ID'ing the Unit of LW Fighters

[silence]

So...

Let's say I see a FW 190A in a museum, like this one

.

It has a standard 74/75/76 paint job, no unit shield (like a JG 26 "S" or a JG 51 hawk's head), no staffel shield, etc. It has a red/brown number and a horizontal bar, so I know it should be a 6th staffel plane.

But how can I tell - just by looking at it - what wing it belongs to? Or can I?

 

[stona]

Yes and no. The style of application of the numbers (kennziffer) and other markings like the II Gruppe bar on that example can sometimes give us a good clue. Otherwise a photograph with identifiable personnel or a date and place can also give a good idea.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Airframes]

I agree with Steve, but even distinctive styles in Staffel numbers or Gruppe bars, as used, for example, with JG53 aren't always a definite indication of identity.
If a photo shows known personnel, then yes, the aircraft is probably from that unit, but otherwise it needs documentary evidence, or a visible unit shield, 'Reich Defence' band, or other known marking.

 

[Erich]

Dates are crucial to your findings plus a study of which LW JG flew in this case Fw 190's. units like JG 53 never did nor JG 27, JG 77 so this rules out three so far.........

 

[silence]

Oh, I know who's plane is in the pic. I was curious how or even if you could identify the unit of one you'd never seen before and did not have any special markings, that's all.

 

[Njaco]

There are clues, even small ones that can guide you in the right direction. Like Erich said, some units never used Fw 190s so they would be excluded. There is also the possibility that some units switched to the II Gruppe coloring shown while others did not - so that can be a clue. Which of the remaining units used this camo scheme,etc. WWII CSI!

 

[Erich]

Camo details are a consideration also if you know the came this can give you roughly a date at least a year in mind; 1945 it was anything goes though more brown-violet and shades of green for ground concealment. knowing units background meaning terrain - who fought in the MTO/Afrika then moved to France then off to Reich defense, things like this ......