Some of my favourites are the inscriptions on the Focke Wulf D9s of JV 44:
‘ The 'Sachsenberg Schwarm'
In 1945 he transferred briefly to jet fighters in JG 7 as Staffelkapitän of 9./JG7, but in April 1945 he joined JV 44. His task was to provide top cover for the Me 262 jet fighters. Sachsenberg was assigned as Staffelkapitän of the Platzschutzstaffel or airfield-protection squadron, flying the Fw 190 D9 fighter. As squadron commander, his particular aircraft was known as "Red 1". The inscription on his Fw 190 D9 was "Verkaaft's mei Gwand I foahr in Himmel!" meaning "Sell my clothes I'm going to heaven".
The aircraft in the protection squadron were painted red on their underbelly with prominent white stripes to help in their identification by ground crews. The legend of the Papagei Staffel (parrot squadron) was born (the name was given after the war and is truly misleading as it was not used by the squadron itself). The decision to paint the aircraft in this manner was made by the pilots themselves, perhaps as result of the failed Operation Bodenplatte, where a number of German aircraft were lost to friendly fire.’
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