SAM Modellers Datafile 10 - The Messerschmitt BF 109 Part 2 F To K Variants

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Modellers Datafile 10
THE MESSERSCHMITT
Bf 109
Part 2: F to K Variants
by Lynn Ritger
The Bf 109 Part 2: F to K Variants
10
9 78095 5 1 85 81 6
SAM Publications
Printed in UK
SAM Publications
ISBN 0-9551858-1-5
10
SAM Publications
01-MDF10-Intro_MDF10 02/05/2012 13:39 Page 1
10
THE MESSERSCHMITT
Bf 109
by Lynn Ritger
Cover:
Created exclusively for SAM
Publications by John Fox
Modellers Datafile No.9

by Lynn Ritger
First published in 2007 by SAM Publications
Media House, 21 Kingsway, Bedford, MK42 9BJ, United Kingdom
2007 SAM Publications
Lynn Ritger Text
John Fox Colour artwork
Jacek Jackiewicz Scale plans
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopy, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
ISBN 0-9551858-1-5
Typeset by SAM Publications, Media House, 21 Kingsway, Bedford, MK42 9BJ, United Kingdom
Designed by Simon Sugarhood
Printed and bound in the United Kingdom by Unwins, United Kingdom
The Modellers Datafile Series
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No.2 Hawker Hurricane *
No.3 Supermarine Spitfire (Part 1: Merlin-Powered) *
No.4 Avro Lancaster (Inc Manchester & Lincoln)
No.5 Supermarine Spitfire (Part 2: Griffon-Powered)
No.6 Bristol Beaufighter
No.7 English Electric Lightning
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No.9 Messerschmitt Bf 109 (Part 1 Prototype to E Variants)
* Out of print
About the Author
Lynn Ritger is a lifelong Luf twaffe

enthusiast and award-winning modeler
whose work has appeared in numerous
publications. He is also the webmaster of
The 109 Lair (www.109lair.com), the single
most comprehensive website devoted to
the Messerschmitt Bf 109. He and his wife
Debi live in Newpor t News, Virginia
Acknowledgments
I was most fortunate to receive a great deal of assistance and encouragement from friends and associates all around the world, with many individuals
making valuable contributions to the production of this book in one form or another, including:
Kjetil Aakra, Jozef Andal, Peter Arnold, Scotty Battistoni, Charles Bavaroise, John Beaman, Andreas Beck, Christer Bergstrm, Jules Bringuier of
Classic Airframes, Radu Brinzan, Derek Brown, Tony Ceulemans, Chris Cork, Jerry and Judy Crandall of Eagle Editions, Ferdinando DAmico, Tom
Dietz of the NASM, Steven Modeldad Eisenman, Gal Elegot, Tony Wookie Flynn, Mike Fuller, Ernie Gee, Brett Green of Hyperscale, Udo Hafner of
Luftfahrt Archiv Hafner, David Hannant of Hannants, Tony Hopkins, George Hopp, Ruy Horta, Vincent Kermorgant, Dr. Jim Kitchens III, LCDR (ret.)
Charles Landrum, Olivier Lefebrvre, Dave Lochead of Kiwi Resin, Greg Long, Graham Mansell, Dave McDonald, Dr. Charles Metz, Adam Millei,
George R. Morrison, Rafe Morrissey, Brian Nicklas of the NASM, Mikael Olrog, Al Ozminski, Mark Peacock, Jim Perry, Dr. Jochen Prien, Dr. Ian
Robertson, Alan Schaefer (the son of Lt. Frank Schaefer, 317th FS/325th FG), Mark Sheppard, Roy Sutherland of 21st Century Toys, Scott Troescher
(the grandson of Col.(ret.) Franklin Pappy Colby, 94th BG), Michael Ullmann, Dave Wadman, David Falcon Weiss, Floyd and Yvonne Werner, Erik
and Julie Whipple and Bernd Willmer .
I certainly hope I have not forgotten anyone, and I offer my most sincere apologies if this is the case.
The staff of the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Oregon and the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC went above and
beyond to assist me in obtaining closeup photos of the Bf 109s in their collection, and I am most grateful to them for their assistance. Thanks are also
due to my entire family at CCG Systems for constantly encouraging me and allowing me to adjust my schedule to complete this book its such an
immense pleasure to work with people who truly understand and encourage ones passion.
I would also like to note my heartfelt appreciation for the following former Luftwaffe personnel for kindly answering my questions and recounting
their experiences:
Hans-Ekkehard Bob, Oskar Bsch, Horst Petzschler, Gnther Rall, Peter Spoden, and Franz Stigler.
Lastly, and most importantly, I want to thank my loving, long-suffering wife Debi. She has continually provided encouragement while I spent long
nights camped out in the hobby room; I am continually amazed at just how lucky I am to have her.
Lynn Ritger
Norfolk, VA, April 2007
Contents
Preface 5
Glossary 6
Introduction The Death of Hans Derksen 7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Type Development 9
Design growth of the Bf 109 from the Emil through the Kurfrst
The Channel Front 15

Bf 109 operations against England, October 1940 to August 1942
African Stars, Mediterranean Sun 22

The Bf 109 in the Western Desert and Mediterranean Theatre, February 1941 to May 1945
One Steppe Beyond 34

Messerschmitts over the Eastern Front, June 1941 to May 1945
The Boars War 51

Nightfighter operations with the Bf 109
Defence and Defeat 58

The Bf 109 in Reichsverteidigung duties, August 1942 to May 1945
Training Operations 83
Use of the Bf 109 in Jagdfliegerschulen and other training units
Colour Side-views 89
Engine Development 96
Colour Photos 102
Chapter
Foreign Users 105

Messerschmitt operations outside of Luftwaffe units
105
106
108
113
117
125
130
131
133
Bulgaria
Croatia
Finland
Hungary
Italy
Romania
Spain
Switzerland
Captures Examples
Modelling the Bf 109
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Detailing 139
Diagrams from official Messerschmitt factory manuals
Armament Development 147

Standard, external and supplementary armament packages
Bf 109F-4 Walkaround 153

WNr 10132 at the National Aviation Museum, Rockcliffe, Ottowa, Canada
Bf 109G-4 Walkaround 156

WNr 19310 at the Technikmuseum Speyer, Germany

WNr 160756 at the National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC, USA

WNr 610937 at Doug Arnolds Warbirds of Great Britain Collection
Modelling the Bf 109 174

27 models, in varying scales, built and discussed
Appendices
Appendix
I Kit Listing 201

A listing of currently available Bf 109 construction kits
II Accessories & Conversions 202
Appendix
A listing of accessories produced for Bf 109 kits

Appendix
III Decals 204

A concise listing of Bf 109 decal sheets
Appendix
IV Bf 109 Survivors 206

A complete listing of the technical specifications of all the different Bf 109 variants
Appendix
V Bf 109 Airframes & Production 208

A detailed listing of Bf 109 technical information
Appendix
VI Bf 109 Bibliography 222

A concise list of books, journals and periodicals
Index 223
Fold-out Plans 1/48th scale
Preface
T
his book on the Bf 109 is not intended as the be-all and

end-all on the subject far from it, in fact. With a
subject so wide-ranging, and new resources being
unearthed in archives all over Europe, Russia, and the US on a
regular basis, my goal with this volume has strictly been to
create a competent work aimed primarily at modelers, but
which will also provide sufficient technical and historical detail
to satisfy those seeking more detailed information on the type.
The data as presented is as correct as can be established at this
time, and there may well be details covered which will be
corrected in future books. However, a great deal of effort has
been invested in making sure that the information contained in
Volume 2 will stand up to scrutiny. In addition to a large number
of German sources (including original factory documentation),
a number of Czech, French, Italian, Polish, Russian, and Slovak
sources were consulted as well. As with Volume 1, a number of
loss, damage, and strength lists have been provided which are
based largely on the work of Jim Perry and George R. Morrison,
and any errors in translation or transcription are solely my
responsibility.
A good deal of thought and effort has gone into the modeling
section as well. A review is subjective by its very nature, but I
have sought to cover my impressions of the high and low points
of every model as fairly as possible, outlining those areas which
I feel are most important or noteworthy. Yet even with the large
number of models reviewed, there are still many, many other
kits which were unable to be worked into the book. The ongoing
popularity of the Bf 109 virtually ensures that there will never
be a shortage of new model kits and related products on the
market, which can be a blessing or a curse depending on how
you look at it!
Lastly, I have been very fortunate to have the cooperation of

Jozef Andal, Graham Mansell, Derek Brown, Tom Dietz and
Brian Nicklas of the National Air and Space Museum, and the
staff of the Evergreen Aviation Museum in compiling the
walkaround photos for this book.
Lynn Ritger
April, 2007
He might be happy in this

photo, but wait until his
Spiess sees the mud on this
aircraft! This cheerful fellow
is seen posing on brown 3 of
an unknown unit. The
unshielded exhaust and C3
octane triangle show this to
be an early F-2
WNr 164950 became MT-449

upon delivery to 2./LeLv 24,
and was used by Lt. Olavi
Puro to down 3 La-5s and a
single Il-2 on 23 June 1944
Preface
Glossary
ANR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Italian) Aeronautica Nazionale
Repubblicana, Republican Nationalist
Air Force in northern Italy after
October 1943
ARR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Rumanian) Aeronautica Regal
Romn, Romanian Air Force
Balkenkreuz . . . . . . . . . Straight (literally beam) cross
German national aircraft identity mark
Bf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RLM prefix code for BFW aircraft
designed before 1937
BFW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bayerische Flugzeug Werke Parent
firm of Messerschmitt
Dipl.Ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diplom Ingenieur title given to those
with an engineering degree
Emil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Letter E in German phonetic alphabet
(e.g. Anton, Berta, Csar, Dora, Emil)
EPAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Auto Reload & Firing Mechanism
Ergnzungsgruppe . . . . (EJG) Replacement group
Escuadrilla de Cazo . . (Spanish) Fighter squadron
E Stelle . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erprobungstelle Test Centre
Fg Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flying Officer (RAF)
Fhr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fhnrich (Luftwaffe) Officer Cadet
Fliegerkorps . . . . . . . . . Air Fleet
Flt Lt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flight Lieutenant (RAF)
Flt Sgt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flight Sergeant (RAF)
Fredrich . . . . . . . . . . . . Letter F in German phonetic alphabet
FuG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Funkgert Radio Apparatus
Fw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feldwebel (Luftwaffe) Sergeant
ranked between Uffz and Ofw
Gefr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gefreiter (Luftwaffe) Aircraftman, 1st
Class
Geschwader . . . . . . . . . (Luftwaffe) (equiv. RAF Group)
Gp Capt . . . . . . . . . . . . . Group Captain (RAF)
Gruppe . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Luftwaffe) (equiv. RAF Wing)
Grupul vntoare . . . . (Rumanian) Fighter group
Gr.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Italian) Gruppo Caccia fighter group
Gustav . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Letter G in German phonetic alphabet
Hakenkreuz . . . . . . . . . Hooked cross also known as a
swastika. Nazi Party symbol
Hptm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hauptmann (Luftwaffe) (equiv. RAF
Flight Lieutenant)
Iztrebitelen Polk . . . . . . (Bulgarian) Fighter Regiment
JFS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jagdfliegerschule (Luftwaffe) Fighter
School
JG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jagdgeschwader (Luftwaffe) Fighter
Group
JKRV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jugoslovensko Kraljevsko Ratno
Vazduhoplovstvo Royal Yugoslav Air
Force
JVS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jagdfliegervorschule (Luftwaffe)
Primary Fighter School
Kanonenboot . . . . . . . . Luftwaffe nickname for the Bf 109G
with Rstsatz R6, two 20mm gunpods
beneath the wings
KG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kampfgeschwader (Luftwaffe) - Bomber
Group
Letka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Slovakian) Squadron
Ltn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leutnant (Luftwaffe) (equiv. RAF
Pilot Officer)
6
Glossary
Luftwaffe . . . . . . . . . . . . Air Force

MKHL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Hungary) Magyar Kirlyi Honvd
Lgier, Hungarian Air Force
Maj . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Major (Luftwaffe) (equiv. RAF
Squadron Leader)
Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RLM prefix code for Messerschmitt
aircraft designed after 1937
MW-50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Methanol-water mixture, consisting of
50% methanol and 50% water
Oberst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Luftwaffe) (equiv. RAF Group
Captain)
Oberstlt . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oberstleutnant (Luftwaffe) (equiv.
RAF Wing Commander)
Oblt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oberleutnant (Luftwaffe) (equiv. RAF
Flying Officer)
Ofhr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oberfhnrich (Luftwaffe) Senior
Officer Cadet
Ofw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oberfeldwebel (Luftwaffe) (equiv. RAF
Flight Sergeant)
Ogefr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Obergefreiter (Luftwaffe) (equiv. RAF
Corporal)
Plt Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pilot Officer (RAF)
Pohotovostna Letka . . . (Slovakian) Emergency squadron
Regia Aeronautica . . . . Italian Air Force, prior to 8 Sep 43
RLM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reichsluftfahrtministerium Reich
Aviation Ministry
Rstsatz . . . . . . . . . . . . Equipment upgrade which could be
added in the field, not reflected in
aircraft designation
Rstzustand . . . . . . . . . Equipment upgrade added at the
factory, reflected in aircraft designation
(e.g. Bf 109F-4/R1)
Squadriglia . . . . . . . . . . (Italian) Squadron
Sqn Ldr . . . . . . . . . . . . . Squadron Leader (RAF)
Stab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Luftwaffe) Staff, e.g: Geschwaderstab
Group HQ Staff
Staffel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Luftwaffe) (equiv. RAF Squadron)
Staffelzeichen . . . . . . . . Unit emblem
Stkz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stammkennzeichen, delivery codes on
aircraft
Suomen Ilmavoimat . . (Finland) Finnish Air Force
Uffz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Unteroffizier (Luftwaffe) (equiv. RAF
Sergeant)
Umbau or Umbausatz Factory applied modification reflected
in aircraft designation (e.g. Bf 109G10/U4)
Unternehmen . . . . . . . . Operation
V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Versuchs Trials or prototype (aircraft)
e.g: Bf 109 V3
VNVV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Bulgarian) Vozdushni na Negovo
Velichestvo Voiski, Bulgarian Air Force
VVS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Air Force of the Soviet Union
Wilde Sau . . . . . . . . . . . Wild Boar Luftwaffe nightfighting
technique
WNr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Werknummer Aircraft factory-applied
serial number
Zrakoplovstvo NDH . . (Croatian) Nezavisna Drzava Hrvatska,
Croatian Air Force
02-MDF10-Chap-00_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:22 Page 7
Hans Derksen
Introduction
he pictures and papers are fraying and yellowed. The

handwritten notes in ink fade more and more with each
passing year. And the memory of an only son lost to a
brutal war fades with the written remembrances from his friends
and comrades.
On 6 March 1923, Hans Derksen and his beloved wife
welcomed their only son Hans into the world. Growing up in
Duisburg on Musfeldstrae, the young Hans showed an interest in
aviation from an early age. Only sixteen when Hitler ordered the
Wehrmacht into Poland, Hans remained in school and graduated
as a draftsman in March 1940, just two days before his 17th
birthday. By early May 1941, Hans had been accepted into the
Luftwaffe and was assigned to the 1. Kompanie of
Fliegerausbildungsregiment 42, essentially a boot camp for
prospective Luftwaffe servicemen. He then spent four months
aboard the Monte Rosa, a converted Hamburg-South America
Line passenger ship moored at Stettin as a floating barracks,
before moving on to obtain his A and B licenses with FFS 12 at
Knigsberg. Graduating in February 1943, he moved to 3./JFS 4 at
Frth, then to 3./JG 104 in July 1943.
It was on the night of 27/28 July 1943 that the first man-made
firestorm in recorded history consumed a great portion of
Hamburg; a highly successful raid, as characterized by the British
after-action report, which resulted in the deaths of an estimated
41,800 people, many of them women and children. In addition, the
British bombers had employed a fiendishly simple electronic
countermeasure against the radar-equipped nightfighters,
consisting of strips of aluminum foil cut to match the wavelength
of the German radar sets. Confusion reigned above as chaos
reigned below, and the previously effective Nachtjagd was rendered
virtually impotent at a most critical time. There was one small
bright spot in the midst of this horrific situation, however. Maj.
Hajo Hermann, a successful bomber pilot, was currently in the
process of creating an entirely new Jagddivision for single-engined
fighters which were dedicated to nightfighting.
The current system relied heavily on searchlights picking out
individual aircraft for the flak guns to deal with, and Hermann
suggested those searchlights be used instead to create a vast blanket
of light, against which a group of skilled, single-engine fighter pilots
could easily spot their prey. It was a desperate measure which
involved many elements and a whole new command structure, but
one which paid handsome dividends when first employed while
the radar-equipped Bf 110s and Ju 88s flew aimlessly from one false
target to another over the dying city, the pilots of JG 300 downed
four of the 17 British bombers lost that night. This technique
became known as the Wilde Sau (Wild Boar) operation.
Hans Derksen (1923 1943)

(Hopkins collection)
Hans Derksen senior and his

wife were naturally proud of
their sons accomplishments,
moving from a career as a
draftsman to that of a fighter
pilot (Hopkins collection)
The shocking effect of this raid reverberated across all of

Germany. From the Fhrer down to the common man and
woman in the street, the goal was the same No more
Hamburgs. It is possible that the attacks on Hamburg in late July
may have influenced Derksen to become a single-engined
nightfighter pilot, because his logbook indicates he transferred
from JG 104 to Blindflugschule 11 at Stubendorf to learn the
basics of night flying on 14 August, 1943. Graduating two months
later, Derksen reported to III./JG 300 on 15 October and was
promptly caught up in an administrative shuffle two weeks later.
On 1 November, III./JG 300 became III./JG 302, although the unit
was still based at Oldenburg and using the aircraft of III./JG 11 for
their evening missions.
This aircraft sharing policy between units led not just to frayed
nerves on both sides of the airfield, but led to a far greater
operational loss rate than would ordinarily be expected for a day
fighter unit. The Wilde Sau pilots were specifically instructed to
abandon their aircraft if they were damaged or unable to locate
their fields. Given the aggressive nature of the Wilde Sau attacks
and the typically inclement weather of northwest Europe in the
late summer and early fall, aircraft losses rose exponentially and
eventually, this was resolved by the Wilde Sau units in
Jagddivision 30 receiving their own aircraft in December. In
November, however, III./JG 302 was still using the aircraft of
III./JG 11 and in due course, Hans Derksen found himself on
Bereitschaft (readiness alert), anxiously awaiting his 588th flight
and his first combat mission. He did not have long to wait.
Far from letting up after the horrors of Hamburg, Bomber
Command continued to send streams of bombers across
Germany each night, and the capital city of Berlin itself received a
Derksen, like many other

German youth, was
fascinated with flying from a
young age. Here he is about
to test his latest glider
soon enough, he would be
aboard similar, albeit larger
craft (Hopkins collection)
A four month cruise to

nowhere the former
passenger liner Monte Rosa
was moored at Stettin as a
floating barracks, and
Derksen spent four months
aboard her during his training
period (Hopkins collection)
Introduction
02-MDF10-Chap-00_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:22 Page 8
Transferring to the fighter

training squadron JG 104 at
Frth after graduating basic
flight school, Derksen trained
on now-obsolete Bf 109Fs.
Note the typical mid-war
scheme and fuselage band
painted on this example
(Hopkins collection)
series of heavy raids throughout November. On the evening of

25/26 November, a force of 443 Lancasters and seven Pathfinder
Mosquitos set out from England as the Main Force in another raid
on Berlin, while a diversionary force of 178 Halifaxes and
Lancasters headed for Stuttgart. The two groups flew as one
towards Frankfurt in an attempt to confuse the Luftwaffe
defenses. This was only moderately successful, as groups scattered
throughout Germany were held in reserve anticipating just such
an action. Among the units alerted to intercept the Viermots as
they withdrew to England was Derksens III./JG 302.
After responding to the Alarmstart, Derksens 7. Staffel and the
rest of III. Gruppe roared aloft in pursuit of the British bombers.

Moments after takeoff, Hans Derksen plummeted to Earth near
the town of Wehnen, just northwest of Oldenburg. Trapped in the
cockpit of his Bf 109G-6 WNr 410142, coded white 10 + |,
Derksen never had a chance to get out of the aircraft. Nearby, his
Staffelkamerad Uffz. Heinz Kotthaus perished in the crash of
Bf 109G-5 WNr 15732 at almost the exact same time. An exact
cause was never established for either crash; given the timing and
proximity of the two wrecks, it is possible that Derksen and
Kotthaus collided during the climb to operational altitude.
Whatever the reasons, the net result was the same two more
young men had died in the course of a very long war.
Despite the vast differences between Germany and the Allies
during WWII, there were certain constants on both sides of the
lines. Among them was the dreaded telegram to the parents of
the fallen, usually accompanied by a note from the deceaseds
Operation Gomorrah, four nights of maximum effor t raids on Hamburg,

was designed to break German resolve and encourage the population to
realize the futility of fur ther combat. Damage in the Mnckabergstrasse
area can be seen in this photo
Even the subways offered no

respite from the rain of
death the subway station at
Mnckabergstrasse was
completely obliterated
Very few places were

untouched by the resulting
firestorm which swept
through Hamburg. The
Pressehaus on Steinstrasse
continued to burn for some
time after the raid
Introduction
commander. Derksens death was no different, although the

handwritten notes from his fellow pilots in the back of his
Flugbuch (logbook) were certainly a heartfelt touch. A few weeks
later, Derksens grief-stricken parents printed a small, blackbordered card to be sent to all the well-wishers To all who
have expressed their sincere sympathy regarding the heroic
death of our only, unforgettable son Hans, we offer our most
heartfelt thanks.
When objectively evaluated, there is no denying the
outstanding capabilities of the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Viewed
simply as an implement, an article designed for a specific
purpose, the 109 did that job superbly well. However, in making
that evaluation, we often lose sight of the fact that those aircraft
were piloted by young men, some of whom excelled at aerial
combat and survived, but many of whom died in droves in the
service of an evil, morally bankrupt regime. Their loss was no less
painful to their families than those of the Allies who died to defeat
that evil a fact which we should keep in mind as we study the
history and markings of the Bf 109 and those who flew them.
Hans Derksens body was returned to his parents for burial not long after
his crash, and the grief-stricken Derksen family published this thank you
card in memory of their only son (Hopkins collection)
03-MDF10-Chap-01_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:32 Page 9
Type Development
Chapter
y the summer of 1940, German forces had swept across

the entire European continent, laying waste to Poland and
overwhelming the defenders of Norway, Belgium, and
Holland. They had taken on and defeated the combined might of
the French and British armies and air forces, and forced France to
sign an armistice at the exact same spot as the Germans had
surrendered twenty-one years earlier. The British army had been
driven nearly into the sea, only rescued by the heroic actions of
thousands of sailors who fought tirelessly to bring the army home
from Dunkirk. In the eyes of Germany, the humiliation of
Versailles had been avenged, and now it was time to conclude
matters with England.
One of the principal instruments responsible for the
overwhelming superiority of German forces was the Messerschmitt
Bf 109E. Originally developed in response to an RLM
(Reichsluftfahrtministerium German Air Transport Ministry)
proposal in 1935, the Bf 109 was the most modern and fearsomely
effective fighter in the world in 1940. Powered by a fuel injected 12
cylinder Daimler Benz DB 601 engine rated at 1175 horsepower, the
Bf 109E variant was capable of nearly 350 mph in level flight, with
no loss of power during aerobatics (unlike the carbureted RollsRoyce Merlin which powered the contemporary Hawker Hurricane
I and Supermarine Spitfire I fighters), and heavily armed with a
pair of 7.92mm MG 17 machine guns in the upper cowling, and a
pair of drum-fed 20mm MG-FF cannon in the wings. Yet for all the
capabilities of the Emil, as it was known to its pilots, it was
understood that it would eventually be rendered obsolete by future
enemy aircraft. Thus, as the Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe were
engaged in combat with the Arme de lAir and the Royal Air Force,
the successor to the Bf 109E was already on the drawing boards.
As an aircraft designer, Willy Messerschmitt had an obsession
with reducing parasitic drag; that is, making the airframe as clean
as possible without unnecessary bumps and protrusions. His
aircraft designs were known for their light and simple construction
married with the most efficient airframe and wing design possible.
After the trauma of reorganizing the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke
(BFW) following a 1932 bankruptcy and a period of time where he
was forced to build other manufacturers aircraft under license, he
began moving forward with his own designs again. His designs
became more mature and refined, with the earlier M 23 sport plane
The characteristic square

supercharger intake of the
F-0 and low-profile oil cooler
of the early Fs are seen in
this photo of a pre-production
machine
being developed into the M 29 for the 1932 Challenge de Tourisme

International race. The slim and extremely clean design of the M 29
foreshadowed the later Bf 109 in many ways, featuring a very thin
fuselage, small and high-set tail group, and long, angular wings
with trailing edge flaps. The placement of the landing gear was
another favored Messerschmitt design feature; rather than having
to add heavy beams to absorb the pressures of the landing aircraft,
he placed the gear very near the center of the aircraft, with the
landing shocks being transmitted directly to the intersection of the
spar and firewall, the strongest portion of the airframe.
It was the M 37 design of 1934, however, which really put
Messerschmitt on the international map. His M 29 design was
disallowed from the 1932 Challenge race due to a pair of deadly
crashes, and BFW was eager to have an entry in the 1934 edition
of the race. The resulting design, later renamed the Bf 108 by the
RLM, was a masterpiece of aeronautical design and remains a
highly capable light aircraft even today, 72 years after its first
flight. A four-place monoplane of aluminum monocoque
construction, the Bf 108 was powered by a 240 hp Argus engine
and again exhibited many of Messerschmitts pet design features,
including the angular wing, centrally located landing gear, and
small tail group. The four Bf 108s were beaten in the 1934
Challenge de Tourisme International race by a pair of Polish RWD
9s on points (they could be disassembled quicker than the
Messerschmitts), but the Bf 108 went on to achieve a number of
records and victories in international competition.
Hoping to build on the success of the Bf 108 for his firm,
Messerschmitt tendered a design in response to a 1934 request by
the RLM for a high speed, single-place courier aircraft, with a
very stringent set of performance guidelines this wording was
to disguise the fact that the design competition was for a frontline single-seat monoplane fighter. After a lengthy trials process,
the resultant Bf 109 was chosen as the successor to the current
Heinkel and Arado biplane fighters then in service with the
nascent Luftwaffe. Messerschmitt again drew from previous
designs in creating the 109; the aircraft featured thin, angular,
single-spar wings with Handley Page leading-edge slats and an
innovative flap system interconnected with the ailerons which
increased the camber of the entire wing when the flaps were fully
lowered. This did wonders for low-speed handling, while the thin
As one of the most successful

fighter pilots in the Luftwaffe,
Maj. Adolf Galland received
one of the first pre-production
F-0 aircraft. The major
difference between the F-0
and subsequent F models
was the square supercharger
intake; this was later changed
to a streamlined, ovoid
design. Maj. Galland also had
a ZFR5 telescopic sight
installed in this aircraft for
long-range aircraft
identification
Type Development
03-MDF10-Chap-01_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:32 Page 10
Instead of a single, unwieldy

upper cowling which had to
be removed and refitted to
service the engine, the F
introduced an elegantly
simple cowling which was
hinged down the middle,
fastened with three latches
per side
After a series of fatal

crashes, it was found that
harmonic vibration caused
the tail section to become
weak and detach in flight.
Two metal reinforcing strips
were retrofitted to each side
of the tail unit across the joint
which proved to be a
satisfactory fix
10
Chapter 1
wing profile allowed for a high top speed. The fuselage was only as
wide as the Junkers Jumo 210D inverted V12 engine, minimizing
frontal drag as much as currently possible. The vertical tail was
extremely small, and the counterbalanced rudder was rather large
in comparison. The externally braced horizontal tail also featured
integral counterbalances, and was set well above the thrust line.
And once again, Messerschmitt utilized a centrally mounted
retractable landing gear design, with the gear being mounted
directly to the fuselage itself.
The Bf 109 began entering service just as events in Spain began
to take a turn for the worse, and three prototypes were sent to serve
with Gen. Francisco Francos Nationalist forces for a few weeks in an
operational evaluation role. This proved successful beyond
everyones expectations, and a small batch of Bf 109A models was
sent in early 1936, followed later that year by the standard Bf
109B-1 production model. Subsequent deliveries were of five C
models with troublesome fuel injected Jumo 210Cs and 35
improved D-1 models, which reverted back to the carbureted Jumo
210D. As production issues with the Daimler Benz DB 601A engine
were sorted out, the Bf 109E entered production and of course,
these were sent to Spain as soon as they became available. The
Spanish Civil War proved to be an ideal proving ground for both
fighter tactics as well as aircraft configurations, and the resounding
combat successes of the Legion Condor with their Messerschmitts
proved beyond a doubt that the German fighter was without peer.
As fine an aircraft as the Emil was, however, there were a
number of areas where Messerschmitt felt improvements could be
made. First of all, the design of the engine cowling and spinner
owed more to production expediency than aerodynamic
refinement. The bulky coolant radiators in the wing projected quite
far into the slipstream, and the external bracing on the horizontal
stabilizer provided a built-in headwind. So, in early 1940,
Messerschmitts design team set about refining and improving the
Bf 109 to increase both speed and maneuverability. The cowling
was the first area where improvements could be made. While ease
of maintenance was one of the hallmarks of the 109, the designers
felt there must be a way to improve access to the engine and
ancillary components. The results of their refinements were the
very essence of industrial simplicity the upper cowling and gun
cover of the Emil was reworked into a simple and elegant two-piece
access panel, hinged down the middle and fastened by a total of six
latches. The aerodynamically improved ram air scoop for the
supercharger intake was bolted to the port cowling panel, and a
large rubber gasket provided a positive seal against the face of the
supercharger impeller when the panel was closed. The large cover
over the guns on the Emil was replaced with a smaller cover
immediately forward of the windscreen.

The lower cowling required attention as well, and here again,
simplicity and ease of access were the goals. The redesigned
lower cowling was a one-piece affair which swung down and to
the right, and the oil cooler was now mounted directly to the
cowling itself rather than to the bottom of the engine. This
dramatically improved access to the fuel injection components.
Of course, with these refinements, the spinner required attention
as well, and the new spinner now encompassed the entire
fuselage diameter, the whole affair forming a very distinct and
streamlined nose to the aircraft.
Further along the fuselage, the fuel filler was moved away from
the spine and back to the fuselage-mounted position immediately
below the aft canopy section to port, as it was on the earlier
Bf 109D. The aftmost fuselage section, the Leitwerkstrger (literally,
tail carrier) was internally strengthened as was the horizontal
stabilizer, doing away with the external bracing struts, and the
whole unit was raised slightly when compared to the Emil.Other
minor changes included a slightly refined fin and rudder, a
redesigned instrument panel, an entirely new seat arrangement for
the pilot, many cockpit component locations were rearranged, and
the landing gear was angled slightly forward in an effort to help
improve the less than stellar landing characteristics of the 109.
Aside from the nose, the most noticeable feature of the new
Bf 109F (or Friedrich, as it was called) was the completely
redesigned wing. Whereas the earlier 109s had featured angular,
tapered wings, the new F introduced a gracefully curved wingtip
and a completely redesigned trailing edge. On the Emil, the flaps
and ailerons were both fabric covered, and worked independently
of the radiator cooling flaps. However, the F introduced an allmetal split flap system with the inboard flap sections also serving
as radiator airflow exits. These inboard flaps were separated into
upper and lower sections; the lower piece was controlled using the
inboard hand wheel in the cockpit for flap control, whereas the
upper section position was governed by a thermostatic regulator.
As the engine coolant increased in temperature, the upper flap
section would extend upwards, giving something of an alligator
mouth effect to the whole affair. The earlier F models also
featured a rudimentary boundary layer duct leading from the
03-MDF10-Chap-01_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:32 Page 11
upper radiator inlet, and through a very thin passage out of the aft
end of the upper radiator flap. This was a sound aerodynamic
device, keeping the disrupted boundary layer flow away from the
incoming cool air to the radiator face, but it was later
discontinued as production simplification took precedence over
the small advantage this device gave.
The last major change, and the one which caused the most
consternation within the Jagdwaffe ranks, was the deletion of the
wing-mounted 20mm cannon. It had originally been intended to
mount a 20mm cannon in the cockpit of the Emil to fire through
the hollow prop shaft, but too many difficulties were encountered
when trying to sort this out. However, experimentation continued,
and the design team felt confident they had resolved the vibration
issues by introducing both a redesigned firewall and engine
mounting assembly which included forged Elektron alloy engine
bearers bolted to anti-vibration mounts (much like todays
automotive engine mounts), and symmetrical torque tubes beneath
the center section. Thus, a drum-fed MG-FF/M cannon was bolted
to the cockpit floor, and covered with a zip-up canvas cover.
Four airframes were allocated to the initial type development
program; the Bf 109 V21, V22, V23, and V24. The V21,
Werknummer (WNr) 5602, was later used for an abortive
investigation into using a radial engine instead of the liquid-cooled
DB 601; it was a handsome aircraft, but the Focke Wulf Fw 190
proved to be a far superior design. The V23 (WNr 5603) and V24
both exhibited an unusual mixture of Emil and Friedrich details,
such as the streamlined spinner and cowling along with the revised
wing flaps, but the squared-off wing shape still appeared
unchanged from the earlier Emil. An improved wing root fairing (or
karman) was introduced with the Bf 109F-0 pre-production series
as well, which could be removed and refitted much quicker than
those on previous models. This allowed quick access to such items
as coolant line connections, flap and aileron linkages, and electrical
items. The V24 was later brought up to full production standard
and saw service with Jagdgruppe Ost, being destroyed in a crash on
26 December 1943 which took the life of the pilot.
The development aircraft were followed by a small run of F-0
pre-production aircraft; this number could be as high as 22, as the
first production F-1 was WNr 5627, but loss listings indicate only 8
positively identified Fs in the range 5605 to 5626. There are an
additional four Emils listed as losses in this WNr range, but as no
records have yet been located indicating that Emils were built in
that production block, those may be typographical errors in the
Luftwaffe records. Externally, the F-0 is identifiable by a distinctive,
squared-off supercharger intake which looks much like those fitted
to the Bf 109T. Maj. Adolf Galland, the Geschwaderkommodore of
JG 26Schlageter and one of the most successful Experten, used at
least two F-0s while Maj. Werner Mlders, the
Geschwaderkommodore of JG 51, received the first F-1 off of the
production line, WNr 5628, in October 1940 and it was Mlders
who had the honor of introducing the F model into combat,
scoring at least one victory over a Hurricane on his maiden
combat flight in the type on 22 October 1940.
Despite the reduction in armament, Luftwaffe pilots soon came
to appreciate the major improvements introduced in the new
model, and in fact, the F is widely regarded as the best performing
Bf 109 variant. While the landing characteristics were only
The V23 (WNr 5603, CE+BP)

shows the uncovered
supercharger intake and
interim wingtip design. All
subsequent F, G, and K
models featured a
streamlined supercharger
intake body
marginally improved, the differences in overall flying and fighting

capabilities were dramatic with all the armament grouped
about the aircrafts centerline, the F was often likened to a finely
balanced flying rifle. Development of the F model continued, with
the older 20mm MG-FF cannon of the F-1 and F-3 being replaced
by a faster firing 15mm MG 151/15 centerline cannon in the F-2
and F-4 models. Once the uprated DB 601E engine was available,
this was substituted for the older DB 601N in the F-3 and F-4
models as well. External armament packages were developed and
added as required; the data sheet in the Technical section of the
book gives a matrix to help decipher which Rstzustand (literally,
equipment condition; indicates equipment), Rstsatz (equipment
set/kit) and Umrst-bausatz (factory conversion) were commonly
fitted to which F variant.
Despite the promise shown by the aircraft, the service
introduction of the Bf 109F was anything but smooth. Quality
control complaints were rife from operational units, often leading
The V24 (WNr 5604, VK+AB)
brought the design of the F
one step closer to production.
The reinforcing strip design
for the wingroot fairing as
seen in this photo was carried
over from the earlier Emil
to testy exchanges between former business associates Willy

Messerschmitt and Ernst Udet, who was now the Minister of
Armaments Production. A more sinister development was a series
of seemingly unexplainable crashes not long after the F entered
widespread squadron service; the tail unit would simply detach
itself, leaving the hapless pilot trapped inside the doomed aircraft.
Eventually, a quick-thinking pilot detected some unusual
vibrations in the aircraft and landed successfully, where an
investigation revealed significant weakening of the joint between
the aft fuselage assembly and fuselage section 9, the
Leitwerkstrger. The temporary solution to this issue was to fasten
four long metal strips, 4 mm thick, across the joint as
reinforcements. This proved acceptable, and once redesigned by
Messerschmitt, the upgraded fuselage joint proved sturdy in
service on all subsequent Bf 109 models.
Development of better and faster fighters by the Allies
continued apace, and the Supermarine Spitfire Mk V entered
service not long after the introduction of the F-2 in early 1941.
Powered by an uprated Merlin 45 engine, the Spitfire V went a long
way towards redressing the imbalance between earlier marks of
Spitfires and the current Messerschmitt fighter. Of course, a
Luftwaffe response to this challenge was already under way, in the
form of the DB 605A engine. Keeping the same basic external
dimensions, the DB 605A was a more powerful motor than the
DB 601, offering around 1,475 hp at takeoff and emergency power
(according to published figures in the Bf 109G-2 Flugzeug
Handbuch from June 1942) as opposed to the 1,340 hp of the
DB 601E. The principal difference between the two engines was
the wider bore of the cylinders in the DB 605 (154 mm vs 150 mm
in the DB601 family), giving a total displacement of 35.7 cubic
litres versus 33.9 cubic litres in the earlier engine. The new engine
The wingtips of the V23 and

V24 were squared off like
earlier Bf 109 models, but a
more rounded design proved
to be more effective and was
placed into service. Note also
the improved intake design
and retrofitted fuel fill point
beneath the cockpit in this
photo of the V24
Type Development
11
03-MDF10-Chap-01_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:33 Page 12
The shallow oil cooler and

small supercharger intake
scoop as seen here are two
fairly reliable visual cues
identifying the Bf 109F-2;
however some early F-4
models were fitted with these
smaller items as well. This
aircraft, gelbe 6, may have
belonged to 9./JG 54
Displaying characteristics of
a mid-production Bf 109G-6,
yellow 13 of JG 53 Pik As
is seen here while operating
from Sicily. The worn, natural
metal backs of the propeller
blades are noteworthy, as is
the interesting personal
emblem on the port fuselage
just forward of the number.
Painted in the standard
74/75/76 scheme, identifying
points as a mid-production
aircraft include the short
antenna mast and
Peilrufanlage D/F loop on the
fuselage spine
12
Chapter 1
itself was longer and nearly 150 kg heavier than the DB 601 as well.
Among the various minor detail changes included in the new
Gustav were a heavier, welded canopy unit; a sturdier, welded
windscreen frame, inside of which was attached an integral 60mm
thick pane of armored glass; a slightly larger oil cooler; relocation of
the fuel filler back to the upper port spine; introduction of small
cockpit vents; minor improvements to the gear and wing structure;
and pair of small, semicircular vents located near the nose on each
side of the cowling to aid in cooling the spark plug leads. As with
the Friedrich before it, the entry of the Gustav into service also met
with significant difficulties, although this time the problems
originated at the front of the aircraft, not the rear. The DB605A
engine had a nasty tendency to fail or even catch fire while in flight,
which invariably led to the abandonment of the aircraft. Some of
these crashes were caused by quality control issues oil lines
would break and spray hot oil all over the engine compartment,
including the exhaust stubs, and this would promptly catch fire.
Coolant lines would break, causing the engine to overheat. Poorly
cast engine components would break, and in at least one instance,
the supercharger impeller tore itself out of the side of the aircraft. It
must be remembered that by 1942, both Messerschmitt and
Daimler Benz were using forced labor from occupied countries, and
sabotage became an increasingly troublesome issue. Arguably the
most significant personnel loss to mechanical failure of the engine
was Hptm. Hans Joachim Marseille, the famed Star of Africa. As the
highest-scoring ace in the Western Desert, he received one of the
first G-2s off of the Erla production line. On his first combat
mission in the type, on 30 September 1942, the engine suffered a
broken reduction gear, which then caused the casing to fail,
resulting in the engine running dry of oil which then caught fire as
it poured over the exhaust. Marseille rolled the aircraft inverted,
jettisoned the canopy, and bailed out but due to the smoke, he
could not see that the aircraft was in a dive and was knocked
unconscious when he hit the tail. His parachute never opened as he
fell to the desert floor.

As was common with most Luftwaffe aircraft throughout the
war,the Gustav was continuously modified throughout its service
life, although those modifications often came with a penalty. The
first variants to enter service were the pressurized G-1 and the nonpressurized G-2. These aircraft were a direct offshoot of the highly
successful Friedrich, and while lightly armed, were very capable
performers. The pressurized G-3 (50 built) and non-pressurized
G-4 introduced a slightly larger wheel (660mm x 160mm), and this
necessitated a pair of bumps on the wing to clear the larger tires.
The new protrusions certainly did not help matters in the top speed
department, but there were more to come. The G-6 (along with the
nearly identical pressurized G-5) introduced a pair of MG 131
13mm machine guns in the cowling, replacing the rifle-caliber
MG 17s. However, due to the significantly increased size of the
guns, feed chutes, and associated equipment, it became necessary
to cover the breeches and ends of the feed chutes with a pair of
enormous bulges riveted to the cowling. Luftwaffe pilots were quick
to coin nicknames for this latest version of the 109; Beule (bumps)
was one, Pferdarsch (horses rear) was another epithet used to
describe the appearance through the windscreen of the bulges. The
performance of the aircraft continued to suffer with the
introduction of the MG 131, as the guns, ammo, and associated
equipment were quite a bit heavier than the earlier MG 17s. The
good news in this was that the Gustav now had significant hitting
power with the heavy machine guns and the centerline 20mm
MG 151/20 cannon. However, even that armament was not
sufficient to do enough damage in one pass to the Allied bombers
now bombing German cities with increasing regularity.
Like the Friedrich before it, the Gustav was subjected to all
manner of bolt-on equipment and armament packages
throughout its service life, but one of the most common
modifications involved the addition of an MG151/20 cannon
beneath each wing, outboard of the wheel well in Waffengondolen
(weapons gondolas). This gave the Gustav a tremendously heavy
punch, but maneuverability suffered greatly with the weight of the
guns and associated equipment being mounted so far from the
aircrafts roll axis. Another modification borne of necessity was to
hang a WGr 21 (21 cm Werfer Granate rocket-propelled projectile)
launcher with a single pre-loaded rocket per tube beneath each
wing. Aircraft so equipped had absolutely atrocious flying
qualities, but a single hit from a WGr 21 was usually sufficient to
bring down even the heaviest bomber. A comprehensive listing of
the various factory-installed and field-installed modifications can
be found in the Technical Section.
For their part, Daimler Benz were working around the clock to
improve the power available from the DB 605 engine and resolve
issues such as cavitation in the oil system which resulted in foaming
and reduced oil flow to engine components, often resulting in the
destruction of the engine. One remarkably effective method of
significantly improving the power of the DB 605 involved the
injection of a methanol-water mist directly into the air intake. The
MW-50 system (so named because the mixture was 50% water and
50% methanol) involved a large fuselage tank located just aft of the
fuel tank, and associated piping. The mixture worked as an antidetonant, preventing the fuel-air mixture from igniting at the wrong
time due to higher supercharger boost pressures, thereby allowing
greater performance to be squeezed from the engine at lower
altitudes where the air was denser. MW-50 also had the added
benefit of cooling the intake charge going into the combustion
chamber of the engine, meaning that greater power could be
obtained from each individual combustion cycle. It was not without
significant drawbacks, however extended use of MW-50 would
destroy the spark plugs and cause significant internal engine wear.
Plus, the extra power depended on the use of 100 octane C3 fuel, an
increasing rarity as bombing raids targeted German fuel and oil
03-MDF10-Chap-01_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:33 Page 13
production infrastructure, and the added weight of the mixture

tank and associated plumbing worked to negate some of the
benefits. Given the horsepower advantages of the M-model engines,
however, the benefits did outweigh the disadvantages a stock
DB 605A-1 engine using 87 octane B4 fuel produced around 1,475
horsepower at sea level, decreasing to 1,355 horsepower at its
standard rated altitude of around 19,000 feet, whereas the
DB 605AM using 100 octane fuel and MW-50 produced 1,800
horsepower at sea level and still produced 1,700 horsepower around
15,000 feet. That extra 300+ horsepower was certainly useful when
engaging in high-speed fighter combats at medium-to-low level.
As can be seen from the figures above, the MW-50 system had
some significant benefits for fighters operating up to around 20,000
feet, but the additional power dropped off considerably above this
altitude. To effectively combat the US bombers which typically
operated around 25,000 feet, another solution was needed. This was
provided by the injection of a nitrous oxide mixture directly into
the supercharger intake, which provided an instantaneous boost in
engine power, perhaps as high as 25% depending on the altitude of
the aircraft so fitted. This mixture, known as GM-1 (Gring
Mischung, Grings mixture), was introduced with the Bf 109E-7
using the DB 601N back in 1941, and had been continuously
refined since then. Once again, however, the benefits of the
additional power had to be measured against the weight and
complexity of the system in those aircraft which carried GM-1. As
part of the conversion, the oxygen cylinders for the pilots oxygen
supply were relocated to the port wing, with the filler point being on
the wing undersurface. It was frequently seen on those aircraft
dedicated to the high-altitude interception mission, as it
dramatically improved performance at great heights, but again, the
large aft fuselage tank and associated hardware and plumbing was
an awful lot of kit to be dragging around at medium-to-low altitude.
Daimler Benz engineers found that the most effective solution to
increasing performance was improving the supercharger system,
and duly set out to create an improved engine, the DB 605D, which
featured a supercharger with 25% greater capacity as well as a host
of other mechanical improvements, including a higher volume oil
tank and oil pump and an octane selector (about which more
later). However, the development program continued to encounter
significant difficulties, and as the air war situation over Germany
became more and more serious through 1943, the Luftwaffe
demanded concrete results from Daimler Benz. As a temporary
expedient, the larger supercharger of the DB 603 was bolted to a
stock DB 605A, and the resulting DB 605AS turned out to have
nearly the same power as the forthcoming DB 605D. Using the
standard 87 octane B4 fuel type, the AS engine gave up 40
horsepower at sea level to the DB 605A (1,435 hp versus 1,475 hp
from an unmodified A model), but the new engine gave modified
109s a significant altitude increase; the pilot now had 1,200
horsepower at his disposal at an altitude of just over 26,000 feet
(8,000 meters), as opposed to the 19,000 foot rated altitude of the
DB 605A. This gave those fighters equipped with the DB 605AS a
significant performance boost right at the optimum operating
altitude of the American bombing formations. The 109s so
equipped also benefited from a smoother, fully integrated cowling
which finally dispensed with the garish bulges over the MG 131
feed chutes of the standard G-6, a larger vertical fin and rudder, and
the so-called Erla Haube canopy which replaced the framed
central and aft canopy sections of older model Gustavs. As with the
earlier DB 605A, there was a version of the AS engine configured to
use methanol-water boost (the DB 605ASM), but this was ONLY for
use in conjunction with the higher octane C3 fuel. Those aircraft
fitted with the DB 605ASM would frequently be seen with bright
red gear legs and wheels, as an indication to the ground crew that
this particular aircraft could only be filled with the high octane fuel.
Ultimately, the DB 605ASB was developed which allowed the use of
either low-octane B4 along with MW-50 or straight high-octane C3

fuel, but this did not appear until 1945 certainly too late to have
any significant effect on the air war.
As the Allied Combined Bombing Offensive continued through
1943 and into 1944, manufacturing of Bf 109s and their
components was farmed out to more and more satellite locations,
which began to result in significant variations between
manufacturers. The main manufacturing centers for the 109
(Wiener Neustadter Flugzeugwerke near Vienna, Austria; the Erla
factory in Leipzig; and Messerschmitts own massive facility in
Regensburg) had all introduced subtle variations on their respective
production lines, and it was decided to try to bring all the disparate
elements together in one common variant. This common variant
would be known as the Bf 109G-14, which first entered service in
May 1944. While it was certainly a worthwhile and understandable
goal, it must be said that the effort to introduce commonality was
an abject failure, not least because of the havoc being wreaked upon
the transportation networks and industrial centers of the Reich by
the continual bombing raids. The G-14 was nearly
indistinguishable from the G-6, and would soon be seen in as many
variations as the earlier model, including short and tall tails, both
DB 605A and AS powerplants, different armament configurations,
different canopy configurations (both framed and Erla Haube
being used interchangeably), and so forth. The G-14 would remain
in production nearly until the end of the war, with only one
completely new variant following the G-14 into service.
This new variant, the K-4, had been in development by WNF for
quite some time and represented the apogee of Bf 109
development. Intended from the outset to utilize the DB 605D
which had undergone such a troublesome development program,
the K-4 also utilized the same smooth, asymmetric cowling
introduced with the AS series aircraft, the refined larger fin and
rudder, wheel covers over the exposed sections of the wheels when
retracted, a fully retractable tailwheel, and a redesigned cockpit and
instrument panel. There were other internal equipment changes as
well, including relocation of the master compass to just forward of
the tailwheel well, the movement of the fuel filler one station aft on
the port fuselage side, the movement of the primary port fuselage
access hatch forward and slightly higher than the previous position
to accommodate the relocated radios, the relocation of the battery
box from the aft fuselage to right over top of the main fuel tank, just
behind the pilots head, and the movement of the Peilrufanlage
antenna one fuselage station aft on the spine. As the GM-1/MW 50
tank was now a permanent fixture in this variant, the pilots oxygen
cylinders were located in the port wing, with the fill point being on
the wing undersurface.
Once it finally entered service, the DB 605D proved to be an
In this lovely photo of a JG 54

