**** DONE: 1/32 Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-8, Blau 4, JG 5 - Me/ Fw Group Build

[Catch22]

Thank you everyone! I've put the prop on, but I'll hold off on pics for now as I may work on it a bit tonight.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Looks beaut from where I'm sitting.

 

[rochie]

great job Cory

 

[Wayne Little]

Cory, confirming the Emblem was only on the port side and most likely was a III Gruppe marking rather than a geschwader emblem.

 

[Catch22]

Thanks Vic and Karl.

So is that wrong then?

 

[Catch22]

Here's what I've found in regards to other markings.

JG 5:

IV Gruppe:

12./JG5:

All from: Asisbiz Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5) Eismeer was a Luftwaffe fighter Wing that served during World War II

Now, looking at this photo that Wayne posted, it appears as though it's the Eismeer crest on the side. You can't see really any detail besides a dot in the centre, so I'm pretty sure it would be that?

 

[Crimea_River]

Here's III Gruppe JG 5 found on the net. Picture is inconclusive.

 

[Catch22]

Thanks Andy. You're right, could be either.

 

[Crimea_River]

Digging a little more here, I think we need Wayne to confirm it's a III Gruppe bird. Going back to my post at the beginning where I found the profile in a Squadron publication, this plane is stated to be from 12 JG 5, a part of IV Gruppe in 1945. It's possible, perhaps even probable, that Squadron have it wrong. I'm not up on JG 5's history but with attrition, squadrons were often amalgamated into the lower Gruppe numbers so by late in the war, this could indeed have been a III Gruppe bird. 12 Staffel aircraft apparently had yellow numbers in late 1943 as can be seen in this good discussion here at LEMB http://www.luftwaffe-experten.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=12436

EDIT, more on this. There are these pictures below of a wrecked Blue 9 taken at Herdla in the spring of 1945. Although these pics are inconclusive in terms of the emblem, I have a 3rd picture taken of the same crashed aircraft in my copy of "Luftwaffe Eagle" by Walter Schuck that clearly shows this particular aircraft sported the Eismeer emblem at the time of its crash. It does not show the RV band though so we need talk a bit more. However, note that there's no crest on the port side!

 

[Catch22]

Geeze! How confusing is that? Guess I shouldn't be surprised. I was concerned for a second there that the decals would be wrong, but thankfully in the photo you can tell (or at least it looks like it to my eyes) that the number is a different colour than the tail band.

Also, on second look, it doesn't appear as though the crest has a black border on it in the photo.

 

[Crimea_River]

I edited post 109 Cory. Have a look.

 

[Catch22]

Thanks Andy, interesting! I don't know enough unfortunately, so I'll leave it to the experts! Looks like a yellow rudder on that one too.

 

[Wayne Little]

The Eismeer badge was only in use during the last 1-2 months of the war and was only seen on III Gruppe aircraft. namely Fw190's at Herdla and Bf109G's of 11 Staffel at Gossen, in each case photo's show the badge only on the Portside of the nose.
After the reorganisation of JG 5 in the latter part of 1944 III/JG 5 composed of the following,
9/JG 5 White Numbers - Black border
10/ Black - White Border
11/ Yellow - Black Border
12/ Blue - White Border

The rudders of some aircraft were White signifying Staffel leader's as on Blue 9 above which does have the Eismeer emblem on the port nose.

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks Wayne. Any idea when the photo of Blue 4 was taken? Blue 9 has no RV band but Blue 4 does. The Blue 9 pic was taken in April 45 I believe. Here's a profile of Blue 9.

 

[Catch22]

Thanks for the info Wayne! So I suppose that means I have the correct badge on mine currently. That Blue 9 would be sharp too!

 

[vikingBerserker]

Great info fellas!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Bit of a mine field this one, but well worked through guys.

 

[Wayne Little]

Thanks Wayne. Any idea when the photo of Blue 4 was taken? Blue 9 has no RV band but Blue 4 does. The Blue 9 pic was taken in April 45 I believe. Here's a profile of Blue 9.

must be April 45 to fit the badge timelime, not all aircraft had the bands, the same can be said for the badge too...

 

[Catch22]

A bit of progress. Gear, doors, and props are fitted, along with most of the fiddly bits. One of the machine guns in the cowl disappeared into the plane so I made a new one from a piece of drop tank rack. Antennas are also on. Some minor painting things to do, and weathering, but other than that and the canopy it's done! The 110's canopy is the same colour as this one's, so I'll wait till the masks show up for the 110 then I'll paint them both at the same time.

 

[B-17engineer]

looks great!