Seeking photos/info concerning the Bf109 of Hptm Walter Oesau, Gr Kdr III./JG3 from the winter of 1940-41

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Hptm Walter Oesau took over command of III./JG3 from Hptm Wilhelm Balthsar at the beginning of Nov., 1940, and apparently continued to fly Balthasar's previous a/c, now repainted as Green 1+I, with an elaborate scoreboard. Concurrently, or sometime later, Oesau received a new a/c, probably an E-4 or E-7, that was marked with the conventional double chevron for Gr Kdr. This a/c had a white or yellow nose. We have three photos of this a/c with Oesau exiting the cockpit area, apparently at least some of them frames printed from a film clip. However, we don't know exactly when Oesau first began flying this a/c, its W.Nr., and what the rest of its markings looked like. Did it care a rudder scoreboard, and the new III./JG3 axe on a white shield on the cowling, as did the previous a/c?

Can anyone help us document the appearance and details of this a/c?

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

[F for Freddie]

Hi Larry
Mission4Today Photos may be able to help you.. I believe I have seen the odd photo of Hptm Walter Oesau standing next to his aircraft. Possibly a E7? I hope this helps you?
http://www.mission4today.com/index.p...wtopic&t=14427

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[ouidjat]

I've seen Clark Gable, not Oesau!
Should have been a "scary" picture; who knows?
15 pages ... scrolling down fo' nothing: not even a microwave oven!

[Larry Hickey]

Freddie,

Thanx for responding. Nothing on this site that solves this problem, or provides other photos that we don't already have.

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

[Chris Goss]

I have gone through the Mike Payne photos and apart from the usual photos, nothing I am afraid

[Larry Hickey]

Chris,

Thanx for going to the trouble to search for an answer in the Payne Collection. We've got Oesau's a/c and his markings well documented until we hit the late fall-early winter of 1940, then we have only the info above. We're going to go ahead and rough out a profile of what we've got on this a/c, but still have major elements, such as rear fuselage and scoreboard, that we can only guess at. For now we're going to assume that this a/c carried no scoreboard, and just had a solid yellow rudder. Of course, we're prepared to change that on a moment's notice should some contrary documentation arise.

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

[ouidjat]

Originally Posted by Larry Hickey

... We're going to go ahead and rough out a profile of what we've got on this a/c, but still have major elements, such as rear fuselage and scoreboard, that we can only guess at. For now we're going to assume that this a/c carried no scoreboard, and just had a solid yellow rudder...

Hi Larry,

And if not, are going to publish it, anyway?

I don't know if THIS can resolve your (our) problem? Or add another one??

Regards, Franck.

[Cpt_Farrel]

That is the aircraft of Friedrich Beckh who was IV./JG51 gruppenkommandeur when he flew the aircraft in Francks link.

Cheers / Anders

[ouidjat]

Hello,

Yep! Thanks Anders. Mars 1941. Pity we cannot see the white victory bar on rudder.

Thank you for this help.

Regards, Franck.

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Obviously, this is not the a/c flown by Oesau that we're looking for, but all your efforts to help are appreciated. Somebody will likely find a solution to our problem.

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator