Hi all,
I recently purchased a model of a Regia Aeronautica Bf-109G-2, however I’m trying to research it’s markings and unit history and am drawing a blank.
The aircraft has Italian fuselage and tail markings, however the wing markings are German crosses. The overall scheme looks like the standard Luftwaffe desert scheme worn on Bf109G’s such as Black 6, so my theory is that the aircraft was handed over to the Regia Aeronautica for use in North Africa, maybe a sort of lend lease arrangement?
The box says it’s from the 385th Sqn 150th Land Hunting Group, however I think it could be from the 365° Squadriglia, 3° Gruppo, but am wondering if anyone can shed some light on this machine.
By: planejunky - 17th October 2004 at 12:44
Those underwing markings certainly are Italian. Thanks for scanning the profile for me. 🙂 Looks like Dragon have made a **** up with the wing markings then!
By: Niall - 17th October 2004 at 00:33
The scan isn’t brilliant but it comes from ‘Regia Aeronautica Caccia & Assalto 1940-1943’ part2.
I would say that this is possibly where Dragon got their info from, it doesn’t show up particularly well on the scan but I am positive it shows Italian markings under the wings not Luftwaffe.
The text says it was used in the defence of Sicilly, and I quote “all Bf109s were mainly painted in the RLM 74/75/76 Grey scheme apart for a few exceptions displaying the RLM 78/79 Sand on Bright Blue tropical scheme”.
I hope this helps.
By: planejunky - 16th October 2004 at 18:09
Superb! Looking though the list in the first link, it looks like Wk Nr 10825 was the only G-2 Trop in service with the Italians, the rest were G-4’s & G-6’s. The individual number, Gruppo, and Squadriglia tally ok, so I reckon this is the machine in question. Maybe it was an ex-Luftwaffe replacement, I feel that the crosses on the wings would suggest that it was indeed a replacement.
There must be photos somewhere for Dragon to have reproduced the colour scheme, maybe in a private collection?
Nice photo BTW! 😀
Cheers
By: Distiller - 16th October 2004 at 15:17
http://www.warbirdsinscale.com/bf109regiajotaz.htm
http://www.regiaaeronautica.it/aerei/bf109.htm
By: planejunky - 16th October 2004 at 12:42
Ok thanks for that. Im aware of the 109’s in Sicily (see below), in fact these were the only ones I could find anything about.
It seems strange that a company like Dragon would produce a model of a machine that didn’t exist, they are normally quite stringent over their research. They must have got the info from somewhere, though I’m damned if I know where! :rolleyes: 😀
The search continues!
By: Distiller - 16th October 2004 at 10:07
It came as a shock to me, but I don’t know a lot about Italian Bf109.
But I think that no G-2/Trop were used by the REGIA AERONAUTICA or later by the AERONAUTICA NAZIONALE REPUBBLICANA. I think the first Gustavs they got were G-6, and those they got in Sicily, not in North Africa. In case they should really have flown G-2s in North Africa that wasn’t “official” and their markings should have been very close to the German scheme, but not with the Balkenkreuz, but with the Fascia-insignia.
Here is a G-6 in the summer of 1943.
For example the Italian R.A. Ju87 retained their original German camouflage and only changed the insignias. So you might be on the save side to assume they did this with their 109s as well.
The A.N.R. fighters were usually painted grey or dark blue w/o any symetric or fractal schemes like their German counterparts.
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October 15, 2004 at 8:06 pm