1 engine

Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet (Interceptor)

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The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet (comet) rocket interceptor stemmed from prolonged research by Dr Alex¬ander Lippisch over 15 years before the war. The heart of Projekt X was a rocket engine developed by Hellmuth Walter. Lippisch’s task was to design a tailless aircraft to go with it. Even he was not allowed to have blueprints of the power¬plant for the airframe he was designing. The result of this clandestine effort was a tailless rocket research craft designated the DFS 194 which began flight trials with a 400 kg (882 lb) thrust liquid fuel Walter rocket motor at the Baltic coast test site of Peenernfinde in August 1940. While test pilot Heini Dittmar flew this test bed, reaching 550 kph (341.8 mph) in level flight, Lippisch and his team pressed on with the next stage of Projekt X at the Messerschmitt Werke in Augsburg. The ultimate aim was to produce a rocket powered interceptor fighter.

In the mid 1930s the German Air Ministry were supporting the work of rocket engine designer Hellmuth Walter, issuing him a contract to develop a 400 kg / 882 lb thrust motor. In the mean time, Alexanderander Lippisch had been working at the German Institute for the Study of Sailplane Flight (DFS) and was given the order to produce a second prototype of his DFS 39 tail-less aircraft to test the potential of a rocket powered airframe. The work would see DFS build the wings and Heinkel build the fuselage.

Lippisch discovered the wing mounted rudders would likely cause unacceptable flutter, so he redesigned the airframe to include a large conventional central fin and rudder. Redesignated DFS 194 it was fitted with a small propeller engine and a landing skid. A takeoff dolly was mounted under the landing skid, it being jettisoned shortly after takeoff.

Dr Lippisch and his staff were transferred to Messerschmitt’s works at Augsburg in January 1939, with the partially completed DFS 194. The decision was also made to by-pass the prop driven version and move directly to rocket power.

The completed airframe was shipped to Peenemünde West in early 1940.

Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet Article

The Comet’s wooden, plywood-covered wings are of special swept-back design with a marked wash-out of incidence towards the tip. The fuselage is of metal construction. “Elevons” which serve both as elevators and ailerons are located outboard in the wings; there are no horizontal tail surfaces.

Three development prototypes of the DFS 194 were ordered by the RLM and the first two were completed by the spring of 1941, when unpowered gliding flights began from the factory airfield. The engineless Messerschmitt Me 163 attained a top speed of 850 kph (528 mph) in a dive test.

In early 1940 the DFS 194 was equipped with a rocket motor at Peenemünde. After test flights by Heini Dittmar had confirmed speeds of up to 550km/h on the power of a single 2.94kN Walter motor, there was sufficient interest to initiate development. In 1941 the first Me 163 prototype was being tested in gliding flight and shortly after was fitted with a 7.35kN Walter RII-203 rocket motor. On 2 October 1941 Heini Dittmar cast off from a Messerschmitt Bf 110 tow-plane at 4000 m (13,125 ft), fired the Me 163V-1’s rocket motor and accelerated rapidly reached 1004.5 kph (623.8mph); two months later the Me163B Komet was ordered into production.

Speeds of up to 915km/h were achieved (limited by the volume of liquid propellants carried) and to gain some idea of the speed potential, this aircraft was towed to a high altitude before being released. Flown under power, a speed of over 1,000km/h was attained before the engine had to be throttled back because the aircraft was becoming uncontrollable.

This success saw the development of the first production prototype, now designated Me 163. Flight testing began in the Spring of 1941. These were a series of unpowered flights before the Me 163 V1 was shipped to Peenemünde for installation of the improved Walter RII-203 engine.

On 2 October 1941, the Me 163 V1 piloted by Heini Dittmar set a new world speed record of 1004.5 kph / 623.8 mph. After this performance, the RLM instructed Lippisch to design an improved version around a more powerful motor under development. The resulted in the Me 163B. The first prototype, the Me 163 V3, was completed in April 1942, but it was not until early autumn that the first Walter 109-509A motors were ready for installation.

Plans proceeded during 1943 to equip the first operational units with the Me 163B-1a. Production Me 163Bs were po¬wered by Walter 109 509A2 rocket motors using T Stoff (hydrogen peroxide) and C Stoff (hydrazine hydrate, methyl alcohol and water) to give a thrust of 1700 kg (3,748 lb).

The new motor employed a ‘hot’ system in which the oxygen was ignited for additional thrust and better fuel efficiency. Flight testing of the first series of Me 163B-0 pre-production aircraft proceeded throughout 1942.

The fuselage of the Komet was made of metal but its wing was of wooden construction. The leading edge of the wing featured long slats in front of the elevons. Early Me 163B 0 aircraft were armed with a pair of 20 mm guns, but Me 163B 1 fighters carried two 30 mm weapons. The aircraft possessed no conventional landing gear, but took off from a trolley, which was jettisoned immediately after take off and at the end of the flight the Komet was landed on the skid. The small propeller on the nose served to drive a generator which supplied electrical power for the radio and instruments. Armour includes a nose cone constructed of 15-mm plate.

Laminated bullet-resisting glass gives the pilot added protection from frontal attack. Two triangular plates comprise the side cockpit armor. No provision is made for defense against attack from the rear except the plane’s high speed.

The production Me 163B’s 1500 kg (3307 1b) thrust Walter HWK 109-509 rocket motor was fuelled with a highly volatile mixture of C stoff (methyl alcohol, hydrazine hydrate and water) and T stoff (hydrogen peroxide with additional hydrocarbon stabilizers) which would explode at the least provocation. The Komet carried more than 2000 kg (4409 lb) of fuel and climbed to 12,000 m (39,370 ft) in 3 minutes 30 seconds. The Walter HWK 109-509A rocket motor made use of a steam generator that used calcium permanganate as a catalyst to produce steam when a small amount of T-Stoff was added via an electric starter motor, the resulting steam starting the turbine to begin pumping the two fuels to the rocket motor. The starter motor was switched off, and the rocket motor was throttled through its five positions until it reached maximum thrust.

