Camouflage and markings of early Fw 190 variants during last months of war

[greybeard]

Hi all,

various sources state the presence still of some early versions of the "Wuerger" during 1945. Look, for instance, to following links:

Accident Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-5 1249, 06 Jan 1945
Accident Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-6 550740, 14 Jan 1945

I couldn't find any photo or drawing showing a typical livery of these "early-late" birds: I wonder if they could be in late war colors (81/82/76) or in mid-war set (74/75/76), still in their typical all-green or some other mix dictated by shortage of paints or local environmental camouflage needs (or all of these!). Any info, please?

 

[greybeard]

While you're processing an answer, comprehensive and documented, I've in the meantime found this:

Source:https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Fw-190A/Fw-190A/images/Focke-Wulf-Fw-190A-3-EJG1-White-8-May-1945-0A.jpg

I don't know how reliable this pictorial representation is, but it seems to indicate the presence, at war's end, of some early model in service with the last mimetic scheme.

BTW: according to Google Translator "Ergänzungsjagdgeschwader" means "supplement jagdgeschwader".

 

[Wurger]

Here is a shots I found on the FalkeEins' site FalkeEins - the Luftwaffe blog: FW 190 A der 11./EJG 1 - daily ebay photo find #195

Judging by the shape of the doors of the main landing gear and other details it's one of earlier Fw 190A. of the EJG 1.

 

[greybeard]

Thanks for your reply.

Judging by the shape of the doors of the main landing gear and other details it's one of earlier Fw 190A. of the EJG 1.

It looks like an A-6, having the long barrels of MG 151/20 outer wing cannons and (seemingly) still the deck mounted MG 17's.

Guesswork about camouflage (which would be the topic).

Curious (at this point) about this EJG 1: what was it? An hint on page you linked lets think it could be a training unit; also the big numbers on fuselages make me think so. At The Luftwaffe, 1933-45 this unit exhibits an assortment (on 12.44) of Fw 190's ranging from A-2 to A-9! But, again, how were they camoed? And were there occasions in which they participated to actual combat?

 

[GrauGeist]

...Curious (at this point) about this EJG 1: what was it? An hint on page you linked lets think it could be a training unit; also the big numbers on fuselages make me think so. At The Luftwaffe, 1933-45 this unit exhibits an assortment (on 12.44) of Fw 190's ranging from A-2 to A-9! But, again, how were they camoed? And were there occasions in which they participated to actual combat?

EJG1 was a forward operational training unit.

 

[greybeard]

forward operational training unit

Oh well! Thank you!

The closest definition for "operational training unit" I was able to find is:
"An operational conversion unit (OCU) is a unit within an air force whose role is to support preparation for the operational missions of a specific aircraft type by providing trained personnel. Operational conversion units teach pilots how to fly an aircraft and which tactics best exploit the performance of their aircraft and its weapons."
Source: Operational conversion unit - Wikipedia

About "forward":
"directed or facing toward the front"
Source: Google translator

Therefore, it looks like an advanced training unit, on occasion "practicing" on the front. About camouflage, it looks like quite varied.

 

[Wurger]

Here is a couple of pics of the Fw 190A6 5.JG54 , Immola, Finland 1944

and here is one of Fw190A-6- 4./JG54-, Finland in Summer 1944.

As you may notice both of them seem to be wearing the standard RLM 74/75/76 camouflage with many paint seals. I would say this way for correction of already applied camouflage is very likely for most of the early Wurgers.

the pic source: the net.

 

[Wurger]

And here is another A-6 but in 1945 ..

the pic source: the net.

 

[GrauGeist]

Oh well! Thank you!

The closest definition for "operational training unit" I was able to find is:
"An operational conversion unit (OCU) is a unit within an air force whose role is to support preparation for the operational missions of a specific aircraft type by providing trained personnel. Operational conversion units teach pilots how to fly an aircraft and which tactics best exploit the performance of their aircraft and its weapons."
Source: Operational conversion unit - Wikipedia

About "forward":
"directed or facing toward the front"
Source: Google translator

Therefore, it looks like an advanced training unit, on occasion "practicing" on the front. About camouflage, it looks like quite varied.

