Photo of an Me 262 of KG(J) 54 from a recently expired eBay posting

[Karoband]

Good afternoon,

From a posting on eBay.de:

forum.12oclockhigh.net/album.php?albumid=73&pictureid=710

The bomber code "HK" and blue and white karoband possibly makes this an Me 262 of 2./KG(J) 54 at Giebelstadt some time in January/February 1945.

What is written on the back of this photograph?

forum.12oclockhigh.net/album.php?albumid=73&pictureid=711

best regards,

Jim

[RudiS]

I make it "HK - meine Maschine (jetzt zerstört durch Ofhr Wolf)"

[Karoband]

Thank you, Rudi! It had me stumped. Your quick reply is much appreciated.

Jim

[Dan O'Connell]

First "new" Me262 photo I have seen in some time. Thank you!

[Karoband]

My pleasure, Dan.

[David E. Brown]

Jim,

A close look shows that it has a medium-size four-quarter blue/white karoband. This is very similar to that seen in the photos of "ge.2" of 3./KG(J) 54 found at Prague.

Best,

David

[Karoband]

Good eye, David.

Checking the pictures and profile of "ge.2" found in Brown, et al., Messerschmitt Me 262s of KG(J) and KG units, (2010) pp. 121 -124 the pattern is indeed identical. The large-size four-quarter blue/white karoband on the "ge.3" found at Munich is quite different.

Thank you,

Jim

[Nick Beale]

Well-spotted, everyone. That tail band is far from obvious, even when you adjust the photo; the HK codes too are barely distinguishable from the surrounding camouflage.

I couldn't see a Wolf or a B3+HK in the KG(J section of the loss list in Siegfried Radtke's KG 54 book.

[Karoband]

Hello Nick,

Thank you for working on that photograph.

For what it is worth, I found this in deZeng & Stankey's, Luftwaffe Officer career summaries:

WOLF, Helmut. 10.08.44, Lt., 2./KG 54 MIA - Ju 88 A-4 (B3+LK) lost to unknown cause over the Seine Estuary during a mine laying sortie.

Best regards,

Jim

[David E. Brown]

Gents,

A few additional comments

1. The above machine is the first KG(J) 54 Me 262 that wears the original four character alpha-numeric code and unit (blue/white) karoband. All extant photos of this unit’s Me 262s with the Karobands (four styles documented) show them to have numeric codes. Those without the karoband have full alpha-numeric codes.

2. The two medium and one large style KG(J) 54 karobands appear to be associated with aircraft associated with training pilots. This is especially so with its Bf 109s and Fw 190s. The operational Me 262s wore the small size karoband.

3. Two styles (small and large) are known for KJ(J) 6 (red/black). Only the small size is present on operational Me 262s whereas the four-quartered large size on its Bf 109s.

4. KG(J) 27 (green/white) had no Me 262s and it’s Bf 109s and Fw 190s wore only the large size karoband.

Best,

David