Messerschmitt Me 163 B-1 Komet

After rocket¬ing high, the Komet pilots would use their remaining fuel to dive at high speed through the ranks of bombers firing on them with the Me 163B’s two 20mm MG 151/120 or 30 mm MK 108 cannon, or with the SG 500 Yagdfaust (hunter’s fist) 50 mm (1.97 in) weapon system, which fired shells vertically upwards from the top surface of the Komet’s wing when a bomber’s shadow triggered its photo electric cell firing circuit.

Series production began at dispersed facilities by Klemm, but was later transferred to Junkers, as a result of quality control problems. An operational training unit, Erprobungskommando 16 (EK 16) was formed during July 1943 at Peenemünde West, but moved to Bad Zwischenahn before the first group of pilot trainees arrived. The unit received its first group of 36 pilot trainees in the summer of 1943 and by May 1944 the first operational Me 163 wing, Jagdgeschwader 400 (JG 400) was created under the command of Hauptmann Wolfgang Späte. The unit was ordered to defend the synthetic oil refineries at Leuna from its base at Brandis, near Merseburg. The same day several Me 163s over Wesermude attacked a formation of B-17s of the 3rd Air Division and shot down one. P-38 escorts of 479th FG tried in vain to intercept the fighters.

Two additional units fighter groups, II and III/JG 400 were formed before the end of the war, but only saw limited combat against single aircraft.

On 28 July 1944 the Luftwaffe deployed for the first time the Me 163B fighter. Seven Comets were flown by JG400, which had been formed in Wittmundhafen out of the 16th Test Unit.. JG400 was assigned to protect the synthetic fuel plants. That day the US 359th Mustang Fighter Group saw five Me 163s over Merseburg. “They cooly carried out a number of attacks on our unit”.

The same day several Me 163s over Wesermüde attacked a formation of B-17s of the 3rd Air Division and shot down one. P-38 escorts of 479th FG tried in vain to intercept the fighters.

JG 400 made interceptions of Allied bombers on 7th and 28th of July 1944, without success, but on 16 August Fw Siegfried Schubert scored the types first success. He scored three victories before his death in that October. The only other major USAAF interceptions were on 24 August (4 B-17s shot down by 1 Gruppe), 11th September, and 2nd November.

Although the aircraft’s two 30mm MK 108 cannons were capable of downing a four engined bomber with only a few hits, the Komet’s high speed, and the cannons’ slow rate of fire and short range, made effective gunnery nearly impossible. As a result, the Me 163 pilots recorded a total of only nine confirmed kills. (Schubert 3 kills, Kelb, Schiebeler, Ryll, Strasnicky, Glogner, & Bott one each). After completing an attack, the pilot had to glide back to base as the fighter only carried enough fuel for eight minutes of powered flight.

In response to combat reports, alternative weapons were including the SG 500 recoilless ‘Jägerfaust’. Five were mounted in either wing and fired by photocell trigger as the aircraft passed below.

Further combat sorties were curtailed by order by the end of 1944 due to pilot losses as high as 30%. On 14 April 1945, the remaining aircraft at Brandis were destroyed and the remaining personnel ordered to join the army. The official order to disband 1./ and II./JG 400 was issued on 20 April 1945.

An improved variant with greater endurance and a tricycle undercarriage, the Me 163 C was also produced in small numbers, but was not flown operationally. A few examples of a two seat trainer, the Me 163 S were also completed. The slightly larger Me 163C development – with aerodynamic refinements, pressurised cockpit and blister-type canopy, and more powerful Walter 109-509C rocket motor and auxiliary cruising jet – was built only in prototype and pre-production form. It did not enter service, although it was almost ready for delivery to Luftwaffe squadrons at the time of the German surrender. With this version, endurance was increased from eight-ten minutes to twelve minutes of powered flight. It was faster by 40 mph, weighing 11,280 pounds.

The Me 163D was developed in to the Me 263. The aircraft was briefly known as the Junkers Ju 248 V1.

Produced in only small numbers, about 360 examples were completed.

Official top speed of the Comet, contrary to Messerschmitt’s statement, is 550 mph at 20,000 feet and above. Armament consists of two 30-mm cannon, one in each wing root, firing a total of 120 rounds. Normal flying weight of the 163 is 9,500 pounds; wing span is just over 30 feet, length, slightly under 20.

The fuels in the Komet were highly corrosive and would dissolve organic material (such as the pilot). To avoid this, the pilots would wear special asbestos fibre suits. A bumpy landing sometimes caused unburned fuels to mix and ignite.

Replica:
Kurtz Me 163B

Gallery

Me 163B Komet
Wing span: 30 ft 7 in (9.32 m)
Length: 18 ft 8 in (5.69 m)
Engines: 1 x Walter, 3300 lb
Max TO wt: 9042 lb (4110 kg)
Max level speed: 596 mph ( 960 kph)

Me 163B-la
Powerplant; 1 Walter HWK 509A-1 (or A-2), 3,748lb (1700kg) thrust
Fuel; C-stoff: 57% methyl alcohol, 30% hydrazine hydrate, 13% water – T-stoff: 80% hydrogen peroxide, 20% stabilisers
Max. speed: 559mph sea level to 39,400ft (12,000m)
Service Ceiling; 39,400ft (12,000m)
Climb: 1.48 minutes to 6,600ft (2,000m)
Climb: 2.02 minutes to 13,100ft (4,000m)
Climb: 2.27 minutes to 19,700ft (6,000m)
Climb: 3.45 minutes to 39,400ft (1 2,000m)
Endurance; 7min 30sec
Range; Approx 80 miles (130km)
Empty weight: 4,1901b (1900kg)
Max takeoff weight: 9,0521b (4310kg)
Wing span: 30ft 7in (9.40m)
Length: 19ft 2in (5.85m)
Height: 9ft (2.75m) on takeoff dolly
Wing area: 199.1 square feet (18.5sq.m)
Armament Two 30mm Rheinmetall – Borsig MK 108 cannon / 60 rpg

Messerschmitt Bf 163 (Recon)

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Bf.163 (model)

During the autumn of 1935, the considerable potential of the Fieseler Fi 156 project for the tasks of short range reconnaissance and aerial observation had prompted the RLM to draw up a requirement for an army co-operation and observation aircraft with its performance parameters. The requirement stipulated the use of the Argus As 10 or the Hirth HM 508 engine and placed emphasis on short field performance, maximum possible all-round view for the two crew members, and a wide range of speed. It was intended that the resultant aircraft, which the Siebel Si 201 was also designed to compete for, would be evaluated in competition with the Fi 156.