Grnherz aircraft, the
characteristic riveted canopy
and windscreen frame of the
Bf 109F are seen to
advantage. Also noteworthy
are the small vents atop the
windscreen and just forward
of the windscreen base, along
with the slot cut in the upper
canopy panel for additional
ventilation. The pilots head
armor is lacking the cur ved
upper piece; this modification
was used by Hans Joachim
Marseille as well.
Type Development
13
03-MDF10-Chap-01_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:33 Page 14
In contrast with yellow 13

from JG 53, here we see the
Ace of Aces, Erich
Hartmann, as he unstraps
himself from his late
production Bf 109G-6. The
Karayastaffel emblem is
certainly interesting, as are
the canopy details of the
retrofitted Erla Haube
canopy. Note also that the
antenna mast is affixed
directly to the canopy, as
evidenced by the antenna
wire extending outwards
Essentially a G-6 with a

permanent camera mount,
the Bf 109G-8 served with
many Nhaufklarungsgruppen
on all fronts. This example
seen here, WNr 201765
coded black 11 , was
brought down in France,
where it is seen being
examined by an Allied soldier
14
Chapter 1
outstanding engine, and Daimler-Benz had gone to great lengths to

accommodate the highly variable fuel supplies available to fighter
units at any given time. The DB 605DB was configured to use either
straight high-octane C3 or low-octane B4 paired with MW-50
this gave a maximum output of 1,600 horsepower at approximately
20,000 feet (6,000 meters), and allowed around 1850 hp for takeoff,
based on a maximum permissible supercharger boost pressure of
1.80 ata (just over 26 pounds of boost; one atmosphere = 14.7 lbs
per square inch). If the low-octane fuel was used without MW-50,
the maximum boost was limited to 1.45 ata (21.3 lbs of boost). As
impressive as this was, the DB 605DC proved to be the most
powerful production version of the basic 605 design using 100
octane C3 fuel along with MW-50, the engine would produce up to
2,000 horsepower for takeoff at sea level and 1,800 horsepower at
just over 16,000 feet (4,900 meters). The use of C3 and MW-50 also
allowed the maximum permissible boost pressure to be raised to
1.98 ata (just over 30 pounds of boost), although not many
Jagdgruppen had their Bf 109K-4s cleared to operate at that boost
level by the end of the war. Most interestingly, the DB 605DB could
be converted into a DC and vice versa with little effort; there was a
manually-set octane-selector screw on the engine which allowed

the mechanics to set the engine up to use either 87 or 100 octane
fuel, and which also limited the MW-50 charge accordingly.
The K-4 proved to have a markedly increased climb rate and
maximum speed, and plans were set in motion to get all units then
equipped with older Bf 109Gs converted over to the new model.
However, production could not keep pace with demand, and once
again, an interim solution was sought. The answer lay in the vast
number of Gustav airframes which sat in repair centers awaiting
attention. It was quickly found that bolting a DB 605D along with all
of its ancillary components to a standard Bf 109G airframe, along
with the cowlings and empennage modifications introduced with
the G/AS aircraft, resulted in a significantly improved aircraft,
nearly as good as the new K-4. Thus rebuilt, these aircraft were
designated Bf 109G-10 and production began in October 1944.
Messerschmitt-Regensburg produced one known batch of less than

500 G-10s, and the vast majority were produced by WNF. Of course,
as the third major 109 producer, Erla was also heavily involved and
they arrived at a slightly different cowling design which dispensed
with the riveted bulge on the port fuselage and the small bumps in
the lower cowling which cleared the larger rocker covers of the
DB 605D in favor of a smoother, more streamlined cowling, slightly
wider than normal beneath the engine and fairing smoothly into
the port fuselage at a panel line break just beneath the windscreen.
There was no corresponding change in designation for these Erlabuilt aircraft, as they were otherwise mechanically similar to other
G-10s, and the cowling type numbering system often quoted (i.e.
Type 110) was established by noted French researcher Jean-Claude
Mermet in an attempt to bring some clarification to the often
confusing array of configurations seen on Bf 109s.
There were many other modifications made to the basic Bf 109
airframe throughout the course of the war; for example, dispensing
with previous practice of using a Rstzustand designation for those
aircraft outfitted with cameras for reconnaissance duties, the Bf
109G-8 was a factory conversion of an otherwise standard Bf
109G-6 that was modified to mount either a pair of Rb 12.5/7x9
cameras or one single Rb 32/7x9 camera in the aft fuselage.
Another purpose-built factory modification resulted in the Bf
109G-12. This aircraft was designed in response to requests from
training units for a two-seat 109 which would allow students to be
introduced to the idiosyncrasies of the Bf 109 prior to their first
solo flight. To accommodate this request, a standard Bf 109G
fuselage was cut open aft of the cockpit, the main fuel tank was
reduced in size from 400 liters to a 240 liter bag beneath the
cockpit floor, dual controls were fitted, and a cumbersome, heavily
framed canopy was added. The prospective student sat in the
substantially unmodified forward cockpit, while the instructor was
encased in the aft cockpit. Forward visibility, already very poor in
the standard 109, was essentially nonexistent for the instructor
pilot. The experience of flying in the back of this lash-up has been
variously reported as terrifying,scary, or a more profane version
of those descriptions. Due to the significantly reduced fuel tankage,
G-12s were usually outfitted with the external 300 liter fuel tank.
There were also a very small number of Bf 109Hs produced as a
dedicated high-altitude reconnaissance version, but little concrete
information has surfaced on the operational history of this variant
to date.
The Bf 109 was the most successful fighter in history, when
viewed as a measure of how effective it was at its given job. Erich
Hartmann, Gerd Barkhorn, and Gnther Rall, the three highest
scoring fighter pilots in history, scored 928 victories between them,
and the majority of their victories were achieved in various Bf 109
models. For all of that, however, there is no denying that the K-4
represented the highest development point of the basic airframe
which dated (with some modifications) back to 1935. There were
many design shortcomings which were never adequately
addressed: there were no trim tabs on the elevators to help facilitate
pullouts from dives, nor was there a cockpit-adjustable trim system
for the rudder or ailerons. An adequate deicing system was never
installed, leading to who knows how many crashes and victories for
Allied pilots over Luftwaffe pilots unable to see out of frozen
canopies. And the most damning fault of all was the landing gear;
well-suited for high-speed flight and stability with the weight of the
retraction mechanism close to the aircraft centerline, it was
something of a travesty on the ground, and a substantial number of
Bf 109s were significantly damaged thanks to failures of the
narrow-track gear. Still, the success of the Bf 109 as a fighter and its
adaptability to many other roles for which it was not originally
designed (such as night fighter, dive bomber, and ground attack
platform) speaks volumes for the effectiveness of Willy
Messerschmitts design.
04-MDF10-Chap-02_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:34 Page 15
The Channel Front

Chapter
ith the evacuation of surviving British forces from

Dunkerque by early June 1940, the fight for
continental Europe was essentially all but over, and
the German forces had time to rest and regroup before
embarking on their toughest assignment yet the subjugation
of a defiant England. Hostilities recommenced in earnest in
July, and the next three months saw the fiercest aerial combats
ever seen to that point in time over the cities and fields of
southern England. By October, the Luftwaffe forces which had
begun the campaign against England so full of confidence and
self-assurance were under enormous strain from the continual
pace of operations. In some instances, the losses to British
defenders had decimated entire units I./JG 52 was down to
just twelve original pilots of the original cadre of 36 which had
originally entered the battles over Britain, and other units were
hurt even worse.
The strength and determination of the British defense
shocked and demoralized the men of the Jagdwaffe. Their
Bf 109Es had cleared the skies before them in Poland, Norway,
Denmark, Holland, Belgium, and France, and they exacted a
fearsome toll of the Hurricanes and Spitfires which rose to meet
them. But even if the Jagdflieger scored telling hits on a British
fighter, the pilot was over his home country sometimes even
his own airfield and would soon be back in the air to fight
again. For the Messerschmitt pilots, already handicapped by a
short range and increasingly absurd defensive orders which tied
the fighters to the Kampfgruppen, they had no such luxury. One
critical hit could land him in the Channel, in captivity, or in the
grave. Following an unending cacophony of complaints, the
Messerschmitt firm responded with the Bf 109E-7, which
featured a slightly more powerful Daimler Benz DB 601N engine
and a fuel system which allowed the carriage of a 300 liter drop
tank for extended range. These were helpful, to be sure, but the
British were not merely sitting still, waiting for the Germans
next move. They had been steadily improving their best fighter,
the Spitfire, and by August the new Spitfire II had entered
squadron service. Fitted with an uprated Merlin XII, the Mk II
proved to be capable of nearly 370 mph at altitude, a 25+ mph

improvement over the standard Bf 109E fitted with the DB 601A
engine.
As related earlier, however, Messerschmitt had design work
well in hand by this point on a completely redesigned variant,
the Bf 109F, and the first production Bf 109F-1, WNr 5628, was
sent to Maj. Werner Mlders, the Gruppenkommandeur of JG 51
and the most successful Jagdflieger of the war to date, for service
testing at the beginning of October, 1940. Maj. Mlders had
passed his now-outclassed Emil to one of his fellow pilots, and
on 22 October, he flew a freie Jagd sortie on which he claimed a
Seen posing next to his Bf

109F-2, Hptm. Stolle was
appointed the Staffelkapitn
of 8./JG 2 in September 1940,
and remained the leader of 8.
Staffel until becoming the
Gruppenkommandeur of
III./JG 2 in July 1943... a
remarkable period of stability
for a Luftwaffe unit
commander
Another photo of Oblt. KarlHeinz Leesmanns aircraft

shows a masked demarcation
line between the white and
the 70 Schwartzgrn spinner,
as well as squared-off wheel
wells and the I./JG 52 unit
emblem on the aft fuselage
Hurricane (some sources state three Hurricanes) northwest of

Maidstone for the first victory achieved by the new fighter. Three
days later, he was to find out just how much of an improvement
the Friedrich represented over the older Emil when he led an
attack on a formation of Spitfires below his three-plane
formation. Diving from 30,000 feet, the three 109s were
maneuvering into attack position when Hptm. Hans Asmus in
Mlders old Bf 109E-4 WNr 3737 realized they had been
suckered into a classic bounce. He looked up to find a whole
formation of Spitfires diving down to the defense of their lowerflying brethren Mlders and Asmus had just become the
meat in a Spitfire sandwich! Mlders had already downed two
of the Spitfires from the initial group in rapid succession, but
suddenly all thoughts of the attack vanished, and it was every
man for himself. Asmus dove in one direction, escaping his
pursuers only to have his aircraft completely wrecked by a
In this photo taken in late

April or May 1941, the
groundcrew has just finished
fueling the Bf 109F-0 of
Geschwaderkommodore Adolf
Galland. Galland used this
aircraft to score his 60th and
61st victories, a pair of
Spitfires from 266 Sqn. off
the southern coast of England
on 15 April 1941
The Channel Front
15
04-MDF10-Chap-02_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:34 Page 16
November, many of the units which had spent the entire

summer and fall facing the Royal Air Force had been rotated out
of the combat zone for rest and refit the weather grew
increasingly worse, although there would still be plenty of
opportunities to meet each other in combat yet. Of the units
which remained on the Channel front, there were three which
were chosen to receive the first production batches of Bf 109Fs.
JG 2, commanded by Maj. Helmut Wick; JG 26, commanded by
Maj. Adolf Galland; and JG 51, commanded by Maj. Werner
Mlders, were scheduled to be the first Jagdgeschwadern to
receive the new fighter. Proving that rank has its privileges,
these units were chosen as their commanders were the most
successful Jagdflieger of the war to date. Only twelve aircraft were
initially available per unit, so one Staffel from each unit would
As his Bf 109F is refueled,
Maj. Galland has a word with
other JG 26 squadron
members. The white
Geschwaderkommodore
markings are noteworthy
The fully retracted flaps on

this JG 2 Bf 109F-2 are
indicative of the relaxed pace
of Channel Front operations,
as is the studious mechanic
using the Messerschmitt as a
backrest
Maj. Adolf Galland increased

his score to 60 on 15 April
1941 by downing two
Spitfires of 266 Squadron
near Dover, and his ground
crew are clearly pleased with
their Kommodores success
16
Chapter 2
jettisoned bomb from another Bf 109 in a different formation

he spent the remainder of the war as a guest of the British
government. Mlders, in the meantime, had firewalled the
throttle in his new Friedrich and rapidly outpaced the Spitfires,
dashing back to the safety of his base at St. Inglevert.
Such close calls were to be expected in combat, of course, and
this did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the Luftwaffe
pilots who were eagerly looking forward to an aircraft which
would enable them to regain the superiority they had held just
six months prior over France. There were initial misgivings as
the overall weight of fire decreased from the Emil to the
Friedrich whereas the Bf 109E-4 and E-7 carried two 7.92mm
MG 17 machine guns in the cowling and a pair of drum-fed
MG-FF(M) cannon in the wings, the Bf 109F-1 entered service
with the same two cowling-mounted MG 17s, but only one MGFF(M). The crucial difference is that Messerschmitt had finally
resolved the overheating and jamming problems with a centrally
mounted gun firing through the propeller shaft, to a point where
all subsequent Bf 109 models would feature a centrally-mounted
cannon as standard. Set between the pilots feet and covered in a
zippered canvas bag, the MG-FF(M) (the M indicated the
cannon was cleared to fire mine-type shells) and the two
MG 17s may not have had the same weight of fire as the earlier
model, but removing the cannon from the wings had a
tremendous benefit on the aircrafts handling capabilities. In a
1940 report subsequently published in his book Airpower, the
famed pilot of the Grumman Gulfhawk, Major Al Williams
spoke at length about his opportunity to fly a Bf 109 thanks to
the efforts of his friend Ernst Udet, and he remarked at the time
that he felt as though he were flying a finely balanced rifle. The
Friedrich represented the zenith of that concept all of the
aircrafts weapons were centered nearly along the flying axis, and
a skilled pilot could use the capabilities of the aircraft to do
tremendous damage to the enemy.
As with any new and improved weapon system, front-line
demand for the new variant far outstripped the initial supply. By
return to Germany to pick up the new fighters and undergo

transition training. By the end of the year, the weather over the
Channel precluded any major offensive actions from either
combatant, and December was essentially a month of rest and
recreation for most of the German pilots, who judged the falls
actions something of a draw.
Their comrades from the other field post office, as the
Luftwaffe pilots often referred to the opposition, were not quite
so idle. The RAF was all too aware that the defensive battles over
England of the summer and fall had been a very near-run thing,
and sought to find ways to proactively fight the Luftwaffe to
avoid a spring repeat of that desperate stand. Thus, a new
offensive doctrine was developed which would see Fighter
Command undertaking forays across the Channel and seeking
to fight the Jagdwaffe over their own bases a taste of their
own medicine, so to speak. Often times, these missions would
involve a few token bombers and the formations would be
arranged to appear as though a large-scale bombing raid was
inbound. The theory was that the German ground controllers
would see this inbound raid, presume that Bomber Command
was making an appearance, and vector Luftwaffe fighters to
intercept which would then be engaged by the large numbers of
Spitfires and Hurricanes that constituted the bulk of the
formation. In practice, however, things rarely worked out that
way. On the first large-scale offensive mission over France in six
months, five RAF squadrons performed a fighter sweep along
04-MDF10-Chap-02_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:34 Page 17
This anonymous Bf 109F-2 seen basking in the F rench sun showcases the clean lines of the
new Messerschmitt design
III./JG 2 converted onto the new Bf 109F-2 beginning in April 1941, and operated this
variant for around 10 months before beginning the conversion process onto the Fw 190A in
February 1942. In this photo, a group of F-2s from 9./JG 2 is seen at St. Pol, France
This Bf 109F, white 8 + - of 4./JG 53, appears to have suffered a noseover while taxiing,
as evidenced by the lack of damage to the flaps and the ar tfully twisted propeller
Although no unit badge is visible in this photo, the style of the fuselage numbers suggests
this Bf 109F belonged to 9./JG 26
Oberst Werner Mlders paid a visit to Dsseldor f in May 1941 in his personal Bf 109F-1,
and the Propaganda Kompanie photographers were out in full force to record the event. In
this photo, Mlders is seen tidying up after landing. The highly polished finish of the aircraft
is noteworthy
Engine failure obliged the pilot of this Stab II./JG 26 Bf 109F-2 to execute a per fect belly
landing in a French field
All manner of interesting aircraft maintenance facilities were used by units in F rance; here,
a Bf 109F-2 of an unidentified unit appears to be backed tail-first into a garage. Also, note
how the upper wing camouflage wraps around the leading edge of the wing
Messerschmitt provided a full set of fitted canvas covers with each aircraft produced, and
the wings of this early F-2 have been draped with these covers as an added camouflage
measure
The Channel Front
17
04-MDF10-Chap-02_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:34 Page 18
Another well-known ace serving with JG 26 on the Channel coast through 1941 was the
Staffelkapitn of 1/JG 26, Oblt. Josef Pips Priller, seen here on the right
A decidedly humorless group of Luftwaffe personnel have gathered for an informal photo
next to a Bf 109F of Stab/JG 3. The exhaust bank carefully outlined in black is notewor thy
With the increasingly heavy attacks from USA AC and RAF bombers, the Luftwaffe was
forced to adopt a more aggressive defensive posture in the west from late 1942 onwards.
Part of this effort was the development of more heavily armed aircraft, as typified by the Bf
109G-4/R6 seen here, black 4 of JG 26
There are certain universal traits among fighter pilots, and among those traits is the
enthusiasm for taking cheesy hero photos, as demonstrated here by this intrepid pilot of
an unknown Stabstaffel
Any landing you walk away from is a good one Despite the code on the fuselage, this is a
Bf 109F-2 which seems to have suffered from an overenthusiastic application of the brakes,
flipping the aircraft right over. The markings and buildings in the background suggest this
may have happened on a test flight after a factor y repair; the Erla company would use test
pilots initials on aircraft for quick identification (F was for Hans F ay, for example)
Now that is a quality monument! The pilot of this Bf 109F from III./JG 26 ran the aircraft right
into a pile of dir t, causing it to tip ver tically on its nose in a classic pilots monument pose
18
Chapter 2
Oblt. Hermann-Friedrich Joppien, the Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 51, is seen here in a

bemused pose by his Bf 109F-2 in the spring of 1941
04-MDF10-Chap-02_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:34 Page 19
the French coast on 9 January 1941. The total number of aircraft

engaged in combat on this sortie was zero not exactly the
result the RAF had anticipated.
The raids were soon structured into distinctly different
missions. Rhubarbs were offensive strafing patrols by small
groups of fighters, flown at low level; a good example would be
the three missions flown on 12 January by the Hurricanes of 242
Sqn. In each mission, a pair of aircraft would streak across an
enemy field with guns blazing, hoping to cause as much
destruction as possible, as quickly as possible, then hightail it
back to England. Two of the six Hurricanes were lost on the
12th, but a similar raid by a pair of 303 Sqn. Hurricanes on 22
January was more successful, destroying one I./JG 26 Bf 109 at
Crcy and killing a member of the groundcrew, then making
good their escape. Rodeos were large-scale fighter sweeps, such
as the five-squadron operation noted on 9 January. Ramrods
involved both fighters and bombers, and the primary objective
of these missions was to actually inflict damage with the
bombers. Circuses, on the other hand, used small formations of
bombers as bait to lure Luftwaffe fighters aloft where they would
be dealt with by a large fighter component. There was one
further mission type, designed to engage German ships either at
sea or in port, and these missions were known as Roadsteads. Of
all the various missions listed, the Rodeo, Circus, and
Rhubarb missions were undertaken the most during 1941.
The RAF missions against the German bases were very
sporadic through the first months of 1941, and from a German
perspective amounted to little more than pin pricks little
actual damage was incurred, and losses, when they did occur,
were low. From a British perspective, however, the viewpoint was
far different- they were actually carrying the war to the enemy,
and building up precious operational experience into the
bargain. The limited Luftwaffe response encountered in the first
two months of the offensive was not to last, however. In midMarch, the Bf 109F finally began reaching the Channel coast
units in quantity, although some units (including 8. and 9./JG
26) had begun re-equipping with the F-2 in mid-February. JG 51
converted to the new fighter between December 1940 and
February 1941 at Mannheim-Sandhofen, followed immediately
by elements of JG 53. Interestingly, JG 2 did not even begin
conversion to the F model until March.
Enemy activity was still somewhat sparse through March and
April, with occasional British forays over occupied France and
Belgium meeting a sporadic defense. The Jagdwaffe was
beginning to take a more offensive stance as well, with sorties to

southern England to strike at returning British raiders
beginning in mid-April. Maj. Adolf Galland undertook an
impromptu mission of this sort during what was supposed to be
a simple transfer flight to visit Genmaj. Theo Osterkamp, who
was celebrating his birthday at Luftflotte 2 headquarters in Le
Touquet. Gallands Bf 109F-0 (WNr 6714) was loaded with
champagne and lobsters for the flight part of the birthday
dinner planned for Osterkamp. On the way there, he and his
wingman Oblt. Hans-Jrgen Westphal took an impromptu
detour over England for some hunting practice. His efforts were
rewarded when he found a solitary Spitfire idling about, which
Another view of Oberst

Mlders walking towards his
Bf 109F-1 reveals an
interesting detail; note the
reinforcement strip along the
upper edge of the wing root
fairing. This strip was present
on the Bf 109E, and has not
been seen on any other
production Bf 109F to date.
Note also the painted cowling
gun troughs
I./JG 52 under Oblt. KarlHeinz Leesmann began

converting onto the Bf 109F in
July 1941, just prior to being
transferred to the Eastern
Front in September.
Leesmanns own F-2 is seen
in this photo; note the lack of
clear navigation light covers
and the unshielded port
exhaust
he promptly shot down this was the commander of 266 Sqn,

Wg Cdr W.E. Coope, who wound up force-landing his Spitfire II
P7901 at Manston and came away from the encounter
uninjured. 266 Squadron would lose two more Spitfires to
Galland in short order before his brief trip was over; Sgt. H.
Whewell was injured and force-landed his Spitfire II P8014 at
Hawkinge, while Sgt. R.G.V. Barraclough force-landed Spitfire II
P7544 at Hornchurch with wounds. Following these victories,
Galland and his wingman turned for Le Touquet, and landed
with his cargo of lobsters, champagne and flowers intact.
For the most part, however, the German fighters were content
to respond to inbound raids as they saw fit, and brief, smallscale combats were generally the rule of the day. The pace of
operations continued to build through April and May, and by
June, there were only two full Jagdgeschwadern still serving on
the Channel coast JG 2 and JG 26. All of the other squadrons
which had units serving in France had received transfer orders
to the eastern frontier of the German Reich in preparation for
the largest invasion in history Operation Barbarossa, the
attack on Russia. With only 236 aircraft between JG 2 and JG 26
and the entire Atlantic coast to cover, the units were spread quite
Maj. Galland had one of his

Bf 109Fs outfitted with a pair
of 13mm MG 131s in the
cowling in an effort to
improve the firepower of the
lightly armed standard F
model. The spent casings
were ejected from the side of
the aircraft, and the larger
breech mechanism required
the addition of small bulges
to Gallands aircraft. These
modifications can be seen in
this photo, along with the gun
camera aperture in the
leading edge of the por t wing.
Galland himself is standing
on the port wing of the
aircraft
The Channel Front
19
04-MDF10-Chap-02_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:34 Page 20
The first intact Bf 109F-2 to

fall into British hands was
piloted by the
Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG
26, Hptm. Rolf Pingel, who
was hit by return fire from a
Stirling bomber and obliged
to force-land his Bf 109F-2
WNr 12764 black << at
Dover on 10 July 1941
Maj. Werner Mlders downed

a Spitfire off Dover on 8 May
for his 68th victory claim (not
counting his 14 victories in
Spain), and the event was
duly recorded on the rudder
of his Bf 109F with the British
roundel and date of the
victory carefully inscribed
over the kill marking
The new Kommodore of JG 2,

Oberst Walter Oesau, is seen
here posing on the wing of his
Bf 109F in the fall of 1941.
This aircraft has several
interesting features, including
a higher than normal black
exhaust panel, squared off
wheel wells, and a two-tone
spinner with a thin white
stripe
20
Chapter 2
thin, but this would not prove to be a significant handicap to

their operations. In fact, the attack on Russia would result in
increased raids over France, as the British did what they could to
apply extra pressure to the Western front in order to tie up the
fighter units there and perhaps force further units to be
transferred away from the East.
Unfortunately, this would prove to be merely wishful thinking
on the part of Fighter Command. The Luftwaffe had wisely
chosen to retain their two most successful fighter squadrons to
face England alone, and they proved to be more than equal to
the task. A significant increase in the number of Circus
operations intended to bring the German fighters into combat
and destroy them proved to be partially successful, at least
JG 2 and JG 26 did indeed respond in force to these raids, but
the results were far from what the British had anticipated.
Numerous Jagdflieger increased their scores with multiple
victories on each sortie; on 8 July, Lt. Egon Mayer of 7./JG 2
scored victories over four Spitfires and a Blenheim, while his
fellow JG 2 pilot Oblt. Siegfried Schnell of 9. Staffel downed a
further three Spitfires. With these claims, Schnell reached 40
victories which automatically qualified him for the Eichenlaub
(Oak Leaves), the third highest award in the German armed
forces. Schnell did not rest on his laurels, however- the very next
day, during another large Circus raid, he claimed a further six
Spitfires. All of this was cold comfort to the men of JG 2,
however, as their highly successful Geschwaderkommodore, Maj.
Wilhelm Balthasar, was killed on 3 July in the crash of his Bf
109F-2 WNr 7066 when a wing detached during hard
maneuvering while in pursuit of a Spitfire. The 47 victory ace
fell to his death approximately 8 km north of Aire, right beside

the road to Witte. Coming on the heels of Helmut Wicks
disappearance in November, this was a hard blow indeed.
Balthasars replacement would be none other than Maj. Walter
Oesau, another highly successful fighter pilot who was recalled
from Eastern Front duty to assume command of the Richthofen
Geschwader.
The 10th of July brought a significant loss to JG 26; Hptm.
Rolf Pingel, a highly experienced pilot with 22 victories and the
Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 26 was forced to crash-land his
aircraft in Kent after suffering an engine failure in his Bf 109F-2.
Pingel survived unwounded but went into captivity, and his
aircraft was recovered and quickly repaired in order to test it
thoroughly and look for weak spots for Fighter Command to
exploit. His place at the head of I./JG 26 was taken by Hptm.
Johannes Seifert, formerly the Staffelkapitn of 3. Staffel. The
remainder of July saw a steady progression of Circus and
Roadstead missions contested by the Luftwaffe units stationed
in France and the Low Countries, with the RAF forces usually
coming off worst in the encounters. The new Kommodore of JG
2, Maj. Oesau, reopened his account in the West with a victory
on 10 August, but the most noteworthy event to take place in
this month was the introduction of the new Focke Wulf Fw 190A
to combat by JG 26. The Fw 190 packed a significant punch with
four 20mm cannon and a pair of MG 17s over the engine, but
severe engine teething troubles caused significant delays in
declaring the type operationally ready. As such, JG 26 continued
to rely upon their trustworthy Friedrich against the regular
British raids.
Despite being the most active units in the region, JG 2 and
JG 26 were not the only units available; elements of JG 1 and
JG 52 were also based in the Netherlands, standing as bulwarks
against any potential offensive actions against northern
Germany. A unit exchange took place in September 1941 which
saw Stab and I./JG 52 move to the Eastern Front, being replaced
by the highly successful Stab and I./JG 53 Pik As, with II./JG 53
joining these units in October. After the intense pressure-cooker
environment of Russia, this almost passed as a vacation for the
pilots and groundcrew, but the loss of the famed evader Oblt.
Franz von Werra on 25 October served as a stark reminder that
there was indeed a war still on. Von Werra was lost in mysterious
circumstances, when his Bf 109F-4 black << + (WNr 7285)
suddenly snapped over and dove into the sea, killing the wellliked Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 53. The following month
saw a turning point in the Western campaign, with the RAF
finally accepting that their current strategy was not having a
material effect on the course of the war; fighter losses were far
too high, and the increasingly bad weather over the Channel
front presented an opportunity to re-evaluate their tactics. As
such, raids on France and the Low Countries were significantly
curtailed over the winter, not to resume until early March.
A far more significant change for the Jagdwaffe unfolded in
Germany on 17 November, when General Ernst Udet took his
04-MDF10-Chap-02_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:34 Page 21
own life. A state funeral was ordered, and the General der
Jagdflieger, Oberst Werner Mlders, was recalled from his duties
in the Crimea to serve as an honorary pallbearer. However, on
the return flight to Germany, the Heinkel He 111 in which he
was flying crashed at Breslau due to engine failure, and Mlders
was killed. Gring chose as his successor the second most
successful Jagdflieger at the time, Maj. Adolf Galland, who thus
relinquished command of JG 26 to Maj. Gerhard Schpfel. Later
that month, JG 2 and JG 26 recommenced offensive operations
against England using Bf 109F-4/bs equipped to carry a single
SC 250 bomb. The Jabo Staffel/JG 2 and Jabo Staffel/ JG 26 soon
caused an RAF defensive response completely out of proportion
to the small numbers of Luftwaffe fighter-bombers involved,
with nearly 1,500 aircraft and a vast army of personnel being
placed into a defensive stance throughout southeastern England.
These Luftwaffe units would be redesignated as 10.(Jabo)/JG 2
and 10.(Jabo)/JG 26 in March 1942, and would continue to
wreak havoc on Channel shipping and coastal towns for some
time to come.
By January 1942, JG 26 had almost fully converted to the
Fw 190, but JG 2 continued to use the Bf 109F to great effect in
the early part of the year. Both units took part in the infamous
Channel Dash on 12 February 1942, along with JG 1 operating
out of the Netherlands, in an aerial cover operation planned
almost single-handedly by the erstwhile Kommodore of JG 26,
Oberst Adolf Galland. The successful transit of the Prinz Eugen,
Scharnhorst, and Gneisenau from Brest to their home ports in
northern Germany, despite the best efforts of the RAF and Royal
Navy, was a tremendous embarrassment to the British. Matters
did not improve with the renewal of the British offensive
campaign in March; in fact, with the continuing transition of
JG 2 onto the more heavily armed Fw 190 and the continued
presence of highly experienced Luftwaffe pilots and officers in
the Channel coast units, the RAF found itself suffering even
heavier losses than before. Those units still flying the Bf 109
continued to transition onto the Fw 190, with the two Jabo units
beginning operations with their new Focke Wulfs in June.
The Friedrichs had soldiered on continuously from October
1940 until the summer of 1942, providing the Luftwaffe units in
the west with a qualitative advantage over the best that Fighter
Command had to offer until the introduction of the Spitfire IX
in the late summer of 1942. Much of that advantage must be
said to lie with the highly experienced pilots of the Luftwaffe
units stationed in the West, as they were able to maximize their
aircrafts strengths against less experienced Fighter Command
pilots during the frequent forays over Occupied Europe
throughout 1941 and 1942. Despite being superceded for the
most part by August, the Bf 109s career in the west was far from
over. The pressurized Bf 109G-1 began entering service in July
1942 with I./JG 1, and a specialized high altitude interceptor unit
was added to both JG 2 and JG 26 to help offset their Focke
Wulfs lack of high altitude performance. These two units,
11.(Hhen)/JG 2 and 11.(Hhen)/JG 26 would be the only two
Messerschmitt-equipped units to take part in the tremendous
battles over the abortive Allied landing at Dieppe on 19 August,
with each unit losing one pilot in combat; 13 victory ace Stfw.
Erwin Kley of 11.(Hhen)/JG 2 was killed in Bf 109G-1
WNr 10311, while Oblt. Johann Schmidt of 11.(Hhen)/JG 26
was shot down and killed in Bf 109G-1 WNr 14058.
The massive losses in men and machinery suffered by the
Commonwealth forces in the Dieppe raid overshadowed another
event which took place two days previously, on 17 August the
first mission flown by B-17s of the US VIII Bomber Command
took place, with twelve B-17E being sent with heavy Spitfire
This Bf 109F-4 from JG 53

demonstrates why Bf 109
identification can sometimes
be a minefield. The aircraft
has the narrow supercharger
intake and more pointed VDM
9-12010 propeller commonly
identified with the Bf 109F-2,
but it is clearly outfitted with
the uprated DB 601E engine
as shown by the fuel triangle
marked B4 (for 87 octane
fuel)
Another photo of Maj.

Gallands modified F-2/U with
the 13mm MG 131 cowling
guns shows the aft end of the
small cowling bulges. This
armament package would
finally enter squadron service
almost two years later as the
Bf 109G-6, but the factor y
design was not quite as
streamlined as that created
by the mechanics of JG 26
escort to bomb marshalling yards in Rouen. In a very real sense,

then, the middle of August 1942 can be seen as the apogee of the
Luftwaffe fighter force in the West. The men of JG 2 and JG 26
felt very sure and confident of themselves after destroying 97
British aircraft in one day, including 59 Spitfires, but the
appearance of the massive Flying Fortress bombers over
Occupied Europe just two days later heralded the beginning of
the end. Within eighteen months, most of the experienced
Jagdflieger who proved to be such a thorn in the side of the RAF
would be dead or wounded, and the Luftwaffe forces in the West
would be locked in a massive daily battle from which there was
to be no escape.
Despite the poor quality, there

are a number of interesting
marking features on this Bf
109F-4, including the late-war
outline fuselage cross, the
dense factory applied mottle,
the overpainted
Stammkennzeichen (PE+??),
and the high contrast
between the camouflage
colors on the wing as
opposed to the muted
contrast of the fuselage
colors
The Channel Front
21
05-MDF10-Chap-03_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:36 Page 22
African Stars,
Mediterranean Sun
Chapter
he arrival of the newly re-equipped 4./JG 27 in Africa on

16 September 1941 coincided with the departure of
Hptm. Joachim Mnchebergs 7./JG 26 from the North
African theatre. Over the preceding few months, Mncheberg
and his men had performed an unheard-of feat, claiming no
fewer than 52 victories for exactly zero aircraft losses, much of
this action taking place during the initial assaults on Malta.
JG 27 was not to have the same fortune; on 3 October, in the
first combat actions between British forces and the Bf 109F4/Trops of 4. Staffel, the German pilots claimed three Tommies,
while one Bf 109 was claimed by Lt. Lacey of 2 SAAF Sqn as the
first F model to be shot down in North Africa. Two weeks later,
Ofw. Otto Schulz of 4./JG 27 was shot down and killed by
ground fire near Sollum on a strafing mission, becoming the
first Experten to be lost with his F-4/trop. The nature of the war
in Africa was very much give and take; there were rarely
engagements where one side comprehensively bested the other,
and the engagements throughout October reflected this reality;
on 17 October, the day Schulz was killed, 1 SAAF Sqn lost
Lt. Hedley to Hptm. Gerlitz of I./JG 27.
By November, 1./JG 27 had converted to the new
Messerschmitt as well, just in time for the launch of Operation
Crusader, the first major British offensive operation of WWII.
Five Staffeln of Bf 109s, roughly 45 aircraft in total, along with
III./ZG 26 and 2./NJG 2 operating in conjunction with 19
separate Squadriglie of the Regia Aeronautica were ranged
against 19 full squadrons of Hurricanes, Tomahawks, Martlets,
22
Chapter 3
and Beaufighters when the offensive opened on 18 November.

The weather gods must have favored the English, as the
German airfield at Ain-El-Gazala was rendered almost
completely inoperative by heavy rains. Consequently, the British
fighters ranged at will over the front during the day, the only
significant resistance coming from a few Bf 109s and Fiat G.50s
which managed to struggle aloft from the waterlogged field at
Gazala and score a few victories over bombers. By the 20th,
things had dried out enough that the Germans and Italians
could mount an all hands effort against the British offensive,
and air activity over the next two weeks was intense. With only
four Staffeln of Bf 109s available, JG 27 was beginning to feel
the effects of continual operations, and as a result III./JG 53
moved from Catania, Sicily to the landing field at Tmimi on 6
December. This unit opened their account on 11 December,
downing four Hurricanes near Gazala, and they were joined by
another freshly re-equipped unit, III./JG 27, on the following
day. Replacement aircraft for the beleaguered I. and II./JG 27
were being slowly provided, and the arrival of III. Gruppe on
the 12th, along with the Geschwaderstab which transferred
south from Russia during December, finally brought the entire
Geschwader together in the same area. The following day
Staged scrambles were a

staple of wartime newsreels
in every country, and
Germany was no exception.
Here, the pilots of 4.JG 53
sprint to their conveniently
arranged machines for the
benefit of the Propaganda
Kompanie photographers
The last Bf 109F-4/trop flown

by Hptm. Hans-Joachim
Marseille was WNr 8673,
which was finished in a lowdemarcation 79 Sandgelb
over 78 Hellblau scheme.
The aircraft is seen here
following Marseilles 136th
victory
Marseilles Bf 109F-4/Z trop

WNr 10137 is seen here in
June 1942, when his score
had reached 81 victories
05-MDF10-Chap-03_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:36 Page 23
marked the 22nd birthday of one of the Experten of 3. Staffel, a

certain Leutnant named Hans Joachim Marseille. Marseille had
been transferred into 3./JG 27 in early 1941 after a rough start
to his combat career with 1.(J)/LG 2, where he was shot up, shot
down, and just a generally poor pilot and soldier all around.
Once he arrived in Africa, he soon found himself far more
comfortable with both his surroundings and his commanding
officer, Edu Neumann. Under Neumanns guidance, Marseille
soon found his skills improving rapidly and he had achieved 14
victories by the end of August 1941.
Marseille was a quick learner, seeking every opportunity to
improve his combat skills, and his newfound confidence and
aggressiveness in the air saw his score increase by nine in
September. October and November passed relatively
uneventfully for the young Jagdflieger, with only a pair of P-40s
downed on 12 October near Bir Sheferzan, but December 1941
brought a further eleven victories, including two Curtiss
Tomahawks to celebrate his birthday on 13 December. These
kills brought his total to 34, placing him among the leading
Luftwaffe scorers in North Africa. The 13th proved to be quite
an eventful day, as British forces supporting the ongoing
Operation Crusader attacked the Gazala line, with elements of
JG 27 heavily engaged throughout the day. In addition to
Marseilles two claims, further victories were claimed by Oblt.
Homuth, Ofw. Krenzke, and Hptm. Gerlitz who downed the
Tomahawk of Lt. Lorentz of 4 SAAF Squadron. British forces
claimed a number of Messerschmitts and Fiats through the day,
with the most significant loss being Ofw. Albert Espenlaub, a
14-victory ace of I./JG 27. Espenlaub was taken into captivity,

only to be shot dead in an escape attempt from his camp in
Palestine several months later.
Clashes continued over the next few weeks, with little respite
for either side. The back-and-forth nature of the desert war is
best illustrated by the following anecdote concerning Fw.
Pttgen, later to become famous as Marseilles wingman; on 18
December, as JG 27 evacuated their field at Derna after learning
of three British columns headed their way, Pttgen took the
time to write the following message to the inbound British
occupiers on the door of the Derna control room: We come
back! Happy Christmas! It was believed that Operation
Crusader was finally beginning to show the desired results,
with the Axis forces now retreating from their staunchly
defended positions, and there would be little disagreement on
the part of those units forced to abandon useful equipment at
their fields; no fewer than 75 airframes in various states of
repair were captured at Derna, in fact, and a total of 458 aircraft
were captured, with around 50% of these aircraft being
German. And the bad news for the Luftwaffe did not take a
break over Christmas; on the 24th, the highly experienced
Staffelkapitn of 9./JG 27, Oblt. Erbo Graf von Kageneck, was
struck in the lower abdomen and groin by a lucky deflection
shot from a Hurricane below him, and despite successfully
force-landing behind his own lines and the quick actions of
field surgeons, he passed away due to complications from the

wounds on 12 January 1942.
On the 27th, a new participant in the desert air war joined
the fray in the form of new Curtiss Kittyhawks of 3 RAAF
Squadron. The Kittyhawk was the British name for the P-40E,
which was a further development of the earlier Curtiss
Tomahawk (P-40B/C) featuring a more concentrated armament
package and various airframe improvements. Despite having a
marginally higher top speed than the older Tomahawk, the new
aircraft was still no match for the potent Bf 109F-4/trops of JG
27. In fact, the first Kittyhawk to be lost was shot down four
days later on 1 January 1942, when Sqn Ldr Chapman of 3
RAAF Squadron was shot down by return fire from a Ju 87
gunner east of Agedabia. Skirmishes continued throughout
January, with Commonwealth units flying several fighter
sweeps per day, and the German units, now consolidated
behind the Marsa Brega line, responding in kind. After six
weeks of westward combat across the coastal areas of North
Africa, Operation Crusader had finally rolled to a stop and the
German commander, Gen. Erwin Rommel, found himself with
a significantly improved supply situation. Planning for a
renewed eastward push was thus begun in earnest, and on 21
January 1942, Rommel split his forces, with the Afrika Korps
driving southwards and Italian forces heading north towards
Benghazi. The offensive was intended to be limited in nature, as
the ground troops had only three days rations, but Rommel had
chosen the time wisely as British fighters were unable to take
off from their flooded airfield at Antelat. This resulted in the
British forces being pushed back between Gazala and Bir
Hacheim by early February, where the line would remain for the
next three months.
Fighter support for the offensive was dangerously light; as of
January, JG 27 could only muster a total of 18 serviceable
Messerschmitts, out of a total strength of 70. Those 18 Bf 109s
still represented a threat far out of proportion to their numbers,
as evidenced by a combat on 14 January where two
Messerschmitts of II./JG 27, flown by Hptm. Gerlitz and his
wingman, Uffz. Horst Reuter, attacked a large formation of
The first two letters of the

Stammkennzeichen were
never overpainted when this
Bf 109F-4/trop was placed in
service
The Bf 109F-4/trop of Hptm.

Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke,
Kommandeur of III./JG 53, is
seen here escorting a Ju 88
over the Mediterranean in
early 1942
Field maintenance conditions

in north Africa were, shall we
say, primitive as
evidenced by the stone and
rope being used to hold down
the starboard wing of this Bf
109F-4 while the crew work
on the port gear leg
African Stars, Mediterranean Sun
23
05-MDF10-Chap-03_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:36 Page 24
This Bf 109F-4/trop has been

well and truly picked over by
souvenir hunters; it may have
been the aircraft of Ofw. Erich
Krenzke of 6./JG 27, who was
taken prisoner on 31 May
1942
This Bf 109F-4/trop of II./JG

27 suffered engine damage,
resulting in a forced landing
with the propeller stopped
It is not known to which unit

this Bf 109G-2/trop belonged,
although it, too, has been
thoroughly souvenired by
Allied troops
British fighters on a defensive patrol southwest of Agedabia.

