Organisation Research Unit Markings of the Luftwaffe

Markings

Here is where we can breakdown the Colour Code per pilot group as well as fleshing out the ideas for the personalisation of squadrons, flights, and hopefully the Pilot "Callsign" to be displayed on the ship.

Anything marked with Underline is set to be links. Just surround your word using: <u> and </u> Still trying to figure out how to update the php.ini and over-ride the limit based on images being set at 7MB.

Introduction Insignia on the Fuselage

By about March 1935, the "veil of secrecy" was raised and the new Luftwaffe presented to the world. At that time the German military aircraft still used civilian markings introduced in 1933, always presenting an alphabetical sequence started with the letter "D" for Deutschland (Germany), followed by four other identifying letters. These letters were painted in black color, forming a beautiful contrast to painting the aircraft - usually natural silver (RLM 01), light gray or light greenish gray (RLM 02).

Terrestrial Aircraft
Code	Description
DY xxx	1 crew, weighing up to 500 Kg
DE xxx	1-3 crew, weighing up to 1000 kg
DI xxx	1-4 crew members, weighing between 1000 and 2500 kg
DO xxx	1-8 crew members, weighing between 2500 and 5000 kg
DU xxx	Single-engine, weighing over 5000 kg
DA xxx	Multi-engine, weighing over 5000 kg

Maritime Aircraft
Code	Description
DY xxx	1 crew, weighing up to 600 Kg
DE xxx	1-3 crew, weighing up to 2200 kg
DI xxx	1-4 crew, weighing up to 5000 kg
DA xxx	Multi-engine, weighing over 5000 kg

These few brands civilians were insufficient to characterize the aircraft in a manner satis-factory, and on July 6, 1936, we adopted the use of the Swastika ( Hakenkreuz ) on the left side of an upright stems and a tricolor sash (red, Black and white) - Colours of Old Prussia and the Empire - on the right side.

Bf 109 V1

A few months later, in September 1935, when all attempts to conceal the nature of the new air force disappeared, the strong link with the past was reaffirmed with the inclusion of traditional German Military Cross (the Balkenkreuz ) in black and white, based the old mark used during World War I. Soon after, a black band was spiked to highlight the original contour. The tricolor sash also did not last long, and soon withdrawn and replaced by red stripe with the Swastika.

In late 1935, the Luftwaffe failed to use the civil codes of five letters, replacing it with an alphanumeric military code, identifying the Luftkreis (forerunner of Luftgau), the Geschwader, the Gruppe, the Staffel and an individual aircraft identification.

Cross and Swastika

During World War II all aircraft of the Luftwaffe in the front line had to Balkenkreuz (Cross Wehrmacht ) and Hakenkreuz (Swastika). The Balkenkreuz was located at the rear of the fuselage sides, more specifically between the cockpit and the tail of the plane, and also in the upper and lower portions of the wings; Hakenkreuz appeared exclusively on the tail section (vertical stems) on both sides. The beginning of the war (set/1939) until the surrender of Germany in May 1945, there have been some changes to these insignia, as can be seen in the table below.

• Insert Changes of Insignia Table

Caption Text

By the end of 1939	Early 1940 until 1942	From 1943 to 1945

The Hakenkreuz or Swastika was the symbol of N ational S ozialistische D eutsche P rbeiter artei (National Socialist German Workers' Party) or simply NSDAP. Adolf Hitler as a young man was part of the co-ro a Catholic church that was attended by his family. Suspended over the altar of this church, had a similar cross the Swastika. It is believed that Hitler has adapted this symbol of Christianity to your movement. Another unlikely explanation is in Norse mythology. Thor, the god of war and thunder, was symbolized by four stylized lightning leaving a point in common, and whose appearance Asseme it to him to the Swastika.

However, the origins of this ancient symbol dating back to long time ago, before it was adopted by the Nazi move-ment, the swastika was considered a sacred symbol of good luck and health in pre-Christian Europe and in many other pagan cultures everyone, including the Eastern, Egyptian and tribal of the Americas. The word swastika comes from the Sanskrit (swastika) which means "a sign of good luck." There are thousands of swastika symbols scattered to the four corners of the world and the oldest of all known today, dates from 12,000 BC

Besides Balkenkreuz and Hakenkreuz, most aircraft of the Luftwaffe also appeared in its fuselage, the code of the fuel used. The function of this code was to identify the type of fuel. He appeared inside a golden yellow triangle with white side edges, located near the gas cap, more accurately, just below this. Some types of fuel used by the Luftwaffe were: A3 (80 octane), or 87 or B4 (87 octane) and C3 (100 octane); the latter was used in engines with a higher compression rate.

Fuel Codes

(80 octane)	(100 octane)	(87 or B4 octane)

Idea: Use of the Fuel Codes could be used for each fuel type, ie. Antimatter, Fusion, etc.