The Bf 163 followed closely the formula established by the Fi 156 in being a high-wing braced monoplane with a metal structure, automatic leading edge wing slots, double slotted flaps, and an exceptionally tall undercarriage. The aircraft’s most interesting feature was the provision for varying the incidence of the entire wing which swivelled on its mainspar, the bracing struts being attached to the fuselage by ball joints and changing their angle with movement of the wing. Construction of the sole prototype was entrusted to Weserflug Flugzeugbau GmbH, Bremen Lemwerder, though it retained the RLM prefix for BFW (Bf).

The plane normally carried a crew of two (three in an emergency). Its wings were foldable for rail transport. The structural design of the plane resembled that of the Bf 108 Taifun, in particular, as regards fuselage construction, engine mount and cowl, shape of horizontal tail surfaces etc.

Most information has been lost in time, but a weight breakdown table, originating from the Augsburg design office, proved extremely valuable in that it provided a clear picture of the equipment carried by the plane and of the weights of the various components, thus permitting a rough estimate of their dimensions. The list also proved of great value in a later phase of the reconstruction, when wing and landing gear positions were established by calculating the approximate centre of gravity location.

The next “find” was a couple of more precise dimensional figures (wing span and area). As the shape of the wing was known to have been rectangular, it was now a simple matter to provisionally establish the overall wing dimensions. With the length of the Argus As 10 C engine known, the overall length of the fuselage could be roughly determined.

Various people had mentioned the incidence control system, but nobody seemed to remember clear¬ly just how it had worked and where the linkage had been at¬tached to wing and fuselage.

Questioning the pilot who had been in charge of testing the Bf 163 led to the dis¬covery of the plane’s registration, which in turn, enabled H. J. Ebert to identify the a/c in the back¬ground of two snapshots of the old Messerschmitt Archives. Un¬fortunately, the two photos were rather foggy and showed only part of the plane. Yet they supplied a wealth of most welcome informa¬tion, in particular, about the verti¬cal position of the tailplane and the true shape of fin and rudder.

H. J. Ebert found an elementary ¬view of a “Fieseler Storch like plane” in a 1944 issue of “Luft¬fahrt & Schule”. It depicted what must have been an early design sketch of the Bf 163, clearly showing the latter’s unique wing incidence control system, the posi¬tion of the main wing strut, the peculiar semi cantilever landing gear, but a different fuselage contour.

A report titled “A comparison of the amount of riveting opera¬tions for various aircraft types” detected shortly afterwards in the old WFG archives contained a diminutive schematic drawing: the basic outline of the outer panel of the Bf 163 wing. Using the data contained in this report (list of numbers of rivets, wing , slot and flap ribs etc.), it was now possible to re establish the structural design of the outer wing panels and using the available other wing data that of the entire wing.

First flown on 19 February 1938, the Bf 163 V1 proved to have similar performance characteristics to those of the Fi 156 but was more complex and expensive. Although some components for a second prototype were manufactured, the Bf 163 V2 was not completed and further work on the Bf 163 was terminated in favor of the Fieseler Fi 156.

The Ilmavoimat / Maavoimat evaluated the Bf 163 but considered that as the Germans had already ordered the Fi 156 Storch into production, while the Bf 163 was a good aircraft it was so similar in performance and capabilities to the Fi 156 that it probably wasn’t going anywhere. It remained under consideration but as an unlikely fallback option, given that Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) was unlikely to produce the aircraft only to meet a small Finnish order. License production was contemplated.

In a very rare decision, the RLM issued the airframe designation number 8-163 for the Me 163 Komet rocket-propelled interceptor, after having used the number for the Bf 163. The two aircraft are distinguished by the abbreviation: the earlier Bf 163, and the later Me 163. The new “Me” prefix was adopted for all new designs of Messerschmitt aircraft, after the company’s official name of Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) was changed to Messerschmitt AG in July of 1938.

With a Crew of 2, the Messerschmidt Bf 163 was powered by a single Argus As 10C 8-cylinder inverted-vee air cooled engine, 179 kW (240 hp) and had a maximum speed of 112mph. Performance characteristics overall were very similar to the Fi 156.

Engine: Argus As 10 C

Messerschmitt Me 109 / Bf 109 / Avia S-199 Mezek / C.10 / C.110 / C.210 / Hispano HA-1109 Buchon / HA-1110 Buchon / CASA HA1112

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Me.109G-10

Design of the Bf 109 was initiated by Bayerische Flugzeugwerke in late 1933, following issue by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) of a specification for a monoplane fighter to replace the Arado Ar 68 and Heinkel He 51 in Luftwaffe service. The need was not then urgent, but the RLM believed that by competitive evaluation and with reasonable time available for development, they would have a worthwhile fighter when the moment came for it to enter operational service. Submissions were made by Arado, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, Focke-Wulf and Heinkel: those of the second and last companies were selected for construction and evaluation, with each initially to build ten examples.

