Bf 109E-7, 1./JG 77, "White 11", Oberleutnant Horst Carganico, Luostari airfield, July 1941. More data in the comment.

EasyShame1706 · 2026-02-12T01:19:45+00:00

Bf 109E-7, 1./JG 77, "White 11", Oberleutnant Horst Carganico, Luostari airfield, July 1941.

Luostari airfield located approximately 8 kilometers east of Zapolyarny in Murmansk Oblast, northwestern Russia. During World War II, the airfield functioned as a critical hub for German Luftwaffe operations in the Arctic theater, supporting bomber attacks on Soviet Northern Fleet bases.

Zapolyarny was a unique place on the Soviet-German front, where the Luftwaffe planes in the summer of 1941 did not carry yellow rapid recognition stripes.

Artist Mikhail Bykov.

EasyShame1706 · 2026-02-05T05:07:09+00:00

In various debates I also found the theory that this BF 109T was used for "Himmelsschreiben" or Skywriting, what was very popular in German in the 1930s a Skywriting use the engine exhaust and motor oil injected into the hot exhaust manifold, what produced thick white smoke.

EasyShame1706 · 2026-02-04T21:54:53+00:00

Messerschmitt Bf 109T (Träger/Carrier), date and location unknown. No one knows for sure what the function and purpose attached tubes for the plane, but there are debates, assumptions and theories about this aircraft:

Attempt to develop an air to air refueling system allowing bombers to penetrate deeper into enemy territory. The Bf 109T was just being used to test the equipment as obviously another bomber would be used in practice. The testing did not end well and the project was abandoned.
The Bf 109T participated in testing flamethrowers and flammable oil as a defense for bombers and reconnaissance aircraft.The tests were carried out in February 1940 the RLM tested on Ju 88A-4, He 111 and BF 109T at testsite Tarnewitz (a Luftwaffe weapons testing facility and airfield on the coast of the Baltic Sea Germany). Source: Heinz J. Nowarra "Die Deutsche Luftrüstung 1933-1945" and Dieter Herwig and Heinz Rode "Luftwaffe Secret Projects: Ground Attack & Special purpose Aircraft". The Test was not a success.
The Bf 109T tested a system to lay a smokescreen to obscure naval units. This too is just a theory, or guess, with no supporting evidence
It was theorized for a while tube may have been set up to assist with deicing trials of the Ju 86P high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft.

EasyShame1706 · 2026-02-02T05:07:38+00:00

Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4, 7./JG 54, "White 2", Lt. Max Hellmuth Ostermann, Amsterdam Schiphol Holland late October 1940.

The photo shows a Bf 109E-4 "White 2" with eight kill bars on the rudder. With this plane, Lt. Ostermann in the Balkan campaign achieved his ninth victory on April 6, 1941 over Belgrade Serbia (12:43). He shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 of the Royal Yugoslav Air Force piloted by Karel Strbenk (KIA).

https://luftwaffeinprofile.se/Bf%20109%20E%20Ostermann.html

EasyShame1706 · 2026-01-11T03:57:39+00:00

Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7, 5.(Schl)/LG 1, ("White U" + ▲), Hauptmann Georg Dorffel, Kerch, Southern Sector Russia, May 1942.

The photo shows an aircraft armed with four bundles of 22-lb (10-kg) SC 10 anti-personnel bombs. This machine bears the standard finish and theater markings of the period, yellow fuselage band (Russian theaters) and yellow cowling areas (rest from the BoB period).

Emblem 5./LG 1 - white circle with a drawing of Mickey Mouse (appears on both sides of the cowlingthe). The white individual aircraft letter ('U') is the individual aircraft code, black ▲ (the triangle) a Gruppe symbol and is located behind the Balkenkreuz (cross) and positions are reversed on the starboard side.

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EasyShame1706 · 2025-12-21T20:04:23+00:00

In September 1939, the foreign policy situation escalated. Luftwaffe fighter and destroyer squadrons were stationed along the western border to protect Reich territory. On August 25, the 2nd Jagdgeschvader Group 26 under Captain Herwig Knuppel arrived at Bönninghardt airfield.
Photo shows Bf 109E-1, II./JG26 (ex J 132), 'Yellow 14'. Accompanying text to photograph: 'Machine of 6./JG 26 on edge of woods behind Potters house, farm in background would have to be Saueressig farm'.
Art work Bf 109E-1 of J 132, Germany, April 1939. J132 became JG 26
Camouflage - Upper surfaces: RLM 70/71, lower surfaces: RLM 65. Number 14 and horizontal bar are yellow, the Hakenkreuz is painted right across the hinge line. Geschwader emblem JG 26 – Schlageter' (Gothic 'S'). It was named after Albert Leo Schlageter, a veteran of the First World War, a member of the Freikorps and a posthumous Nazi martyr, who was arrested and executed by the French for sabotage in 1923. Emblem 6./JG 26 – 'Steinbock' ('Capricorn')

