"Yellow 16" of Unit: 9./JG27 Flown in the MTO, 1943 who was the pilot KIA?

[Jochen Prien]

Dear David,

yes, I think we are talking about the same aircraft. However, the WerkNr. 15 144 you are giving is not the one of this airplane, as 15 144 belonged to a Bf 109 G-4 trop of 5./JG 51 that was damaged on April 17th, 1943, and apparently left behind at Protville when II./JG 51 left Tunisia for good a couple of days later. The Messerschmitt we're looking at hear is a Bf 109 G-6 trop beyond any doubt.

Looking at the photo you sent me through David Johnston many years ago you will see that the paint scheme of the tailfin does not fit the rest of the aircraft; and in fact, on another photo that was auctioned on ebay in July 2007 one can see " yellow 16 " from the starboard side with a tailfin from another aircraft leaning against the fuselage, so that it seems reasonable to assume that this tailfin was about to be fitted to "yellow 16" in exchange for the original part that may have been damaged. And this talfin apparently was that of WerkNr. 15 144.

So I still stand to my original assumption that the "yellow 16" we are discussing here was the aircraft of Uffz. Gerhard Gorrisch of 9./JG 27, Bf 109 G-6 trop, WerkNr. 16 531, reported lost on May 6th, 1943.