Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 “White 15” of Oberleutnant Werner Machold, Staffelkapitan 7./JG2, Caen-Roquancourt, May 1941. Believed to be the machine in which Machold forced-landed with a dead engine at Worth Matravers, west of Swanage, on June 9, 1941, this “Emil” has the distinctive pointed spinner cap of the E-7 variant and carries a 250kg (550lb) bomb on its ventral rack. As well as the Staffel badge on the cowl, it also features a precise record of Machold’s 32 kills on the rudder. The first six of his victories were French, the remainder British; the last two were a pair of Spitfires (almost certainly from 234 Sqn, which in actuality lost a single aircraft on this day) claimed north of Weymouth on May 19.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Messerschmitt Bf.109E - ГерманияGermany - 1938

Hauptmann Wilhelm Balthasar, photographed shortly after he had assumed command of the Geschwader in February 1941. His tenure of office would last less than five months.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Messerschmitt Bf.109E - ГерманияGermany - 1938

Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 “White 1” of Oberleutnant Egon Mayer, Staffelkapitan 7./JG2, St Pol, summer 1941. The “Friedrich” of one of “Assi” Hahn’s Staffelkapitane exhibits the standard style of III. Gruppe vertical bar. “White 1” also displays three other differences in markings - the absence of the famous “Red R” Geschwader badge on either side of the fuselage below the windscreen (the emblem was now to be removed from all operational aircraft by official edict), the restriction of the Channel Front yellow nose markings to just the lower nacelle panels, and the attachment of a Staffelkapitan’s metal pennant (bearing 7./JG2’s badge in miniature) to the aerial mast.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Messerschmitt Bf.109F - ГерманияGermany - 1940

During the late spring and early summer of 1941 RAF Fighter Command’s Spitfire IIs suffered badly at the hands of the “Friedrichs”, as witness this rather large “trophy” in 9./JG2’s dispersal area. Note that the Bf 109Fs' yellow nose markings have now disappeared, as too has the Geschwader badge below the cockpit.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Messerschmitt Bf.109F - ГерманияGermany - 1940Supermarine Spitfire - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1936

Hauptmann Walter Oesau (in light jacket), appointed Geschwader-kommodore of JG2 at the end of July 1941, walks past one of the unit’s Bf 109s with three pilots, Leutnant Egon Mayer, Oberleutnant Rudolf Pflantz and Oberleutnant Erich Leie, each of whom had been awarded the Knight’s Cross for achieving 20 kills.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Messerschmitt Bf.109F - ГерманияGermany - 1940

One of 9. Staffel’s new Bf 109Fs displays the change of III. Gruppe marking from a wavy bar to a vertical bar. This particular machine, “Yellow 8”, would be lost on July 2, 1941 - just 24 hours before Balthasar’s “Friedrich” spun-in - when Feldwebel Heinz Jahner was forced to bale out wounded during a dogfight near St Omer.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Messerschmitt Bf.109F - ГерманияGermany - 1940