The Messerschmitt Bf 109, sometimes incorrectly called the Me 109 (most often by Allied pilots and aircrew), like the North American P-51, might have been the plane that never was. Originally conceived as an interceptor, later models were developed to fulfill multiple tasks, serving as bomber, escort, fighter-bomber, day-night-all-weather fighter, ground-attack aircraft, and as reconnaissance aircraft. It was supplied to and operated by several states during World War II, and served with several countries for many years after the war. The Bf 109 was the most produced fighter aircraft in history, with a total of 33,984 airframes produced from 1936 up to April 1945. The Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (Bavarian Aircraft Company or BFW) was initially blocked from being sent contracts due to a long running feud between Willy Messerschmitt and the Secretary of State for Aviation, Erhard Milch. In order to save BFW from liquidation, Messerschmitt and his joint manager Herr Kokothanki, obtained a contract from a Romanian cartel, to develop the M-37 light transport. Protests were made against Messerschmitt's acceptance of a foreign contract, but Willy Messerschmitt argued that due to a lack of home support, he was forced to seek contracts outside of Germany. Consequently, BFW was awarded a contract for fighter development. In 1934, the German Ministry of Aviation (Reichsluftfahrtministerium, or RLM) issued specifications for a new fighter monoplane to replace the Heinkel He51 and Arado68 biplanes. It was to be equipped with at least two MG-17 7.9 millimeter machine guns, and to have the capability of utilizing the new 12-cylinder, liquid-cooled, vee-engines under development by Junkers and Daimler-Benz. The request was sent to Focke-Wulf, Arado, Heinkel and BFW. Focke-Wulf submitted the Fw 159V1, Arado the Ar80V1 and Heinkel the He 112. The Bf 109 was the winner in the trials, exceeding its nearest rival, the Heinkel He 112, by 17 mph. Only the He 112 provided any other serious competition besides the Bf 109 in the trials and ten preproduction prototypes were ordered for the Heinkel He 112 and Bf 109. Bearing in mind that the Bf 109 was to become one of the Royal Air Force's major opponents in the Second World War, it is ironic that the prototype had a 695 hp British Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine, when it made its debut in September 1935, as development of light weight aircraft military-type engines wasprohibited under the Treaty Of Versailles. In any case, Rolls-Royce was using a German built Heinkel He70 to flight test some of its latest engines at about the same time.The Bf-109V4, first flown in November 1936, powered by a Jumo 210A engine was the first version to carry three machine guns in the nose. The third gun fired through the propeller spinner, but this gun was later replaced with a 20 mm, MG FF/M cannon. The Bf 109V5, Bf 109V6 and Bf 109V7 production prototypes flew early in 1937 powered by the Jumo 210B, paralleled the development of the Bf 109B.The Jumo 210B had the same power rating as the 210A for takeoff, but allowed greater power at high altitude, and increased the service ceiling. When first 'blooded' in the Spanish Civil War, it became clear to the German Condor Legion that their Heinkel He 51 biplanes were inferior to Italian built fighters, and the Soviet Union Polikarpov 16s. Although not used in continuous service since they were prototypes, Bf-109V4, V5 and V6 were sent to Spain, and valuable front-line experience was gained to enhance further development. Meanwhile, Willy Messerschmitt was already preparing the first production Bf 109s for dispatch to Spain. The Bf109B-1 was supplied to two Gruppen (groups), the JG 132, the "Richthofen"Jagdgeschwader (fighter wing) and the 2nd Staffel (squadron) of Jagdgruppe (fighter group) 88. Bf 109B-1s arrived in April 1937, and B-2s were supplied to the 1st Staffel of J/88 in August. The B-1 featured a 680 hp Jumo 210Da engine, a Reflexvisier gunsight, and a short-range FuG 7 radio. Approximately 30 B-1s were produced before they were replaced with B-2s. The main difference was the change from a fixed wooden prop to a VDM two blade variable-pitch prop. The 3rd Staffel was supplied with Bf 109Cs and Ds in April 1938. It wasn't long before the Republican forces found out their Polikarpov I-15s and I-16s were no match for the Bf 109. A total of 136 Bf 109s had been sent to Spain, including the latest E model. Approximately 50C-series, and 650 D-series were built. The Bf 109E was the first true mass production model and was able to outfight or outrun virtually all opposition. Like the Spitfire, the Bf 109 saw action throughout the war. This version was often referred to as the Me 109, but official German documentation referred to as the Bf 109, referring to the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, although the company was reorganized as Messerschmitt A.G. in July, 1938. Bf 109V14 and V15, using the 1,050 hp (783 kW) DB 601 engine, served as development aircraft for the Bf 109E. The additional heat generated by the DB 601 engine, required a major redesign, so additional radiators were installed in the wings, and an oil cooler was installed beneath the engine. Some E models were equipped with four MG 17s, and the remai nder were equipped with two MG 17s in the fuselage and two MG FF cannons in the wing roots. Also produced was a bomber