Wilhelm Balthasar's Bf 109E-4

[Alte Hase]

Hi all.

Firstly, I apologise for all the questions I post on here, but there really is no better place to ask than on this forum. I am exceedingly grateful for the help I get from all of you on here.

I'd please like to know if anybody has any photos of Wilhelm Balthasar's Bf109E-4 W Nr. 1559 circa September 1940? Of particular interest, I'd like to ask if anyone can shed some light on the following:

-Did this aircraft have the 'capped' spinner in Sept 1940? If so, are there any photos?

-What did the rudder look like at this time (ie was it solid yellow or were the kills still on an RLM 65 background with the kills painted around in yellow? How many kills would have been displayed at this time?)

-Did it have the pennant on the radio antenna?

-Did it carry the Green 1?

Thanks!

 

[Wurger]

A couple of shots...

 

[fubar57]

Geo

 

[stona]

The man leaning over the fuselage nearest the fin on the one from last picture is Walter Oeseau who seems to be wearing a British flying jacket. I think that the other man is Oberstleutnant Gunther Lutzow. They were both at JG3 after November (?) 1940.
It's Balthasar's aeroplane though.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Airframes]

Oeseau's sheepskin (?) jacket I believe was possibly privately purchased, like many of the leather 'bomber jackets' worn by Luftwaffe fighter pilots, and may have had a suede-like exterior finish, judging by other photos of him seen when wearing it. Similar jackets have also be seen on other pilots in winter photos, including Galland, and they seem to be fairly common.

 

[Wurger]

And two more I found via the net...

 

[Crimea_River]

You da man Wojtek.

 

[Wurger]

THX Andy.

According to captions of these pictures above, the third, fourth of the post #2 and the first one of the #6 were taken in the September 1940. These of the post #2 seem to be take during the same session. The fourth image there shows that the rudder was painted yellow with victory markings on the RLM65 background. The first one of the #6 presents the the 'capped' spinner. Also the yellow pennant is can be seen on the antenna mast.

Initailly the kite was wearing the white number 1 on the engine cowling. In June 1940 she was crashed and seems to be repaired. The White 1 is still noticing on the engine cowling and the emblem of the III./JG3 was added. Also the Gruppe bar is seen on the fuselage and seems to be of green colour. The fuselage got the darker colour with the demarcation line going closer to the bottom at sides comparing to the initail camo layout.

The victory markings .... humm... I think it should be like either in the third or in the second picture of the post #2.

 

[Wurger]

Oh... I'm not sure but it is possible there wasn't the green "1" initially or there were both the White and Green numbers applied at the same time. Undoubtedly we can noticed the remnant of the White 1 in the first pic of the post #2 and the profile.

 

[Alte Hase]

Hi Wurger! Thank you for the pics. I notice in the photo in post #6 that the machine has different machine guns (cannons?) in the wings to other 109Es? Maybe MK108s?

 

[Airframes]

No, the Mk108 was not in service, and never fitted to the 'E'. The cannon is the standard 20mm. In the last shot, it's possible that there is a full-length dust cover over the barrel, where in the other, close up shot, only a muzzle cap is fitted.

 

[Wurger]

Yep I agree with the opinion above.

 

[Alex .]

Apologies if this is a stupid question. But the victory markings on the tailplane, why are some of the arrows pointing downwards and others upwards?

 

[stona]

Apologies if this is a stupid question. But the victory markings on the tailplane, why are some of the arrows pointing downwards and others upwards?

No such thing as a stupid question

Each up arrow indicates an 'Abschuss' or aerial victory. The down arrows indicate 'Bodenzerstorungen' which is roughly 'ground kills'. One of our German friends might be able to tell me whether I've spelt that correctly !

Cheers

Steve

 

[Alex .]

Thank you Steve, that'd make sense!