Bf 109E-3 flown by Walter Schneider of 5./JG 26 in May 1940. Schneider was a 20 victory ace, with his first 2 being scored in this plane, featuring the Staffel's mascot, the cartoon character Hans Huckebein. In August, he was transferred to 6./JG 26 and would eventually take command of that Staffel in July 1941. His war would come to a tragic end on December 22, 1941. During a transfer flight to Abbeville, France, he became disoriented in heavy fog and flew into a hill near Steenvoorde. He and 4 other Fw 190's in his formation all crashed, killing all 5 pilots.
Schneider's Emil features the standard early 1940 camouflage scheme of RLM 71 olive green and 02 gray over 65 light blue. Prop spinner, engine inlet, and exhaust shroud are painted in RLM 70 black-green. The machine's Werk Nummer, 735, was painted on both sides of the vertical stabilizer. The JG 26 emblem is painted under the forward canopy and the Hans Huckebein emblem of 5./JG 26 under the cockpit.