version, the Bf 109E-1/B, fitted with racks for four 50 kg (110 lb) or one 250 kg (550 lb) bombs. Additional equipment included a VDMthree blade variable-pitch prop, Revi reflector gun sight, heavier armor for pilot protection , and a FuG7 radio set. Like the Bf 109V7, fitted with a Jumo 210G fuel injected engine, the DB 601 installed on the E model was also fuel injected. This provided a greater advantage which maintained positive fuel flowduring negative-g maneuvers, as opposed to float-carbureted type engines, which often sputtered orcut-out. The Bf 109E-3 had a provision for a 20-mm MG FF cannon firing through the prop spinner,however the cannon had proved unreliable, due to overheating, and was seldom used operationally.The fact that the Bf 109 had too limited a range to be fully effective as a bomber escort, persuaded the German authorities to consider the type most useful as a defensive fighter in Europe. This was reflectedin the more refined, but relatively lightly-armed version of the fighter, the Bf 109F. Bf 109V21 and V24,using the 1,050 hp (783 kW) DB 601N engine, served as development aircraft for the Bf 109F. Gone werethe wing root guns, prompting many pilot complaints. After Helmut Wick was killed on November 28,1940, Major Walter Oesau refused to fly a Bf 109F as long as spare parts were available to keep his E-4flying. Another German veteran who disliked the reduction in armament was Major Adolph Galland,who became a General at the age of thirty, and rose to be the Inspector-General of the Fighter arm. Slightly more than 2,000 Bf 109Fs were built before being replaced by the more heavily armed Bf109G. Not until the arrival of the Bf 109G was faith in the type fully restored, and this version was built in huge numbers for a variety of roles. It was in a Bf 109G-14 that Major Erich Hartmann of the Luftwaffe reached his unrivalled total of 352 confirmed victories, although these were gained on the Eastern Frontwhere German fighters easily outclassed the early Soviet fighters. From the summer of 1942 the Bf 109Gpowered by a Daimler-Benz DB 605D producing 1,800 hp with water-methanol injection and giving aspeed of 685 km/h (428 mph), entered service in Russia and North Africa before being deployed in everyother theater. With its standard armament of a cannon and two machine guns the Bf 109G, remainedthe major version right up to the end of hostilities in May 1945. The G model served with all forces Axison the Eastern and Italian fronts, and was exported to Switzerland and Spain.Approximately 35,000 Bf 109s of all versions were produced, (nearly as many as the Ilyushin Il-2Shturmovik) but the true number cannot be determined, as parts from damaged airplanes, of bombed-out factories, were used to build other airplanes. Others were built in Czechoslovakia, and many wentinto Czech Air Force service after the war. Another post-war operator was Israel, and Bf 109s built by Hispano in Spain, as HA-1109s and HA-1112s, were still active into the seventies. With the last of them,the wheel turned full circle. Like the original prototype, they were powered by a Rolls-Royce engine -this time the Merlin.On April 26,1939, a specially prepared version, the Me 209 was fitted with greatly boosted engines,gained a series of world speed records, some of which were to remain unbeaten for 30 years. Its purpose was solely to break speed records and bore no resemblance to the Bf 109, other than the use of the Daimler Benz DB 601 engine. It flew to a new speed record of 470 mph (756 km/h) on April 26, 1939.This record was not broken until August 16 1969, with a specially modified Grumman F8F Bearcat.
The Spanish Civil War.
While
sources vary on the number and type, most agree that 130-140
Messerschmitt Bf 109’s served in Spain: approximately 4 prototypes,
40+ Berthas, 5 Claras, 35 Doras, and 44 Emils. By early 1939, when
the 109E’s arrived, the Republican opposition had nearly collapsed;
twenty of these models were left behind for Spain’s air force. Read
more at The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Spain Bf 109 pilots like
Werner Moelders and Wolfgang Schellmann distinguished
themselves in Spain. Moelders is credited with developing the
“finger four” formation, which became the standard fighter
formation
for decades. Moelders scored 14 kills in Spain, the top German ace
of that conflict. Over 200 German pilots flew with the Condor Legion,
gaining precious combat experience that would serve them well in WW2.
See the full list at Luftwaffe Aces of the Spanish Civil War.
Battle of Britain
For
three months, the Bf 109 engaged the Hurricanes and Spitfires of
the RAF in a momentous struggle for air superiority over the Great
Britain. The airplane performed as required, but the
distances from bases and the need to use the
Messerschmitt in a bomber escort role took their toll. Early on the
Bf 109 ranged freely while the Me110's shepherded the bombers,
but when the "shepherds" were mauled as badly as their flock by
the RAF wolves, the Bf 109's were called on. Downed German pilots
who parachuted safely, nonetheless, were lost for the duration as
POWs; British pilots who hit the silk promptly returned. By the end of
October 1940, the British had lost 1,149 airplanes, mostly
fighters. The Luftwaffe lost almost 1,800 aircraft, one third of
them Bf 109s. For the first time, Hitler had been checked and a few
months later he turned East, with devastating consequences.
