Junkers 88 C-2 or C-4 of Hptm. Dr. Patuschka - eBay find #7

One Junkers 88 C night fighter, two photographs, multiple interpretations - an attempt to separate what is factual from what are assumptions - and adding my own interpretation.

 

Image #1, source eBay auction 2019

My hypothesis is that the two photographs of this Junkers 88 C-2 or C-4 were taken at Gilze-Rijen some time between October 25th 1942 and mid - November 1942, before 4./NJG 2 transferred to Sicily. The aircraft was regularly flown by Dr. Horst Patuschka - with 4. and 7. Staffel of NJG 2 - before he used a Junkers 88 C-6 for Himmelbett operations in the Mediterranean conflict in early 1943. 
 

The Subject
Although the front is not visible, unit code R4 and victory bars indicate a Junkers 88 C destroyer / Zerstörer. The single rear MG housing and the flat canopy of the upper side rear portion of the cabin glassing were common with both, C-2 and C-4 variants. Since there is no protruding barrel visible, the MG either was retracted or completely removed. Image #4 of the aircraft reveals that no bottom rear MG is visible.

According to Junkers 88 experts Peter Achs and Nigel Moore, the difference between C-2 and C-4 was that the latter included a camera mounting for long range reconnaissance operations in the rear fuselage. It can be assumed that the camera hatch is practically not visible in photographs. Identification through the Werknummer appears to be the only reliable way.

At the foremost part of the visible fuselage a portion of the Nachtjagd crest is discernible. The viewing angle allows the conclusion that the aircraft was not equipped with Lichtenstein FuG 202 radar equipment. Its antennas would have protruded from the nose in a visible way.

Wings and fuselage show lighter areas of likely RLM 70 black green and RLM 71 dark green and a worn black RLM 22 paint application over the fuselage front, most of the fuselage behind the wings, the vertical stabilizer and tail, and parts of the wings near the fuselage. The under surfaces of the fuselage were also painted in black, and the same can be assumed for the wing under surfaces. Other photographs, exemplarily the in-flight shot image #2, show that this was a common camouflage for Junkers 88 C used by I./NJG 2 for intruder operations in 1940 and 1941. When that unit was deployed in Sicily and Africa from December 1941 to May 1942, national and unit markings of photographed aircraft were mostly unobscured. There is no evidence that aircraft of NJG 2 used this camouflage pattern when they were redeployed to the Mediterranean theater between December 1942 and June 1943.

Image #2: source eBay auction 2021

The unit code "R4" appears considerably toned own from a gray RLM 02 color. The fuselage Balkenkreuz / crosses, tail swastika, and aircraft and squadron / Staffel letters were completely blacked out with a new application of fresh black. A close tail photograph in Janowicz, Junkers 88 Vol. III shows that the application was rather inaccurate with paint running down the sides of the tail. In the crashed aircraft examination report for Junkers 88 C-4 R4+CH, AVIA 6/8954, a comparable treatment is described as "blacked out with lamp black". A closer look at the over-painted aircraft letter, see below image #3, reveals an over-painted shape of a "D", "O" or any other letter with a flat horizontal line on top like "B" and "P". There is too much noise in the photograph to discern any specifics about the last letter.

Image #3 enlarged fuselage section

What stands out is that the twenty victory bars were not disguised, again this can be seen with other aircraft of NJG 2 in 1940 and 1941. 

The aircraft is attributed to Oberleutnant and later Hauptmann Dr. Horst Patuschka. 

The aircraft is parked in front of a hangar covered with camouflage netting on what appears to be tarmac. The hangar has sideways folding doors. On the far left of the photograph, a small tree is visible.
 

The Interpretations
The following is a non-exhaustive list of descriptions, and interpretations in historical order of mainly the photograph below, image #4 - showing the same aircraft and location without the person.

Image #4: source eBay auction 2016

• "Hptm Patuschkas Ju 88 C-6 mit 20 Abschüssen Anfang 1943" caption for photograph in Gerhard Aders, Die Geschichte der deutschen Nachtjagd 1917 - 1945, 1978

• "Ju88C-6 'R4+AC' of Hauptmann Dr Horst Patuschka, Gruppenkommandeur II./NJG2, Comiso, early 1943" under a profile in Jerry Scutts, German Night Fighter Aces of World War 2, 1998. The profile shows a very toned down letter "A"

• "Personal mount of Hptm. Dr. Horst Patuschka, CO I./NJG2", caption for photograph in Krzysztof Janowicz, Junkers Ju 88 vol.III, 2005

• "Ju 88C-6 de l'Hauptmann Dr Horst Patuschka, Gruppenkommandeur du II./NJG2, Comiso, debut 1943" under a profile in Jose Fernandez, Ciel De Guerre No. 6 - La Chasse de Nuit Allemande, 2005. The profile shows a very toned down letter "A"

• "This Stab III./NJG2 Ju 88 C-2 or 4 was flown by 'experten' and Gruppenkommandeur Hpmt. Dr. Horst Patuschka who score his 20th Abschuss on the 30/01/1943. The photo published in Kagero vol. III Ju 88 p. 16, 17 is clearly not a C-6 but an old weather beaten C-2 or 4 based at Comiso still displaying some of its original RLM70/71 upper surfaces.", John McIllmurray, AIMS Decals 72DO21. Publication date unknown. The profile shows a light grey letter "A" and a black letter "C" after the Balkenkreuz.

