Messerschmitt Bf-109E-4 1./JG1 (White 1+) flown by Wilhelm Balthasar 1940

Skins Compatibility: IL2 Sturmovik Forgotten Battles (FB), Ace Expansion Pack (AEP), Pacific Fighters (PF), 1946, Storm of War.

3R Bf-109E JG1.1 (W1+) Balthasar 1940
3R Bf-109E JG1.1 (W1+) Balthasar 1940 NM
3R Bf-109E JG1.1 (W1+) Balthasar 1940 V00
Historical Skins of BF109 E-4 JG1.1 (W1+) Wilhelm Balthasar 1940
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TF Bf-109E JG1.1 (W1+) Balthasar 1940
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The Messerschmitt Bf-109E

The lessons of the Spanish Civil War led, as we have seen, to the development of more powerful and better armed versions of which the Bf-109E-1 "Emil" was but the first.

The E-1 model which came out of the Augsburg factory at the beginning of February was the mass production of the E-O type. Trials were carried out on the following E-3 version with a cannon mounted to fire through the propeller hub, but were unsuccessful due to overheating and jamming; firing also produced vibrations. The engine was a Daimler-Benz DB610A producing 1175hp at take off and 1100hp at 14,500ft, driving a threeblade metal variable pitch VDM9-11081A propeller. The engine had been tested on ten pre-production Bf-109D-0 and E-0 before being accepted. The Bf-109E-1 did not have armor plating protecting the pilot and the fuel tank and the frames of the cockpit canopy were the same as the D version.

The Battle of Britain showed that the cockpit needed 36 more protection, and the surviving Bf-109E-1s were brought up to E-3 standard with a more resistant canopy.

The German High Command demanded that all Bf-109 Jagdgeschwader include in their number an extra squadron of fighter-bombers, whilst the Bf-109E-4 in production where directly converted in the factory.

Bf-109E-1s were also delivered to Spain and Switzerland.

The E-4 version came out in May 1940.

Armor plating weighing about 50 kilos had been installed in the cockpit and behind the pilot whose head and shoulders, were now well-protected.

If some E-1 sand E-3s were equipped later, the armor plating was installed on the E-4s directly on the production lines. The cockpit canopy was changed also (some aircraft at the beginning of the series were still equipped with that of the E-3); an upright appeared higher up joining the side to the top frames, whereas the two little uprights on the windshield disappeared. Whereas the first E-4s received the DB601A, in the middle of 1940, they were equipped with the new DB601N with a 15% higher compression rate, giving 1200hp at take-off and 50hp more at altitude thanks to flattened pistons in place of the older more concave ones. From the outside there was nothing to differentiate the DB601N from the DB601A; only the higher octane number, 96 or 100 (or even C-3 petrol) instead of 88, showing on a little yellow and white triangle placed under the tank filler cap behind the cockpit differentiated them. Equipped, the aircraft became a Bf-109E-4/N.Following the success of the E-1 fitted with an underbelly bomb, this more powerful version was transformed for fighter-bomber missions (Bf-109E-4/B) by installing ETC 500 and ETC 50 pylons, taking either one 250 kg bomb or four smaller 50 kg ones. For this a little console was fitted at the bottom of the instrument panel controlling the bomb release.

The first E-4 fighter-bombers were delivered to the Erprobungsgruppe 210 which was evaluating the Me210, and to the II(Schact)/LG2. The intervention of the Luftwaffe in North Africa in February 1940 made the engineers adapt a tropical filter to prevent wear and tear from sand. The machines modified were indicated by the suffix 'Trap."

The Messerschmitt Bf-109E-7 was a long-range fighter, carrying a 66 gallon ventral tank in place of the 550lb bomb and appeared in August 1940.

Experiments were carried out on the E-7/Z (Z for Zusatzgerat, or additional system); a power-boosting system, the GM1, used nitrous oxide (N20), injecting oxygen into the engine and giving extra power of around 250-280hp at 24,000ft. 80 aircraft received the system in February 1941 which was adopted by the other Luftwaffe fighters later on. The last sub-variant was the E-7/U2, fitted with 5 mm thick metal plates protecting the engine and radiator from anti aircraft shots.

The Bf-109E-8 and E-9 extrapolated from the E-1 and the E-7, of which they kept the engine and the canopy, appeared in August and September 1940 and were used as long distance fighters and for armed reconnaissance.

