OKL unit markings order; Me 262 codes; etc.

[Nick Beale]

The lates updates to http://www.ghostbombers.com/updates.html include:

- A directive from OKL Operations Staff dated 3 February 1944 about the application of unit markings to aircraft. I don't think this hasn't been published anywhere else.

- Deciphered German reports on a number of lost or missing Me 262s of I./KG 51; codes of 13 machines of 2./KG 51 and the dates they left Lechfeld in October 1944; codes and/or Werk Nummern of a number of other I./KG 51 jets; codes of all the Gruppe's serviceable and unserviceable aircraft on 4 February 1945. And as a bonus, reports on the repair of two Kommando Nowotny aircraft at Achmer. Again, I think there are a couple of new things here (after all, the Me 262 is *such* a neglected aircraft!).

- More details of SG 4's operations, claims and losses on 7 April 1944 and a signal explaining why Palombaro was their target that day.

- Markings of eight Fw 190s of 1. and 2./JG 2 in Italy on 6 April 1944 plus the name of another pilot who took part in the Italian deployment.

- German intelligence about the effects of the raids on Allied airfields in Corsica in May 1944.

[Jaap Woortman]

Dear Nick,


You have said in your updates:" 1)
Me 262, 9K+LL, Works Number 170013, pilot Obltn. Gärtner, belonging to Detachment Edelweiss, took off on 19/9 from Rheine to operate in the Liège area. "

I have always thought that Gärtner was missing in action at September 10th, 1944? Typo?

Jaap

[Nick Beale]

Assuming all the modern books are correct, it is a typo but it's not mine - it's in the original intelligence document.

[George Hopp]

As always, Nick, wonderful material. However, when I tried to print out your excellent piece on 1944 markings, I got 97s single line pages for that 3rd page of info. If that it what you intended it worked.

[Jaap Woortman]

Nick,

Also in your improvements of page 352 in the note you are mentioning:" Note: this corresponds with the claim by Ofw. Petersen of 2./KG 51 of a B-24 shot down between Weert and Venlo at 09.25 hours."

I think Petersen has made a mistake. In this part of the Netherlands only the Lancaster III PB629 of 582 Sqn. was shot down by an enemy a/c. S/L F.G.Grillage was killed and buried at Venray War Cemetery.
Time and crashplace of the plane is not known yet.
The plane took part in a daylight RAF opeartion against Heimbach, Germany.
This was the only 4-mot. that was lost over the Netherlands at December 3rd, 1944.
The 8th US A.A.F was not flyng that day, besides 7 B-24s flying RCM.
They have had no losses.

Jaap

[Nick Beale]

To George: Re "if that is what you intended it worked."
I didn't plan it to be unprintable - wouldn't know how! All the Ghostbombers pages are based on tables, usually one paragraph to a cell, and page three should be no different from the other two. There's always "copy and paste" I suppose...

To Jaap: thanks for the information. I was careful to write "claim" - shot down aircraft are often quite a different thing.

[George Hopp]

To George: Re "if that is what you intended it worked."
I didn't plan it to be unprintable - wouldn't know how! All the Ghostbombers pages are based on tables, usually one paragraph to a cell, and page three should be no different from the other two. There's always "copy and paste" I suppose...

Thanks, Nick. I wasn't sure. Thank you for providing such an excellent resource for us. It is wonderfully kind of you.
All the best,
George