• "Diese Aufnahme einer Ju 88 C "R4+.C" soll angeblich im Herbst 1942/ Frühjahr 1943 in Catania aufgenommen worden sein. Sehr wahrscheinlich handelt es sich um das Flugzeug von Hptm. Dr. Horst Patuschka dem Kommandeur der II./NJG2 ..." photograph in Meyer & Stipdonk, Die Zerstörer- und Nachtjagdverbände, Teil 4, 2009

• "Ju88C-4 - R4+AC, Hptm. Dr. Horst Patuschka, Comiso, early 1943" header of post created 07.11.2019 by Martin Trnkus at Luftwaffe Research Group, https://www.luftwaffe-research-group.com/threads/ju88c-4-r4-ac-hptm-dr-horst-patuschka-comiso-early-1943.18369/#post-70181 (viewed on January 23rd, 2026).

A potential source of those interpretations may be that Patuschka and his crew were lost during an operation near Bizerta, Tunis, on March 7th 1943, in Junkers 88 C-6, Wk.Nr. 360226, unit code R4+AC, RL2-III/1187 page 317. Patuschka was Gruppenkommandeur of II./NJG 2 at that time, RL 10/637. The unit was based at airfields in Sicily, including Comiso.

The facts of the photograph put in doubt, and certainly do not confirm most of the above descriptions.
 

The Circumstances
My hypothesis is founded on the following information:

By the end of 1942, several pilots of NJG 2 who are documented flying Ju 88 C night fighters had twenty victories acc. to Theo Boiten, Nachtjagd Combat Archive, The Early Years Part 3: 

• Heinz Strüning: 20th victory on 21.-22.07.1942, see photograph of Junkers 88 tail plane with 20 kills in Boiten, Nachtjagd Combat Archive, The Early Years Part 3 page 47 

• Wilhelm Beier: 20th victory on 28.-29.07.1942, see photograph of Junkers 88 C-6 WNr. 360219 R4+G? with FuG202 with 22 kills in Luftwaffe im Focus Band 26 page 13

• Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein: 20th victory on 10.-11.09.1942, see photograph of Junkers 88 C-6 R4+ET with 21 kills in Claire Rose Knott, Princes of Darkness page 80

• Dr. Horst Patuschka: 20th victory on night of 24.-25.10.1942 

None of the documented aircraft of those pilots with twenty or more victory markings resemble the above photograph which would confirm the association with Dr. Horst Patuschka. Regarding the time when the photograph was taken, the mechanic's warm cloths suggest cold weather, which is in line with Patuschka's twentieth victory.

According to Boiten, Patuschka scored his twenty first victory during the night of 09.-10.11.1942 against a Stirling bombing Hamburg. His next claim was on January 29th to 30th 1943 when he was operating from Comiso in Sicily. The time of the twenty first victory in early November 1942 makes it unlikely that the photograph was taken after the transfer to Sicily, otherwise one could expect twenty one victory bars.

To determine the location of the photograph, besides the photographic evidence, consideration is given to Patuschka's unit association during the period of September to December 1942. Official records exist for his function as Staffelkapitän in the III. Gruppe of NJG 2 from August 11th to September 20th, or October 3rd, 1942 - my gratitude to Chris Goss for reviewing Patuschka's PERS6 file for this article. Subsequently, he was a member of 4./NJG 2 on 21.12.1942 when he received the Deutsche Kreuz in Gold. According to Michael Holm's website The Luftwaffe, 1933 - 1945, www.ww2.dk, on 01.10.1942 the existing II./NJG 2 became IV./NJG 1 and a new II./NJG 2 was formed at Gilze Rijen: Stab II./NJG2 from Stab III./NJG 3, 4./NJG 2 from 7./NJG 2, and 5./NJG 2 from 1./NJG 2, https://www.ww2.dk/air/njagd/njg2.htm.
 

Einsatzbereitschaftsmeldungen conveyed a slightly different picture; according to them 4./NJG 2 (also called Kommando 4./NJG 2) was created by 10.11.1942, under O.B.S. (Oberbefehlshaber Süd), after the previous II./NJG 2 was renamed IV./NJG 1 on 20.09.1942. The new II./NJG 2 was only established on 20.12.1942 with its 4th and 5th Staffeln and Gruppenstab, without the 6th Staffel.

Under both schedules Hptm. Dr. Patuschka very likely was with 4./NJG 2 at Gilze Rijen when he scored his twenty first victory. According to Neil Page and Jean-Louis Ropa, Hptm. Dr. Patuschka temporarily led and accompanied I./NJG 2 to South France when they transferred to Cazaux and Lezignan in response to the Allied landings in Northern Africa. Based on flight log records and recollections of I./NJG 2 unit members, some crews of that unit flew from Melsbroek to Cavaux on 08.11.1942, and the unit departed and returned back to Melsbroek around 10.-14.12.1942.

That transfer to South France might have been the occasion at which Patuschka exchanged his Junkers 88 C-2 or C-4, leaving his regular aircraft behind at Gilze Rijen without having added his latest victory to the tail fin. Thus creating the opportunity for a photographic memento / Erinnerungsfoto of the mechanic in the discussed images.

This interpretation is supported by the Einsatzbereitschaftsmeldungen. Looking at the strength report of the newly formed 4./NJG 2 on 10.11.1942, it had 3 Junkers 88 C-6, and 3 Junkers 88 C-4 and Junkers 88 C-2 combined. According to the records, one of the six aircraft transferred from E./NJG 2, and three aircraft from Stab/NJG 2 including two Junkers 88 C-6. The C-2 and C-4 variants were soon transferred to other units and were not reported any more in the strength report for 30.11.1942.
 

