Q: WWII Luftwaffe numbers and symbols

[Plage]

I've some questions about the numbers and symbols on the German aircrafts of WWII especially the fighters.

Some aircrafts had just a number infront of the cross (+) while others had symbols behind it like -, +, ~, ° and so on. Is there any logic behind it like 12+~ means the 12th aircraft of the 2nd Squadron for example or was this just random? Same goes for the coloring of the numbers and symbols. Was it random or had a meaning?

Besides that if I pilot entered as number 12 did he normally kept it for the rest of his carrier or did he changed it with getting promoted, a new position or aircraft etc.?

[Clint Mitchell]

Check out this page: Here

Should explain things. Luftwaffe fighters & bombers were coded and marked differently though.

Also it was the the aircraft that was designated the number not the pilot.

Clint

[Plage]

Thank you! The page explains it quite good and I was infact looking especially for Bf 109s. I guess what they say in the summary is what got me so confused..."there were many exceptions".

One of the reasons why I got puzzled about the numbers is because for example Marseille seems to have kept his "Yellow 14" for a couple of aircrafts but that's maybe just one of these exceptions or the aircrafts maybe were direct replacements for the former flown one (?).

[Clint Mitchell]

Possibly the same sort of situation where a footballer has a certain affection for a team number on their shirt possibly superstitious reasons. I don't know for sure?

Clint

[Goodwood]

I think that, at a certain point in their careers, Luftwaffe jadgfliegers got to pick their aircraft number. The number 12 was especially popular, supposedly, as was 1.

[Plage]

Thanks for your answers.