Author Topic: JV44, WTF?...Solved..... (Read 2475 times)

Allan31 · « **on:** December 03, 2025, 03:34:14 AM »

So after seeing Rick's beautiful 190D, (my favorite a/c) and posting my own Ta-152 it got all my old Luftnatic juices going.
I have wanted to do all the JV44 a/c for many years. Nothing crazy, just good solid, outofbox builds just to have JV44 together up on the shelf.

For years, this was JV44...

So this mornings JV44 rabbit hole brought me to this...

And this...

There has always been speculation about a fifth 190 for years...

So, is Crandall saying there is a red 2? Is white 1 a real thing or just internet BS? Is there a red 2 AND a white 1 making for 6 a/c in the JV44 protection squadron?

I'm confused and I'm not willing to pay half a million dollars for his book to find out.

Clearly, we have some serious Luftwaffe people here and was wondering if any of you have fallen down this particular rabbit hole as I'm noticing claw marks where someone has tried to climb out...

KiwiZac · « **Reply #1 on:** December 03, 2025, 11:10:00 AM »

Oh boy. This seems like one of those subjects for which an answer should be pretty quick to surface. Unfortunately Jerry is no longer with us to ask personally. If you're a member at Britmodeller I suggest asking there. My knowledge of 190s is pretty limited to how a D looks different to an A or F!

2996 Victor · « **Reply #2 on:** December 03, 2025, 08:30:37 PM »

This is an interesting project, Allan, and one I'd be interested to follow (I have that EagleCals set in 1/48 for "sometime"). I can't offer any advice, but I agree with Zac - a post in Britmodeller's Aircraft WWII section would be a good starting point.

Cheers,
Mark

RAGIII · « **Reply #3 on:** December 05, 2025, 12:23:57 AM »

WOW! Watching you turn 4, (or 6), of those Airfix D-9s into beauties will be awesome! I looked for some info on a google search but didn't find anything helpful.

Funny thing is in the late 80's / early 90's there was a small booklet released on JV44. It included decals and claimed the bottom was "Black with white stripes"

I guess that has been Debunked. Looking forward to the builds!
RAGIII

petrov27 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 05, 2025, 11:06:52 PM »

THere is some info on Red 2 in this discussion:

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235157655-looking-for-photos-of-fw190-white-1-and-red-2-of-jv44/

also
https://luftwaffeinprofile.se/Fw%20190%20D%20Hofmann%20JV%2044.html

Allan31 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 10, 2025, 12:42:31 AM »

So it seems the information on this 190D is all HobbyBoss nonsense.

There is a 5th D in JV44. Crandell seems to have correctly discovered the airframe plowed up in a pile at Bad Aibling airfield.

I wonder how many other photos are lying at the bottom of some footlocker in an attic as yet undiscovered. So it seems that "Red 2" is a bonafide JV44 aircraft.

We even have a possible roster of pilots for the 5 a/c.

Thankfully, I can stop all this handwringing and get on with having a bit of fun. To that end, as can be seen in this shot, Bf-109K's were also at the airfield serving with JV44...

The aircraft shown do not seem to sport the yellow spinner as seen on the 190's but I'm sure, just out of frame to the left is another 109K in these markings.

I will build this as a test mule for my JV44 GB. A dandy little kit that I suspect is a Heller re-pop. The decals I have seem to have the white stripes on the underside to be too thick and over-scale so I will see what my ruling pen can give me.

As Nigel mentioned, we're going to be the FockeForum....

NigelR · « **Reply #6 on:** December 10, 2025, 07:29:34 PM »

Isn't research fun? Even on a FockeForum.....

RAGIII · « **Reply #7 on:** December 11, 2025, 07:26:01 AM »

Quote from: NigelR on December 10, 2025, 07:29:34 PM

Isn't research fun? Even on a FockeForum.....

I think so.

Glad you got that sorted out Allan! It's odd though that I would swear I saw that Bogus scheme before Hobby Boss was around! I imagine it was with the Bogus "Black Bottom"

RAGIII

RAGIII · « **Reply #8 on:** January 03, 2026, 07:14:03 AM »

I found this on an Auction site on FB. This was that Old decal publication booklet I spoke of. Probably going to take a few minutes to go back and forth to post all of the pics.
RAGIII

PS: I didn't bid as they were 1/48th scale

Allan31 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 05, 2026, 10:41:44 PM »

Thanks Rick !!!!
Yaknow, somewhere here I have those two publications. I collected a lot on the 190D, short of buying Crandell's book for millions.
Those days I was going to do a superbuild on the 1/32 Hasegawa kit. Still in the stash started somewhere here.

I've been with Sue almost twenty years now, in that time I've moved twice, now we are in our final peaceful place. During those moves, after packing up my hundreds and hundreds of mostly aviation reference books, I don't buy books anymore. I have found the internet has pretty much every single photo of JV44 out there.

pepperman42 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 14, 2026, 11:26:39 AM »

Doesn't Brett Green/ Hyperscale have info?

Steve