References
Abschussmeldungen, RL 5/1445 - 1462, Bundesmilitärarchiv, Freiburg

Achs Peter, www.FlugzeugForum.de, "Ju-88 C-2" post #15 of 17.05.2023, https://www.flugzeugforum.de/threads/ju-88-c-2.62611/#google_vignette,  (viewed 24.01.2026)

Aders Gerhard, 1978, Die Geschichte der Deutschen Nachtjagd 1917 - 1945, Stuttgart, Motorbuch Verlag, Germany

Boiten Dr. E.W. Theo, 2018 - 2022, Nachtjagd Combat Archive, Walton-on-Thames, Red Kite, England

EA/FA Series: Junkers Ju 88 C4, AVIA 6/8952 - 8955, The National Archives, Kew, England

Einsatzbereitschaftsmeldungen, RL 2 III/700 - 735, Bundesmilitärarchiv, Freiburg

Fernandez Jose, 2005, Ciel De Guerre No. 6 - La Chasse de Nuit Allemande, Paris, TMA SARL, France

Flugzeugunfälle und Verluste bei den Verbänden, RL 2 III/1187, Bundesmilitärarchiv, Freiburg

Geschwaderbefehle NJG 2, RL 10/637, Bundesmilitärarchiv, Freiburg

Holm Michael, website The Luftwaffe, 1933 - 1945, www.ww2.dk, viewed 25.01.2026 

Janowicz Krzysztof, 2005, Junkers Ju 88, Vol. III, Kagero Monographs, Lublin, Kagero Publishing s.p., Poland

Knott Claire Rose, 2008, Princes of Darkness, Hersham, Ian Allan Publishing, Great Britain

McIllmurray John, AIMS Decals 72DO21 'Ju 88 Experten', https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064510397573, post of 08.12.2023

Meyer Michael, Stipdonk Paul, 2006 - 20, Die Zerstörer- und Nachtjagdverbände, Teil 1 bis 4, Zweibrücken, VDM Heinz Nickel, Germany

Moore Nigel, www.luftwaffe-research-group.com, "Junkers Ju88, Day and Night Fighters" post #9 of 23.10.2023, https://www.luftwaffe-research-group.com/threads/junkers-ju88-day-and-nightfighters.31198/, (viewed 24.01.2026)

Page Neil, Ropa Jean-Louis, 2025, Night Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1940-1943, Havertown, Casemate Publishers, USA

Rökker Heinz, 1997, I. Gruppe Nachtjagdgeschwader 2, Zweibrücken, VDM Heinz Nickel, Germany

Scutts Jerry, 1998, German Night Fighter Aces of World War 2, London, Osprey Publishing, Great Britain

Trnkus Martin,  www.luftwaffe-research-group.com, "Ju88C-4 - R4+AC, Hptm. Dr. Horst Patuschka, Comiso, early 1943", https://www.luftwaffe-research-group.com/threads/ju88c-4-r4-ac-hptm-dr-horst-patuschka-comiso-early-1943.18369/#post-70181 (viewed on January 23rd, 2026)

Urbanke Axel, Herausgeber, 2017, Luftwaffe im Focus Edition No. 26, Bad Zwischenahn, Luftfahrtverlag Start, Germany

Wacker Kurt, flight log

Early Dornier 17 Z Kauz Nightfighter - eBay find #6:

 

Image #1: eBay auction, December 2021

Above photograph was very likely taken on 14.10.1940 or shortly after at Gilze Rijen airfield. In his post war account, Uffz. Hans Reimann of 2./NJG2 recalled the particular event, RL 10/588:

 

"On October 1st, the two Gruppen of NJG1 became the nucleus of new Geschwader. We [comment: 5th Staffel of NJG1] became 2nd Staffel of NJG 2. While the unit leadership positions remained unchanged,  a fourth Staffel was added to the previously three.

Uffz. Götz got very lucky when he landed his aircraft resulting in a belly landing. On 14.10.1940 he returned in the early morning from an intruder mission over England. Very dense, low fog severely impeded the crew's visibility of their surroundings, so they considered the well illuminated rail road lines part of the the airfield landing illuminations, bringing down their aircraft too early. The aircraft's landing gear first touched down on the rail levy, the aircraft bounced into the air and then crashed to the ground. At the crash site, the aircraft was a total wreck and it appeared a small miracle that the crew of Uffz. Götz, Uffz. Dreher and Uffz. Harden survived."

The official record in Gen.Qu.M 6. Abt. Flugzeugunfälle und Verluste bei den Verbänden of 15.10.1940, RL 2 III/735, below describes the event as 80% damage to Dornier 17 Z R4+DK, Werknummer 2851, "crash landing due to pilot's error - Bedienungsfehler".

Reimann's report did not exaggerate: the photograph reveals that through the crash's impact the fuselage almost broke apart right behind the wings. Panels on the port wing and engine port cowling appear dislodged. In comparable photographs of less damaged belly landed aircraft the bent propeller blades can often be seen, see images #4, 5 and 6.

Closer assessment of the photograph shows that R4+DK retained the regular upper surface camouflage RLM 70 black green and RLM 71 dark green on fuselage and wings whereas the lower part of the fuselage was painted in a dull black. A similar scheme is documented of a Dornier 17 Z-7 Kauz I:

 

Image #2: https://www.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=503&t=51267&start=45 - post by Mirek glock Riha, December 24 2014; also Urbanke, 2006 p.12

Note the straight line between black and green on above Kauz and R4+DK compared to below rear view of R4+ZK, which appears much more provisional and completely covers the fuselage Balkenkreuz. In the early months of night intruding training and operations three camouflage schemes were applied to Dornier 17 Z Kauz aircraft: initially, they carried the same combination as day destroyers, later the scheme described here with the undersurfaces painted in black, and eventually aircraft carried an all-black camouflage.