The formation was comprised of two squadrons; 260 Squadron
flew as the low squadron, while the Hurricanes of 94 Squadron
flew top cover. Gerlitz and Reuter bounced 94 Squadron from
above, with Sgt. Phillips and Sgt. Forder being shot down
almost immediately. As soon as Gerlitz had claimed this first
victim, his Friedrich developed engine trouble, so he returned
to base. This left one single Messerschmitt against two
squadrons of RAF fighters which turned out to be rather
poor odds for the British pilots. Reuter flew like a man
possessed, decimating the rest of 94 Squadron with slashing
attacks. By the time Reuter disengaged from the combat, he had
shot down Sgt Maxwell and Sgt. Harvey outright, both pilots
successfully taking to their parachutes, and forcing Flight Sgt.
Wood, Sgt. Weightman, and Sgt. Stone to crash-land their
aircraft. Reuter had managed to destroy six Hurricanes in a
matter of minutes, but all but one of the British pilots (Sgt.
Forder) survived the encounter.
Another major scrap took place on 8 February, with Lt.
Marseille of I./JG 27 starting the days action just before 0800 by
downing two out of six 274 Sqn. Hurricanes which were about
to bounce him in the landing pattern. Around 1030, Ofw. Otto
Stotto Schulz from II./JG 27 and his wingman pounced on a
formation of 8 Hurricanes of 1 SAAF Sqn. just taking off from
the field at Gazala 2. On his first pass, Stotto hit Lt. Finnys
aircraft with one good burst, compelling Finny to force-land
nearby at Gazala 1. As Finny cleared the aircraft, Schulz roared
in and strafed the downed Hurricane, completely destroying it,
then rocketed skywards to repeat the procedure. His next attack
heavily damaged the tail of Lt. Powells Hurricane and
destroyed Lt. Bidens Merlin engine. Once again, a hapless
Hurricane pilot was forced to hurriedly crash-land his aircraft,
and Schulz strafed this aircraft into wreckage as well. These two
victories raised Schulzs total to 37, but he was relegated to
second place in the scoring race this same day by Lt. Marseille.
In an afternoon combat against 73 and 112 Sqn over Bomba
Bay, I./JG 27 pilots claimed four victories; Sgt. Sands of 73 Sqn.
force-landed his Hurricane due to damage to his cooling

system, while three 112 Sqn pilots (Elwell, Donkin, and Hoare)
were posted missing. Marseille claimed two of these, with Oblt.
Homuth and Lt. Krner claiming one apiece. Marseilles victory
total now reached 40, elevating him to the highest-scoring ace
in the African theatre.
Combats continued piecemeal throughout February and into
March, with one significant combat on the 15th seeing Ofw.
Schulz claim five aircraft in a single mission including the
commanding officer of 94 Sqn, Squadron Leader E.M. Imshi
Mason, DFC. Mason had just arrived back in theatre less than
24 hours prior and the death of the 17-victory ace was a major
blow to British morale. Four of Schulzs victims did in fact
crash, with the fifth managing to limp back with wounds. The
front had settled into something of a stalemate with both sides
performing regular fighter sweeps and reconnaissance
missions, with little of note taking place during the month
outside of the 21st, which saw both the 1,000th confirmed
victory for JG 27 scored by Lt. Friedrich Krner, as well as a
British ground attack on Martuba airfield which was repulsed
and turned into a rout after several hours of shelling. A huge
fight developed between JG 27, 6./JG 3, and the Curtiss fighters
of 260 Sqn., 2 Sqn. SAAF, and 4 Sqn. SAAF on 25 April during
an attack on Tobruk harbor which saw eight RAF fighters

destroyed and two significantly damaged in exchange for 2
JG 27 Messerschmitts downed, whose pilots survived and
returned to their unit.
Both sides began ramping up their forces in May in
preparation for renewed action, with JG 27 being joined by
III./JG 53 at Martuba. The expected offensive was launched by
Rommel on 26 May, with a frontal infantry assault on British
positions along the Gazala line and a southern sweep by the
Panzers towards Bir Hacheim. After several days, the offensive
began to gather strength in the face of an all-out ground attack
effort by the Desert Air Force which saw intensive low-level
aerial combat with significant losses being suffered by the RAF.
Bir Hacheim fell on 10 June after a valiant defense by the Free
French soldiers manning the fort, and El Adem was taken by
German forces on the 13th. The British army now began a
24
Chapter 3
05-MDF10-Chap-03_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:36 Page 25
retreat from Gazala, but the exertions of the past two weeks left
the men of the Afrika Korps too exhausted to chase them down
and encircle them. 17 June brought a simultaneous high and low
point for the men of JG 27; Oblt. Marseille of 3. Staffel claimed
his 101st victory, the first Jagdflieger to reach such a lofty
number exclusively in the West, while the indomitable Ofw. Otto
Schulz of II. Gruppe was shot down and killed east of Bu Amud
after downing the Hurricane of Flt Lt. Conrad of 274 Sqn as his
51st victory; Conrad survived his crash landing with slight
wounds. The eastwards march of the Afrika Korps brought it
back to Tobruk on 18 June, and efficient work by the German
pioneer units clearing the way for the Panzer and infantry units
resulted in the surrender of the garrison by the 21st.
The victory at Tobruk proved to be a Pyrrhic one, as the
eastwards stampede across the wastelands of North Africa had
consumed vast quantities of supplies, most notably fuel, and
Rommels supply lines were severely overextended.
Replenishment across the Mediterranean was becoming more
and more difficult, and Rommel found himself competing for
supplies with forces on the Eastern Front which were now
pushing into the Caucasus and across the southern Ukraine.
Despite this, Rommel saw the opportunity to consolidate his
position even further with the capture of El Alamein, which
operations is reflected in the strength reports of JG 27 at the

beginning and end of the month; on 1 July, all component
Gruppen of JG 27 could muster 79 total Bf 109F-4/trops and
F-4/bs as operationally ready. By the end of July, the Geschwader
was down to 38 total operational aircraft. Most tellingly, the
victories being achieved were primarily against RAF fighters,
leaving the bombers to complete their missions against the
German ground forces. After the vicious first battle for El
Alamein, both the German and British forces required time to
rebuild and restock their forces throughout August, and aerial
combat reverted to tactical engagements during the month,
although the downing of a Bristol Bombay transport of 216
Sqn. by Uffz. Bernd Schneider of 5./JG 27 on 7 August proved to
have far-reaching strategic effects. Among the unfortunate
passengers killed in the crash of the transport was Lt. General
William Gott, the brand new commander of the Eighth Army.
His position was taken by a peculiar but highly aggressive
general by the name of Bernard Montgomery.
4.(H)/12 placed their aircraft

numbers on the white theatre
bands of their Bf 109s, as
evidenced by this Bf 109F-4/Z
trop coded black 7. The
sparse fuselage mottling is
particularly noteworthy
Black 8 was a Bf 109F4/trop possibly on strength

with 8./JG 53, and was yet
another aircraft lost to the
Luftwaffe in their westward
retreat across north Africa
towards Tunisia
The pilot of White 2 of 4./JG

27 remains unidentified,
although he did a
commendable job of sparing
further damage to his Bf
109F-4/trop during his forced
landing
would then open up an opportunity to strike towards

Alexandria and into the Nile Valley itself. The British forces
under Gen. Claude Auchinleck were absolutely determined that
this would not take place, and put up a tremendous defense
against the attacks of the Afrika Korps launched on 1 July. The
piecemeal engagements of early 1942 were now firmly a thing
of the past as masses of RAF bombers under heavy escort
attacked the German ground forces, while the men of JG 27 and
III./JG 53 flew missions almost constantly. The pace of the
One further incident in the desert during August deserves
mention, and this was the discovery of intentional false claims
being filed by a Schwarm of pilots from 4./JG 27. On 16 August,
Lt. Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt of 2./JG 27 claimed a pair of
Curtiss fighters in the morning, with his victims coming from 2
and 5 Sqn SAAF and their pilots surviving the encounter. On his
return to base, Stahlschmidt saw a most remarkable sight a
clutch of II./JG 27 aircraft engaged in a mock dogfight with one
another, expending their ammunition into the desert floor.
Targets were somewhat scarce during the month, so the
continually spiraling claims of 4./JG 27 were beginning to arouse
some suspicion. Sure enough, five pilots of II. Gruppe landed at
their base shortly thereafter, and claimed they had been involved
in a huge battle well behind enemy lines with five Curtiss P-40s
and ten Hurricanes. These five pilots proceeded to claim 12 of
the 15 alleged aircraft as confirmed victories, acting as each
others witnesses. Other men in the Geschwader were furious,
particularly Ernst Brngen and Rudolf Sinner, and they pushed
for these pilots to be kicked out of the group and have all their
victories forfeited. As every man was going to be required for an
upcoming offensive, removing the men from the unit was simply
Spot the officer in this photo.

Again demonstrating the utter
lack of maintenance facilities
in the desert, several men are
working on bolting the
propeller back onto this Bf
109F-4/trop. The details of
the spinner backplate are
interesting, as is the wear
pattern on the propeller
blades
25
05-MDF10-Chap-03_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:36 Page 26
6./JG 53 lost two Bf 109F-4s

coded yellow 4 in the space
of one month; on 2 July 1942,
Ofw. Otto Goethe was lost to
flak attacking Lucqa airfield
in WNr 7463, while on 21
July, Uffz. Friedrich Meier
was lost during a transfer
flight in WNr 7567. This
could be either one of those
aircraft
Messerschmitt spent a great

deal of time designing the Bf
109 for maximum field
maintainability; even an
operation as complex as an
engine swap could be
performed with the most
basic of tools, as
demonstrated with this DB
601E being replaced on the Bf
109F-4/trop in the
background
not possible at the time and the incident wound up being

covered up at the unit level. Despite their categorical denials, the
evidence was very strong that these claims were deliberately
being falsified, and the unit lost trust in these five pilots. One of
the five, Ofw. Erwin Sawallisch, was a long-serving veteran with
combat experience in Spain, and he disappeared over the
Mediterranean on a test flight on 19 August, with his naked
body washing ashore on the 20th. It has never been proven, but
it is suspected that he chose death over the possibility of a courtmartial due to being confronted over the falsified claims. The
most telling evidence of 4. Staffels intentional falsehoods would
come in postwar research, when efforts to match up claims and
victories of both combatants throughout the desert campaign by
Christopher Shores and Hans Ring consistently failed to find any
evidence of RAF missions at the times and locations stated by
those 4. Staffel pilots. Claim documentation was exceedingly
thorough on the part of other pilots, and while some mistakes
and overclaiming in large battles was inevitable, this incident
serves as proof that not only were there a few dishonest fighter
pilots in the Luftwaffe, but that when discovered, those
individuals were deservedly met with scorn, distrust and
derision from their colleagues.
1 July, a renewed Luftwaffe onslaught against Malta was launched

which included the aircraft of II./JG 53 and I./JG 77 which
arrived fresh from their successes in the Crimea. The two units
were based at Comiso and Trapani in Sicily, and operated with
several Kampfgeschwadern specifically tasked with neutralizing
Malta as an offensive base of operations. The battles over Malta
saw the destruction of a great number of British fighters and the
island was on the verge of total collapse by early August.
Accordingly, a heavily escorted supply convoy was dispatched to
the island as Operation Pedestal, and among the vital cargoes
being carried were 38 additional Spitfires aboard the HMS
Furious to re-equip the hard-pressed British squadrons on the
island, as well as 11,500 tons of fuel aboard the tanker Ohio.
Between 11 and 14 August, German forces succeeded in sinking
the HMS Eagle as well as a cruiser, two destroyers, and nine out
of the original 14 merchant ships originally dispatched with the
convoy. Among the survivors was the Ohio, hit by one torpedo,
flaming shrapnel from another ship, pieces of a destroyed Ju 87,
one bomb in the engine room, and eight near misses. Her
survival ensured the defending RAF squadrons would have fuel
to continue to operate against the German formations, and this
in turn meant further difficulties for the German resupply effort
to North Africa.
Rommels long awaited offensive opened on 30 August with

the intention of swinging around Alam el Halfa, but quickly
stagnated due primarily to the extremely effective British
bombing attacks which destroyed hundreds of vehicles,
including the vitally important fuel trucks on which the
mechanized units depended. On 1 September, a series of air
engagements took place which resulted in the claiming of no
fewer than seventeen victories by Oblt. Marseille, now the
Staffelkapitn of 3./JG 27. Such a feat against the Western Allies
was never to be realized again, and much scrutiny has been
placed on Marseilles claims of 1 September, especially in light
of other pilots deliberate falsehoods. Thanks to postwar
Another of the hundreds of

aircraft abandoned by the
Luftwaffe in North Africa; this
Bf 109F-4/trop WNr 7654 of
I./Schl.G.2 suffered flak
damage south of Gabes,
Tunisia on 24 March 1943
and was never repaired
26
Chapter 3
By the end of August 1942, the Afrika Korps was poised to

strike once more against the entrenched British forces, but the
introduction of American bomber and fighter squadrons into the
fray from mid-month was beginning to have a telling effect on
the German forces, still poorly supplied and very low on fuel due
to increasingly effective interdiction efforts against the German
supply bridge across the Mediterranean. A key component of this
Allied offensive effort was the island of Malta, located just south
of Sicily in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. British aircraft
flying from Hal Far and Takali airfields took a terrible toll on
German transports flying vitally needed supplies south, and from
This technician is inspecting wing-mounted gun cameras which would

later be mounted in Bf 109Fs such as the one behind him featuring an allyellow cowling
05-MDF10-Chap-03_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:36 Page 27
TABLE 1
CLAIM # TIME
PILOT
UNIT
AIRCRAFT
LOCATION
CRASHED? NOTES
1
8:45-9:00 Lt. Bailey
1 Sqn SAAF Hurricane
Coast road near Alamein
Y
Wounded, crash-landed.
2
8:45-9:00 Maj. Metelerkamp
1 Sqn SAAF Hurricane
N
Wounded, radio destroyed, fuel tank holed
3
8:45-9:00 F/O I.W. Matthews
238 Sqn
Hurricane
S of El Imayid
Y
4
8:45-9:00 P/O Bradley-Smith
92 Sqn
Spitfire
Y
Pilot baled out OK
5
~11:20
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
?
*See note below
6
~11:20
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
?
*See note below
7
~11:20
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
?
*See note below
8
~11:20
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
?
*See note below
9
~11:20
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
?
*See note below
10
~11:20
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
?
*See note below
11
~11:20
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
?
*See note below
12
~11:20
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
?
*See note below
13
18:47-53
F/O R.F. Wollaston
213 Sqn
Hurricane
Near Burg el Arab
Y
Pilot killed
14
18:47-53
Sgt. F.G. Potter
213 Sqn
Hurricane
Near Burg el Arab
Y
Pilot failed to retur n
15
18:47-53
F/O Avise
213 Sqn
Hurricane
Near Burg el Arab
Y
Crash-landed, pilot OK
16
18:47-53
F/Sgt Ross
213 Sqn
Hurricane
Near Burg el Arab
Y
Crash-landed, pilot OK
17
18:47-53
Sgt. Garrod
213 Sqn
Hurricane
Near Burg el Arab
Y
Pilot baled out OK
* There is no ambiguity regarding the first four victories. The next eight from the mid-day mission are justifiably questionabl e, because no concrete record has
yet been located for the Allied units involved; as will be seen below , however, there were cer tainly losses and the units simpl y did not note the times or
locations of either the mission or the aircraf t loss. In the evening battle with 213 Squadron, Marseille claimed five victories while his good friend Lt. HansArnold Stahlschmidt claimed two. This leaves open the possibility that two of the five evening claims actually fell to Stahlschm idt, but again this cannot be
conclusively proven.
research by Christopher Shores and Hans Ring, we are able to

conclusively identify several of Marseilles 17 claims from this
day. The victories are presented below in table format,
organized by time of claim (Table 1).
There is also the matter of incomplete Allied action reports
for the day; the following fighter units lost aircraft which are
unable to be tied to any Luftwaffe activity due to the lack of
encounter times on the reports (Table 2).
In total, there were a total of 20 single-engined fighters shot
down on 1 September, not counting the several heavily
damaged aircraft such as Maj. Metelerkamps Hurricane. In
addition to Marseilles 17 claims, there were single claims from
Lt. Remmer, Oblt. Rdel, Fw. Fink of III./JG 53, and Lt.Von
Lieres with Lt. Stahlschmidt and Oblt. Sinner each claiming an
additional two. This makes 25 Luftwaffe victory claims against
20 known losses and several aircraft which may have been
claimed as destroyed due to the damage inflicted (again, refer
to Meterlekamps Hurricane). As such, even though we cannot
say with absolute certainty that Marseille definitely downed 17
British aircraft on 1 September, based on the information above
there is a high probability that most of his claims were made in
good faith and may in fact be correct. Hopefully, further
information may surface in the future which will shed more
light on the combats of 1 September and help establish once
and for all the actual combat record of The Star of Africa.
Six days later, Marseille and the rest of I./JG 27 were to suffer
the loss of Fifi Stahlschmidt in combat with Spitfires of 601
Squadron southeast of Alamein. With the loss of Ofw. Gnther
Steinhausen just the previous day, a shaken I. Gruppe was taken
off of operations on the 8th. Victories continued to mount for
the Gruppe throughout the rest of the month, led primarily by
an increasingly exhausted Oblt. Marseille, until he took off on
30 September in a brand new Bf 109G-2 for what was supposed
to be a routine escort flight. The reduction gear on the DB 605
PILOT
Sgt. Sowerby
Lt. G.B. Jack
Unknown
Unknown
Lt. Morrison
Lt. Moon
Lt. Stearns
UNIT
601 Sqn
5 Sqn SAAF
5 Sqn SAAF
5 Sqn SAAF
2 Sqn SAAF
2 Sqn SAAF
64th FS, USAAC
TYPE
Spitfire
Tomahawk
Tomahawk
Tomahawk
Kittyhawk
Kittyhawk
P-40F
TABLE 2
REASON
Shot down, crash-landed
Missing, possibly from mid-day mission
Pilot name not given, possibly from mid-day mission
Pilot name not given, possibly from mid-day mission
Failed to retur n
Baled out af ter damaging a Bf 109
Pilot wounded, belly-landed
engine of Marseilles G-2 had a flaw in it, however, which then

got so hot that it cracked the reduction gear casing. This
allowed oil to flow out, which caught fire when it reached the
hot exhaust. Marseille was trying to nurse the stricken Gustav
back to base, but the smoke became too much and he rolled the
aircraft over to bail out. He did not realize he was in a shallow
dive, however, and as he dropped out of the aircraft, he was
struck across the chest by the stabilizer of the Messerschmitt
which knocked him unconscious before he could pull the
ripcord of his parachute. He was buried where he fell,
unconquered in the skies over Africa, and his death heralded
the decline and ultimate defeat of the German forces in Africa.
I./JG 27 was withdrawn from Africa to Sicily at the beginning
of October, while II./JG 53 had moved to Greece to act as
escorts for the vital supply flights to Rommels forces during the
first half of the month. The unit was joined midway through the
month by I./JG 53 in Sicily, where I./JG 77 had remained and
turned Malta into their personal hunting ground, shooting
down Spitfires as quickly as they could be supplied. The units
left in North Africa soon found themselves overwhelmed by the
vast numbers of Allied aircraft, and despite several successful
battles during the month, the Jagdwaffe units proved singularly
unable to affect the course of the war in this theatre. On the
night of 23/24 October, Gen. Montgomery unleashed the 8th
Army against German forces, which resulted in the emergency
transfer of I./JG 27 and I./JG 77 to Tobruk, joining the
Geschwaderstab under Maj. Joachim Mncheberg along with II.
A bitter harvest. Literally

hundreds of otherwise
repairable airframes were
lost to the Luftwaffe in North
Africa thanks to the speedy
advance of Montgomerys 8th
Army through Egypt and Libya
Spare parts were at a

premium in the desert, so this
new Bf 109F wing was a
precious commodity hence
the careful handling over the
rocky terrain
27
05-MDF10-Chap-03_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:36 Page 28
This photo of a II./JG 27 Bf

109F-4/trop contains a wealth
of useful detail, from the
crewman mounting the rarely
seen gun camera into the
wing, to the oil stain patterns
on the underside of the lower
cowling
Among the units lending their

weight to the Tunisian
campaign in 1943 was I./JG
77, with a Bf 109G-2 of 3
Staffel being seen here
The Bf 109G-2 WNr 13633 of

Oblt. Wolf-Dieter Huy,
Staffelkapitn of 7./JG 77, is
seen here on 25 October
1942. Huy would be shot
down in this aircraft and
taken prisoner just four days
later
28
Chapter 3
and III./JG 77, which had recently transferred in to replace II.

and III./JG 27. Besides Maj. Mncheberg, this unit boasted a
number of experienced aces including Hptm. Heinz Br and
Hptm. Wolf-Dieter Huy, the Staffelkapitn of 7.(Jabo)/JG 77 and
the erstwhile hero of Greece and Crete who had a number of
ship hits and kills to his credit. Having transferred in from the
Eastern Front, the unit took some time to adjust to the more
aggressive tactics of the British and American pilots, and Huy
himself fell victim to a Spitfire on 28 October, spending the
remainder of the war as a POW.
With a breakthrough by Montgomerys forces towards the
end of October, the rout of Rommels army was on. The
Germans were forced to withdraw from Egypt under a fighting
retreat westwards across Cyrenaica, and the situation became
even more grim for the German forces on 8 November when a
massive combined US and British amphibious invasion force
codenamed Operation Torch came ashore at several points all
along the African coast, from Morocco to Algiers. Suddenly,
holding Africa became a top priority for the German High

Command, and many additional Luftwaffe units were poured
into the region in an effort to stave off defeat. Among the
Messerschmitt-equipped units rushed to Tunisia were both
11.(Hhe)/JG 2 and 11.(Hhe)/JG 26, the high-altitude defense
Staffeln of the Channel-based units equipped with Bf 109G-1s
and 4. and 5./JG 51 equipped with Bf 109G-2s. With the
launching of Torch, I./JG 27 was rushed back across the
Mediterranean, but by mid-November the unit had lost most of
its aircraft. The personnel of I. Gruppe were therefore sent back

to Germany for a rest period, departing Africa for the last time.
The remaining German forces faced a dangerous situation,
with combined US and British armored and infantry forces
crossing through Algeria towards the Tunisian western border
while Montgomerys 8th Army was still pressing westwards. By
late November, Montys forces had nearly reached El Agheila
and had captured the important port of Benghazi on 20
November. As the westward retreat continued, both JG 77 and
II./JG 27 found themselves having to abandon many lightly
damaged aircraft, often simply because the units lacked
essential spare parts, and many of these aircraft fell into the
hands of British units. By 7 December, II./JG 27 was down to
only four Bf 109F-4/Trops and four Bf 109G-2s, and these were
left behind for other units as the men of II. Gruppe left Africa to
rest and refit. Their place was taken by the last remaining
Gruppe of JG 77, this being II./JG 77 which was transferred
straight from Russia to Africa as part of the desperate lastminute reinforcement efforts. The two Hhenstaffeln of JG 2
and JG 26 began to be folded into their administrative units in
December as well, with 11.(H)/JG 26 being disbanded and the
pilots becoming part of II./JG 51, while 11.(H)/JG 2 under Oblt.
Julius Meimberg maintained its independence until the
following February, with the pilots then being dispersed among
the various Gruppen of JG 53. Fighting throughout December
was heavy, with a notable string of seven victories in a single
day being scored by Hptm. Heinz Br of III./JG 77 on 10
December, but the increasingly heavy Allied pressure across the

entire central Mediterranean area saw III./JG 53 sent back to
San Pietro on Sicily at the end of the month to help defend the
island against increasing attacks. The Geschwaderstab, I. and
II./JG 53 remained in the vicinity of Bizerte, Tunisia on escort
duties- a vital, if unglamorous task. The various Gruppen of
JG 53 performed well throughout December 1942 and January
1943, losing ten pilots overall in January. One of those pilots
was taken prisoner on 13 January; the 114-victory ace and
Ritterkreuz recipient Lt. Wilhelm Crinius of 3./JG 53 was shot
down in his Bf 109G-2/R1 black < + (WNr 10805) by Spitfires.
To the east, Montgomerys forces were gathering speed in
their advance towards Tunisia, recapturing Marble Arch (Arco
Philaenorum) and reaching an Axis defensive position at
Beurat by mid-January. This line was quickly overrun, and
JG 77 was forced to abandon their base at Castel Benito, just
south of Tripoli, on 19 January. Four days later, the 8th Army
took the vital port of Tripoli while JG 77 worked on getting
established at their new bases in Tunisia. Montgomerys forces
now slowed to consolidate their gains in Libya, which allowed
the German forces to further bolster their defenses along the
Mareth line on the eastern Tunisian border. A bold westward
offensive into Algeria against the Allied First Army was
launched in mid-February, with fighter cover for attack units
provided by JG 77, but the offensive gradually ground to a halt
and the First Army was able to renew their eastward push. The
end of February brought the arrival of a rested and re-equipped
05-MDF10-Chap-03_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:36 Page 29
II./JG 27 to Trapani on Sicily, assisting JG 53 on escort duties.

Fighting across the entire region intensified in March, with a
dramatic increase in the number of losses suffered by the
Jagdflieger. The most significant of these losses was the death of
Maj. Joachim Mncheberg, the Kommodore of JG 77, in combat
with Spitfires of the US 52nd Fighter Group. Executing a classic
bounce from above, Mncheberg misjudged his speed as he
closed on his intended target, the Spitfire of Capt. Bill
Sweetland. Sweetland turned just as Mncheberg attempted to
recover from his dive, and the two aircraft collided, with
Mnchebergs Bf 109G-6 WNr 16381 falling to earth near
Sweetlands Spitfire. It has been suggested elsewhere that
Sweetland intentionally rammed Mnchebergs G-6, but an
eyewitness account from Lt. Strasen, Mnchebergs wingman,
would seem to indicate this was an accidental collision.
A few days later, Montgomerys 8th Army launched a major
offensive against the Mareth line, along the Tunisian border,
and by 6 April the two Allied forces fighting towards each other
finally linked up. This left the German forces in a pocket
bordered by the Mediterranean at their backs and the Allied
troops before them. Fierce resistance was put up by the pilots of
II./JG 27, II./JG 51, JG 53 and JG 77, with these last two units
scoring 151 victories between them in the month of April.
Mnchebergs place at the head of JG 77 was taken by Maj.
Johannes Steinhoff, a highly successful pilot with JG 52 who
quickly discovered that fighting the Western Allies was an
entirely different experience from the Eastern Front. On 5 April,
the wily veteran with 157 victories to his credit suffered
significant damage to his Bf 109G-6 WNr 16492 and was
compelled to force-land near La Fauconnerie. When queried
postwar about how many times he was shot down versus
having to parachute, Steinhoff related that of the 12 times he

was shot down, he only parachuted once as he did not trust the
parachutes; he would do all he could to belly-land the aircraft.
5 April also brought the massacre of 16 Messerschmitt Me 323
transports under escort by Bf 109Gs of II./JG 27 by British
aircraft, which also downed two of the Bf 109s. German
resistance in Tunisia was in its final throes, and II./JG 51
departed for Sicily in mid-April, followed by I./JG 53 on 30
April. By 8 May, fuel stocks had dropped below the critical
point, and the last remaining German fighters of II./JG 53 and
JG 77 left Tunisia for Sicily. Five days later, with the capitulation
of all Axis armies in Tunisia, the African campaign was over.
Beyond merely losing African territory, the German forces
lost a tremendous amount of personnel and equipment during
the last few months of fighting; nearly 250,000 troops
surrendered to the Allied forces, and one count of Axis aircraft
captured since November 1942 was around 2,000, with as many
as six hundred of these in good condition. These sorts of losses
could not be quickly replaced, and there would be little respite
before the Allied forces focused their efforts on knocking Italy
out of the war. While many German units were brought north to
Sicily, most of JG 77 moved to Foggia in Italy from whence I.
and II. Gruppe would depart for rest and re-equipment. On 1
June, III./JG 77 would move to Sardinia to join Hptm. Karl

Rammelts II./JG 51. Foggia was struck in a raid on 31 May, and
the attacks continued to increase in both strength and
frequency. The German units were still scoring victories, but
losing significant numbers of fighters to both the escorts and
the seemingly incessant bombing raids on their fields. These air
raids focused not just on fields in Italy and Sicily, but Sardinia
and the small island of Pantelleria off the southern coast of
Sicily as well. The island was surrendered to the Allies on 11
June, following nearly two weeks of continuous bombardment,
and this gave the Allied forces a foothold only sixty miles south
of Sicily which could be used as an emergency landing ground,
and from which they could launch attacks against Axis forces.
With the steady losses, poor operational field conditions, and
steadily increasing combat pressure, the confidence and morale
of the German units was nearly at rock bottom. Things were
not helped by a particularly snide telegram from
Reichsmarshall Gring which suggested the German pilots were
afraid to engage the enemy, and forbade all units from taking
leave in Germany until further notice. In addition, the General
der Jagdflieger, Adolf Galland, was sent to Sicily to orchestrate
the defense of the island and further goad the local units into
action, but his presence proved to be more of a disruption than
an inspiration. The task feared the most by the Jagdflieger was
intercepting the masses of US B-17 and B-24 bombers and
Gallands actions and attitude towards the German pilots did
little to foster confidence in the German High Command. Two
new units were created in May and June in the hopes they
would make significant contributions to the German defenses;
IV./JG 27 under Oblt. Rudolf Sinner stood up at Kalamaki in
This Bf 109G-2/trop of
2.(H)/14 coded black 19
carried the name of the pilots
wife or girlfriend on the por t
fuselage. The aircraft has
been repainted at least once,
as evidenced by the
overpainted manufacturers
plate at left
A Bf 109G-4/trop from 4./JG

53 equipped with Rstsatz 6
taxies out for takeoff at La
Marsa, Tunisia in early 1943
This Bf 109G-2/trop formerly

carried the code 6, as
evidenced by the sloppy
overpainting of the previous
markings. It is not known to
which unit the aircraft
belonged when this photo
was taken, however
29
05-MDF10-Chap-03_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:36 Page 30
This 7./JG 53 Bf 109G-6

carried the Seeman
character on the port
fuselage, and was flown by
Uffz. Georg Amon, a pilot
singled out by an
unsympathetic Adolf Galland
in June 1943 to be cour tmartialed for cowardice in the
face of the enemy it was
alleged that Amon turned
away from an inbound B -17
raid. The trial never
occurred, and Amon served
until being taken prisoner in
April 1945
II./JG 51 transferred to the

Mediterranean in November
1942, and spent the next year
taking part in the fighting
retreat from Tunisia and up
through Italy. Here, a Bf
109G-6 of 4. Staffel is seen
with a Macchi C.202 taking
off in the background
Throughout May 1943, II./JG

53 transferred many of its
older Bf 109G-6s to the R egia
Aeronautica. An Italian
officer stands by as a ground
crewman demonstrates the
starting procedure
30
Chapter 3
Greece at this time with one Staffel assigned to Sicily, while

IV./JG 3 was transferred from their first base at Neubiberg to
Leverano on 30 June. Among the orders issued by an
unsympathetic Gen. Galland was the edict stating that any pilot
from a mission without a victory would be subject to courtmartial. The pilots naturally took this threat very seriously, and
in the first eight days of June 1943, JG 53 alone claimed 85
victories but suffered the loss of 14 pilots killed, 20 captured
and only two wounded. The fear of official reprisals forced the
men to take unnecessary chances in combat, and also
prevented the accurate reporting of aircraft losses and damage.
As such, the strength returns for many units based on Sicily
should be treated with care.
On 10 July, a massive amphibious operation codenamed
Operation Husky saw Allied forces land virtually unopposed
on the southeastern Sicilian coast in inclement weather. The
landings came as a complete surprise to the badly
outnumbered Axis forces, and despite a frantic defensive effort,
the combined German and Italian forces proved unable to hold
the island, retreating steadily northwards through the month.
With a nearly four-to-one ratio of Allied to Axis aircraft, the
fighter units defending Sicily saw dramatic materiel losses;
II./JG 51 lost sixteen aircraft to enemy action and another
fourteen to accidents during July, while II./JG 53 lost 23 Bf
109G-6/trops to enemy action during the same time period.
I./JG 77 reported the loss of 35 G-6s, but the most dramatic
losses fell to I./JG 53 who reported no fewer than 64 Bf
109G-6/R1s lost to enemy action in July, most of which were
destroyed in a very effective raid on Vibo Valentia, located near
the tip of the Italian peninsula, on 16 July which also accounted
for a large number of I./JG 77s aircraft. The Luftwaffe had
withdrawn most fighter units from Sicily to the Italian
mainland within a week of Husky, and further withdrawals
northwards followed; II./JG 51 moved to Neubiberg to be rested
and refitted, followed at the end of July by II./JG 27 which
moved to Wiesbaden for a two week stay, and III./JG 27 which
moved to Wien for two months. I./JG 77 continued to operate in
the area until 18 August, but their Gruppenkommandeur, Hptm.
Heinz Br, was personally removed from command by Gring

on 6 August, accusing the highly successful pilot of cowardice
after Br attempted to explain the overwhelming superiority of
Allied forces in the region to the thick-headed Reichsmarschall.
Br had been in continuous action with JG 77 for almost two
straight years, from Barbarossa to the Crimean campaign then
straight into the cauldron of North Africa and across to Sicily,
scoring over 160 aerial victories and doing all he could to keep
his increasingly depleted Gruppe intact in the face of
tremendous pressure, and his treatment by Gring was nothing
short of shameful.
The Allies wasted no time in establishing fully operational
bases in North Africa following their victory, and the airfields
near Benghazi were used as the launch point for one of the
most significant raids in US history Operation Tidal Wave,
the attack by 177 B-24Ds of both VIII and IX Bomber
Command on the Rumanian oil refineries at Ploesti. Launched
on 1 August, the unescorted raiders pressed home their attacks
in spite of fierce fighter action from Romanian and Luftwaffe
units including I./JG 4 and IV./JG 27, as well as a deadly
accurate flak barrage which was responsible for downing over
thirty Liberators. By the end of the day, no fewer than 53 US
bombers had been downed, with dozens more sustaining
various degrees of damage. The majority of US bombing raids
during the rest of August were concentrated on the Luftwaffe
airfields in southern Italy, and II./JG 53 suffered much the same
fate as I. Gruppe when 11 Bf 109Gs were destroyed on the field
during a US bombing raid. The Jagdwaffe pilots were also
beginning to take the measure of the US escorts, with a huge
defensive operation between Gruppen from JG 3, JG 53, and JG
77 on 30 August resulting in claims for sixteen P-38 Lightnings,

followed by another sixteen claims on 2 September by the same
units. The German units were forced to face yet another
invasion covered by a massive amount of Allied airpower on the
next day, however, when British amphibious forces began
crossing the Straits of Messina from Sicily to Italy.
The mass of Allied men and materiel which had
overwhelmed Sicily was now being focused on the Italian
mainland, and on 8 September 1943, an armistice took effect
between the Allied forces and the Italian government. The
German forces still in Italy rapidly moved to disarm their
erstwhile compatriots and in several instances found
themselves fighting the same Italians with whom they had
served over the previous months. On 9 September, a combined
US and British force landed at Salerno, opening a second front
against the German forces in southern Italy as the British forces
landed during Operation Baytown. Allied air superiority over
the invasion zones was nearly complete, but was unable to
prevent the sinking of the Italian battleship Roma by early
guided missiles launched from Dornier Do 217s of II./KG 100
as the ship sailed to surrender to the Allies. Bombing raids on
the night of the 16th destroyed many of II./JG 53s Bf 109Gs,
and virtually wiped out all of III./JG 53s aircraft as well which
resulted in their withdrawal northwards. Stab and I./JG 77
05-MDF10-Chap-03_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:36 Page 31
would be ordered north on 18 September, while IV./JG 3 was

recalled to Germany to bolster the Reichsverteidigung forces
facing increasingly heavy US bomber raids on an almost daily
basis. The only bright spot for the German forces in the
Mediterranean at this point was the successful landing on the
island of Cos in the Aegean on 17 September, with substantial
aerial support by III. and IV./JG 27 resulting in a large number
of victories over the British forces. An appeal was then made to
US units for aerial assistance, and a series of bombing and
strafing attacks were launched against Luftwaffe bases in Greece
by American bombers escorted by P-38s. III. and IV./JG 27
acquitted themselves well in the face of this new threat,
downing at least 29 aircraft in exchange for five pilots killed
from each unit. Among the successful pilots during this period
was Ofw. Heinrich Bartels, whose usual Bf 109G-6 red 13
(WNr 27169) was named Marga after his wife. He downed
three P-38s on 8 October, bringing his total victory count to 56
This Bf 109G-8 flown by the Technical Officer of 2./NAG 12, Oblt. Heimo
Emmerstorfer, carries a unique spinner design painted in black and white
quarters
exchanged with I./JG 4 at Mizil in Romania. A reallocation of

the limited forces was thus made by Feldmarschall Albert
Kesselring, the senior Luftwaffe commander in the region,
which put both I./JG 53 and I./JG 77 on escort duty for ground
attack aircraft while III./JG 53 was tasked with industry defense
in northern Italy. Fortunately for the thinly-spread Luftwaffe
units, much of October passed relatively uneventfully, with the
only major move being that of IV./JG 27 who left their base at
Kalamaki in Greece and moved to Podgorica in Yugoslavia at
the end of the month, leaving III./JG 27 as the sole fighter group
in the eastern Mediterranean. Activity intensified around the
theatre in November, with a renewed push by Allied ground
forces against the Gustav Line in Italy towards the end of the
month bogging down in harsh winter weather and
encountering fierce resistance.
December brought more welcome news for the Luftwaffe
units in the Mediterranean, with the return of II./JG 51 in the
middle of the month and the belated arrival of I./JG 4. These
two Bf 109-equipped units joined III./JG 53 on industrial target
defense duties in the north, and II./JG 77 reverted back to
Bf 109G-6s after flying Macchi C.205 Veltros for some time as a
defense force for Torino. With much of Italy covered in bad
weather, operations on both sides were few and far between,
giving sufficient time to shuffle the Jagdgruppen in Italy to
different bases. II./JG 51 and I./JG 4 now took over the ground
attack escort duties in the south, with II./JG 51 moving to the
Rome area and I./JG 4 being based near Littorio. These two
units relieved I./JG 53 and I./JG 77 which were then transferred
northwards. A renewed series of heavy bomb raids was
Emmerstorfer flew this G-8

from Mostar, Yugoslavia, and
the colors of his aircraft have
been debated for years.
About all that is cer tain is that
it was repainted in the field
This Bf 109G-6 with the later

head-armor style was
photographed in the remains
of a burnt out hangar, with an
intensely focused pilot posing
for his portrait. The storage of
the shoulder belts behind the
seat is of interest
at the time, and he would go on to down a total of 15

Lightnings from an eventual total of 99 victories before being
shot down and killed by 56th Fighter Group P-47 Thunderbolts
on 23 December 1944 in Bf 109G-10 yellow 13 (WNr 130359).
Bartels Marga would achieve a sort of immortality sixty years
later, with this being a featured scheme in several of the most
popular Bf 109G-6 model kits on the market.
While III. and IV./JG 27 were enjoying a resurgence of sorts
in the eastern Mediterranean, the Italian front was looking
increasingly bleak. Allied forces had captured Napoli on 1
October, and the Allied ground forces were making continual
progress up the Italian peninsula, heading towards the so-called
Gustav Line. Several units had already transferred out of the
theatre to take part in Reichsverteidigung missions and II./JG 53
was the next Bf 109-equipped unit to be withdrawn northwards
for such duties, departing for Wien on 15 October. This left only
I. and III./JG 53, and I. and III./JG 77 in the theatre, and of these
four Gruppen, III./JG 77 was unavailable as they were to be
31
05-MDF10-Chap-03_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:36 Page 32
Oblt. Hans-Joachim Marseille

poses with the wreck of
Hawker Hurricane Mk IIB BD
820 of 274 Squadron on 30
March 1942
Another high-scoring ace

from JG 27 was Oblt. Werner
Schrr, Staffelkapitn of 8./JG
27 until 22 April 1943, when
he assumed command of
II./JG 27
Marseilles first Bf 109F4/trop, WNr 8693, is seen

here being fueled at Mar tuba
in February 1942
launched over the week of 14 January 1944 with the aim of

preventing fighter interference with a planned amphibious
landing at Anzio and a simultaneous breakout attempt from
Cassino, where II./JG 51 had been operating. The Anzio assault
began on 22 January, but quickly stalled and began to collapse
under the weight of an effective German counteroffensive
beginning in early February. In true fire brigade style, another
round of Jagdgruppe transfers was initiated to combat the US
attacks against the German troops, with the Messerschmittequipped II./JG 77 and III./JG 53 joining II./JG 51 and I./JG 4.
Another Gruppe thrown into the fray was I./JG 2, who brought
their Fw 190s from France to Castiglione del Lago on 25
February to bolster the German defenses. And one last move
saw a unit almost entirely removed from the Mediterranean
theatre, this being III./JG 27 which was recalled to Wien for
Reichs Defense duties on 9 March, soon followed by IV./JG 27.
This left only 7./JG 27 to provide fighter support in the eastern
Mediterranean.
With the heavy losses sustained in the fighting over Cassino
and Anzio, II./JG 51 was sent to Nisch, Yugoslavia to be able to
refit. I./JG 4 was also moved out of the invasion zone and
transferred to Ferrara in northern Italy on 17 March for
something of a respite. This came to a rapid halt with a
dramatic increase in the number of Allied raids on Italian
targets in the north, with the bulk of the defensive missions
falling to I./JG 53 and I./JG 77. The resting I./JG 4 would not be
excluded from operations, and managed to down four P-38s on
25 April but it was a costly victory two pilots were shot down
and killed, while another six were wounded. Despite the
massive battles still taking place in Italy, I./JG 53 was moved to
Romania on 9 May to add their weight to the oil field defense

efforts. This was becoming an increasingly high priority, as
III./JG 77 and the ARR units fighting against the continual 15th
Air Force raids were fast becoming worn out by the operational
tempo and the bombers were beginning to have a telling effect
on petroleum production. III./JG 53 remained in Italy,
providing support to the faltering German resistance near
Cassino, and a last major push between 16 and 19 May saw the
fall of Cassino to the Allied forces. Four days later, the resurgent
Allied forces under Gen. Mark Clark finally broke out of the
Anzio beachhead where they had been stuck since 22 January,
and immediately headed north towards Rome. Once again, the
Luftwaffe command was forced to transfer units into a hot
spot, with I./JG 77 being taken off of bomber interception
duties and rushed southwards in an effort to blunt the
advancing Allied armies. Clarks forces succeeded in reaching
Rome on 4 June, which at any other point in the war would have
been hailed as a major victory, but just 48 hours later, the
largest invasion force in history came ashore in Normandy and
the Italian theatre immediately became a secondary priority for
both the Germans and the Allies.
Of the four Jagdgruppen still in Italy during June, only I. and
II./JG 77 saw significant action; II. Gruppe suffered a bombing
attack on their field at Ferrara on 10 June which destroyed ten
Bf 109Gs, but the unit still managed a number of successes

against the omnipresent American bombers during the month.
In the meantime, III./JG 53 and I./JG 4 took advantage of the
slower pace to rebuild their tattered ranks. Further east,
7./JG 27 was recalled to France at the end of June to fight on the
invasion front, being replaced at Kalamaki by 5./JG 51 while the
remainder of II./JG 51 continued to operate over Yugoslavia.
Likewise, III./JG 53 was recalled to Germany at the end of June
as well, marking the final departure of the Pik As Geschwader
from a theatre where it had fought for nearly three years. More
departures would follow in July, with I./JG 4 moving to Ghedi
on 25 July, where it turned over its aircraft to the II Gruppo
Caccia of the ANR and its newest pilots joined II./JG 77. It is
worth mentioning that during the transfer flight to Ghedi, one
Bf 109G-6 of 3./JG 4 coded yellow 4 (WNr 160756) left the
formation and landed on the Allied airfield at Santa Maria
32
Chapter 3
05-MDF10-Chap-03_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:36 Page 33
An excellent close-up of a Bf
109F-4/trop of I./JG 27; note
that this aircraft carries the
external windscreen armor,
which was not frequently
seen in the desert
Capua Vetere, with the pilot Uffz. Ren Darbois defecting to the
Allies. This aircraft subsequently found its way to the US with
the code FE-496, and now resides in the National Air and Space
Museum wearing the colors of a G-6 from 7./JG 27 based at
Kalamaki. Likewise, I./JG 77 was also transferred out of the
theatre on 31 July, splitting their aircraft between I Gruppo
Caccia and II./JG 77, which now became the sole Jagdgruppe in
all of Italy. They moved briefly to Orange southern France to
oppose the Allied landings on 15 August, but overwhelming
Allied aerial superiority soon compelled II. Gruppe to return to
Italy on 20 August. On the 23rd, II./JG 51 found themselves in a
hostile country when Romania signed an armistice with the
Soviet Union and joined forces with the Allies against the
Germans on the 25th, compelling the unit to cover retreating
the German forces. Stab/JG 77 left Bettola and moved to
Villafranca, Italy until 9 September when they moved to Wien
The Bf 109F-4 of the

Kommodore of JG 53, Obstlt.
Gnther Freiherr von
Maltzahn, is seen here
warming up prior to a mission
to join the Reichs defense forces; likewise, III./JG 77 was also

forced to evacuate Romania. This Gruppe moved to Hungary
until 15 September when it, too was recalled to Wien to join the
increasingly desperate Reichsverteidigung effort. The final
German fighter unit in Italy, II./JG 77, was ordered to move to
Werl, Germany on 14 September, leaving the aerial defense of
Italy to the Messerschmitts of I and II Gruppi Caccia. The last
German Bf 109s in the Mediterranean theatre were the Bf
109G-8s of Nhaufklrungsgruppe (NAG) 11, which had been
formed back in November 1943 from 2.(H)/14 and 4.(H)/12.
NAG 11 continued to provide vital reconnaissance support to
German and Italian units from its base at Udine until the final
surrender in May 1945.
Here we see Marseille

describing his 49th and 50th
victories on 21 February 1942
in universal fighter pilot
language
One of the highest-ranking aces to be killed in the bitter fighting over

Tunisia, Maj. Joachim Mncheberg died in the collision of his Bf 109G-6
WNr 16381 with a Spitfire of the 52nd FG on 23 March 1943
33
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 34
One Steppe Beyond
Chapter
iverskaya. Kharkov. Sevestapol. Demjansk. Kursk. The

names are foreign and unfamiliar to Western ears, but
these places, among hundreds of others, loom large in the
history of Unternehmen Barbarossa, the German invasion of the
Soviet Union on 22 June 1941. While the military plans for this,
the most massive military operation in history to that time, were
officially laid out in Directive No. 21 on 18 December 1940, Adolf
Hitlers idea of crushing Bolshevism had taken root more than
20 years earlier in the wake of the Communist Revolution in
Tsarist Russia and the defeat of Germany in 1918. Years of social,
economic, and political upheaval followed in Germany, with
strong Communist forces eventually being subjugated by the rise
of the NSDAP and the election of Adolf Hitler to the post of
Chancellor in January 1933. Despite the open political warfare
waged within Germany against the Communists, however, there
was still business being done with the Soviet Union, the largest
Communist country in the world. A secret military base had
been established in 1925 at Lipetsk, a little over 300 miles south
of Moscow, where fledgling German aviators could learn the
trade of aerial combat maneuvering, well away from the prying
eyes of the Allied treaty compliance commissions. The school
continued operations until 1933, training such future Luftwaffe
luminaries as Hannes Trautloft and Gnther Ltzow. With
Hptm. Horst Carganico of

II./JG 5 was one of the
Luftwaffes more colorful
characters, adopting a Mickey
Mouse character as his own
personal emblem as seen in
this photo. The dates by the
shoes indicate the two
occasions Carganico was
shot down in the Nor th and
had to walk through
wilderness back to the
German lines
Ehrler was later made the Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 5, but continued

to carry his yellow 12 markings on his Bf 109G-6 as seen here
1939, Hitler now had a combat-trained cadre of troops and

pilots ready for any subsequent action. He had so far been
immensely successful in his games of political brinkmanship,
beginning with openly defying the Versailles Treaty and rapidly
moving to remilitarize the Rhineland, forcibly annex Austria
through a manipulated plebiscite, and staring down France and
England over the question of Czechoslovakia. Hitlers next goal
was a move eastward, into Poland. However, he was shrewd
enough to know that he could not trust Stalin, and in midAugust 1939, as the world fretted over his next move, Hitler sent
his Foreign Minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, to begin
discussions with his Soviet equivalent Vyacheslav Molotov
regarding a mutual treaty recognizing each others spheres of
Hitlers ascension to power, however, the Lipetsk center was soon

closed and the German aviation industry slowly began to pick
up speed.
Three years later, a brutal internal conflict in Spain suddenly
escalated into a major ideological battle ground. Troops
supporting the breakaway Nationalist leader Gen. Francisco
Franco had arranged for military assistance via a personal
appeal to Hitler himself, and the Spanish government forces
openly sought assistance from whomever they could. The Soviet
Union responded by sending a large number of modern aircraft,
including nimble Polikarpov I-16s and Tupolev SB twin-engined
bombers, which were capable of outperforming most
contemporary front-line fighters when it entered service. Many
troops and pilots went to Spain to serve the Republican cause,
and these men gained invaluable experience against the future
Luftwaffe pilots of the Legion Condor. However, in what would
later be seen as one of the greatest blunders in Russian history,
Stalin had many of these experienced veterans imprisoned or
executed as part of his purges against foreign influence. With
the successful conclusion of the Spanish Civil War in March
Hptm. Heinrich Ehrler was among the most successful pilots in the far nor th, achieving 77 victories by late
March 1943, when this photo was taken of his Bf 109G-2 yellow 12 + -. It is now thought the aircraft was
delivered in a tropical scheme, with white and 70 Schwar tzgrn mottles applied at Petsamo
34
Chapter 4
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 35
influence. The resulting Russo-German Non-Aggression Pact,

when announced on 24 August 1939, came as an immense
shock to a European continent already nervous about
anticipating Hitlers next move.
With the pact in hand, Hitler felt he had sufficient diplomatic
clout to fend off the expected angry responses from Britain and
France when he invaded Poland on 1 September 1939, but this
time he had overplayed his hand. Both countries declared war
on Germany within days, and the Second World War was
underway. By the end of 1940, German forces had succeeded in
defeating and occupying Poland, Norway, Denmark, and
France only England proved able to successfully resist the
overwhelming might of the Luftwaffe, but the British forces were
in no position to undertake significant offensive operations
against occupied Europe. This was the situation as of 18
December 1940, when Hitler issued Directive No. 21, outlining
the basic preparations and goals for the invasion of Russia, to be
codenamed Unternehmen Barbarossa (after the famed 10th
century German emperor Frederick I). In this directive, Hitler
laid out the primary short-term and long-term objectives of the
invasion, indicating that he may require certain forces to be
made ready to deploy against the Soviets eight weeks prior to
the date of the invasion (which was not actually listed within
this directive), and specifying that all preparations were to be
made no later than 15 May 1941. For his part, Hitler would seek
to protect his southern flank by entering into favorable
diplomatic relations with Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and
Yugoslavia. The first three countries acceded to Hitlers wishes
by signing the Tripartate Pact, but a last-minute coup on 27
March which overthrew the current Yugoslav government and
nullified Yugoslavias commitments to the Pact provoked Hitlers
unmitigated wrath. He had been assembling forces to aid his
overenthusiastic Italian cohort Mussolini, whose unilateral
actions against Greece had not only resulted in an Italian rout,
but also provoked a greater British presence in Greece. These
British forces were well-placed to launch attacks against the
Romanian oil fields which Hitler would require to fuel his
eastward advance through Russia, and Hitlers hand was
essentially forced. As he composed a plan for the invasion of
Greece, the Yugoslav situation came to a head, and Hitler
immediately amended Unternehmen Marita to include the
complete subjugation of Yugoslavia.
The invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece was launched on 6

