My photo collection - part 003 - Bf 110G-2 of II./JG 5 at Herdla airfield

I recently acquired the image below for my collection and wanted to share it with the community. It show the only Messerschmitt Bf 110 listed at Herdla when the war ended - or rather when a final count of the remnants of the once mighty Luftwaffe was made on August 10th 1945.

Messerschmitt Bf 110G-2, Werknr. 120167, coded 3U+EW - note the E visible under the starboard wing - this code of course revealing the former operator - the IV. Gruppe of ZG 26. Of interest is the additional fuel tanks - a hint of the task these aircraft was used for late in the war - convoy protection along the coast. 

Geographical location is given away by the well known maintenance hangar in the background, which was painted red, with painted on fake doors and windows in the usual fashion with white framing, in an attempt to camouflage it as a typical Norwegian farm barn.

My source for the aircraft code and Werknummer is the above mentioned list of aircraft in Norway on August 10th 1945. Note the war and weather beaten appearance of the airframe itself.

The spinners have been removed, probably by the chap sitting across the nose of the aircraft and his colleagues, as a preparation to meet the conditions as set at the surrender of the German armed forces in Norway, where the propellers and rudders were to be dismantled rendering the aircraft unserviceable. The rudders and propeller blades has not yet been removed - suggesting that this photographs was taken some time in May 1945 shortly after the end of hostilities.

All in all a rather peaceful image of a war machine which has run the course of its operational life.