Bombers, Night Fighters, Transport, etc.

Most front-line aircraft, except those belonging to units hunting or daytime seater fighter-bomber, or bombers, dive bombers, range twin-engine heavy fighter long, night fighters, transport aircraft, support and recognition ; a code carried on the back side of the fuselage and the underside of the wings. This code consisted of three letters and a number. The first two digits identify the Geschwader, the third digit, usually colorful, identifies the aircraft within the unit and the fourth digit indicates which Staffel or Stab the aircraft belonged. See TABLES.

Besides the letters and numbers located on the side of the rear fuselage and lower wings code, aircraft were often on the front of the fuselage (near the nose), the emblem of the Geschwader, Gruppe and/or Staffel they belonged.

As an example, we have a Dornier Do 17Z-10 with the marking R4 + L K. This aircraft belonged to Nachtjagdge schwader 2 (R4) and served on the 2nd. Staffel (K). The letter (L) was the individual aircraft identification within the unit.

Do 17Z-10, 2./ NJG 2

Identifying the 3rd. digit
Colours		Units (Probable)
	Blue	Geschwader Stab
	Green	Gruppe Stab
	White	1st, 4th, 7th, 10th or 13th Staffeln
	Red	2nd, 5th, 8th, 11th or 14th Staffeln
	Yellow	3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th or 15th Staffeln

Identifying the 4th. digit
Gruppen	Stab	Letter/Staffel	Letter/Staffel	Letter/Staffel
Geschwader	A	---	---	---
Gruppe I	B	H (1)	K (2)	L (3)
Gruppe II	C	M (4)	N (5)	P (6)
Gruppe III	D	R (7)	S (8)	T (9)
Gruppe IV	E	U (10)	V (11)	W (12)
Gruppe V	F	X (13)	Y (14)	Z (15)

Single-Seater Fighters and Fighter-Bombers

The insignia that appeared in the fuselage of the fighter daytime seaters, had as its main purpose the identification of the unit and even the pilot to whom the aircraft belonged and were quite diverse, pos-suíndo a huge amount of symbols and diagrams.

The vast majority of single-seater fighters, featured the emblem of the Geschwader (which belonged), painted on the front side of the fuselage, usually between the cockpit and propeller. Beyond that, they could ap-pears also the emblem of the Gruppe, Staffel pilot and staff (if any). These badges could be viewed together, or all appear at the same time or just one of them. The personal emblem of the pilot was located usually right next to the cockpit door.

Some also used aces, scoring at the helm of their fighters, the number of enemy planes of the already slaughtered by him, through small vertical bars and even with the symbols of air forces which slaughtered opponents belonged. Moreover, many winners of Knight's Cross also painted at the helm of their planes, beautiful ornaments which could appear in addition to the design of their meda it to him, the number representing the amount of victories (at the conquest of the award) and branches oak, among several others. Amongst these aces include: Heinz Bär, Hans Philipp, Josef Würmheller, Hans-Joachim Marseille, Hermann Graf, Erich Hartmann, Anton Hackl and Heinrich Ehrler...

Bf 109F-4 - Oblt. Werner von Hofe, 7./JG54 - Utti/Finland - June, 1942

Markings Gruppen ()

In addition to the badge, which was optional, each Gruppe had a symbol that identified him. This symbol loca-zava on the side of the fuselage between the Balkenkreuz and tail of the plane and had the same style of Balkenkreuz and Hakenkreuz, except for the color, which was the one used in numbers, usually with white or black borders). These colors will be explained in more detail afterwards.

I Gruppe had no symbol; II Gruppe had a horizontal bar; III Gruppe a wavy horizontal bar, later changed to a vertical bar; IV Gruppe initially possessed a circle, but confused with the symbol of the RAF, was changed to a small Greek or cross, a wavy horizontal bar similar to the III Gruppe.

Caption Text

I Gruppe	II Gruppe	III Gruppe	IV Gruppe

Subsequently, were created two special Gruppen: the Jabo Gruppe (group of fighter bombers) and Schlacht Gruppe (raiding/ground attack). The first was as a symbol drawing a slanted bomb, pointed downward and the second was represented by an equilateral triangle.

Caption Text

Jabo Gruppe	Schlacht Gruppe

Identifying Staffel

In addition to these symbols, it was adopted the combination of numbers and colors to better identify the Staffel which a plane belonged. These numbers appear on the side of the fuselage between the cockpit and Balkenkreuz. At first, the devices of each Staffel were numbered 1-12 and color of these numbers identified Staffel which he belonged. Staffeln 1, 4, 7 and 10 used in white numbers; 2, 5, 8 and 11 numbers in red or black, and 3, 6, 9 and 12 numbers in yellow. Later with the creation of a fourth Staffel in each Gruppe, this system was changed.