April, and as with the prior continental battles, the combined
attacks of the Luftwaffe and the Wehrmacht proved to be too
much for the Allied defenders. Belgrade fell to German forces on
13 April, and the Greek government surrendered ten days later,
but a substantial portion of the British defenders were
successfully evacuated to the island of Crete. The German forces
were in hot pursuit, and launched Unternehmen Merkur to
capture or destroy the British forces on Crete. This proved to be
a tactical victory, but a strategic disaster for the Luftwaffe. The
airborne invasion by the vaunted Fallschirmjger battalions was
met by an incredibly fierce British defense which absolutely
I./JG 54 flew from the Soviet

prewar base of
Krasnogvardiesk from
October 1941 until February
1943. Here, the ground crew
are attending to a pair of 3.
Staffel Bf 109F-2s during the
bitter winter of 1941
The Piepmatz emblem of

8./JG 54 is clearly visible on
this Bf 109F-2 photographed
amongst several Ju 88s
during the winter of 1941/42.
Note that the wheel wells are
the squared off type
A group of Rumanian officers

are seen here looking over a
Bf 109F-2 of 9./JG 52,
perhaps at Mizil in July or
August 1941
One Steppe Beyond
35
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 36
Lt. Walter Schick of 2./JG 51

disappeared in his Bf 109F-2
WNr 9713 on 15 November
1942. His aircraft was coded
black 5, and this photo is
believed to show Schicks
aircraft upon being found by
German troops. Schick
remains missing to this day
This Bf 109F-2 coded yellow

3 was flown by Hptm Franz
Eckerle of 6./JG 54, seen here
following his 38th victory over
an SB-3 on 14 October 1941
slaughtered the Junkers Ju 52 transports in which the Germans

arrived. The paratroops found the rocky island terrain difficult
to deal with when landing, and a significant number of troops
were injured or killed in bad landings, quite apart from those
which were killed or wounded in the destroyed Junkers or by the
withering defensive fire put up by the defenders. The island was
eventually taken on 2 June, but the transports and troops upon
which so much depended for the advance in Russia were now
severely depleted.
German commanders had rightly surmised that any air
action during the Balkan campaign could be handled by a
comparatively small group of units, and as such, the only fighter
units committed to these battles were III./JG 27, I.(J)/LG 2, and
II. and III./JG 77. JG 2 and JG 26 remained on the Channel front
acting as a covering force against any potential British activities,
I./JG 77 was at Stavanger-Sola in Norway, and by the beginning
of June, the remainder of the Jagdwaffe was being quietly shifted
into eastern Germany and forward operational bases in
occupied Poland in preparation for the onslaught against the
Soviet Union. Table 1 lists all single-engine fighter units
stationed in the east which were present for Unternehmen
Barbarossa.
This gave the German forces in the east a total of just under
900 single engined fighters, all of which were Messerschmitt Bf
109s. The total Luftwaffe commitment for Barbarossa amounted
to over 3,000 aircraft the total would have been higher but for
TABLE 1
UNIT
BASE LOCATION
Stab./JG 3
Hostynne-Zamocs, Poland (SE of Lublin)
I./JG 3
Zamocs-Dub, Poland (SE of Lublin)
II./JG 3
Wlodzmierz, Poland (SW of Lodz)
III./JG 3
Hostynne, Poland (SE of Lublin)
II./JG 27
Praszniki, Poland
III./JG 27
Sobolewo, Poland (NE of W arszawa)
Stab./JG 51Siedlce, Poland (east of W arszawa)
I./JG 51
Stara Wies, Poland (SE of Krakw)
II./JG 51
Siedlce, Poland (east of W arszawa)
III./JG 51
Halaszi, Hungar y
IV./JG 51
Krzewicza, Poland (E. of Krakw)
Stab./JG 52
Wien-Aspern, Austria
4./JG 52
Suwaki, Poland (N of Bialystock)
5-6./JG 52
Sobolewo, Poland (NE of W arszawa)
III./JG 52
Mizil, Romania (NE of Ploesti)
Stab./JG 53
I./JG 53
4., 5./JG 53
Neuseidl, Austria (E. of Wien)
III./JG 53
Suwaki, Poland (N of Bialystock)
Stab./JG 54
Trakehnen (E. Prussia)
I./JG 54
Lindenthal (Leipzig), then to Schaulen, Lith.
II./JG 54
Trakehnen (E. Prussia)
6., 7./JG 54
Blumenfeld
8./JG 54
Laschen
Stab./JG 77
Bacau, Romania
5., 6./JG 77
Roman, Romania
III./JG 77
Roman, Romania
Erg./JG 77
Mizil, Romania
I.(J)/LG 2
Roman, Romania
(From data compiled by Michael Holm)
36
Chapter 4
AIRCRAFT TYPE
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F (just transitioned)
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109F
Bf 109E
Bf 109E/F
Bf 109E
Bf 109E
the significant transport losses incurred during the invasion of

Crete the month before, leading to the complete disbandment of
a number of transport squadrons. As powerful as the Luftwaffe
forces were, however, they paled in comparison to the number of
men and the amount of equipment massed for the ground war;
over 3.5 million troops, 3,500 tanks, and approximately 600,000
other vehicles of all types stood ready to unleash the largest
invasion in history.
The die was cast just before dawn at 0300 local time, 22 June
1941. The massed might of the German Wehrmacht and
Luftwaffe poured across the entire western Soviet frontier, from
the Baltic to the Black Sea, and began their race eastward. The
front was contested by three German Army groups; North,
Center, and South. Subordinated to each of these Army Groups
was a Luftflotte (literally, air fleet) acting as a central
administrative unit for one or more Fliegerkorps. These, in turn,
governed the maneuvers of the individual Geschwadern
(equivalent to a Wing). In the north, supporting Army Group
North commanded by Feldmarschall Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb,
was Luftflotte 1. The aim of the northern group, as per Directive
No. 21, was to march through the Baltic states and capture
Leningrad and Kronstadt, then push southwards to join the
northern elements of Army Group Center and head towards
Moscow. Fighter units attached to Luftflotte I for this initial effort
included all Gruppen of JG 54 Grnherz, commanded by Obstlt.
Hannes Trautloft, and 4. and 5./JG 53.
Launching from the middle of occupied Poland, Army Group
Center was commanded by Feldmarschall Fedor von Bock and
supported by Luftflotten 2 and 4. Their goal was to drive through
Belorussia, moving to the north of the Pripet Marshes and

linking up with Army Group South (commanded by
Feldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt) which was to advance into
the Ukraine and head for the Donets Basin. Fighter units
supporting Army Group Center included all of JG 3, II. and
III./JG 27, Stab. and II./JG 51, 5. and 6. Staffeln of JG 52, and
III./JG 53. In southern Poland, Feldmarschall Gerd von
Rundstedts Army Group South was to drive south of the Pripet
Marshes into the Ukraine and capture Kiev. The fighter units
supporting von Rundstedts group were also subordinated to
Luftflotte 4, under Fliegerkorps IV, and the units were spread
between Romania, Hungary, Poland, and eastern Austria. They
included I., III., and IV./JG 51, Stab. and III./JG 52, Stab. and I./JG
53, and Stab. and III./JG 77, along with 5. and 6. Staffel.
As the German forces descended to attack Soviet airfields
near the border areas, what they found astonished them
hundreds upon hundreds of aircraft, lined up and standing
ready. The Soviets were also quick to respond to the Luftwaffe
onslaught, flinging their outdated Polikarpovs and ill-handling
MiG-3s at any German aircraft with reckless abandon. Bravery
and guts were no match for the well-coordinated and highly
skilled Jagdflieger, though, and by the end of the first day of
operations, the Soviets themselves admitted the loss of no fewer
than 336 aircraft in aerial combat. The number of Soviet aircraft
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 37
lost on the ground nearly defied belief over 1,400 aircraft

were claimed as destroyed on the ground by Luftwaffe forces on
22 June alone, with another 1300+ being destroyed over the
following two days. Fighter units were not the only Soviet forces
in operation, with hundreds of frequently unescorted SB and DB
bombers being dispatched on retaliatory raids, but these
missions were nothing short of suicidal as an example, every
single one of the 16 Tupolev SB bombers sent on a raid into East
Prussia on 23 June was destroyed by elements of JG 54. JG 3
claimed 38 aircraft on the 23rd, while JG 51 tallied an
astounding 125 victories (all Tupolev SB bombers) in 48 hours
between 24 and 25 June while incurring no losses. Similar
stories were being written all up and down the front, and the
Messerschmitt pilots were increasing their individual victory
claims by leaps and bounds. The Geschwaderkommodore of
JG 51, Obstlt. Werner Mlders, had 68 kills as of 21 June; a mere
nine days later, he had increased his tally to 82 and on 15 July, he
became the first pilot in history to surpass 100 aerial victories.
With the decimation of the bomber formations, the Soviet
fighter forces became more pressed to stem the German
onslaught, and their ranks were depleted nearly as quickly as
their bomber force cohorts. Despite the nearly unbelievable
victory claims being filed by the Jagdflieger, the fight was not
always one-sided; the brave gunners in the SBs and DBs fought
back with everything they had, and the Soviet fighter pilots
would ram an opponent if necessary to bring him down. The
furious pace of combat operations also contributed to the
German losses, as seen in this brief listing of fully identified
Bf 109 losses and damage reports Table 2).
These losses over the first eight days of Barbarossa reveal a
few disturbing trends, namely the loss of experienced combat
leaders and the willingness of some Soviet forces to murder
German pilots who survived being shot down. Maj.Wolfgang
Schellmann, the Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 27, was shot
down in his Bf 109E and was executed in just such a fashion, as
was the Staffelkapitn of 8./JG 3, Oblt. Willi Stange. This pattern
was to continue for the duration of the war, and many German
pilots who force-landed in Soviet territory chose suicide over
capture because they knew full well what would become of them
if they were taken prisoner.
TABLE 2
TYPE
Bf 109F-2
Bf 109F-2
Bf 109F-2
Bf 109F-2
Bf 109F-2
Bf 109F-2
Bf 109F-2
Bf 109F-2
Bf 109F-2
WNR
12658
8246
8244
8238
5423
5678
5460
5523
6674
Bf
Bf
Bf
Bf
Bf
Bf
Bf
Bf
Bf
Bf
Bf
Bf
Bf
Bf
Bf
Bf
5761
6665
9162
9207
5477
6745
12762
12609
6722
5558
12610
12607
6800
5519
6689
5778
109F-2
109F-2
109F-2*
109F-2
109F-2
109F-2
109F-2
109F-2
109F-2
109F-2
109F-2
109F-2
109F-2
109F-2
109F-2
109F-2
Bf 109F-2
Bf 109F-2
Bf 109F-2
The above
PILOT
UNIT
Freitag, Fw. Hermann
5./JG 3
Heinz, Fw. Hans
7./JG 3
Stange, Oblt. Willi
8./JG 3
Bock, Fw. Richard
9./JG 3
Hfemeier, Ofw. Heinrich
1./JG 51
Stebner, Fw. Theodor
3./JG 51
Khne, Gefr. Walter
4./JG 52
Koslowski, Ofw. Eduard
8./JG 53
Bretntz, Hptm. Heinz
Stab II./JG 53
CODE
black 9 + white 10 + |
black 10 + |
yellow 6 + |
white 5 +
brown 9 +
yellow 12 + black 2 + |
black << + -
The first two weeks of July saw Army Group North overrun
the Soviet-occupied states of Latvia and Lithuania, but the
advance towards Leningrad was temporarily halted by a stiff
Soviet counterstrike supported by over 200 VVS aircraft from
various units. This force was soon dealt with by elements of
JG 53 and JG 54, allowing the endangered German ground
forces to resume their push eastwards, but this would not be the
last emergency action fought by Messerschmitts in 1941.
Additional German forces secured the northernmost flank of the
front by launching attacks from occupied Norway, supported by
two Jagdstaffeln, 1. and 14./JG 77. In spite of the low numbers of
fighters available, the results were much the same as elsewhere
DATE
22 Jun 41
22 Jun 41
22 Jun 41
22 Jun 41
22 Jun 41
22 Jun 41
22 Jun 41
22 Jun 41
22 Jun 41
REASON
Repor ted lost af ter combat. Parachuted successfully, returned 2 July
Injured in crash landing
Staffelkapitn. Emergency landing due to Flak. Killed by R ussians
Killed by Flak
Wounded due to own fighters
Repor ted lost af ter emergency landing, cause unknown. R eturned
Wounded during ground attack ag ainst Soviet tanks.
Repor ted lost af ter combat. emergency landing. Pilot retur ned 23 June
Gruppenkommandeur. Wounded in combat with SB -2
Died of wounds on 27 June
Geschwaderkommodore. Belly landing due to engine trouble
Wounded due to enemy fire. emergency landing
Gruppenkommandeur. Wounded due to enemy fire
Staffelkapitn. Repor ted lost due to enemy fire. R eturned
Staffelkapitn. Repor ted lost, emergency landing due to Fla k. Returned
Repor ted lost due to enemy f ire. Pilot retur ned 27 June
Taken prisoner af ter combat. Died 30 June
Missing af ter emergency landing, cause unkno wn
Missing af ter combat with SB-3
Killed, cause unknown
Repor ted lost in combat. Pilot returned
Belly landing due to fla k hit in radiator
Crashed due to f uel shor tage
Killed in combat with SB -2s
Repor ted lost af ter combat. Pilot retu rned
Technical Officer. Rolled into a bomb crater during landing
Trautloft, Major Hannes

Stab./JG 54
white <|-+- 22 Jun 41
Theimann, Uffz. Wilhelm
3./JG 51
brown 5 +
23 Jun 41
Fz, Hptm. Josef
Stab II./JG 51 black << + 23 Jun 41
Bob, Oblt. Han/Ekkehard
9./JG 54
yellow 1 + ^^ 23 Jun 41
Bock, Ltn. Eberhard
3./JG 3
yellow 3 +
24 Jun 41
Kor tlepel, Ofw. Er win
4./JG 3
white 6 + 24 Jun 41
Kunz, Uffz. Eduard
5./JG 3
black 12 + - 24 Jun 41
Graf, Ltn. Alois
10./JG 51
white 9 + + 24 Jun 41
Balfanz, Oblt. Wilfried
Stab I./JG 53
black <<+ 24 Jun 41
Krieger, Ltn. Walter
6./JG 51
yellow 6 +
25 Jun 41
Mller, Ltn. Rudolf
8./JG 53
black 6 + | 25 Jun 41
Spte, Oblt. Wolfgang
5./JG 54
black 7 +
25 Jun 41
Pfeiffer, Uffz. Er nst
9./JG 53
yellow 5 + | 26 Jun 41
Gremm, Ofw. Anton
4./JG 3
white 9 + 27 Jun 41
Sauer, Fw. Kur t
9./JG 53
yellow 4 + | 27 Jun 41
Hofe, Oblt. Werner
Stab./JG 54
white -o+27 Jun 41
Pichon Kalau vom
8228 Kempf, Fw. Karl
7./JG 54
white 3 + ^^ 29 Jun 41 Emergency landing af ter being hit in radiator
12619 Malaper t, Ltn. Peter von
7./JG 54
white 8 + ^^ 30 Jun 41 Repor ted lost, cause un known. Returned
9622 Waschel, Ltn. Heinrich
9./JG 54
yellow 10 + 30 Jun 41 Missing, cause unknown
list is from information originally compiled by Jim P erry; any errors in transcription are the s ole responsibility of the author.
White 2, a Bf 109F of an
unidentified 1.Staffel, is seen
here being used as a prop for
passing German troops
White 9, a Bf 109F-2 of
1./JG 51, wound up stuffed in
a roadside ditch where a
passing group of German
troops took the opportunity to
have a look at the aircraft.
Note the N painted atop the
engine crankcase, denoting a
DB 601N
LOCATION
Lemburg-Brody area
Moderowka
Drogobytsch
%DMG
100%
25%
100%
100%
Siedlice in the Bielsk a rea 10%
Bialystok, nr Brest-Litovsk 100%
Augustowo
noted
Merkina
100%
between Er zvilkas and
100%
Nemaksciai
Trakehnen
20%
Terespol near Brest-Litovsk100%
100%
near Radviliskis
100%
Nor th of Rogowo
100%
Kol Knidhininek
100%
12 km east of Busk
100%
Krcewica
100%
(Pruszana area)
100%
unreadable
100%
Smorgania
100%
East of Rossilnie
40%
near Wilna
100%
100%
Molodeczno
100%
Kedainiai air field
15%
near Dnaburg
Nor th of Dnaburg
near Dnaburg
One Steppe Beyond
10%
100%
100%
37
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 38
6./JG 51 was based at Stara

Bychow (Staryy Bykhov) in
Belarus during July 1941,
where this Bf 109F-2 coded
yellow 10 was
photographed. The typical II.
Gruppe bar of II./JG 51 is
seen here beneath the
number, and the octane
triangle indicates C-3 fuel
Fw. Alfred Grislawski of

9./JG 52 is seen here posing
with his Bf 109F-2 Yellow 9
in the summer of 1942
38
Chapter 4
on the Eastern Front the Soviets suffered heavy losses as the

Germans pushed eastwards towards Murmansk, aiming to
deprive the Soviets of their only port which remained ice-free
year round. This was an important port for the receipt of LendLease supplies as well, and in July, the Royal Navy moved the
HMS Victorious and Furious to the far north in order to provide
air cover to the all-important convoys sailing towards
Murmansk. The British forces proved no match for the
Messerschmitts of JG 77, however, losing 12 Fairey Albacore
torpedo bombers (out of 30 dispatched) and four Fairey Fulmar
fighters (from nine dispatched) in an abortive attack against
German shipping on 30 July. JG 77 was able to base their
Messerschmitts at Petsamo in northern Finland, as the Soviet
Union had broken the Winter War truce by preemptively
attacking Finland on 25 June 1941. This led to increased
cooperation between the German and Finnish forces, including
the use of Finnish bases for attacks against Soviet targets.
Despite the close proximity of the German units to Murmansk,
however, the offensive drive to capture the city had stalled by
mid-July and the front lines in the far north would remain
relatively static for the next few months.
Further south, Army Group Center had overrun Minsk in
I./JG 77 operated Bf 109Fs in the Crimea during the spring and early
summer of 1942, with the aircraft of the Gruppenkommandeur, Maj. Heinz
Br, being seen here
early July and pushed onwards towards Smolensk, often

outstripping their own supply lines and bypassing pockets of
resistance. As the units of Army Group Center pushed inexorably
onwards towards Moscow, the Soviet defenders committed more
and more units to try and stop them. The resistance provided by
the ground reinforcements forced Feldmarschall von Bocks
forces to halt their advance and consolidate their gains in the
Smolensk region, but the aerial reinforcements were shredded
by the Experten of JG 51. As an example, every single Soviet Pe-2
dispatched on a bombing raid against JG 51s base at Shatalovo
on 23 July was destroyed, and the remaining five aircraft from
this unit were shot down by the end of the next day. One further
key event for JG 51 took place on 15 July, when the
Geschwaderkommodore, Maj. Werner Mlders, became the first
fighter pilot in history to record 100 victories- all of which were
scored at the controls of the Messerschmitt Bf 109. He was
awarded a special decoration, the Diamonds, and immediately
withdrawn from combat operations to become the General der
Jagdflieger, with Maj. I. G. Friederich Beckh succeeding him as
the commander of JG 51.
In the southern sector of the front, the German 6th Army was
marching steadily towards Kiev, while other elements of Army
Group South were working with Rumanian and other German
forces to cut off a vast force of Soviet troops at Uman. I. and
III./JG 3 were heavily involved in supporting this advance
through July and early August, as was Stab. and I./JG 53. In early
August, III./JG 52 replaced the units of JG 53 in the southern
sector, and this marked the rise of several of the Luftwaffes
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 39
brightest stars, including Oblt. Gnther Rall and Lt. Hermann

Graf. By late August, the eastward offensive had secured
bridgeheads over the Dnieper River with fighter support from all
of JG 3, Stab. and III./JG 52, Stab., II, and III./JG 77, and
I.(J)/LG 2. With the successful consolidation of forces in the
Smolensk region, Army Group Center now turned southwards to
meet up with Army Group South, bringing JG 51 with it, while
III./JG 53 was shifted southwards from the northern region in
early September to bolster the forces preparing to take Kiev. By
16 September, the two German Army Groups joined forces 130
miles east of Kiev, and completed the encirclement of nearly a
half million Soviet troops spread amongst five armies.
Activity in the northern region during this time period
centered on consolidating the territorial gains made since 22
June prior to making a final push to conquer Leningrad, and
II./JG 52, II./JG 53, and all of JG 54 were heavily engaged in
clearing operations, as was III./JG 53 prior to its southward
transfer. The drive towards Leningrad began anew on 8 August,
and Novogrod was captured on 16 August. Two weeks later,
III./JG 53 was sent south and replaced by IV./JG 51. Despite the
tremendous losses being inflicted on the VVS forces, however,
the Soviets continued to fight like men possessed, and several
high-scoring Luftwaffe aces were killed or wounded during
August and September, including Oblt. Heinz Br of 12./JG 51
who was shot down in his Bf 109F-2 brown 1 + + (WNr 8318)
on 31 August. Br successfully escaped his damaged fighter by
parachute, but he landed 40 km behind enemy lines, and injured
both ankles in the landing as well. Somehow he managed to
avoid detection by Soviet troops, and successfully made it back
to German-held territory two days later. Oblt. Erich Schmidt of
III./JG 53 was lost on 31 August as well, shot down by flak in his
Bf 109F-2 yellow 6 + | (WNr 12633) and posted as missing,
while newly minted Ritterkreuztrger Oblt. Hubert Hubs
Mtherich, the Staffelkapitn of 5./JG 54 was killed in a forced
landing on 9 September. Mtherichs loss was somewhat
These Bf 109F-2s of III./JG 3

are seen at Orel in November
1941
Hptm. Hans Philipp of

I./JG 54 is seen here being
assisted in strapping on his
Messerschmitt at Siverskaja
in the winter of 1941/42
avoidable; damaged in combat with a Soviet MiG-3, he was

attempting a belly landing in his Bf 109F-2 Black 10 (WNr
9206) when he collided with a tree.
By late September, JG 54 and the two Staffeln of JG 77 at
Petsamo remained as the only fighter units in the northern
sector, as other units were rotated rearwards for replenishment
or moved elsewhere to lend their weight to battles elsewhere on
the Eastern Front. With the capture of Kiev and Army Group
Centers push to Moscow beginning in late September, the
decision was made to besiege Leningrad rather than conquer it
outright. By staving off the capture of the city, the Soviet
defenders had achieved a small tactical victory, but the price
paid in lives over the next two years during the siege of
Leningrad would be nothing short of horrific.
Further unit transfers in and out of theatre took place in late
September and early October, with I./JG 52 arriving from
Holland while both II. and III./JG 53 were withdrawn to be reequipped with fresh aircraft and give the personnel a break from
A peculiar field-applied
scheme was worn by this Bf
109F-2 coded black 5 of
11./JG 51, possibly
photographed at Smolensk in
July 1941. The style of the 5
is noteworthy as well
The emblem carried on Hans Philipps Bf 109F-2 reads, Hexenmeister

Knabelbart geht wieder mal auf Zauber fahrt loosely translated as The
bearded wizard leaves once again on a magic trip
One Steppe Beyond
39
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 40
At the beginning of
Barbarossa, Oblt. Hans
Philipp flew with 4./JG 54
where he rapidly amassed a
large number of victories
White 10, a Bf 109F-2 with

an armored windscreen, was
photographed at BjelajaZerkow in the late summer of
1941
The Bf 109F-2 belonging to

the technical officer of an
unidentified Jagdgruppe is
seen undergoing maintenance
as winter sets in
40
Chapter 4
operations. The men of I./JG 52 under Oblt. Karl-Heinz

Leesmann had seen only sporadic action in responding to RAF
Circus and Rodeo raids on the continent, and their eagerness
to get involved in the air war in a big way was soon made
evident with the onset of Unternehmen Taifun (Operation
Typhoon), the battle to conquer Moscow. Following the
successful encirclement maneuver in conjunction with Army
Group South and the capture of Kiev, von Bocks Army Group
Center shifted its focus towards capturing the Soviet capital.
Fighter support for the operation was provided by the following
units:
Stab, II. and III.JG 3
III./JG 27
Stab, I., II., III. and IV./JG 51
I. and II./JG 52
III./JG 53
On paper, this appears to be a formidable force, but four
months of constant operations had severely depleted the
strength of the units involved; as an example, out of a nominal
strength of 132 aircraft, JG 51 reported approximately 50 as
serviceable at the end of September. Soviet reinforcements were
brought in from all over the country to protect Moscow, but
ultimately it was the onset of the annual autumn rainy season
which turned airfields into lakes and roads into impassable
quagmires that essentially brought German operations in this
sector to a halt in late October. The Soviets were quick to take
advantage of the decreased activity, quickly building up
reinforcements so that when the German forces renewed their
offensive push towards Moscow in mid-November with the
onset of winter, the defenders were more than ready.
Following the successful capture of Kiev and Army Group

Centers push northwards, Army Group South shifted its focus in
early October to capturing the remainder of the Ukraine and
pushing southwards into the Crimean Peninsula. Kharkov was
the first target for this offensive, but only III./JG 52 was available
to cover this operation. The Messerschmitts of this unit ran riot
over the defending Soviet forces, downing no fewer than 50
aircraft without losing a single Bf 109 between 3 and 14 October.
The unit moved southwards into the Crimea on 19 October to
join III./JG 77 and the recently arrived II./JG 3 in an effort to
crush the Soviet resistance in this area. The German forces
under Gen. von Manstein had been under constant air attack
over the preceding three weeks, but the combined efforts of the
three Jagdgruppen under the capable leadership of Oberst
Werner Mlders himself soon swept the skies of Soviet
opposition; Mlders even flew a number of combat missions
with III./JG 77, violating a direct order from Hitler himself to
avoid combat. By the beginning of November 1941, von
Mansteins forces had taken over most of the Crimea, although
pockets of resistance remained around Svestapol in the
southwest and the Kerch peninsula in the east, and the lessened
pace of operations allowed II./JG 3 to return to Germany for rest
and re-equipment.
The fire brigade nature of Luftwaffe unit reassignments such

as those undertaken by II./JG 3 and III./JG 52 in the Crimean
campaign began to prove troublesome as Soviet forces in the
vicinity of Moscow steadily strengthened. Rather than building
up local strength, however, the Luftwaffe found itself ordered to
launch a full-scale attack against Malta in the Mediterranean, as
British units were causing havoc with German efforts to
resupply Rommels Afrika Korps. Consequently, all remaining
elements of JG 3, JG 27, and JG 53 moved to the Mediterranean
theatre as part of a wholesale relocation of II. Fliegerkorps,
leaving only JG 51 and I. and II./JG 52 to meet the growing
Soviet forces threatening Army Group Center. Adding to their
troubles was the onset of a winter freeze in mid-November, the
coldest in decades. This proved to be a mixed blessing for the
German forces as it allowed them to renew their motorized
operations over roads which were previously impassable due to
thick mud, but the men of the Wehrmacht were poorly equipped
to deal with such conditions. The delaying actions fought
around Smolensk in September had stalled the German advance
long enough to get them caught in the notoriously bad Russian
winter, and no forethought had been given to stockpiling warm
clothes and other necessities of winter combat for the German
troops... they had fully expected to steamroll right through
Moscow by this point.
Proving that even the smallest of details can have enormous
consequences, the failures and breakdowns in the Eastern Front
supply chain proved to be the final straw for the Luftwaffes chief
of procurement, the jovial WWI ace Ernst Udet. Udet was a born
pilot, capable of the most amazing feats of airmanship, but his
temperament was ill-suited to the hard-nosed requirements of
such a position, and the overwhelming pressure led him to take
his own life on 17 November. The actual circumstances of his
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 41
demise were kept out of the public eye, but the entire German
nation was stunned by the loss of one of its heroes and a state
funeral was planned. Among those scheduled to attend was the
Inspector General of Fighters, Oberst Werner Mlders, who was
still in the Crimea. An He 111 was duly dispatched on 21
November to return Mlders to Berlin for the funeral, but on the
return flight the next day, the left engine failed in flight. As the
aircraft attempted to make an emergency landing at Breslau, the
right engine failed as well and the Heinkel crashed, killing the
pilot, Oblt. Georg Kolbe as well as the unfortunate Mlders. To
commemorate the memory of Germanys greatest ace, Hitler
bestowed the honor title Mlders on his former unit, JG 51.
In late November, the already bitter winter temperatures took
a dive, putting a severe strain on German operations. Not only
were the men not outfitted with proper winter clothing, but their
equipment was not designed to work in 40 C (which
coincidentally equates to 40 F). Fires had to be lit beneath
aircraft to warm the congealed oil enough to allow engines to
turn over, and tanks and other equipment had to warm up for
an extended time before being ready for operations. One
favorable consequence of the onset of winter for the Germans
was the renewal of Army Group Souths offensive against Rostov,
and the city was finally taken on 21 November, supported by the
nomadic pilots of III./JG 52 and II./JG 77. This success was short
lived, however, as the first element of what would become a
massive, front-wide Soviet counteroffensive pushed the forces of
von Rundstedt out of Rostov on 27 November. A furious Hitler
gave an express order to hold the city at all costs, but von
Rundstedt elected to make a tactical withdrawal anyway,
retreating across the Mius River to Tangarog, resulting in his
immediate dismissal as the commander of Army Group South.
The forces of Army Group Center under managed to reach the
suburbs of Moscow on 2 December, but this would be as far as

they would get. Four days later, a massive and unexpected Soviet
counterattack was launched against von Bocks forces, in
conjunction with a general offensive along the entire Eastern
front. The Soviet forces succeeded in forcing Army Group Center
to withdraw between 100 to 250 km from Moscow, and an even
greater victory was handed to the Soviets by Hitler himself when
he dismissed his most brilliant generals and field marshals for
daring to preserve their forces and make tactical withdrawals
rather than waste their men and equipment by obeying Hitlers
insane no retreat policy. Among the victims of this
administrative purge were Field Marshal Fedor von Bock,
commander of Army Group Center; Field Marshal Gerd von
Rundstedt, commander of Army Group South; General Heinz
Guderian, the father of the Panzerkorps; General Hpner,
commander of the 4th Panzerarmee; and General Strauss,
commander of the Ninth Army. Worst of all, blame for the failure
to take Moscow was laid squarely on the shoulders of Hitlers
army commander in chief, Feldmarschall Walther von
Brauchitsch, and he was forced to resign, with Hitler assuming
all responsibilities as commander in chief. And half a world
away, Germanys Axis partner Japan attacked the US naval base
and Army Air Corps facilities at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7
December which brought the immense production capacities of
the United States into the war against the Axis in general, and
Germany in particular.
As bad as the winter weather had been over the past few
weeks, the temperatures fell even further in January 1942,
III./JG 54 converted en masse

to the new Bf 109F-4 at
Straubing in May 1942. Here,
Oblt. Hans Schleef of 7./JG 3
taxies out to take off in his
Katja, coded white 4
Among the notable pilots

serving with II./JG 54 was Lt.
Hans Beiwenger of 6.
Staffel. This is believed to be
Beiwengers Bf 109F-2 WNr
6775, coded yellow 4 which
he belly-landed following
engine damage on 12 July
1941
The Kommodore of JG 54,

Maj. Hannes Trautloft, is seen
being helped into his Bf 109F2 in the autumn of 1941. The
gun camera in the leading
edge is particularly
noteworthy
One Steppe Beyond
41
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 42
The introduction of the Bf 109G-2 in the fall of 1942 marked an immediate improvement
over every Soviet aircraft currently in ser vice. Here, a pair of G-2s from 4./JG 52 are seen
awaiting the next mission
Among the more unique tasks of JG 54 was the establishment of a small cadre of night
fighters to combat Soviet resupply missions during the polar summer of 1942. Among the
successful Grnherz Nachtjger was Oblt. Er win Leykauf, the Adjutant of III. Gruppe. The Bf
109F-4 seen here is believed to belong to L eykauf, as it carries a white Gruppenadjutant
chevron, and is fitted with flame-damping exhausts
The Bf 109F of Hptm. Herber t Ihlefeld, Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 77, is seen receiving
attention in early 1942. The details on the oil car t are particularly useful for diorama
purposes
The distinctively marked Bf 109F-2 of the Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 52, Hptm. Dietrich
Hrabak, is about to be cranked to life by the ground crew
A lightly damaged Bf 109F-2 from 7./JG 54 coded white 11 is seen following a successful
belly landing in the summer of 1941
Fw. Hans Dobrich is seen here exiting the cockpit of his Bf 109F-4 yellow 10 at P etsamo
Black 5 may be the Bf 109F-2 of Ritterkreuz recipient Oblt. Heinz L ange of 8./JG 54, who
belly-landed WNr 6781 near Ostrov on 6 July 1941, with the aircraft suffering 50% damage
Another pilot in the Exper tenstaffel of JG 5 (the nickname of the 6.Staffel) was Ofw. Albert
Brunner, seen here in the cockpit of his Bf 109G-2. Brunner would be killed on 7 May 1943
when he bailed out of his G-2 WNr 14802 too low for his parachute to open
42
Chapter 4
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 43
completely halting all German operations at a most critical time.

The Soviet forces were far better equipped to deal with the harsh
climate, and the forces of Army Group Center were driven into
disarray and near collapse while those of Army Group North
continued to fight a war of attrition in trying to maintain the
siege of Leningrad. Aerial operations were drastically curtailed
on both sides as compared to the epic battles of the previous
summer, but with the onset of a Soviet offensive in the northern
regions around Lake Ilmen in early January, activity picked up
significantly. The Soviets managed to surround two elements of

the German 16th Army south of Lake Ilmen at Demjansk and
Kholm, and it was decided to resupply the isolated units by air,
taking advantage of the German transport fleet to deliver food,
parts, and ammunition. For the first month, the entire airlift
operation was covered by no more than 16 Bf 109s at any one
time, split between 9./JG 54 and I./JG 51, with this token force
proving to be sufficient. 9./JG 54 was replaced by the newly reequipped III./JG 3 in their new Bf 109F-4s in mid-February,
coinciding with an increase in Soviet aerial activity against the
lumbering Ju 52s. A rapid buildup of forces on each side of the
line took place through March and April, with all of JG 54 being
moved to the Lake Ilmen region. Despite the presence of better
equipped and better trained Soviet units, the Grnherzjgern
tallied well over 300 victories in March alone, against the loss of
a mere 15 Messerschmitts. From a balance sheet perspective
I./JG 51 fared even better, destroying 81 Soviet aircraft while not
losing a single aircraft. By mid-May, Demjansk had been relieved
thanks in large part to the outstanding fighter coverage.
Further north, a reorganization of units saw the creation of a
new Jagdgeschwader, JG 5, with the I. Gruppe being formed from
elements of I./JG 77 under Maj. Joachim Seegert, while the
Jagdgruppe zur besonderen Verwendung (Jagdgruppe z.b.V.)
commanded by Hptm. Hennig Strmpell was redesignated as
II./JG 5. These units were joined in March by III./JG 5 which was
created from IV./JG 1 under Hptm. Gnther Scholz, and a

Gruppenstab was finally put in place in May, with the former
Kommodore of JG 26, Obstlt. Gotthard Handrick named as the
new Geschwaderkommodore. This unit proved to be a particularly
difficult foe for the Soviet forces serving in the far north, with
JG 5 scoring 149 victories for a mere 11 losses during May alone.
Among the outstanding pilots serving with this unit were Hptm.
Horst Carganico, Lt. Heinrich Ehrler, and Fw. Rudolf Mller.
Carganico was an interesting character who adopted Mickey
Mouse as his personal emblem, and carried it on every aircraft
he flew including his Bf 109F-4 WNr 10132 which he was forced
to belly-land on 12 August 1942. This aircraft was recovered
postwar and eventually restored and sent to Canada, where it can
be seen at the National Aviation Museum in Ottowa. The first F
models were received by the unit in May, with a batch of 20 F-4s
being sent directly from Erla to the Flugfeldpark at Pori, Finland.
Interestingly, these aircraft appear to have come from a
production batch of F-4/Trop variants, complete with factory
applied 79 Sandgelb/78 Hellblau camouflage best suited to a
desert environment. Naturally, this would not do for northern
climes, and a disruptive pattern of 74 Graugrn was applied to
the uppersurfaces of these Messerschmitts, giving a very
Showing damage to the

rudder and tail wheel area,
this F-4 was set down with
minimal further damage by a
quick-thinking pilot. This may
be Bf 109F-2 WNr 8086 of
Uffz. Dllefeld of 9./JG 54,
whose aircraft suffered 30%
damage on 28 January 1942
due to engine damage.
(Takaguchi collection)
Why is this man smiling?

Uffz. Gerhard Raimann was
able to return to base in his
Bf 109F-2 WNr 13171 on 8
May 1942 despite suffering a
direct flak hit to his tail
section which disintegrated
the starboard stabilizer and
shredded his fin and rudder
The engine details of the DB

601E on this II./JG 54 Bf
109F-4 are noteworthy, as is
the overall black bottom on
the Ju 52 overhead
One Steppe Beyond
43
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 44
The nose of the belly-landed

9./JG 54 Bf 109F-2 yellow 7
is seen in this photo; note the
very crisply painted spinner
with yellow, white, and black
segments. (Takaguchi
collection)
interesting appearance to the aircraft.

While the resupply effort for Demjansk and Kholm was
gathering strength in the north, a strong Soviet force launched a
counteroffensive in February to relieve the beleaguered port of
Svestapol on the western coast of the Crimean Peninsula.
III./JG 77 lost several aircraft and pilots in rapid succession
through February and March, resulting in its withdrawal to
Germany for rest and refit, and its place was taken by a rested
It is not known if the stiffly
posed Obergefreiter in the
foreground had anything to do
with the force-landed Bf 109F
from III./JG 54 in the
background, but he seems a
bit too proud to have
executed such a landing
The groundcrew have

gathered around this Bf 109F
of an unidentified 4. Staffel on
the Eastern Front for a group
photo
44
Chapter 4
and refreshed II./JG 77. This unit was equipped with brand new
Bf 109F-4s with the more powerful DB 601E engine, and with
the arrival of III./JG 52 from the Ukrainian front in late April,
the Luftwaffe gained the upper hand against the Soviet Crimean
Front. The Soviet offensive gradually ground to a halt in the
spring, and the German forces launched a fierce counterattack
aimed at conquering Svestapol once and for all on 2 June, with
the city finally falling after a month-long battle. I./JG 77
remained in the Ukraine during this time period, scoring a
remarkable run of 62 victories in April without suffering a single
loss. Following the defeat of the Soviet air units along the
Crimean front in mid-May, III./JG 52 returned to the Ukraine
just in time to take part in a massive defensive effort against a
Soviet offensive against Army Group South around Kharkov.
Once again, the Soviet forces proved to be no match for the
highly experienced Jagdflieger in superior equipment, and
German ground forces succeeded in pushing back the
counteroffensive in short order, thanks in large part to the

excellent fighter coverage.
As operations against Svestapol drew to a close in late June, a
new offensive codenamed Unternehmen Blau was launched
against Voronezh from the Kursk area by Army Group South,
supported by all of JG 3 and JG 52, as well as I./JG 53 and all of
JG 77 save for I. Gruppe. The initial eastward push met
surprisingly effective resistance from Soviet fighter units in the
area, but as the ground offensive gathered strength and forced
the Soviets back in early July, more fighter units were called to
the front which had little to no operational experience, resulting
in significant Soviet losses to the Jagdgruppen covering the
operation. Voronezh fell on 9 July, allowing the German units to
push further south into the Ukraine, reaching Rostov-on-Don by
22 July. The launching of a major summer offensive in the
Ukraine saw Army Group South split into two forces; Army
Group A, tasked with driving south towards the Caucasus oil
fields and supported by Stab, III., and 15.(kroat.)/JG 52, and
Army Group B which was to push southeast towards Stalingrad.
I./JG 52 soon finished their conversion onto the new Bf 109G-2,
and was partnered with III./JG 52 until 15 August to assist in
covering Army Group As advance across the steppe towards
Grozny and Baku. These objectives were not reached, however, as
much of the fighter support given to Army Group A was
withdrawn to support Army Group Bs advance on Stalingrad to
the east. III./JG 52 did remain in the area to support the German
forces, however, and II./JG 52 was brought down from Stalingrad
in September to lend their weight to operations.
Most of the fighter units involved in Unternehmen Blau were
now tasked with clearing the skies of Soviet aircraft as German
bomber units unleashed one devastating attack after another on
the city throughout late July and August, supported by heavy
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 45
shelling from elements of the German Sixth Army and Fourth

Panzer Army. The Soviets were well aware of the stakes involved,
and shifted more and more units to the Stalingrad battle zone,
with the ground attack aircraft proving to be quite successful in
slowing down the German advance outside of the city. The
German forces eventually managed to push into the suburbs by
September, and could only move forward by battling house to
house, with the Soviets fighting tenaciously for every precious
square inch. The skies over the city had become an immense
battleground where dozens of fighters and bombers were
downed daily; indicative of the pace of operations, III./JG 3 was
reduced to only ten operational Messerschmitts by midSeptember, while I./JG 53 could only register fourteen Bf 109s
ready for service. A massive battle on 18 September brought an
incredible 77 German victory claims against one single Bf 109
destroyed, and on 26 September, Hptm. Hermann Graf of
9./JG 52 made history by becoming the first pilot to claim 200
victories. He had scored his 145th victory only 24 days
previously, and had flown combat missions almost continuously
throughout the month, right up to the point of total physical
exhaustion. While his was the largest score of the Luftwaffe
pilots in the region, the operational environment he worked in
was far from unique; most of the Jagdflieger had virtually worn
themselves out in the constant battles to establish and maintain
aerial supremacy over the shattered city below.

While the prime focus in the East during the summer of 1942
was on operations around Stalingrad, units further north were
certainly not being ignored by the Soviets. This was in large part
due to a successful German effort to fool the Soviets into
thinking the major summer offensive would be launched by
Army Group Center instead of Army Group South. The Soviets
took the bait, and sent a great number of reinforcements to the
region, launching a new offensive in the Rzhev bulge on 30 July.
JG 51 bore the brunt of the defensive effort during this period,
with the Stab, II., III., and IV./JG 51 shooting down no fewer
than 81 Soviet aircraft between 1-3 August, but losing a fair
number of aircraft as well 73 in total between 30 July and 13
August. I./JG 51 arrived at Dugino on 6 August to assist the
remainder of the Geschwader, along with Stab and II./JG 54, and
the remainder of August was spent repulsing the Soviet
offensive. Just as the German forces were finally recovering from
the Soviet offensive around Rzhev, a new offensive was launched
against the German supply corridor south of Lake Ladoga on 27
August. Units of JG 54 quickly swept the skies of Soviet aircraft,
which brought the offensive to a standstill, and additional units
including III./JG 77 with Bf 109G-2s and I./JG 51 with new
Focke Wulf Fw 190As were brought in to cover a renewed
German offensive against Leningrad in late September. Just as

the German offensive began to slow, however, a resurgent British
force in the Mediterranean resulted in a sudden pressing need
for more fighter coverage in North Africa, and a number of
Jagdgruppen from the North and Central fronts were transferred
southwards. These units included II./JG 3, II./JG 51, and the
nomadic III./JG 77.
Further trouble was developing around Stalingrad, as the
Soviet defenders gradually built up their forces through October
on the flanks of the German positions in the city, while German
units focused on clearing the city itself of the last defenders. On
19 November, these Soviet units struck a massive counterattack
under the cover of fog which prevented any German aerial
observation or attacks, and the units to the north and south of
the German positions rapidly linked up and encircled the Sixth
Army. Now, the successful aerial resupply efforts at Demjansk
the previous year would be used as justification for the largest
airborne relief operation ever attempted, as masses of transport
aircraft were gathered to bring supplies to the German garrison.
Expecting this, the Soviets poured hundreds of additional
aircraft into the area, forming an aerial blockade which wreaked
havoc on the Luftwaffe transport force. In addition, the weather
played havoc with flight operations so that despite the return of
II./JG 3 from the Mediterranean and the addition of II./JG 52,
the fighters simply could not provide cover for the transports
because they just could not operate effectively in such bad
weather, and when they could fly, they were vastly outnumbered
by Soviet forces. By mid-December, I./JG 52 under Hptm.
Helmut Bennemann was being overwhelmed by the sheer
numbers of defenders, and 4./JG 54 was sent south to aid the
unit, but even this proved to be little help in the face of three
Useful details of the right side

of the DB 601 are visible
here, along with the cowling
internal structure
Hptm. Heinrich Ehrler became

the Kommodore of JG 5 in
August 1944, but was held
solely accountable for the
sinking of the Tirpitz in
Troms Fjord on 12
November by RAF bombers
the court suggesting that
Ehrler was more focused on
obtaining aerial victories than
guiding fighters from the
ground. He was stripped of
command and joined JG 7
flying Me 262s in February
1945, and died after ramming
a B-17 on 4 April 1945
Given the jovial mood, these

crewmen must not be
responsible for fixing the bent
Bf 109F belonging to the
Gruppenadjutant
One Steppe Beyond
45
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 46
The pilot of this Bf 109F from

an unknown I. Gruppe did an
excellent job of minimizing
damage to the aircraft during
its belly landing
These crewmen standing by a

winter camouflaged Bf 109F
appear to be waiting for
something, perhaps a bit of
sunlight to warm things up
The groundcrew of 9./JG 54

built a model of yellow 1 for
their Staffelkapitn, HansEkkehard Bob, and then
posed the model on the real
aircraft. In fact, a similar
effect can be achieved today
with the Sweet 1/144 kit on
the 21st Century 1/18th
model
46
Chapter 4
entire Soviet air armies supporting a massive ground offensive

against the Hungarian 2nd Army northwest of Stalingrad in
mid-January 1943 which resulted in the annihilation of this
force with over 100,000 Hungarian troops being killed and
60,000 taken prisoner. II./JG 52 found themselves overwhelmed
as well, and were forced to destroy their remaining 12
Messerschmitts in the face of an approaching Soviet
counteroffensive, retreating to an intermediate field 90 miles to
the southwest of the city. JG 3 was the last major Jagdgeschwader
to be forced from Stalingrad, while the airfield defense Staffel at
Pitomnik, located within the Stalingrad cauldron, was overrun
on 17 January. On 31 January 1943, the largest and bloodiest
single battle in history drew to a close with the surrender of
newly appointed Generalfeldmarschall Friedrich Paulus to Soviet
forces, thus ending the fight for Stalingrad.
Resurgent Soviet forces further south in the Caucasus
succeeded in forcing back Army Group A through December
and January, as much of Stab and III./JG 52 were moved north
to aid the beleaguered II./JG 52 outside of Stalingrad. This left
only a small number of fighters commanded by the 7. Staffel
Kapitn, Ofw. Alfred Grislawski, to provide air cover to an entire
Panzer army retreating in the face of stiff Soviet opposition. By
the end of January 1943, Army Group A had been split into two
forces at Rostov and Kuban and reinforcements for the
significantly depleted II./JG 52 finally arrived in February 1942
which allowed this unit to provide an effective cover for the
withdrawal operations at Rostov. III./JG 52 had also been reequipped with newer aircraft, and together with II. Gruppe they
provided a virtually impenetrable air defense for transport
flights resupplying the retreating 17. Armee at the Kuban
bridgehead. This umbrella proved sufficient during February
and March, but a major Soviet effort to crush the retreating
German forces was unleashed in early April which quickly taxed
the two Jagdgruppen. Accordingly, further Luftwaffe
reinforcements were rushed southwards, and the Jagdgruppen
involved over the Kuban eventually included the entirety of JG
52 including 13.(slowak.)./JG 52 and 15.(kroat.)/JG 52, along
with Stab, II., and III./JG 3 and the Geschwaderstab of JG 51. The
Soviets had launched an amphibious landing in February
behind the German lines at Myshako Bay, near Novorossiysk,
and the embattled German 17th Army sought to eliminate this
threat by launching a major attack against the Soviet positions
on 17 April. Both sides committed tremendous resources to the

battle, with 1,560 sorties by all types from I. Fliegerkorps on the
opening day of the operation alone, but by May, the Soviets had
succeeded in wresting air superiority from the massed German
forces despite the daily pitched battles over the front. This was
due in no small part to the withdrawal of all JG 3 units
northwards, soon followed by Stab, I., and III./JG 52 along with
15.(kroat.)/JG 52. The only German units left in the Kuban area
were 13.(slowak.)/JG 52 and II./JG 52 at Anapa, on the shores of
the Black Sea.
While fierce battles raged over the withdrawing German
forces in the Caucasus, Soviet armored forces opened a new
offensive across the Donets River in February which saw them
retake Belgorod, Kursk, and Kharkov and continued to swing
southwards in hopes of meeting the southern Soviet forces and
creating another massive battle of encirclement. These efforts
came to naught due to the fierce resistance of the Luftwaffe units
in the area, which continuously attacked the Soviet troops and
armored columns under the protection of the several of the
same Jagdgruppen that were fighting against the Soviet forces
further south. The German high command planned a summer
offensive centered on retaking Kursk utilizing the forces of Army
Groups Center and South, but the Luftwaffe was being forced to
shuffle units around more frequently due to increasing pressure
from all sides; the Geschwaderstab and I./JG 3 had moved to the
Western front to take part in Reichsverteidigung duties against
the increasingly heavy US bombing raids on occupied Europe
and Germany itself, while III./JG 3 had to be rushed back to the
Kuban bridgehead in the Caucasus for a brief period to aid the
small contingent of JG 52 forces still remaining there. III./JG 3
had returned to the Central sector by early July in time to take
part in the Kursk offensive, codenamed Unternehmen Zitadelle,
launched on 5 July. Other fighter units taking part in this
offensive were II./JG 3, all of JG 51 save for II. Gruppe which was
still operating in the Mediterranean, I. and III./JG 52, and
I./JG 54. Of these units, JG 51 and I./JG 54 were now fully
equipped with the Fw 190A while the remainder of the units
were equipped with Bf 109G-2s, G-4s, and G-6s. However, rather
than the quick and massive successes so common in the East
over the past two years, the Soviets had steadily improved the
quality of their equipment, tactics, intelligence, and most
importantly their piloting skills so that the German units
involved in Zitadelle immediately faced a vastly different enemy.
The German units were not standing still either, of course; they
were introducing progressively more advanced fighter variants
as well as tactical use of radar units, which proved their worth
by picking up an inbound Soviet raid against the German
airfields immediately prior to the start of the operation on 5 July.
When the Soviets arrived, four Jagdgruppen were waiting for
them, and a very lopsided battle took place which saw German
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 47
pilots file claims for 50 aircraft from this early raid.

