Hahn BF 109 colours

[Jerry Crandall]

Hi,
That Bf 109 F-2 was W.Nr. 5749 with the Stammkennzeichen KH+DN.
Chris, a beautiful model!! The profile has problems,however.
Cheers, Jerry

[amiers]

thanks all. i now know where im going.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Jerry Crandall

Hi,
That Bf 109 F-2 was W.Nr. 5749 with the Stammkennzeichen KH+DN.
Chris, a beautiful model!! The profile has problems,however.
Cheers, Jerry

That's all very well, but what colour was the mottle camouflage on the dog in the photo?

[John Vasco]

Nick,

RLM black & white, obviously!

[Thomas S.]

Thank to all for info.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by John Vasco

Nick,

RLM black & white, obviously!

Not according to Karl Ries's classic "Dora, Kurfürst und Spot: Markierungen und Tarnanstriche der deutschen Hünde, 1933–45" (Fido Verlag, Rottweil, 1966).

[ChrisS]

Sounds like a 'Haarige Hünde Geschichte' to me.

[John Vasco]

But Nick, I have a huge amount of information on animal activity in WW2. Betcha haven't got this:

OFFICERS ONLY!

NOT TO BE SHOWN TO BUDGIES OR BELOW

The following report is classified as ‘Most Secret’ and must only be viewed by those with the relevant security clearance.

“On the morning of 6th June 1944 we were awoken early and told we would be moving to France. We had half an hour to clear our nests and take as much bird seed as we could carry. After receiving orders of flight direction, and where to land, I took off, with Pigeon Leader Swallow as my number 2. After a trouble free flight over the Channel, we landed at makeshift nests a few hundred yards inside France, close to the front line. Groundcrew were waiting for us, and upon landing they immediately set to work massaging our undercarriage, sharpening our beaks and preening our wings. We were put on immediate standby, as enemy carrier pigeons had been seen in the vicinity. At 10:00 hours a section of two were scrambled, myself, and Pigeon Leader Swallow as my number 2 once again. A lone enemy carrier pigeon had been sighted, and soon after taking off we were vectored onto it. I spotted it at low altitude, and waggled my wings to let my number 2 know that I had seen our quarry. I positioned myself up-sun and made a diving attack on what I identified as a Messerschmitt Dove, one of their newest variants. It was from a crack unit, as it sported a yellow beak, and yellow tail feathers. Attacking from above and slightly astern, I managed to damage its port wing with my beak before climbing away to make a second attack. I noticed small ordinances falling away from it after my first attack. I dived for a second attack, determined to take this bird prisoner. I positioned myself above it, dived down, and managed to capture it in my claws. My wingman squawked his appreciation of this victory. I then flew back to base with my quarry, and landed with the prisoner. Pigeon Leader Swallow witnessed this victory.

I claim one Messerschmitt Dove confirmed.

Following this combat, I passed on my knowledge to the rest of Falcon Squadron. In particular, not to attack these birds from below, as their defence is to shit upon you from a great height!



Signed: Wing Commander Bird
Falcon Squadron


The following interrogation report is ‘Most Secret’. Information was only obtained after putting the enemy pigeon on half rations of bird seed and water for a week.

“Following the invasion on 6th June 1944, I was charged with a most dangerous mission: to take many important messages from the front line to Headquarters several miles inland. I decided to fly this mission myself, as it would have been unfair to pass it down to one of my ‘fledgling’ birds. After a full servicing I was loaded up with 8 messages, which made take-off very difficult. Once in the air, I determined to fly low in order to avoid detection. The whole area was crawling with allied bird watchers with the latest binoculars. I was not successful, and soon my flight was picked up by an allied bird watcher, who passed me on to others as I flew slowly inland. I knew that they had alerted an interception flight, and I saw two enemy ‘birds’ taking off from nearby nests. They soon caught up with me, and I saw the leader position himself above me and prepare for an attack. I turned to look at him as he came in, and as he got close I could tell from the marking s on his body that he was a high ranking officer. His tail feathers also showed many victories. I realised I was in serious trouble. I was slow and could not manoeuvre, and his first attack damaged my port wing. To save myself, I dropped all the messages and tried to escape. However he made a second attack and managed to snaffle me in his claws and take me prisoner. We soon landed at his home nest, where I was treated very well. I was given as much bird seed as I wanted, and my hosts could not have been more generous with water. This was my 45th war flight, and I was in line for a golden bird seed bowl upon completing 50 flights.



Hauptmann Taube
Commanding Officer, Dove Staffel

[Nick Beale]

John, that's brilliant. Will your full collection be published by Osprey, Eagle or Red Kite?

P.S. I work with a guy who's got the medal awarded to his Grandad's messenger pigeon for its war service (Really — he loaned the medal and other memorabilia to the IWM for an exhibition not long ago).

[Jim P.]

Well, there's plenty of 'Secret Project' stuff on the Lw - why not the RAF?