Luftwaffe unit emblems - "Battle of Britain" era

[Christian Schulz]

Hello everyone!

I am currently preparing the Luftwaffe emblems for Maddox Games's next generation flight simulation and want to apply the right emblems in the right spots (as far as that is possible). However there are some issues which have arisen which I cannot answer ony my own and so I am turning towards the combined knowledge of this message board for help.
Currently I am using the following literature as sources:

"Jagdfliegerverbände Vol 4/I"
"Jagdfliegerverbände Vol 4/II"
"Jagdwaffe"-Series
"Luftwaffen Embleme 1939 - 1945"
"Das Jagdgeschwader 51 - Eine Bilddokumentation"

Unfortunately these do not answer all questions. They are:

1./JG 26
According to "Jagdfliegerverbände 4/I" the Staffel exchanged its "grasshopper" emblem for the new "Eagle" badge. Was this emblem applied to both sides of the fuselage? Are any photos available which show location and dimensions of the emblem application?

4./JG 26
Is it true that the "Tiger's Head" emblem was applied to the port side of the fuselage only?

6./JG 26
Are there any pictures available showing the application of the "Capricorn" badge to the starboard fuselage side?

Stab III./JG 26
Was the "four-leaf clover" badge applied to both sides of the engine cowling?

8./JG 26
Was the "Adamson" emblem applied to both sides of the fuselage or just the port side?

I./JG 51
Is it correct that the "Chamois" Gruppe badge applied to the port fuselage side only?

1./JG 51
Was the "Mickey Mouse" badge of 1. Staffel carried on the port fuselage sie only?

2./JG 52
I have been unable to determine when the "Rabbatz" emblem was handed over to 5. Staffel. Has there been any "definite date" or did the emblem disappear bit by bit from the Staffel's aircraft? I have various photos showing 2. Staffel aircraft (with black numbers!) carrying the Gruppe badge (as opposed to e.g. Bf 109 E-1 "Red 14" of Uffz. Leo Zaunbrecher, bellied August 12 1940).

4./JG 52
Was the Staffel badge applied to the starboard fuselage side only? I seem to find only photos showing the starboard - nothing from port.

5./JG 52
Was the "Rabbatz" badge applied to both sides of the engine cowling (practice of 2./JG 52 would indicate that). Are there any photos available showing a thusly marked aircraft from 5. Staffel?

III./JG 52
"Jagdwaffe - Attack in the West" has a 9./JG 52 aircraft sporting the "Winterfeld Wolf" (as Bernd Barbas called it) badge on the engine cowling. However all pictures of III./JG 52 (again only 9./JG 52) from their admittedly short performance against Britain show a complete lack of markings. Did all of III./JG 52 delete the badge or was that limited to 9./JG 52? Are there any photos of aircraft belonging to Stab III., 7. or 8./JG 52 available?

That's the first batch of questions with more to follow (as the Kampfflieger, Zerstörer, Aufklärer and "misc units" are still to be made ). Thanks in advance!

[John Vasco]

A couple of points, outside the immediate context of your questions, but worth stating here while I remember:
1) The Erptrobungsgruppe 210 emblem did NOT appear in a shield during the Battle of Britain. That only came about when the SKG 210 came into existence in 1941.
2) 3./Erprobungsgruppe 210 did NOT carry the emblem ascribed to it on the last page of Teil 4/II. No emblem was carried on the Bf 109 E-4/Bs of 3rd Staffel.

Hope this helps.

