With the new Battle of Britain starter on the horizon I decided to repaint my
WGS duplicates.
This is my second Galland Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 repainted as the aircraft of the Technical Officer assigned to the Stab of Gruppe III, Jagdgeschwader 26 'Schlageter'. First step was painting out Galland's rudder kill markings with Tamiya flat yellow. Then I painted out the Mickey Mouse insignias and the first bar of Galland's Gruppenkommandeur insignia, matching the fuselage colour with a mix of 2 parts Humbrol Matt 65 Sky and 1 part Tamiya RLM Grey. Tamiya RLM Grey also matches the lower fuselage camouflage. I then applied the Technical officer decals from 1/144 Direct on each side of the fuselage just behind the chevron.
At the time Major Adolf Galland was the Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG26 the Technical Officer was Oberleutnant Walter Horten. One of the Horten brothers famous for their revolutionary flying wing aircraft designs, during the Battle of Britain Walter Horton often flew as wingman for Galland. From August to September 1940 Horten was credited with seven victories - two Defiants, two Spitfires and three Hurricanes - before being grounded as were all the Technical Officers. By the end of 1940, Walter Horten was promoted to Hauptmann and appointed commander of III./JG26 before moving back to aircraft design. Following WW2 he joined the Bundeswehr, retiring as an Oberstleutnant. Walter Horten passed away in Baden-Baden at the age of 85 on 9 December 1998.
Two Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4s flown by Adolph Galland and Walter Horten of the Gruppen Stab III./JG26 in formation.
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