KG 1 and KG 40

[chris schmitz]

Hello all, I have an question regarding plane codes.

I have some planecodes starting with V4... but its sayes it belongs to KG 40.

But KG 40 have the F8 code, i do know that sometimes units borow planes from eachother, but it is allot, even on the Kracker site it sayes KG 40 planes with V4 codes!!

is this correct or does the V4 planes belong to KG 1 instead of KG 40?

example
09-05-1941 He-111H3 "3333" V4+BH 1/KG 40
Olt Helmut Waldvogel FF verm and his 3 man crew

also the He-111 numbers "3175, 4021, 4023, 4063, 5578, 6840, 6857

[Stig Jarlevik]

Chris

If you check Michael Holm's site here
http://www.ww2.dk/air/kampf/kg1.htm
you will find that I./KG 1 was redesignated III./KG 40 on 24 March 1941

This means the aircraft were still marked with I./KG 1 markings almost two months later

Since V4+BH was used by 1./KG 1 which at that time had become 7./KG 40 I would say it is more
correct to state that your photo is from the latter unit.

You must be aware that even if there were official dates when these redesignations took place,
it certainly didn't mean that one second past midnight everyone rushed out and repainted the aircraft.
I am also pretty certain it took some time, at least for the old hands, to accept they were in a "new"
unit!!

Cheers
Stig

[chris schmitz]

thank you for the respond, that makes sense than ofcourse!!

[Chris Goss]

III./KG 40 formerly I./KG 1 used V4 codes until at least May-June 1941; the first F8 recorded loss was F8+FT on 9 Aug 41

[chris schmitz]

Thanx Chris than i can compleet my data