Variants
Prototype
- Messerschmitt Bf 109 V1 : Design work on Messerschmitt Project Number P.1034 began in March 1934, just three weeks after the development contract was awarded. The basic mock-up was completed by May, and a more detailed design mock-up was ready by January 1935. The RLM designated the design as type "Bf 109”, the next available from a block of numbers assigned to BFW. The prototype Bf 109V-1 was ready in August, 1935, Like its predecessor, the Bf 108, it was a low wing, all metal construction monoplane, with flush rivets, leading edge slats, and retractable landing gear. Its single-seat cockpit had a fully enclosed canopy. While none of the developments were revolutionary in 1935, Messerschmitt first put them all together in the Bf 109. Powered by a 695 HP twelve cylinder Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine, the Bf 109V-1 first flew in September of that year. At first, the Luftwaffe pilots, from Ernst Udet on down, distrusted the aircraft. It seemed frail; its enclosed canopy was disconcerting; it had a very high wing loading; and its narrow track landing gear was prone to failure (On this last point, their concerns were well founded. Landing gear troubles plagued the 109 its entire career). But its speed and agility impressed the Luftwaffe skeptics; even Udet came around to support the plane. Even before the results of the competition were known, Messerschmitt pushed on with the second and third models. The Bf 109V-2 was powered by a 610 HP Junkers Jumo 210A but was otherwise similar to the V-1. The V-3, the third prototype, was the first Bf 109 to be armed, carrying two 7.9mm MG17 machine guns and 1000 rounds of ammunition, as called for in the RLM spec. Otherwise similar to the first two examples, its first flight was delayed until May 1936, due to teething problems with the Jumo 210A engine.
Meanwhile, the Arado and Focke-Wulfe entries had foundered on poor performance and mechanical problems, and Heinkel’s He 112 could not match Messerschmitt’s entrant. Reports of the technologically advanced British Spitfire development added to the Bf 109's favor. Throughout the 1936 trials, the BFW fighter looked better and better, prompting the RLM to order ten Bf 109s. Udet's stunning performance in a Bf 109 at the Rechlin air show confirmed the decision. In front of Generalfeldmarschall Goering and other Luftwaffe brass, Udet intercepted four He 51s in a mock air battle, "destroyed" them, and then turned on a force of bombers and "destroyed" them as well. In November 1936, the Bf 109V-4 flew. It mounted a third machine gun in the nose and otherwise resembled the V-3. With production now guaranteed, BFW finished the prototyping with two more airplanes: the Bf 109V-5 and the Bf 109V-6, both equipped with an improved Jumo 210B engine. With Nazi Germany committed to the Fascist forces in the Spanish Civil War, the Germans rushed these last three pre-production aircraft to Seville in December, 1936. Essentially, the final field-testing of the Bf 109 took place in actual combat, as the German “volunteers” of the Condor Legion immediately began flying missions.
- Bf 109B – Bertha : The RLM had ordered 30 production aircraft, designated the Bf 109B. Carrying the latest 680 HP Jumo 210D engine, a wooden two-bladed prop, and only two cowling-mounted guns (the engine-mounted gun had caused overheating), the 109B began to be delivered in February 1937. These too were promptly shipped to Spain. At low altitudes, the maneuverable Russian Polikarpov I-15s and I-16s danced around the 109s; the Condor Legion pilots quickly learned to stay at high altitudes. Back in Germany, both production and development of the design moved ahead. To augment BFW’s factories, the Fieseler Company began license-production at the end of 1937. An improved, metal, variable pitch propeller, licensed by Hamilton Standard, was used in the later Bertha’s, as the Bf 109B was nicknamed. 700 HP Jumo 210G and 210Ga engines with fuel injection and two stage superchargers, powered the next development prototypes, the Bf 109V-7 and Bf 109V-8, respectively. Significantly, the V-8 carried four 7.9mm machine guns. While still equipped with the relatively light rifle-caliber weapons, at this point the Bf 109 began to resemble the heavily armed fighters of WW2. A V-9 variant carried 20mm cannons in the wings, but they proved unreliable. The Daimler Benz powerhouse engine, the DB 600, powered four later developmental models: the V -10, V-11, V-12, and V-13. The V-13 (equipped with the DB601) set the world speed record in November 1937, at 379.38 MPH.
