Bf 109 G-2 landing gear question

[KrazyKraut]

Does anybody know for sure whether the G-2 had a fixed tail wheel or not?

I'm asking because several sources state that the landing gear was strengthened only on post G-2 versions, yet the "Black 6" seems to have a mix: An F-style forward landing gear but a fixed, nonretractable tail wheel. It's either possible the tail wheel was fixed later (possibly as part of restaurations done by the British) or it was indeed factory-fixed on late G-2 versions.

[Wurger]

Hi,

It seems that G-2 version had both retractable and nonretractoble tail wheel.
According to Robert Pęczkowski's book about Bf109G version,Mushroom Model Magazine Special vol.I no 6101 the first changes to G-2 version were introduced in the autumn of 1942 when the new larger tyres were introduced.
The main landing gear had 660x160 tyres in place of the older 650x150 ones and the tail wheel with 350x135 instead of the 290x110 one.The rectractable tail wheel was abandoned in favour of fixed one in the same time.So before the modification was done, the G-2 version had been equipped with retractable tail wheel,I think

[KrazyKraut]

Thank you Wurger. It seems as far as the black 6 is concerned the tail wheel's fixed but the main landing gear is still of F-style. I'm assuming the wider tires always needed the bumps on the wings. So it seems to be in between the early and late G-2 setup. I'll try to find a good picture so maybe you could tell me if you think it has the new or the old (smaller) tail wheel.

[Wurger]

Hi again,

You are welcome.

In the book mentioned above I have found some pics of the "Black 6" taken in a museum.It is stated that it was G-2/Trop of 3./JG77, captured by RAF in Italy in 1943.Unfortunately the W.nr. has not been mentioned.I'm not surre totally but it seems we are discussing about the captured G-2 W.nr.10639 and according to the captions the G-2/Trop was captured by 3 Sqn RAAF in 1942 and taking the visible in the B&W pics landscape it was in Africa.Of course I can be wrong.If the G-2 "Black 6" from the museum is of the Werk nummer 10639, it means that it is an early G-2 version ( groups of serials used for the mark G-2 were 10300-10900,13400-14000,14000-14850).As you can see, the captured by the RAAF squadron Bf109G-2 had the number of early serie.If you look at the B&W pics you can see that there isn't the bulged fairing on the top surface of the wing, covering the enlarged main wheel well.Besides please, look at the wheel hub which is typical for the early Gustav version with 650x150 tyres.What is more the G-1 and G-2 versions based on the Bf109F type.So no wonder that both early G-1s and G-2s were similar to the Friedrich.


Source of pics unknown.