Pre-war training unit codes

[edNorth]

Hi Obdl3945,

Sharp thinkin. Yes, there was also Ju 86 G-1 ´S13+C76´ of Kommandos der Schulen. but there were other types as well. Ju 53/3m W.Nr. 7274 ´S17+M55´, Ju 87 A-1 W.Nr. 0029? ´S13+S29´.So now you know the time frame: in apx. 1938 to 1942 (at least). I now think I have answered your query in full... the rest whould be careful research of pilots logbooks (Flugbuchs) but hundreds of them are floating around in the International aviation research community. Anyone out there willing to share theirs can contact me off board via this boards PM.

cheers
ed

ed

[Doug Stankey]

From photos and various book references I have collected a number of pre-war school unit codes. It appears that the first three digits are associated with the unit, although more than one combination can apply to a gived school, with the third digit being a variable. The last part consisting of numbers appears to be the individual aircraft identifier. Here’s what I think these unit codes amount to:

S1+A - FS (S) Posen.
S2+M - Erg (S) 1
S2+N – unit unknown.
S2+J – JFS Werneuchen.
S2+O – unit unknown.
S2+K – KFS Tutow.
S3+K – LKS Dresden
S4+K – Fl.WS (E) Krefeld.
S5+C – KFS Lechfeld.
S6+C – Fl.WS (See) Parow.
S6+D – Fl.WS (See Parow.
S6+X – unit unknown.
S7+K - KFS Fassberg.
S7+C – KFS Lechfeld.
S7+Y – FFS Halberstadt or FFS B Salzwedel.
S13+C – FFS C Wiener Neustadt.
S17+A - FAR 14.
S17+B – schule at Parndorf.
S17+M – LNS 2.

Its incomplete and somewhat confusing, but I think that it clarifies the situation a bit. I collect prewar codes and this is the pattern that emerges.

[Dénes Bernád]

A Ju 86 sporting a double yellow fuselage ring was photographed at the end of the war (!) at an Austrian airfield sporting the following code: S17+M05 (the 'S17' being painted on in small size letters, according to the late-war standard).

[obdl3945]

Doug...

Thanks for sharing your information. I appreciate that it's not a complete listing, but it certainly goes a long way to clarifying matter for me. I notice too, that up to and including the 'S7' code, they all seem - my sense of geography permitting - to fall within the pre-war Luftkreis areas, ie S1 (Posen) - Luftkreis 1 = HQ Königsberg, S3 (Dresden) - Luftkreis 3 = HQ Dresden etc. Only the 'S13' and 'S17' codings fall outwith this rule, seemingly.

Dénes...

Thanks, too, for your input. That must've been quite a survivor, that Ju86, if it was still sporting those markings in 1945... . I believe the double yellow fuselage bands eventually became specific to Blindflugschulen aircraft.

A big thank you to all who posted to this thread. Best wishes...

Paul

[Dénes Bernád]

Not quite a pre-war training code, nevertheless interesting:


[Source: eBay]

The Do 17 in the background sports the Vkz. 80+B14, while the one in the foreground 80+B3K (the first two digits are assumed).

Any plausible explanation for this apparent discrepancy?

[Doug Stankey]

Thanks for the obscure image!

The A/c with "B14" code is from 4.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 18. There is another example of this code (80+F14) on page 71 of Aufklärer und Aufklärungsverbände der deutschen Luftwaffe 1935-1945 by Wadman et al.
On the other hand, the one "B3K" code is a bit tougher since the "K" means that it is from the post strike recon flight of the staff flight of the third gruppe of a bomber unit. Therefore I expect that it does NOT have "80" as the first part of the code.

This is all part of the fun of prewar codes!

Doug

[Stig Jarlevik]

Guys

Jet & Prop issue 2/2003 had an article about this.
I take it that neither you Paul or Doug has that article?

If you send me hagel.jarlevik@bredband.net your e-mails I will scan the article for you. Basically it seems to confirm what Doug is saying, but gives a lot more schools depending on the letter after the cross.

Cheers
Stig