Messerschmitt Bf 109 light fighter

Until the 1960s the Spanish military aviation had in production a piston-engine fighter aircraft built by Hispano Aviation; that one was the last descendant of one of the best fighter aircraft used during the Second World War: the Messerschmitt Bf 109. And however, when it was born in 1935, a high officer of the Luftwaffe pointed out that such a monoplane aircraft would be fragile and poorly maneuverable. And what to say about that cockpit closed by a canopy? The hunting pilot should feel the wind in his face to adequately calibrate the speed. Without a doubt that prototype would achieve nothing good! This would be an example of the short-sighted estimations that many made in those years in which technology was advancing so rapidly. In fact, about 35000 units of this aircraft would be built in eight basic versions, to be used by all of the nations of the Axis and also by another ones, before, during and after the Second World War. The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a monoplane aircraft fitted with low wings of trapezoidal shape, coated with sheets of light alloys in the static surfaces and fabric in the movable ones, whereas the fuselage was of fully metallic construction. The engine in the E version (depicted in the perspective illustration right below) was a Daimler-Benz 601 with 12 cylinders arranged in inverted V and capable of generating 1000 horsepower. The pilot was protected by some steel plates of 8 millimeters in thickness and a bulletproof windshield of 65 millimeters in thickness. The landing gear, fully retractable with exception of the tail wheel, was somewhat fragile and relatively unstable due to the rather short span between the main wheels.

During its baptism of fire in Spain the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was confronted with clearly inferior adversaries, as it would happen again during the invasion of France. During the Battle of Britain, however, things changed when this aircraft found a worthy antagonist in the Supermarine Spitfire. It was a harsh fight, for both were aircraft of a superior class. Maybe the Messerschmitt was slightly faster whereas the Spitfire was more maneuverable at high speeds, but this one fought in its homeland whereas the pilots of the Messerschmitt had to calculate the fuel necessary to return to their bases; they were allowed a stay of only about half an hour in the English skies, given the limited operational range which was a weak point of the German aircraft. After the "Adlertag" - which ended with the victory of the Royal Air Force - the Messerschmitt Bf 109 continued operating in all of the European skies as a diurnal and nocturnal fighter, photographic reconnoiterer, stratospheric fighter, interceptor and fighter-bomber, fighting to the limit of its strenght. Once the Second World War had ended, it would have the occasion to fight again in 1948 when, as an irony of destiny, one of its postwar models served on the Israeli Air Force along with the Spitfire, fighting against the Arab aircraft.





Early models

The Messerschmitt Bf 109, which became the most famous German fighter aircraft of the Second World War, took part in the fight in every front, from the first to the last day of the conflict. The first prototype (V1) flew in September 1935, being sent to the Condor Legion in Spain the V4, V5 and V6 prototypes for being evaluated, in the early 1937; these were followed by forty B-1 and B-2 and twelve C-1 series models. Curiously, the first prototype of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was powered by a British engine, the Rolls-Royce Kestrel V of 697 horsepower. Despite the intensive conversion process toward the E-1 model during the spring and summer of 1939, some early models remained in first line units at the outbreak of the Second World War. These took part in the campaign of Poland and served as provisional night fighter aircraft in northern Germany until the spring of 1940, when they were assigned to training units.

In the B-0 preseries model more powerful engines Daimler-Benz DB 600/600A/601 and different dispositions of armament with cannons and machine guns were tested. However, the first series models were very conservative regarding their equipment. The B-1 model was fitted with a Junkers Jumo 210Da 680-horsepower engine and two MG 17 7.92-millimeter machine guns. The B-2 model had a variable-pitch metallic propeller and a Junkers Jumo 210G 700-horsepower engine. The C-1 model was fitted with a 210Ga engine, a larger air intake and two additional MG 17 7.92-millimeter machine guns installed in the wings. The C-2 model added one MG 17 7.92-millimeter machine gun firing through the propeller's cone. The D-0 preseries model was fitted with a DB 600A 960-horsepower engine, one MG FF 20-millimeter cannon firing through the propeller's cone and two MG 17 7.92-millimeter machine guns. The D-1 model was structurally reinforced and fitted with a smaller and more aerodynamic radiator, having as well an increased fuel capacity. These early models were manufactured by Messerschmitt, Focke-Wulf, Fieseler, Erla and Arado.