- Bf 109C - Clara : From March 1938, as soon as the first Claras rolled off the Augsburg assembly lines, they were rushed to Spain. Capable of 290 MPH at altitude, the Bf 109C overmatched its Soviet adversaries in Spain. The C-1 added a pair of wing-mounted 7.9mm guns, included a FuG 7 radio, and visibly increased the radiator intake. Three more experimental models the C-2, C-3, and C-4 tested other, heavier gun configurations.
- Bf 109D - Dora Daimler Benz’ state-of-the-art DB 600 series promised to be the ideal engine for the Bf 109. Not only was it powerful, but its fuel injection would not stall out during sharp aerial maneuvers, as carburetor systems could. With other programs, notably the He 111 also demanding the 600 series engines, the Bf109D, “Dora,” was an interim solution, equipped with the Jumo 210 powerplant. About 200 Doras were built, with sub variants identified with different armaments: D-1 tried the engine-mounted 20mm cannon with no more success than earlier models. D-2 reverted to four 7.9mm guns (two in the wings, two in the cowling). D-3 substituted 20mm cannon in the wings.
- Bf 109E – Emil : The first major redesign came with the E series, including the naval variant, the Bf 109T (T standing for Träger, or carrier). The Bf 109E, or "Emil", introduced a number of structural changes in order to accommodate the heavier, but significantly more powerful 1,100 PS (1,085 HP) Daimler-Benz DB601 engine, heavier armament and increased fuel capacity. Later variants of the Es introduced a fuselage bomb rack or provision for a long-range, standardized 300 litre (79 US gallon) drop-tank, and used the DB 601N engine of higher power output. The last phase of the Spanish Civil War and was the main variant from the beginning of World War II until mid-1941 when the 109F replaced it in the pure fighter role. (Eight 109Es were assembled in Switzerland in 1946 by the Dornier-Werke, using license built airframes; a ninth airframe was assembled using spare parts). The 109E first saw service with the "Condor Legion" during Willy Messerschmitt’s promising fighter finally achieved its potential with the Bf 109E variant, powered by the cutting edge DB 601A. The Emil progressed through numerous sub variants. The prototypes Bf109V-13 through Bf 109V-20 were considered as “E-0” types.The Bf 109E-1, delivered in early 1939, introduced a three-bladed, variable pitch propeller and twin underwing radiator intakes. It was very fast and arguably the best fighter in the world at that time. By later WWII standards, it was still lightly armed, with four rifle caliber machine guns, two in the cowling and two in the wings. By September 1939, when Germany attacked Poland, the Luftwaffe had almost 1,000 Bf 109’s in service, mostly “E” models. 200 took part in the Polish campaign, a third of them lost, mainly to ground fire. During the ensuing “Phony War” on the Western Front, a hapless Luftwaffe pilot set his 109E down on the wrong side of the lines. The Brits rushed the plane back to Britain for a complete evaluation; the aircraft was startlingly superior to the Hawker Hurricane under all conditions and superior to the Supermarine Spitfire at lower altitudes. Today this aircraft sits on display at the RAF Museum at Herndon. With a top speed of 350 miles per hour at altitude, the Bf 109E-3 took good advantage of the latest Daimler Benz motor, the 1200 horsepower DB 601Aa. It incorporated a stronger canopy and more cockpit armor. It upgraded the E-1’s weaponry by replacing the wing machine guns with MG-FF 20 millimeter cannons. Interestingly, the E-3 weighed under 6,000 pounds, less than half the weight of an American P-47. (Note: the Bf 109E-2 never reached production.) With an improved, softer recoil mechanism, the MG-FF/M cannon which appeared on the Bf 109E-4 distinguished the E-4 from the earlier E-3. The MG-FF/M could also fire highly effective explosive shells. The “Me 109” outclassed its opponents in the blitzkrieg against France of May 1940. Needing a fighter-bomber, Jagdbomber or Jabo, the Luftwaffe fitted some Emils with bomb racks and they effectively struck Channel shipping and land targets. Jabo modifications to the 109 were denoted with a “/B” suffix, for example, Bf 109E-1/B and Bf 109E-3/B.
- Later Bf 109E's: Several more variations of the Emil followed. The DB 601N delivered 1,200 HP at take-off and permitted a one minute burst of 1,250 HP at 15,000 feet. The Bf 109E-4/N incorporated the new engine. Two fighter-reconnaissance variants, the 109E-5 and the 109E-6, reduced their armament (and weight) and added a Rb 21/18 camera. A Jabo variant, the E-7, was the E-4/N with a center mounted bomb rack. The Bf 109E-8 and the Bf 109E-9 appeared late in 1940. Intended as a long-range fighter, the E-8 resembled the basic E-1 with a rack added for a drop tank. The E-9, another fighter-reconnaissance variant, incorporated many previous enhancements, notably the DB 601N engine. Both of these were built in small quantities, the last of 4,000 Emils. With the Luftwaffe committed to the North African campaign, "tropicalized" versions of the Bf 109E-4, -5, and -7 were introduced, with the suffix "/Trop." These modifications for desert warfare included filters over the air intakes and a desert survival kit.