Clandestine German involvement in the Spanish Civil War allowed Bf-109 pilots to develop tactics and responses that training alone could not provide, laying the groundwork for the coming Blitzkrieg.

The Spanish Civil War test bed also allowed engineers to make adjustments to the system, increasing its ability to kill and destroy even more. By the time the Battle of Britain exploded onto worldwide headlines, the Bf-109 was already a highly feared opponent, matched in capability by only that of the Supermarine Spitfire. The Bf-109 continued on developing into a wide array of variants and subvariants. It is widely agreed that the "E" model was the definitive model of the series, combining lessons learned from models B, C, and D into one formidable package. The "G" model became the most produced and widely used of the series - to which over 36,000 were produced for the entire production line of all Bf-109s.

With Germany now fighting wars on multiple fronts, the extension of the Bf-109 line increased into the Soviet Union. Overall, the Bf-109 was numerically superior to most fighters in any involvement at any one time - be it attacking incoming bomber formations or intercepting Soviet supply columns. The Bf-109 would prove quite resilient and robust, so much so that the series would continue to be produced (in Spain under license as "Buchons") a full ten years after the war in Europe had concluded.

Though the Focke-Wulf Fw-190 was the best German piston-engine aircraft of the war, the Bf-109 remains the most famous, thanks in part to the sheer number of aircraft produces and the total number of engagements involving Bf-109's. In post-war use, the Bf-109 would see continued use by Spain and Israel. Production would still be continued in Czechoslovakia through an intact Bf-109 plant. Spanish Bf-109's would be fitted with Merlin engines and designated as the "Buchon" (transplated "pigeon") while the new nation of Israel would field them in combat during the early years.

Total production of all Bf-109 types is estimated to be at or over 35,000 examples with the last "new build" variant being flown in 1956.

Specifications:

Model Messerschmitt Bf-109E-7
Length 28.67 ft | 8.74 m
Width 32.35 ft | 9.86 m
Height 11.15 ft | 3.40 m
Engine(s) 1 x Daimler-Benz 1,200 hp DB 605A liquid-cooled inverted V12-cylinder piston engine.
Empty Weight 4,440 lbs | 2,014 kg
MTOW 6,100 lbs | 2,767 kg
Max Speed 359 mph | 578 km/h | 312 kts
Max Range 680 miles | 1,094 km
Ceiling 36,499 ft | 11,125 m | 6.9 miles
Climb Rate 3,300 ft/min (1,006 m)
Hardpoints 1
Armament
1 x 20mm cannon in propeller hub
4 x 7.9mm machine guns (2 in engine cowling; 2 in wings)
Provision for one bomb under fuselage.
Variants listing below covers armament variation in other models.
Accommodations 1
Operators Nazi Germany, Czechoslovakia, Israel and Spain.

