Lables of the Luftwaffe – Balkenkreuz | Part Two

Late war national insignia were simplyfied to save labour and materials to rise the production numbers of the Nazi war industry. Also this new style made the insignia less conspicuous from largers distances.

Upper wing Balkenkreuz as used on the
Bf109 and FW190 fighters.

Fuselage Balkenkreuz as used on the
Bf109 and FW190 fighters.
Dimensions and ratios as early Balkenkreuz.

Lables of the Luftwaffe – Balkenkreuz | Part One

The Balkenkreuz in the early style were black and white trimmed with thin black outlines for high visibility.

Early Balkenkreuz as applied to fuselage sides
and lower wing surface.

Early Balkenkreuz as applied to
upperwing surface.

Lables of the Luftwaffe – Fuel labels| Part One

The engines of Luftwaffe fighter aircrafts required different types of fuel and octane ratings. All fuel labes were yellow with a white outline, only few exeptions existed.

The label shown below reads »87« which means the engine required aviation fuel of 87 octane. Other common labels were »B4« (89 octane), »C3« (95 octane) and »100« (100 octane).

The lower octane fuels were dyed blue, higher octane fules were dyed green to avoid confusion.

87 octane fuel label

Lables of the Luftwaffe – Compressed air | Part Two

The MG17 and the MK108 were common weapons installed in the Messerschmitt Bf109 and many other Luftwaffe aircraft. Both weapons required compressed air to operate.

The lettering »Pressluft für MG« translates into »Compressed air for MG«.

The following labels show the standard lables as used on the Messerschmitt Bf109. The given dimensions in millimeters fit the Messerschmitt Bf109.

Conversion of pressure units

150 atü = 148,08 bar = 2147.7 psi

Type #1: Common label for compressed air supply
for MG17 (MG = Maschinengewehr).

Type #2: Common label for compressed air supply
for MK (MK = Maschinenkanone).
Pressure specification of 150 atü is preliminary only!

Lables of the Luftwaffe – Oxygen | Part One

German aircraft of the Luftwaffe (1933–1945) carried a multiude of labels for reasons of information, e.g. for maintenance, and safety.

The lettering »Sauerstoff für Atemgerät« translates into »Oxygen for respirator«.  The white lettering »Vor Anschluss absolut fettfrei« of  variant #2 translates into »Before connecting absolutely free of grease« to prevent a contamination of the breathing air for the pilot

Colors are RLM 24 blue, RLM 21 white and RLM 22 black.

The examples shown below do show dimensions suitable for the Messerschmitt Bf109. All dimensions are in millimeters. For other sizes of hatches on different aircraft adjust the inner DIA of the label and remain all other dimensions.

Type #1: Common oxygen label of the Bf109.

Type #2: Frequently used variant of the
oxygen label as shown above.