- Bf 109F – Friedrich: The second major redesign during 1939–40 gave birth to the F series. The "Friedrich" saw a complete redesign of the wings, the cooling system and fuselage aerodynamics, and was powered by the 1,175 PS (1,159 HP) DB 601N (F-1, F-2) or the 1,350 PS (1,332 HP) DB 601E (F-3, F-4). Considered by many as the high-water mark of Bf 109 development, the F series abandoned the wing cannon and concentrated all armament in the forward fuselage with a pair of synchronized machine guns above and a single 15 or 20 mm Motorkanone-mount cannon behind the engine, the latter firing between the cylinder banks and through the propeller hub. This configuration was used by all subsequent variants. A handful of Bf 109Fs were used late in the Battle of Britain in 1940, but the variant only came into wide use in the first half of 1941. Early in 1940, Messerschmitt designed a major improvement to the Bf 109. The "F" model was planned to include structural and aerodynamic changes and a higher performance powerplant, the 1350 horsepower DB 601E. By tucking the radiators more tightly into the wings, the designers reduced drag and improved lift. The cowling was streamlined, the spinner enlarged, the propeller blades widened and shortened, the wingtips rounded, and the tail plane bracing struts removed. The prototype models V -21, V-22, V-23, and V-24 tested early versions of the DB 601E engine, the new wings, and other changes. Armament for the 109F standardized on two cowling mounted 7.9mm machine guns and a 20mm cannon firing through the propeller shaft. The wing guns were eliminated based on combat reports that the concentrated firepower of the fuselage guns was more effective than the converging bullet streams from the wings. As a bonus, the airplane's handling characteristics improved. Deliveries of the Bf 109F-1, still powered by the DB 601N due to delays in the 601E, began in November 1940. Shortly the Luftwaffe test units reported losses, following violent vibrations and loss of control. The removal of the tail bracing struts had caused the problem, remedied by fitting reinforcing plates in the tail plane. The Bf 109F-2, introduced in February 1941 differed from the F-1 only in an improved MG 151 15 millimeter cannon. When Operation Barbarossa began in June 1941, the Friedrich was the Luftwaffe's frontline fighter; it had a field day against obsolete Soviet planes like the Polikarpov I-16. Finally in 1942, the DB 601E was installed in the Bf 109F-3 and the Bf 109F-4. While the F-3 was otherwise like the F-2, the F-4 carried a larger caliber MG 151 20mm cannon, self-sealing fuel tanks, and better pilot armor. The F-4 was the ultimate Friedrich; it weighed 6,880 pounds, made 390 MPH at altitude, with a service ceiling of 39,400 feet. Several sub variants and modifications of the F-4 were built, notably the F-4/R6 which (at the insistence of Adolph Galland, fitted an extra pair of 20mm cannon in underwing gondolas. The plane's handling was adversely affected and they were limited to bomber interceptor roles. Another notable modification was the Bf 109F-4/Trop, which Hans Joachim Marseilles used to achieve most of his 158 victories in North Africa. About 2,200 Friedrichs were built. The concentrated firepower of the fuselage guns was more effective than the converging bullet streams from the wings. As a bonus, the airplane's handling characteristics improved. Deliveries of the Bf 109F-1, still powered by the DB 601N due to delays in the 601E, began in November 1940. Shortly the Luftwaffe test units reported losses, following violent vibrations and loss of control. The removal of the tail bracing struts had caused the problem, remedied by fitting reinforcing plates in the tail plane. The Bf 109F-2, introduced in February 1941 differed from the F-1 only in an improved MG 151 15 millimeter cannon. When Operation Barbarossa began in June 1941, the Friedrich was the Luftwaffe's frontline fighter; it had a field day against obsolete Soviet planes like the Polikarpov I-16. Finally in 1942, the DB 601E was installed in the Bf 109F-3 and the Bf 109F-4. While the F-3 was otherwise like the F-2, the F-4 carried a larger caliber MG 151 20mm cannon, self-sealing fuel tanks, and better pilot armor. The F-4 was the ultimate Friedrich; it weighed 6,880 pounds, made 390 MPH at altitude, with a service ceiling of 39,400 feet. Several subvariants and modifications of the F-4 were built, notably the F-4/R6 which (at the insistence of Adolph Galland, fitted an extra pair of 20mm cannon in underwing gondolas. The plane's handling was adversely affected and they were limited to bomber interceptor roles. Another notable modification was the Bf 109F-4/Trop, which Hans Joachim Marseilles used to achieve most of his 158 victories in North Africa.About 2,200 Friedrichs were built.
