Help needed: Ju-188 KG6 Camouflage identification

[David2703]

Hi everyone,

I am building a 1/48 Ju-188 right now and saw these pictures:

http://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2015/0...aily-ebay.html

Can anyone help identify the camouflage colours here, specifically the light splotches on the upper surfaces?

My best guess is that the lower surfaces are black while the top is RLM70/71 with the spinner rings in white and red. Could the splotches be RLM02?
I tried colourising the pics but it does not really help.

Also, the only markings seem to be large lettes and numbers on the fin, I cannot make out any of the usual codes on the fueslage. If this is indeed the case, then what is the reasoning behind it? Was it usual practice?

Finally, does anyone have any information or guesses on where and when these pictures might have been taken? All I know is that they are from KG 6.

[edwest2]

As far as the tail markings, these were so large to make for easy identification during training flights, especially while maneuvering.


Ed

[Buckeye30]

David. I think the patches are more likely to be 76, on the 70 / 71.
In March 1943 Erprobungsstaffel d.Lw.188 was formed to train KG6 crews on the Ju.188 ( in July); III./KG6 crews to the Staffel in Sept. In Oct. the Staffel was re-named as 4./KG66.

Only 2 of KG6's Gruppen had Ju.188s, I.Gruppe in France - Belgium, and III. in France - Germany; as Ed said training aircraft often had large letters or numbers rather than unit codes . It wasn't unusual for bombers to not mark codes on ( or overpaint them) especially for night ops.KG6 was 3E. Often the tail numbers weren't removed or used as temporary identification ( sometimes seen in Russia).
The spinner bands are either in Gruppe colour ( I.= White, III.= yellow) or Staffel colour, some bombers had both. Maybe the use of both numbers and letters was to ID the Staffel. At least one training Gruppe ( Kampfschulegruppe 3 at Cognac) had both letters and numbers on their Ju88s. Normal training units were required to use yellow markings.
Nick