The remainder of 5 July cannot be said to have progressed
so well for the German fighters, as they lost 34 fighters on this
opening day, including at least 19 Bf 109Gs which suffered 60%
or greater damage. The carefully planned offensive soon
became a free-for-all thanks to the strength of the Soviet
counterattacks, and over the next few weeks, the Soviets
succeeded in not just stopping the German advance, but
turning it back all along the Central and Southern fronts. Army
Group Center began a westward retreat from Orel, north of
Kursk, on 31 July and the emboldened Soviet armies in this
region gave chase with the intention of cutting off and
destroying the retreating forces. The Luftwaffe units in the area
mounted a fierce defense, however, protecting the German
forces from complete annihilation. Further south, another
Soviet offensive was launched in the Kharkov area in August,
and the Luftwaffe fighter forces in this area were significantly
depleted when the remainder of JG 3 Udet was recalled to
Germany to join the Reichsverteidigung forces. With the
evacuation of the last German forces from the Kuban
bridgehead in the Caucasus, II./JG 52 was able to move into the
contested southern sector on 1 September, joining III./JG 52 in
defending the still-retreating German units from almost
ceaseless attacks by Soviet aircraft. By September 1943, JG 52
and JG 5 were the sole Jagdgeschwadern in the East still fully
equipped with the Bf 109G, as many other units in the East
had now converted onto the Fw 190. Other units still equipped
with the Bf 109 included III. and IV./JG 51 and IV./JG 54 which
continued to use the Gustav until June 1944. The continued
worth of the Bf 109 as a frontline fighter was underscored on
16 September with the announcement that JG 52 became the
first unit to claim 7,000 aerial victories. Not to be outdone,
Oblt. Hermann Lcke of 9./JG 51 was the pilot who downed
both the 6,000th and 7,000th claims for Jagdgeschwader
Mlders. The 6,000th victory occurred on 27 July; the 7,000th
claim was filed on 17 September, less than sixty days later,
which gives some idea of the pace of operations during the
summer and fall of 1943.
The German forces of Army Group Center and Army Group
South were desperate to establish a solid defensive perimeter to
allow themselves time to regroup after nearly three months of
steady retreats, and they succeeded in creating a defensive line
called the Eastern wall behind the Dnepr River, extending all
the way south to the Sea of Azov. All army units were in place
behind the Eastern Wall on 30 September, but the integrity of
the defensive line lasted less than two weeks. Along the northern
sector of the front, a Soviet offensive near Nevel succeeded in
pushing back the line in early October, while in the south, the
Bf 109s of III./JG 52 were forced to abandon their field at Novo
Zaporozhye in the face of a strong Soviet armored attack which
overran the southernmost point of the Eastern Wall at Melitopol
in mid-October, effectively sealing off the only path in or out of
the Crimean Peninsula, and blocking the retreat of the German
17th Army. The Soviets moved quickly to eliminate these forces,

landing an amphibious assault on the eastern coast of the
Crimea at Kerch on 31 October. And once again, in true fire
brigade fashion, the Messerschmitts of I. and II./JG 52 were
quickly rushed to the area to offer fighter coverage to the
embattled army forces, but more surprises were in store; just
four days later, Soviet armored and infantry units launched an
attack to retake Kiev. The overwhelming strength of the Soviet
forces was such that the city was retaken two days later, on 6
November. The southern flank of the Eastern Wall was now
completely gone, and Soviet forces renewed their push along the
central sector at Nevel in early November as well. The 4.
Panzerarmee was able to mount a counteroffensive against the
Soviets from 15 November, and the Bf 109s of III./JG 52 under
Maj. Gnther Rall were not only the sole Messerschmittequipped Jagdgruppe in a position to support the
counteroffensive they were the ONLY Jagdgruppe in the area.
Every Luftwaffe unit in the area was operating with a bare
minimum of aircraft, and the renewal of the Soviet offensive on
24 December near Brusilov (Brusyliv), west of Kiev by the 1st
Ukrainian Front went virtually unchecked by Luftwaffe units, as
there simply were not enough aircraft to go around. Among the
Bf 109-equipped units responding to this latest crisis was
IV./JG 51, now under the command of the former

Grnherztrger Maj. Hans-Ekkehard Bob, who decided to
employ his Messerschmitts in much the same way as his
9./JG 54 had used them back in the fall of 1940 as fighter
bombers against the Soviet ground forces. Despite some
reluctance on the part of the pilots, the missions proved
somewhat successful and a large number of Soviet troops were
killed or wounded by the low-level attacks. One month after the
surprise attack at Brusilov, the 2nd Ukrainian Front moved up to
support the 1st Fronts offensive by launching an attack at
Korsun which resulted in the encirclement of approximately
This Bf 109G-2 from 9./JG 54

may be WNr 13604, flown by
Uffz. Erich Pimmingstorfer
and lost in combat on 26
August 1942
It was customary for ground

crews to greet pilots who
reached personal milestones
with placards and bouquets of
flowers, as typified by this
pilot returning from his 100th
combat mission
Fw. Hans Dobrich of 6./JG 5

exchanged his F-4 for this Bf
109G-2 WNr 14800 coded
yellow 10, which was
finished in a similar scheme
to Ehrlers yellow 12 with
white and 70 Schwartzgrn
over 79 on the uppersur faces
One Steppe Beyond
47
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 48
An 88mm flak gun is seen

here being towed past a Bf
109G-2 of JG 5 which carries
an interesting field-applied
mottling scheme
Oblt. Gnther Rall, the

Gruppenkommandeur of
III./JG 52, is seen here being
congratulated following
another victory in the summer
of 1943. Rall would go on to
achieve a total of 275
victories, all but three of
which were downed in the
East
The Soviets were highly

impressed with what they
referred to as the five point
Messerschmitt, the Bf 109G
fitted with a pair of 20mm
gunpods beneath the wings.
This Kanonenboote is seen
receiving attention from the
groundcrew prior to another
mission
48
Chapter 4
56,000 German troops at Cherkasy, located south-southeast of

Kiev on the west bank of the Dnepr River. The Luftwaffe was
called upon once again to resupply the isolated garrison by air,
and while the airlift was ultimately successful, resulting in most
of the surrounded troops being able to break through the Soviet
lines to rejoin the main German force over the night of 17/18
February, the cost to the supporting Luftwaffe units was very
high, with dozens of increasingly precious Junkers Ju 52s being
lost to Soviet fighters along with their poorly employed
Messerschmitt escorts from IV./JG 51. It should be noted that
not all German troops were successful in escaping the cauldron;
some 36,000 made it out, but approximately 18,000 were taken
prisoner by the Soviets.
Both the 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts continued their
offensive into March, now joined by the 3rd Ukrainian Front
launched attacks along the Black Sea coast, headed towards the
Bug River. I. and III./JG 52 still faced the Soviet aerial armada
virtually alone, and found themselves moving westwards from
base to base during March. Another encirclement of German
troops was in place by 27 March with the 1st Ukrainian Front
cutting off the 1. Panzerarmee, but the combination of a rapid
airborne supply bridge and the spring thaw (which worked in
the Germans favor for once) kept the 1.Panzerarmee supplied
while the Soviet air units could not get off the ground due to the
thick, clingy mud. Ralls III./JG 52 covered the supply bridge,
although there was little aerial activity through late March and
early April. On 7 April, the surrounded Panzer army succeeded
in joining forces with the main German force, fighting their way
out of the cauldron, but the Soviets succeeded in recapturing
Tarnapol in the northwestern Ukraine on 17 April. Yet another
Soviet army had entered action in the south just a few days
before, with the 4th Ukrainian Army launching an offensive
from the north on 10 April in concert with significant forces
pushing west across the Crimean peninsula from their
bridgehead at Kerch against the 17.Armee. Despite their best
efforts, II./JG 52 under Maj. Gerhard Barkhorn simply could not
overcome the massive Soviet offensive, and III./JG 52 packed up

and moved south to assist their sister unit once again. In an
eerie repeat of the battles in late 1941 and 1942, the German
forces were quickly pushed westwards into Svestapol, facing a
seaborne evacuation to ports across the Black Sea in Rumania.
The Soviet pressure was unrelenting, however, and Svestapol was
recaptured on 12 May, after only 40,000 of the 150,000+ troops
had been successfully evacuated.
In the north, the two Messerschmitt-equipped units
supporting Army Group North were a study in contrasts during
the first months of 1944. II./JG 5 had been subordinated to JG 54
and this Jagdgruppe arrived on the scene with a strong
reputation behind it and a core of highly experienced pilots. At
the other end of the scale stood a new unit, IV./JG 54 under the
command of Hptm. Rudolf Sinner, a veteran of the North
African campaign with I./JG 27. Sinner was a highly capable
pilot, but the continual Soviet pressure in the Leningrad area
resulted in a change of leadership. Another long-serving Western
Front veteran was brought in to replace Sinner in mid-February,
Maj. Siegfried Schnell. Schnell had served with JG 2 Richthofen
since 1941, and he had claimed 90 victories against the best the
Western Allies had to offer in those three years. Two weeks later,
on 25 February, Schnell was shot down and killed in the crash of
his Bf 109G-6 black << + (WNr 411675), having never quite
adapted to the very different style of combat that existed on the
Eastern Front. The next day, the Soviets declared the siege of
Leningrad to be officially over, and II./JG 5 returned to join the

rest of the Geschwader in Norway around the same time, leaving
the badly depleted IV./JG 54 as the only Messerschmittequipped unit covering the northern front. The return of II./JG 5
to Alakurtti lasted less than two months, as it was soon recalled
to Germany to join I./JG 5 on Reichsverteidigung duties. III.
Gruppe was still very active in the far north, flying convoy escort
patrols and freie Jagd missions over Karelia from Petsamo,
Finland, and would soon see a significant upswing in Soviet
operations in the area. By May 1944, several III./JG 5 pilots had
amassed a massive tally of victory claims including Oblt. Franz
Drr, Fhj.Fw. Walter Schuck, and the Gruppenkommandeur,
Hptm. Heinrich Ehrler, but postwar research suggests that there
was a high degree of overclaiming within JG 5, standing in
contrast to the relatively well documented claims of units
operating elsewhere such as the Ukraine. There is no denying
the pilots of III. Gruppe were excellent and tenacious fighters,
however; their assistance during the Soviet offensive on Finland
in June and July was crucial in helping the Finns stand fast
despite being vastly outnumbered. The unit remained at
Petsamo until Marshal Mannerheim signed an armistice with
the Soviet Union on September 9. Among the conditions of the
armistice were that all German forces were to be removed from
Finnish soil, a requirement which could only be fulfilled by
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 49
involving Soviet forces as Hitler had ordered all German units to

hold their positions in Finland. A brief offensive in early October
finally forced III./JG 5 to abandon Petsamo and move to
Kirkenes, Norway while IV./JG 5 continued to operate from
Salmijrvi in Karelia until late October.
A minor tactical victory was won in the south in late May,
when units supporting a German army effort to establish a firm
defensive line around Iasi in northwest Rumania unleashed a
fierce attack on unsuspecting Soviet units which saw as many as
156 aircraft downed by the Messerschmitts of the omnipresent
JG 52. The entire Geschwader was operating together for the first
time in many months, flying escort for ground attack missions
as well as freie Jagd sorties seeking out Soviet opposition. The
battles, centered near Iasi in northwest Rumania, continued into
early June with JG 52 engaging US bombers and escort fighters
of the 15th Air Force on several occasions. The experienced
pilots of JG 52 encountered significant difficulty in dealing with
the massive US formations, losing several pilots and aircraft
including Uffz. Werner Cohrs of 5./JG 52, shot down and killed
by P-51s in his Bf 109G-6 black 13 + - (WNr 163571) on 11
June. Another interception effort on 24 June against a 15th AF
raid on Ploesti under heavy escort saw the loss of three
additional II./JG 52 Bf 109s, with two pilots being killed
outright. The third Bf 109G-6 was flown by one of 7./JG 52s
most experienced pilots, Ltn. Heinz Esau Ewald. He was forced
to abandon his yellow 11 + - (WNr 163568) after being hit and
wounded by the escort fighters. I./JG 52 moved from Roman to

Pelonilzna on 10 June to bolster the defenses covering Army
Group Center against the largest Soviet offensive yet seen in the
war, while II.Gruppe moved from Focani to Manzar on the
same day. III. Gruppe remained at Roman until the 27th before
moving to Pacrafanowo, then moving through another seven
bases in the course of 30 days before moving to Radom, Poland
(just south of Warsaw) on July 30th. The massive Soviet
offensive, codenamed Operation Bagration, was launched on 22
June 1944 and the Soviet air fleets supporting the offensive
averaged 7,000 sorties per day for the first day. Against these
thousands of aircraft, Luftflotte 6 had a whopping 45 Bf 109s
available from JG 51 on 22 June. Such was the sense of urgency
within the Luftwaffe high command that many Jagdgruppen
were rapidly transferred into this area out of other critical battle
zones, including III./JG 11 which had been fighting the US and
British invasion forces and constant 8th Air Force bombing raids
on German cities. The total available fighters grew to 475 by late
June, but the Soviets still possessed a significant numerical
advantage over the Jagdgruppen. More importantly, these Soviet
pilots were not the raw neophytes hacked down in droves in
1941 and 1942; the Soviet Air Force pilots had steadily improved
their tactics, skills, and equipment until they were now every bit
as capable as their Luftwaffe opponents.
JG 51 had relinquished their Focke Wulfs for Bf 109s the

previous summer, and they gave an excellent account of
themselves during the bitter battles of June and July. Elements of
JG 52 were also rushed to the front, being vastly outnumbered
but still making the most of what they had. Lt. Walter Wolfrum
of 1./JG 52 fell victim to a Soviet P-39 on 16 July, with his
Bf 109G-6 white 6 (WNr 163631) sustaining damage and
Wolfrum himself being wounded, but not before he had downed
no fewer than ten of his opponents. Another pilot from III./JG 52
made history on 24 August, when the Staffelkapitn of 9./JG 52,
Oblt. Erich Hartmann, shot down eleven Soviet fighters in two
separate missions to reach 301 aerial victories. In a theatre
where 50 victories was considered average, Hartmanns
achievement was an absolute sensation, resulting in the award of
Germanys highest military decoration, the Brillianten
(Diamonds). But Hartmann and the other pilots of the
Karayastaffel, as 9. Staffel was nicknamed, could not turn back
the tide of war no matter how hard they fought. By the end of
August, the Soviet forces had dealt the German army its worst
defeat in history with 158,000 men taken prisoner and an
incredible 400,000 troops killed during their 450 mile march
begun exactly three years to the day after Barbarossa.
Another setback took place on 23 August when Rumania
changed sides and began operations against their erstwhile
compatriots. II./JG 52, I./JG 53 and III./JG 77 were all engaged in
the area at the time, and following the changeover, there were a
number of Messerschmitt versus Messerschmitt engagements,
with the German pilots usually prevailing. All three units were
withdrawn to Budak, Croatia along the coast of the Adriatic Sea
until September, when III./JG 77 was withdrawn to Germany
due to fuel shortages and II./JG 52 and I./JG 53 moved into
Hungary to join the Messerschmitts of the Hungarian 101
Fighter Group in a successful effort to slow the Soviet onslaught.
Along the Baltic coast, approximately 200,000 men of Army
Group North were surrounded in the Courland region of Latvia
by the 1st Baltic Front when this Soviet unit succeeded in
reaching Memel (Klaipeda) on the Baltic coast on 10 October.
The Messerschmitt-equipped III./JG 51 was operating in this
region, aiding the German defenders until being rushed south to
join their fellow Bf 109 pilots from I. and III./JG 52 in defending
II./JG 52 under the command

of Maj. Gerhard Barkhorn
spent almost four months at
Anapa, just east of the Straits
of Kerch, during the summer
of 1943. Here, Maj. Barkhorn
is seen warming up his Bf
109G-6 Christl prior to
another mission
The Ace of Aces, Erich

Hartmann, had a slow star t to
his combat career but once
he sorted out how best to
engage the enemy, his victory
tally skyrocketed. Here he is
seen as the Staffelkapitn of
9./JG 52 posing with his Bf
109G-6 yellow 1, WNr
20499, after scoring his 121st
victory
JG 51 pressed their Bf 109G6s into service as fighterbombers in an attempt to

stem the rapid Soviet
advance against Army Group
Central in early 1944. Two
noteworthy points in this
photo are the Bf 109G-6 of
the Gruppenkommandeur of
I./JG 51, Maj. Erich Leie, in
the background, as well as
the white paint on the front of
the propeller blades- a
practice that seems unique to
JG 51
One Steppe Beyond
49
06-MDF10-Chap-04_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:38 Page 50
Among the most highly

regarded pilots of JG 54 was
Oblt. Max-Hellmuth
Ostermann, Staffelkapitn of
8./JG 54 seen here with his Bf
109F-2 WNr 13114 at
Siverskaja in May 1942
Maj. Werner Mlders became

the first fighter pilot in histor y
to surpass 100 victories in
July 1941, and he was
officially removed from
combat to become the
General der Jagdflieger
shortly thereafter
against a Soviet thrust into East Prussia on 16 October.

Outnumbered nearly 4 to 1 by the Soviets, the Luftwaffe units
threw everything they had into the defensive effort, but losses
continued to mount. On 17 October, JG 51 lost their top ace,
Oblt. Anton Hafner, when he flew into a tree in his Bf 109G-6
black 1 + | (WNr 442013) during combat with a Yak-9 while
another three III./JG 51 pilots were shot down on 22 October,
with squadron mates Fhr. Ernst Schulz and Uffz. Eduard Stoik of
10. Staffel being killed in combat while Ltn. Karlheinz Nebel of 9.
Staffel baled out of his Bf 109G-6 yellow 3 + | (WNr 441532)
with wounds.
The front lines in Hungary seesawed back and forth in
October and finally stabilized in November as the 2nd
Ukrainian Front built up its forces in anticipation of a major
winter offensive. II. and III./JG 52, joined by the Pumas of the
Hungarian 101 Fighter Group, put up a stout defense but the
renewed push by Soviet forces consisting of both the 2nd and
the 3rd Ukrainian Fronts in early December soon overwhelmed
the defenders. The Soviet forces encircled the Hungarian capital
offensive reached the Oder River on 23 January and succeeded

in crossing the river on 28 January. The continual German
counterattacks began to have some effect in late January and
early February as the Soviet forces had overextended their
supply lines. The front lines remained relatively stable until 8
February, when the 1st Ukrainian Front resumed their westward
push, surrounding Breslau shortly after breaking out of the
bridgehead on the Oder River.
In spite of the crushing blows being dealt by the Allied
forces from all sides, the greatest threat facing the Luftwaffe
units in February and March 1945 was the increasing scarcity
of fuel. The decision to focus a great deal of effort on
destroying the German petrochemical industry via strategic
bombing proved to be the ultimate undoing of the Luftwaffe.
While aircraft production reached an all-time peak during
1944 and sufficient personnel were still available to fly the
aircraft, they were unable to do so because there was no fuel.
The shortages began to be felt in the summer of 1944, and by
early March 1945, things had gotten so bad that the German
high command made a conscious decision to abandon most
defense efforts against the US and RAF bombers and focus all
their available forces on repulsing the Soviet threat in the East.
It was the classic case of too little, too late, however the
Soviet forces continued their westward roll through eastern
Germany and Hungary, where Budapest had finally fallen on
12 February. The port of Danzig (Gdansk) fell on 30 March,
followed by both Knigsberg in East Prussia and Vienna on 6

April. What few fuel reserves had been made available by the
realignment of all piston-engined fighter forces to the East was
virtually gone by this point, and in order to conserve what little
fuel remained, six Jagdgruppen were disbanded (five of which
were equipped with Bf 109Gs and K-4s) with their pilots and
groundcrew being sent either to other operational fighter units
or taken on charge with Wehrmacht units. The five Bf 109equipped units this disbanded were as follows:
The highest-scoring pilot in

JG 51 was Hptm. Anton
Hafner, the Staffelkapitn of
10./JG 51. He scored a total
of 204 victories before being
killed in this Bf 109G-6 coded
black 1 (WNr 442013) on 16
October 1944 when he flew
into a tree during combat
50
Chapter 4
of Budapest in a series of battles between 20-27 December and

never relinquished their hold on the city despite several
counterattacks in the bitter winter weather of January 1945. On
January 12, the Soviets opened their expected winter offensive
along the entire front, pushing the German forces back beyond
the Vistula River in Poland and liberating Warsaw on the 17th.
With such a massive push headed directly for German soil, the
Luftwaffe high command shifted into panic mode and
transferred a tremendous number of units from the rapidly
crumbling Western front to combat this new Soviet menace.
These units significantly bolstered the Luftwaffes strength, and
the following Messerschmitt-equipped Jagdgruppen were
involved in this shift: III./JG 1, Stab, I., III. and IV./JG 3, I., III.,
and IV./JG 4, Stab and III./JG 6, II./JG 11, and Stab, I., II., and
III./JG 77. Despite this influx of additional forces, the Soviet
Unit
I./JG 3
I./JG 4
II./JG 51
I./JG 53
III./JG 77
Last Kommandeur
Oblt. Alfred Siedl
Hptm. Wilhelm Steinmann
Oblt. Otto Schultz
Hptm. Helmut Lipfer t
Maj. Armin Khler
Last base
Neubrandenburg
Berlin-Schnfeld
Fels am Wagram, Austria
Hrsching, Austria
Beneov, Czechoslovakia
Back in Berlin, one last massive Soviet offensive was

launched against Berlin with over 2.5 million troops, and from
there, the end was only a matter of time. Fourteen days later, the
Soviet flag was hoisted over the Reichstag, and Germany
formally signed an unconditional surrender to the Allies eight
days later, ending the bloodiest conflict in recorded history. The
Bf 109 had served in the East from 1939 until the end of the
war, and in a fitting, if coincidental nod to the previous German
Ace of Aces, the highest scoring Jagdgruppe in the entire
Luftwaffe, III./JG 52, ended the war on 8 May at Schweidnitz
(today Swidnica, Poland) the birthplace of Rittmeister
Manfred von Richthofen.
07-MDF10-Chap-05_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:40 Page 51
The Boars War
Chapter
fter the dissolution of the Bf 109E-equipped verstrkte

Jagdstaffel Holland in December 1940, the primary focus
of the Nachtjagd forces was on the further development
of heavily armed, radar-equipped twin-engine aircraft such as
the Bf 110, Junkers Ju 88, and Dornier Do 17. As the RAF night
bombing campaign gathered strength through 1941 and 1942,
the opposing forces played a cat and mouse game, with each
side introducing progressively more complex equipment and
techniques to defeat the enemys defenses. By early 1943, an
effective method of radar guided night fighter control had been
implemented by the chief of the Luftwaffes night fighter forces,
Oberst Josef Kammhuber. His system, given the code name
Himmelbett (literally, heavenly bed), was first established in
July 1940, and originally consisted of a line of searchlight
batteries along the German border which would be directed by
long range Freya ground-based radar stations. Once the
searchlights picked up a bomber, German fighters or flak
batteries would take over and destroy the bomber. As the more
refined Wrzburg radar system became available for use, these
were incorporated into the Kammhuber Line and their 30 km
range allowed ground-based controllers to guide Luftwaffe night
fighters into a favorable firing position against a British bomber.
The introduction of FuG 202 (FuG = Funk Gert, literally radio
equipment) airborne intercept radar in 1942 allowed the fighters
themselves to pick up the bombers from a greater range, and an
improved airborne radar set, FuG 212 Lichtenstein C-1 was
entering service in 1943 which further improved the ability of
the Nachtjger to home in on and destroy the British bombers
which were raining death and destruction on cities in northern
Germany and the Ruhr on an almost nightly basis.
Despite the improved electronic defenses incorporated on
British bombers and the development of new defensive tactics
such as the corkscrew, which called for the bomber pilot to rack
the lumbering craft around in nearly uncontrolled flight when
under attack by a nightfighter, Bomber Commands losses
continued to mount through early 1943, at times approaching or
exceeding 10% of the attacking force. In addition, with the rise
of Arthur Bomber Harris to the head of Bomber Command in
early 1942, the primary target for British bombers increasingly
moved from war-related industry to large population centers. By
June 1943, heavy raids were becoming commonplace on such
cities as Bochum, Krefeld, Wuppertal, Mnster, and Kln.
As effective as the Luftwaffe night fighter force had been thus
far, however, there was felt to be room for improvement. A highly
decorated bomber pilot, Maj. Hajo Hermann, had been assigned
to a technical development unit within the RLM and as part of
his investigations into new tactics and technology, he came to
the conclusion that the large single-engined fighter force could
play a dual role, being used essentially around the clock which
would effectively double the number of fighters available to
combat the British bombers at night. There were a great deal of
details to be worked out, not least of which was the stubborn
resistance of the Nachtjagd commanders and local searchlight
batteries and flak units to change their tactics in order to allow
some freedom of movement for the single-engined fighters.
Hermann decided to personally undertake a series of proof of
concept trials in a Focke Wulf Fw 190 which culminated in the
interception of a British Mosquito, which avoided being shot
down due to a few miscues on Herrmanns part. There was value
in the exercise, however, as Hermann had successfully
demonstrated the ability of non radar-equipped aircraft to be
guided to a target at night. Based on the strength of his
recommendations, a trials unit was formed on 1 July 1943,
called Jagdgeschwader Hermann after the groups commander.
Photographed undergoing
maintenance, this Bf 109G6/R6 coded yellow 1 was
flown by the Staffelkapitn of
3./JG 300, Oblt. Manfred
Dieterle, and must surely be
one of the most striking
schemes ever applied to a
fighter aircraft, with 75
Grauviolett waves applied
over a 76 Hellblau base with
a rust-red fuselage band,
black undersurfaces, and a
yellow spiral on the spinner
The Boars War
51
07-MDF10-Chap-05_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:40 Page 52
Standing in contrast to
Dieterles machine is the Bf
109G-6/R6 of Ofw. Arnold
Dring of 2./JG 300. Red 6
retains its standard 74/75/76
scheme, but has received a
quick black overspray of the
undersurfaces, as well as all
national markings on the
uppersurfaces
Just two nights later, the men of JG Hermann were called into
action against a large raid on Kln. 653 British bombers were
sent against the target, and the German pilots raced towards
Kln, knowing they would face not only defensive fire from the
British bombers, but they would also have to dodge flak bursts
as well as no flak ceiling had been set with the flak battery
commanders in that city. The experiment was a success, with
twelve bombers being destroyed, although this count was later
divided at six victories apiece between the local flak units and
the men of JG Hermann. With his concept vindicated, Hermann
was authorized to create a new unit, Jagdgeschwader 300, with
training to begin immediately. Both Focke Wulf Fw 190s and
Bf 109s were used, with I./JG 300 receiving 44 Bf 109G-6s in July
and III./JG 300 partnering with III./JG 11, using their Bf 109s for
nocturnal operations. Hermanns unit would be called upon for
service much sooner than expected, however, being thrown into
a desperate battle over Hamburg in late July.
Back in England, Bomber Harris had conceived of a plan
which he hoped would result in the complete obliteration of the
city of Hamburg. Codenamed Operation Gomorrah, the plan
called for several raids against Hamburg in quick succession
which would coincide with Blitz Week, the first sustained
bombing campaign by the US VIII Bomber Command, during
the last week of July 1943. Shortly prior to these operations,
Churchill and Roosevelt had agreed upon a round the clock
bombing strategy, which was designed to maximize pressure on
the German defenders, and this would be the first major test of
the plan. Accordingly, 791 British bombers took off on Saturday
Table 1 Losses, 30/31 July 1943

Type
WNr
Pilot
Bf 109G-6
15787
Haries, Ltn. Walter
Bf 109G-6
20217
Bf 109G-6
15620
Fritz, Uffz. Helmut
Unit
1./JG Hermann
I./JG Hermann
7./JG Hermann (III./JG 11)
Reason
Wounded in action by enemy fire
Tire damage on take-off
Killed in action
evening, 24 July 1943, and headed towards Hamburg with bomb

bays full of incendiaries and high explosive bombs designed to
maximize damage to lightly constructed residential areas. 24 of
those aircraft belonging to 76 Squadron also carried a little
something extra large bundles of aluminized paper strips, all
cut to a certain length. At a predetermined point prior to the
start of the bomb runs, these crews began jettisoning these
strips, and at that point all hell broke loose in the German
fighter control centers.
What the men of 76 Squadron dropped were vast clouds of
strips cut to exactly half the operating wavelength of the
Wrzburg radar set, codenamed Window, which essentially
blinded the radar due to the vast number of target returns. The
pilots and Bordfunkers in the orbiting nightfighters fared little
better the entire carefully constructed Himmelbett defensive
scheme was rendered ineffective. Consequently, the attack
52
Chapter 5
proceeded almost unopposed, causing a tremendous amount of

damage as well as the loss of approximately 1,500 civilian lives.
In return, Bomber Command lost a mere 12 aircraft to German
defenses, more from luck rather than skill. It was against this
backdrop that Maj. Hajo Hermann became the man of the
hour. The heavily armed Bf 110s, Ju 88s, and Do 217s were
scarcely faster than the British bombers they sought to destroy,
and they were essentially paralyzed without the radar-directed
guidance from the ground. Hermanns aircraft had no such
limitations, and were far faster than their targets; they were
intended to run amok within the bomber formations, downing
as many bombers as possible then diverting to the nearest
airfield to be refueled and return to their base the next day. One
Luftwaffe officer, upon hearing the plan, derisively dismissed the
entire operation as wild boars running about (Wilde Sau), and
the pilots of JG Hermann quickly adopted the name to describe
themselves.
Essen was the target for the following night, with the Krupp
armaments plant suffering a tremendous amount of damage
from 705 British bombers. Despite the use of Window, 26
bombers were lost to all causes, including five being claimed by
the pilots of JG Hermann. The sole Bf 109 pilot to file a claim
this night was Fw. Hermann Wischnewski of 3./JG 300, who
claimed a four-engined aircraft in an unspecified location that
evening. B-17s of VIII Bomber Command then followed this
with a strong raid against the U-boat yards in Hamburg the
following day. The next evening, 27 July, 729 British bombers
came together in one massive stream to attack Hamburgs
residential districts once again. As the bombs fell among the
tightly compacted neighborhoods in close proximity to one
another, the isolated fires began to join up, forming one
immense conflagration feeding on the very air itself as it raced
across the hot, dry city the first firestorm in history. High
above, the horrified nightfighter pilots threw themselves at the
British bombers with abandon, but flying was difficult for both
friend and foe alike due to the massive air currents generated by
the intense heat of the firestorm below, which raged unchecked
for nearly three hours. Generally accepted estimates place the
total death count of the Hamburg firestorm at approximately
40,000 people. Out of the 729 bombers which created this
maelstrom, only 17 failed to return; JG Hermann filed claims for
eight bombers, with only three being confirmed.
Hamburgs trials were not yet over, however; another raid of
Location
Rsfeld
Bonn-Hangelar
near Oldenburg/Schlutter
%Dmg
100%
80%
100%
777 aircraft hit the city on the night of 29/30 July, causing
further damage to areas in the vicinity of the firestorm, but this
time the defenders were able to exact a much higher price,
downing 28 RAF bombers, with 15 claims being awarded to the
Wilde Sau pilots. Among the victorious Messerschmitt pilots
this evening were Uffz. Horst John of 2. Staffel, who claimed a
Stirling south of Hamburg; Ltn. Franz Rbsam of 1. Staffel and
Fw. Willi Rllkotter of 3. Staffel who each claimed a
four-engined aircraft near Hamburg; Ofw. Heinz Wohlecke of 3.
Staffel who claimed a Halifax southwest of Hamburg; and Uffz.
Brinkmann of 7. Staffel, who downed a pair of four-engined
aircraft near Hamburg while flying a borrowed III./JG 11
Bf 109G. Losses for the evening were relatively light, with two
Bf 109Gs being totally destroyed and one being listed as 80%
damaged thanks to a blown tire on takeoff (Table 1).
The night of 30/31 July saw 228 RAF bombers dispatched to
07-MDF10-Chap-05_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:40 Page 53
Remscheid, and again the men of JG Hermann were ready. This

time, the Messerschmitt pilots of I./JG Hermann were more
active than their Fw 190 flying squadronmates, with Uffz. Horst
John and Fw. Hermann Wischnewski both adding a Stirling to
their tallies. Fifteen bombers were lost on this raid, an
unsustainable 5.5% loss rate for the British forces. The end of
the month also saw the administrative redesignation of
JG Hermann to JG 300, although the previous designation would
continue to be seen on documents until 24 August. The last of
four major raids against Hamburg took place the night of 2/3
August, and the results were nowhere near as catastrophic as the
previous three missions owing to a huge number of diversions
by RAF bombers (185 out of 740 dispatched) due to inclement
weather, and only 399 bombers made it to Hamburg. Out of this
total, 30 were shot down by the combined forces of flak and
night fighters, with JG 300 claiming fourteen without losing an
aircraft. The official RAF history gives this as 4.1 percent of the
total force, but if one looks solely at those bombers which
actually made it to the target, the loss rate jumps to an
astonishing 13.3 percent. The concept of attacking bombers
silhouetted against clouds and flame from below in something
approaching a night-time freie Jagd, ridiculed as wild pigs just
a few weeks prior, was now seen as the most effective short-term
solution to the problem of nocturnal defense and even the
regular Nachtjagd forces were beginning to achieve success by
emulating the methods employed by JG 300.
Uffz. Horst John scored again on the night of 10/11 August,
downing a Halifax near Mannheim, while Ltn. Walter Harjes of
I./JG 300 claimed a B-17 during the RAF raid on the weapons
testing facility at Peenemnde on the Baltic coast on 17 August.
Berlin was the next major target, with raids commencing on
22/23 August and Bomber Harris was determined to make
Berlin suffer as Hamburg had just three weeks prior. The
devastation wrought on Hamburg, however, had only served to
stiffen German resolve and resistance, and the 727 bombers
dispatched to Berlin on the first night of the offensive paid an
enormous price, with no fewer than 56 aircraft being destroyed
by the combined efforts of Flak units, regular Nachtjagd units
and JG 300, whose pilots did rather well. The Bf 109-equipped I.
and III./JG 300 were credited with downing eight bombers
between them, for the loss of four aircraft (Table 2).
Nrnberg was the target on 27/28 August, and again the
Wilde Sau Messerschmitt pilots acquitted themselves well, with
3. Staffels Ofw. Ernst Wick, Hptm. Max Langer and Ltn.
Hermann Stumpe each claiming an aircraft while Uffz. Horst
John continued his run of Stirling victories with another kill
near Nrnberg at 02:05AM. The last night of August saw the
RAF return to Berlin with 622 bombers, and once again the
Nachtjagd dealt a stinging defeat to the bomber forces,
destroying 47 total including no less than 17 out of 106 Short
Stirlings a staggering 16 percent loss rate for the type. Once
again, the Gustavs of I. and III./JG 300 were in action, and
though several claims were filed by the Messerschmitt pilots,
only the Halifax shot down by Hptm. Max Langer was officially
recognized. Three Bf 109s were lost during the evenings
operations, including the Bf 109G-4 WNr 19568 of the
Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 300, Maj. Hans-Joachim von
Buchwaldt. He was downed in combat and perished in the crash
of his double chevron Bf 109, borrowed from III./JG 11.
A Lancaster-only raid consisting of 316 machines raided

Berlin again on the night of 3-4 September, and once again the
defence of the city was stout, costing the RAF another 22
Lancasters, although the Bf 109 pilots had no confirmed
victories in this encounter. The raid on Mannheim on 5/6
September was a different story, however; 34 out of 605 Bomber
Command aircraft were destroyed, with nine confirmed
victories going to the pilots of I. and III./JG 300. Also scoring an
initial victory this evening was Ofw. Nunuff of 1./JG 302, one of
the two brand new Jagdgeschwadern created at the end of August
and subordinated along with JG 300 to Jagddivision 30. The
other unit, JG 301, would have to wait until the night of 22/23
September to open their account, with honors for the first
victory for the Jagdgeschwader falling to Fw. Erich Teubner who
downed a Lancaster from the raid on Hanover which consisted
of 711 bombers. For once, the Focke Wulf-equipped Gruppen of
JG 300 were nearly shut out of the scoring this night, with I. and
III./JG 300 downing a large number of bombers while JG 302

acquitted itself well in this, its first major engagement since
achieving operational status. Losses among the Messerschmitts
were higher than in previous engagements, due primarily to the
number of aircraft involved (TABLE 3).
With three dedicated Wilde Sau single-engined nightfighter
units now operational, the nature of the nocturnal air war had
changed irreversibly. In a tacit acknowledgement of the
Table 2 Losses, 22/23 August 1943

Type
WNr
Pilot
Bf 109G-6
15792
Kahlau, Fw. Gerhard
Bf 109G-6
20454
Krehl, Fw. Gustav
Bf 109G-6
15865
Ammann, Uffz. Fritz
Unit
2./JG 300
9./JG 300 (III./JG 11)
III./JG 300 (III./JG 11)
Reason
Killed in crash on take-off
Killed in action
Interned. Parachuted into Sweden af ter combat damage
Bf 109G-6
III./JG 300 (III./JG 11)
Combat
20181
Another example of creative

camouflage is seen on white
3, serving with 1./JG 300.
The absence of a fresh air
intake and the presence of
faintly visible silica gel pellets
in the canopy panes confirms
this aircraft is a pressurized
G-5 variant. The pilot remains
unknown
Yellow 8 of 3./JG 300 is

seen in this photo taken in
July 1944. Judging by the
exhaust staining, the aircraft
has clearly seen heavy
operational use
Location
Bonn-Hangelar
Vechta
Glimakra, Sweden
(25km NE of Kristianstadt
near Bremen
Damage
100%
100%
100%
The Boars War
100%
53
07-MDF10-Chap-05_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:40 Page 54
Another photo of Bf 109G-5

white 3 shows the same
pilot astride the cowling; note
that the spinner backplate
retains the 2/3 Schwartzgrn
1/3 Wei factory paint
scheme while the spinner
itself has been repainted
effectiveness of the new German methods, Bomber Command

began making more concerted efforts towards fooling the
defenders into vectoring the fighters towards the wrong cities as
well as scheduling large raids during periods of bad weather,
which severely hampered the night fighters ability to intercept
the bombers. The makeup of the bomber force was changed as
well; rather than hundreds of bombers strung out in line astern
formation, cascading over the target for hours at a time, more
formation discipline was called for which meant less time over
the target and a greater percentage of bombs falling where the
master bomber in the lead Pathfinder aircraft determined they
should go.
The German ground controllers were not usually taken in by
the British subterfuge of diversionary raids, and became quite
adept at deciphering the blanketed radar returns and
successfully vectoring groups of fighters to the bomber stream.
Such was the case on the night of 27/28 September, when the
British launched a diversionary raid against Braunschweig
while the main force of 678 bombers brought more misery to
Hannover. The German defenders once again exacted a high toll
from Bomber Command, with 37 RAF bombers and one
USAAC B-17 being downed during the evening. The
Messerschmitts of I./JG 300 were quite successful this evening,
with Ltn. Robert Plewa, the Staffelkapitn of 2. Staffel, downing
Table 3 Losses, 22/23 September 1943

Type
WNr
Pilot
Unit
Bf 109G-6
19851
Gehrmann, Ltn. Dr. Karl III./JG 300 (III./JG 11)
Bf 109G-6
Fleischmann, Fw. Leodega III./JG 300 (III./JG 11)
20382
Bf 109G-6
15625
Wiedermann, Ofw. Adolf
7./JG 301
Bf 109G-6
20767
Neumeier, Ofw. Xaver
1./JG 301
Bf 109G-6
19884
Langer, Hptm. Max
Stab III./JG 300
Bf 109G-6
160361 Ries, Uffz. Eduard
9./JG 300 (III./JG 11)
Bf 109G-6
26026
Dienst, Uffz. Werner
3./JG 301
Reason
Staffelfhrer. Emergency landing af ter combat
Wounded in action
Killed in action. Aircraf t from I./JGr. 50
Wounded in action due to own Flak. P arachuted
Code: White <3 + Gr uppenkommandeur. Killed in action
Belly landing following combat
Injured in collision in flight, identity unknown. P arachuted
a pair of Stirlings (and possibly a Lancaster) while seven other

I. Gruppe pilots downed at least one bomber apiece. When
combined with the three claims from III./JG 300, the Gustavs
were responsible for over 25% of the bombers downed on this
raid, a very respectable result. Sadly, Ltn. Plewa would lose his
life the next evening due to fuel exhaustion after responding to
a raid on Bochum.
The new tactics of Bomber Command began to be
implemented on a raid to Mnchen in variable weather on the
night of 2/3 October. Harris had decided to broaden the focus of
Bomber Commands attacks to include southern Germany,
sending 296 aircraft to Mnchen on this evening. The defenders
had difficulty in identifying bombers, with the result that only 8
Lancasters were destroyed. 476 bombers then raided Kassel the
next evening, with 24 aircraft being lost. 405 aircraft then raided
Frankfurt am Main on the night of 4/5 October, with a scant 10
bombers being destroyed. South-central Germany received
another visit the night of 7/8 October, with 343 Lancasters
raiding Stuttgart. This night marked one of the few successful
spoofs of the German fighter controllers, as a new jamming
system known as ABC (called Airborne Cigar by RAF crews)
staffed by German-speaking operators managed to successfully
route the Wilde Sau pilots away from the main target area. They
did eventually clue in, but the German pilots could only catch
and destroy four Lancasters. And long-suffering Hannover came
in for another pounding on the following evening, with all
Gruppen of JG 300 responding to the raid consisting of 504 RAF
bombers including Lancasters, Halifaxes, Mosquitos, and the last
official Bomber Command raid flown by Vickers Wellingtons.
Despite losing another 27 aircraft to fighters and flak, this attack
proved to be the most destructive yet as the main force managed
to place most of their bombs within two miles of the city center.
54
Chapter 5
Location
near Wunstorff
near Oldenburg
SE of Seibel-See, nr Hannover
Verden/Aller
Achim bei Bremen
Braunschweig-Volkeroede
South of Bremen
Damage
70%
100%
90%
100%
100%
60%
100%
Ten days later, on the night of 18/19 October, Hannover was

bombed yet again in cloudy weather, which hampered the
operations of both the bomber and defending fighter pilots.
Most of the bombs fell away from the city, and the Wilde Sau
pilots could claim only five of the 18 Lancasters lost this
evening. Leipzig was hit on the following evening, and a
large-scale raid on Kassel on the night of 22/23 October marked
the last major Bomber Command effort for the month. 569
bombers attacked the city and a major defensive operation was
laid on against the British aircraft, resulting in the loss of 43
aircraft. JG 300, 301, and 302 were all heavily committed to the
defence of Kassel, with at least seven of the 43 aircraft downed
falling to Messerschmitts from these units, but the ferocity of
the German attacks could not prevent the immolation of the city
center by accurate marking and bombing. Another firestorm
was created which was similar to, but smaller than, the one
which had destroyed Hamburg three months previously,
resulting in the deaths of over 10,000 people, and the fires in the
city burned for over a week.
November brought something of a respite for the exhausted
Wilde Sue, with few raids in the first half of the month, but the
night of 18/19 November saw Bomber Command return to
Berlin with 444 aircraft. Bombing results were negligible due to
cloud cover, and the fighter response was similarly muted, in
large part because there was a major secondary raid that same
evening against Mannheim and Ludwigshafen. The Wilde Sau
pilots claimed nine victories out of the total of 35 bombers
downed this night, but the price was extraordinarily steep; five
pilots were killed, including the erstwhile Stirling specialist Fw.
Horst John and the Kommodore of JG 301, Maj. Helmut
Weinreich. Four nights later on 22/23 November, another raid by
639 RAF bombers targeted Berlin in overcast conditions, and
07-MDF10-Chap-05_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:40 Page 55
the bomber crews were not certain they had actually

accomplished anything. They had, in fact, unleashed the most
destructive bombing raid on Berlin during the entire war, with
whole areas being destroyed including the Berlin Zoo,
Charlottenburg Castle, and the Kaiser-Wilhelm
Gedchtniskirche whose ruins still stand today in mute
testimony to the horror of war. Most tellingly, only 26 aircraft
were downed this evening, most by flak batteries, and the pilots
of JG 300 never managed to engage the British bombers, while
JG 302 filed claims for four bombers. Another 383 bombers
attacked the city the following night, adding to the destruction,
but this time the fighters were ready and several claims were
filed by Wilde Sau pilots, although no Messerschmitt pilots
succeeded in scoring.
The 26th brought some major changes to the Wilde Sau units.
The current III./JG 300 was redesignated as III./JG 302, and
I./JG 301 was duly redesignated as III./JG 300 a few days later.
Completing the circle of redesignation and reassignment,
I./JG 301 was then re-established at Gardelegen with new pilots
and aircraft. This shifting of personnel and assignments was not
uncommon, especially as the war situation became more
desperate for the Luftwaffe. As the units adapted to these
changes and attempted to train their new pilots, defensive
operations were still necessary and I./JG 300 soon found itself
tasked with both night and day missions, which had a
predictably detrimental effect on pilot morale as well as
operational readiness.
Berlin was the target again on 2 December, with JG 302
scoring an impressive ten out of the total of 40 losses suffered by
Bomber Command while Leipzig was visited the following
evening. The official RAF history of Bomber Command notes a
total of 527 aircraft were dispatched to Leipzig, but fails to note
that there were 101 aborts for various reasons, meaning only 426
aircraft continued on to the target. 24 of these aircraft were lost
to German defenses, giving an actual loss rate of 5.6%. This was
the last large RAF raid for two weeks until the next raid on
Berlin on the night of 16/17 December. 400 of the 501 bombers
dispatched continued with the mission and 25 RAF aircraft were
downed by the German defenses, with Fw. Herbert Herre of
1./JG 302 downing two Lancasters for his fifth and sixth
victories. Two Bf 109s were lost with their pilots this evening,
while inclement weather caused the loss of an additional 29
British bombers as they returned to their bases in England,
bringing the total losses for the evening to 59 a staggering
14.7% loss rate (Table 4).
The Messerschmitt pilots of I./JG 300 scored four victories
over Frankfurt during a raid by 533 bombers on the night of
the 20th, with Ofw. Gnther Migge of 2. Staffel downing a
Halifax and an unidentified enemy aircraft. The night of 23/24
December saw yet another raid on Berlin, and again the Wilde
Sue of JG 300 and JG 302 responded with several victories,
including a Halifax claimed by Ofw. Walter Mackens of
1./JG 300, and a Lancaster downed by Ofw. Kurt Emler of
I./JG 302. Both sides took a Christmas holiday, with no
significant night raids again until the night of 29/30 December
when 20 bombers from a force of 712 were downed during
another raid on Berlin. Ofw. Otto Pritzel of I./JG 302 was the
only Bf 109 pilot to have a claim verified from the Wilde Sau
Table 4 Losses, 16/17 December 1943
Type
WNr
Pilot
Unit
Bf 109G-5
15940
Kutschenreuter, Uffz. Otto
8./JG 302
(aircraft from III./JG 11)
Bf 109G-6
410038 Sucker, Oblt. Georg
9./JG 301
Bf 109G-6
410492
Stab/JG 302
Bf 109G-6
410708
I./JG 302
Bf 109G-6
410715
I./JG 302
pilots this evening, having downed what he claimed was a

