Topic: Warbirds of WWII Part Seven: BF 109

[Chris SI]

Most numerous of German fighters

One of history's classic fighters, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was to the Luftwaffe what the Spitfire was to the Royal Air Force. Several Bf 109 versions were successfully flown before twenty-four Bf 109B-2s were in 1937 sent to join the Luftwaffe's Condor Legion in Spain. Willy Messerschmitt's combat aircraft quickly out-fought the rival Soviet Polikarpov fighter. The Bf 109E series, which first appeared in 1938, was mass-produced and in 1939-40 proved superior in performance to virtually every fighter opposed to it during the Luftwaffe's participation in the early period of German conquest.

Production of the Bf 109E series mounted so rapidly that the surplus to German requirements was exported to other countries. The Bf 109E saw continual action in the Battle of Britain but its range permitted only very little operational time over southern England. The E series extended to the E-9 and included models built as fighters, fighter-bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. The most efficient production model of the Bf 109 was the Bf 109F, the first version capable of out-manoeuvring the Spitfire V. First appearing in 1941, the Bf 109F was lined up for the Nazi invasion of Soviet Russia.

By the late summer of 1942, however, the F series had been superseded in production and service by the Bf 109G, more familiarly known as the 'Gustav'. The 'Gustav' accounted for over 70 per cent of total Bf 109 production and it saw widespread service in Russia and from early-1943, against Allied deep-penetration bomber raids over Germany. The escort-fighters, especially of the United States Eighth Air Force, dealt a severe blow to the Bf 109s in the declining circumstances of Goering's Air Force. Altogether, including post-'Gustav' versions, a wartime aircraft construction record of 35,000 Bf 109 fighters were built.

This type was extremely popular with Germany's "experten," the veteran ace pilots of the German air force. It was flown by history's leading ace, Eric Hartman, who shot down 352 Russian aircraft between 1942 and 1945, as well as such great pilots as Adolf Galland, Werner Mölders, and many others.

Specifications: Bf 109E-4
Maximum speed: 357 mph at 12,305 ft.
Operational ceiling: 36,090 ft.
Normal range: 413 miles.
Armament: two 7.9 mm MG machine-guns in upper front fuselage and one 20 mm MG FF cannon in each wing

BF 109E

BF 109F

[oldmanken]

Chris,

Any idea where the Bf-109 K model came along, and what its role was?  Also, were the various models quite different, or were they variations on the same theme (aka performance boost and such)?

[Chris SI]

The 'K' is the final version, appeared in late October of 44.

It had two priciple changes, the new 'Galand' canopy for improved visability, and the Mauser 30mm cannon in the nose. Its role was interceptor, as were all 109s.

Only a few 109Es were used for ground attack, the plane was meant for air superiority.

The big change was from the 'E' to the 'F' as seen in the pictures, the 109's wings became curved at the end, as opposed to square. This improved turn radius. Also, the two wing mounted MGs were removed, and a larger powerplant installed.

  The 'G' which was most numerous was used as a bomber destroyer, usually by strapping two extra 20mm cannons under the wings, in gun pods. This killed the planes manuverability, and the experten avoided using the extra cannon, they used the basic 20mm and two MG armament.

Each letter change was intended to improve performance, in an effort to maintain equality with western aircraft, but this was not acchived.

[Clark Kent]

The G is my least favorite version of the 109.  It went higher, if memory serves, and had a pressurized cockpit, but it's handling charcteristics were terrible compared to the F, much to the dissmay of the german aces I've read about. A great read is the book Horrido, I'd suggest it to anyone.  The K was supposed to bring back many of the characteristics lost in the G, and did, to a small extent, but by that time very few fighters relied on manueverabilit like they used to.
The greatest advantage the 109 had, AFAIK, was it's almost unbelievable climb rate- MUCH better than most anything else in the air war.  I'm sure there is an exception, but I haven't found any stats that topped off the 109's climb rate until some decent jets came along.  Also, the 109s could out dive the spits, at least for the majority of the war, because the spits engines had a nasty tendancy to kill in negative Gs or lose power.
Also, the late war spits also were not very maneuverable. They were fast, and rolled well, but that was it.  However, the 109K was faster.  Faster than the P-51D in fact.
Some say the 109 was not up to the task at the end of the war.  I personally believe the lack of success in the later variants depended on the loss of veteran pilots by that time.  The K was almost a different plane altogether, but it seemed to have the punch it needed to be successful, just not the manpower.

[Chris SI]

The Spitfire is next, BTW.

On the 109, she had fuel injection, which allied fighters lacked, which is why the engine didn't stall in a dive.