Hans-Joachim Marseille's 109F

[Devil 505]

This is an adoption of Krusty's original skin.

Bf 109F-4/Trop W.Nr. 8693 flown by "The Star of Africa" Hans-Joachim Marseille on February 21, 1942. In this aircraft, he would score his 37th-52th victories and earn the Knights Cross for his 50th. All these came between Feb. 8 and Feb. 27 (the 50th on Feb. 21). I can only determine for certain that Marseille had this aircraft upon returning from leave on February 6. but it is possible that he also scored victories 26-36 in this plane, as his unit converted to the 109F-4 in November 1941 in Germany and resumed combat operations in Libya in December. He would spend late December and all of January recovering from an illness and dealing with the death of his sister. Marseille would again take leave for March and April, acquiring a new aircraft upon his return. W.Nr. 8693 then became the personal mount for his wingman, Karl-Heinz Berben, until it's loss in a crash landing on June 27th.

Hans-Joachim Marseille would achieve a further 106 victories (including 17 in a single day) by the time of his death on September 30, 1942. He was struck by the tail of his Bf 109G-2 in a failed attempt to bail out of the plane when the engine caught fire. He was 22 years old.

I skinned W.Nr. 8693 as photographed on February 21, 1942 just after having the 50th kill marking painted in yellow on the red rudder. White theater markings are painted on the prop spinner and forward fuselage to the engine cowling as well as around the rear fuselage. The wingtips do not have any white markings. The lower cowl is painted in RLM 04 yellow for IFF purposes. The German insignias on the upper wigs are peeled away in sections, revealing the RLM 79 Sand underneath. The RLM 79 only extends halfway down the fuselage sides and RLM 78 Light Blue covers the lower half and underside.

[lyric1]

 

[Vraciu]

An iconic fighter.   Very nicely done.

[whiteman]

great work!

[Greebo]

For some reason I'm not seeing the screenshots, just Postimage's "image not found" message.

[Volron]

For some reason I'm not seeing the screenshots, just Postimage's "image not found" message.

Same.

[Devil 505]

Ok. For those who can't see the original images, here they are as attachments.

[JOACH1M]

She was due for a brush up! Great work!!! 

[Greebo]

Thanks for posting the attachments Devil. The skin looks great, nicely weathered.

It is odd that some can see the posted screenshots and not others though, I tried two different browsers with the same result. Also I can still see the screenshots in your other threads.

[LCADolby]

Jolly good Skin Devil.

(What happened to Berben, did he survive the crash landing?)

[Vraciu]

Thanks for posting the attachments Devil. The skin looks great, nicely weathered.

It is odd that some can see the posted screenshots and not others though, I tried two different browsers with the same result. Also I can still see the screenshots in your other threads.

I could see them when first posted.  Now they're missing.   

[Mister Fork]

Devil, did you get yourself in trouble with Postimg again? Told you the green-suited clown selfies would be trouble!


Great skin on that 109 BTW.

[Devil 505]

I could see them when first posted.  Now they're missing.

Yeah, same for me now.

Pics are fine on the hosting site, though.

[Devil 505]

Jolly good Skin Devil.

(What happened to Berben, did he survive the crash landing?)

I have no idea what happened to him. It was a tidbit of info I saw in the paragraphs written on W.Nr. 8693 by the people at Lifelike Decals. I have their sheet which has decals for all four known 109F-4's flown by Marseille.

[Vraciu]

He went MIA in September 1942 after a dogfight with a Spitfire having previously survived an emergency landing in HJM's machine:

Notlandung = Forced Landing
Luftkampf = Dogfight

Bf 109F-4/trop, 8693, Berben, Fw. Karl-Heinz, 1, I., 3., JG 27, gelbe, 14 +, SL+KU, , 27-Jun-42, Notlandung due to engine trouble., (Marseille's machine)., Ob.Bhf.Süd/Afrika, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #6)-Vol.10; Prien, et al, Die Jagdfliegerverbände, VIII.1, p.193; Prien/Rodeike/Stemmer, Stab & I./JG 27, p.543, LEMB, Marsa-Matruh, 100%, F.

Bf 109F-4/trop, 8385, Berben, Fw. Karl-Heinz, 1, I., 3., JG 27, gelbe, 3 +, , , 01-Sep-42, MIA due to Luftkampf with Spitfire., , Ob.Bhf.Süd/Afrika, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #7)-Vol.11; Prien, et al, Die Jagdfliegerverbände, VIII.1, p.194; Prien/Rodeike/Stemmer, Stab & I./JG 27, p.544, , Raum Imayid, südöstlich El Alamein, 100%, F.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php%3Ft%3D43841&ved=2ahUKEwiug5a6gajwAhWJB80KHbB2CqAQFjAMegQIFBAC&usg=AOvVaw0DV6ckFVd6JoEz9_4OxcDl

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Another source lists the same date but reason unknown (in 8385):

1-Sept-42
Karl-Heinz Berben   3./JG 27   
Bf 109 F-4/trop (8385) Yellow 3   
Unknown reason
Near Imayd

http://www.luftwaffe.be/missing-in-action-jg-27/

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Third source states: MIA 1 September, 1942 near Imayd, during aerial combat with British fighters near Imayd. Mombeek. Known to have made a force landing between Fuka and Mersa Matruh on 27 June, 1942, although no combat occured, reason unknown. One known Desert victory, a Hurricane II of either RAF No. 33 or 213 Sq. in the Mukheisin area, southwest of El Hammam on 27 July, 1942. Alternate spelling: Berban.

http://www.aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?s=100&q=heinz