Messerschmitt Me 109 Article

Heinkel’s He 112 was the first to fly (in the summer of 1935) but it was the Bf 109 that was to be built in very large numbers. Both of these prototypes made their first flight under the power of a 695 hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel in-line engine, as the Junkers Jumo 210 in-line engine – around which both had been designed- was not available in time. Using the Me 108 airframe as the basis for the design; the wings, undercarriage, rear fuselage and tail of the new Me 109 fighter were the same as in the Me108. The prototype, powered by a Roll-Royce Kestrel, first flew in May 1935, piloted by Haus Knoetzsch, from the factory airfield between Ausburg and Haunstettem.

The second and third prototypes were completed with the intended Jumo 210A rated at 680 hp for takeoff.

Follow-on prototypes utilized several other engines until settling on the Daimler-Benz inverted-V, liquid-cooled engine that powered subsequent airframes throughout its wartime production.

The new fighter’s first public demonstration took place at the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin, but the plane’s first real impact on the aviation world came during the international flying meet held in Zurich in the summer of 1937. Five Bf 109s took part and demonstrated outstanding climbing, diving, and maneuverability, along with astonishing speed.

Bf 109

The initial example of the first production model, the Bf 109B, left the Ausburg-Haunstetten assembly line in February 1937 enabling Geschwader JG 132 Richthofen conversion to begin almost immediately at Juterborg-Damm.

Bf.109B

In March twenty-four Bf 109Bs were shipped direct from the factory to the Tablada airfield, Seville, Spain, for use by the Condor Legion. 2 Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88 achieved operational status by late April 1937. Bf 109B-2 and variants of the Bf 109C were flown by the Condor Legion in the Spanish Civil War.

A single-seat fighter of all-metal construction, the Bf 109 was a cantilever low-wing monoplane, the wing having automatic leading-edge slots, large slotted trailing-edge flaps, and ailerons which drooped when the flaps were right down. The main landing-gear units were retractable but most versions had a non-retractable tailwheel. The tail unit was conventional, but the tailplane was braced by struts until a tailplane of cantilever structure was introduced with the Bf 109F.

First production version to enter service with the Luftwaffe was the Bf 109B-1 powered by a 635 hp / 473.2kW Jumo 210D engine, followed by the 109B-2 with a 477kW Jumo 210E and later with a 499kW Jumo 210G. Armament of the Bf.109B 1was three machine guns.

Series manufacture of the Bf 109B gave way to the successively improved Bf 109C and D, but these retained the Jumo engine. Design emphasis was now being placed on the Bf 109E with the new Daimler-Benz engine.

On 11 November 1937 Bf 109 V13, fitted with a specially-boosted Daimler-Benz DB 601 engine, raised the world airspeed record for landplanes to 379.38 mph / 610.53 kph.

The first series Bf 109E began the leave the assembly lines at the beginning of 1939, all production of the fighter by the parent company having been transferred to Regensburg. The Erla Maschinenwerk at Leipzig and the Gerhard Fieseler Wetke at Kassel had become the principle suppliers of the Bf 109 and the Wiener-Neustädter-Flugzeugwerke in Austria was preparing for large scale manufacture of the fighter. The DB 601A engine of the Bf 109E had received final clearance for service use late in 1938 and, in addition to being built by the Daimler-Benz plants at Genshagen and Marienfelde, this was being produced by the Henschel Flugmotorenbau at Altenbauna and the Niedersachsische subsidiary of the Büssing-Werke of Braunschweig.

The direct injection enabled the Messerschmitt to out-dive its opponents, reduced fuel consumption, and afforded better results from relatively low octane fuel. The DB 601A was rated at 1175 hp for take-off.

The Bf 109E retained the 40-mile (65 km) range FuG 7 R/T equipment of the earlier versions along with the Carl Zeiss C/12C reflector sight, and armament of the initial Bf 109E-1 comprised four 7.9mm Rheinmetall Borsig MG 17 machine guns. It had been decided to standardise on the more lethal if slower firing 20 mm MG FF cannon as a wing-mounted weapon as supply allowed.

The Bf 109E-3 followed the E-1, retaining the twin fuselage-mounted synchronised MG 17 machine guns with 1000 rounds per gun and mating them with two MG FF cannon, each with 60 rounds. No armour for the pilot or fuel tanks was provided, nor bullet-proof windscreen.

Bf 109E-3 – September 1940

Bf 109 production barely exceeded 400 in 1938 whereas 1092 of the E-model were built between 1 January and 1 September 1939. At the invasion of Poland 1056 Bf 109s were on strength, of which 946 were serviceable.

On Sunday 8 October 1939 at around 3.00pm two French fliers named Villey and Casenobe shot down one Messerschmitt 109 each near Landau, during an aerial combat between 5 Curtiss Hawks of the French ‘Red Devil’ Squadron (4 Sqn 2nd Fighter Group), and for Me 109s. These were the first French kills of the war.

Three Bf.109E were sold to Japan in 1942, coded ‘Mike’ by American Intelligence

Incorporated into the 109E were a cockpit of revised design and embodying heavier framing together with 8mm seat armour weighing 53 lb / 24 kg and a curved plate attached to the hinged canopy weighing 28.6 lb / 13 kg. The fire rate of the MG FF was being improved and was to be introduced by the E-4 which rapidly replace the E-3 during the summer and autumn of 1940.

Bf 109E

The 109D was followed into service by the Bf 109E with 820kW DB 601A engine. In addition to production for the Luftwaffe, some 300 examples of this type were exported. The Bf 109E was the principal version used in the Battle of Britain and was followed by the Bf 109F with an 894.2kW DB 601N or 969kW DB 601E engine. The Bf 109F had much cleaner aerodynamic lines, introducing the unbraced tailplane and retractable tailwheel.

Messerschmitt Bf-109E-4

The Spitfire, the Bf 109’s first major opponent, was slightly faster and definitely more maneuverable, but its performance at altitude was inferior. There was also little difference in pilot ski between the Luftwaffe and the Royal Air Force, although pilots in the RAF had the advantage of fighting over their own country, while the critical range of the Bf 1 09s limited German fighting time to about twenty minutes.

