Unfortunately i cant remember from where i got them but those are very interesting:
They come from deciphered German signals (ULTRA) and captured airmen and documents.
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"VL 5945" and so on are the Allied serial numbers given to deciphered messages.
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Some of ULTRA's characteristic shorthand has been "translated." In the original of KV 1979, for example, you'd find GAFSE which is short for German Air Force South East. The German term would have been Kommandierender General der Deutschen Luftwaffe Südost.
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-10 February 1944
VL 5945
Changes in camouflage painting of aircraft made by individual heavy fighter [= Zerstörer] Gruppen on their own initiative have on several occasions led to confusion with “enemy” aircraft according to (strong indications Luftflotte 5 to Komm. Gen. der Deutschen Luftwaffe in Finnland) on 8th. This has caused perplexities and doubts when “enemy” aircraft sighted. For all fighter and heavy fighter aircraft it is therefore ordered: (a) in principle no changes may be made in camouflage paint as delivered from the factory; (b) markings with a series of numbers within the Staffel remain as before. Comment: not known whether this is particular for Luftflotte 5 or General for GAF [=German Air Force].
-10 February 1944
VL 6122
Additional orders of 10th for units operating in defence of the Reich:
(a) band round fuselage to remain as marking of individual Geschwader;
(b) in principle, all Kommodores and Kommandeurs fly with white fins and rudders;
(c) all fighter aircraft of Luftflotte 3 and Luftflotte Reich to have black and white spiral painted on spinner. One and a half spirals turning in same direction as spinner, width one fifth of diameter of spinner.
-23 April 1944
KV 1979
Komm. Gen. der Deutschen Luftwaffe Südost ordered following recognition colouring for German and Italian aircraft operating in Mediterranean area; underparts of engine cowlings to be painted bright yellow. Round the fuselage a white ring about 50cm wide behind the cross. Captured aircraft to be painted bright yellow. Italian aircraft to be distinguished (comment: details unknown)
-3 June 1944
KV 6434
Fliegerführer Kroatien ordered removal from all aircraft in his command of white ring round fuselage and bright yellow paint on the underside of the cowling. Experience had shown that during low level flying in valleys and ravines and with cliffs as background, the shining of white and yellow paint destroyed otherwise satisfactory camouflage effect.
-Early June 1944
KV 7079
Aircraft identification marks used by (strong indications 4.(F)/123): lower part of cockpit cover and side fins yellow; cross on fuselage and wings, upper and lower; fuselage blue identification letters.
Note: the above seems to be a rare case of Bletchley Park's experts mistranslating German technical terms. I'd say they translated Haube (= hood) as "cockpit cover" when, in this context, it really meant “engine cowling.” Remember the standard notice on the 109 about how you have to be careful opening the lower cowling because the oil cooler is attached? That refers to Haube. As for "side fins", substitute Seitenleitwerk (= lateral control surfaces = rudder) and it all begins to make more sense. “Letters” should perhaps be read as “characters” (German = Buchstäbe), since 4.(F)/123 flew Bf 109s with blue numbers on their fuselage sides.
-25 June 1944
KV 9720
Orders from Stab to II./JG 11 on 25th. With immediate effect, aircraft to be marked only with spiral on airscrew spinner, cross, tactical number and Gruppe mark (bars).
XL 40
Now known that aircraft marking instructions in KV 9720 apply to all Luftflotte 3 aircraft. Spiral on propeller spinner to be black and white. Additional markings to be retained exclusively for fighters, ground attack and recce aircraft.
-14 July 1944
XL 2136
All fighter aircraft going to the West on ops to be provided only with black and white spirals on spinner. All other special identification markings to be discontinued.
Above according to 7. Jagd Division on 14th, reference Luftflotte Reich orders of 5th. (Comment: XL 40 gave similar measures for aircraft in area Luftflotte 3).
-20 July 1944
PRO AIR51/94
CSDIC (CMF) Report A.420 (23 August 1944: from German documents captured at Draguignan by F.F.I. member)
Information for Batteries from 242. Inf. Div.
Markings of Friendly Aircraft
With effect from 20 July 1944, the recognition markings of our own aircraft in the area of Western Europe (Germany, France, Italy) will be changed as follows:
1(a) Fighters, ground strafers, twin-engined fighters and reconnaissance aircraft — black and white spiral on spinner.
