White or Yellow noses on II./ZG 76 a/c during Sept-Oct 1940?

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

There is incontrovertible evidence that the various Gruppen in ZG2 and 26 used white or yellow noses on their aircraft during the Sept./Oct 1940 period of the Battle of Britain. There are a few photos of II./ZG76 Bf110s with white or yellow gun bays on the top of the nose, some reported to be from the BoB period. It is known that the unit use white or yellow nose gun bays at times after the BoB, so the known instances are not absolutely conclusive. However, I've never seen a datable II./ZG76 Bf110 with this marking during the BoB, ie. an identified crash or crash landing on either side of the channel displaying this marking. There are at least 2 known II./ZG76 FL during the BoB, believed to be in early Sept. on French beaches (one probably Jabs of 6 Staffel), neither of these display yellow or white markings on the nose. Does anyone have photographic proof that II./ZG76 did carry the yellow or white nose gun bays during the BoB? It is logical that they would do so, as most of the other ZG units are known to have yellow or white noses. Can anybody resolve this?

Regards,

[Peter Kassak]

I would say it is yellow color....Doubt that they would repaint it from white to yellow during Balkan campaign...and there is a color photo in LiF mag. of yellow gun bayed II./ZG 76 plane.
that is my opinion.

[ChrisS]

Hi Larry

I've checked my ZG76 II Gruppe photo file and have a number of painted nosed machines but all seem to be in Bulgaria, Greece, Yugoslavia and Crete.

Regards

Chris

[Larry Hickey]

Peter & Chris,

Thanks for your comments. Your experience is the same as mine--several photos in the Balkans and maybe one or two that may be from the Battle of Britain. I'm trying to turn that "may be" into a confirmed.

Regards,

[ChrisS]

Hi Larry

I am certain that none of the images I have are from France or the western campaign. When the images are not labelled or captioned the flora and scenery in the background all strongly suggest a Mediterranean country.

Cheers

Chris

[Evgeny Velichko]

Luftflotte 2
Erprobungsgruppe 210 - had "clear" noses without color markings (probably as non-fighter unit)
Zerstörergeschwader 26 - white noses (confirmed by many photos)
Zerstörergeschwader 76 (without I./ZG76) - white noses (look on this film - 1940-10-30 - Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 530 (23m 58s, 720x544).mkv here: Deutche Wochenschau, from 7:10, and You will see Bf110's of II./ZG76 with white noses)

Luftflotte 3
V.(Z)/Lehrgeschwader 1 - white noses (confirmed by photos)
Zerstörergeschwader 2 - white noses (confirmed by many photos, aslo You can see white noses on 1940-09-18 - Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 524 (21m 54s, 720x544) on the Wochenschau link above - from 11:25 - Bf110C&D of ZG2 on take off ).

It is clear, that Zerst.Gruppen, which weared white noses during BoB, overpainted them into RLM27 Yellow when went to Balkan campaign (like I and II./ZG26, and II./ZG76), what is pprooved by many b/w and color photos.

Question for me is:
If Bf109 units made RLM04 yellow markings on their noses to distinct Bf109 from Spitfire from long distance (but not to distinct, for example, Bf109 of LF2 from Bf109 of LF3 - both Luftflotte's Bf109 wear Yellow noses), but what was the matter of white paint of Bf110's? What aircraft RAF had, wich was simular-looking with Bf110 on long distance?

[1.JaVA_Sjonnie]

Originally Posted by Evgeny Velichko

Luftflotte 2
Erprobungsgruppe 210 - had "clear" noses without color markings (probably as non-fighter unit)
Zerstörergeschwader 26 - white noses (confirmed by many photos)
Zerstörergeschwader 76 (without I./ZG76) - white noses (look on this film - 1940-10-30 - Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 530 (23m 58s, 720x544).mkv here: Deutche Wochenschau, from 7:10, and You will see Bf110's of II./ZG76 with white noses)

Luftflotte 3
V.(Z)/Lehrgeschwader 1 - white noses (confirmed by photos)
Zerstörergeschwader 2 - white noses (confirmed by many photos, aslo You can see white noses on 1940-09-18 - Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 524 (21m 54s, 720x544) on the Wochenschau link above - from 11:25 - Bf110C&D of ZG2 on take off ).

It is clear, that Zerst.Gruppen, which weared white noses during BoB, overpainted them into RLM27 Yellow when went to Balkan campaign (like I and II./ZG26, and II./ZG76), what is pprooved by many b/w and color photos.

Question for me is:
If Bf109 units made RLM04 yellow markings on their noses to distinct Bf109 from Spitfire from long distance (but not to distinct, for example, Bf109 of LF2 from Bf109 of LF3 - both Luftflotte's Bf109 wear Yellow noses), but what was the matter of white paint of Bf110's? What aircraft RAF had, wich was simular-looking with Bf110 on long distance?

The Blenheim, and perhaps before that, Potez 63/630/633?

[John Vasco]

Contact with Blenheims during the Battle of Britain was minimal, and with Potez's, nil. White painted noses of Bf 110s was, like the yellow-nosed 109s, a tactical marking.

[chuckschmitz]

John,

Recently picked up a copy of your "Bf 110 In Color Profile, 1939-1945". Enjoying it very much, great reference.

Chuck

[1.JaVA_Sjonnie]

Originally Posted by John Vasco

Contact with Blenheims during the Battle of Britain was minimal, and with Potez's, nil. White painted noses of Bf 110s was, like the yellow-nosed 109s, a tactical marking.

Do you mean the markings were there for ease of forming up into big shows? Put differently, what do you mean by tactical markings?