5-10 foot long black streamers behind Fw-190's

[B-17engineer]

On April 9th, 1944 the 352nd FG's 487th Squadron (elements of it) attacked a trio of Fw-190s that were attacking a single B-24 north of Osnabruck.

The Mission summary read, '' The 3 Fw-190's bounced had 5 to 10 ft. black streamers on tail.''

Searched the web and I've found plenty of discussion on it but its all guesses with little factual information.

 

[s1chris]

Could it have been some sort of decoy? From a distance maybe it would look like smoke?
What seams to be the most plausible explanation you have seen?

Cheers Chris

 

[B-17engineer]

That they were markers for AA crews but then I thought if it's clear enough to see those markers it's should be clear enough to see the bombers

 

[s1chris]

I agree, especially when they were a maximum of 10ft long.
It's a strange one for sure but now I know it existed I need to know the answer.

Cheers Chris

 

[B-17engineer]

Hope someone else can touch on this with an answer!

 

[nincomp]

Hope someone else can touch on this with an answer!

The cynical response would be: "to confuse the Allied airmen enough to delay their firing."

 

[Erich]

black streamers physically or painted along the fuselage to the tail like some JGr 10 Fw's ?

 

[B-17engineer]

black streamers physically or painted along the fuselage to the tail like some JGr 10 Fw's ?

Trailing behind physically like towed

 

[The Basket]

Read somewhere that the Luftwaffe used streamers on training aircraft to signify to others first solos.

No idea if this helps.

 

[A4K]

Interesting, never heard of this before!

 

[bobbysocks]

maybe it was a flight (one man missing formation ) that was doing a fly over for a funeral...kind of their way to honor a fallen comrade.??? or it could be like basket said...was significant for first for solo...first kill...???

 

[A4K]

Interesting thought mate, could be something in that...

 

[bob44]

This makes no sense. FW's in combat, towing a banner or streamer?
Possibly, the 352nd pilots were referring to a rich exhaust smoke?

 

[B-17engineer]

I don't think it's a bit easier to tell a banner from te exhaust, granted we don't know what shape it was, all we know it was black and 5-10 feet long which makes it odd.

Plus they had fought other Fw190s that day, would've had a good look at ones with and without a "streamer"

 

[bobbysocks]

i would think that the ones with the streamers were on the way to or from some other detail....parade, funeral, etc and the lone 24 presented itself as a target of opportunity and they went after it.

 

[A4K]

If Black then there is a a good chance the guys are correct on the funeral flypast, and indeed, a lone B-24 would make nice a morsel I'm sure...

 

[stona]

This has come up from time to time over the years and nobody has ever come up with an explanation.

Cheers

Steve

 

[bobbysocks]

its a shame the internet,computers, and forums like this werent around 25 years ago when a lot of these guys were still alive...to where we could get more answers to questions like this.

 

[stona]

its a shame the internet,computers, and forums like this werent around 25 years ago when a lot of these guys were still alive...to where we could get more answers to questions like this.

Yes indeed.
As far as I (and evidently many others) are aware the sort of streamers reported by the allied pilots are never mentioned by anyone on the Luftwaffe side. If these were indeed black streamers and not a mistake or misidentification on the part of the allied pilots then why they were being "flown" will probably remain a mystery.
Cheers
Steve

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Streamers were used in WW1 to identify either flight leads or rookie pilots and depending on the combatant they were color coded. Don't know if this was the case during this encounter.