Russian Bf 109E-3

[fubar57]

I know 5 were sent to the Soviet Union but can't find pictures. I do have 2 profiles

 

[fubar57]

Ok. I found a photo similar to the lower one but can't tell if its one or two colours

 

[Crimea_River]

I'm sure our friend Wojtek will come up with something.

 

[Wurger]

Actually I'm not at home and I can't access my sources there. But a quick look at the soviet ones let me believe the camo was the standard RLM 70/71/65 camo scheme. Soviets bought a couple of the Bf 109E-3 for tests. All of them were the 1939 version what means that the variant of the camo was applied.

Believing the caption here is a shot of the soviet delegation standing in front of displayed Bf 109E. The image is dated the 1939. Please pay your attention to the low contrast between the RLM 70 and 71 on the engine cowling. The pic seems to be taken on a sunny day in the Summer with a good light conditions.

Here are two sets of pics of the Bf 109E Werk Nummer 2738 ( beliving the captions ). One set was taken in the summer or spring ( a sunny day ) while the second in the winter. Although almost all images from the sets don't show the camo, the last bottom one reveals the dark and light spots of the straight edges on the fuselage.

Here is a larger image of the top pic from the bottom winter set. The light and dark colours at the cockpit area may confirm the kite had the splinter camo.

And finally here are shots of the requested Bf 109E-3. The kite was crashed on October 29, 1941 while taking off. The camo looks quite shiny and may suggest over painting with the russian green khaki colour use by the VVS at the time. But the same apparance of the German camo may be seen in many other images of the LW Bf 109E with the RLM 70/71/65 colour set. I mean the very low contrast between the camo colours and the shiny finish. What is more I would like to make a focus on the area of the engine cowling above the exhaust pipes. Can you notice the two diagonal lines creating the "triangle" there? These look like the sprayed demarcation line between two colours where these coats were dispersed making the more rough surface. The effect can be noticed in many pics with kites of a two-colour camo making the illusion there was a kind of outline for instance. Also the darker and lighter areas at the wing leading edges can be the evidence. Additionally the plane could have been polished for the speed tests as suggested by Massimo Tessitori.

And here a camo rendition by Igor Zlobin.

the source: «Вами интересуется лично товарищ Сталин…»

 

[doc_nele]

I don't believe they were doing performance tests so late in 1941. Most were done before, maybe there were some comparison flights, but German Bf-109E were already being replaced by the -F models by that time and those were a bigger theat for VVS.

However, I know that future ace Pokrishkin flew Bf-109E in a number of recce missions over Soviet occupied teritory, and that was most probably one of those obtained before the war. There was no onboard photo-equipment, I thing he had only a hand-held camera.

Those flights made him quite nervous (because he could have been shot by anybody-and shot if he bailed out and got captured), but he didn't state how the aircraft was marked (Soviet, German, or no markings at all).

Now, after seeing that "polished" E-3, allow me some speculation. It would make sense that recce aircraft is tweaked for speed (rivets and holes sealed or taped over, wing guns/cannons deleted). Since Pokrishkin survived his missions, most probably did his German mount-and this might be it (or, one of those used for same mission elsewhere).

Even unmarked, if Soviets applied some stipes or fields of paint in accurate position of German 109's in that time it would make it appear German. Now, I really don't remember where did he was undertaking those "clandestine" missions, but I thought it would be interesting linking his flights and this BF-109E pictured above.

 

[bf109xxl]

I don't believe they were doing performance tests so late in 1941.

The publication in Russian explains the origin of these photos in details. t was an attempt to create an aviation unit of Spanish Republican pilots on German airplanes. For what purpose it was not possible to find out - perhaps for reconnaissance behind enemy lines. But the attempt failed after several crashes. The Spanish didn't want to fight on German planes.

 

[woodhaven]

"GENERAL DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT MESSERIMITT Me-109 E3
(based on materials from BNT, Research Institute, CIAM and company descriptions)
I.V. TSEPETKOV
Publishing house BNT NKAP
1941"

Peges 117

 

[bf109xxl]

"GENERAL DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT MESSERIMITT Me-109 E3
(based on materials from BNT, Research Institute, CIAM and company descriptions)
I.V. TSEPETKOV
Publishing house BNT NKAP
1941"

Peges 117

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