Relic from Bf109 WNr 16305

[Geoff Kennell]

Can anyone tell me anything about the aircraft that the tail fin bearing the WNr 16305 came from? I'd like to know what '109 variant it came from, and where said '109 might have ended up being 'souvineered' by a Brit. I don't know if it might be possible to find out the unit it was serving with, or if it was abandoned on an airfield somewhere, or shot down etc.

Any information or advice will be welcome.

Geoff.

[John Beaman]

Hi Geoff:

I do not have an "official" loss listing for 16305, although this is within the early G-6 range. Several WNrs around this were lost by JG 53 in Tunisia in May 1943. Can you say how you came by this fin?

[Geoff Kennell]

John,

The relic is not mine, and I cannot release any info as to its whereabouts, but the mention of Tunisia does fit with what I've been told, i.e. that it was brought back from North Africa.

Geoff.

[David Walker]

Prien and Rodeike list the block of WNrs. from 16301 to 16312 as twelve Bf 109G-4s built in Feb. of 1943 at Messerschmitt's Regensburg factory. Is this not correct? I at first thought this might be a G-6 also as there are many blocks of numbers close to 16305 that were assigned to the G-6.

[RT]

16302 g-4 JG27

16304 g-4 JG53
16306 g-4 JG53
16307 g-4 JG53 then a g-6 with JG27

RT