Tuesday 18 March 2014

Hermann Graf Kommandeur JGr. Ost Fw 190 A-4 WNr. 634, JG 301 Fw 190 A-8, Fw 190 F-8 of SG 2







Hermann Graf flew at least two colourful Fw 190 As during his time as Kommandeur of Jagdgruppe Ost - these were a Fw 190 A-4 WNr 634 (pictured above) as well as a Fw 190 A-5 WNr 2594, both of which can be ascertained from photos. However there seems to be confusion about which aircraft is which in published sources, most claiming that the aircraft had been repainted several times. However it seems to me to be unlikely that the complicated pattern of decorations and emblems invited frequent redecoration of the two aircraft in the short period Graf had the posting to JGr. Ost. This incidentally was only from the beginning of February 1943 to late May '43 or some days into June, since he reported back to Wiesbaden-Erbenheim on 11 June 1943 for his next assignment – four months on two aircraft. This particular image is his Fw 190 A-4, which featured a yellow engine cowling decorated with the tulip pattern while the Fw 190 A-5 had a standard camouflage on the cowling and a similar tulip decoration. There were also other small differences in markings between the two a/c.

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Foto-Soldat-Pilot-FW190-Jagdflugzeug-Plane-Hermann-Graf-JG-52-Wappen-FW-190-3-/231180383038?pt=Militaria&hash=item35d36cb33e


More on Graf's Fw 190s on this blog
http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/hermann-graf-and-his-jgr-ost-focke-wulf.html


Fw 190 A-8 W.Nr. illegible "Gelbe 8", I./JG 301, Salzwedel, 8 May 1945. Note that JG 301 used horizontal bars over their fuselage bands to denote the various Gruppen 




Source: http://wwiitracings.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/focker-wolf-190-at-salzwedel-airport-their-location-on-v-e-day-cliffie-graham-john-andrews-e-de-la-garza.jpg

Courtesy of Roger Gaemperle


Fw 190 F-8 W.Nr. unknown, Stab II./SG 2, München-Riem, May 1945.



Source: eBay auction via TOCH Forum, courtesy of Rémi Baudru, 8 March 2014.

and more SG 2 Fw 190s in colour on this blog

http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/sg2-fw190-camouflage-and-markings.html