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  #1  
Old 12th September 2017, 16:29
Erik Mombeeck Erik Mombeeck is offline
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Rudder markings

Hello,

I am finishing the Lu/Ga Special 3 on JG 54 "Grünherz" and am particulary interested by that photo recently seen on on e-bay:

Does anyone knows the meaning of these white/black "kills" ? Night or day Abschüsse?

Thank you

Erik
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Old 12th September 2017, 16:51
Adriano Baumgartner Adriano Baumgartner is offline
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Re: Rudder markings

Could that be the machine/rudder of Erwin Leykauf, who claimed some night victories on the Russian Front, on his Bf 109 F-4, wknr 7492, Schwarz 1?
He was one of the few JG 54 airmen that achieved many successes at night

Adriano
OBS: My guess: White bars for night victories and Black bars for daylight standard victories
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Old 12th September 2017, 17:15
sidney sidney is offline
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Re: Rudder markings

That is a peculiarity of fighting in the far north of Russia - in the summer time the days are long, and the nights are short, colloquially referred to as the "white nights". From personal experience, the "daylight" lasts until 1:30 - 2:00 Am (late May, early June, if I remember correctly). Under the circumstances, Obstlt. Trautloft proposed fighter patrols in the normally evening hours, which did achieve some successes against the partisan supplying aircraft in the summer of 1942. White victory tabs would refer to the "White night" victories.
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Old 12th September 2017, 17:16
Erik Mombeeck Erik Mombeeck is offline
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Re: Rudder markings

Hi Adriano,

thank you for the interesting reply. That was also my guess, nevertheles, even if the total score of 28 matches (apparently Leykauf ended with 28 at 8./JG 54 before to be a member of 11./JG 54), his night claims were his 17 to 23rd (or 24th).

Thank you too Sidney. If this is really Leykauf's rudder, the white bars do not match with night Abschüsse, they were claimed on "normal working hours".

So, still not clear to me.
Erik
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  #5  
Old 12th September 2017, 21:01
Jochen Prien Jochen Prien is offline
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Re: Rudder markings

My guess would be that this is the rudder of Oblt. Günther Fink's Bf109G-2, although the victory markings do not exactly match his score; it looks like in the first eight claims there was one that eventually was not confirmed. If that assumption was true, the tally would match Fink's claims with black stripes representing daylight and white stripes nighttime claims. With the score standing at 28 - minus one not confirmed - this photo would have been taken on or after 2 September 1942.

Hope this helps

Jochen Prien
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Old 12th September 2017, 21:56
Erik Mombeeck Erik Mombeeck is offline
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Re: Rudder markings

Hello,

Maciej Goralski sent me a PM with, apparently the solution, that I would like to share with you. Hope that you don't mind Maciej:
On this photo it appears that the background aircraft are also Bf 109 G-2s (I believe I see small air scoops on the noses of Black 9 and the next a/c in the row. Not that they can't be found on Bf 109 Fs, but I've seen this improvement only on long-serving Friedrichs, ie. school machines and some of the Fs used by JG 5, who, I think, used the F-variant for the longest period amongst the front line units).
The scoreboard on the tail would belong to Oblt. Fink, although again the placement of white bars doesn't fully match the victory list (Fink's night victories were his 8th-16th, without "interruptions"). Fink claimed his 28th on 11.09.1942 and didn't score more until December.

Thanks
Erik

Last edited by Erik Mombeeck; 12th September 2017 at 22:42.
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Old 13th September 2017, 10:29
Stig Jarlevik Stig Jarlevik is offline
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Re: Rudder markings

Impressive deduction Jochen (and Maciej)

Cheers
Stig
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