Sometimes one would like to kick oneself! After making a new profile during this week after I have received two interesting new photos from a college in Greece.

The photos was new to me and portrayed a belly landing Bf 109 F-2, a "Yellow 3" from JG 3. The two photos portrayed the crate from the side and the another from the front.

I then started to make this new profile and when 70% finished I tried to saved it. However the file Bf 109 F-2 Stechmann JG 3 was alredy saved on one of my MAC hard drives.

Checking the file I noticed that the "Yellow 3" was made already during the summer of 2020 and published in my Profile book No 11 as profile No 18.

Compering the two profiles made there was definitely similarities although the first profile made was just based on one photo, a photo of the fuselage taken a bit from behind.

However as the newly made profile was based on three photos instead of only one definitely makes it into a more historical accurate sideview, I hope you all could detect the difference? please check them both out! Cheers, Claes.

Fw. Hans Stechmann started flying combat missions in the Trägergruppe I.(J)/186 over the Low Countries. He would later emerge as an accomplished fighter pilot after his posting to the 9.Staffel of JG 3.

In III./JG 3 he accounted for a total of nine victories. His first was a Blenheim downed 5 km northeast of Le Touquet on 10 July 1940. Thereafter followed eight RAF fighters: three Hurricanes and five Spitfires, the last ones in this theatre. Later, a Hurricane was claimed over Cap Gris Nez on 15 May 1941.

After being transferred to the East and the "Barbarossa" campaign he managed to score his first Soviet victory on the second day of the invasion, downing an I-16 fighter over Luzk at 16:50.

On 15 July he shot down no less than three I-153s for his 22nd to 24th victories. After touching down in the early morning hours he was greeted by none other than his Kommodore Major Günther Lützow, congratulating him on scoring JG 3's 1000th victory.

On this day, 9 August 1941, Obfw. Stechmann claimed his 33rd Abschuss. However, given a number of his claims were refused, his official score of 33 was not reached until 23 August.

It is interesting to note that on this day, he attacked Il-2 Sturmoviks and shot down three of them, however two of the claims was later denied. Only the first one the three "Concrete bombers" that he downed at 14:45 became his 33rd official Abschuss.

His machine must also have been on the receiving end in this battle as he was forced to belly-land his stricken Bf 109 "Gelbe 3" close to Kalanowka, the machine receiving 30% damage.

After Oberfeldwebel Hans Stechmann left JG 3 he became a fighter pilot instructor, and afterwards a Dornier test pilot. His total is usually quoted as 41 not including numerous unconfirmed victories, accomplished in around 400 combat missions.

The white-painted 33 Abschussbalken on the rudder represent his unofficial tally that he had reached on 8 August 1941. Note also the "Streitaxt" (battle axe) of the Gruppe on the engine cowling, partly overpainted when the "black men" painted over the yellow engine-cowling identification markings with greys.