Spitfire versus Messerschmitt Bf 109

The Bf 109E 3 which formed the standard equipment of Luftwaffe squadrons in the Battle of Britain in 1940 had an 1100 hp Daimler Benz DB601A engine and was armed with one 20 mm cannon and four machine guns.

Bf109E4

The Bf.109E controls tended to heavy up as speed increased, demanding more physical effort than its British contemporaries. The absence of a trimmer necessitated continuous application of rudder at high speeds, and it suffered an incipient swing during takeoff and landing. A big advantage was its direct fuel injection.

Also licence built by Fiesler.

The Bf 109G or Gustav was first flown as a type in 1944, with the G-10 having an enlarged supercharger to enable it to be used as a high altitude fighter in defence of the Reich. With a service ceiling of 41,000 feet, the Gustav G-10 was also the fastest of the series with 426 mph at 24,000 feet. Armament was one 30mm cannon and two 13mm machine guns, all in the nose. Modified around the 1475 hp DB605 engine, the Gustav also introduced cockpit pressurisation, crucial from late 1942 onwards as the fighter Gruppen struggled to repel high altitude USAAF daylight bomber raids. The Bf109 was the most abundantly produced fighter manufactured by either side in the 1939-45 war. When German production stopped, the G series of the Bf 109 was produced in far greater numbers than any other model, 21,000 being completed by the end of 1944. This machine had two MG 131 machine guns, a single 30-mm MK 108 cannon firing through the spinner, and sometimes carried two underwing MG 151/20 weapons.

Messerschmitt Me.109G Gustav Article

Messerschmitt BF109 G6

Postwar Spain continued licence manufacture of the Gustav as the Merlin engined Hispano 1112M Buchon.

A significant quantity of Bf 109G 1s and G2s were assembled by IAR at Brasov from main parts supplied by the Germans. These fighters received white serial numbers on their fin in the ‘White’ 200 series. The next sub version assembled at IAR was the Ga 4, a total of 15 being finished up to the factory being dispersed in the summer of 1944 due to Allied bombings. The first one was rolled out in April 1944. The Ga 6 was the next sub version to be manufactured at IAR-¬Brasov. The first one, ‘Black’ 316, was test flown only in early February 1945. Nevertheless, none of the IAR manufactured Bf 109Ga 6s saw action during World War Two.

The mainstay of the Luftwaffe’s fighter arm, over 30,000 were built of the Gustav variant alone between 1941 and 1945. It has been estimated that about 35,000 Bf/Me 109 were built between 1937 and 1945.

Last versions to see limited use were the increased-span Bf 109H and a refined version of the Bf 109G, designated Bf 109K. And right at the end of the war final German deliveries amounted to 19 examples of the Bf 109K-4 with more power and armament as well as a pressurised cockpit.

Production of the Bf 109 continued in Czechoslovakia and Spain during early post-war years, and some Czech-built S-99 were used in a training role until 1957.

Nazi Germany saw the Spanish Civil War as an ideal conflict in which to test its renascent forces and their new weapons, and therefore supported the ideologically allied Nationalists with small but high-quality forces. The air component was the Legion Condor, which began to arrive in November 1936 and included as its fighter element Jagdgruppe 88, initially comprising three Staffeln with He 518 biplanes. In January 1937 three Bf 109B prototypes were trialled in Spain, their success prompting the despatch from March 1937 of the first 24 of an eventual 45 Bf 109B-2s for service with 1. and 2.J/88 as well as the Nationalists’ 5-G-5. This immature fighter proved generally superior to all its opponents, and Bf 109s notched up J/88’s 100th ‘kill’ in January 1938, more than tripling this score by the time the Germans pulled out of the war in March 1939 after gaining invaluable tactical experience.

In the mid-war years, Germany bolstered the Italian air force with numbers of fairly advanced fighters. The initial deliveries comprised sufficient Bf 109F fighter-bombers (in F-4/B and F-4/R1 variants). Further reinforcement was necessary in 1944: the Italians thus received the upengined and upgunned Bf 109G model in the form of 28 G-6, 97 G-10 and four G-12 variants. As a bomber interceptor the Bf 109G 6 was armed with two MG 131 machine guns, a single MK 108 30 mm. cannon firing through the propeller shaft and two MG 151/20 under wing guns.

“Mistletoe” aircraft (officially codename “Beethoven”), also known as father-and-son or piggy-back aircraft, were composite aircraft, made up of two planes, one riding on the other’s back. There were two basic types of Mistletoe. Both used a pilotless Ju.88 bomber as the bottom plane; it carried a 3.5 ton explosive warhead and was guided to the target by a fighter pilot on top. The guide plane was either a Me.109 (as the S-1 Mistletoe), or a Fw-190 (as the S-2 Mistletoe), which would abandon the Ju.88 shortly before it exploded. The Mistletoe composite aircraft were tested at Nordhausen and Peenemünde at the beginning of 1944. On the night of 24-25 June 1944, five S-1 Mistletoes were first used operationally. Approximately 250 Ju.88 were converted to Mistletoes.

HA-1109

In 1943 Hispano received a contract to build the Messerschmitt Bf 109G under license for the Spanish Air Force. Designated Hispano HA-1109, it was powered initially by a Hispano-Suiza HS-12Z engine and later, in HA-1109/1110 Buchon variants, by the Rolls-Royce Merlin.

Although 233 single seat fighters were built, only two dual-control two seat trainers were built. The first was powered by the Hispano-Suiza 12Z and designated HA-1110-K1L.

CASA of Spain built the RR Merlin powered Messerchmitt 109 as the HA1112. The second two-seater was built with a Merlin 500 engine and designated HA-1112-M4L. The HA-1110-K1L was eventually converted to an HA-1112-M4L.

