Bf 109f spinner markings

[von hahn]

Hi Guys,
I was looking at a photo of Horst Budenhagen's Bf 109f 'Schluck Specht 3' (black 7) and noticed it has a halved or quartered black/white spinner and a yellow cowling. In the picture he appears to be puttying the wing rivets. In profiles and decals of this aircraft I've only ever seen it depicted as a yellow spinner and yellow cowling? No black/white quartering.

Which depiction would be earlier?

Thanks!

 

[Wurger]

The pic in the Luftwaffe in Focus , Special 3/2008 shows that the kite had the engine cowling and the spinner of yellow. The image is dated on April 1941. The spinner was of the solid colour. The white quarter could have been painted on the spinner with the RLM70 ( black-green) applied . If you have a look at the pic there you can notice that the second plane and the fourth plane of the Bf 109F line still having the white quarters while the bottom parts of spinners undoubtedly are darker than their engine cowlings and the same area of spinners of the first and the third aircraft in the image. The first one is just the Black 7.
Judging by this, I would say the spinners with the white quarters were made earlier while the yellow is a later changing. Also the putting wasn't done in a factory and it must have been done while the plane came to the unit. The shot of the plane with the yellow spinner has the wing looking very smooth what can indicate polishing or fresh painting. So the one with the white part on the spinner should be earlier IMHO.

http://www.luftfahrtverlag-start.de/LeseprobeLIFspezial3.pdf

 

[von hahn]

Hi Wurger!

Thank you for the picture and the advice!

I have attached the picture of Budenhagen applying putty to this machine in the field. It has no date or caption sadly.

In the photo, the aircraft "Schluck-Specht 3" has the black/RLM70 and white spinner, as some of the other aircraft in your photo showed. I'm guessing that this must have been before the spinner was painted yellow then?

Kind regards!

 

[von hahn]

Sorry, here is a bigger version of that photo...

 

[Wurger]

Yep.. I have known the shot. As I said the planes with spinners of the white quarter were delivered from a factory. Then these were repainted. Here is the shot you posted with the origin page copied I found via the net. No date though. But I'm sure the one is earlier. According to the PDF document the Bf109F-2s were delivered to the unit at the middle of April. Then the name was applied on the engine cowling. Please look at these threes without leaves and the muddy ground. Those threes in the pic with the plane and yellow spinner look like covered with leaves. Also the weather seems to be much better and more typical for very very late Spring or even for the Summer . The airfield ground is overgrown with nice grass and the Sun is shining. It is warm and dry while in the pic below it seems to be still quite cold and wet. For sure the pic with the yellow spinner was taken later.

 

[von hahn]

An excellent bit of detective work, Wurger!

Thank you so much for your help!

 

[Wurger]

My pleasure.

 

[chuter]

Technically, the spinner was --> thirded <--, not quartered ... just sayin' -lol