- Bf 109G – Gustav : The G series, or "Gustav", was introduced in mid-1942. Its initial variants (G-1 through G-4) differed only in minor details from the Bf 109F, most notably in the more powerful 1475 PS (1,455 HP) DB 605 engine. Odd numbered variants were built as high-altitude fighters with a pressurized cockpit and GM-1 boost, while even numbered variants were non-pressurized, air superiority fighters and fighter-bombers. Long-range photo-reconnaissance variants also existed. The later G series (G-5 through G-14) was produced in a multitude of variants, with uprated armament and provision for a number of kits of pre-packaged, generally factory- installed parts known as Umrüst-Bausätze (usually contracted to Umbau) and adding a "/U" suffix to the aircraft designation when installed. Field kits known as Rüstsätze were also available for the G-series but those did not change the aircraft designation.) By early 1944 tactical requirements resulted in the addition of MW-50 water injection boost and high-performance superchargers, boosting engine output to 1,800–2,000 PS (1,775-1,973 HP). From early 1944 a number of G-2s, G-3s, G-4s and G-6s were converted to two seat trainers, known as the G-12. An instructor's cockpit was added behind the original cockpit and both were covered by an elongated, glazed canopy. The so called Rüstsätze field modification kits and Umrüst-Bausätzefactory conversion kits were part of a system promulgated by the RLM as a whole, throughout the German military aviation industry, with each airframe type number having its own set of "/R" and/or "/U" numbered designations for such upgrade packages. Bf 109 was getting long in the tooth; the Fw 190 would equip the Luftwaffe top fighter squadrons. But there weren't enough Fw 190's, and the Messerschmitt factories were tooled up for Bf 109 production. As a stopgap, the Gustav was designed around the latest Daimler Benz engine, in this case, the 1450 horsepower DB 605A.
It also featured a pressurized cockpit for high altitude flight. The increased power and weight came at a price. The Bf 109, never easy to handle, in the "G" variant, became difficult for experts and hazardous for neophytes. The Bf 109G-1, which first rolled off the lines in March 1942, was fitted with a pressurized cockpit, an engine-mounted 20mm Mauser MG 151 cannon, a pair of cowling-mounted 7.9mm MG 17 machine guns, and a pair of small air scoops just aft of the propeller. These directly cooled the DB605 engine, which was prone to overheating. (Overheating the DB605 caused oil to seep out and over the hot engine block, and catch fire. If in the air, the pilot had to bail out.) With 24,000 Gustavs produced, the number of variants is truly bewildering, and complicated by Umruest-Bausatze (factory) and Ruestsaetze (field) modification kits. Various suffixes distinguished Gustavs equipped as long-range fighters, recon fighters, and bomber destroyers. The Luftwaffe armed them with ever larger, more numerous weapons: extra 20mm or 30mm cannon in under-wing pods, 21 cm Dodel rocket launchers, and a short-barreled MK-108 30mm cannon that fired a low-velocity, but devastating, mine shell. In the details of the Gustav variants, we can see the resource limitations of the Reich in 1944. The Bf109G-2 differed from the G-1 only in its unpressurized cockpit. Tellingly, many more of them than the G-1 were built. Other modification kits substituted wood in the tail assembly for scarce aluminum. Such an array of pods, scoops, and bulges disfigured the Gustav that it also earned the nickname “Beule,” or “Bump.” Even the awkward efforts to cram oversize rockets and cannon into the small fighter, rather than developing an appropriate airframe for such big weapons, betrayed the desperation of German aviation late in the war. The Bf 109G-6, the most numerous of the Gustavs, was the first to mount large caliber (13mm) machine guns, comparable to the 50 caliber Brownings found in most U.S. fighters. It also carried an engine-mounted 20mm cannon. Throughout the development of the Bf 109, Messerschmitt, unlike American designers, retained guns in the fuselage that fired through the propeller arc and were necessarily synchronized. U.S. fighter planes typically had guns in their wings, thus avoiding the extra hassle of synchronization gear. Like the G-2 and G-1, the G-6 and G-5 were nearly identical, except that the G-6 and G-2 omitted cockpit pressurization, and were built in larger numbers than their pressurized counterparts. GustavG 6 As further adaptations to the “G” version proliferated, the Bf 109G-10 was an attempt to standardize Gustav production and also introduce the latest DB 605D engine, a powerhouse that permitted a top speed of 429 MPH at altitude.
