Losses in the last days of the Reich

[Marc-André Haldimann]

Franck,

An interesting start for a not so rare position of tactical markings behind the Balkenkreuz. I have found at least five different photographically documented occurrences, listed below:

The first is Bf 109 G-14 W.Nr. 464 463, of FFS B 1 Kaltenkirchen, February 1945, published in D'Amico and Valentini 1984, p. 102? A close-up can be found in Bergström and Pegg 2005, p. 183.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2809206...57625539886908
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2809206...57625539886908

The second situation are planes of Jasta 5 d. ROA, based at Deutsch Brod:
this unit flew a dozen of Bf 109 G-10 produced by WNF Diana - Tisnov. their tactical markings are all applied aft of the Balkenkreuz, like the photographically documented Bf 109 G-10/U4 "Weisse 15" and Bf 109 G-10 W.Nr. 612 762 "Weisse 24" (Janda and Poruba 2004, p. 64 - 68).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2809206...57625218079461

The third type of situation where the tactical markings figure at the rear of the Balkenkreuz do stem from an unknown NAGr: one of their machines, Bf 109 G-10 W.Nr. 770 293 "Gelbe 67" escaped from Neu Brandenburg on 12 April 1945 and landed in Bulltofta (Hitchcock 1977, p. 10):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2809206...57625218079461

The other was found at Köthen, also in April 1945; it is Bf 109 G-10 W.Nr. 770 157 "Gelbe 66" (Wolowski 2010, p. 59):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2809206...57625218079461

Not much of a systematic trail so far which would allow us to recognize the nature of units positioning their tactical markings this way:the known to me examples are from a training, a recce and a fighter unit...

I hope some enlightenment as to why this position will come through this excellent thread.
Marc