 

Image #3: eBay auction, own collection

Due to the seller's potential obscuring of the German national insignia, the paint scheme of the vertical tailplane cannot be discerned. It appears to carry the white outlines of a swastika, just visible in the lower third of the stabilizer. It is also possible that the Hakenkreuz has been overpainted in black similarly to the black paint application on R4+ZK, above image #3. The fuselage Balkenkreuz of R4+DK has been toned down, and the unit marking is applied in light grey.

Comparison of the three photograph highlights several other small differences. The Kauz in image #2 lacks the circular antenna Peilrahmen PR 3 that is visible on top of the R4+ZK cockpit canopy. The latter carries two additional MG in the rear starboard and port windows, a feature seen on Dornier 17 Z-3 bombers. The gloomy atmosphere of image #1 matches Reimann's weather description of low fog at Gilze Rijen, where all three photographs above are said to be taken.

Another well documented crash landing of a Dornier 17 Z-7 Kauz is that of R4+HK W.Nr. 2817, piloted by Ofw. Herbert Schmid a little less than a month later on November 9th 1940, equally at Gilze Rijen.

 

Image #4: Möhlenbeck, Leihse, 1975 p. 80; also Stiftung Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin, Signatur VI.1.006-03937 B. Lange

 

 

Image #5: Möhlenbeck, Leihse, 1975 p.97; also Stiftung Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin, Signatur VI.1.006-03939 B. Lange

 

Image #6: Leihse, 1977 p.8; also Stiftung Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin, Signatur VI.1.006-03938 B. Lange

 

Image #7: https://www.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=503&t=51267&start=30, post by Mirek glock Riha, May 12 2013

 

Image #8: https://www.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=503&t=51267&start=30, post by Mirek glock Riha, May 12 2013

It appears from images #4 and #8 that the upper wing and top fuselage surfaces are of a lighter color than the front, engine covers and the fuselage, although this may be the visual effect of reflections from upwards facing surfaces. That the application of black almost to the top of the fuselage is not a unique feature is demonstrated through the photograph of R4+ZK. Additional commonalities among these I./NJG2 aircrafts are that R4+HK has its fuselage Balkenkreuz overpainted and its spinner tips in white.

Werknummer 2817 and 2851 are among 16 Dornier 17 Z that were converted to Kauz specification for night fighter operations, Olrog, 2017 p.185. Mikael Olrog states that 2851 was initially converted to Z-7 Kauz I design, and later converted to Z-10 Kauz II, ditto. In which form it was operated on October 14th is not documented as far as I am aware. Considering the degree of damage to the aircraft on October 14th, it is likely that is was written off. So if Olrog is correct about the conversation to Z-10 specification,  this conversation would have happened prior to the crash.

Among the crew members that flew R4+DK in late summer and fall 1940 was radio operator Kurt Wacker. Wacker's flight log for the night of 25.09. to 26.09.1940 includes his record of an intruder mission in R4+DK over England for which the crew under pilot Uffz. Theophil Bock departed Gilze Rijen at 01:40hrs and returned at 03:35hrs with the note that they returned early due to bad weather. Wacker describes their Dornier Do 17 Z as "Kauz", unfortunately - for us researchers - without more specificity.

Just three days earlier, during the night of 22.09. to 23.09.1940, Wacker, Bock and Josef Rothehüser flew a mission north of Lincoln for more than 4 hours returning at 05:25hrs. This time their aircraft carried the unit markings G9+DN of 5./NJG1. While several sources state that I./NJG2 was officially created from II./NJG1 on October 1st 1940, including Reimann's account above, Wacker's flight log and those of others document that the unit code R4 for NJG2 was in use prior to that date, as early as beginning of September 1940 for Junkers 88 C-2 of 3rd Staffel NJG2. And even earlier than that, the Soldbuch of Fw Schöttke contains an entry that he was "transferred" from 6./NJG1 to 3./NJG2 on 23.08.1940, Parker, 2014 p.753.

It is possible that R4+DK and G9+DN may very well be two designations for the same aircraft, Dornier 17 Z Kauz, W.Nr. 2851. In addition to the entry in Wacker's flight log, flights of Dornier 17 Z G9+DN are documented in Hermann Sommer's Flugbuch for 11.09.1940 and 29.08.1940. By early September, II./NJG1 operated from Gilze Rijen airfield. Prior to that, the routine of the early night intruder - Fernnachtjagd - crews was to transfer from their base at Düsseldorf to Amsterdam Schiphol in the late afternoon, embark on their intruder mission later at night with returns to Schiphol in the early mornings, and finally transferring back to Düsseldorf in the morning, or after some sleep around noon. See Hermann Sommer's log entries for 23.07. and 24.07.1940.

During July and August 1940 several occasions are documented in which Dornier 17 Z were flown with the unit code 2N+ of 1./ZG1 by crews of NJG1, reflecting the fact that the first Staffel of ZG1 was among those units assigned to form the new night fighter arm. Among several other "Do 17 Z", prior to a flight in G9+DN on 29.08.1940 - the first entry with the new NJG1 marking - Hermann Sommer piloted 2N+DH on 22.08.1940 and 23.08.1940 from Düsseldorf to Amsterdam and back. Prior to that, a flight in 2N+DH is recorded by Herbert Schmid on August 3rd, 1940 when he ferried from Düsseldorf to Schiphol in the afternoon and back later in the evening.

Although this is speculative, in case the individual aircraft letter had been retained through the re-assignments from 1./ZG1 to 5./NJG1 to 2./NJG2, all these documented flights might have taken place in W.Nr. 2851. Thus, parts of the operational history of this particular Dornier 17 Z Kauz might be traced back covering a two months period from early August 1940 to mid October 1940 when it crashed at Gilze Rijen.

