Hauptmann Fritz E. Krause, NJG 11?

[Nick Beale]

In my opinion, after about mid-1944 there was no such thing as a Reichsverteidigung band, at least not as a "badge" of "belonging" to the Reich Defence. That was a deduction made by Karl Ries about 40 years ago from the limited photographic evidence available at the time (and when RAF wartime intelligence documents were still classified).

I think that the bands were a functional device originally developed by units to aid reassembly after a pass through an American combat box. In the same way, white tail surfaces denoted unit leaders at one stage (see http://www.ghostbombers.com/various/markings1.html). This was found to be useful for fighter units in general and it spread: the order of December 1945 which formalised the banding system doesn't speak of Reich Defence but of "better differentiation in the air."

I wouldn't think that a coloured tail band would be much help to a night fighter unit - they didn't enter combat in formation and didn't need to reassemble. Anything's possible of course...

[ChrisS]

Hello Nick and atckyrre

I have a few pictures in my collection made by a scale modeller of
Bf 109G-10/R-6 Green 3 of l/.NJG11 flown by Hauptmann Friedrich Karl Muller which has a distinctive half white-black underside not disimilar to RAF fighters in the early war period. Perhaps this was done to help flak units distinguish friend from foe during daylight operations?

Regards
ChrisS
Oxfordshire England

[atckyrre]

Chris,

Many thanks for posting those. I have seen half black undersides on 110's before so it's certainly plausible that there should be 109's dressed up like that as well. It looks very striking too!
One of the G-10's at Kjevik was an R-6 I believe, at least it carried the gondolas.
I guess you would have written if you had any other references but it would be nice if this was a verified paint scheme.

I'll probably go for something like this on my Messerschmitt.

Kyrre