An "Ergänzungsjagdgeschwader" was a latewar replacement pilot training unit attached to a Jagdgeschwader...so in essence, they were getting "hands on" experiance during their transition into one of the JG units.

 

[greybeard]

Here is a couple of pics of the Fw 190A6 5.JG54 , Immola, Finland 1944
...
and here is one of Fw190A-6- 4./JG54-, Finland in Summer 1944.
...
As you may notice both of them seem to be wearing the standard RLM 74/75/76 camouflage with many paint seals. I would say this way for correction of already applied camouflage is very likely for most of the early Wurgers.

Great! Thank you for sharing!

Are you sure they are 74/75/76? I'm not an expert, but I see on both of them still the large yellow fuselage band (just under black cross) that makes me think to the original 70/71 uppersurfaces... (if they repainted with 74/75, I wonder, why leaving the yellow band, usually matched with old 70/71?). Undoubtedly, a mess of patches and splotches has been applied in both instances, but in which colors? And what about the white cross on the 1945 example? It lets me think it could be 81/82 like the color image I posted above... It's difficult put order where, seemingly, weren't rules. I'm puzzled.

 

[Wurger]

The basic set of colours for the camo was the RLM74/75/76 and was applied in a factory.. The dark green colours RLM 70/71 were applied in Russia but not for all planes for instance. Also in many cases the green coats weren't applied overall and the basic camo could be noticed at the tails for example. What is more those planes in Russia could be painted with other than the two green colours at tops. Therefore a pic of the particular plane is needed because there wasn't any rule for the camouflage lauout especially for the JG54 kites.

PS. Please note that the RLM 74 Graugrun ( Grey-Green ) was a quite dark paint and applied freshly looked like a dark green colour. As a result all applied seals could look like a dark green paint applied if compared to the already faded RLM 74 coat had sprayed earlier. This can be also a reason for misinterpreting the B&W images.

Here a couple of examples..

the pic source: the net.

 

[Wurger]

And here FW 190A-5 W.Nr 410054 in 1944 ...

the pic source: the net.

 

[greybeard]

The basic set of colours for the camo was the RLM74/75/76 and was applied in a factory.. The dark green colours RLM 70/71 were applied in Russia but not for all planes for instance. Also in many cases the green coats weren't applied overall and the basic camo could be noticed at the tails for example. What is more those planes in Russia could be painted with other than the two green colours at tops. Therefore a pic of the particular plane is needed because there wasn't any rule for the camouflage lauout especially for the JG54 kites.

PS. Please note that the RLM 74 Graugrun ( Grey-Green ) was a quite dark paint and applied freshly looked like a dark green colour. As a result all applied seals could look like a dark green paint applied if compared to the already faded RLM 74 coat had sprayed earlier. This can be also a reason for misinterpreting the B&W images.

Many thanks: now I've a much more clear picture. I was thinking the 70/71/65 was the factory finish.

Best regards,
GB

 

[Wurger]

You'r welcome.

Oh .. BTW a couple of references for FW 190A says that the FW 190A planes were painted with RLM 74/75/76 basically or 82/75/76 or 83/75/76 set introduced in a mid of the 1944 . The RLM 82 or 83 replaced the RLM 74 at tops. The RLM 70/71/65 set was used for a couple of first prototypes only. All other made plnes were wearing the default set of colours. As I've mentioned the JG 54 and JG51 used in Russia the RLM70/71/76 or 71/72/76 set with a couple of othres colours more. But the sqadrons were the exception and the camouflage of their Wurgers wasn't the factory-made one..

 

[fubar57]

I love Jg. 54, best Luftwaffe camo schemes ever