ROUNDELS FILE I AIRCRAFT
ross
IN the Luftwaffe was revealed, but it
MARCH
was 1935,
not until the existence
October of
that military
markings were introduced. These
took the form of a black cross with a
white border, similar in style to th.at
used in 1918,the closing months of
what was then called the Great War.
Sometimes described as a Greek
cross, the Balkenkreuz was applied in
constant size on the fuselage and the
upper and lower wings. The stroke of
the cross was a quarter of the overall
width, with l/zoth specified for the
narrow white outline. The fuselage
cross was to be placed with the
horizontal alignment parallel to the
theoretical ground line of the aircraft
in flight.
There were various instances of
misinterpretation at unit level. For
some reason, I/JG 132 and l/JG
134, flying Heinkel He 51s,applied
oversize Balkenkreuz of full chord
on the wings and virtually the entire
depth of the fuselage.
Application of the codes, which
were proportiona I to the size of the
cross, required that on the starboard
side they be positioned further aft
than on the port fuselage and not
symmetrical as directed. There was
also one unusual instance of a unit
applying the insignia in the form
of a black cross on a white square,
while another applied the cross with
curved sides, both reminiscent of the
World War One styles.
Shortly after the introduction of
the Balkenkreuz, it was found that
the low contrast of the white outline
against the original silver-grey and
also the new pale greenish-grey
96 FLYPAST January 2009
MARKINGS
David Howley
finish, reduced the visual range and
by mid-1936 a narrow black border,
l/3oth of the width, was added.
Examples of the original Balkenkreuz
remained until 1937, possibly
awaiting the next major servicing.
The fuselage cross was to be placed
equidistant between the mainplane
and the tailplane, while those on the
wings were to be positioned 35.4in
(90cm) from the wingtip, at the mid
chord point of the main wing section.
This style of Balkenkreuz was used
until the early years of World War
Two in all six positions - either side
of the fuselage, and one each on the
upper and lower wings.
Combat lessons
No rule remains fixed and the
introduction of the Messerschmitt
Bf 109B into service in early 1937,
showed that this central location,
whilst suited to He 51s and Arado Ar
68s, provided insufficient space for
both the individual aircraft identity
number and the staffel marking.
Consequently, on the Bf 109, the
position of the Balkenkreuz was
centred 59in aft of the trailing edge
of the wing.
In the early hours of September 1,
1939, Germany invaded Poland and
quickly established air superiority,
allowing units to provide direct
support to Wehermacht ground
units. Many of the losses incurred
are attributed to misidentification,
both from the ground and in the air.
Clearly the existing Balkenkreuz
was unable to provide the rapid
identification required and many
units modified the insignia by
moving it inboard and enlarging the
size, in some cases to full wing chord.
Post-conflict analysis showed that
greater visual range was necessary
and on October 24, 1939, revisions
were issued, affecting not only the
proportions of the insignia but also
the positioning of the Balkenkreuz.
The white outline was increased
to l/sth of the width and the black
border was slightly increased to
1/3znd. The proportions of the upper
wing crosses remained unaltered.
In addition to the proportional
revision, the sizes of the insignia in
all six positions were also increased.
For instance, the earlier fuselage
Balkenkreuz on the Bf 109E was
enlarged from 26 to 34.6in and
possibly for ease of placement on
the production line, it was moved aft
to centre on Frame 5.
On the wings of single-engined
types, the insignia was centred at
mid-chord. On the lower surface, it
was at the mid-point between the
wing-root and the tip, while on the
upper it was at the mid point from
the centre of the fuselage and the
wing tip. Specific instructions for
the sizing and placement of insignia
were contained in the markings
instructions for each specific
aircraft.
The revised insignia was, for the
most part, rapidly applied by units
but there were also numerous
instances of misinterpretations.
There are examples of the old
proportions used incorrectly under
the wings and on the fuselage: new
proportions used on the upper
surface, including instances where
discusses the
evolution of the
Luftwafte
from 1935 to 1943
Balkenkreuz
and markings and their
n:ltlll:llr. "lnlr.
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'{jJfflfflillllilc:JmlllfmTiI:<.
they were grossly oversized.
It is equally noticeable, especially
with the fuselage Balkenkreuz, that
the original style and size, as well
as the new proportions in the old
size, lingered well into the Battle of
Britain period.
For operational reasons, changes
were also implemented at unit level,
but not always the same reason.
In order to reduce visibility, on the
Focke-Wulf Fw 200s of KG 40 the
white edge was over-painted in black
and the original 1936 proportion
white and black edge was added.
Some Bf 110sof LG 1,in North Africa
also used the sa.me method to
improve visibility with an enlarged
cross.
The need for enhanced recognition
also produced another variation
- on sand-coloured Bf 109Fs the
white was over painted black and
the original width of white edging
re-applied. It was also around this
1941 period, that production
Bf 109F-2 models began to appear
intermittently with the black edge
deleted from the Balkenkreuz and
totally from the Bf 109G-2 onwards.
A directive issued in 1942,
calling for the deletion of the black
outline and centre on upper wing
Balkenkreuz and the black outline to
the Hakenkreuz (swastika) may have
influenced Messerschmitt to also
delete the fuselage outline, but other
manufacturers such as Focke Wulf
continued to apply it.
All of this was to change in 1944
when far-reaching alterations were
implemented and Roundels File will
turn this subject later .•
I---~--~
I

He 51A-l '21+KII' of I/JG 132 showing over-sized Balkenkreuz and codes,

erroneously applied in 1935.

He 51A-1 '21+E23' of I/JG 132 with correct size crosses.

Wings and Wings and Lower wing and

fuselage fuselage mid- fuselage from
October 1935 to 1936 to October October 1939.
mid-1936. 1939, then
upper wing.

Variable use on Wider black Wider black

fuselages from with added used on some

circa mid-1942. white outline, Fw 200s to
North Africa, reduce the
circa 1942. visual range of
the insignia.

Bf 109B-2 'Yellow 12' of 6/JG 133 in late 193B/early 1939 with

Balkenkreuz of the style introduced in 1936.

Bf 109E-l 'Yellow 13' pf 5/JG 513 in the summer of 1940 with October
1939-style Balkenkreuz. The badge of 9/JG 51 is applied under the
cockpit. Note the use of a yellow wedge on the rudder. an early
'tactical' marking applied during the Battle of Britain.

Bf 109G-2 Trop 'Yellow 5' of 4/JG 51 in Tunisia, 1943. The 1939-style

Balkenkreuz has had the thin black outline omitted. It carr.ies North

African tactical markings of white fuselage band and wing tips and a
yellow lower cowling. ALL ARTWORK © OAVIO HOWLEY 2008

January 2009 FLYPAST 97