(b) All other operational aircraft, no special recognition markings.
2 Captured Aircraft
(a) If flown operationally — as under 1.
(b) If not flown operationally — the outside third of the underside of the wing painted yellow.
3 Civil aircraft of all types
The whole of the engine nacelle yellow. The belly of the fuselage and rudder also yellow.
-9 September 1944
XL 9759
On 9th Two and Three Aircraft Ferrying Geschwader 1 [Flugzeug Überführungsgeschwader 1] at Mannheim-Sandhofen and Wiesbaden-Erbenheim informed of following aircraft markings.
Firstly, in areas of Luftflotten 1 and 4, Luftwaffenkommando Südost and Komm. Gen. der deutschen Luftwaffe in Ungarn: fighters, ground attack, Zerstörer and reconnaissance aircraft — dead white spiral on propeller boss. Bombers and communications aircraft: as above with yellow undersides.
Secondly, areas of Luftflotten 2, 3 and 5: fighters, ground attack, Zerstörer and reconnaissance aircraft — as above. All other aircraft, no special markings.
Thirdly, Luftflotte Reich excluding Hungary: fighters, ground attack, Zerstörer and reconnaissance aircraft — as in”Firstly.” Training aircraft, communications aircraft etc.: underside of engine yellow. Aircraft operating against Allies to have two yellow rings 50 centimetres broad round middle of fuselage.
Fourthly, aircraft of states allied to Germany to have markings of relevant Luftflotten.
Fifthly, captured aircraft in all Luftflotten: (A) when operating in fighting to have relevant Luftflotte markings; (B) not operating in fighting, outer third of underside of wing yellow. Sea rescue aircraft to be considered as engaged in fighting.
Sixthly: aircraft operating exclusively by night as bombers or for target presentation — no special markings.
Seventhly: civil airlines irrespective of type — whole engine cowling yellow, whole underside including elevators yellow, rudder yellow.
Above orders in force from 20th.
-22 September 1944
HP 1207
Early 22nd Luftflotte 4 appreciated that on Rumanian front "the enemy" was operating German aircraft in some cases with German markings. In order to identify German aircraft with certainty additional recognition markings in yellow paint ordered for Me 109, Fw 190, Ju 87, Ju 88, Ju 188, Hs 129, He 111 and Do 217. 40 cm ring around fuselage in front of wings. Lower side of port wing, whole width of wing a Victor [i.e. a "V"] open towards direction of flight with an angle of 45 degrees and arms 25 cm broad. The arms of the Victor to be carried over leading edge of wing to upper side for distance of 60 cm to permit recognition from above also. Completion to be reported by early 25th, from then on all above aircraft not carrying new marking could be fired on at 30 km distance from front.
-24 December 1944
BT 287
JG 11 instruction of 24 December 1944, quoting OKL order. Aircraft to be marked by yellow band 90cm. wide around fuselage about 15-20cm. from tail.
-24 December 1944
PRO AIR40/2680
(27.12.44: XV R.409.C.29) 24.12. 44: Goering order that Jagdgeschwader will be marked with 90cm coloured band round fuselage for better differentiation. Each Geschwader to have different colours or combinations of colours.
-28 December 1944
BT 630
JG 53 instructions of 28 December 1944, quoting OKL order. For better differentiation in the air, fighters of unit to to have black band around fuselage about 45cm. wide. All “Ace of Spades” markings including those on motor vehicles to be removed.
-26 February 1945
BT 5866
On 26 February 1945 the Kommodore of JG 53 signalled to I./JG 53 that the order to remove Geschwader markings for the Invasion Front did not apply in the East. All aircraft were to receive the “Ace of Spades” by 10 March.
-CSDIC Report SRA 5748
Uffz. Knoblich, Beobachter, of 1./TG 30 (captured at Rheims, 1 January 1945):
He [the RAF Intelligence Officer] asked me "why have the aircraft got the yellow ring round the tail?"
Fw. Rohs, Bordschütze of 1./TG 30 (captured at Rheims, 1 January 1945):
Actually they have been training aircraft.
Uffz. Hoffschmidt of 6./JG 77 (captured at Eschweiler, 1 January 1945):
All our fighters have white and blue now
I wonder if in a future someone will try to understand what we did, if ever he will succeed!
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