 This machine carries a dark green camoflage that could well consist of RLM71 and RLM70. Compared to other "Greened up" 109's of JG54 this machine seems to have had the greens applied rather thinly. The overspray of the geschwader greenheart emblem and fuel triangle indicates that the green was simply added after the greenheart emblem had been applied. It also means that the aircraft was originally flown in it's grey scheme for a while before being repainted. The rudder is marked with 48 victory bars which indicates that the photo must have been taken later than June 10 1942. Other 7./JG54 machines started wearing the revised staffelwappen at the time but this aircraft does not display it, although it's possible that it was added at a later date. The year 1942 started well for Karl-Heinz Kempf. On a single sortie on Jan 2 1942, Kempf managed to shoot down 2 LaGG-3's, 2 I-16's and a Pe-2. The Pe-2 was downed with the last of Kempf's ammunition after it attacked the JG 54 base at Siverskaya and Kempf and 7./JG 54 had returned home and chanced upon the departing bombers. Two days later, Kempf was awarded the Knights Cross. Kempf 95% damaged the 109 F-4 (WrkNr 13154) he was flying on June 11 1942 after being hit by flak and making an emergency landing. The JG 54 Loss List doesn't reveal the tactical numeral of the aircraft and it is not known whether the subject of the profile is the same aircraft. |