Bf 109E

The Bf 109E, which entered service in the late 1938, quickly replaced the largest part of the earlier models, constituting roughly a 75 percent of the 1100 Messerschmitt fighter aircraft that the Luftwaffe had in service at the outbreak of the Second World War. This model took part in the campaigns of Poland, Norway, Netherlands and France, but it is better known for its struggle against the fighter aircraft of the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain. Equal, if not superior in some aspects, to the Spitfire and the Hurricane (with 610 Messerschmitt downed during the Battle of Britain versus 1043 of these), they were limited because of their role of close escort for the bomber aircraft and their partial conversion into fighter-bomber aircraft. Later they operated in the Balkans (against the Yugoslavian Bf 109), in North Africa and during the first stages of the invasion of the Soviet Union, before being withdrawn from first line units. Still, the Bf 109E continued equipping some squadrons of volunteers in foreign countries adhered to the Axis, in the Eastern Front until 1942. The Bf 109T, which was designed as a carrier-borne fighter aircraft, was used only in Norway in 1941-42.

The V14 and V15 prototypes were fitted with a DB 601A-1 1050-horsepower engine. The E-0 preseries model was armed with four MG 17 7.92-millimeter machine guns but the E-1 series model had only two MG 17, being replaced the other two by two MG FF 20-millimeter cannons installed in the wings. The E-1/B fighter-bomber variant was prepared to carry up to 250 kilograms of bombs. The E-3 model had a different engine, an additional MG FF 20-millimeter cannon firing through the propeller's cone - which was usually not installed - and an improved cockpit protected with armor plates. The E-4 model and the E-4/B variant were respectively similar to the E-1 and the E-1/B, but having the cannon in the propeller's cone removed. The E-4/N variant was fitted with a DB 601N 1200-horsepower engine. The E-5 reconnaissance model was fitted with an Rb 50/30 camera and had the wing cannons removed. From the E-4 and E-5 models tropicalized variants intended for the African theater were made. The E-6 reconnaissance model was similar to the E-5 but it was fitted with a DB 601N engine. The E-7 model was similar to the E-4 but it was fitted with hardpoints for up to 250 kilograms of bombs or fuel tanks; some exemplars were tropicalized whereas others had additional armor (E-7/U2 variant) or the GM 1 overpower system (E-7/Z variant) installed. The E-8 model improved on the E-7 by adopting the DB 601E 1350-horsepower engine. The E-9 reconnaissance model was based in the E-8; it was equipped with one Rb 50/30 or two Rb 32/7 cameras and did not have cannons installed in the wings. All of these models were manufactured by Messerschmitt, AGO, Fieseler, Erla and WNF in Austria. The T-0 was the preseries model for a navalized version intended to operate in aircraft carriers; it was fitted with anchor points for catapult launching, arresting hook and foldable wings; ten E-1 were reconverted for this purpose but these plans ended in nothing and the T-2 model was instead a land-based fighter-bomber aircraft, fitted with a DB 601N engine and capable of carrying up to 250 kilograms of bombs or fuel tanks; Fieseler built 60 units of this model.



Bf 109F

The Bf 109F, with a new engine and refined aerodynamics, entered service in the region of the English Channel in the spring of 1941, balancing to a certain extent the superiority that the Royal Air Force had achieved with the introduction of the Spitfire Mk V. When the invasion of the Soviet Union began this model equipped two thirds of the fighter forces of the Luftwaffe, being used as well in North Africa. Despite its proven validity its career was relatively brief, for in the mid 1942 it began to be replaced by the Bf 109G, but it remained in service with the Hungarian and Spanish Air Forces (in the first case in the Eastern Front, along with the units of Spanish and Croatian volunteers). The only one Bf 109Z prototype was damaged during an Allied aerial attack before it could fly for the first time.

