Quote:
Originally Posted by luthier
Wanted to address this on its own. That's not true at all. We have lots of photographs of different JG53 aircraft all showing the same red band. Geschwader Adjutant, white 8, "grey" 14, some aircraft of 5./JG53 with half-stripe extending down to the exhaust stack, etc.
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indeed, the "Red Band" as replacement of the "Ace of Spade" on the JG53 (all three groups) cowlings was ordered around end of July 1940. The Ace of Spade was reintroduced in 20.November 1940. Officially because of the 500. kill of the JG53, sure it helped that von Maltzahn took over the command from Crammon-Traubadel at 10.October 1940.........
the overpainting of the Swastika was only common in the III/JG53 for a time from august 1940 to fall 1940, after Hptm. Wilcke took over command. It was done to protest against the harsh words Göring had agaisnt his fighterpilots......
III/JG53 flew it's 109s without Swastikas with Red Band and (after 20.Nov) PikAs on its cowlings.