- Bf 109K – Konrad : The final production version of the Bf 109 was the K series, or "Kurfürst", introduced in the autumn of 1944, powered by the DB 605D engine with up to 2,000 PS (1,973 HP). Though externally akin to the late production Bf 109G series, a large number of internal changes and aerodynamic improvements were incorporated that improved its effectiveness and remedied existing flaws, keeping it competitive with the latest Allied and Soviet fighters.31a 29a The Bf 109's outstanding rate of climb was superior to all Allied adversaries including the P-51D Mustang, Spitfire Mk. XIV and Hawker Tempest Mk. V. Based on the G-10, the Bf 109K was another attempt to bring some order to the chaos of variants, sub-variants, and modification kits which was disrupting supply and maintenance. The Konrad wielded the same weapons as its forerunner, two 13mm machine guns and a 20mm cannon, and only offered some minor changes to the canopy, tailwheel, tail plane, cowling, and spinner. The first production models, the K-2 and K-4 (a pressurized version), arrived in October 1944. The K-6, a bomber destroyer, carried three 30mm cannon and two 13mm machine guns, a remarkably heavy armament. By this time the Reich was near collapse and very few K-6s or later Konrads were built. The first production models, the K-2 and K-4 (a pressurized version), arrived in October 1944. The K-6, a bomber destroyer, carried three 30mm cannon and two 13mm machine guns, a remarkably heavy armament. By this time the Reich was near collapse and very few K-6s or later Konrads were built.
- Experimental Bf 109s: In its long life, the Bf 109 served as a platform for numerous experimental and radical ideas, from skis to a twin fuselage to the bizarre “Mistel” arrangement. A carrier version, the Bf 109T, actually reached production, 40 being built. After the cancellation of the German carriers, Peter Strasser and Graf Zeppelin, the Bf 109T’s were assigned to Norway and Heligoland, where their short take-off capabilities were useful. The Bf 109H was a high altitude fighter based on the Friedrich, adding a pressurized cockpit, extended wings, and a modified engine. The “H” did not progress beyond the prototype stage. A jet version, the Bf 109TL, was considered, as was a twin fuselage design, the Bf 109Z. The “Mistel” scheme mated a Bf 109 to a worn-out, pilotless Ju 88, which was packed with explosives. The Messerschmitt pilot flew the joined aircraft to the target and released the Ju 88, a primitive cruise missile. The Germans actually used this scheme in combat, against Scapa Flow and some Leningrad bridges.
Bf 109 or Me 109? What is right: Bf 109, Bf-109, BF-109, Bf109, Me 109, Me-109, ME 109, or ME109? In 1938, during the production of the C version, Messerschmitt's global reputation has grown to the where the Air Ministry suggested changing his company's name from Bayerische Flugzeugwerke to Messerschmitt A.G. Subsequent aircraft would be identified with the "Me" prefix; those already in production, the 109, would retain the "Bf" designator. Nonetheless, many people began referring to the "Me 109," including the USAAF; contemporary air combat reports are filled with references to the "Me 109." Point In German usage at the time, "Bf 109" was correct. No dash, lower case "f," not "Me 109," and including a space between "Bf" and "109." But confusion persists to this day. Try a web search on "Messerschmitt Me 109." You'll get almost as many hits as with the proper abbreviation.
Specifications
Armament and gondola cannons
Reflecting Messerschmitt's belief in low-weight, low-drag, simple monoplanes, the armament was placed in the fuselage. This kept the wings very thin and light. Two synchronized machine guns were mounted in the cowling, firing over the top of the engine and through the propeller arc. An alternative arrangement was also designed, consisting of a single cannon firing through a blast tube between the cylinder banks of the engine, known as a Motorkanone mount in German. This was also the choice of armament layout on some contemporary monoplane fighters, such as the French Dewoitine D.520, or the American Bell P-39 Airacobra, and dated back to World War I's small run of SPAD S.XII moteur-canon, 37 mm caliber cannon-armed fighters in France.
