far from Menton on the french Rivera. The photos are made with a UV filter as colour slides and now digitalisized. Unfortunally when I put the camera back on it's storige the backside opend and exposed some of the photos. That is the red shine on the first photo.

The pictures behind the elevator shows the wreck with the remains of an radial engine, so I suppose it is a Ju188 E or F. Maybe it could be from 6./FAGr.122 ? The crashside was somewhere around the Col de Braus, insofar I have understand the french text, I speak not french, provided to the elevator.
Now a further discription of the item. The elevator was in a single coat of RLM70 Blackgreen, wich holds it hue very well. No primer was applied. So it can be sayed it was Flieglack 7122, the standart per L.Dv 521/ from November 1941. Solid RLM70 on the uppersurface is also right for the Ju188 camouflage diagramm. Also there are a angular marking to place a support between elevator and stabilizer when on the ground. This was in red, most probable in RLM28 Winered, but looks lighter as the colour chips we know from the Merrick books. Without a colour card to hand when I was in St. Roc, my impression was a colour like Humbrol 73. The RLM02 also looks like RLM02 and not like old yellowed RLM65 or 76 and not like Sky/RLM84. The camera back in the photo have a light blue grey colour.

Maybe someone here know something about an Ju188 lost in the region from Sospel/ Col de Braus. Also I don't no if the elevator is today in St.Roc or have found a new place.

Claus

[edNorth]

Thank you for putting up the photos.

I do not find any match for (F)/122. Maybe this was Bomber from KG 6 or Recce from (F)/33. I get no matches for the area either, but many losses are still unknowns.

-ed

[Nick Beale]

6.(F)/122 was operating from Bergamo, Italy from its formation in June 1944 until the end of the war.

[Mark VIII]

What a wonderful original part this is! I hope it is being preserved properly? To answer your question, this squiggly painting in top of the factory applied paint of the JU 188 is called the wave mirror pattern. This painting was applied in the field, mainly to aircraft that operated over water. This pattern was applied to most maritime aircraft operating over the bay of Biscay, and the Mediterranean. This application was applied to JU88, DO217 and JU 188s mainly. Even though the JU188 was from the Aurklarungsgruppe the wave mirror pattern was an effective camouflage for a rather outdated 70/71 splinter pattern. This wave mirror pattern was also seen on some pathfinder aircraft of KG66. As far as the colors are concerned, the factory applied color on the elevator shound not perfectly match the color chips of any sorce because the paint is 70 years old! The oxidizing of the paint resins can make a color appear lighter. The color of the wave mirror pattern is similar to the light upper surface color on the Smithzonian's HE219. I encourage you to compare these colors to see for your self. I hope this helps.

Cheers.
Mark VIII

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Mark VIII

This painting was applied in the field, mainly to aircraft that operated over water.
Cheers.
Mark VIII

It was described by Allied Technical Intelligence Teams as "typical German night camouflage" and seems to have been near-enough universal in the bomber force in the MTO and the West by late 1943–1944. There were apparently no standard colours, just whatever gave a good light on dark (or vice versa) contrast.

[ClinA-78]

see Gilles Collaveri find about Do 217

ClinA-78