1954 Hispano Aviation HA-1112-M4L G-AWHC

A number of Buchóns were deployed to Spanish Sahara (1957-58) to battle Moroccan insurgents and their allies. The Buchóns were primarily tasked with giving close air support to army units on the ground. During the battle, the HA-1112 earned the distinction of being the last member of the Bf-109 family to participate in actual battle.

Buchóns stared in iconic movies such as:
“Der Stern von Afrika” (The Star of Africa) A German film from 1957 focusing on the Luftwaffe ace, Hans-Joachim Marseille.
“Battle of Britain” The legendary British film from 1968 features many Buchóns filling the Bf-109 role.
“Memphis Belle” The 1990 American film about the Boeing B-17 bomber of the same name.
“The Tuskegee Airmen” A 1995 American film about the famous fighter group of all African American pilots in WWII.
“Dark Blue World” A Czech film from 2001 about Czechoslovakian pilots in the RAF during WWII.

HA1112
Avia S-199

In Czechoslovakia, Avia produced the Messerschmitt 109 as the Avia S-199 Mezek.

Avia S.199 Article

AVIA C.210

The AVIA C.210 single-seat fighter was built during the early post-war year by the former Avia factory for the Czech Air Force. Derived from the Daimler-Benz powered Me 109G-14 and comparable with the Me 109K-18, the C.210 was powered by a 1340 hp Junkers Jumo 211F engine. The Me 109G-14 was built in Czechoslovakia as the C.10 and, in two-seat trainer form, as the C.110. A number of C.210 were exported to Israel.

Messerschmitt Bf 109 / Me 109 Restoration News

Gallery

Replicas
Loehle KW-909
Peak Aerospace Me 109

Specifications:

Bf 109B

Bf.109B 1
Engine: 635 hp Jumo 210D.
Armament: 3 x machine guns.

Bf 109B-2
Span: 9.87m (32tt4.5in)
Length: 8.55m (28ft 0.7 in)
Powerplant: l x Junkers Jumo 2l0Da, 537kW (720 hp)
Armament: 3 x 7.92-mm (0.312-in) mg
Max T/O weight: 2150 kg (4,740 lb)
Max speed: 289 mph at 13,125ft
Operational range: 430 miles.

Bf.109C
Engine: Junkers Jumo 210

Bf.109D
Engine: DB 600

Bf.109E
Engine Daimler Benz DB 601A, 1,100 h.p.
Wing span 32.3 ft. (9.84 m.)
Length 28.5 ft. (8.68 m.)
Normal take-off weight: 5875 lb / 2665 kg
Weight empty 4,420 lb. (2,005 kg.)
Fuel capacity: 88 ImpG / 400 lt
Max speed SL: 290 mph / 466 kph
Max speed 6560ft/2000m: 322 mph / 518 kph
Max speed 14,560ft/4449m: 348 mph / 560 kph
Ceiling 36,000 ft. (11,000 m)
ROC: 3280 fpm / 1000 m at 5400 lb / 2450 kg
Time to 9840 ft / 3000m: 3.6 min
Endurance: 1.1 hr at max continuous pwr, 19685 ft / 6000 m
Range cruise: 410 mi / 660 km at 233 mph / 375 kph at 22,965 ft / 7000 m
Seats: pilot.
Armament: 3 x 20 mm cannon and 2 x 7.9 mm mg

B.109E-0
Pre-production variant
Engine: DB 601A, 1100 hp / 820 kW
Armament: 4 x 7.92mm / 0.312 mg

Me 109 E-1
Production variant
Engine: Daimler-Benz 601Aa, 1085 hp
Length: 28.543 ft / 8.7 m
Height: 11.253 ft / 3.43 m
Wingspan: 32.48 ft / 9.9 m
Wing area: 176.530 sqft / 16.400 sq.m
Max take-off weight: 5699.9 lb / 2585.0 kg
Weight empty: 4090.3 lb / 1855.0 kg
Max weight carried: 1609.7 lb / 730.0 kg
Max speed: 308 kts / 570 km/h
Initial climb rate: 2755.91 ft/min / 14.00 m/s
Service ceiling: 33136 ft / 10100 m
Wing load: 32.39 lb/sq.ft / 158.00 kg/sq.m
Range: 324 nm / 600 km
Endurance: 2 h
Crew: 1
Armament: 2x MG 17 7,9mm; 2x MG FF 20mm;1x MFG FF 20mm

Bf.109E-1B
Fighter/Bomber

Bf 109E-3
Engine: Daimler-Benz DB 601Aa, 1175 hp / 876 kW
Wingspan: 32 ft 4.5 in / 9.87 m
Length: 28 ft 4.5 in / 8.64 m
Height: 8 ft 2.25 in / 2.50 m
Wing area: 174.05 sq.ft / 16.17 sq.m
Empty wt: 4189 lb / 1900 kg
MTOW: 5875 lb / 2665 kg
Max speed: 348 mph / 560 kph at 14,560 ft / 4440 m
Time to 3290 ft / 1000m: 1 min 6 sec
Service ceiling: 34,450 ft / 10,500 m
Range: 410 mi / 660 km
Armament: 2 or 3 x 20mm cannon, 2 x 7.92 mm (.312 in) mg
Seats: 1

Bf.109E-4
Armament: 2 x 7.92mm / 0.312 mg, 2 x 20 mm cannon

Bf.109E-4/B
Fighter/Bomber

Bf.109E-5
Reconnaissance fighter
Engine: DB 601Aa

Bf.109E-6
Reconnaissance fighter
Engine: DB 601N, 1200 hp / 895 kW

Bf.109E-8
Engine: DB 601E, 1350 hp / 1007 kW

Bf.109E-9
Reconnaissance fighter

Me 109F-3
Engines: 1 x Daimler Benz, 1300 hp
Wing span: 32 ft 6.5 in (9.92 m)
Length: 20 ft 0.75 in (8.86 m)
Height: 11 ft 2 in (3.4 m)
Max TO wt: 6063 lb (2750 kg)
Max level speed: 391 mph / 630 kph

Bf 109F-4/B

Bf 109F-4/R1

Bf 109G
Engine: Daimler Benz DB 605A
Max speed: 387 mph (623 km/h) at 23,000 ft (7,000 m).