 

References:

Flugzeugunfälle und Verluste bei den Verbänden, RL 2 III/735, Bundesmilitärarchiv, Freiburg

 

Leihse Manfred, Dornier Do 17 Z Kauz 1 und Kauz 2 in Modell Fan 02/77 p.5-8, 1977, Carl Ed. Schünemann KG, Bremen

 

Möhlenbeck Otto Dr., Leihse Manfred, Ferne Nachtjagd, 1975, Motorbuch Verlag Stuttgart

 

Olrog Mikael: Dornier Do 215 , From Reconnaissance Aircraft to Nightfighter, 2017, Classic Crecy Publishing, Manchester

 

Parker Nigel, Luftwaffe Crash Archive Volume Six, 2014, Red Kite, Walton-on-Thames

 

Reimann Hans, Düsseldorf in "Königliche Zwote" Geschichte einer Nachtjagdstaffel 2./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 - später 2./ Nachtjagdgeschwader 6, RL 10/588, Bundesmilitärarchiv, Freiburg

 

Schmid Herbert, flight log - curtesy of Mikael Olrog

 

Sommer Hermann, flight log - curtesy of Jim Perry

 

Urbanke Axel, Luftwaffe im Focus Edition 10, 2006, Luftfahrtverlag Start, Bad Zwischenahn

 
Wacker Kurt, flight log

Junkers 88 G-6 4R+EP of 6./NJG2 - eBay find #5

Two recently sold photographs of German aircrafts collected to be scrapped confirm the identity of this rather uniquely camouflaged Junkers 88G-6 of 6./NJG2, 4R+EP as Werknummer 620507. We are able to track a few stations of 620507 “career”: Abnahmeflug, approval flight, on September 25th 1944 at Bernburg, with II./NJG2 in January and February 1945, suffering 20% damage during landing at Mainz Finthen returning from a sortie the night of February 13th to 14th, and finally, captured at the end of the war at Leithorst Fritzlar where below photographs were taken.

Image #1: source eBay auction May 2020

Image #2: source eBay auction May 2020

While I am not aware of photographs that show without doubt both, Werknummer and unit markings, other documents equally provide very strong evidence that 620507 was 4R+EP. The General Quartiermeister loss report of March 11th 1945 lists 620507 as 20% damaged on February 14th at Mainz Finthen. With the same date, 4R+EP is documented in flight logs of Robert Lüddeke and his crew. For the night of February 13th / 14th, the RAF main targets were Böhlen and Dresden. According to the OKL morning report of February 14th, three night fighters were deployed under the orders of Jafü Mittelrhein - senior signals officer middle Rhine. Oberfeldwebel Lüddeke and his crew members Kurt Wacker and Ulrich Hess with 6./NJG2 was one of those. They took off from Mainz Finthen at 20:56 hours and returned in the early hours of the 14th. Kurt Wacker reported that flight with 4R+EP in his flight log adding the comment “Bauchlandung", belly landing. The Gen.QuM loss report describes the incident with “Fahrwerkschaden” or landing gear damage, leaving it open whether this captures the cause or the outcome. The aircraft suffered said minor damage and the crew remained uninjured and the morning report completely omitted or failed to mention the accident.

Image #3: source March 11th report in Flugzeugunfälle und Verluste bei den fliegenden Verbänden

Image #4: source page of flight log Kurt Wacker, expired eBay auction

The later stations of 4R+EP from Mainz Finthen to Fritzlar are unknown; although the above mentioned complete flight logs may contain more information. Other II./NJG2 logs show that the II. Gruppe operational base moved from Mainz Finthen by mid March to Illesheim and, by the end of March to Pocking.

Through the February accident the aircraft very likely suffered damage to its Jumo engines and its nose. Photographs taken at Fritzlar after its capture show that it had a replacement starboard engine - discernible by its factory applied RLM 71 surface color. Also the nose section which caries the aircraft’s individual letter “E" has a color application that is distinctly lighter and clearly different from the RLM 76 application to the forward fuselage. The port engine’s spinner has apparently received an over-spraying in what appears to be white or very light RLM 76, although it is unclear when this was applied, below and Janowicz, 2005, p.81. Noteworthy are also the white tips fo the lower radar struts, and that the starboard engine spinner and flame dampers are missing in all Fritzlar photographs.

Image #5: source FOLD3

The most distinct feature of 4R+EP are wide, dark colored bands diagonally applied to fuselage and vertical tail over a standard RLM 75 grey violet mottles over RLM 76 light blue camouflage with a front to back, top to bottom direction. Photographs prove that the bands are applied in the same fashion on both sides, Janowicz, 2005, Williams, 2005, p.167 and below, and as a likely consequence are joint at the upper fuselage. A still from a film shot by US Forces reveals that the upper surfaces of wings and horizontal tail planes had large patches of darker color with only small surrounding areas in RLM 76. The still below indicates that this color scheme rendered the aircraft much less standing out from the ground than a lighter colored object. Why this singular aircraft received this unique scheme for better protection from detection has to be subject to speculation. Similar to another 6./NJG2 Junkers 88 G-6, Werknummer 622126 4R+PP, the unit markings were in RLM 77 grey.