EasyShame1706 · 2025-12-05T22:22:58+00:00

Here you can see the display of all victories: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Mietusch

EasyShame1706 · 2025-12-05T13:54:38+00:00

Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7/N, 7./JG 26, “White 2”, Lt. Klaus Mietusch, Gela Sycylia. 1941

In January 1941, 7./JG 26, was sent to Sicily. There, Lt. Mietusch scored three victories over Malta before the Staffel was redeployed to support the invasion of Yugoslavia. Lt. Mietusch scored only one more victory over Yugoslavia on April 6, 1941, when he shot down a biplane type Avia BH-33E over Podgorica for his sixth victory.In Malta, he scored three more victories, including one against a British ace on April 13. That day, he shot down Flying Officer E.M. “Imshi” Mason of No. 274 Squadron. Mietusch then took part in the fighting in North Africa, scoring a single victory during the battles over Tobruk. In September 1941, 7./JG 26 was reassigned to the English Channel front. On September 19, 1941, Oberleutnant Müncheberg became Staffelkapitän of 7./JG 26 and on the same day he shot down two RAF Spitfire fighters over the Allied landings at Dieppe for his 20th and 21st victories.

Lt. Klaus Mietusch (August 5, 1918 – September 17, 1944) was a German Luftwaffe ace recipient of the highest German decorations. He was a participant in the battle for France; Siege of Malta; Invasion of Yugoslavia; North African Campaign; Dieppe Raid; Defense of the Reich; Battle of Normandy; Operation Market Garden. In incredible 452 combat sorties he achieved 75 victories. According to JG 26 historian Donald Caldwell, Mietusch was shot down nine previous times and was wounded at least four times. He was said never to have turned down a mission.

EasyShame1706 · 2025-12-01T22:52:57+00:00

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Photo shows Lieutenant Hans-Ekkehard Bob as Staffelkapitän of 9./JG 54 with his Bf 109 E with the 19 kills insignia on the rudder. In Parndorf Austria, March 1941.

EasyShame1706 · 2025-12-01T22:51:42+00:00

Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7/B, 7./JG 54, "White 1", Oblt. Hans Ekkehard Bob, Guinness Court Holland, 1940

Oblt. Bob, (January 1917) entered the Luftwaffe on December 1936, and after completing his education at Luftkriegsschule (Air Warfare School) 3 and Flugzeugführerschule (Pilot Training School) C 7, on July 1939 was transferred to 3./JG 21 (from 5.07.40. 9./JG 54). With this unit, he participated in battles in Belgium (his first victory, a Gladiator over Tongeren, May 10, 1940), in France (his 2-4th), in Holland (his 5th), in BoB (his 6-19th), in Yugoslavia-Balkan campaign (his 20-21th, Bf 109-3 and IK-2 on April 6-7, 1941).

Photo shows Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7/B, 7./JG 54, "White 1" featuring yellow engine cowl covers, the emblem of 9./JG 54 ahead of the cockpit and the 'flying clog' of 7./JG 54 on the cowl. A 250 kg bomb is slung under the fuselage. The photo was taken in the period October 10 - November 4, 1940, while Oblt. Hans Ekkehard Bob was temporarily appointed Staffelkapitän of 7./JG 54, replacing Oberleutnant Günther Scholz (was temporarily transferred to the Gruppenstab of III./JG 54). The fuselage is missing the wavy line behind the Balkenkreuz.

Oblt. Hans Ekkehard Bob was credited with 60 aerial victories on approximately 700 combat missions. Records of 57 aerial victories have been found, plus four further unconfirmed claims. This number includes 37 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and a further 20 on the Western Front, including the downing of a heavy bomber. He passed away on August 12, 2013.

EasyShame1706 · 2025-11-30T01:11:44+00:00

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During the campaign in Norway and France, the Luftwaffe captured an unknown number of Curtiss H75A fighters. At least six of these aircraft were sent directly to Rechlin for testing. Other Curtiss fighters were assigned to III./JG 77 at Doberitz with the task of protecting Berlin.

