7/JG 3 Comet?

[pstrany]

Hi;

for a period of time, 7/JG 3 used a comet (or shooting star?) painted on the "beules" of their 109G-6s as a staffel emblem.

My question is this: was this emblem painted just on the left side, or on both sides of the aircraft? I've found several pictures of the left side of staffel aircraft with the emblem, but I've yet to find one that shows the emblem painted on the right side.

Any thoughts appreciated.......


Paul

[sidney]

According to JFV 10/II, page 333, the comet/shooting star design was carried on both sides of the aircraft... "... - mit je einem weissen Kometen auf beiden Rumpfseiten verzierte, der meist gegen einen dunkleren Hintergrundanstrich abgesetzt wurde...".

Personally, I have not yet come across a photo showing the said design on the starboard side of the aircraft.

[focusfocus]

It's not so on!
Page.339 of "Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei der III./JG3",the right side of the "white 1" as well as the one of the foreground DOES NOT carry the "Comet"

Michel

[sidney]

Originally Posted by focusfocus

It's not so on!
Page.339 of "Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei der III./JG3",the right side of the "white 1" as well as the one of the foreground DOES NOT carry the "Comet"

Michel

Well, those might have been exceptions to the general rule, or the comet design might have been applied at the later date. I don't think that you can make the case based on the absence of the said design on the starboard side of just two aircraft at one point in time.

[focusfocus]

May be an exeption,exept that p.339,there are two pictures taken at the same time:Snowy and foggy terrain (Russia) and quality of identical photos,undoubtedly drawn from the same film.

Photos 370:
as described previous Post

Photos 371:
left side of "white 4,white 10,white 11" with a comet.
My conclusion:during a period "X" the Bf.109 of the 7/JG3 carried the comet only on the left side,photographs in support.

That after its withdrawal of Russia,the "comet" was painted also on the right side,it's quite possible (never seen the contrary),I would be careful not to go too far to pretend otherwise.

Best Regards
Michel

[pstrany]

Frankly, it would make sense that the emblem would appear on both sides. My only reason to question it at all is that I dimly recall reading a generalization that staffel emblems only appeared on the left side of the fuselage. And so, to answer that, I sought out a picture, any picture, of a 7/JG3 aircraft with this emblem on the starboard side.

To date, I have not found one. Now, to be sure, it does not appear to me that this emblem appeared for very long. There are very few pictures of aircraft that show it, and it seems to have been limited to the end of 1943/beginning of 1944. Not like there are hundreds of pictures. To date, I've found six that show the emblem, all from the left side.

I'd just like to find one of the emblem on the right side, and it would eliminate all doubt.

With thanks to all who have taken the time to reply to my inquiry.....

Paul

[sidney]

Originally Posted by focusfocus

May be an exeption,exept that p.339,there are two pictures taken at the same time:Snowy and foggy terrain (Russia) and quality of identical photos,undoubtedly drawn from the same film.

The third Gruppe was equipped with the Bf 109 G-6 aircraft from June 1943, and withdrawn from the eastern front in early August 1943. The 9./JG 3 "eye" design was apparently introduced while the Gruppe was still in Russia.

Not so with the 7./JG 3 "comet" design. This design was introduced only after the Gruppe's withdrawal from the eastern front, and is apparently a reference to the Staffel's use of WfGr 21 against the heavy bombers. Thus, what you saw as snowy and foggy terrain in Russia, was in fact the winter of 1943-44, when the Gruppe was already deployed in Germany.

Other than that, I agree that the given photographic evidence is limited for us to draw any definitive conclusion on the application of the comet markings on both side of the 7./JG 3 fuselage.

Regards,
Sinisa