BF 109 G-6
Wingspan 9.92 m (32 ft. 6.5 in.)
Length 9.02 m (29 ft. 7 in.)
Height 3.4 m (11 ft. 2 in.)
Empty Weight 2,700 kg (5,953 lb)
Speed: 387 mph at 22,970 ft
Range: 450 miles
Armament: two MG 131 mg, one MK 108 30 mm. cannon firing through the propeller shaft and two MG 151/20 under wing guns.

Bf 109G-6
Engine: 1 x Daimler Benz DB 605AM, 1342kW
Max take-off weight: 3150 kg / 6945 lb
Wingspan: 9.92 m / 32 ft 7 in
Length: 9.02 m / 29 ft 7 in
Height: 3.40 m / 11 ft 2 in
Wing area: 16.05 sq.m / 172.76 sq ft
Max. speed: 621 km/h / 386 mph
Ceiling: 11750 m / 38550 ft
Range: 720 km / 447 miles
Armament: 2 x 13mm machine-guns, 3 x 20mm cannons
Crew: 1

Bf 109G-10
Engine: Daimler-Benz DB605D.

Bf 109G-12

Bf 109K-4
Powerplant: l x Daimler-Benz DB605ASCM, 1491 kW (2,000 hp)
Span: 9.97m (32ft 8.5in)
Length: 8.85m (29ft 0.5 in)
Armament: 1 x 30-mm and 2 x 15-mm cannon
Max TO weight: 3600 kg (7,937 lb)
Max speed: 452 mph at 19,685ft.
Operational range: 366 miles.

Hispano HA-1112-M1L Buchon
Engine: Rolls-Royce Merlin 500-45, 1400 hp
Wingspan: 32 ft 6.5 in
Wing area: 172.2 sq.ft
Length: 29 ft 10.5 in
Height: 8 ft 6 in
Empty weight: 5855 lb
MTOW: 7011 lb
Max speed: 419 mph at 13,000 ft
Max ROC: 5580 ft/min
Range: 475 mi
Armament: 2 x 20 mm cannon
Bombload: 8 x 22 lb rockets

Avia C.210
Engine: 1340 hp Junkers Jumo 211F
Max speed: 432 mph
Range: 350 mi
Normal loaded weight: 7800 lb
Wingspan: 32 ft 6.5 in
Length: 29 ft 6 in
Height: 12 ft

Messerschmitt Bf 109

Messerschmitt M37 / Bf 108 Taifun / Nord 1000 / 1001 / 1002 Pingouin

TerryLeave a comment

In 1934 Messerschmitt designed the M37, later to become the Bf 108 Taifun, for the German team taking part in the 1934 Challenge de Tourisme International. The original design was for a light tourist two-seater, and even though the Challenge was not a great success for the Bf 108, as the best German pilot Theo Osterkamp only came in fifth, the RLM still ordered thirty-two Bf 108s.

Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun Article

The M 37 prototype flew first in spring 1934 powered by a 250 PS (247 hp, 184 kW) Hirth HM 8U inverted-V engine, which drove a three-blade propeller. It could cruise at 145 knots and was orig¬inally equipped with full span flaps and spoilers for lateral control. It featured automatic Handley Page leading edge slats, a retractable undercarriage, fully stressed skin fuselage construction and flush rivets.

Although it was outperformed by several other aircraft in the competition, the M 37’s overall performance marked it as a popular choice for record flights. Particular among these traits was its extremely low fuel consumption rate, good handling, and superb takeoff and landing characteristics. One of the first major changes made to the production variants was to adapt the fuselage for a four-seat configuration.

Production as the Bf 108 Taifun began in 1934 and the first foreign pilot who tested the Bf 108 was Charles Lindbergh.

The Bf 108A first flew in 1934, followed by the Bf 108B in 1935. The production of the improved version, the Bf 108B, was set-up in November 1935. The B version was redesigned to be a four-seater with a new 179kW Argus As 10C engine. The Bf 108B was a very modern light aircraft with an all-metal airframe, retractable undercarriage, adjustable propeller, and with excellent flight characteristics.

The military version of the Taifun was the Bf 108B-2 and was acquired by the Luftwaffe in 1939. It was widely employed during the war years by all operational Luftwaffe units as a light liaison aircraft. The nickname Taifun (German for “typhoon”) was given to her own aircraft by Elly Beinhorn, a well known German pilot, and was generally adopted.

In 1941 the Bf 108D replaced the B on the production line. An Argus As 10R engine powered the D version and included the new Argus automatically adjustable propeller and improved fuel assembly.

Production was transferred to the S.N.C.A. du Nord factory at Les Mureaux in France in 1942, where 170 Bf 108D were completed before the liberation of France in 1944. In total 626 military Taifuns, versions B-2 and D-1, were produced. At least 180 civilian or export versions, Bf 108B-0 and B- 1, were produced.

French production continued after the war where another 115 aircraft as the Nord 1000 and Nord 1002 Pengouin were manufactured. 285 were built post-war.

Nord 1002

Production of the Bf 108 amounted to 885 aircraft in total.

The Hungarian Air Force had eight Taifuns, both the Italians and Rumanians had three, the USSR bought two and Switzerland and Yugoslavia had twelve each. One aircraft was used in Chile, one or two in Japan and one was in Australia. The Bulgarian Air Force had six and at least one was in Spain. One Bf 108B-1, coded XC44, was operated by the US Embassy in Berlin. Two Bf 108B-1s were flown by the German Embassy in London but the RAF confiscated these two aircraft in 1939. After the war, one Bf 108B-2 was flown in Czechoslovakia, two in Poland, one in Denmark and one in Sweden. Some 115 Bf 108Ds (Nord 1000) were used by the French Air Force and Navy until the late 1950’s.

