Characteristics of F-8s in Luftlotte 5 in 1944

Few photographs are currently available of the A-8s and F-8s in use on the northern front. One very interesting photograph has been published by Keskinen & Stenman (1998). This photograph (figure 1) reveals several interesting features relevant to W. Nr 931 862. It establishes beyond doubt that Fw 190s of 13./JG 5 did use the wavy band of IV. Gruppe and it was finished in the Staffel-colour of white, probably with a thin black outline. Camouflage of this plane appears to be normal and it is a rather clean plane, although oil spils around the engine cowl panels suggest some heavy use. Interestingly, no bomb rack is carried and the plane does not have the blown canopy seen on most F-8s. Unfortunately, no ID numeral is visible and it is not impossible that this particular plane is indeed White 1 itself.

Mankau (19??) published another photograph of a JG 5 F-8 in an early article on White 1. It was probably taken just after the first F-8s had been delivered to JG 5, as the oil cooler has not received any white paint. Being a frontal view, the photograph does not reveal much, except that the same type of underwing balkenkreuz was carried and that the camouflage was standard for the type. It probably is a good representation of White 1 prior to unit markings being applied.

Only one other unit used F-8s in Luftflotte 5, this being I./SG 5, formerly 14.(J)/JG 5. By mid-1944 the unit operated from bases in southern Finland and it had several F-8s on strength. The one flown by the Gruppekommandeur was W. Nr. 931 666, coded Q9+AB. Other known F-8s from this unit are Black 6 and Black 10. These F-8s all shows sign of substantial overpainting on the fuselage side, both Q9+AB and Black 10 evidently having had a yellow fuselage theatre marking at one time. It is thus unlikely that one or more of I./SG 5s F-8s were among the machines delivered to JG 5 in September. All of these Focke-Wulfs have early flat-topped canopies and bomb racks.

The camouflage colours of all F-8s detailed above is in all likelyhood the normal 74/75/76 scheme. It is also evident that they were originally finished with a light motling of 74/75 on the fuselage sides and tail.