Me 262 WNr. 501232, Vol 2, p. 291

[Milos Gazdic]

Again coming to the discussion ages later but this is really interesting!! I never noticed the difference between all these images published in the books!

Way to go for sharp eye Ruy!

Before I start discussing the photos - I wanna say that I always imagined that the checkers were "mirrored" and that the both star-board and port-side were having i.e. the checker that faces front and is on top same color and that looking from above the upper most checkers would be "double width". Seems I was wrong.

I am not an expert on this aircraft & except having the books, decals & all the other bits & pieces collected here & there on the net regarding this aircraft, I can only comment the photos as a professional photographer & retoucher with more than two decades in the business.

Looking at Starboard / Right side of the fuselage (Photo showing solder standing in front of the tail with hands in the pockets):
- Merric's Vol. 2 on Page 291 has it printed with most details & tones
- 2nd in quality comes Smith & Creek Vol4 of 262 book, being a touch smaller & a bit more contrasty
- 3rd in quality is one in Ullmann's book (I have both editions but only 2nd one with me in Shanghai) which shows quite low resolution.
I don't have other book(s) mentioned above with me in Shanghai.

Looking at these one and the same image published in three different books I believe that only one not altered at all is one in Merrick's book making Staboard side pattern clearly unfinished and with only one color applied, showing both upper & lower camouflage color in "negative" checkers. / Me 262 books tries to add one field where demarcation line of the camouflage clearly shows but forgets the lower field which clearly shows very bright undersurface camo. / Version in Ullmann's book goes clearly all the way & makes the band look almost as single color with barely some checkered structure showing through.

This is one and the same photo & it's clear it has been altered in the past, either by publishers or people who copied and re-copied it from the original. No filters, or film versions are responsible for it's look since it would be impossible to change the film or remove/add filter and still capture a soldier in the walk at the exactly same position (one behind the wing).

I am unable to discuss the Port Side of the aircraft since I have 4 images (3 only showing the checkers) in one and only book here in Shanghai so until I bring further books here I can only think of what could have been done to Starboard side...

Anyhow, once again - very interesting find Ruy!