Bf 109 unit at Berlin Staaken?

[Kari Lumppio]

Hello!

While looking for something completely different I bumped to this photo at Estonian National Archive photo collection:


More info, including the original caption, please see:
https://www.ra.ee/fotis/index.php/en...=607fe89d629fd

You can turn the page in English clicking icon on upper right corner.

The Storch in foreground is from Forschungsstaffel z. b. V. but I am far more interested of the Bf 109s in the background. Seems they have letter identications, I see K and L.

Does anyone know what it this Bf 109 unit?

Cheers,
Kari

[sidney]

Kari,

The unit may have been JG 25.

Regards,
Sinisa

[RT]

Looks to be "Schlacht" markings

Rémi

[Jochen Prien]

If it is Staaken then JG 25 seems very likely as the Bf109s of this unit carried letter markings - one large letter on the fuselage side - instead of the usual numerals.

KR

Jochen Prien

[Kari Lumppio]

Thank You all for the answers!

At the Estonian archive page they state that the original title for the photo is:

"2. Ausfertigung. Archiv Nr: 5. Autor: Kr. Kapera, Filmart, Film Nr: Ls1. Bild Nr: 1-33a. Ort: Staaken, Kauen. Text: Luftbilder Staaken nach Kauen und in Kauen selbst. Blende: versch. Objektiv: 3,5. Filter: ohne. Datum: August 1943."

Forschungsstaffel z.b.V. seems to have been scientific expedition to Baltic nature. Most of the photo series shows Estonian and Latvian nature. The first photos do show Storch flight from Berlin to Kaunas (Kauen), Lithuania.

Note also the tiled apron pavement. AFAIK no such thing in any Baltic airport then.

So it seems to be JG 25 aircraft and time is August 1943 per the original title. The alphabetic Kennzeichnen are added confirmation (Danke Jochen).

Where one can learn more about JG 25 (save the Michael Holm's site)? I have read about JG 50. How much the units had in common?

Cheers,
Kari

[Jochen Prien]

Kari,

please send me your private e-mail address so that I can send you the chapter on JG 25 from JFV 10/III, p 63 - 73. I hope you can read German.

KR

Jochen Prien

[Kari Lumppio]

Hallo!

Marc-André Haldimann has two photos of JG25 Bf 109 G-5 W.Nr. 15 564 "CN+WH" "Schwarze K" at his site:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/280920...57640149616715

This might be the same "K" seen at the Estonian archive photo background.

BTW the archive does sell copies of the digital photos, at least they used to. Go to: https://www.ra.ee/en/film-photo-audio/foto/ and see services. It has changed a lot from the latest time I used it.

Cheers,
Kari