The V21, V22, V23 and V24 prototypes were fitted with a DB 601Aa 1175-horsepower engine (V21) or a DB 601E of 1350 horsepower and the cover of the engine was modified and made symmetric; the tips of the wings were rounded (V23) and the tail plane struts were removed. The F-0 preseries model was fitted with a DB 601N 1200-horsepower engine and armed with one MG FF/M 20-millimeter cannon and two MG 17 7.92-millimeter machine guns. The F-1 model had a modification in the intake of the supercharger. The F-2 model had the MG FF/M 20-millimeter cannon replaced by the MG 151/15 15-millimeter machine gun. The F-3 model introduced the DB 601E 1350-horsepower engine, which added not only power but also weight to the aircraft. The F-4 model was a modification of the F-3, with the MG 151/15 15-millimeter machine gun replaced by the MG 151/20 20-millimeter cannon and increased armor. The F-2/Z and F-4/Z were variants of the respective basic models fitted with a GM 1 overpower system. Tropicalized variants of the models F-2 and F-4 were made as well. The F-4/B variant was a fighter-bomber aircraft capable of carrying up to 250 kilograms of bombs. The variants F-4/R1 to F-4/R6 were airframes prepared for diverse "extras", such as additional artillery, bombs or fuel tanks. The F-5 reconnaissance model was equipped with a camera and prepared for carrying an additional fuel tank, but it had the MG 151/20 20-millimeter cannon removed. The F-6 was an unarmed reconnaissance model, fitted with a receptacle to house interchangeable cameras (Rb 20/30, Rb 50/30 or Rb 75/30). All of these models were manufactured by Messerschmitt, Erla and WNF in Austria. The Bf 109Z "Zwilling" version was an experimental heavy fighter/fighter-bomber aircraft made from two Bf 109F cells connected by a central rect wing of parallel edges, reaching a wingspan of 13.27 meters and being propelled by two DB 601E-1 1350-horsepower engines; it never entered production.



Bf 109G

The Bf 109G was the most numerically important of all of the versions built, entering service in the early summer of 1942 with the units based in the English Channel. Since then and until the end of the war it operated in every front, being also submitted to an extensive variety of modifications for being used as interceptor, bomber destroyer, ground-attack aircraft, etc... In the last months of the war it suffered important losses, especially in the last operation in which it took part in large numbers (the 7th April 1945, constituting a Rammkommando and suffering a 90 percent of losses out of the 120 partakers). It was also used by satellite countries of the Axis in the Eastern Front, mainly Romania, Hungary and Finland (particularly those from the first and the last of these countries were later used against the Germans). Finland continued using them until the mid 1950s. After the war additional versions were built in Czechoslovakia (S 99 and S 199) and in Spain (HA-1109 and HA-1112).


Messerschmitt Bf 109G-14/U4 of Major Friedrich-Karl Muller, Kommandeur of the 1./NJG 11, Bonn Hangelar, February 1945; this Gruppe of night fight was equipped with these single-seaters to fight specifically against the Mosquito of the Royal Air Force. Note the unusual mottled camouflage, the lack of tactical distinctives in the fuselage and the installation of an MG 151/20 20-millimeter cannon in dorsal position (Schrage Musik).

The G-0 preseries model was fitted with a DB 601E 1350-horsepower engine, a revised engine cover, an enlarged air intake in the oil cooler and a pressurized cockpit. The G-1 model was fitted with a DB 605A 1475-horsepower engine and a GM 1 overpower system, and was armed with one MG 151/20 20-millimeter cannon and two MG 17 7.92-millimeter machine guns; the tropicalized variant had the MG 17 7.92-millimeter machine gun replaced by two MG 131 13-millimeter machine guns. The G-2 model lacked pressurization and one of the exemplars was reconverted as a fighter-bomber aircraft with a reinforced landing gear and capability for carrying one 500-kilogram bomb. The models G-3 and G-4 were respectively similar to the G-1 and G-2 but they had a revised radio equipment. The G-5 model was fitted with a DB 605A or 605AS engine and a GM 1 overpower system or an additional supercharger, and was armed with one MG 151/20 20-millimeter cannon and two MG 131 13-millimeter machine guns. The G-5/U2 variant had a modified tail plane made of wood. The G-6 was a standard model without pressurization and with different engines (DB 605A or 605D); the last exemplars had an MK 108 30-millimeter cannon instead of the MG 151/20 20-millimeter cannon. The variants G-6/R1 to G-6/R6 were fitted with different armaments under the wings or the fuselage. The G-6/U2 variant had a modified tail plane made of wood and, in some exemplars, of enlarged size. The G-6/U4 variant had a semi-retractable tail wheel. The G-6/N was the night fighter variant, fitted with a FuG 350 Naxos Z radar warning receiver and armed with two MG 151/20 20-millimeter cannons installed in gondolas under the wings. The G-7 model was a planned standardization of the variants G-6/R2 and G-6/R4. The G-8 reconnaissance model was a modification of the G-6, fitted with a photographic camera, a DB 605A-1 or 605AS engine and one Mk 108 30-millimeter or MG 151/20 20-millimeter cannon. The G-10 model was an improvement of the G-6, propelled by a DB 605D 1850-horsepower engine and armed with one Mk 108 30-millimeter or MG 151/20 20-millimeter cannon and two MG 131 13-millimeter machine guns installed in the fuselage. The variants G-10/R1 to G-10/R6 were fitted with photographic cameras, different armaments under the wings and bombs or fuel tanks under the fuselage. The G-10/U2 variant had a modified tail plane made of wood and the G-10/U4 had an enlarged tail plane made of wood as well. The G-12 was the two-seater training model. The G-14 model was a modification of the G-6 fitted with a DB 605AM or 605AS engine, an improved canopy and a fixed and taller tail wheel, and armed with one MG 151/20 20-millimeter cannon and two MG 131 13-millimeter machine guns, with capability for additional armament under the wings and bombs under the fuselage; some exemplars (G-14/U4 variant) were built with a wooden tail plane. The G-16 model was an improvement of the G-14, fitted with a DB 605D engine and additional armor, and prepared for carrying two MG 151/20 20-millimeter cannons in gondolas under the wings and an ETC bomb carrier under the fuselage. All of the aforementioned models were manufactured by Messerschmitt, Erla, WNF in Austria, MAVAG in Hungary and Brasov in Romania, exceeding 23500 of the more than 30500 exemplars built of every version (not counting those built in other countries).