When it was discovered in 1937 that the RAF was planning eight-gun batteries for its new Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire fighters, it was decided that the Bf 109 should be more heavily armed. The problem was that the only place available to mount additional guns was in the wings. There was only one spot available in each wing, between the wheel well and slats, and there was room for only one gun, either a 7.92 mm MG 17 machine gun, or a 20 mm MG FF or MG FF/M cannon. The first version of the 109 to have wing guns was the C-1, which had one MG 17 in each wing. To avoid redesigning the wing to accommodate large ammunition boxes and access hatches, an unusual ammunition feed was devised whereby a continuous belt holding 500 rounds was fed along chutes out to the wing tip, around a roller and then back along the wing, forward and beneath the gun breech, to the wing root where it coursed around another roller and back to the weapon. The gun barrel was placed in a long, large-diameter tube located between the spar and the leading edge. The tube channeled cooling air around the barrel and breech, exhausting out of a slot at the rear of the wing. The installation was so cramped that parts of the MG 17's breech mechanism extended into an opening created in the flap structure. The much longer and heavier MG FF had to be mounted farther along the wing in an outer bay. A large hole was cut through the spar allowing the cannon to be fitted with the ammunition feed forward of the spar, while the breech block projected rearward through the spar. A 60-round ammunition drum was placed in a space closer to the wing root causing a bulge in the underside. A small hatch was incorporated in the bulge to allow access for changing the drum. The entire weapon could be removed for servicing by removing a leading edge panel. Luftwaffe ground-crew ("black men") positioning a Bf 109 G-6 "Kanonenvogel" equipped with the Rüstsatz VI underwing gondola cannon kit. Note the slats on the leading edge of the port wing. JG 2, France, autumn of 1943. From the 109F-series onwards, guns were no longer carried inside the wings. (A noteworthy exception was Adolf Galland's field-modified Bf 109 F-2, which had a 20 mm MG FF/M installed internally in each wing.) Only some of the projected 109K-series models, such as the K-6, were designed to carry 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannons in the wings. In place of internal wing armament, additional firepower was provided through a pair of 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons installed in conformal gun pods under the wings. Although the additional armament increased the fighter's potency as a bomber destroyer, it had an adverse effect on the handling qualities, reducing its performance in fighter-versus-fighter combat and accentuating the tendency of the fighter to swing pendulum-fashion in flight. The conformal gun pods, exclusive of ammunition, weighed 135 kg (298 lb); and 135 to 145 rounds were provided per gun. The total weight, including ammunition, was 215 kg. Installation of the under-wing gun pods was a simple task that could be quickly performed by the unit's armourers, and the gun pods imposed a reduction of speed of only 8 km/h (5 mph). By comparison, the installed weight of a similar armament of two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon inside the wings of the FW 190A-4/U8 was 130 kg (287 lb), without ammunition.
POWERPLANT
Production
Total Bf 109 production was 33,984 units; Wartime production (September 1939 to May 1945) was 30,573 units. Fighter production totaled 47% of all German aircraft production, and the Bf 109 accounted for 57% of all German fighter types produced. Built prewar, from 1936 to August 1939. A total of 2,193 Bf 109 A–E were Some 865 Bf 109G derivatives were manufactured postwar under license as Czechoslovak-built Avia S-99 and S-199s, with the production ending in 1948. Production of the Spanish-built Hispano Aviación HA-1109 and HA-1112 Buchons ended in 1958. New production Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters, 1936–1945.
Operational History
The first Bf 109As saw service in the Spanish Civil War. By September 1939, the Bf 109 had become the main fighter of the Luftwaffe, replacing the biplane fighters, and was instrumental in gaining air superiority for the Wehrmacht during the Blitzkrieg. During the Battle of Britain, it was pressed into the role of escort fighter, a role for which it was not originally designed, and it was widely employed as a fighter-bomber as well as a photo-reconnaissance platform. Despite mixed results over Britain, with the introduction of the improved Bf 109F in the spring of 1941, the type again proved to be an effective fighter during the Invasion of Yugoslavia, the Battle of Crete, Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the USSR and the Siege of Malta. In 1942, it began to be partially replaced in Western Europe by a new German fighter, the Focke Wulf Fw 190, but it continued to serve in a multitude of roles on the Eastern Front and in the Defense of the Reich, as well as in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations and with Erwin Rommel's Afrikakorps. It was also supplied to several of Germany's allies, including Finland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovakia. More aerial kills were made with the Bf 109 than any other aircraft of World War II. Victories were accomplished against poorly trained and badly organized Soviet forces in 1941 during Operation Barbarossa. The Soviets lost 21,200 aircraft at this time, about half to combat. If shot Many of the aerial down, the Luftwaffe pilots might land or parachute to friendly territory and return to fight again. Later in the War, when Allied victories began to bring the fight closer, and then to German territory, bombing raids supplied plenty of targets for the Luftwaffe. This unique combination of events led to the highest-ever individual pilot victory scores. Destruction of 100 or more enemy aircraft. Thirteen of these men scored more than 200 kills, while two scored more than 300. Altogether, this group of pilots were credited with a total of nearly 15,000 kills. One hundred and five Bf 109 pilots were each credited with the Though there was no official "ace" status in theLuftwaffe (unofficially, the term Experte (expert) was used for an experienced pilot irrespective of his number of kills), using the Allied definition of pilots who scored five or more kills, there were more than 2,500 Luftwaffe fighter aces in World War II. Against the Soviets, Finnish-flown Bf 109Gs claimed a victory ratio of 25:1. Bf 109s remained in foreign service for many years after World War II. The Swiss used their Bf 109Gs well into the 1950s. The Finnish Air Force did not retire their Bf 109Gs until March 1954. Romania used its Bf 109s until 1955. The Spanish Hispanos flew even longer. Some were still in service in the late 1960s. They appeared in films (notably Battle of Britain) playing the role of Bf 109Es. Some Hispano airframes were sold to museums, which rebuilt them as Bf 109s.
Author: Luis German Dzib Aguilar
References/Bibliography
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