Initial period (Each Gruppe had 3 Staffen)
Gruppen	Staffel	Staffel	Staffel
I Gruppe	1	2	3
II Gruppe	4	5	6
III Gruppe	7	8	9
IV Gruppe	10	11	12

Final period (each Gruppe had 4 Staffen)
Gruppen	Staffel	Staffel	Staffel	Staffel
I Gruppe	1	2	3	4
II Gruppe	5	6	7	8
III Gruppe	9	10	11	12
IV Gruppe	13	14	15	16

Identifying the Unity of a Single-Seat Fighter

With this system one can identify the Geschwader, the Gruppe, the Staffel and pilot a fighter who belonged. As an example, the figure below, one Bf 109E-4 containing number 10 and a vertical bar blank. Means that the number 10 was the 7th or 9th Staffel (depends on season) of III Gruppe aircraft. For this Gruppe used a vertical bar to be identified (</u>see markings Gruppen</u>), as the color is white, then corresponds to the 7th or 9th Staffel (see colors Staffeln table). Since this aircraft is a Bf 109E-4 (initial period 1939-1940), we can deduce that it is therefore the 7th Staffel.

Bf 109E-4 - Uffz. Hermann Neuhoff, 7./JG53 - Erbenheim - October, 1939

The Staffelkapitän usually owned the plane number 1. however often a more experienced rider po-day lead the Staffel in place of a senior officer and his plane could have a different number.

GruppeStab & GeshwaderStab

Special symbols were assigned to the Geschwaderkommodore and its Stab, the same happening to Gruppenkommandeur and its Stab, who used similar but not identical symbols.

Accompanying the illustrations below, we can see various symbols Geschwaderstab and Gruppestab that appeared on the side of the fuselage between the cockpit and the tail of the plane. The symbols were usually pre-tos with white edges, in the same style of Balkenkreuz and Hakenkreuz But just as happened with these, also emerged variations of this scheme. Some well known as aces Hans "Assi" Hahn, Gustav Rödel, Reinhard Seiler and Hannes Trautloft used to reverse these colors, or symbols used white with black edges.

a. GruppeStab

GruppeStab

Gruppenkommandeur
	or		or
Adjutant (Staff Officer)		Technischer Offizier (Operations/Engineer Officer)		Gruppen Beim Stab (Chief of Staff)

Example

Bf 109F-2 - Helmut Bretnutz, Gruppenkommandeur II./JG53

b. GeschwaderStab

Geschwaderkommodore

At the beginning of the conflict markings for identification of Geschwaderkommodore were as follows:

Geschwaderkommodore

or

Later, showed some variations of this scheme, such as those adopted by Werner Mölders (below left), Adolf Galland (below right) and Josef Priller (below center).

or

or

Bf 109 F-2, Stab/JG 51, Geschwaderkommodore Oberstleutnant Werner Mölders, June 1941

?

Adjutant (Staff Officer)	IA/Einsatzoffizier (First Officer)	Technischer Offizier (Operations/Engineer Officer)	Major Beim Stab (Chief of Staff)

Example

Bf 109F-4 - Major Hannes Trautloft, Kommodore JG 54, Siverskaya/USSR - June, 1942

Note: The Grünherz (Green Heart) was originally the personal emblem of Hannes Trautloft when it be-V./JGr.88 via the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War. After he takes office to re-Kommodo of JG 54 (</u>JG 54) on 25.08.1940, the insignia also became the emblem of this, which was one of the most successful Geschwadern.

Later, near the end of the war, when the Reich Defence creating has become a matter of life or death, it was necessary new schemes to better distinguish the aircraft, because the number of Allied aircraft that crossed the skies of Germany was increasing. In this phase, some Geschwaderstab and Gruppenstab started using colored numerals (green or blue) instead of the symbols.

Ta 152H-1 - Obfw. Willi Reschke, Stab/JG 301, Neustadt-Glewe/Alemanha - April, 1945

Table Codes

Identifying the first two digits (Geschwader)

• A

Identifying the 4th. digit (Stab/Staffel)
Code	Unit
A	Geschwader Stab
B	I. GruppeStab
C	II. GruppeStab
D	III. GruppeStab
E	IV. GruppeStab
F	V. GruppeStab
H	1. Staffel
K	2. Staffel
L	3. Staffel
M	4. Staffel
N	5. Staffel
P	6. Staffel
R	7. Staffel
S	8. Staffel
T	9. Staffel
U	10. Staffel
V	11. Staffel
W	12. Staffel
X	13. Staffel
Y	14. Staffel
Z	15. Staffel

Manufacturer
Code	Manufacturer Name
FO	Focke-Wulf
DN	BFW (Regensburg)
HS	Henschel
JU	Junkers
DJ	Heinkel
NO	Heinkel
EC	BFW (Messerschmitt)
HE	Heinkel

Notes

• Source: Unit Markings of the Luftwaffe
  • A
• A