Image #6: source expired eBay auction

Image #7: source still from German Aircraft at Abandoned Airfield in Germany After End of World war II in Europe 

A topic of much passionate debate among Luftwaffe researchers and modelers is which colors were applied, and how did they actually look like. Black and white photographs make it very difficult to identify a specific color with certainty. And even in the case of 4R+EP, where color film material exists, the task is not easier. Images #5, 7 and 8 show a contrast difference between the port engine cowling and the bands. This appears to be supported by images #1 and 2 with regard to the camouflage color applied to the Junkers 87 next to our aircraft in comparison to the visible bands on fuselage and tail. Jumo power eggs wore factory applied RLM 71 dark green. Gaemperle, 2011, p.14 assumes that the same color together with RLM 70 was applied to the Junkers 87. Given that reference, the color of the bands is clearly lighter than RLM 71 - or RLM 70 which is even darker than RLM 71. The still from the color film in my perception shows the forward fuselage band with a hue of green rather than brown or grey. This would make RLM 82 more likely than RLM 74 grey green or RLM 81 dark brown or brown violet depending on the author. Another factor of how colors appeared in reality and on photographs is how they were applied. Image #5 appears to show a slightly darker border delineation of the band, an indication that paint was more densely applied there, as well as some darker patches throughout the band. These darker border can also be discerned in the photograph published in Williams, 2005 and Janowicz, 2005. 

  

Image #8: enlarged from image #9 

The final still shows the subject aircraft furthest to the left and lined up with Junkers 88 G-1 and Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4 at Leithorst Fritzlar. The links to the films shot at Fritzlar have been researched and posted by Martin Trnkus of the Luftwaffe Research Group, https://luftwaffe-research-group.org/threads/fritzlar-leithorst-fritzlar-nord-notlandeplatz.4062/page-4., see post #78.

Image #9 source: still from The Spirit of Liberation 1944 - 1945

Sources:

Boiten Dr., E.W. Theo, Mackenzie, J. Roderick, 2008

Nachtjagd War Diaries, Volume Two April 1944 - May 1945

Red Kite, Walton on Thames, Surrey

Gaemperle, Roger S., 2011

Captured Eagles, German WWII Aircraft Captured By The Allies, Volume I 

Vintage Eagle Publishing, Zürich, Switzerland 

Generalquartiermeister 6. Abteilung 

Flugzeugunfälle und Verluste bei den fliegenden Verbänden

BAMA, signatur RL2-III/

Green, Brett, 2006,

Götterdämmerung, Luftwaffe Wrecks and Relics

Ian Allan Publishing, Hersham, UK 

Harder, Fritz, Flugbuch

Janowicz, Krzysztof, 2005

Junkers Ju 88, Vol. III

Kagero Monographs, Lublin, Kagero Publishing s.p., Poland

Luftwaffenführungsstab Ic

Morgenmeldung Reichsgebiet 14.02.1945

BAMA, Signatur RL2-II/388

Stevens, Georg, von zur Mühlen, Konstantin,

The Spirit Of Liberation 1944-1945

Vimeo Video

Unknown Author

German Aircraft at Abandoned Airfield in Germany After End of World war II in Europe 

Available through CriticalPast, www.criticalpast.com

Wacker, Kurt, Flugbuch

Williams, David P., 2005 

Luftwaffe Colours - Nachtjäger Volume Two

Classic Ian Allan Publishing, Hersham, Surrey

Heinkel 219 DV+DI WNr. 190113 - eBay find #4

Photo #1

Photo #2

Photo #3

Above set of photographs, recently sold at eBay, depicts one of the Heinkel 219 used for ejection seat test at the Erprobungsstelle Rechlin. Photo #1 has previously been published. Although the same appears true for the others, closer examination reveals differences. Presumably, all in-flight photos are stills from films produced during the tests. Above photographs show rather distinct cloud formations and the ground appears as if covered in snow. In photo #3 the shadow from the wing appears right beneath indicating the sun high in the sky. Photographs published in modell magazin and by Ron Ferguson show the wing throwing its shadow backwards on the fuselage, partially covering the markings, thus indicating an early morning or late afternoon flight time.

This Heinkel 219 with the Stammkennzeichen DV+DI was Werknummer 190113. The last three numbers can be seen in photo #1 beneath the cockpit and at the nose. Ron Ferguson, p. 21, identifies this aircraft as an A-0 series, to be precise as A-042. In his Research Paper he also argues that its assigned Versuchmuster number was V19, p. 79.

E5, the department of Erprobungsstelle Rechlin responsible for testing aircraft equipment carried out ejection seat test with Heinkel 219 during the period October 1943 to June 1944. The summary of these tests resulted in a report dating from August 3 1944. The Heinkel 219 aircraft documented in these tests are Heinkel 219 V6 DH+PV, Werknummer 190006 and the above DV+DI. If the flight log of Joachim Eisermann, Oberleutnant with E'Stelle Rechlin, is any indication, then flight tests started on 29 October 1943, when he notes for his first flight in DH+PV “start of ejection seat tests”.

From Eisermann’s log, DV+DI was only part of the test program from February 23rd to May 6th 1944: the former date illustrates when he first transferred DV+DI from Heinkel’s production facility at Vienna-Schwechat, and the latter documents when he returned the aircraft back there. The majority of Eisermann’s test flights in DV+DI took place at Udetfeld, an airfield in Upper Silesia, between end of February and March 23rd, see below’s page from J. Eisermann’s flight log. Later, the aircraft was on several occasions used for tests at Rechlin.  

Joachim Eisermann worked after the war of VFW Fokker and wrote about his experiences for the in-house magazine (reprinted in modell magazin 02/1979). Challenges during the tests included the ejected seat hitting his tail plane - flight in Heinkel 219 V6 on November 1943 - irregular and completely unpredictable trajectories of the ejected seat and an opening of the seat’s parachute while still attached to the aircraft. In the latter instance a disastrous outcome was only averted through Eisermann’s unperturbed reaction to turn the aircraft during its steep descent to deflate the parachute.