[Christian Schulz]

Thx, Mr. Vasco! So it's just the "British Isles" with the crosshair? ... *hints noted*

[John Vasco]

Originally Posted by Christian Schulz

Thx, Mr. Vasco! So it's just the "British Isles" with the crosshair? ... *hints noted*

Yes. This is it:

[sidney]

Hello Christian,

These are all very good points that you have addressed.

a. 1./JG 26 - there are very few photos showing this particular emblem, and they are invariably taken from the port side. The emblem dimensions were significant, estimated at 350x600mm (WxH)- from that perspective it is reasonable to believe that the emblem was applied on the aircraft port side only, or otherwise it would have taken too much of the 'black men' precious free time.

b. 4./JG 26 - Widely publicised by the British and American press, Horst Perez's aircraft sported the emblem on the port side only. The emblem was hand- painted, and probably quite time consuming to apply, so my vote is - in general, the port side only (note that exceptions are always possible).

c. 6./JG 26 - Yes, there are a few.

d. Stab III./JG 26 - not clear from the available photographic evidence. Karl Ries reported it on both sides of the aircraft.

e. 8./JG 26 - I believe on the port side only because of its dimensions.

f. I./JG 51 - I firmly believe so, and there is no photographic evidence to prove otherwise.

g. 1./JG 51 - if the Gruppe emblem was applied on the port side of the aircraft, it is reasonable to believe that the same applies to the Staffel emblems. Furthermore, there is no photographic evidence to prove otherwise.

h. 2./JG 52 - I do not think that the 'Rabbatz' ever belonged to 2./JG 52. The hastily formed 11.(N)/JG 72 was renamed 5./JG 52 directly, and equipped with the Bf-109s much to the pilots' relief.

i. 4./JG 52 - both sides of the fuselage to the best of my knowledge - see "Jagdfliegerverbände Vol 2 - der Sitzkrieg"

j. 5./JG 52 - In, I believe, "Jagdfliegerverbände Vol 2 - der Sitzkrieg" there is a photo showing a 5./JG 52 Bf-109 collision, which would indicate that the emblem, in its initial form at least, was applied on the port side only. Following the introduction of the Geschwader emblem (winter 1940/41 or early 1941), all Staffel emblems were much reduced in size, simplified or overpainted altogether. It is thus possible that the later version of the 5./JG 52 emblem was applied on both sides of the aircraft.

k. III./JG 52 - The 'Jagdwaffe - Attack in the West' reference might be incorrect. It is thought that the early Gruppe emblem was introduced by the new Gruppekommandeur, Hptm. Alexander von Winterfeldt, following their withdrawal from the front-line duty, possibly as morale-booster.

Hope that the above is useful.

Regards,
Sidney

[Christian Schulz]

I'm currently a bit too busy to answer in detail, but I've seen your input. Thx, Sidney!

[Larry Hickey]

Christian,

Regarding item a), I have photos showing both White 5 and 13 with the 1 Staffel eagle emblem on both sides of the fuselage. These were apparently taken during the French Campaign (W5) and the the FC and Battle of Britain (W13). I also have photos of it on White 6 and 11, although these only show the port side. So, it is pretty clear that it was likely used on all or most 1 Staffel aircraft, although for a fairly limited period of time, namely, the last six months or so of 1940.

Regards

[Larry Hickey]

Christian,

b) I have many images of 4./JG 26 a/c during the BoB period and none of them carry a tiger's head on the starboard side.

c) There are examples of the 6./JG26 insignia on the starboard side of aircraft in 1939 and comtemporary to the French Campaign of 1940. I did not find any specificly that could be identified during the BoB period, although I would be very surprised if there weren't some.

d) I know of only two aircraft in the Stab of III./JG 26 for which photos are available depicting this clover insignia, Schöpfel's Gr Kdr a/c, and Müncheberg's Adjutant a/c, with a "13" in the middle of the clover. I know of no other examples of this.

Regards,

[sidney]

Christian,

You are welcome.

Larry,

It is unlikely that the eagle emblem of 1./JG 26 dates back to the French campaign since it is believed that the emblem was introduced by Oblt. Heinrici who took the command sometimes in September 1940.

Is there any chance you can post a low resolution photo showing the said emblem on the starboard side of the aircraft?

Regards,
Sidney

[Christian Schulz]

Thx everyone for the input. I'll adjust my "instructions" for the programmers accordingly. And to show what this inquiry is about ...