This thread will serve to compile Bf 109E used by First Gruppe Jg 27 (I/Jg 27) in 1941 as I update/replace existing skins or create them anew. The focus is on I/Jg 27 since they were the only fighter unit to use the 109E-7/Trop with desert camouflage in North Africa. Also, they were the only Gruppe in Jg 27 to deploy to North Africa with Emils. II and III Gruppen only arrived after converting to the 109F in late 1941. A fact that leads into the fist skin of this thread...
Bf 109E-7 of 2./Jg 27 flown by Erich Gerlitz. This skin is a replacement of Krusty's "II/Jg 27" skin. Krusty's skin was based on an ancient profile depicting a desert schemed Emil from the commander of Second Gruppe Jg 27 and also some other game skins based on said profile. As mentioned before, since only I/Jg 27 had desert schemed Emils, the existing skin is clearly incorrect.
(A note for clarity bordering on pedantry: In Luftwaffe nomenclature, Roman numerals and Arabic numerals serve different purposes and cannot be used interchangeably. A Roman numeral indicates the Gruppe within a Geschwader and an Arabric numeral indicates the individual Staffel [squadron]. II/Jg 27 is Second Gruppe and 2./Jg 27 is Second Staffel)
Gerlitz's Emil features a desert camouflage scheme of RLM 79 sand over RLM 78 with a blueish tint. There is some debate over how blue this paint actually was. Most model paint/skin reference tends to lean towards dark teal whereas most period color photos lean towards blue. Large spots of RLM 80 dark green were applied to the upper surfaces. Yellow cowling and rudder provide IFF and a white tail band is a marking for all Luftwaffe aircraft in the Mediterranean theater. The spinner is red overall and the I/Jg 27 emblem is painted on both sides of the cowl. A unique element seen on many 2./Jg 27 Emils in 1941 is the black ID numbers outlined in red.