 

Eisermann piloted Heinkel 219 V6 on May 19th 1944 when with Wilhelm Buss, a parachutist assigned to E'Stelle Rechlin, a person replaced the test dummy and was ejected at 1200m alt. at 310km/h. After two more successful tests with Wilhelm Buss on June 12th and 13th, the system was approved and went into production according to Remp, p. 62. This timeline is however at odds with other information according to which Heinkel 219 production with ejection seats started earlier. The first operational usage of an ejection seat in the Heinkel 219 occurred the night of April 11th to 12th 1944 when the pilot Uffz. Herter and his radio operator Gefr. Prebix were forced to use their ejection seats after their Heinkel 219 190073 was shot down by a RAF night fighter of the 239 Sqn., Ferguson, p.107. At least two other operational emergency ejection occurrences are documented before June 13th. 

Back to DV+DI, the aircraft appears to carry the standard camouflage of RLM76 with RLM75 applied in dapples. The Stammkennzeichen is also applied under the wings as seen in photo #3. Modifications for the tests include the removal of the SN-2 FuG220 antennas, although the brackets were retained. It appears that the radar equipment remained on board, Buss report quoted in Remp, p.60. The rear parts of the canopy are removed, as well as the fame dampers on the engines. For higher precision measurement of the seat trajectory, a red and white striped band was applied horizontally on the fuselage, and vertically on the vertical tail fin. The latter partially covers the Hakenkreuz.

Sources:

Bateson, Richard P., 1970

Heinkel He 219 Uhu

Aircraft Profiles 219, Profile Publications Ltd, Windsor, Berkshire, England

Beauvois, Heinrich, Kössler, Karl, Mayer, Max, Regel, Christoph, 2002

German Secret Flight Test Centers to 1945

Midland Publishing, Hinchley, England

Eisermann, Joachim, flight log

Eisermann Joachim, 1979

“Plötzlich ging die He kopfüber!”

modell magazin 02/1979, p.18-19, Alba Publikationen, Düsseldorf, Germany   

Ferguson, Ron F., 2012

The Heinkel He 219 - A Research Paper

3rd edition, Maldon, Victoria, Australia, distributor Wing Leader

Murawski, Marek J., Rys, Marek, 2012

Heinkel He 219 Uhu

Kagero Monographs 3D Edition Vol. I, Lublin, Kagero Publishing s.p., Poland

Remp, Roland, 1999

Der Nachtjäger Heinkel He 219

Aviatic Verlag GmbH, Oberhaching, Germany 

The Satellite Field Brunnthal and its Aircraft

In previous blogs, Junkers 88 G-6 at München Brunnthal and Junkers 88 G-6 of V./NJG2, I have discussed the Junkers 88 G-6 night fighters found at the Brunnthal scrap yard, and in particular those of V./NJG2. With about half of all more or less intact aircraft at the collection point individually identified, it is time to provide an analysis of the complete line-up. In most instances only one publication source is listed although for the majority of aircraft several photographic records exist and multiple views are documented. Uncertainties about Werknummer or unit association of individual aircraft are marked with an (*) and elaborated in the comment section.

I am very grateful to Scott Pinkowski for his permission to republish photographs taken by his grandfather, Jerry Pinkowski, who served with the 347th Ordnance Depot Company and whose devotion to photography has presented us with a considerable number of “Lost Images of WW2” which Scott has published on his website, including those of Brunnthal, lostimagesofww2.  

 

This is work in progress. Other researchers may have drawn different conclusions, so this list will perhaps spark discussion and debate.

