Bf 110 unit markings

[chriswchase]

I am new here but am glad I found a resource like this on the net! I have a Messerschmitt Bf 110C 1/48 kit. I am doing the variant with the non-jettisonable fuel tank (recon version) in the colors of the Africian campaign. The picture has the unit markings as - G9 IN - but there is no picture of the underwing markings other than the swastika on the underwings. Is/Are there any other letter or number markings on the underside of this aircraft?

 

[Wurger]

The swastika has never been applied on wing undersides. To be honest it wasn't the national marking but it was a sign of Nazi party and it was painted on fins mostly. On udersides there was a black cross with white outline painted also at wing tops. The same was on fuselage sides and it was applied between letter code ( e.g.. G9+IN ). In addition the individual letter code of a plane could have been repeted on wing tops ( the starboard and port one. ) or what happened more often on undersides only. But all of it depends on the period of time and TO a plane was used.

Also the unit code seems to be a little bit strange for the North Africa TO.

 

[Njaco]

You mean this.....

 

[Wurger]

Actually I has been thinking about the one when asking about the TO. The Bf 110 is said to be the 5./ZG 1 "Wespe" one, G9+IN (W.Nr.4277) in Russia. October, 1942.

 

[stona]

Also the unit code seems to be a little bit strange for the North Africa TO.

That's confused me too.

I would expect the individual aircraft letter to be on the wing undersides outboard of the national marking (balkenkreuz) in black. Things did not always follow the rules.

As Wurger said the swastika (hakenkreuz) was only applied on vertical surfaces,usually the fin(s).

Cheers

Steve

Edit. I see Njaco has posted a profile just like that above

 

[Crimea_River]

Not sure there would have been the Dacklbauch (long range fuel tank) on this one either. I know they were used on 110D's but I don't know about C's. I need to get ready for work but I can confirm this from Vasco's books tonight.

 

[stona]

Not sure there would have been the Dacklbauch (long range fuel tank) on this one either. I know they were used on 110D's but I don't know about C's. I need to get ready for work but I can confirm this from Vasco's books tonight.

I just happen to have those books to hand,including Vasco and Estanislau's "Messerschmitt Bf 110 C,D and E", and can confirm your suspicion. The production version with the "Dackelbauch" was the Bf 110 D-0. The only C fitted with one was Bf 110 C-1,W.Nr.944. This was a test machine and the "Dackelbauch" fairing was quite different from the eventual production version.
Cheers
Steve

 

[chriswchase]

Those are exactly the markings except in the box it is the desert camo pattern bf 110 that has the - G9 IN - markings...I also mistyped, I didnt mean swastika under the wings I did mean the cross (it was about 1 a.m. when I posted LOL)...so now some of the replies say the BF 110 C did not have the non jettisionable fuel tank...easy I can simply change to the bomb rack and fighter version in the model kit...but someone also said those markings were in the Eastern Front (Russia)...I have already painted the wings in desert camo...How can I fix that without a super thick layer of paint...????

 

[Jack_Hill]

Got an autumn 1942 Bf 110C-4/B G9+KP (K being white or yellow) from 6./ZG 1 monochrome profile in hands.
Seems now it was the ZG 1 use only to apply the "non black" code letter on port wing underside at this time.
Never noticed before, ty for the info.

 

[Njaco]

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks Steve, you saved me some time. Great book that.

 

[John Vasco]

'G9' is incorrect for ZG 1. Correct unit code is 'S9' (later 2N).

 

[Airframes]

John, isn't 'S9' the unit code fro Ep Grp 210, with '2N' being ZG1, later ZG76 ?

 

[Crimea_River]

Terry, I believe ZG1 had its S9 origins with Ep Gr 210, which later became one of the two founding Gruppen to form SKG 210 (also S9), which later became ZG1.

 

[Airframes]

Ah, sorry - I answered before thinking about the chronology and changes in unit designations.