B-24 over Berlin at 20:22.
January 1944 brought no respite for either the crews of
Bomber Command or their opposite numbers in the Nachtjagd,
as Bomber Command paid another visit to Berlin on the night
of 1 January with 355 of 421 Lancasters dispatched actually
reaching the target. Intercept conditions were favorable, and 29
bombers were lost; all three Wilde Sau Gruppen were involved in
the fighting, and six victories were claimed by the
Messerschmitt pilots of I./JG 300, although only the Lancaster
downed by Fw. Hermann Wischnewski as his 3rd victory would
receive official credit. The next evening brought further misery
for the German capital, with 284 of 383 RAF bombers attacking
the city in poor weather conditions. Despite the bad weather, 27
Lancasters were shot down, with Fw. Wischnewski claiming an
additional two Lancasters to add to his one from the previous
evening, although these claims were not confirmed. One
significant note was that increased attention was being paid to
the Pathfinder aircraft which laid the Christmas tree markers,

denoting the aiming point for the following bomber stream. No
less than ten of the downed Lancasters were Pathfinder aircraft,
with one unit losing five out of 14 aircraft.
Stettin was targeted on 5/6 January, and only one Bf 109 pilot,
Ofw. Heinz Lnnecker of 1./JG 300, was even in a position to
attempt an interception. His efforts to down a Lancaster were
without success, and the only successful single-engine sortie was
flown by Fw. Andreas Hartl of 6./JG 302 who downed a
Lancaster for his 7th victory. The RAF visited Braunschweig on
the night of 14/15 January with 496 aircraft, losing 38 total
although the Wilde Sau pilots had a tough time of it in the nasty
weather. Two Lancasters were claimed by I./JG 300 pilots, but
these do not appear to have been officially confirmed, which
unfortunately was not an unusual situation for the
Messerschmitt pilots. The night of 20/21 January brought
another raid on Berlin by 769 bombers was opposed by a heavy
defensive effort including JG 300, JG 301, and JG 302. Ltn.
Manfred Dieterle of 3./JG 300 opened his account with a pair of
Halifaxes which were officially credited, but 1./JG 300s Ltn. Otto
Brning never received official confirmation of his three
victories, despite recording the ID letters of the last bomber he
dispatched, visible in the glare of the flaming wings! Magdeburg
was the target for the following night, and Ltn. Dieterle downed
This G-6/AS or G-14/AS is a

most interesting specimen.
Coded white 7 + -, this
aircraft from NJG 11 sports
full flame dampers over the
exhausts as well as FuG 217
Neptun radar aerials
beneath the wings, the lower
cowling, and on the upper
gun hood as well. The lower
position of the oil filler hatch
tips us off that this is an ASengined aircraft rather than a
G-10 fitted with a DB 605D
Reason
Killed in crash
Location
East of Bad Zwischenahn
Killed in crash, probably af ter combat

Belly landing due to undercar riage damage
Take-off accident, rammed Bf 109G-6 WNr 410715
Rammed on 17.12.43 by Bf 109G-6 WNr 410708 taking off
SE of Bad Orb
Uetersen
Jterborg
Jterborg
Damage
100%
100%
10%
30%
30%
The Boars War
55
07-MDF10-Chap-05_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:40 Page 56
The pilot of this Bf 109G-6/R6

coded red 12 was Fw. Horst
John of 2./JG 300. Fw. John
joined JG 300 in August 1943,
and would be shot down and
killed on 18 November 1943
after scoring 7 victories
Maj. Hajo Hermann proved to

be the right man in the right
place at the right time, having
already laid the groundwork
for an immediate response to
the British blinding of the
radar-controlled nightfighter
network in July 1943.
Hermann is seen here at
center behind
Reichsmarschall Gring
during an inspection of JG
300 personnel
56
Chapter 5
a Lancaster, one of 57 aircraft lost to the British this evening

from a total attacking force of 524. Despite the successful
response, this was to be a night of tragedy for the Nachtjagd
with the loss of two of its brightest stars; Maj. Heinrich zu SaynWittgenstein, the Kommodore of NJG 2, and Hptm. Manfred
Meurer, the Kommandeur of I./NJG 1. These two men and their
crews had downed 148 aircraft between them before being
brought down on this night.
The Messerschmitt pilots saw additional success over Berlin
on 28/29 January, with Fw. Wischnewski of 3./JG 300 claiming a
pair of Halifaxes, and Fw. Andreas Hartl of 6./JG 302 along with
Ofw. Kurt Welter of 5./JG 301 downing an additional Halifax
apiece. A Lancaster was downed by Ofw. Herbert Seifert of
8./JG 301, while Oblt. Kucharsowsky of 7./JG 301 simply claimed
a four-engined aircraft near Berlin. The last major raid of the
month took place the night of 30/31 January, with the target
being no mystery Berlin was hit again, this time by 456
bombers. No Wilde Sau fighters were awarded claims this
evening, and the loss of Ofw. Otto Brning, Staffelkapitn of
1./JG 300 in Bf 109G-5 White 1 was a painful blow to I. Gruppe.
The Wilde Sau units had been limited to JG 300, JG 301, and
JG 302 until 7 February, when a new unit was established using
pilots drawn primarily from 1. and 2./JG 300. Commanded by
Hptm. Friederich- Karl Mller, 1./NJGr. 10 operated a mixed bag
of machinery including four Bf 109G-6s brought over from
other units. The unit would later be subdivided into three full
Staffeln and a Stabsstaffel, with 1./NJGr. 10 receiving 13 new Bf
109G-6s and a pair of G-5s in August 1944. By the end of that
month, ten of those Messerschmitts would be destroyed through
enemy action, such was the furious pace of operations. That
same month, Hptm. Mller would form I./NJG 11 from elements
of JG 300 and the remnants of NJGr. 10, and this unit would
continue to operate a number of different aircraft until the end
of the war, including Bf 109Gs and Ks in night harassment
missions against Allied ground forces. Another role assigned to
this squadron was chasing down the infernal British Mosquitos
which eluded all but the most wily Luftwaffe pilots. A
detachment of Bf 109G-6/AS and G-14/AS aircraft were
lightened, highly tuned and polished to a high sheen, and they
were successfully used to hunt down and destroy several
Mosquitos. Several Bf 109s from NJG 11 were captured at the
end of the war and extensively photographed, including white
43 and white 44, both well known aircraft from other
publications. Another interesting experimental aircraft attached
to 4./NJG 11 was a DB 605AS-engined Gustav coded white 7 + ,
which was fitted with FuG 217 Neptun radar as an all-weather
and night fighter. This overall 76 Lichtblau-camouflaged aircraft
was captured more or less intact at the end of the war, and is one
of the very few known operational radar-equipped Bf 109s.
Following the departure of Mller and other experienced
pilots such as Arnold Dring and Willi Rullktter to NJGr. 10, the
Wilde Sau pilots received a much-needed respite thanks to a
long period of bad weather which kept the RAF ground-bound
in England. Like all good things, this was bound to end at some
point, and the night of 15/16 February brought an enormous

raid against Berlin with 891 bombers being dispatched. There
were 134 aborts, which still put 757 bombers over the target, and
the German defenses accounted for 43 aircraft, none of which
fell to single-engined fighters. The RAF was to suffer the loss of
almost twice this number on the night of 19/20 February on a
raid to Leipzig, with 747 of the 823 bombers dispatched actually
reaching the target. A full 10% of the raiders failed to return to
base, the German fighters and flak accounting for 74 bombers
while an additional 8 aircraft crashed on the return to England.
The Wilde Sau pilots certainly played their part, with JG 300,
301, 302, and the newly formed NJGr. 10 all registering successes
against the English.
Stuttgart was raided the night of 20/21 February, with Hptm.
Iro Ilk of I./JG 300 being the only Messerschmitt pilot to be
awarded a victory this evening. The night of the 24th saw
Schweinfurt on the receiving end of RAF bombs for a change,
and a new tactic was introduced following the slaughter over
Stuttgart a few nights earlier; the bombers were split into two
large waves separated by two hours, with the result that the
second wave was far less affected by the night fighters. Still, 33
bombers failed to return 22 from the first wave, and 11 from
the second. The next night saw something of a reversal of
fortunes for Bomber Command, with Messerschmitts own
hometown of Augsburg being incinerated by accurate bombing
from 594 aircraft split into waves. Several victories were claimed
by Wilde Sau pilots, but once again credit fell to the flak
gunners. The nocturnal raids tapered off for the next two weeks,
although the specialist single-engine nightfighters were
increasingly being called upon to operate against the enormous
American bombing raids in daylight. The relentless pressure
took a severe toll on men and machines, and it was only through
the Herculean efforts of the ground personnel that the
Messerschmitts and Focke Wulfs were able join battle with the
bombers.
The next major RAF raid was not until the night of 15/16
March, when Stuttgart came in for further attention from 771
bombers. The Wilde Sue would not be denied tonight, and 11
victories would be shared between JG 300 and JG 301. Among
those registering victories was Lt. Kurt Gabler of 9./JG 300, who
shot down an unidentified four-engined bomber for his first
07-MDF10-Chap-05_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:40 Page 57
victory, and Uffz. Gerhard Koch of I./JG 301 who scored a rare
double Lancaster kill for his first and second victories this night.
A mixup in target identification led to much of JG 300 being
sent towards Braunschweig until an alert Lt. Gabler noted flares
and bombs exploding in Frankfurt. The pilots raced towards the
city, and eventually claimed seven British bombers from a total
of 33 lost this evening. On the night of 24/25 March, 811 British
bombers visited Berlin once again, and the Wilde Sau pilots had
a field day, claiming 22 and being awarded 14 victories out of a
total of 75 RAF bombers destroyed on this night. Successful
pilots included Ltn. Kurt Welter of 5./JG 301 who downed two
aircraft, Fw. Hermann Wischnewski who also downed a pair of
unidentified four-engined bombers, and a number of pilots who
claimed a single kill apiece. And as bad as the losses over Berlin
were, worse was to come just one week later.
The high-water mark of the Nachtjagd was reached on the
night of 30/31 March, when the British dispatched 795 bombers
to attack Nrnberg. The normally tight bomber stream was
blown off course by strong high-level winds which also caused
the expected cloud cover to evaporate, and the 608 remaining
bombers which did not abort the mission continued towards
Nrnberg, streaming hundreds of telltale contrails which
attracted hundreds of waiting German fighters like moths to a
flame. The night fighters absolutely decimated the British
bombers, destroying no less than 95 bombers in the course of
the mission, while five more crashed due to damage before they
could reach England. An additional four did return home but
were so badly damaged that they were written off a total loss
of 104 bombers on a single mission out of 795 dispatched, a
13.1% loss rate. For all this carnage, the sole credited victory for
a Bf 109G fell to Lt. Kurt Gabler of 9./JG 300 who scored his
third victory over a four-engined foe this evening.
After Nrnberg, the men of the Nachtjagd might have been
forgiven for thinking they must have forced a sea-change in
Bomber Command tactics, as no further heavy night raids took
place on German territory until the night of April 20/21, when a
force of 379 Lancasters and Mosquitos attacked Kln. Only six
aircraft were lost, with three being claimed by Wilde Sau pilots
from JG 300. A split raid on 22/23 April saw 596 aircraft sent to
Dsseldorf and 265 aircraft raiding Braunschweig. The majority
of the German defense effort was concentrated on the larger
raid, and 29 British bombers were destroyed, with Hptm. Iro Ilk,
the Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 300, downing three aircraft
over Dsseldorf. He was by far the most successful Bf 109 pilot
this night, although Ofw. Hermann Wischnewski of 1./JG 300
also downed a Halifax, while Ltn. Otto Schwamb of 8./JG 302
downed a Lancaster over Dsseldorf as well. Only four bombers
were lost to all causes on the Braunschweig raid, with no Wilde
Sau successes being recorded.
Another split raid against Karsruhe and Mnchen the night
of 24/25 April resulted in the destruction of several
Messerschmitts due to accidents, with no offsetting victory
claims for the Wilde Sau units (Table 5).
Essen and Schweinfurt were the targets for the raids on 26/27
April, with only one Wilde Sau victory being recorded by the
OKL, that being the Lancaster downed by Lt. German Merz of
7./JG 302 near Schweinfurt, and 8./JG 301s Ltn. Glaas claimed a
four-engined bomber northeast of Friedrichshafen the following
night during a raid by 291 bombers on Friedrichshafen itself.
Table 5 Losses, 24/25 April 1944
Type
WNr
Pilot
Bf 109G-6
161381 Rummel, Ofw. Ernst
Bf 109G-6
163046 Mohr, Ltn. Gustav
Bf 109G-6
411377 Dettmer, Fw. Paul
Bf 109G-6
Sarhage, Fw. Karl-Heinz
Bf 109G-6
440990 Albers, Uffz. Werner
Unit
1./JG 300
7./JG 301
7./JG 301
1./JG 300
8./JG 301
Following this, there was another lull in nocturnal attacks on

German cities, as Bomber Command focused on French targets
in a massive effort to soften up the defenses for the coming
invasion. However, there were still occasional raids, including a
split raid on Dortmund and Braunschweig. Again, the Wilde Sau
pilots proved equal to the task, claiming 16 victories and
ultimately being awarded only eight. 31 bombers were lost in
total between the two forces, with Oblt. Karl-Heinz Seeler of
5./JG 302 downing a pair of four-engined aircraft while I./JG 300
was represented on the victory board by Ofw. Wischnewski and
Ofw. Heinrich Lonnecker, each of who downed a bomber in the
vicinity of Dortmund. On the night of 24/25 May, a split force of

406 bombers in total bombed the rail yards in Aachen, Germany,
with Oblt. Gerhard Pilz of I./JG 300 claiming a bomber in his
Bf 109. This victory was not confirmed, but a total of 29
bombers were downed from both forces. Three days later, the
battle-hardened Wilde Sau pilots were shocked to learn that
henceforth, they were no longer to fly night missions they
were to become day fighter units, to bolster the hard-pressed
units suffering under the relentless daily onslaught of the 8th
and 15th Air Force raids by hundreds and hundreds of B-17s
and B-24s, escorted by hundreds of expertly trained pilots in
outstanding fighters just spoiling for a fight. And the highly
experienced night fighters of JG 300, JG 301, and JG 302 would
soon find themselves in the battle of their lives.
Reason
Code: white 5 + Parachuted after combat
Killed in action, cause unknown
Killed in action
Parachuted after aircraft iced up, became uncontrollable
Killed in action
Fw. Eberhard Gzik of 2./JG

300 was one of the for tunate
pilots who survived the
slaughter of 13 September
1944, when no fewer than 36
JG 300 aircraft were downed
by US fighters. He is seen
here in the cockpit of Rita,
his Bf 109G-14/AS coded
red 2
Technology grew by leaps and

bounds on both the British
and German sides as each
side sought to gain an
advantage over the other in
the night skies. One of the
devices tested on the Bf 109
was FuG 350 Naxos Z, a
homing device designed to
pick up centimetric radar
waves from H2S radar sets
fitted to RAF bombers, as
seen on the spine of this Bf
109G-6/R6
Location
near Lohr
near Linz am Rhein
South of Biblis
Near Stuttgar t
near Grosachsenheim
Damage
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
The Boars War
57
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:41 Page 58
Defence and Defeat
Chapter
ith the United States declaration of war against

Germany and Japan on 8 December 1941, Great
Britain immediately gained a powerful ally.
Certainly, significant effort had been made to keep the British
supplied with war materiel, but the US could offer two
further things which were desperately short in Britain
manpower and production capacity. Despite a vast increase in
defence expenditures beginning in late 1940, which saw the
budget go from $74 million USD to over $320 million just for
the Army Air Corps alone, the US armed forces were in a
relatively pitiful state by the end of 1941. This massive
budget increase did lay the foundations for a massive
industrial expansion geared specifically towards armaments
production, but it would take some time to build the factories
and yards which were to produce all these newly funded
aircraft, tanks, and ships. Armament development programs
had been put in motion around the same time, spurred to a
large extent by the desperate requests of embattled European
nations seeking modern, high-performance equipment to
combat the excellent aircraft and armor of the German
forces. Dutch Kindelberger and his North American Aviation
design department were approached by the British with just
such a request; their purchasing commission had been
rebuffed by Curtiss when they sought a massive increase in
the number of P-40s being delivered, and decided to
approach NAA to enquire about license production of the
Kittyhawk. Kindelberger had other ideas, however, and
proposed a better fighter, promising a rapid development and
prototyping phase, with the design entering production as
soon as physically possible. True to their word, the prototype
58
Chapter 6
NA-73 flew just over 100 days from initial conception, and
rapidly entered production for both the RAF and the USAAF
as the P-51 Mustang. Other firms, such as Republic Aviation,
continued to develop existing designs to extract the best
performance possible. Their P-43 Lancer had pioneered the
use of turbo-supercharging in fighters to boost high-altitude
performance, and Republic sought to expand this capability
utilizing the forthcoming 2,000+ HP Pratt and Whitney
R-2800 fourteen cylinder radial. The resulting XP-47 was an
immediate sensation, but a number of bugs remained to be
worked out before the design could enter mass production.
The shortsightedness of US defence planning through the
previous decade was brought into sharp focus through the
first dark months of 1942; the Philippines, Wake and Guam
were all quickly overrun, resulting in significant equipment
and personnel losses, while US naval forces in the Pacific were
still recovering from the deadly attack on Pearl Harbor. The
forward-deployed USAAC units at Clark Field in the
Philippines were equipped with a handful of reasonably
effective P-40Cs and outdated Seversky P-35s and Boeing
P-26s, along with a squadron of older B-17C Flying Fortress
bombers. These forces proved valiant but completely unable to
stem the Japanese onslaught, and several examples of each
type were captured by the Japanese when Clark Field was
overrun. The British were once again finding themselves in a
tough place, losing the capital ships Repulse and Prince of
Wales on 10 December 1941 to Japanese land-based bombers,
and having their forces in Singapore, Borneo and Burma
overrun by the virtually unstoppable Japanese advance. The
RAF had posted several squadrons of Hurricanes and
Brewster Buffaloes to the Far East in hopes they would help
stave off the Japanese advance, but they were as powerless as
the US fighters in dealing with the viciously effective
Mitsubishi A6M2s and Nakajima Ki-43s that they faced.
Despite the dramatic reversals in the Pacific theatre,
The speed differential

between a B-17 on a bomb
run and a Bf 109 slashing in
to attack could be in excess
of 200 mph, with gunners
doing their best to track a
blur as demonstrated in this
photo taken from a 303rd
Bomb Group B-17
This post-strike
reconnaissance photo of
Schweinfurt was taken
following the disastrous 14
October 1943 mission which
saw sixty B-17s destroyed
and many others damaged to
the point of salvage
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:41 Page 59
Roosevelt and Churchill had jointly decided that Germany was

to be the prime focus of the war effort, thanks in no small
part to Stalins continued insistence on a second front to be
opened to help lessen the significant pressure Soviet forces
faced from the German juggernaut. The RAF had been
undertaking offensive sweeps over occupied Europe since
early 1941, and Bomber Command had been sending
nocturnal raids to the Ruhr and other industrial areas since
1940. These night bombing efforts were relatively ineffective,
due to the lack of an effective doctrine for the aircrew to
follow. Each bomber acted virtually independently, with each
navigator responsible for plotting a course to and from the
target, and formation attacks were rare; when they did occur,
the bombing accuracy was abysmal, some bombs falling miles
away from their intended targets. Despite these drawbacks
and failures, the RAF continued to focus on the improvement
of night bombing techniques as concentrated daylight
bombing raids had been all but abandoned by Bomber
Command, thanks to the severe mauling they had received
from the Luftwaffe in the initial raids of late 1939 and 1940.
Within just a few months of the US entry into the war, a
number of heavy bombardment groups were being trained on
the new B-17E variant of Boeings famed Flying Fortress, and
by late June 1942, the 97th Bomb Group (Heavy) had arrived
at Polebrook and Grafton-Underwood with their immense
B-17s. The aircraft caused something of a stir among the
English airmen, who expressed significant doubts that they
would be able to hit the target from high altitude and get back
to Polebrook intact. They spoke from recent bitter experience
with the Fortress I, an earlier B-17 variant based on the C
model with a Sperry bombsight, rather than the vaunted
Norden item. Used on operations from mid-1941 to 1942, the
Fortress Is were an unmitigated disaster for the British.
Bombing from 30,000 feet, accuracy with the Sperry
bombsight can be described as slim to none, and the
defensive armament proved no match for determined and
heavily armed Luftwaffe fighters, not least because the guns
froze at altitude. So when Gen. Ira C. Eaker, commander of the
newly formed Eighth Air Force, stated their intention to
pursue a precision daylight bombing campaign against
industrial and war effort-specific targets, one might be able to

excuse the skepticism of their British allies.
The ground crews and support equipment arrived in due
course, and the first US strategic bombing raid against Axisoccupied Europe took place on 17 August 1942. The
commanding officer of the 97th BG, Col. Frank Armstrong,
flew as copilot in the lead B-17E Butcher Shop (s/n 41-2578),
which was piloted by one Maj. Paul W. Tibbets. In the lead ship
of the second six-ship formation, B-17E Yankee Doodle (s/n
41-9023), sat none other than the 8th Air Force commander,
Gen. Eaker himself. The target for the day was the RouenSotteville train marshaling yards in France, and significant
fighter escort was present in the form of four RAF Spitfire IX
squadrons for target penetration and withdrawal support,
including 401 and 402 Squadron. The force of twelve bombers
bombed the target with surprising accuracy for a novice
group, and all aircraft returned safely. Flak defences were
light, and local Luftwaffe units intercepted the formation once
it had crossed the coastline. The Fw 190s of JG 2 and II./JG 26
tangled with the Spitfire escort, with at least four Spitfires
being shot down or severely damaged. Interestingly, the
bombers were reported as Stirlings in the after-action
reports, highlighting the questionable aircraft recognition
skills of many Jagdflieger!
Two days later, on 19 August, the largest Allied operation of
the war thus far was set in motion; the landing and
withdrawal of troops on the French beaches of Dieppe. The
amphibious assault was covered by a tremendous RAF effort;
dozens of fighter and bomber squadrons were sent across the
Channel, intending to draw the Luftwaffe into battle on terms
favorable to the British pilots. Very few Bf 109s were in action
during the Dieppe raid, as JG 2 and JG 26 had converted
almost entirely to the Fw 190, but there was still one Staffel in
each unit equipped with pressurized Bf 109G-1s as the high-
altitude component of the Jagdgeschwader. Leaving the

objectives and results of the amphibious assault aside, the
aerial actions over Dieppe and the Channel on 19 August have
been claimed as a significant RAF victory for many years,
with adherents of this view pointing to the diminished
strength returns reported by JG 2 and JG 26 that evening
they started the day with 230 fighters between them, and
listed 70 as being operationally ready that evening. However,
as Don Caldwell points out in his excellent JG 26 War Diary,
the readiness figure leapt back upwards to 194 the following
morning, thanks to the tireless work of the mechanics to
repair and rearm aircraft which were damaged the previous
day. A total loss of 36 aircraft to the Kanalgeschwader, as
opposed to the RAFs losses of 106, can hardly be claimed as a
tremendous victory that is a nearly three-to-one kill ratio
This dapper US soldier was

photographed by the tail of a
derelict K-4, as evidenced by
the barely visible tailwheel
doors which have been wired
shut
Seen here amongst other

wrecked Luftwaffe aircraft at
the end of the war is Bf 109G14 Blue 13 of 12./JG 53.
Other Bf 109 bits litter the
background, as well as a
Jumo 213 power egg
Defence and Defeat
59
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:41 Page 60
Table 1 19 August 1942

Type
WNr
Pilot
Bf 109G-1
10311
Stfw. Erwin Kley
Unit
11.(H)/JG 2
Bf 109G-1
Bf 109G-1
Bf 109G-1
11.(H)/JG 2
11.(H)/JG 2
11.(H)/JG 26
10313
14064
14058
Unknown
Unknown
Oblt. Johannes Schmidt
One of the most iconic

images of the European air
war, this photo of B -17F
Skippy (s/n 42-3329) of the
570th Bomb Squadron, 390th
BG was taken on the 27
September 1943 raid to
Emden by S/Sgt. Stanley M.
Smith, a waist gunner on Lt.
Keith Harris' crew aboard
The Stork Club (s/n 430783). The escort fighters
flying top cover above the
bombers are P-47s from the
78th Fighter Group
A Bf 109G-6 coded white or

yellow 20 is caught squarely
in the sights of a US fighter.
The camouflage pattern is
clearly evident, as are the
white fabric strips placed
over the wingtip joints of later
Bf 109s
60
Chapter 6
Reason
Killed, over turned on landing- may have been wounded
in combat with a Spitfire
Landing accident due to technical failure
Emergency landing due to enemy fire
Killed, shot down into Channel
in favor of the Luftwaffe. Looking at the two high-altitude

Staffeln, 11.(H)/JG 2 and 11.(H)/JG 26, they suffered a grand
total of one 100% loss, although in fairness, this was a
significant blow the Staffelkapitn of 11.(H)/JG 26, Oblt.
Johannes Schmidt, was shot down and killed after scoring his
11th and 12th victories over a pair of Spitfires. Three other
Bf 109G-1s suffered varying degrees of damage, as shown in
Table 1.
The RAF returned to its regularly scheduled programming
on the 20th, escorting another B-17 raid to Aimens, and the
pattern remained the same throughout the remainder of
August. On 6th September, the Luftwaffe downed their first
B-17, an aircraft of the 97th Bomb Group falling near
Amiens the first of many to follow. The raids continued in
varying strength throughout September, but October marked a
new upswing in the strength and frequency of USAAF
bombing raids. Escort was still primarily provided by the
battle-hardened RAF squadrons in their new Spitfire IXs,
although the 1st Fighter Group introduced the P-38 Lightning
to combat over continental Europe on a two-pronged raid to
Amiens and the II./JG 26 airfield at Wizernes on 2 October.
This raid saw the first loss of an 11.(H)/JG 26 Bf 109G-1 since
the Dieppe raid, with WNr 10307 being shot down at Norrents
Fonte by escort fighters, the pilot escaping by parachute. 9
October saw the largest American raid yet, with 108 B-17s and
B-24s attacking the locomotive and steel works at Lille, France.
Escort was provided by a whopping thirty-six squadrons of
escort fighters. The Focke Wulfs of JG 26 and JG 2 saw almost
all of the action, although the Messerschmitt-equipped
Hhenstaffeln were scrambled to meet the threat as well. No Bf
109s were lost in the engagement, nor were any claims filed by
their pilots; the Focke Wulfs, however, downed four B-17s and
Hptm. Josef Priller, Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 26,
downed a 93rd Bomb Group B-24D from the same raid.
No further claims or losses were filed by 11.(H)/JG 2 or
11.(H)/JG 26 before 8 November, when these units were
detached on short notice to bolster the defences of Tunisia.
The Allies had landed a significant force there as part of
Operation Torch, and these two Staffeln were dispatched and
subordinated to local units; 11.(H)/JG 2 was under control of
II./JG 53, while 11.(H)/JG 26 was placed with II./JG 51. The
arrangement with JG 26 and JG 51 lasted less than a month;
their airfield was heavily bombed on 3 December by B-17s,
Location
Le Treport
%Dmg
80%
Fl.Pl. Monchy le Breton

near Abbeville
10km nor th of Dieppe
50%
60%
100%
which killed six pilots and led to the disbanding of the JG 26

Hhenstaffel. This would not mark the end of the Schlageter
Geschwaders association with Messerschmitts fighter; less
than two weeks later, II./ and III./JG 26 would be introduced
to the newest Bf 109 variant, the G-4, which was intended to
replace the Fw 190As currently equipping these Gruppen.To
many pilots, this was a step backwards; the Bf 109G-4, while a
fine dogfighter, was lightly armed with two 7.9mm MG 17
machine guns and one MG151/20 cannon, as opposed to the
four cannon and two MG 17s of the Fw 190A-4, and was also
lightly constructed, in keeping with Messerschmitts design
theme of maximum performance from minimum weight.
Neither the light armament or construction was very
conducive to anti-bomber operations, but orders were orders,
and III./JG 26 duly underwent a conversion course onto their
new mounts in the spring of 1943.
In January 1943, a conference was held in Casablanca
between Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt which
would have dramatic consequences for Germany and the
Luftwaffe in particular. In this conference, it was agreed that
an unconditional surrender would be the sole pretext for
cessation of military operations against Germany and the Axis
powers, and that said surrender would essentially be achieved
by any means necessary. With the exponential growth in
strength of the American VIII Bomber Command in England,
the introduction of far more powerful and capable bomber
aircraft by the British and the continual increase in
production tempo, the idea of a Combined Bombing Offensive
was born and put into place. This would lead to what Gen.
Eaker referred to as round the clock bombing in a conference
with Churchill himself; he had originally been summoned to
request that the Americans move to a nocturnal bombing
campaign, as the British thought the American faith in
precision daylight bombing was foolhardy at best, and a
waste of machinery and manpower at worst. Eakers views
prevailed, however, and a broad list of priority targets was
made, with U-boat construction and port facilities being
listed as the most important target, followed directly by any
and all facilities utilized by or dealing with the Luftwaffe. The
transportation network was third on this list, and oil
refineries and production facilities were the fourth item.
Furthermore, the bombing campaign was specifically listed as
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 61
only a prelude to the actual invasion of Europe, in order to

destroy and damage enough enemy men, materiel, and morale
that the invasion would have a chance to succeed.
Accordingly, the bomber offensive gathered steam, and the
first US raid on German territory proper was against
Wilhelmshaven on 27 January 1943. Ninety-one Fortresses
and Liberators departed England on the raid, and three failed
to return; the Focke-Wulfs of II./ and III./JG 1 succeeded in
knocking these down. Other raids continued against French
targets, and II./ and III./JG 26 actively used their Bf 109G-4s
throughout January and February combating the joint BritishAmerican raids. The Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 26, Hptm.
Wilhelm-Ferdinand Wutz Galland, successfully argued for his
Gruppe to keep their Fw 190s, so the few Bf 109G-4s in the
unit were transferred elsewhere, leaving III./JG 26 as the only
unit in JG 26 using any Bf 109s. Another major development
was movement of I./JG 26 to the Eastern Front, replacing
III./JG 54. In exchange, III./JG 54 moved to Vendeville, France
under the command of Hptm. Reinhard Seiler, sharing the
field with Stab/JG 26. They inherited 40 Bf 109G-4s, leaving
their older G-2s in Russia, and would lead something of a
nomadic existence over the summer of 1943, moving to a
different base each month.
Another newcomer to the Channel front in January 1943
was I./JG 27. With the continuing collapse of the Axis front in
North Africa, and the heavy attrition suffered by the Gruppe, it
was decided to withdraw this most famous of Jagdgruppen
back to Germany for rest and refit. The Gruppes last posting
in North Africa was Arco Philaenorum, from which they
departed for Krefeld, Germany on 13 November 1942. After
two months in Krefeld, I./JG 27 moved to Evreux, France in
January with ten new Bf 109G-4s, receiving another 19 G-4s to
supplement this meager force in February. They joined III./JG
54, JG 2, and the remaining elements of JG 26 as the first line
of defence against the increasingly frequent Allied bomber
raids. The assorted Jagdgruppen scored a major victory on 8
March, when a well-executed attack by Stab/JG 26, II./JG 26,
12./JG 2 and I./JG 27 combined to meet a force of sixteen B24s of the 44th and 93rd Bomb Groups attacking the railroad
yards in Rouen, France. For the first and only time in the war,
the ferocity of the German defence forced the Liberators to
abandon their attack, having lost the two lead Liberators in
the first pass through the formation. The surviving aircraft
jettisoned their bombs and turned for home. The escorting
Spitfires also suffered the same indignity, losing two of their
number. In return, three German fighters were downed; the
only personnel loss was Uffz. Sigismund Dietz, shot down by a
Spitfire into the Channel 20 km north of Grandcamp in his
Bf 109G-4 yellow 2, WNr 16158.
By March, there were additional changes and unit moves.
III./JG 54, which had just arrived a few weeks previously, was
having tremendous difficulty adapting to the completely
different combat environment of the western front. The
techniques which had worked so well for them in Russia were
an absolute disaster in the West, and the Gruppe was
Table 2 16/17 April 1943
Type
WNr
Pilot
Bf 109G-4
14971
Unknown
Bf 109G-4
Uffz. Erhard Becker
Bf 109G-4
Ltn. Friedrich Rupp
Bf 109G-4
Uffz. Alfred Schbel
Bf 109G-4
Ogefr. Rudi Wohlfahrt
Bf 109G-4
16151
Unknown
Bf 109G-4
16136
Unknown
Bf 109G-4
14935
Hptm. Hans-Ekkehard Bob
Bf 109G-4
16122
Uffz. Hger
transferred to Oldenburg in northern Germany, in a sector

which was still relatively quiet, so they could continue to work
on their formation flying and defensive maneuvers away from
the pressure-cooker of the Channel front. Here they would
form a backup to JG 1, which until this point had been
primarily responsible for the defence of German and Dutch
airspace. Indicating the degree of difficulty this Gruppe
experienced, a glance at operational records shows that no
fewer than nine Gustavs were damaged or destroyed in the
space of 48 hours between 16 and 17 April (Table 2).
I./JG 27 was similarly detached to Amsterdam to assist

other Staffeln of JG 1 around the same time. Another, less
welcome change occurred on 10 March, when the first P-47C
Thunderbolts of the 4th Fighter Group made a sweep across
northern France. As no bombers were present, no Luftwaffe
units engaged the Jugs, and this was just as well the
electrical systems of the P-47s were not sufficiently shielded,
and interference from the ignition system of the huge R-2800
completely wiped out any possibility of radio
communications. The P-47s were not seen again until 8 April,
when the sweep was repeated along with elements of the 56th
and 78th Fighter Groups.
April also saw a sweeping reorganization of fighter forces in
the West. The round the clock bombing doctrine was
beginning to have a telling effect on German infrastructure,
Unit
Code
Stab/JG 54
7./JG 54
7./JG 54
7./JG 54
7./JG 54
7./JG 54 white 2 + ^^
8./JG 54 black 7 + ^^
9./JG 54 yellow 1 + ^^
9./JG 54
Date
17-4-43
16-4-43
16-4-43
16-4-43
16-4-43
17-4-43
17-4-43
17-4-43
17-4-43
Reason
Damaged by enemy fire
Belly-landed due to pilot er ror
Damaged, unknown cause
Crash-landed due to pilot er ror
Damaged, unknown cause
(Staffelkapitn) Rammed B-17 in combat, parachuted
The nose of the Bf 109G14/AS in the foreground has

been identified as yellow 6
of 11./JG 52 through other
photos taken at Deutsch Brod
after the war
Bf 109s were found in various

states of disrepair throughout
the entire country after the
war. The overall dark
camouflage and outboard
wing cross on the rearmost
aircraft is worthy of note
Location
Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Widmuthshafen
Oldenburg
Stade
Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Bremen
near Bassum
%Dmg
20%
Defence and Defeat
40%
40%
20%
40%
100%
40%
61
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 62
As the war wore on, a general

superstition arose among
Luftwaffe pilots about having
ones photo taken just prior to
a mission- the belief was that
it was a jinx on the mission.
Consequently, group photos
such as the one seen here
became less common through
late 1944 and early 1945
This unknown Unteroffizier

posing with his Gustav has
the hardened look of
someone who has seen more
than his share of battles. The
full stenciling for the pilots
oxygen and the 24V plug on
his Bf 109 is cer tainly
interesting
and it was recognized that the fighter forces assigned to

combat the almost daily incursions of RAF and USAAC
bombers needed to be bolstered. Accordingly, an entirely new
Jagdgeschwader was created, JG 11, from elements of JG 1. The
major changes were as follows:
I./JG 11 was formed at Husum from III./JG 1, equipped
with Fw 190As
II./JG 11 was formed at Jever from I./JG 1, equipped
with Bf 109Gs
I./JG 1 was reformed at Deelen from IV./JG 1, equipped
with Fw 190As
III./JG 1 was newly formed at Leeuwarden, equipped
with Bf 109Gs
JG 1 also received a new Geschwaderkommodore at the
same time, the highly successful Maj. Hans Phillip, formerly of
JG 54. III./JG 1 was commanded by another Eastern Front
veteran, Hptm. Karl-Heinz Leesmann, formerly of I./JG 52.
The Gruppe was one of the first to be outfitted with a brand
new version of the Bf 109, the G-6. Answering pilots concerns
about the weak hitting power of the MG 17s, Messerschmitt
had mounted a pair of 13mm MG 131 heavy machine guns in
the cowling. Owing to the narrow confines of the fuselage, the
feed chutes for the cowl guns had to be routed around the
outside of the upper engine bearer attachment points, and
these were then covered by large roundish bulges on the
cowling. This, of course, added to the parasitic drag already
incurred from the upper wing bulges added with the G-4 to
clear the wider 660x160mm tires added to that model. Pilots
immediately named the new variant the Beule (bump),
among other, less kind epithets. The new armament package
also added more weight to the aircraft, in addition to the extra
drag created by the feed chute bulges, so the net result was
Table 3 14 May 1943

Type
WNr
Pilot
Bf 109G-4
19358
Unknown
Bf 109G-4
19365
Unknown
Bf 109G-4
16100
Uffz. Huber tus Mende
Bf 109G-4
16115
Ofw. Heriber t Brockhausen
Unit
II./JG 54
II./JG 54
7./JG 54
9./JG 54
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
9./JG 54
9./JG 54 yellow 10 + ^^
9./JG 54
12./JG 54
12./JG 54
12./JG 54
blue 11 + ~
12./JG 54
12./JG 54
12./JG 54
62
Chapter 6
16131
16144
16110
16147
19227
19632
19636
19650
19675
something of a decrease in performance. On top of that, many

Gustavs serving with III./JG 1 and II./JG 11 were fitted with
Rstzustand R6, consisting of a pair of 20mm MG 151/20
cannon in the wings in gondolas just outboard of the wheel
wells. The hitting power of the Bf 109G was considerably
strengthened with this modification, finally giving the Gustav
the strength necessary to destroy a B-17 or B-24, but speed
and maneuverability suffered even further degradation.
Another change introduced to the Jagdgeschwadern in the
West was the introduction of a fourth Staffel into the Gruppe
structure. Previously, the standard Jagdgeschwader
organizational structure featured three Gruppen, with each
Gruppe consisting of three individual Staffeln. The strength of
the Geschwader was now increased to four Gruppen, with four
Staffeln apiece. JG 54 was one of the very first units to see this
change implemented, with 12./JG 54 being established at
Wevelghem. Unfortunately for this unit, their base was heavily
attacked on 14 May, with significant losses in materiel and
personnel both from the bombing attack as well as attacks
against the bombers (Table 3).
Although the formation of III./JG 1 was officially dated 1
April, the Gruppe was not formally inaugurated into Luftwaffe
service until 23 May. Little action was seen by the unit for the
Uffz. Werner Bscher

Ltn. Rudolf Klemm
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Oblt. Erwin Leykauf
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Code
white 12 + ^^
yellow 2 + ^^
Reason
Killed in combat
Killed in combat
Wounded due to enemy fire. Crash-landed
Wounded by German Flak after downing a B -17
Crash landed after combat
Damaged by bomb blast
Enemy fire
(Staffelkapitn) Ran into bomb crater while taxiing
Location
Boulamaison
Cheamskerke
South of Kiel
Tmasje near Nor torf
NW of Neumnster
NW of Husum
10km west of Kiel
Oldenburg
Wevelghem A/F
Moorseele A/F
Wevelghem A/F
Wevelghem A/F
Wevelghem A/F
Wevelghem A/F
%Dmg
10%
90%
100%
100%
60%
100%
25%
30%
35%
75%
15%
15%
40%
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 63
next few weeks. As III./JG 1 worked up towards operational

readiness in May, another unit began taking up residence at
Woensdrecht. Elements of JG 3 were being brought back from
the Eastern Front, and transferred to II./JG 1s old base, as this
Gruppe had moved on to Amsterdam-Schipol. 2./JG 3 was the
first unit to take up residence in the new theatre; the
remainder of I./JG 3 would arrive at Dberitz within the
month. Allied raids during the remainder of May and the first
part of June were limited to fairly small-scale daytime attacks,
but the British nocturnal raids continued to gather more and
more strength. One particular raid on the night of 16 May by a
force of Lancasters from 617 Squadron had destroyed the
Mhne and Eder dams, causing significant flooding in the
Ruhr valley which disrupted war production. Other raids were
nearing a thousand aircraft each; Bomber Command sent 826
bombers to Dortmund on the night of 23 May, and another
883 aircraft attacked Dsseldorf and Mnster the night of 11
June. This followed the first heavy daylight raid of June earlier
in the day, when 252 B-17s were sent to Wilhelmshaven to
bomb the U-boat yards located there. The Wilhelmshaven raid
was met in strength, with the Messerschmitt-equipped
II./JG 11, III./JG 26 and III./JG 54 playing a significant role for
the defenders. Eight B-17s were downed, and sixty-two others
received varying degrees of damage, at a cost of seven
Bf 109Gs and no pilot losses. Adding insult to injury, the
bombers had failed to damage the target as well.
The same units were back in action two days later. On the
13th, another raid on the northern German port facilities was
laid on by VIII Bomber Command, with 102 bombers sent to
bomb Kiel and Bremen. A comprehensive bomber escort
doctrine had not been fully developed, and a series of Spitfire
and P-47 fighter sweeps were sent across the France and the
Low Countries. These joined combat with several Luftwaffe
units in the area, but left the bombers essentially unescorted.
As a result, the fighter units based in northern Germany ran
amok, downing no fewer than 26 bombers; four from the Kiel
force, and an incredible 22 out of 76 from the Bremen force.
Casualties were relatively light in number for the Jagdwaffe
considering the results, but III./JG 26 suffered a tremendous
blow when the Gruppenkommandeur, Hptm. Kurt Ruppert,
was hit and bailed out of his Bf 109G-6 black << + | (WNr
16425). He exited the aircraft safely, but pulled his chute too
early and the shock of the parachute opening at high speed
physically tore Hptm. Ruppert out of the harness, and he
plummeted to the ground. After the free-for-all over Bremen
and Kiel, Messerschmitt-equipped units saw little action for
the next nine days, until a major raid on 22 June put 50
escorted B-17s over Rotterdam and the main force of 235
B-17s was sent on the first American mission to the Ruhr,
bombing the synthetic rubber plant and railroad marshalling
yards at Hls. Bombing accuracy was considerably better on
this raid, and losses were much lower; sixteen B-17s were
destroyed and 75 others received some form of damage, much
of it from the vicious flak that had claimed so many RAF
bombers over the preceding two years. The Bf 109s of I./JG 3,
III./JG 1, and III./JG 54 were heavily involved in the days
actions, fighting the bombers and escorting fighters both into
and away from the target, and the mechanics of III./JG 1 were
kept busy over the next few days repairing the large number of
Gustavs which had force-landed due to fuel exhaustion.
The last major raid of the month took place on 25 June, in
nasty weather conditions. The weather played a significant
factor in losses for both sides; only 167 VIII Bomber
Command aircraft out of the 275 originally planned bombers
managed to make it to the targets of Hamburg and Bremen to
drop their deadly cargoes, and the bombers were scattered all
throughout the area, becoming relatively easy targets for the

significant quantities of Luftwaffe fighters in the area. The
usual suspects were back in action with their Bf 109Gs, but
despite the loss of 18 B-17s, the German fighters suffered
equally in this action nine Messerschmitts from all
responding units were destroyed outright, including three
9./JG 26 aircraft which crashed into the North Sea due to
unknown causes. III./JG 1 lost its Gruppenadjutant Oblt.
Friederich Hardt in his Bf 109G-6 black <1 + (WNr 15394)
in combat, along with three other aircraft lost or damaged.
After the actions of 25 June, and a hectic fighter-vs-fighter
battle on the 26th, there followed something of a respite for
the Messerschmitt-equipped Gruppen in the West. The next
major raid to be met by the Gustavs came on 17 July, when
332 B-17s were sent to a whole host of targets all over the Low
Countries and northern Germany. The Luftwaffe fighter
controllers tried to cover all the raids with available units, but
this worked in the bombers favor and US losses were very
light; only two B-17s were lost, and 52 others suffered varying
degrees of damage. The German fighters came out very much
on the losing side of this battle, with six Messerschmitts being
lost to various causes and an additional six suffering damage
to some extent.
The raids of VIII Bomber Command were increasing in
strength regularly, as were the nightly raids by the British, but
so far, the German resistance had shown no signs of
weakness. Fighter production was being increased, and
Jagdwaffe losses, while not insignificant, were still at an
acceptable rate. Beginning on 24 July, however, the US forces
launched a series of seven raids in seven days- Blitz Week. In
The obligatory conquering

heroes pose is adopted by
these three American GIs,
using a nearby derelict G-6 or
G-14 as a convenient prop
Gerhard Barkhorn wasnt the

only Luftwaffe pilot to name
his aircraft Christl, as
evidenced by this G-6 with
very distinct mottling. The
lack of head armor is
particularly interesting as
well
Defence and Defeat
63
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 64
II./JG 3 utilized a large red

dot beneath the Udet shield
on their aircraft to denote the
II. Gruppe, as displayed in
this photo of two happy
Luftwaffe men. The painting
differences between the
spinner and backplate are
worth of mention as well
This Bf 109G-6/R6 of I./JG 3

also showcases another
method of spiral application
to the spinner, being a thin
white stripe over blacko
conjunction with this, the first sustained US bombing

campaign of the war, the RAF launched Operation Gomorrah,
an apt description for the carnage and destruction that was to
be unleashed on Germanys second largest city, Hamburg. For
four consecutive nights, the RAF poured thousands upon
thousands of incendiary and phosphorus bombs on the
ancient city, mixed with heavy bombs intended to destroy
roads and crack open buildings to allow the flames to spread.
On 25 July, 218 B-17s were dispatched to Kiel as well as
Hamburg, continuing the effort to totally destroy the city, but
only 100 were able to reach the target owing to excessive
smoke from the previous nights raids. The German defenders
put up a maximum effort against the B-17s, downing 19 from
the entire force and damaging another 67. Messerschmittequipped units which contested this raid included III./JG 1,
II./JG 11, and III./JG 26; III./JG 54 found itself defending
Schipol airfield from a diversionary raid by RAF Mitchells
which cost them three Gustavs. The fighter losses paled into
insignificance when the full horror of the destruction visited
on Hamburg was revealed; a corner had been turned in the air
war, and Hamburgs fate was to become the motivation for the
increasingly vicious Luftwaffe responses to raids over the next
few months. Among the lost pilots, however, was the
Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 1, the popular Maj. KarlHeinz Leesmann. The 37-victory ace was shot down into the
sea by defensive fire from a B-17, and did not survive; his
body washed ashore a few weeks later. Leadership of III./JG 1
then passed to Hptm. Robert Olejnik.
The 26th saw a force of 303 B-17s sent against the synthetic
rubber factories at Hannover, as well as another trip to the
Table 4 28 July 1943