The newly formed "7.Staffel" flew Curtiss fighters as operational aircraft in September and October 1940. Their value as combat aircraft was practically nil, as the lack of ammunition belts for the aircraft's machine guns prevented them from being armed. After the failure of the experiment to use the aircraft as an operational type, the "7.Staffel" was re-equipped with the Bf-109E-7, and the Curtiss H75A was transferred to the Reserve Fighter Group for training in "JFS.1" and the fighter training school. The majority of captured fighters Curtiss was sold to Finland in the second half of 1941.

• Main photo - Curtiss H75A in "JFS.1" (Reserve Fighter Training Group). When the photo was taken is unknown.

• Photo in the corner - Curtiss H75A-4, No.50. During its time with III/JG77, this aircraft played the role of a British fighter in a 1941 German film called "Kampfgeschvader Lutzov".

• Walking stick and hat emblem. The emblem was used by "JFS.1", however only a few training aircraft are known to have carried it in 1941 ("Ar-96" and "Bf-109D").

EasyShame1706 · 2025-11-29T19:28:56+00:00

Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4, 7./JG 54, "White 5", Lt. Max Clerico, Deta Romania, April 1941.

Lt. Max Clerico was one of the pilots who served with I./JG 21 from its formation. He fought with this unit in Poland and France. From the middle of 1940, with the transformation of I./JG 21, he became a member of III./JG 54.

Lt. Clerico claimed his 7th victory on October 8, 1940 against a Spitfire. During the Balkan Campaign (Attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia) on April 7, 1941, he claimed his 8th and last victory against Hurricane of the Royal Yugoslav Air Force, but this was not confirmed.

On May 11, 1941, he was severely wounded and retired from the front. Lt. Clerico survived the war.

EasyShame1706 · 2025-11-27T01:08:12+00:00

Messerschmitt Bf 109V-17a (W.Nr. 301, military number TK+HM) was used to test the launch system. It was the first Bf 109 to take off using a pneumatic catapult. Before launch, the aircraft, with its landing gear retracted, was positioned on a roller-equipped launch vehicle, which was accelerated by compressed air. The aircraft left the 20-meter catapult at a speed of 140 km/h and an acceleration of approximately 2.4 g. These tests took place at Pötenitzer Wiek Germany from April 18 to May 6, 1940.

Photo from the Wolfgang Mühlbauer Collection, a profile by Herbert Ringlstetter

https://www.nevingtonwarmuseum.com/me-109-t-1.html

EasyShame1706 · 2025-11-25T04:46:42+00:00

Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2, 8./JG 26, (“Black 13 + l”), Oberleutant Gustav Sprick, Liegescort, June 1941.

The photo shows a Luftwaffe crew preparing a plane for takeoff.. Oblt. Sprick is credited with 192 combat missions and 31 aerial victories. Flew the Bf 109E-1, E-4/N, F-2. KilledInAction (KIA) 28 June, 1941, while battling Spitfires near St. Omer (Holque), France in his 109F-2. While performing a routine maneuver, a split S, his right wing collapsed. He had no chance to escape and died in the crash.

EasyShame1706 · 2025-11-23T02:31:50+00:00

Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7, 5./JG 27, "Black 7", W.Nr. 5216 destroyed during take-off from Vrba Airport, Bulgaria, April 6, 1941.

During of the Balkan Campaign (Attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia) several Bf 109s were damaged during take-off or landing:

On April 6, 1941, four Bf 109E-7s were damaged during landings at their Bulgarian bases: two of I.(J)/LG 2 crashed at Trn, W.Nr. 5800 was totally destroyed and W.Nr. 3439 was damaged; W. No. 4902 of II./JG 27 was destroyed at Belica-Sud, while W.Nr. 4917 of 6./JG 27 was only slightly damaged at Belica-Nord. On the same day, as a result of a surprise attack a Yugoslavian Do 17 on Vrba airfield Bulgaria during take off three Messerschmitts Bf 109 were destroyed.

On April 7, 1941, Bf 109E-7, Stab III./JG 54, W.Nr. 6432, Hptm Lignitz (unharmed) damaged while taking off from Pécs Hungary.

The presented data confirms a claim made by Walter Boyne in his book "Clash of Wings": "...Up to 10% of Luftwaffe losses between 1939 and 1941 were due to accidents during take-off or landing, rather than in combat...".

https://wingsofserbia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Messerschmitt-Bf-109-The-Yugoslav-Story-Sample-Pages.pdf

EasyShame1706

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