graphics by Ferenc Szegedi 2011.

The decal was making in scale 1:48 and 1:32, the picture only illustration.

 

1. Fw-190 A-8/R2 ’’Red 4’’ 5/JG300 flown by Fhj-Ofw. Richard Löfgen, January-February 1945, Löbnitz.

The legend of ’’Ur Sau’’ on Löfgen’s aircraft suggests, that he was the last surviving pilot who flew with the Staffel since it was established. From the summer of 1943 this unit flew night sorties practicing the so-called ’’Wilde Sau/wild boar” operational technique.

The aircraft is painted in RLM 74/75/76. In the reference photo it does not seem, if the aircraft worn the Geschwader fuselage band (RVD). In the case if it was painted, the blue-white-blue combination is conceivable, not the former dark red. It is not known, if the II. Gruppe bar was painted on.

2. Fw-190 A8/R2 „”Red 16” 5/JG300 flown by Lt. Klaus Bretschneider, October 1944,
Löbnitz.

Klaus Bretschneider was an important personality of the Third Reich’s air defence. His fate is also a symbol of the desperate and bitter fights of the Luftwaffe in 1943-1944.
From 1943 Bretschneider flew night fighter (Wilde Sau) missions with the JG Hermann (later JG300) group. During these missions his uncompromising and courageous character and his excellent flying abilities were manifested. In 1944 the role of the Geschwader was changed from night fighter unit to day fighter Geschwader. During the day sorties Bretschneider continued his successful series against the ’’Viermots” (four-engined bombers) He shot down minimum 30 enemy aircrafts, 26 of these were four-engined bombers. (day and nights) He destroyed some of them with ramming attack. With his heroism and efficiency he deserved the Knight’s Cross.
Klaus Bretschneider was killed on 24 December 1944. In absentia of the Geschwader commander the young lieutenant leaded the whole JG300 against the American bombers. After the first strike, the P-51s escort fighters intercepted the armoured German heavy fighters and Bretschneider’s aircraft was shot down. ‘’I’ll be dead before I had promoted first lieutenant” he said often to his comrades. It happened so, he became Oberleutenant postumus…
His death depressed the whole JG300. His own, 5. Staffel never painted again Bretschneider’s favourite and often used number, the ‘’1’’ on any aircraft.

‘Red 16’’ was flown by Klaus Bretschneider on 7 October 1944, when he rammed an American B-17. The legend ‘’Schwarzer Panter’’ (Black Panther) was painted on the aircraft. On the available photo, the legend seems to be red-black combination, (similar as the other legends on Breschneider’s aircrafts) but the black variation is also conceivable.
Painting is standard RLM 74/75/76.
In the reference photo it does not seem if the aircraft worn the Geschwader fuselage band (RVD). If yes, it was painted on with the JG300 earlier dark red color (not RLM23!). We don’t know, if the II. Gruppe bar was on the aircraft. If yes, it was marked with a black outline inside the RVD band, as shown in the graphic.

Sándor Fülöp

translating: László Ésik