Type
WNr
Pilot
Bf 109G-6
15438
Uffz. Alfred Thieme
Bf 109G-6
15442
Uffz. Norber t Preussler
Bf 109G-6
15694
Fw. Franz-Wilhelm Heck
Bf 109G-6
19634
Uffz. Helmut Apenburg
Bf 109G-6
20094
Unknown
Bf 109G-4
19390
Uffz. Anton Schriegel
Bf 109G-6
20102
Unknown
Bf 109G-6
15243
Unknown
Bf 109G-6
15243
Hptm. Klaus Qut-Faslem
Bf 109G-6
15411
Ltn. Kurt Roisch
Bf 109G-1
14097
Unknown
Bf 109G-4
19805
Uffz. Erich Hfig
Bf 109G-6
15613
Ltn. Hans Reuter
Bf 109G-6
15619
Unknown
Bf 109G-6/Y 19810
Fw. Ewald Hltken
Bf 109G-4
16109
Unknown
Bf 109G-4
19349
Uffz. Emil Leitz
64
Chapter 6
Unit
9./JG 1
9./JG 1
9./JG 1
1./JG 3
2./JG 3
2./JG 3
2./JG 3
Stab./JG 3
Stab I./JG 3
Stab I./JG 3
II./JG 11
5./JG 11
III./JG 11
II./JG 11
Stab./JG 11
7./JG 26
7./JG 26
Code
Yellow 4 +
<1 +
Yellow 7 +
White 8 +
Black 3 +
Black 10 +
Black <<1 +
Black < +
White 4 + |
long-suffering city of Hamburg. The defending fighters

received excellent vectoring information from ground
controllers, and a total of 25 B-17s were shot down.
Messerschmitt losses totaled four, three from JG 11 and one
from 7./JG 1; another three Bf 109Gs suffered varying degrees
of damage in forced landings following combat.
After a pause on the 27th due to weather, Blitz Week
continued unabated, with missions to bomb the Fieseler plant
at Kassel and the Focke-Wulf plant at Oschersleben. Despite
sending 302 B-17s to the two targets, damage was minimal.
German fighters and flak accounted for 25 B-17s either
destroyed outright or written off after landing, and another
118 were damaged to some extent. Two noteworthy tactics
were introduced during the raids on the 28th; the Jagdwaffe
used the WGr 21 (Werfer Granate) 210mm rockets against the
Fortress formations for the first time. These heavy, unguided
rockets were intended more as airborne Flak than as actual
munitions; they were intended to explode in the midst of the
combat box formation, which would cause the individual
aircraft to break formation and thereby significantly reduce
the effectiveness of their defensive fire. It is a measure of how
effective this defensive formation was that the Germans felt it
necessary to add these ponderous devices beneath the wings
of their fighters. Maneuverability of those Bf 109Gs and
Fw 190As so equipped was reduced significantly, but the
theory was that the fighters could remain outside the range of
defensive fire and lob the rockets into the formation.
This new tactic was indeed a terrible surprise to the
bomber crews if one were unlucky enough to be hit with
one, even the largest aircraft would virtually disintegrate in
midair. However, the other tactic introduced on this raid
immediately negated any positive benefit incurred from the
rockets, and would eventually prove to overwhelm the
Jagdwaffe entirely the 4th Fighter Group met the returning
bomber formations at Emmerich, on the Dutch/German
Reason
Killed in combat
Wounded in combat, parachuted
Destroyed in combat
Crash-landing following combat
Killed in combat
Emergency landing following combat
Enemy fire
(Gruppenkommandeur) Belly-landed following combat
Injured in parachute jump; died of wounds 30 July 43
Pilot parachuted safely af ter combat
Wounded in combat, crashed at sea
Wounded in combat, crashed
Emergency landing due to fuel shor tage
Killed in combat
Pilot error
Killed in crash during take-off
Location
near Frstenau
Achmer
near Osnabrck
Gttingen
6km SE of Heusden
Thiel
Soesterberg
Soesterberg A/F
near Lexmond
near Zutphen
North Sea
Lhne/Westf.
Minden
Off Pellworm, west of Sylt
Nordholz A/F
Nordholz A/F
%Dmg
100%
100%
100%
100%
75%
100%
40%
30%
25%
100%
100%
100%
100%
35%
100%
60%
100%
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 65
Table 5 30 July 1943

Type
WNr
Pilot
Bf 109G-6
15365
Unknown
Bf 109G-6
15366
Unknown
Bf 109G-6
15393
Unknown
Bf 109G-4
19381
Unknown
Bf 109G-6
19824
Uffz. Erich
Bf 109G-6
20323
Uffz. Hermann Wolter
Bf 109G-6
15534
Ltn. Gerd Hollmann
Bf 109G-4
19784
Unknown
Bf 109G-1
14123
Unknown
Bf 109G-6
19823
Unknown
Bf 109G-6
20157
Unknown
Bf 109G-4
14971
Fw. Hans Herrmann
Unit
III./JG 1
III./JG 1
III./JG 1
2./JG 3
3./JG 3
8./JG 11
9./JG 11
II./JG 11
III./JG 11
III./JG 11
III./JG 11
7./JG 54
White 5 + ^^
Bf 109G-4/Y 16180
Bf 109G-6
15778
Bf 109G-6
19844
7./JG 54
8./JG 54
8./JG 54
White 9 + ^^
Black << + ^^
Black <2 + ^^
Uffz. Mar tin Junginger

Uffz. Alber t Elte
Uffz. Friedrich Sthrer
Code
Yellow 3 + |
border, which came as a complete surprise to the German

defenders. The 4th had reached the border by using 200 gallon
unpressurized fuel tanks beneath the aircraft centerline, and
they capitalized on the element of surprise, downing nine
aircraft in total, six Fw 190s and three Bf 109s (Table 4).
The 29th brought another raid of 172 bombers to northern
Germany which was hotly contested by JG 11 and III./JG 54;
out of the Luftwaffe losses, a total of nine Messerschmitts were
shot down or written off on return, with no pilot losses. In
exchange, a total of nine B-17s were damaged or shot down,
with another 70 sustaining varying degrees of damage. This
stood in contrast to the last raid of Blitz Week, a maximum
effort sending all 186 available B-17s to bomb the Fieseler
works at Kassel once again. Conditions seemed favorable for a
massive defensive response, but the raid was strongly escorted
by all three P-47 groups from VIII Fighter Command; the 56th
FG provided early penetration support, the 78th FG provided
late penetration support to those aircraft bringing up the rear
of the bomber stream headed to Germany, and the 4th FG
provided withdrawal support. All of the Thunderbolts carried
external fuel tanks, and what should have been a rout for the
German defenders turned into an aerial free-for-all, with the
American fighters causing significant casualties among the
Jagdfliegern. It was not entirely a one-way affair, however;
seventeen B-17s were shot down or damaged to the point of
being written off, with another 82 suffering damage and seven
of the escorting P-47s being claimed. Two of those claims
resulted from a midair collision between two 78th FG pilots,

Lt. James Dyers and the group commander, Lt.Col. Melvin
McNickle Dyers perished, while McNickle became a POW
on his first mission as group CO. Most of the Luftwaffe fighters
lost were Focke-Wulfs, but there were a number of Bf 109Gs
involved in the days actions as well, with the following losses
being incurred (Table 5).
In terms of sheer numbers, the losses sustained by VIII
Bomber Command throughout Blitz Week would be
unsupportable in the long run; out of approximately 1180
Reason
Damaged in combat
Emergency landing after combat
Belly-landing after combat
Shot down by defensive fire from B -17s
Wounded in combat
Wounded in combat
Killed in combat
Wounded by return fire after shooting B-17 out of
formation; over turned on landing
Killed in combat with enemy fighters
Missing after combat
Location
%Dmg
near Soesterberg
80%
near Amersfoor t
80%
near Dordrecht
40%
Blankenheimersdorf
100%
nr Kubach, SE of Weilburg 100%
Kranenburg
80%
North of Deventer
100%
near Kleve
40%
near Terboizen
15%
Deelen A/F
35%
Nienburg
50%
near Ammerongen
70%
Doesburg
100%
13km W of Ar nheim/Norden 100%
Arnheim/Schiphol area
100%
bombers sortied over the Reich between 25 and 30 July (not

counting the Norway raid on 24 July), German fighters and
flak accounted for around 95, with another 270 suffering
sufficient damage to be written up for repair, a complete loss
rate of just under 9%. More importantly, each B-17 was
crewed by 10 men; that meant 950 trained aircrew had
perished over the Continent outright, or been taken prisoner.
Many others suffered wounds, or died aboard aircraft which
returned to England. However, this first sustained bombing
offensive marked a significant turning point in the war;
increased escort capabilities meant that the ever-increasing
number of bombers could be brought almost all the way to
and from the target under an umbrella of air protection. The
Luftwaffe was beginning to feel the strain of constant
operations, and more and more pilots were being shot down
by the bombers defensive fire as well as by the escort fighters.
Looking strictly at Messerschmitt losses, Blitz Week saw a
total of 29 Bf 109Gs destroyed or completely written off with
100% damage, out of a total of 72 Bf 109s listed in
loss/damage records. Considering the Gustav equipped just a
few Jagdgruppen in the West, with the remainder of active
units flying the Focke-Wulf Fw 190A, the Jagdwaffe was
starting to pay a very high price to combat the American
daylight raids.
Despite the losses, the German fighter forces were not
through- not even close, in fact. After a rest period of almost
two weeks, the B-17s returned in force to the Ruhr on 12
August, with 330 bombers from the 1st and 4th Bomb Wings
being dispatched to bomb manufacturing plants around Bonn
and synthetic oil facilities in Gelsenkirchen. Due to weather
issues, only 243 aircraft made it to the targets, and the
Luftwaffe tried a new interception tactic, waiting for the
bombers just outside the range of the escorting P-47s. The
trick worked, and 28 B-17s were shot down outright or
written off upon return, with another 102 suffering damage.
Bf 109 losses were minimal, with only two Bf 109G-4s from
JG 50 was established in
mid-August 1943 at
Wiesbaden-Erbenheim, and
was only in existence for two
months, being absorbed by
I./JG 300 in late October.
Here, the Bf 109G-6s of JG 50
are arranged for a press visit
This unidentified III./JG 53 Bf

109G-6 will be recovered and
rebuilt by the tireless ground
crews to get it back in action
as soon as possible. The
black Reichsverteidigung
band of JG 53 is clearly
evident on this photo
Defence and Defeat
65
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 66
With the collapse of the R eich

and the end of the war,
derelict Bf 109s were to be
found all over the countr y
I./JG 27 being written off completely. There were several other

raids over the next few days, including a short-range bomb
run to Paris-Le Bourget which resulted in an absolute rout of
JG 2 by escorting US fighters, but the Messerschmitt-equipped
Gruppen saw little further action until the 17th.
Schweinfurt and Regensburg were the targets for August
17th, and these represented two of the highest priority targets
on the VIII Bomber Command strike list; Schweinfurt, as this
was a center for precision ball-bearing manufacturing, and
Regensburg, one of three major Bf 109 production facilities.
315 B-17s were sent to attack the two sites which lay deep in
German territory, further than any previous target in fact.
Adding to the complexity of the mission, the 4th Bomb Wing
aircraft were to continue south, crossing the Mediterranean
and landing at bases in North Africa after the raid. Volumes of
information have been written about the carnage unleashed on
the bomber formations on this day; by days end, no fewer than
60 B-17s and their crews had been shot down, mostly by the
defending fighters. The Messerschmitt-equipped Gruppen were
heavily committed to the fighting almost from the moment the
Table 6 17 August 1943

Type
WNr
Pilot
Bf 109G-6
20023
Fw. Rudolf Thiess
Bf 109G-6
18842
Hptm. Walter Dahl
Unit
7./JG 1
Stab III./JG 3
Bf 109G-6
19661
Bf 109G-4
19449
Bf 109G-6
18855
Bf 109G-6/U4
Bf 109G-6
19583
Bf 109G-6
20444
Bf 109G-6
2064x
Bf 109G-6
20460
Bf 109G-6
15623
Bf 109G-6
15881
Bf 109G-6
19856
Bf 109G-6
15643
Bf 109G-6
20080
Bf 109G-6
20082
Bf 109G-6
20519
Bf 109G-6
15637
Bf 109G-6
15870
Bf 109G-4
19216
Unknown
Unknown
Ltn. Harry Brner
Ltn. Franz Schwaiger
Uffz. Gerhard Pankalla
Ltn. Hans Schleef
Uffz. Norber t Geyer
Unknown
Oblt. Heinz Knoke
Unknown
Oblt. Franz Strobl
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Ltn. Wolf Scharff
Ofw. Heinz Kemethmuller
1./JG 3
2./JG 3
2./JG 3
2./JG 3
7./JG 3
7./JG 3
7./JG 3
III./JG 3
5./JG 11
8./JG 11
9./JG 11
II./JG 11
II./JG 11
II./JG 11
II./JG 11
III./JG 11
III./JG 11
7./JG 26
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
15923
18831
18833
Kehl, Ltn. Dietrich Kehl

Unknown
Oblt. Hans-Georg Dippel
7./JG 26
7./JG 26
9./JG 26
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-6
19466
19357
16494
Fw. Werner Kraft

Unknown
Uffz. Fritz Fritzlehner
9./JG 26
12./JG 26
12./JG 26
66
Chapter 6
Code
White 4 + |
Black 1 +
White 6 + |
Yellow 11 + |
Blue 16 + ~
first wave crossed the coastline, but losses were surprisingly

few, considering the intensity of the battle (Table 6).
The Schweinfurt/Regensburg mission had demonstrated
the folly of sending large formations of unescorted bombers
into heavily defended airspace, and had so shattered the heavy
bomber crews that no further German cities were subjected to
bombing attacks for the remainder of August. Instead, VIII
Bomber Command shifted their focus towards neutralizing
the German airfields scattered throughout France and the Low
Countries, relying on medium bombers such as A-20s and
B-26s to race in, bomb the target, and race out. These raids
were essentially Ramrod missions, heavily escorted by
Thunderbolts and Spitfires, and the intention was to draw the
Luftwaffe fighter units into battle, thereby destroying them on
the ground as well as in the air. The German fighter
controllers sent up fighters in small numbers to defend the
airfields, but not anywhere near the numbers the Allied
planners had hoped. Messerschmitt losses for the remainder
of the month were light; more Gustavs were written off in
collisions and accidents due to pilot error than were lost in
combat or in the attacks on the airfields.
The airfield campaign dragged on into September, with
large forces of B-17s continuing to pound the forward airfields
of Romilly-sur-Seine, Lille/Nord, Beaumont-Le-Roger,
Beauvais/Tille, Mardyck, Denain/Prouvy, along with other
fields. Attacks against the transportation infrastructure also
continued, with French railroad marshalling yards coming in
for heavy bombardment. It wasnt until 6 September that VIII
Bomber Command sent another raid into German airspace;
the target was Stuttgart, and the 407 B-17s dispatched set a
new record for number of individual sorties in a raid.
However, the ever-changing weather over the Continent
completely disrupted the formations, and the intercepting
fighters once again had their way with the unescorted B-17s,
with 45 aircraft being lost to all causes. Messerschmittequipped units intercepting the raid included II./JG 51 based
at Neubiberg, southeast of Mnchen, I./ and III./JG 3, I./JG 27,
and Jagdgruppe 50, a small unit led by Oberstlt. Hermann Graf
Reason
Emergency landing after being wounded
(Gruppenkommandeur) Injured in Belly-landing due to
engine trouble
Emergency landing after combat with B -17s
Damaged in combat with B17s.; parachuted.
Emergency landing after combat with B -17s
Crashed after combat
A/C damaged in combat, pilot parachuted
Emergency landing, A/C damaged by enemy fire
(Staffelkapitn) Emergency landing af ter combat
Stkp. Emergency landing af ter combat
Emergency landing due to technical failure
Belly-landing due to engine damage
Wounded in combat with P-47 of Maj. Loren McCollom,
78th FG- parachuted safely
Belly-landed due to fuel shor tage
Enemy fire
(Staffelkapitn) A/C crashed af ter combat with B -17s;
pilot parachuted
Wounded in combat with B -17s
Undercarriage damage.
Killedby defensive fire from B -17s
Location
near Schwabenhausen
Capperath/Eifel
%Dmg
90%
45%
Frankfurt Rhein/Main A/F

near Euskirchen
near Worms
Wengerohr
See off Iserkerke
near Arendskerke
near Breda
SW of Rosenthal
Rheinbach
St. Trond
Bonn-Hangelar A/F
Odendorf
Niedermendig
Kln-Ostheim
Kelberg
Haverbeck
Bonn-Hangelar A/F
Leopoldsburg
15%
40%
100%
<5%
100%
100%
25%
70%
60%
40%
75%
20%
15%
15%
60%
60%
70%
100%
near Antwerp
Schiphol
near Gerolstein, WSW
of Koblenz
Viorswlag near Hasselt
Schiphol A/F
near Hasselt
100%
10%
100%
80%
20%
100%
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 67
that was intended as a high-altitude Mosquito chasing group.

Nine Bf 109s were lost outright, with an additional 12
suffering varying degrees of damage.
The American heavy bombers did not venture over German
territory again for nearly three weeks, although the defenders
were certainly kept busy in the meantime with nearly daily
raids on various airfields, power stations, and transportation
infrastructure. On 27 September, another new piece of
equipment was introduced to service on US bombers, H2S.
This was a primitive but relatively effective ground mapping
radar which gave the bombers the ability to bomb through
cloud cover which would have previously caused the mission
to be scrubbed. 246 B-17s attacked Emden under the
guidance of so-called Pathfinder aircraft outfitted with H2S,
and the escorting P-47s of the 56th and 78th Fighter Groups
surprised the German defenders waiting to pounce on the
bombers by not turning back for the first time, they
escorted the bombers all the way to the target and back home
again, thanks to the additional fuel provided by new
pressurized 108 gallon belly tanks. The results were disastrous
for the Germans, and particularly so for II./JG 11, which lost
no fewer than 11 Gustavs to the escort fighters and other
causes; nine pilots were killed or missing, and this total does
not count the other three damaged Bf 109s. The other
Messerschmitt-equipped Geschwader which took a real
beating on the Emden mission was JG 3, suffering three
complete losses with two pilots killed, and six other Gustavs
damaged. Among the pilots scoring victories over Bf 109s on
this mission was 1Lt. Quince L. Brown of the 78th FG; he
claimed his first victory over a Bf 109G on this date.
Five days later, on 2 October, another 340 B-17s returned to
Emden, again led by two H2S-equipped Pathfinder aircraft,
and again, JG 11 paid dearly in their interception efforts. This
time, III. Gruppe was decimated by the escorts and return fire
from the Fortresses; 8 Bf 109Gs from III./JG 27 were destroyed
outright, with five pilots killed, and another two aircraft
suffered significant damage. I./ and II./JG 3 lost another five
Bf 109s between them in this raid as well. Industrial targets in
central Germany came in for attack from 282 bombers on 4

October, and this time, only four Bf 109s were lost. However,
one of those 109s was flown by 33-victory ace Oblt. Heinz
Knoke, Staffelkapitn of 5./JG 11. He had already been shot
down four times previously in 1943, with the most recent
downing occurring just days earlier on the 27 September raid
to Emden. On the 4th, he once again found himself baling out
of his Messerschmitt and drifting silently to earth; he suffered
no wounds in this encounter, but having had five Bf 109Gs
shot out from beneath him in the space of less than six
months, he must have wondered whether he had immensely
good or immensely bad luck!
The raids kept coming, stronger and stronger, and the
defenders faced increasingly insurmountable odds when
taking on the bombers and their increasingly aggressive
escorts. On 8 October, around 340 bombers paid a visit to
Bremen and Vegesack to bomb the U-boat facilities there;
This acrobatic Gefreiter will

be having a bad day if he
slips from the nose of this
Regensburg-built Bf 109G6/AS. The higher position of
the cold weather start device
hatch on the cowling is
interesting
Messerschmitt losses totaled 10, with seven pilots killed, and

an additional 10 Gustavs were damaged to some extent; I./
and II./JG 3 Udet bore the brunt of the days losses,
accounting for fully half of all damaged or destroyed Bf 109s.
Among the other pilots lost on this day was the
Geschwaderkommodore of JG 1, Maj. Hans Philipp. Arguably
the most significant blow to the entire Luftwaffe since the
death of Marseille two years earlier, the Experten with 208
victories was shot down near Nordhorn. 30 bombers were
shot down by the defenders, not an insignificant number, but
this was offset by the immense psychological blow of losing
Philipp, and the increasing drain on experienced Jagdwaffe
pilots overall. The next day saw another 352 bombers hit
Anklam, Marienburg, and Danzig; 28 US bombers were shot
down, while Messerschmitt losses and damage amounted to
twelve Gustavs, half of which belonged to III./JG 54. And on 10
October, 236 B-17s attacked Mnster, with another 11 Bf 109s
incurring damaged to some extent with only one total loss.
On Thursday, 14 October, the recently renamed 8th Air
Force decided to try for Schweinfurt once again. The mission
planners looked at the successes over the past few weeks, and
it was felt that the rising losses of the Jagdwaffe, combined
with regular attacks on the fighter airfields by medium
bombers over the past month, should allow for a much
smoother raid on this, the highest priority target in Germany
at the time. They could not have been more wrong. 230
bombers set out for Schweinfurt under strong fighter escort,
but the P-47s still did not have the range to escort the
bombers all the way into central Germany, and so turned back
at the Rhine River. What happened next is best described as
sheer carnage. Bf 110s and Me 410s carrying four WGr 21
rockets apiece launched these into the midst of the tight
bomber formations, which fragmented the groups. The singleengine fighters then fell upon these aircraft with a vengeance;
every single Luftwaffe fighter unit currently in the West
engaged the bomber formations at some point during the
raid, giving no respite whatsoever to the men on board the
B-17s. For over three hours, German fighters tore apart the
This Bf 109G-6 coded red 4

from an unknown 8. Staffel is
fitted with a replacement Erla
Haube canopy which is still in
overall RLM 66 Schwartzgrau
Defence and Defeat
67
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 68
As Allied forces rapidly

advanced across the
continent, Luftwaffe units
were forced to abandon
hundreds of aircraft under
repair (such as this Bf 109G)
as they hurriedly evacuated
their bases
Although of poor quality, this

is nevertheless an interesting
photo showing the Bf 109G6/trops of 5./JG 27 equipped
with WGr 21 mortars just
prior to their transfer from
Italy back to Germany in June
or July 1943
Table 7
Type
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
WNr
20464
26056
160342
20492
20308
20698
20261
15671
15772
26024
Bf 109G-6
26025
Bf 109G-6
18854
Bf 109G-6/R6 18807
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-5
68
Chapter 6
162024
18865
27152
20661
18843
18893
160014
160030
19821
20069
20768
15548
B-17s, and the wreckage of sixty B-17s littered the German

landscape by the end of the day, at a cost of 38 fighters; the
withdrawal support fighters were socked in at their bases in
England due to inclement weather. This was the death knell
for the unescorted long-range bombing doctrine within VIII
Bomber Command; somewhat ironically, the 55th Fighter
Group, the first US fighter unit to be equipped with the
longer-range P-38 Lightning, became operational just one day
later. No further unescorted missions would occur for the
remainder of the war.
Of the more than 50 Bf 109Gs damaged or destroyed on
Black Thursday, nearly half were destroyed outright; only
those aircraft suffering 90% or greater damage are listed in
the following table. Among the lost and damaged aircraft were
several Bf 109G-5s, the pressurized variant of the G-6 which
had recently entered widespread service in the west. The G-5s
were primarily assigned as high cover, intended to take on the
escort fighters waiting to pounce from above (Table 7).
Another organizational shuffle took place within the US
ranks on the 16th with the establishment of the 9th Air Force.
The 9th AF would be the primary force responsible for tactical
attacks, while the 8th AF focused on strategic and long-range
targets. All of the medium bomber units which had been
attacking targets in France were now transferred to the new
organization, as were several fighter units as part of 9th AF
Fighter Command under Gen. Pete Quesada. The B-26s of the
Pilot
Ofw. Otto Langenbach
Fw. Helmut Brinkmann
Uffz. Friedrich Gaber
FhjFw. Alber t Lindenschmid
Ltn. Heinrich Werner
Hptm. Rudolf Gemeroth

Fw. Peter Kastl
Hptm. Karl-Heinz Langer
Fw. Herber t Zimmer

Ofw. Alfred Surau
Uffz.Walter Baade
Gefr. Karl Khne
Ltn. Gnther Stedtfeld
Uffz. Lange
Fw. Kurt von Dsterloh
Fw. Heinrich Bosin
Uffz. Paul Snderath
Uffz. Herber t Donath
Unit
7./JG 1
7./JG 1
7./JG 1
9./JG 1
Stab I./JG 3
Stab./JG 3
2./JG 3
3./JG 3
3./JG 3
7./JG 3
7./JG 3
8./JG 3
9./JG 3
8./JG 3
9./JG 11
3./JG 27
6./JG 27
4./JG 51
4./JG 51
4./JG 51
II./JG 51
8./JG 54
8./JG 54
I./JGr. 25
I./JGr. 50
Code
White 5 +
White 12 +
White 13 +
Black < +
Black <o + Black 15 +
Yellow 2 +
Yellow 5 +
9th AF would be the only US bombers to see any substantial

action for the remainder of the month; one B-17 raid was sent
to Dren on the 20th, but out of around 210 bombers
dispatched, only 114 actually reached and bombed the target;
failure of the Oboe blind bombing equipment was listed as
the official cause. The German response was similarly stunted,
with no bombers being lost to fighters and no Messerschmitt
losses appear for this day. The last raid of the month was an
all-Marauder effort on the 24th against Montdidier,
Beauvais/Nivillers, and Saint-Andre-de-L'Eure, escorted by
Spitfires; the German response was light, with only two B-26s
being claimed by fighters. Oblt. Detlev Rowher of the Gustavequipped 2./JG 3 was one of the successful pilots, but this was
offset by three losses to 4./JG 3, including 108-victory ace
Hptm. Werner Lucas, the Staffelkapitn of 4. Staffel, who was
shot down in his Bf 109G-6 white 7 + - (WNr 27080) by the
escorting Spitfires.
On 1 November, an entirely new US air force entered the air
war; the Fifteenth Air Force was based in occupied Italy, and
was formed with an initial complement of six heavy bomber
groups, five medium bomber groups, and four fighter groups.
The very next day, a large raid was sent against one of the
primary Messerschmitt Bf 109 factories, the Wiener-Neustadt
Flugzeugwerke on the outskirts of Vienna. The Gustavs of
III./JG 3, I./JG 27, II./JG 51, and II./JG 53 were all involved in
the interception efforts, and eight Messerschmitts were shot
down outright with an additional six suffering damage;
somehow, only one Messerschmitt pilot was killed, Fw. Alfred
Reason
Killed in combat with B -17
Killed in combat with P-47
Killed in combat with P-47
Combat. Crashed. Pilot parachuted OK
Killed in combat with enemy fighters
Engine damage, pilot parachuted
(Staffelkapitn) Killed in action with P-47s near Antwerp
MIA after combat with enemy fighters
(Staffelkapitn) Wounded in combat af ter downing a
B-17 (his 16th); parachuted successfully
White 6 + |
Yellow 6 + |
Yellow 7 + |
Yellow 9 + -
Black 7 + ^^
Black 10 + ^^
A/C shot down, pilot parachuted safely

Wounded in combat and parachuted, but died of
wounds later this day
Crashed after being rammed by an enemy aircraf t
Killed in combat
Crash-landed following combat
Injured in parachute jump following combat
Shot down in combat, parachuted
Injured in crash-landing following combat
Killed in emergency landing due to fuel shor tage
Reported lost, cause unknown. Pilot retur ned
Killed in combat
Location
NE of Hasselt
Map grid MM
Map grid ML
Hasselt
Antwerp area
near Tolen
Roosendaal
Bergan-aan-See
Antwerp area
near Hammelburg
%Dmg
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
Bad Wrishhafen
NW of Seligenstadt
near Wertheim, west of
Schweinfurt
Hammelburg
South of Schweinfur t
Schweinfurt
Blenod
Freidberg
near Frankfurt am Main
SE of Siegen
Koblenz
near Uttweiler
Lttich/Waream
100%
100%
100%
West of Euskirchen
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
90%
100%
100%
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 69
Osswald of 5./JG 53 being shot down by return fire from the

B-24s and falling near Thernburg. With the onset of the 15th
AF raids on Austria, Yugoslavia, Romania, and southern
Germany itself, and the ongoing 9th AF campaigns against
transportation and infrastructure in France and the Low
Countries, as well as the continually strengthening strategic
raids by 8th AF units against production and population
centers all over northern Europe and Germany proper, the
Luftwaffe defences were being stretched to the limit. American
bombers and Jabos (Jagdbomber = fighter bomber) now
ranged across the entire length and breadth of the Reich, with
scarcely a days rest for the Jagdwaffe pilots flying against
these aerial armadas. And as bad as things had been, they
were about to get much, much worse.
November 3rd brought the largest 8th AF raid to date,
consisting of 566 B-17s and B-24s sent to bomb
Wilhelmshaven. The city was obscured by cloud, but the blind
bombing technique using H2S and H2X was a complete
success; the target was heavily damaged, and the raiding
bombers were escorted almost the entire way there and back
by recently arrived P-38s as well as P-47s. As had become
normal, heavily escorted diversionary raids by medium
bombers were sent against airfields in the area, and in one of
these raids on Amsterdam-Schipol, the 180-victory ace Maj.
Kurt Brndle (Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 3) and four of
his pilots were shot down and killed outright by escorting
Canadian Spitfires while trying to take off to counter the
attack. In fact, a total of 20 Bf 109s were shot down and
completely destroyed on the 3rd, with another seven incurring
damage. After a short break on the 4th, the 8th AF sent 436
B-17s and B-24s to Gelsenkirchen and Mnster with heavy
fighter escort on November 5th, while the 9th AF covered the
entire Pas de Calais peninsula with over one thousand
aircraft; 286 medium bombers, 82 Hawker Typhoons for
ground attack, and no fewer than 651 Spitfires. Normal policy
for the Jagdwaffe was to ignore fighter cover, but with such a
strong bombing force, the vastly outnumbered German fighter
units had little choice but to engage the massive formations,
with predictable results; looking strictly at Messerschmitt
losses, seventeen Bf 109Gs from II./JG 3, I./ and III./JG 26,
III./JG 11, and I./Jgr.25 were damaged or destroyed. The onset
of increasingly dirty weather prevented both sides from
launching any major raids, but on November 8th, a new
fighter unit entered service with the 9th AF with a new

aircraft; the 354th Fighter Group introduced the P-51B
Mustang into squadron service.
The 13th saw a small raid of 115 8th AF bombers sent to
Bremen, escorted by the 55th FG in their P-38s as well as
P-47s from the 355th FG . Escort was provided all the way to
and from the target, but the P-38s were roughly handled by
the Jagdwaffe, suffering seven aircraft shot down by JG 1 for
just one loss, Uffz. Gnther Weber of 7./JG 1 successfully
baling out of his Bf 109G-6 white 2 (WNr 20502) after being
wounded by return fire from the escort fighters. Although not
technically a full loss, Oblt. Heinz Klpper, Staffelkapitn of
7./JG 1 was obliged to crash-land his Bf 109G-6 white 1 (WNr
20272) near Kamper following combat. Elsewhere, II./ and
III./JG 11 were not so fortunate, losing 8 Messerschmitts with
3 pilots killed; the total number of Gustavs lost or damaged in
the days combats totaled nineteen.
No major attacks on German targets were scheduled for the
next few days; the next major operation took place on 26
November, when 440 bombers attacked Bremen while another
128 aircraft were scheduled to bomb industrial targets in the
Paris area. This smaller raid was a complete failure as the
target was obscured by cloud, but the main force continued on
to bomb Bremen through cloud. JG 1, JG 2, JG 3, JG 11, and JG
26 responded to the raid in force, along with the first tentative
daylight missions flown by the experienced nightfighter pilots
of JG 300. 29 US aircraft were lost in total from the two forces,
and at least 9 Bf 109s were written off completely, with several
others suffering significant damage. Bremen was the target
again three days later, on the 29th, but the weather was so bad
that two full US combat wings were forced to abort the
mission due to being unable to join in formation. Another 154
bombers pressed on to the target, and the responding fighters
downed 13 bombers at a significant cost to themselves; over
18 Bf 109Gs were downed or suffered significant damage (in
excess of 50%) in responding to the raid, including an entire
three-plane section of 7./JG 1 led by 94-victory ace Oblt.
Heinrich Klpper, who flew into the ground in Bf 109G-6
white 1 (WNr 410106) while diving through clouds with his
two wingmen, Ofw. Hermann Brackhagen in white 5 (WNr
15284) and Ohfr. Manfred Sprk in white 3 (WNr 15930).
Bad weather caused a mass abort the following day as well,
when only 78 US bombers reached Solingen, but these
bombers were still covered by the P-47s of the 78th Fighter
Group. Responding German fighters were quickly engaged,
and III./JG 26 was roughly handled, losing three
Messerschmitts. One of those killed was Ofw. Karl-Heinz
Claar of the recently formed 12. Staffel, in a Bf 109G-6/U4
coded blue 6 + | (WNr 440019). He was not seen to be shot
Although it is not known to

what unit these Bf 109G-6s
and G-14s belong, it is
possible these are from a
Jagdfliegerschule, given the
presence of the yellow band
just aft of the cross which
became an identification
device for all training units
On 28 May 1943, III./JG 1

was established with Bf
109G-6s at Leeuwarden
under the command of Maj.
Karl-Heinz Leesman (at left)
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69
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 70
This Bf 109G-10 with an

almost imperceptible twotone camouflage scheme
comes from the Erla
production batch, as
evidenced by the squared-off
fairing beneath the
windscreen and the smooth
lower forward cowling
This Bf 109G-10 formerly of

I./EJG 1 was abandoned at
Skrydstrup in May 1945
70
Chapter 6
down, and it is believed that the unfortunate Oberfeldwebel

simply became disoriented in the clouds and crashed to his
death. His loss underscores the dramatic reduction in training
quality being forced upon the Luftwaffe by this point in the
war, as Claar had been cleared for operations without having
even the most rudimentary instrument training.
VIII Bomber Command decided to try Solingen again the
next day, sending 284 aircraft to attack the target, and the
German fighters were far more successful than the previous
day; 27 bombers were downed, but two more highly
experienced Messerschmitt pilots were killed by escorting
P-47s. Ofw. Alfred Miksch of 8./JG 1 was downed in his
Bf 109G-6 black 13 (WNr 140007), while Ritterkreuz recipient
Oblt. Herbert Schramm, the Staffelkapitn of 5./JG 27, was
killed in Bf 109G-6 black <|| + - (WNr 410291). Schramm
had 42 victories, while Miksch had 43 at the time of his death.
Following a spell of particularly ugly weather which kept both
air forces grounded, 523 bombers raided the dockyards of
Emden on 11 December, losing 17 of their number to the
German defences. Messerschmitt-equipped units countering
this raid included III./JG 1, I. and II./JG 3, II. and III./JG 11,
and a new experimental Jagdgruppe, JGr 25, which suffered two
damaged Messerschmitts due to engine trouble.
Bremen came in for a heavy attack of 535 US bombers on
the 16th, with III./JG 1, II./JG 3, II. and III./JG 11, III./JG 26,
and I./JG 300 responding with their Bf 109s. Three
Messerschmitts were lost outright, with two of the three losses
coming from I./JG 300. Four days later, the bombers returned
to Bremen in excellent visibility, dropping Window to obscure
their path on the Wrzburg and Freya radars for the first time.
470 bombers were credited with a mission, and a number of
victories were claimed by the various defending Luftwaffe
units, although JG 11 was forced to write off seven Bf 109s
with several others damaged. One pilot, Uffz.Hubert Swoboda
of 11./JG 1 flying Bf 109G-5/U2 White 4 + (WNr 15339)
found himself forced to ram a B-17 after his guns jammed
just as he had lined up for the kill. As the escorting P-47s
swooped in after Swoboda, he ran his aircraft into the vertical
fin which caused the B-17 to crash, killing four of the ten men
aboard. Swoboda managed to successfully parachute, however.
On the 22nd, 439 B-17s and B-24s raided Mnster and
Osnabruck, targeting the railroad marshalling yards and
despite a number of claims being filed by the Luftwaffe pilots,
only two aircraft are listed as having been shot down by the
official USAAF history. The Messerschmitts of III./JG 26 were
mauled by the escorting P-47s of the 4th, 56th, and 78th
Fighter Groups, with five pilots being killed outright. One
veteran pilot, Ltn. Karl-Heinz Kempf of 11./JG 26, succeeded
in penetrating the fighter screen only to be hit by return fire
from a B-17 and wounded. He was thus obliged to bail out of
his Bf 109G-6 WNr 440012 yellow 9 + |, bringing the total
number of destroyed Bf 109s to six for Klaus Mietuschs
III./JG 26. III./JG 54 lost four Messerschmitts, and III./JG 300
lost a pair as well with Fw. Izodor Hirzmann being killed in

the crash of his G-6 WNr 26031. The last major raid of the
year saw 658 US bombers attack the I.G. Farben plant at
Ludwigshafen, while only half of the scheduled medium
bombers actually completed their assigned missions
approximately 100 Martin Marauders of the 9th AF attacked
V-weapon launch sites in France. 23 US bombers were
downed by the Luftwaffe defenders, but the cost was high
three Bf 109s of JG 3 were shot down with two of the pilots
being killed, one JG 300 Messerschmitt pilot lost his life to
unknown causes, and JG 2 lost no fewer than five Bf 109s, only
one of whose pilots survived. The following day, around 575
B-17s and B-24s undertook a shallow penetration raid to
industrial targets in Paris and airfields in northwestern
France. In this, the last raid on the last day of 1943, the
German fighters managed to acquit themselves well, especially
considering several training units were called upon to
respond. 25 bombers were shot down outright by the
combined fighter and flak defences, while another 15 were
forced to ditch or crashed on the return flight. Losses were
very light, although Gefr. Klaus Klinkauf of 5./JG 2 was killed
in a failed parachute jump after abandoning his combatdamaged Bf 109G-6 WNr 15383.
1943 is often considered the turning point of the air war in
Europe, as the weight of the Combined Bombing Offensive
irrevocably shifted the Luftwaffe into a defensive posture from
which it would never emerge. The combination of
progressively more capable escort fighters, better trained
fighter pilots and more effective defensive formations along
with better formation discipline on the part of the bomber
pilots was having a telling effect on the Jagdwaffe; a large
number of highly experienced aces and leaders were severely
wounded or killed by both bomber defensive fire as well as
the escort fighters, and the shortening of training classes was
only compounding the problem for the German units. As the
US fighter force gained in both strength and experience, the
Luftwaffe forces were being bolstered by hundreds of low-time
raw recruits who were lucky to survive ten missions before
being shot down. And as tough as the situation looked for the
Jagdwaffe at the end of 1943, much worse was to come.
Kiel and Mnster were the targets for over 500 8th Air
Force bombers on 4 January 1944, with four Bf 109s being
downed from various units throughout the day, including the
aircraft of Oblt. Heinz Knoke of 5./JG 11, who was shot down
and wounded by German flak batteries The next day saw
another 426 bombers sent in a split raid to Kiel and fighter
bases in northern France. 25 bombers were downed in an
effective intercept operation, although JG 11 lost one Bf 109
each from II. and III./JG 11, as well as the Stabstaffel. On 7
January, the I.G. Farben plant at Ludwigshafen was the focus
of another raid, with 420 bombers under heavy escort being
sent on the raid. Twelve bombers were shot down, while only
three Messerschmitts were lost; two of these were from
7./JG 301, an erstwhile Wilde Sau nightfighter unit which,
along with JG 300 and JG 302, had been reassigned to day
fighter missions. The next major raid occurred on 11 January,
with over 570 heavy bombers attacking the Focke-Wulf plant
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 71
at Oschersleben, as well as other industrial targets near

Halberstadt and Braunschweig. Despite heavy escort, the
Luftwaffe response was particularly fierce and no fewer than
60 US bombers were lost the same number lost on the
infamous Black Thursday raid to Schweinfurt the previous
October, yet the Oschersleben raid has received far less
attention. The difference in perception, perhaps, is that by
January 1944, 500-strong bomber formations were the rule
rather than the exception, and statistically speaking, such a
major loss of aircraft and crew could be made good relatively
quickly at this point in the war. This was still a major victory
for the Luftwaffe fighters, however, achieved with a massively
strong response. Among the units operating Bf 109s, JG 11
suffered the greatest losses, with eight Messerschmitts being
destroyed or damaged, and four pilots killed. III./JG 1 lost
one pilot, with Uffz. Dagobert Schattner being shot down and
killed in Bf 109G-6 black 13 + (WNr 410517) by an
escorting P-47, while I./JG 302 had two Gustavs destroyed
and one damaged.
14 January saw a massive Allied effort against the Vweapons sites in the Pas de Calais, with no fewer than 844
medium bombers and Spitfire escorts attacking the sites in
the morning, and 527 heavy bombers escorted by an
astounding 645 US fighters attacked the sites in the
afternoon. The Luftwaffe forces were positively overwhelmed
by the sheer numbers of Allied aircraft, and little success was
achieved against the raiders. Two Bf 109G-6s of 11./JG 26
were downed by the Spitfire escort of the morning raid, with
Uffz. Hans Hein in yellow 1 (WNr 410577) and Ltn. Klaus
Reinhardt in yellow 6 (WNr 410677) being killed. 8./JG 2
also lost a pair of Gustavs, with Ofw. Richard Hl being shot
down and killed in Bf 109G-6 WNr 27061 and Ltn. Karl
Steinhauser being killed in G-6 blue 12 + - (WNr 410738).
The Pas de Calais came in for further punishment on 21
January, with the V-weapons sites being targeted once again
by heavily escorted US bomber formations. Only two
Messerschmitts were lost in the days actions, with both
aircraft (from III./JG 26) being shot down by Maj. Walter
Beckham of the 353rd Fighter Group. Fw. Hans Oeckel in
blue 1 (WNr 410723) was able to successfully bail out, but
Oblt. Erich Burkert in blue 6 (WNr 410675) was not so lucky
and perished in the crash of his Bf 109.
Two noteworthy events took place on 24 January which
would affect the Luftwaffe in various ways. An immediate
effect was noticed by the completely botched bomber
formation assembly which resulted in only 58 B-17s out of a
scheduled 817 actually continuing on the mission. The

formations encountered unexpected cloud layers and
generally poor weather, and all but one formation of bombers
which was already near the German border were recalled. Of
the 58 which continued on, only two B-17s were downed,
along with several escort fighters. Only one Bf 109 was
downed in combat, this being the G-6 white 10 + (WNr
160683) of Ltn. Paul Hnle of 1./JG 3, but two Messerschmitts
from 9./JG 11 collided with their pilots being killed, and two
further Bf 109Gs from III./JG 300 were lost due to technical
failure, with their pilots being lost as well. The other
noteworthy event would have far-reaching consequences for
the increasingly inexperienced Jagdwaffe pilots; it was decided
to allocate the majority of North American P-51 Mustangs to
8th AF Fighter Command for the express purpose of long
range bomber escort. The 354th Fighter Group had been the
first unit in theatre to receive the new type, as the original
plan was to transition new 9th AF units as they arrived in
England and have the 8th AF fighter units continue using
Thunderbolts. The decision to prioritize delivery to the 8th AF
units now placed targets in eastern Germany within the range
of escort fighters, which were also operating under new, looser
engagement rules.
Frankfurt am Main was raided by 803 bombers under
heavy escort from P-47s, P-38s, and the new P-51Bs of the
354th FG on 29 January, and again the defence was stout, with
29 bombers being lost to all causes. II. and III./JG 2 had
another bad day, losing five Messerschmitts between them
while III./JG 3 lost two pilots killed by defensive fire from the
B-17 formations. The 30th saw 777 heavy bombers hit
Braunschweig again, escorted by 635 fighters, and despite
claiming 20 bombers, the German fighters were mauled by the
American forces. III./JG 1 lost eight aircraft in total, with one
Staffelkapitn being killed (7./JG 1s Hptm. Albert Kind, in
white 1 +, WNr 410565) and the Gruppenkommandeur
Hptm. Friederich Eberle being wounded, although he was able
to successfully escape his damaged Bf 109G-6 white 20 +,
WNr 160303. JG 11 fared little better, losing six aircraft, while
JG 3 and JG 300 both lost two pilots with their aircraft apiece.
Among the lost pilots was the Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 3,
the Ritterkreuz recipient and 49-victory ace Hptm. Klaus
Qut-Faslem, who was killed in his machine black << 1 +
(WNr 15243) after crashing at the ironically named hamlet of
Langeleben (German for long life) due to bad weather.
II./JG 2 was the only Messerschmitt-equipped unit to
The machine this unknown

Oberfeldwebel is exiting could
be either an AS-engined Bf
109G, or perhaps a G-10. The
style of air scoop below the
windscreen is of interest
White 9, a Bf 109G-10 from

II./JG 52 in the 61xxxx
production block, is seen here
following the Gruppes
surrender at Neubiberg. Note
the lack of an antenna mast
and the very light
uppersurface camouflage
Defence and Defeat
71
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 72
WNr 770269, a Bf 109G10/R2 reconnaissance variant

of 2./NAG 14 was
surrendered at Frth,
Germany at the end of the
war and is seen here
surrounded by US troops
Photographed in one of the

many aircraft dumps
scattered throughout
Germany after the war, this
late Bf 109G of I. or III./JG 53
is only the second known
example to be seen with a
black stenciled fuselage
Balkankreuz
72
Chapter 6
report losses during the first raid of February on the 4th,

flown against Frankfurt am Main by 433 heavy bombers
escorted by a total of 23 US and RAF fighter groups offering
penetration and withdrawal support. The Gruppe lost three
Bf 109G-6s, two in combat and one on a transfer flight. The
5th saw around 450 aircraft sent against German airfields in
northern France, but the results were less than spectacular;
two Bf 109Gs of JG 103 at Chateauroux were damaged by
bombs, and two III./JG 2 Messerschmitt pilots were lost in
combat. A similar effort the following day saw similar results,
although III./JG 26 was set upon by the Thunderbolts of the
56th Fighter Group and three aircraft were downed; only Uffz.
Rolf Simmank in Bf 109G-6 black 1 (WNr 162031) of 10.
Staffel was killed, the other two pilots (Obfw. Hans Erbskorn
and Uffz. Otto Salewski, both of 12. Staffel) were both able to
safely belly-land their aircraft, albeit with wounds.
Frankfurt am Main was once again the target of the day for
8 February, with 237 heavy bombers headed in that direction.
A strong Luftwaffe response was in the offing, and both the
bombers and escorts suffered for their lack of formation
discipline on this mission. Thirteen bombers were shot down
by flak and fighters, along with eight escorting fighters. In
response, four Bf 109G-6s were downed from III./JG 1, with
two pilots baling out with wounds, and one Messerschmitt
pilot each from Stab II./JG 2 and 11./JG 26 were downed as
well. It should be noted that 8 February also marks the first
combat losses for the P-51B, as the Focke Wulf Fw 190s of
I./JG 26 surprised a four-plane formation from the 354th
Fighter Group and downed three Mustangs for no losses.