Bf 109H/K

The development program of the Bf 109H was abandoned in favor of that of the Focke-Wulf Ta 152H, being employed some exemplars during a brief time in the spring of 1944, in a long-distance reconnaissance Staffeln operating in the English Channel. The last version of the Bf 109's long family was the K, which represented an attempt of standardization against the great multiplicity of variants of the Bf 109G. It entered service in the late 1944, taking part in Operation Bodenplatte (the attack against the Allied airfields in Netherlands and France which took place the 1st January 1945). Since then and until the end of the war it shared the fate of the other German fighter aircraft against the overwhelming air superiority of the Allies.


Messerschmitt Bf 109K-4 (Red 10) from the 1./JG 300, used by the Fw. Wolfgang Hunsdorfer, Borkheide (vicinity of Berlin), January 1945. Note the personal badge under the canopy and the colored bands of the Defense of the Reich in the rear part of the fuselage.

The Bf 109 V49 and V50 and the Bf 109H V54 and V55 were prototypes for a fighter aircraft capable of operating at high altitudes. They were based in an enlarged cell of the Bf 109G and propelled by a DB 628A 1490-horsepower engine or a DB 605B of 1600 horsepower (V55). The H-0 preseries model was based in the cell of the F-4, built with an additional section of constant width in the wings and fitted with a DB 603E-1 1350-horsepower engine and a GM 1 overpower system, and armed with one MG 151/20 20-millimeter cannon and two MG 17 7.92-millimeter machine guns. The H-1 was a test model made from the modified cell of the G-5, fitted with a pressurized cockpit, a DB 605A 1475-horsepower engine and a GM 1 overpower system, armed like the H-0 and prepared for the installation of a photographic camera. The models H-2, H-3 and H-4 were respectively for a heavy fighter, a light fighter for high altitudes and an unarmed reconnaissance aircraft. The K-0 preseries model was an improvement over the G-10, fitted with a DB 605D(B) 1850-horsepower engine and a GM 1 overpower system, improved deflectors and engine cover, an enlarged tail plane made of wood with modified rudders, improved vision from the cockpit, a semi-retractable tail wheel and three cannons. The models K-2 and K-4 were fitted with a DB 605ASCM or 605DCM 2000-horsepower engine; the K-4 was fitted as well with a pressurized cockpit and the last exemplars were armed with one MK 103 30-millimeter cannon. The K-6 model was like the K-4 but with two additional MK 103 30-millimeter cannons housed in gondolas under the wings and the MG 151/20 20-millimeter cannon installed above the engine replaced by two MG 131 13-millimeter machine guns. The K-14 model was fitted with a DB 605L 1725-horsepower engine and armed with one MK 108 or MK 103 30-millimeter cannon and two MG 131 13-millimeter machine guns.

Categories: Aircraft - World War Two - 20th Century - [General] - [General]

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Website: Military History

Article submitted: 2015-03-15

Article updated: 2024-01-29