Major Variants

* Bf-109V-7 - Prototype for first series production model; armed with 2 x machine guns and 1 x MG FF 20mm cannon.
* Bf-109A - Preproduction Model
* Bf-109B - First Series Production Model; fitted with Jumo 210 engine of 610hp.
* Bf-109B-2 - 24 examples produced
* Bf-109C - Preproduction Model
* Bf-109D - Preproduction Model fitted with Daimler-Benz DB 600A inline piston engine.
* Bf-109E - Initial Production Model Designation.
* Bf-109E-1
* Bf-109E-2
* Bf-109E-3
* Bf-109E-4
* Bf-109E-5
* Bf-109E-6
* Bf-109E-7 - DB 605A engine; 1 x 20mm cannon firing through propeller hub; 2 x 7.9mm machine guns in engine cowling; 2 x 7.9mm machine guns in wings.
* Bf-109E-8
* Bf-109E-9 - Fitted with Daimler-Benz DB 601A engine generating 1,100hp.
* Bf-109F - Aerodynamic refinements; fitted with Daimler-Benz DB 601E or 601N powerplants; redesigned cowling, wings and tail.
* Bf-109F-1
* Bf-109F-2
* Bf-109F-3
* Bf-109F-4
* Bf-109F-5
* Bf-109F-6
* Bf-109G - "Definitive Bf-109"; fitted with Daimler-Benz DB 605 inline piston engine.
* Bf-109G-0 - Preproduction "G" Model
* Bf-109G-1 - Fitted with DB 605A engine; provision for pressurized cockpit; emergency power boost system.
* Bf-109G-2 - Sans power boost system
* Bf-109G-3 - Provision for pressurized cockpit; emergency power boost system.
* Bf-109G-4 - Sans power boost system
* Bf-109G-5 - Provision for pressurized cockpit; emergency power boost system.
* Bf-109G-6
* Bf-109G-7
* Bf-109G-8
* Bf-109G-9
* Bf-109G-10 - Fastest of "G" Model variants; sans wing machine guns; power boost enabled; increased endurance.
* Bf-109G-11
* Bf-109G-12
* Bf-109G-13
* Bf-109G-14
* Bf-109G-15
* Bf-109G-16
* Bf-109H - High-Altitude Variant; increased wingspan.
* Bf-109H-1
* Bf-109K - Improved Bf-109G Model fitted with Daimler-Benz 605 inline piston engine.
* Bf-109K-1
* Bf-109K-2
* Bf-109K-3
* Bf-109K-4 - Last of operational Bf-109's; power boost enabled; DB 605D engines; 2 x MG151 15mm cannons semi-recessed above engine; 1 x MK 108 20mm cannon OR 1 x MK 103 30mm cannons firing through propeller hub.
* Bf-109K-5
* Bf-109K-6 - Last of operational Bf-109's; power boost enabled; DB 605D engines; 2 x MG 131
12.7mm machine guns in engine cowling mount; 2 x MK 103 30mm cannons in external underwing mounts.
* Bf-109K-7
* Bf-109K-8
* Bf-109K-9
* Bf-109K-10
* Bf-109K-11
* Bf-109K-12
* Bf-109K-13
* Bf-109K-14 - Final Bf-109 Variant; fitted with DB 605L engine; limited to 2 production examples.
* Bf-109T - Converted Bf-109E models for planned carrier usage; 10 such examples.
* Ha-1109 - Spanish-production Bf-109G model built by Hispano.
* S-199 - Czechoslovakia-production Bf-109G model built by Avia.

Training to fly the Messerschmitt Me-109E/G-2:

The first Finnish Messerschmitt pilots in February 1943 the first batch of Finnish pilots had been sent to Germany for training into the Messerschmitt.

The training period kept extending and the pilots were getting frustrated, as no-one had gotten any flights on the Messerschmitts. Finally the group leader, Ehrnrooth, marched angrily to the plane halls, catched the German responsible for the planes and gave him a loud, hard worded dressing in broken German, demanding to get a Messerschmitt. Finally the German managed to call his superior, a leutnant, who got the same loud treatment. A short inspection of the plane and soon the 1100 HP engine pulled the major into the sky.

The plane was refueled and also Pive managed to fly a familiarization flight, before the weather got too poor for flying.

Many Germans had ended up in the fields, after running out of runway when landing with too high speeds. Now the German leutnant was conviced of our skills and promised our four planes for the next day. The German trainer was amazed to see how our Messerschmitt familization flights progressed without difficulty. The most amazing detail was how our pilots were immediately landing 3-pointers even with the Gustav, requiring less than half of the length of runway the Germans needed.

The Germans' problem with the 1475 HP Gustav was, that they raised the tail immediately after pushing the throttle fully forward. The strong engine created a tendency to swing the tail. When landing the Germans had way too much speed, so it was hard to control to plane when the wheels touched ground and the plane bounced back into air.

On 21st February (1943) I got my second flight with a Emil. I felt ready to move into the Gustav, but the weather turned bad and flights had to be suspended. Finally the fog lifted, on 27.2., I flew my first flight with Gustav and all others finished their flights with Emils. On next day all flights were interrupted, when the German pupils wrecked for Messerschmitts. I finally got my second flight with Gustav and I felt ready to continue to the Messerschmitt factory, to get our own planes. Jumping over the visit at the factory, the parties and singing and return flight towards Finland, though Germany and Baltics.) The last phase was flown in most perfect weather. We flew a honorary sweep over Helsinki, in tight formation, kind like showing that we are now, ready to protect you from enemy bombings. The Germans thought the Malmi airfield, with its only partially coated runways, as a hard place. They had lost many planes, that were transferring towards north (to Luftloffe 5). The fire-brigade chief was clearly very relieved after all planes had landed, without mishaps.

Web References:
http://www.virtualpilots.fi/feature/articles/109myths/