The Best Bf - 109 Variant ?

[CharlesBronson]

A interesting serie of color profiles.


Messerschmitt Me 109E-3
4. Staffel, II. Gruppe, JG 77
Pilot: Oberleutnant Helmut Henz (Staffelkapitän)
Poland, September 1939




Messerschmitt Me 109E-1
Stab, JG 53
Pilot: Oberleutnant Wilfried Balfanz
Kirchberg im Hunsrück, Germany, Autumn 1939




Messerschmitt Me 109E-3
Stab, JG53
Pilot: Major Hans-Jurgen von Cramon-Taubadel (Geschwader Kommodore)
Thevile-Maupertus (Cherbourg-Ost), France, August 1940



This 109E-3 has an interesting story attached to the markings. Major von Cramon-Taubadel was married to a Jewish wife, a fact which came to the attention of Hermann Goering during the Battle of France. As a result he ordered that the whole of JG 53 must remove their famous Ace of Spades badge and paint a red band around the noses of their aircraft as a mark of shame. In the Autumn of 1940 von Cramon-Taubadel was removed as Geschwader Kommodore and Goering told them they could reinstate their "Pik-As" badge; this they did but at the same time, as a mark of protest, all the pilots of JG 53 had the Swastikas painted over on their aircraft. Thus it is easy to recognise JG 53 109's late in the Battle of Britain as they have no Swastikas on them.



Messerschmitt Me 109F-2
1. Staffel, I. Gruppe, JG3
Pilot: Oberleutnant Robert Olejnik (Staffelkapitän)
Eastern Front, Summer 1941



Here a Me 109F-2 on the Eastern Front not long after the initial German invasion of the USSR. The basic camouflage is of RLM02 Grau and RLM70 Schwarzgrün in a splinter pattern on top with RLM76 Lichtblau underneath and sides, the blue having a mottling of both the grey and the green over it on the sides. Yet again we have considerable use of yellow identification paint under the nose, wingtips and band around the rear fuselage



http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/

[the lancaster kicks ass]

nice profiles.........

[Schöpfel]

If by "best" one looks at how the varient stacked up against its comtemporaneous adversaries, I'd say the Bf 109F was "best". Early '42 was when the 109, imo, had the largest edge over its opposition.

p.s. I found those Spit/109 comparisons copied above at: http://www.spitfireperformance.com/spittest.html

Interesting reading... Apparently there is some real 109 flight trials datas there! That's refreshing after seeing mostly calculated stuff on the BF 109.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I will agree with you on the F.

[Erich]

disagree, the G-10

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

The "Gustav" is deffinatly my favorite but, especially the G-6 however I do believe the F was the best matched against allied fighters of the same time I beileve.

[CharlesBronson]

Is a very subjetive matter. Generally speaking the Messers with the Erla haube and/or without cowling bulges for MG, are slender and more streamlined.
However the early G-6 have give a sensation of battleworthiness hardly seen in others aircraft.

Example: Take a look at this wallpapers.








Images from: http://www2.cc22.ne.jp/~harada/Bf_109_G6/G6_1_1.html

I'm surprised Soren is going nuts over Alders post!



Lunatic

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Who?

Nice pics by the way.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

nice pics.......

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

Who?

Nice pics by the way.

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/vie...?p=61962#61962

I suspect it is just another nick for Dalton.

=S=

Lunatic

[Soren]

Originally Posted by RG_Lunatic

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/vie...?p=61962#61962

I suspect it is just another nick for Dalton.

=S=

Lunatic

Do you think I am Dalton ??

Now your really Stretching it !!

RG remember "one shall not judge !"

[Soren]

After lots of tests with the La-5FN, these were some of the conclusions...

The testing was carried out in September 1944 at Gross Schimanen, East Prussia.

Turning circles:

"The smallest turning circle at rated power at 2400m is about 28/30 sec for a stable 360 degree turn at constant height. This implies a minimum time for a 360 degree turn at 1000m, with emergency power, of about 25 sec."

The tactical conclusions and advice offered to German fighter pilots:

"The La 5FN is best suited to low altitude combat by virtue of its engine performance. Its top speed at ground level is slightly below that of the 190 and 109 (using MW 50). The 109 with MW 50 is superior over the whole height band in top speed and climb rate. Acceleration is comparable. Aileron effectiveness is better than the 109. Turning times at ground level are better than the 190 and worse than the 109.
In rate of climb the 190 is poorer until 3000m. Because of its greater weight the 190 accelerates less well than the La5FN, but by the same token is superior in the dive. It is basically right to dive away like an American Thunderbolt when flying a 190, thereafter to pull away in a high speed shallow climb to reach a new attacking position, not to let the speed drop and to avoid prolonged turning dogfights."


Source: "Luftwaffe Test Pilot" by Hans Werner Lerche. He flew virtually all captured Allied aircraft and most German types, including experimental models.

These tests should be regarded as atleast as reliable as Allied tests !

Hans Werner Lerche:


The La-5FN in question:

Wrong thread Soren.

[the lancaster kicks ass]