Siege of Malta Camouflage

[utbresearch]

Hi everyone,

I posted this in the sticky thread above but I'm not sure anyone saw it.

I'm wondering about Luftwaffe camouflage and markings during the Siege of Malta, specifically the JU-88s and BF Me-109s. As they were re-assigned from the eastern front to Malta, would they have been repainted the tropical camouflage of their North African counterparts?

Also, were the Hurricane MKIIB's kept in general British camouflage during their time on Malta?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Wurger]

Hi,
As far as the Ju-88 and Bf-109 camo patterns are concerned.Unfortunately there is a lot of varieties of camo patterns for the area.Up to 1943 all German aircraft that were used in the North Africa and Italy ( as memory serves) were painted with the desert camo pattern at their factories.In units there were painted elements of quick ID white bands on fuselages ( yellow as well) and undersides of tipwings.If the desert camo consisted of two colours only there was added mottling of olive-green paint on both upper surfaces of wings and fuselage sides.It is very interesting that for this painting the German maintenance crews used Italian paints as well and often.So it is possible that equippment of ETO camouflage was re-painted with these colours.Later all German planes in Italy wore ETO standard Luftwaffe camo.

 

[utbresearch]

Okay, so if I'm looking at a timeline of summer 1942 and before, it would not be inaccurate to use a standard desert camo pattern on JU-88s and BF-109s?

 

[Wurger]

I think it would be OK to use this.But could you tell me if you are going to build models of these a/c?

 

[utbresearch]

Actually, I'm trying to render them in an CGI animation program.

 

[Wurger]

Ah now I understand.I have to tell you that if you want to make these objects with proper skins you should find some pics of a/c you are looking for.As I had written before there were lots of varieties for the camo pattern of Ju-88 and Bf109 in that time.If you want I can find some colour profiles for them.

 

[utbresearch]

Sure, any help would be really appreciated. I found this site. Luftwaffe Camouflage Would the desert scheme at the bottom on the Bf-109F-4Z be what I'm looking for?

 

[Wurger]

It is hard to say.Too small pic.

 

[Wurger]

OK. Here you are some examples of J88 camo used in Italy and North Africa during 1942/43.Please, note lots of camo patterns.

 

[utbresearch]

Wow, cool.

Okay, so to narrow it down, I'd want to look at the spring and summer of 1942. According to the book "Jagdwaffe: War Over the Desert" by mid-Jan 1942, sorties against Malta were flown by KG.54, KG.77, KGr.606 and KGr.806 escorted by JG 53's Bf109F's.

In Feb '42, a new Staffel was added to JG 53, 10.(Jabo)/JG 53, and was equipped with Bf109F-4/B fighter-bombers. By mid-Feb '42, II./JG 3 equipped with Bf109F-4 was transferred to Sicily to help with the fight against Malta.

So maybe what to look for is the camo schemes for those KG and KGR units specifically?

 

[Wurger]

Give me some time I'll go through some sources and if I find something I'll upload here.OK?

 

[Njaco]

Found a couple pics from this website.

Aircraft illustration

 

[Wurger]

Cool Njaco.These profiles look really nice.I think the third and the last one are the good example for a desert camo pattern which was used at the Mediterranean area.

 

[utbresearch]

Those are excellent details. Thanks very much, Njaco.

 

[Wurger]

And here two more profiles of Ju-88.
The first pic shows Ju-88 A-14 from I./KG77 Sicily 1943/43.The plane was equipped with 20mm canon.The camo pattern was probably the Navy one RLM72 on upper surfaces and RLM65 on undersizes.

The second one is the JU-88A-14 of Lt.J.Glesmann from I./KG77 used in 1941/42.The camo pattern possible RLM72/RLM65.

Source unknown.

 

[Njaco]

...JU-88A-14 of Lt.J.Glesmann from I./JG77...

Wurger, I'm sure you mean KG 77. You probably have the same handicap as me - JG/KG/NJG/SG Disease! Only cure is to start typing French squadrons: GC II, etc, etc...

 

[Wurger]

Wurger, I'm sure you mean KG 77. You probably have the same handicap as me - JG/KG/NJG/SG Disease! Only cure is to start typing French squadrons: GC II, etc, etc...

Exactly.Besides "J" key is next to "K" one and taking my fingers into consideration I have to keep them crossed to write something.In another word my hands make the keyboard screened.
But thanks friend for your keeping watch.

 

[Wurger]

I've found next profile of Bf109F-4/Trop from 6 Staffel of JG53 used at Comiso airfirld in May 1942. The caption states that the plane took part in the final stages of the Luftwaffe's campaign against Malta.

 

[Njaco]

Wurger, am I correct that the black and white spinner was done in quarters? And the underside wingtips were white? I ask because I did this exact plane in 1/72 a few years ago. I may have done it incorrectly.

 

[Wurger]

I have to check it.There is possibility that the wingtips were white on undersides.As far as the spinner is concerned I'm not sure.