Aerial view of the scrap yard, Loy (2010), p.43

No.	Aircraft	Werknummer	unit marking	main source	comment
1	Ju290A-7	290110191	9V+AB Stab/FAGr5	Crandall (2011), p.7
2	Si204D	- - - - - -	+KK BFS34	Jerry Pinkowski Collection
3	Ju88G-6	621353*	number “5” on tail plane Likely V./NJG2*	Birkholz (1996), p.35	Werknummer confirmed, association with #3 almost certain. Unit not confirmed, but usage of numbers on tail plane in line with other V./NJG2 aircraft
4	Me410	- - - - - -	F6+CK 1./(F)122	Proulx (2007), p.29
5	Bf110G-4	730286*	2Z+MU 10./NJG6	Proulx (2008), p.25   www.alamy.com via. TOCH, forum.12oclockhigh.net	Werknummer acc. to Proulx (2008), p.25. Alternative possible endings 95, 96 or 85
6	He111H	- - - - - -	+RW*	Jerry Pinkowski Collection	Likely 5J+RW, Yellow R of 12./KG4, see Gaemperle (2011), p.11 and 12
7	Si204D	- - - - - -	SR+AK, white 90 Blindflugschule	Loy (2010), p.45
8	Ju88G-6	622345*	U5+OT V./NJG2	Green (2006), p.29	Werknummer almost certain, discernible from internet photograph
9	He111H	- - - - - -		Birkholz (1996), p.35
10	He111H	- - - - - -*		Internet photo	Werknummer looks like 7617 - - with the last numbers potentially 0, 8, 6 combinations
11	Ju88G-6	621650	n/a
12	Ju88G-6	62 - - - - 4*	n/a	Gaemperle (2011), p.13	Werknummer possibly 6237-4
13	Ju88V-17	880017	DI+MW	Gaemperle (2011), p.13
14	Bf110G-4	- - - - - -	+AA	Jerry Pinkowski Collection
15	Ju88G-6	622901	U5+GT V./NJG2	Janowicz (2005), p.73
16	Ju88C-6	5556		Proulx (2007), p.21 LEMB Ju88G-6 database, LEMB Ju88G-6 database, post #481
17	Ju52	- - - - - -
18	Ju52	- - - - - -
19	He111H	- - - - - -	+FW	Jerry Pinkowski Collection
20	Ju88C-6	- - - - - -	+OW, Yellow O	Proulx (2007), p.21  Neil Page’s FalkeEins blog, falkeeins.blogspot
21	Ju88G-6	621602	number “9” on tail plane V./NJG2*		V./NJG2 Flugbuch entries confirm usage of aircraft marked “9”
22	Ju88G-6	- - - - - -*	n/a		Possibly 620154, Werknummer confirmed at Brunnthal, association with #22 uncertain
23	Ju88G-6	- - - - - -	n/a	Gaemperle (2011), p.21 and 53
24	Ju88G-6	- - - - - -	n/a
25	Me410	- - - - - -		Birkholz (1996), p.67 Gaemperle (2011), p.21
26	Me262A-1	170071*	White 2* III./EJG2*	Birkholz (1996), p.67	Although the tactical marking is not discernible from the photograph, the upper fuselage camouflage pattern appears identical to other White 2 photographs. Unit association with III./EJG2 acc. to Brown et al. (2012), p.107
27	Ju52		BL+YA*	Internet photo	Stammkennzeichen acc. to Göran Larsson, www.luftwaffe-research-group.org
28	Ju188*			Gaemperle (2011), p.13	aircraft type very likely, but not confirmed
29	Ju88G-6	622322	U5+NT V./NJG2	Gaemperle (2011), p.52-54
30	Ju88G-6	- - - - - -	U5+FT V./NJG2	Green (2006), p.29
31	He111H	3832	+D-	Birkholz (1996), p.67
31a	He111H		+FL	Internet photo
32	He111H			Internet photo	Marking appears to be a Stammkennzeichen KG+
33	Me262A-1a/U4		White 34 III./EJG2*	Brown et al. (2012), p.107	With III./EJG2 acc. to Brown et al. (2012), p.107
34	Me262A-1b	111685	9K+FH, white F1./KG51	Green (2006), p.29
35	Ju87		TK+H-*	Green (2006), p.29	Stammkennzeichen likely TK+HD, which the LRG database lists as Ju87C-0  V10, WNr. 4820, www.luftwaffe-research-group.org/SktzT
36	JuW34hi			Internet photo	+HJ acc. to LRG, www.luftwaffe-research-group.org
37	Me262A-1	111617	White 9 III./EJG2*	Warbirds Photo Album, Vol.4, p.68	With III./EJG2 acc. to Brown et al. (2012), p.107
38	Ju88G-6	621591	number “24” on tail plane Likely V./NJG2*	Green (2006), p.29	Unit not confirmed, but usage of numbers on tail plane in line with other V./NJG2 aircraft
39	Bf110G-4			Warbirds Photo Album, Vol.4, p.68
40	JuW34hi	3075	BB+MO*	Internet photo	Stammkennzeichen not confirmed, acc. to LRG, www.luftwaffe-research-group.org
41	Ju88G-6	62295-*	U5+AT V./NJG2	http://www.508pir.org/album_barger/index.htm	According to Steve Sheflin, Werknummer is 622951
42	He111H		GW+DG	Green (2006), p.29 eBay March 2016 photo
43	Ju52		8T+DN 5./TG2	Jerry Pinkowski Collection
44	Me410	130320	BK+ZP	Green (2006), p.79
45	Me410		+EK	Proulx (2007), p.14
46	unidentified
47	He111H		G1+ KG55	Internet photo
48	Ju88G-6	622990	U5+DT V./NJG2	Loy (2010), p.46
49	Ju188			Internet photo
50	Me410	130335		Internet photo
51	He111H		+CW	Proulx (2007), p.29
52	Bf110G-4		+CU	Crandall (2011), p.7
53	He111H Si104			Crandall (2011), p.7

South - West corner entrance area

Southern perimeter - Ju88G-6 tail planes

#1 - Ju290A-7

Scrap in front of Ju290A-7

#2 - Si204D

#6 He111H

#11 - Ju88G-6

#19 - He111H

#42 - He111H

#50, #48, #43 - Me410, Ju88G-6, Ju52

#43 - Ju52

#48 - Ju88G-6

#50 - Me410

Scrap yard at Brunnthal - Bf109

References

Birkholz, Heinz (Editor), 1996

Jet&Prop Foto-Archiv Band 6

VDM Heinz Nickel, Zweibrücken, Germany

Brown, David, E., Poruba Tomáš, Vladař, Jan, 2012

Me 262 Production and Ar 234 Final Operations

JaPo, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic

Crandall, Jerry, 2003

Wings of the Black Cross, Number 1

Eagle Editions Ltd., Hamilton 

Crandall, Jerry, 2011

Wings of the Black Cross, Number 7

Eagle Editions Ltd., Hamilton

Gaemperle, Roger S., 2011

Captured Eagles, German WWII Aircraft Captured By The Allies, Volume I

Vintage Eagle Publishing, Zürich, Switzerland

Green, Brett, 2006

Götterdämmerung, Luftwaffe Wrecks and Relics

Ian Allan Publishing, Hersham, UK

Janowicz, Krzysztof, 2005

Junkers Ju 88 vol. III

Kagero, Lublin, Poland

Loy, Norbert, 2010

Feldflugplatz Brunnthal

Jet&Prop 4/2010, Verlag Heinz Nickel Buchvertrieb, Zweibrücken, Germany

Luftwaffe Warbirds Photo Album Vol.4, 1993

Delta Publishing Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

Proulx, Mark, 2007

Wings of the Black Cross, Number 4

Eagle Editions Ltd., Hamilton

Proulx, Mark, 2008

Wings of the Black Cross, Number 5

Eagle Editions Ltd., Hamilton

Proulx, Mark, 2012

Wings of the Black Cross, Number 9

Eagle Editions Ltd., Hamilton