The Ilmavoimat / Maavoimat evaluated both the Bf108 but considered the design unsuitable for their overall requirement, correctly assessing the aircraft as a light passenger aircraft unsuitable for combat reconnaisance and without any real STOL capability.

Gallery

Bf 108B Taifun
1 x Argus As 10C, 179kW / 237 hp
Max take-off weight: 1385 kg / 3053 lb
Empty weight: 880 kg / 1940 lb
Wingspan: 10.50 m / 34 ft 5 in
Length: 8.30 m / 27 ft 3 in
Height: 2.30 m / 7 ft 7 in
Wing area: 16.40 sq.m / 176.53 sq ft
Max. speed: 300 km/h / 164 kts / 186 mph
Service ceiling: 5000 m / 16400 ft
Range: 1000 km / 540 nm / 621 miles
Endurance: 4 hr
Initial climb rate: 787.4 ft/min / 4.00 m/s
Seats: 4

Nord 1001
Engine: 240hp Renault 6Q-10, 240 hp
Span: 34ft 6in (10.51m)
Width wings folded: 10 ft 7 in
Length: 27ft 3in (8.3m)
Height: 7 ft 7 in
Max wt: 2990 lbs (1355kg)
Max speed: 186 mph (299 kmh) at 5000 ft
Cruise: 160 mph at 6000 ft
TO speed: 70 mph
Ldg speed: 65 mph
Stall: 53 mph
TO roll at 3000 lb: 950 ft
TO to 50ft: 1120 ft
Ldg rol: 750 ft
Ldg from 50 ft: 1100 ft
ROC: 1200 fpm
Ceiling: 23,500 ft
Range: 620sm (997 km)

Nord 1002
Engine: 240hp Renault 6Q-11, 240 hp

Nord 1002
Engine: 240hp Argus As 10c V8
Span: 34ft 6in (10.51m
Length: 27ft 3in (8.3m)
Max wt: 2990 lbs (1355kg)
Speed: 186mph (299 kmh)
Range: 620sm (997 km)

Messerschmitt M35

TerryLeave a comment

During 1927-33, Messerschmitt designed a series of six sport planes, the single-seat M.17 and M.19, and the two-seat M.23, M.27 M.31, and finally the M.35. With the exception of the M.23, none sold in large numbers. They were all single-engine low-wing cantilever monoplanes with open cockpits and fixed undercarriage. The M.35 kept the extended fuselage of the M.27 and combined it with an undercarriage of single leg, spatted form.

Two different engines were used. The M35a had a 112 kW (150 hp), seven-cylinder radial Siemens Sh 14a, and the M.35b a 100 kW (135 hp) four-cylinder inline inverted air-cooled Argus As 8b. The former was the shorter and faster of the two. The aircraft first flew in 1933.

The aircraft was first shown to the public and potential buyers at the 1934 Aerosalon in Geneva. In that year, Rudolf Hess won the Zugspitz trophy in a M.35. In 1934-1935, Wilhelm Stör won the German Aerobatic Championship in a M.35b, and in 1935 the women’s prize was taken by Vera von Bissing in a similar machine. Stör can be seen flying an M.35 in daring acrobatic maneuvers during the 1935 German film Wunder des Fliegens (Miracle of Flight).

Despite these successes and strong performances at other venues in the late 1930s, only 15 M.35s were built, 13 registered in Germany, one in Spain and reputedly one in Romania. Though the M.35a was faster, the M.35b was commoner; only two M.35as are definitely identified.

M.35a
Powerplant: 1 × Siemens Sh 14a, 110 kW (150 hp)
Wingspan: 11.57 m (37 ft 11.33 in)
Wing area: 17.0 m2 (183 sq ft)
Length: 7.48 m (24 ft 6 in)
Height: 2.75 m (9 ft 0 in)
Empty weight: 500 kg (1,102 lb)
Gross weight: 800 kg (1,764 lb)
Maximum speed: 230 km/h (143 mph, 124 kn)
Cruise speed: 195 km/h (122 mph, 106 kn)
Range: 700 km (435 mi, 378 nmi)
Service ceiling: 5,800 m (19,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 5.05 m/s (994 ft/min) to 1,000 m (3,200 ft)
Crew: two

Messerschmitt M20

TerryLeave a comment

Developed from the M-18, the first M20 prototype flew on February 26, 1928, and crashed on its initial flight killing the pilot Hans Hackmak. The second aircraft flew on August 3, 1928.

There were 3 models: a,b, and b2.

13 aircraft went to DLH and one to DVS. A number of crashes led Lufthansa to refuse to accept any more M20s, which resulted in the Messerschmitt company, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) going bankrupt on 1 June 1931.

Eight survivors went to the Luftwaffe as trainers, the last one crashing in 1943. One was sold to Varig in Brazil in 1937 and flew on to 1948.

M 20b
Engine: 1 x BMW-VI, 500kW
Max take-off weight: 4800 kg / 10582 lb
Wingspan: 25.5 m / 83 ft 8 in
Length: 15.9 m / 52 ft 2 in
Height: 4.2 m / 13 ft 9 in
Wing area: 65.0 sq.m / 699.65 sq ft
Max. speed: 220 km/h / 137 mph
Cruise speed: 180 km/h / 112 mph
Ceiling: 5000 m / 16400 ft
Range w/max.fuel: 1000 km / 621 miles
Crew: 2
Passengers: 8-10

Messerschmitt M19

TerryLeave a comment

Designed by Willie Messerschmitt especially for the Sachsenflug sports flying event held at the Leipzig-Mockay airfield from 30 August to 5 September 1927. Two examples were built, at least one powered with a Bristol Cherub II engine. Both aircraft won the Sachsenflug and some 60,000 Reichmarks in prize money.