Bf109G-6 of Heinz Knoke

[Cpt_Farrel]

Edit: I re-read what I wrote and it's a bit messy - I'm really tired, sorry, I hope you see what I mean


Hi all, got Jagdfliegerverbände 10/II today and was glad to find a to me unknown photo of one of the Bf109G-6's flown by Heinz Knoke. There are at least three photos of this aircraft, one with the entire Staffel in front and two showing smaller groups of pilots. The one in JFV 10/II shows that this G-6 was a very early one with open wheel-well for the tailwheel.

Then there's a fourth photo showing the tail of Knokes 109 (The wellknown one with white rudder and tail showing 9 kills). I'm quite certain that the photo shows the same aircraft as the others, at least everything points in that direction. The problem is though, that the Wrk.Nr is hard to read in the photo, it does look as if it starts with 20 or 26 which would indicate an Erla or WNF built aircraft. According to Prien though, these aircraft had the shorter antenna mast and D.F. loop while Knokes aircraft has the tall mast and no D.F. loop.

Does anyone know the correct Wrk.Nr for this aircraft or do you know who built these, possibly converted G-2/G-4's with open tail-wheelwell?

The pictures shows mostly what I need but to more accurately pin down the camoflage of the wings I'd like to try and find out which factory built this aircraft.

Thanks in advance! / Anders

[Marc-André Haldimann]

Dear Anders,

Do you know his website?

http://www.heinzknokewebsite.com/My-Site/The_planes.htm

It does contain quite a lot of photos and infos on Knoke's Messerschmitts; this might be of help.

Have a great day

Marc

[Cpt_Farrel]

Hi!

Yes thanks, I know it well, but unfortunately it doesn't have anything on that particular aircraft.

/Anders

[Marc-André Haldimann]

You're welcome, Anders. Sorry to be of no further help...

Marc

[Cpt_Farrel]

No worries! I started looking for aircraft with similar placement and style of the Wrk.Nr and I'm now leaning towards the 18xxx series. There's another JG11 aircraft in the book with a Nr. from the same series and it has the same placement and the same early configuration with a tall antenna mast and and cut out wheel well.

[Rabe Anton]

Fellows, I believe that it is not a question of "a Heinz Knoke Bf 109G-6" or "the Heinz Knoke Bf 109G-6" but rather which of Knoke's G-5s and G-6s has your attention. The real problem is basic and should be obvious after examining this pilot's rough-and-tumble career in RVT: he went through a considerable number of machines from mid-1943 through 1944, and inevitably one or more of these machines resemble each other rather closely.

Allow me to suggest that the only method that may get you answers—and it is by no means certain—is to methodically list all identifiable Knoke Bf 109Gs in chronological order and only then try to match them to photographs and other evidence. Decorations appearing in photos, aircraft markings, even the vegetation surrounding a dispersal can be very helpful. Without considering all the textual evidence, however, you will very likely find yourself lost, believe me.

I further suggest starting with a systematic and careful search of the loss lists in Prien/Rodeike, JG 1 u. 11, II and III, extracting the loss or damage entries for Knoke found there, and listing them in chronological order together with other data relevant to each. Combing Knoke's own bio, I Flew for the Führer, might be the next step. The earliest editions of this work, by the way, contain some photos of his Bf 109G aircraft not found in other places. The final step would be to try to match the photos that you have found with the loss or damage entries.

I went through the above process some years ago, before many of the sources available today had appeared. Even then, the investigation had all the color and complexity of a daunting problem. I wish you well in pushing the frontiers of knowledge outward, but owing to the bumptious adventures of this man's flying career and the vast number and variety of Bf 109G-5s and Bf 109G-6s built by different manufacturers, your task will not be easy.

RA

[Cpt_Farrel]

Actually, it's only one of the G-6's (or possibly G-5) that I'm after, and I'm convinced that the photos I mentioned are of the same aircraft due to the exact reasons you mention. The Wrk.Nr's that are listed for Knokes aircraft in JFV 10/II does not have charachteristics that match the photos I.E. tall antennamast, no DF Loop and cut out for tailwheel.