10 February brought a raid against Braunschweig
(consistently referred to in English language references as
Brunswick) by 138 bombers, 29 of which were lost to the
German defences. Once again, however, the Luftwaffe was put
to the test, with JG 3 coming off worst in the battle; seven
Bf 109s of III./JG 3 were destroyed with the loss of six pilots,
while II./JG 11 lost six Messerschmitts and five pilots. The
recently returned III./JG 54 was roughly handled as well, with
three Bf 109G-6s falling in combat. The loss of the aircraft
could be made up, but the loss of 14 pilots on one mission was
a heavy blow. 11 February brought no respite, as 180 heavy
bombers attacked Frankfurt am Main once again, while
another 130 bombers hit the I.G. Farben complex at
Ludwigshafen; another 7 Bf 109s were shot down, with
IV./JG 3 suffering the loss of its Gruppenkommandeur, Hptm.
Franz Beyer. The 81-victory ace was being pursued by
Spitfires at low level when his Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 WNr
411036 impacted a tree, killing Beyer instantly. One
noteworthy victory was credited to a pilot in 4./JG 11, Uffz.
Andreas Reissle. Flying a Bf 109G-6 coded white 10 + (WNr
161183), Reissle rammed a P-51B Mustang flown by the
commanding officer of the 354th Fighter Group, Col. Kenneth
R. Martin, killing the American pilot instantly while Reissle
survived the encounter with wounds.
Another raid by 377 USAAF bombers on various V-weapon
sites in northern France proved costly for II./JG 2 on 13
February, who lost four Messerschmitts outright with a fifth
damaged. Following this raid, there was a week of relative
calm prior to a series of raids which escalated the intensity of
the strategic bombing campaign. Codenamed Operation
ARGUMENT, and known as Big Week to the US units
involved, the week of 20-26 February 1944 would be devoted
to a full-scale onslaught against the German aviation industry.
The massive aerial armada of over 1,000 heavy bombers
escorted by over 800 fighters (17 American and 16 British
squadrons) was unwittingly assisted by a surprisingly
incompetent German ground control situation; the size of the
raids, which ranged across all of Europe, resulted in command
paralysis as the ground controllers could not decide which of
the raids was a bigger threat. As a result, despite the presence
of nearly 2000 enemy aircraft over German-controlled
territory for several hours, several German units never saw a
single bomber due to being routed to the wrong place at the
wrong time, while others were committed piecemeal and
suffered accordingly. Total US bomber losses were only 21
bombers and four fighters, against 53 single-engine fighter
losses for the Luftwaffe. Almost exactly half this number were
Bf 109s, with 27 being destroyed outright; an additional five
suffered various degrees of damage as shown in the loss list
extract in Table 8.
The 21st saw another 861 heavy bombers escorted by
nearly 700 fighters attack Braunschweig, Hannover, and
fighter fields in northwest Germany. Once again, the defending
Luftwaffe units were hit hard, losing a total of 35 fighters
against 16 US bombers and 6 fighters, and Messerschmitts
again constituted about 50% of the German loss total. The
most significant loss by far was the death of Oblt. Rudolf
Patzak, the Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 54, who was shot
down in his Bf 109G-6 WNr 27040 near Hildesheim. On 22
February, the 8th Air Force looked to settle a score with an old
adversary, sending a large raid to Schweinfurt as well as other
aviation industry targets in central Germany, and again the
Luftwaffe exacted a heavy toll in protecting the ball-bearing
facilties at Schweinfurt, downing 41 US bombers and eleven
escorting fighters in exchange for 48 single-engined fighters
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 73
and 16 twin-engined fighters. Among the lost pilots that day

was Oblt. Ernst-Heinz Lhr, the Staffelkapitn of 1./JG 3, who
was killed in his Bf 109G-6 white 9 + (WNr 410885).
The full-strength attacks resumed on 24 February following
a 24-hour standdown for the US units, and Schweinfurt was
again a prime target, along with Eisenach, Gotha and the
Heinkel factory at Rostock. 809 bombers escorted by 767
fighters were dispatched, and US losses were once again heavy,
with 49 bombers being destroyed by fighters and flak along
with ten fighters. German losses were heavy once again, with
another 24 Messerschmitts being destroyed (from a total
single-engined fighter loss count of 39); II./JG 11, II./JG 2,
III./JG 26, and both II./ and III./JG 3 lost multiple Bf 109G-6s
in the days engagements. The 25th turned out to be the final
raid of Big Week due to increasingly bad weather, and the
Messerschmitt facilities at Augsburg and Regensburg were
targeted along with Stuttgart and Frth. There were 153
aborts from the 823 bombers dispatched on the mission, and
31 of the 670 remaining bombers were shot down by German
fighters and flak, as well as three fighters. Thirteen Bf 109Gs
were lost during the day, including a rare pressurized G-3
variant coded yellow 2 + | (WNr 16293) flown by Gefr. Heinz
Lienich of 11./JG 26 who was wounded in the crash landing
following an engine failure.
Table 8
Type
Bf 109G-5
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-5
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
WNr
110249
410076
411246
411042
27091
440056
18803
26025
161358
Pilot
410864
411261
411277
411426
411487
20278
160072
411417
411443
410473
411226
411228
Scheibe, Fw. Rudolf

5./JG 3
Bohatsch, Ltn. Walter
5./JG 3
Reichenberger, Uffz. Maximilian 5./JG 3
Dillmann, Uffz. Helmut
5./JG 3
Hecker, Ltn. Karl-Dieter
11./JG 3
Ducke, Ltn. Anton
3./JG 300
Rieth, Ogefr. Heinz
7./JG 300
Wissmann, Fw. Heinz
2./JG 300
Zeder, Uffz. Alfons
2./JG 300
Seifert, Fw. Herber t
8./JG 301
Fischer, Oblt. Ernst
2./JG 301
Brede, Major Walter
Stab I./JG 301
Brssel, Fw. Friedrich
3./JG 301
Peuster, Uffz. Walter
7./JG 302
Wittersheim, Uffz. Adam
6./JG 302
Teubner, Fw. Erich
2./JG 302
Chantelau, Fw. Herber t
3./JG 302
Raimann, Uffz. Gerhard
7./JG 54
Panka, Uffz. Friedrich
7./JG 54
Anke, Ogefr. Horst
7./JG 54
Romeis, Uffz. Kurt
8./JG 54
Hermann, Fw. Hans
8./JG 54
Schilling, Oblt. Wilhelm
9./JG 54
110044
410081
411433
411770
411424
411447
411451
411465
411476
440141
The final statistical tally for Big Week was a bitter harvest
for both air forces. The USAAC suffered the loss of 266 heavy
bombers, 28 fighters, and over 2800 airmen. But for all this,
the Luftwaffe suffered a proportionately greater blow with the
loss of over 150 fighter aircraft in one week, along with many
experienced pilots. More telling was the fact that these
massive raids shifted the battle initiative to the Allies once
and for all; no longer could the Jagdwaffe pilots dictate when
and where they would attack the incoming US bomber
formations. The roaming escort fighters would seek out
waiting German aircraft well ahead of the bombers and
engage them, preventing them from intercepting the bombers
and disrupting their bomb runs.
After the massive efforts of Big Week, US planners felt
confident that they could now strike targets in the eastern
section of Germany, including Berlin. Consequently, the first
raid on Berlin was scheduled for 3 March, but was a complete
washout due to weather, and 11 bombers were downed by
Unit
Code
Erla-Flzg.-Werke Leipzig
Jagdst.Erla
Jagdst.Erla
Pfingst, Fw. Paul
8./JG 1
yellow 14 +
Vliegner, Fw. Dr. Johann
Stab/JG 11
blue 6 +
Sperschneider, Ofhr. Gnter
4./JG 27
white 5 + Neuwald, FhjFw. Adolf
8./JG 3
Hamberger, Fw. Matthus
8./JG 3
Mertens, Hptm. Helmut
7./JG 3
black 2 + black 6 + black 14 + black 4 + black 7 + ~
yellow 4 +
white 1 + |
red 20 +
red 31 +
white 5 +
white 3 + ^^
white 6 + ^^
white 5 + ^^
black 5 + ^^
black 3 + ^^
yellow 1 + |
Reason
Crashed due to enemy fire
Wounded in combat
Killed in parachute jump following combat
Killed in combat
Killed in combat with B -24 and P-38
Killed in combat with B -24
(Staffelkapitn) Wounded in combat from rammimg
a B-24, parachuted safely
Wounded in combat with four-engine bombers
Wounded in combat, belly-landed aircraf t
Killed in combat
Injured in parachute jump following combat
Killed in crash due to fuel shor tage
Killed in crash af ter take-off due to engine trouble
Injured in belly landing
Wounded in combat
Injured in parachute jump due to fuel shor tage
(Staffelkapitn) Parachuted, shot down by Ger man flak
Injured in crash af ter striking a tree
Missing, cause unknown
Killed in combat
Killed in combat with P-47s
Killed in combat
Missing following combat
Parachuted after combat
Parachuted after combat
Coded white 4 with the last

four digits of the serial
stenciled on the aft fuselage,
this Bf 109G may be a G14/AS from the 166xxx or
786xxx production batches
In an effort to help speed

production, many airframe
components were built and
painted prior to assembly, as
evidenced by the mismatched
rudder on this Bf 109G-14
coded black 1 seen at the
end of the war
Location
Reppichau
Waldau
near Leipzig
near Huy
near Eggstedt
NW of Goslar
Anhausen
near Montabaur
near Andernach
%Dmg
20%
100%
100%
noted
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
near Helmstedt
near Knigslutter/Elbe
By Eitzum near Helmstedt
Helmstedt area
Warisonix, 8km N of Namur
West of Jterbog
3km SE of Fl.Pl. Erbenheim
West of Jterbog
Wegeleben
Dtschow, 15km W of Parchim
Gppinggen area
Fl.Pl. Germersheim
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
noted
noted
100%
100%
noted
100%
Dbinghausen, nr Nienburg 100%
Oranienburg
100%
near Bernburg an der Saale 100%
Rothleben near Dessau
100%
Duingen, SW of Hannover 100%
Bad Harzburg
100%
Goslar area
100%
East of Quedlinburg
100%
Bernburg area
100%
Dehnsen/Alfeld
100%
Defence and Defeat
73
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 74
The strain of the war shows

on this unidentified pilots
face as he poses for a
portrait in his early
production Bf 109G
One of the toughest fighters in

the Luftwaffe was Hptm.
Alfred Grislawski. It would be
under his tutelage that Erich
Hartmann would learn how to
close in on enemy aircraft
until he couldnt possibly
miss when he shot at them.
He is pictured here as the
Staffelkapitn of 8./JG 1 after
being awarded the Eichenlaub
(Oak Leaves) to the Knights
Cross on 11 April in
recognition of his 122
victories to that date
74
Chapter 6
German defences as they attempted to return to England. The

first major daylight raid to actually reach Berlin took place on
6 March 1944, and the Luftwaffe put on an all-hands effort
against the 730 bombers and 644 fighters sent against the
German capital. 69 heavy bombers were destroyed by fighters
and flak, the single highest one-day loss sustained by the 8th
Air Force during the entire war, and eleven escort fighters
were shot down as well. German losses were high as well,
although nowhere near what the US forces suffered; 17
Bf 109Gs were destroyed outright with an additional 4
suffering varying degrees of damage. Of all the Bf 109equipped Jagdgruppen, III./JG 54, operating south of Bremen
in the Oldenburg area, suffered the worst. Eight Bf 109s were
shot down from this Gruppe with the loss of six pilots,
including the Staffelkapitn of 8./JG 54, Oblt. Gerhard Loos.
The 92-victory ace parachuted from his damaged Bf 109G-6
(WNr 411922) with no problem, but found himself drifting
towards high tension lines and decided to release his
parachute harness. Unfortunately, he misjudged his height,
and fell to his death from a height of 20 meters.
The Erkner ball bearing factory in Berlin was the target for
8 March, and 702 bombers were dispatched on the raid.
Fighter opposition, while not as intense as two days previous,
was still strong and 37 bombers were lost to all causes along
with 17 escort fighters. The Bf 109 Gruppen paid a higher
price today, losing 21 Messerschmitts outright and three
further damaged with wounded pilots. Among those shot
down was the Kommandeur of III./JG 26, the highly
experienced Hptm. Klaus Mietusch, who was wounded in a
battle with a 352nd FG P-47 and forced to abandon his Bf 109
G-6 black 21 (WNr 162032) north of Meppen. The bombers
returned to Berlin the following day, and if there were any
lingering doubt about the desperate defensive state the
Jagdwaffe now found itself in, this raid settled it around 300
B-17s were sent to bomb Berlin, and fighter opposition was
virtually nonexistent. Not one single American bomber fell to
a German fighter; all 11 US losses were claimed by flak units.
The pace of operations also took its toll on the US units,
and it would be almost a week before another large raid would
be seen over Germany. On 15 March, 344 bombers returned to
Braunschweig under escort by 588 fighters, representing

another subtle shift in American tactics. JG 11 provided the
strongest response against the raid, but the Messerschmittequipped II./JG 11 was positively slaughtered, losing 8 aircraft
and 6 pilots to the aggressive US escorts which caused the
Gruppe to be withdrawn from operations for some time to be
re-equipped and re-staffed. II./JG 3 and I./JG 300 each lost
two Bf 109G-6s with their pilots as well. 16 March brought
another heavy raid against the German aviation industry, with
679 bombers attacking Friedrichshafen, Gessertshausen, Ulm,
and the Messerschmitt works at Augsburg once again. 23
bombers were lost to all causes, while 16 Bf 109s were downed
in fierce combat. III./JG 26 suffered the days heaviest losses,
losing five Messerschmitts to escorting Thunderbolts,
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 75
although only one of the five pilots was killed.

The German fighters scored a rare victory on the 18th,
playing a large part in knocking down 43 bombers from a
force of 679 tasked with attacking German aircraft plants and
airfields including the Dornier Werke at Oberpfaffenhofen,
Muenchen-Riem, and Lechfeld. Despite having sent 925
escort fighters on the raid, JG 11 found an entire unescorted
bomb wing of Liberators near Freiburg, and destroyed 19 of
the huge bombers without loss. Other units were not so
fortunate, as I. and II./JG 27 lost a total of 8 Bf 109s
destroyed or damaged, while JG 300 lost four Gustavs. The
next major raid took place on 23 March, and again the targets
for the 767 bombers dispatched were airfields, aviation
depots, and aviation-related industries. JG 3 suffered the loss
of their Kommodore, Maj. Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke, who was shot
down and killed in his Bf 109G-6 black << + - (WNr
160613) by a P-51 after he had downed two other Mustangs.
Wilcke was a Ritterkreuz holder with 162 victories at the time
of his death, and just one of the six JG 3 Udet pilots to be
killed on 23 March, with an additional four Bf 109Gs being
destroyed or damaged and their pilots surviving with varying
degrees of wounds. The thirty US bombers and four fighters
seemed to be small compensation for the loss of an officer
and pilot of Wilckes capabilities.
The next few days saw sustained operations against
Luftwaffe fields and V-weapon facilities in northern France,
with the raids on Germany resuming on 29 March. A fairly
light raid of 187 B-17s under heavy escort attacked
Braunschweig again, and the fighter response was heavy.
III./JG 54 set a sad record in losing seven pilots and planes,
including the Bf 109G-6s of Gefr. Martin Stahlberg (in black
13 + ^^, WNr 410875) and Uffz. Theobald Lipp (in black 6
+ ^^, WNr 410136) which collided with no survivors. A far
more significant loss was suffered by JG 11, whose
Kommodore was injured in a collision with a P-51 Mustang.
The Kommodore was none other than Obstlt. Hermann Graf,
who had just downed one P-51 when he collided with the
second one in his Bf 109G-6 coded black <- + (WNr 26020).
The claims were made around Hanover, just west of
Braunschweig, and may have been two of the three 357th
Fighter Group P-51Bs lost on this date. One of the lost
American pilots was Lt. William R. McGinley of the 363rd FS,
who was killed in his P-51B 43-6628 Typhoon McGoon
(coded B6-K) on this date near Braunschweig.
Braunschweig came in for further punishment on 8 April,
and a massive, swirling battle between aggressive German
fighters and determined US escort fighters resulted in 23 US
fighters being downed, in addition to the 34 heavy bombers
destroyed. However, the price was enormous; 6./JG 302 lost
four pilots killed outright, III./JG 54 lost another nine Bf
109Gs with 5 pilots being killed, and JG 11 as a whole lost
twenty Focke-Wulf and Messerschmitt fighters with 11 pilots
killed among all JG 11 Gruppen. The 9th saw another massive
effort against German aviation-related targets from nearly 400
bombers, spread all across Germany and part of Poland.
However, the bombers flew without substantial fighter
support, and the Jagdwaffe took a substantial toll of the
raiders, downing 32 bombers. German losses were far less
than the previous day, but one particular Messerschmitt lost
on this date would later go on to a curious sort of fame; the Bf
109G-6 black 8 + |, WNr 26048 flown by Uffz. Sahl of 8./JG
54 was shot down, with the pilot perishing in the crash.
However, a good Deutsche Wochenschau film showing
operations of III./JG 54 would be seen many years later with
black 8 front and center, sporting the Grnherz badge, a
yellow lower cowl and rudder, and a wide blue
A fascinating photo, showing

a Bf 109G-10 coded white
13 possibly of JG 300. This
unit used blue/white/blue
Reichsverteidigung bands,
which would fit with the tonal
contrast of the bands seen in
this photo
Reichsverteidigung band. This aircraft has since become one of

the more popular marking options of Bf 109 kits in the past
few years.
Continuing their operations against German airfields and
aviation depots, the 8th Air Force sent over 650 bombers back
to northern France and Belgium on 10 April, and 5./JG 2 lost
one Messerschmitt pilot killed and another wounded while
attacking the escorted bomber formation. The following day,
another 650+ bombers headed for aircraft production
factories scattered across Germany, and the Jagdwaffe and flak
units mounted a stiff defence which destroyed 64 US
bombers, as well as 16 escort fighters; JG 1 claimed 5

Mustangs and 3 P-47 Thunderbolts alone. Once again,
however, there was one single Geschwader which seemed to
bear the brunt of the losses, and on this day it would be JG 3.
The unit lost an incredible 14 Bf 109G-6s in one day, although
several pilots were able to successfully parachute to safety.
One notable pilot wounded in this encounter was Hptm.
Eberhard von Boremski, the Staffelkapitn of 12./JG 3, whose
Bf 109G-6 WNr 162585 was hit by Gefr. Horst Witzler of the
10. Staffel in Bf 109G-6 WNr 411143. Both pilots were able to
successfully bail out with wounds, and one cannot help but
believe that must have been a very awkward conversation
once the men finally reached the ground.
Raids on the 12th and 13th were directed at Schweinfurt,
with the first raid being aborted due to low visibility. The
attack on the 13th by 153 bombers was undertaken
simultaneously with a 230 aircraft raid on Augsburg, while
183 other bombers attacked targets of opportunity. The fighter
response was heavier than expected, and 38 bombers were
lost to all causes. German losses included 17 Bf 109Gs,
including a pair of new Bf 109G-6/AS aircraft from 9./JG 1;
both Ofhr. Josef Krebsbach in yellow 16 + | (WNr 20428) and
Uffz. Wilhelm Kruter in yellow 20 + | (WNr 161176) were
killed. Aside from a series of fighter sweeps on the 15th, there
was little activity until the 18th, when another large and wide-
WNr 26048, the Bf 109G-6 in

which Uffz. Sahl perished on
9 April 1944, is seen in this
frame from a Deutsche
Wochenschau propaganda
film covering
Reichsverteidigung
operations
Defence and Defeat
75
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 76
The wreck of this Bf 109K-4

from 2./JG 27 coded red 23
served as an impromptu bond
drive billboard at the end of
the war
The WNr of this destroyed Bf

109G-14 found at MnsterHandorf and coded red 11
may be 785750 or 165750,
based on the last four digits
of the WNr on the aft fuselage
76
Chapter 6
ranging mission was sent against aviation related industries

spread across Germany. Out of 750 bombers dispatched, 19
were downed. German losses were relatively light, although
JG 3 once again lost multiple aircraft. Indicative of just how
aggressive the US fighter forces had become, Fw. Friederich
Schneider of 3./JG 3 had successfully belly-landed his
damaged Bf 109G-5 black < + (WNr 110205) but was then
killed as the victors strafed the aircraft and pilot.
The 8th AF visited Kassel on the following day along with a
number of German airfields, including III./JG 1s dispersal at
Paderborn where the Gruppe lost at least 20 Bf 109s to
accurate US bombing in exchange for a mere six bombers lost
to all causes. II./JG 27 attempted to intercept the bomber
force near Kassel, and paid a heavy price for their efforts; six
Bf 109s were lost, with four pilots being killed. The hardpressed JG 3 also suffered another hard loss with the death of
Oblt. Otto Weling, the Staffelkapitn of 11./JG 3. The 83victory ace and Ritterkreuz recipient was shot down and
killed near Eschwege in his Bf 109G-6 WNr 412052. Hamm,
Germany was the target on 22 April, with 631 bombers tasked
with destroying the railroad marshalling yards in that area
along with other targets in Bonn, Koblenz, and Soest. Still
suffering from the loss of so many aircraft in the airfield
attack on 19 April, III./JG 1 was positively decimated by the
escort fighters on the Hamm mission, losing nine further Bf
109Gs with seven of those pilots being killed in clashes with
P-51s. Total Messerschmitt losses for the day amounted to
sixteen, with one further Bf 109G-5 of 1./JG 3 (white 5 +,
WNr 110365) suffering 75% damage in a forced landing by
Uffz. Karl Schnitzler.
A full-strength interception mission against a heavy
American force over southern Germany took place on 24
April, with 39 of 716 heavy bombers being downed, but losses
to the Luftwaffe were even greater, JG 3 losing no fewer than
15 Bf 109s while JG 27 lost nine and JG 301 lost four. Training
units were even called upon to furnish pilots and aircraft, and
JG 106 lost one Messerschmitt with two further Bf 109s
suffering damage. Total Messerchmitt losses for the day
amounted to 33, with five further aircraft being damaged.
Tactical raids in northwestern Europe continued for the next
five days, and the next major 8th AF mission on 29 April
brought the bombers back to Berlin. 679 of the 768 heavy
bombers dispatched continued on the mission to bomb rail
yards, and another maximum strength response by the
Luftwaffe destroyed no fewer than 63 of the raiders.
Messerschmitt losses for the day among all responding units
were surprisingly light, considering the combat intensity; 10
Bf 109Gs were destroyed with an additional six being
damaged. The end of April and beginning of May brought
further tactical raids by 8th and 9th AF fighter-bombers and
9th AF medium bombers all across the northern regions of
France, but the respite afforded the units based in Germany
would come to a halt on 8 May when another massive force of
807 bombers escorted by nearly 800 fighters headed across
the Reich. 549 B-17s continued on to Berlin, while 145 B-24s
bombed Mnster and a further 167 Liberators attacked
Osnabrck. Only nine bombers were shot down, while once
again the Jagdwaffe was overrun by the US escort fighters and
bomber defensive fire 24 Bf 109Gs were destroyed outright,
with the loss of sixteen pilots, and another 3 Messerschmitts
sustained damage.
May 9th saw the start of a major 8th AF offensive
specifically against Luftwaffe airfields with the goal of
minimizing any potential German response to the
forthcoming Allied invasion of continental Europe. Nearly 800
heavy bombers attacked a wide range of fields in France,
Belgium, and Luxembourg and the Jagdwaffe response to this
raid was piecemeal, although a number of victories were
scored. A further raid by 8th AF bombers on airfields and rail
yards on the 11th brought a grievous blow with the death of
the Kommodore of JG 1, Oberst Walter Oesau. The 125-victory
ace found himself in a swirling dogfight with five P-38s and
was wounded as he lost height, attempting to force-land his Bf
109G-6/AS green 13 (WNr 20601). Oesaus Messerschmitt hit
the ground in a relatively flat attitude at high speed and
bounced once before crashing back to earth with sufficient
force to catapult Oesau from the cockpit. His place was taken
by Obstlt. Herbert Ihlefeld at the end of May. The day
following Oesaus loss, another highly experienced Luftwaffe
ace was taken out of action when the Gruppenkommandeur of
II./JG 11, Maj. Gnther Rall, was wounded when he was forced
to abandon his Bf 109G-5 black << + - (WNr 110089) after
sustaining damage in combat with 56th FG P-47s which were
part of the escort force for 886 US bombers targeting German
petroleum industry targets. The German response was heavier
than expected, and 46 bombers were lost to all causes, while
another 12 bombers were downed on the 13th from a force of
689 dispatched to hit rail yards, airfields, and other targets
including Osnabrck, Tutow, Barth, and Stettin. The
Staffelkapitn of 4./JG 53, Ritterkreuztrger Oblt. Gnther
Seeger, was forced to belly-land his Bf 109G-6 white 13 + -
east of Neumnster after sustaining damage during the days
combat, while additional Messserschmitts were lost from JG 1,
JG 3, and JG 302.
After a brief respite, another heavy raid was sent to Berlin
on 19 May; 888 bombers took part in the raid, escorted by 964
US fighters. Luftwaffe activity was intense, accounting for 28
bombers and 20 fighters, but the German fighters paid a
heavy price; 28 Bf 109s were downed alone, with II. and III./JG
27 losing 10 of these including the G-6 of Hptm. Ernst
Brngen, the Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 27, who was
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 77
forced to bail out of WNr 441101 and lost his right arm after
ramming a B-24. Another 447 B-17s headed to Big B on the
24th, as Berlin was known to the American crews, and again
heavy Luftwaffe opposition resulted in 33 of the giant Flying
Fortresses being downed. Six Bf 109Gs were lost by II./JG 11,
while II. and III./JG 27 lost another nine Messerschmitts, with
only two pilots successfully bailing out of their damaged
machines. And Oblt. Seeger of 4./JG 53 found himself bellylanding yet another Bf 109, this time a G-6 coded white 1 +.
Three days later, another mass raid on transportation and
aviation targets by nearly 900 bombers was met by a massive
Luftwaffe defence effort, with 24 heavy bombers being
downed. The recently arrived I./JG 5 was thrown into the fray
on this day, and the unit suffered greatly with the loss of their
Gruppenkommandeur, the highly experienced 60-victory ace
Hptm Horst Carganico, when he hit a set of power lines when
attempting to land his Bf 109G-5 (WNr 110087) and crashed
to his death. The unit lost another six pilots killed and five
wounded as well, while III./JG 3 lost six additional Bf 109Gs.
The raids continued unabated on the 28th, with nearly 900
bombers attacking oil refineries and other related targets; 32
US bombers were shot down by flak and Luftwaffe fighters,
while Messerschmitt losses were suffered by III./JG 1, I. and
II./JG 3, II./JG 11, I., II., and III./JG 27, I./JG 5, II./JG 53, and
II./JG 302. There was one further notable Bf 109G loss; Fw.
Ernst Pleines of the training unit Jagdergnzungsgruppe West
crashed his Bf 109G-6 red 3 (WNr 163306) into Lake Swiblo,
losing his life in the process. Nearly sixty years later, his Bf
109G was retrieved from the lake and fully restored, and is
now on display in Cracow, Poland. Another major US raid on
the 30th brought the loss of another of the Luftwaffes most
able pilots. Maj. Friederich-Karl Mller, the Kommodore of
JG 3 and a Ritterkreuz holder with 140 victories, was killed as
he attempted to land his Bf 109G-6 coded black << + -
(WNr 410827).
With all that the Jagdwaffe had been through in the past
eighteen months, nothing could have prepared them for the
onslaught they were about to face. It was common knowledge
among all Jagdgeschwadern that the Allies were planning an
invasion in France, possibly at the Pas de Calais, but no one
really knew where or when. Those questions were answered
on the morning of 6 June, when the largest amphibious
invasion in history was unleashed on the beaches of
Normandy. Hundreds of thousands of men poured out of
landing craft supported by thousands of fighters and
bombers overhead, which operated unopposed during the
opening stages of the attack. By the afternoon of the 6th, an
emergency restructuring of the German fighter units in the
West saw a number of units moved into France closer to the
front lines, and counterattacks began in earnest on the 7th.
23 Messerschmitts were lost in the days actions, with JG 3
and JG 11 losing nine aircraft apiece. As the Allied offensive
continued to gain momentum over the next week, more units
were moved up but P-47s and P-51s of both the 8th and 9th
AF essentially locked down all of northern France with
continuous sorties, patrols over the beachhead and patrols of
German airfields, where they would pounce on fighters
landing or taking off. 9./JG 3 lost Ltn. Hans-Joachim Teicke in
such a fashion on the 8th; he was just taking off in his Bf
109G-6 yellow 15 + - (WNr 412740) when a P-51 appeared
out of nowhere and shot him down. The German defensive
plan was quickly rendered moot by the overwhelming scale
and speed of the Allied advancing forces, and one of the best
illustrations of the desperate confusion that permeated the
Luftwaffe was the order which came down from Fliegerkorps
II headquarters on 8 June to fit all available fighter aircraft
with bomb racks and use their Messerschmitts and

Focke-Wulfs as Jabos, despite the fact that most of the young
fighter pilots had never dropped anything more than a belly
tank in their entire flying career. Three days later, the order
was rescinded as losses continued to mount in the face of
massive Allied opposition.
The focus of the 8th and 9th AF remained on invasion
support until the 15th, when an enormous force of over twelve
hundred 8th AF bombers spread across Europe, attacking oil
refineries in Misburg, Germany and dozens of targets across
France, escorted by over 760 fighters. The 9th Air Force
virtually blanketed northwestern France with over 550
medium bombers and 1400 fighter sorties. The sole
Messerschmitt pilot to claim a victory against the heavy
bombers was the Kommandeur of III./JG 26, Maj. Klaus
Mietusch, who downed a B-24 of the 392nd Bomb Group as

his 67th victory. Two days later, a fighter commanders
conference was held, and as transcribed from Allied ULTRA
codebreakers, Maj. Mietusch had some very pointed
suggestions regarding the employment of the Bf 109, noting
that the /U4 model with the 30mm MK 108 was proving very
effective in service and that the Messerschmitt units were best
employed at high altitude, with the most favorable results
being achieved in high speed dives. It also was suggested that
no operations within the invasion zone be undertaken with
anything less than twenty fighters owing to the high rate of
attrition suffered by smaller units. As the Jagdgruppen in the
west continued to try and survive in this hostile environment,
efforts were underway to bolster the units available for
defence. III./JG 77, which had replaced I./JG 4 at Mizil in
Romania to aid in defending against US attacks on the
Romanian oil fields, was ordered to send 9./JG 77 to Germany
for conversion from the Bf 109 to the Fw 190. This unit was
then subordinated to I./JG 1 at Lonrai and was renumbered
Debate still continues over

this well-known Bf 109K-4 of
III./JG 27 found at PragueKbely at the end of the war was it red 7 from 10. Staffel
or blue 7 from 12. Staffel?
About all we know is that the
camouflage pattern is
consistent with K-4s from the
332xxx production batch
At least two Bf 109K-4

fuselages and a destroyed Fw
190D-9 are visible in this shot
taken at an unidentified
location after the end of the
war
Defence and Defeat
77
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 78
So many times, late-war

Luftwaffe photos present
more questions than they
answer. At first glance, this is
a straightforward Bf 109K-4
complete with unpainted
large mainwheels, outer door
covers, partially painted
lower wings and outboard
crosses but why does it
have a short tailwheel fork?
This derelict Bf 109K-4 of

9./JG 53 is a textbook
example of the camouflage
pattern applied to K-4s in the
332xxx production batch
Table 9
Type
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
78
Chapter 6
WNr
781189
441801
780609
780658
163485
413622
413649
413676
413738
413679
781232
460593
4./JG 1 in the wholesale reorganization of the fighter arm on 1

August 1944 which saw many Jagdgruppen add a fourth
Staffel, and resulted in the creation of several new IV. Gruppen
as well. Strategic attacks were still occurring on a regular
basis, but a new dimension was added with the raid of 21 June
which saw the massive US formations continue on across all
of Germany and occupied Poland to land in the Soviet Union
along with their escorts. The greatest defensive success on this
mission did not occur until 73 of the bombers had landed at
Poltava, a field with which the Germans were well acquainted.
A nocturnal bombing raid on the assembled bombers

destroyed 43 outright, with moderate to severe damage being
suffered by the remainder of the bombers and airfield stores
and facilities.
If anything, the pressure in July was greater than that of
June, as Allied tactical units began establishing fully
operational bases in northern France in order to provide the
greatest possible support to their ground forces still racing
eastwards through France. Local successes were still being
scored, such as III./JG 1 joining with the Geschwaderstab to
down eight US fighters on 14 July, but these losses were easily
Pilot
Unit
Code
Schreuer, Fw. Klaus
9./JG 76
white 15 + |
Jena, Ogefr. Eugen
10./JG 76
black 8 + |
Kbsch, Ltn. Horst
10./JG 76
black 7 + |
Schmdicke, Uffz. Johannes
10./JG 76
black 2 + |
Fritz, FhjUffz. Heinz
11./JG 76
black 1 + |
Baldt, Gefr. Wolfgang
11./JG 76
yellow 16 + |
Bauer, Uffz. Alber t
11./JG 76
yellow 1 + |
Uhlig, Ofw. Lothar
11./JG 76
yellow 8 + |
Kleiber, Uffz. Gnther
11./JG 76
yellow 13 + |
Prang, Hptm. Richard
12./JG 76
blue 17 + |
Schirmer, Ofhr. Heinz
12./JG 76
blue 4 + |
Albrecht, Hptm. Egon
Stab III./JG 76 black 21 + |
absorbed by the omnipresent US air forces. Another series of

battles on 25 July saw III./JG 1 claim four Spitfires, three
Thunderbolts, and a Mustang as well as a Lancaster, but the
unit suffered three pilots killed and three more wounded.
Other units suffered far worse; II./JG 11 lost no fewer than 104
Messerschmitts between May and June, and was withdrawn to
Wunstorf on 6 July to rest and refit. As more Allied men and
materiel poured into France, the front lines were gradually
giving way until on 31 July, when a US armored division
succeeded in reaching Avranches. British, Canadian, and
Polish troops then joined with the US to force an almost total
encirclement of the German 7th Army and 5th Panzer Army at
the Falaise Gap. After two weeks of bitter fighting which saw
the German forces successfully hold off the advancing Allies
on all sides, the German forces began a disorganized retreat
on 15 August, losing over 50,000 prisoners, 10,000 dead, and
well over 10,000 guns and vehicles when the gap was closed
on 19 August. All of the Jagdgruppen in the invasion zone took
part in efforts to forestall the Allied advance, with several
groups even mounting WGr 21 rockets and using them
against Allied tanks, but the net result was more of the same;
higher and higher losses for fewer and fewer gains. Adding to
the destruction were raids by Allied medium and heavy
bombers on the German airfields, such as a raid by B-17s on
Villacoublay on 11 August which destroyed two III./JG 26
Bf 109G-6s. The field would soon be evacuated in the face of
the Allied advance, which had raced to Paris and liberated
The City of Light on 25 August. This day also saw the virtual
annihilation of a new unit, III./JG 76, which had been formed
from the Bf 110-equipped II./ZG 1 at Bonn-Hangelar under
the command of Ritterkreuz recipient Hptm. Egon Albrecht
following tremendous Bf 110 losses while combating
American bomber formations during 1943 and early 1944. On
25 August, the unit was involved in a huge fight with P-38
Lightnings of the 474th Fighter Group. The Lightnings did not
escape unscathed; II./JG 26 surprised the preoccupied
American fighters and the two German units downed 8 of the
12 P-38s from the 428th FS, while an additional 3 of the 12
P-38s from the 429th FS were downed as well. II./JG 26
suffered no losses in this encounter, which in itself makes it a
unique event in the summer of 1944, but JG 76 suffered
tremendously in the battle; their strength report the following
morning listed 21 Bf 109s destroyed with 18 pilots still
missing. At least ten of the destroyed Messerschmitts and
dead or missing pilots belonged to III. Gruppe, including that
of the Grupenkommandeur Hptm. Albrecht (Table 9).
JG 76 was certainly not the only unit to suffer such harsh
losses in August, but the table above serves to demonstrate
how desperate the situation had become for the Jagdgruppen
in the West. 25 August also saw a major raid of 1,100 heavy
bombers striking aviation-related targets across Germany,
with nineteen bombers being lost to defending forces;
Reason
Missing after combat with P-38s
Wounded in combat with P-38s
Wounded in combat with P-38s, aircraft bellylanded
Staffelkapitn. Killed in combat with P-38s
Kommandeur. Killed after combat with P-38s,
parachuted too low
Location
%Dmg
Creil area
100%
Rousseloy, 7km NW of Creil noted
Rousseloy, 7km NW of Creil noted
5km NW of Chalons-sur-Marne100%
NE of Paris
100%
NE of Paris
100%
Reims area
100%
NE of Paris
100%
NE of Paris
100%
Merard par Bury, NE of Paris 100%
Rouen area
100%
East of St. Claude/Creil
100%
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 79
III./JG 1 and JG 3 lost four fighters apiece (two each from I.

and IV./JG 3), while II./JG 11 lost three and 10./JG 300
suffered the loss of Lt. Rudi Winter. III./JG 1 left France on 28
August for Fels-am-Wagram in Austria, where they would
remain until early October refitting with the new Bf 109G-10,
while other units in southern Germany and Austria were
moved northwards to Brandenburg and Saxony. II./JG 27
moved from Fels-am-Wagram to Borkheide and III./JG 53,
recently recalled from the Mediterranean theatre, shared
Mritz with I./JG 300 and I./JG 302, both units now fully
engaged in daytime Reichsverteidigung duties.
On 11 September 1944, a major defensive effort was
launched against a wide-ranging force of nearly 850 bombers
escorted by fourteen fighter groups against petrochemical
plants and refineries spread across the Reich, with as many as
525 German fighters attacking the massive formations. In
this, the strongest strike against the strategic forces in four
months, the Luftwaffe units succeeded in downing 52
bombers and 32 fighters, but they paid an enormous price for
those victories; the escorting US fighters claimed an
incredible 116 victories in the air, and another 14 on the
ground in strafing attacks. In this all hands attack, JG 4
suffered a terrible mauling, with III./JG 4 losing twelve
Messerschmitts totally destroyed and nine pilots killed, with
another four Bf 109 pilots being wounded. II./JG 27 lost seven
Bf 109s and their pilots, while III./JG 53 lost an additional five
Messerschmitts. The next day brought no respite, with another
800+ bomber raid being dispatched once again to
petrochemical and aviation industry targets, and once again a
tremendous defensive effort was put on by the various
Jagdgruppen along the path of the bombers. Another 45
bombers were shot down, as well as 13 P-51 Mustangs, but
once again the German fighters incurred heavy losses; of 28
Bf 109Gs destroyed, 12 belonged to JG 4, with nine of those
coming from III. Gruppe. This unit lost 21 Bf 109s in the space
of 48 hours, and on the 17th it was withdrawn to Bad
Lippspringe to refit, although little rest would be forthcoming;
the unit was back at Alteno on 4 October.
17 September would bring a most grievous loss to III./JG
26, when the Gruppenkommandeur, Maj. Klaus Mietusch, was
shot down and killed in his Bf 109G-6/U4 black 25 (WNr
441646) by Lt. William Beyer of the 361st Fighter Group after
an epic chase. Having served with JG 26 exclusively since
1938, Mietusch was an exemplary pilot and a thoughtful
leader, and his loss would be keenly felt by the Schlageter
Geschwader for the rest of the war. By the end of September, in
the face of dramatic losses in men and machines, the
Jagdgruppen in the west were instructed to only attack fighterbombers, and if any enemy aircraft were near the field,
takeoffs were to be postponed until the area was clear. This
had the net result of lowering the number of missions flown
by the German pilots, as well as preventing the marauding US
and British fighters from picking off pilots just taking off or
landing, when they were at a severe disadvantage. After the
fall of Paris and the failure of Operation Market-Garden to
secure a bridgehead over the Rhine River in the last week of
September, the lines stabilized somewhat at the beginning of
October. Heavy US raids on targets all across Germany
continued unabated, although occasional defensive successes
were reported, such as the downing of 52 bombers and 15
fighters from a force of 1,300 bombers spread across four
distinct raids against refineries and aviation industry targets;
22 claims were filed by the US escorts, with 12 of those losses
being Bf 109G-14s from various units. I./JG 77 came off
poorly in this engagement; having suffered greatly in the
Mediterranean campaign earlier in the year, the unit lost five
Bf 109G-14s and their pilots in this single engagement. There

would not be a similar level of fighter activity for nearly a
month, with the next major response taking place on 2
November against 1,100 bombers attacking several refinery
targets and marshalling yards. The bulk of the German
fighters fell upon the bomber force tasked with bombing
Merseburg, and 40 bombers were destroyed by the combined
efforts of fighters and flak, but the price paid by the
Jagdgruppen was nothing short of horrific; JG 27 was
annihilated by the escort fighters and defensive fire from
bombers, losing an incredible 34 Bf 109Gs and Ks with 27 of
those pilots being killed either in the crash or by faulty
parachutes. JG 3 scarcely fared better, losing 23 G-14s and
G-14/ASs, while the remaining nine lost Messerschmitts
belonged to I., III., and IV./JG 4. Sixty-eight Messerschmitts
were downed, out of 490 recorded aircraft taking off to oppose
the raid.
The Messerschmitts of III./JG 4 were roughly handled once
again on 9 November responding to heavy bomber raids on
Metz and Thienville; thirteen of their Bf 109Gs were downed,
with nine pilots being killed, while II./JG 27 and III./JG 53 lost
several Bf 109s apiece. On 26 November, the next large-scale
fighter response met with a similar fate; roughly 550 Luftwaffe
fighters were thrown against over a thousand B-17s and B-24s
in several different mission groups, targeting such diverse
targets as railroad marshalling yards, viaducts, and oil
refineries. Thirty-five bombers were shot down, and the
The groundcrew of 10./JG 51

were in such a hurr y to get
this Bf 109K-4 airworthy that
they grabbed a cowling from
a standard G-6 and forced it
to fit the airframe. It is seen
here in Denmark following the
end of the war
Lt. Heinz Knoke served as the

Staffelkapitn of 2./JG 1 until
1 April 1943 when the unit
was reformed as II./JG 11.
Knoke remained with this unit
until returning as the
Kommandeur of III./JG 1 in
August 1944
Defence and Defeat
79
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 80
Lt. Ray Dauphin of the 62nd

FS, 56th FS closes up on a B 17 in his P-47C-2 Saucy
Shirley (serial 41-6342)
during the 4 May 1943 raid to
Antwerp, Belgium
As the commander of
Jagdgruppe 50 and the first
man in history to score over
200 aerial victories, Maj.
Hermann Graf was quite a
favorite of the propaganda
writers and photographers.
Here he is seen giving a tour
of his Bf 109G-6 to a group of
Hitlerjugend
80
Chapter 6
escorting fighters claimed over 100 victories. 27 Bf 109Gs and

Ks were destroyed during the day, with all four component
Gruppen of JG 27 suffering losses totaling fifteen
Messerschmitts in all, eleven of those pilots being killed.
Among the US losses on this date was a 339th FG P-51D pilot
who followed a Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-9 of 5./JG 301 into the
ground, presumably due to target fixation; this pilot, 1Lt. Bert
Stiles, had previously served a full tour as a B-17 copilot in the
91st Bomb Group and signed up for a second tour to realize
his dream of flying fighters. Stiles had achieved a small degree
of fame before the war as a writer, and following the war, his
book Serenade To The Big Bird would be published
posthumously and receive wide acclaim. The following day,
eight groups of US fighters were somehow mistaken for a
heavy bomber raid, and these were attacked by a force

estimated by US sources at around 750 strong. Only 11 US
fighters were lost, while the highly trained US fighters claimed
98 victories. Messerschmitt losses totaled 28, with III./JG 300
suffering eight Bf 109s lost and seven pilots killed in the
encounter.
Berlin was targeted on 5 December, and escort fighters
outnumbered the bombers by a nearly two-to-one margin
(711 Mustangs versus 451 B-17s). Another maximum
defensive effort was put up, but the majority of the Luftwaffe
pilots were very inexperienced, and the US fighters once again
ran roughshod over the German fighters. III./JG 1 lost five
pilots and seven Bf 109s to the aggressive escort fighters,
while JG 27 saw its ranks thinned by an additional eight
Messerschmitts. On 16 December, German forces in the west
unleashed a surprise counteroffensive through the Ardennes
Forest in terrible winter weather conditions, and the speed
and strength of the assault took the American forces
completely by surprise. No bombers could get into the air on
the 17th, but the US forces could still rely upon a vast number
of single-engined fighter-bomber aircraft which then began
flying almost around the clock against the German armored
and infantry units which had pushed a bulge into the US
lines. Heavy Luftwaffe fighter support was requested, and
every Jagdgruppe in the vicinity joined the battle on the 17th;
losses were very high, with 61 Bf 109Gs and Ks being lost to
all causes on this date, 12 from IV./JG 300 alone. Another 38
Messerschmitts were destroyed on the 18th, but few appear to
have been committed again until the 23rd, when an additional
42 Bf 109Gs and Ks were shot down between ground support
missions and attacks against an 8th AF mission bombing rail
targets. Among the pilots lost on this day was Ofw. Heinrich
Bartels of 15./JG 27. He was shot down by 56th FG P-47
Thunderbolts near Bonn in his Bf 109G-10 yellow 13 (WNr
130359), and his aircraft hit the frozen ground so hard that
his remains were not located until 1968, located some twelve
to fifteen feet below the earths surface. Among the items used
to positively identify Bartels was a smashed gold wedding
band inscribed with the name Marga.
The carnage continued unabated on 24 December, with 45
further Bf 109Gs and Ks being shot down including two
Gruppenkommandeure, Hptm. Erich Woitke of III./JG 1 being
shot down in his Bf 109G-14 grey 20 (WNr 490723) and
Hptm. Lothar Baumann of I./JG 77 being shot down in Bf
109G-14 black <<- + (Wnr 512372). These losses included
fighters which flew against the single largest 8th AF bombing
mission of the war- nearly 1900 heavy bombers blanketed
northern Europe in an ongoing effort to drive back the
German offensive. 33 additional Messerschmitts went down
on Christmas Day, with III./JG 1 losing seven of these and
eleven from JG 27 being destroyed as well. III./JG 27 bore the
brunt of the losses the following day, losing seven of the 12 Bf
109Gs and Ks from JG 27 out of a total of 28 Messerschmitts
downed in action throughout the day. Another pilot to fall foul
of US fighters was the Kommandeur of II./JG 53, Maj. Julius
Meimberg. Having been absorbed into JG 53 in 1943 when his
previous unit, 11.(H)/JG 2 was sent to Tunisia, Meimberg was
a tough fighter who had been forced to bail out several times
over the years. On the 26th, he got into a desperate combat
with a number of P-47 Thunderbolts and had downed three of
them before being wounded once again and forced to bail out
of his Bf 109G-14/AS yellow 1 + - (WNr 166297). 27
December brought the loss of another 29 Messerschmitts,
followed by a short lull during a period of particularly bad
weather between the 28th and 30th. Limited operations
resumed on 31 December, with 7 of 13 Bf 109s lost belonging
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 81
Luftwaffes Last Hope by John Manrho and the late Ron Ptz
being the most thorough treatment from the Luftwaffe
perspective, with full lists of both Allied and Luftwaffe
personnel and materiel losses. Other books, such as Peter
Celis Runways to Victory and Werner Girbigs Six Months to
Oblivion, provide additional insight into both the Allied
operations from French and Belgian fields as well as Luftwaffe
planning (or lack thereof) prior to the attack. Every
Jagdgruppe in the West launched every aircraft they could
muster against the Allied airfields, and while several attacks
met with success and left dozens of flaming wrecks scattered
around the dispersals of various airfields, a tremendous
number of Luftwaffe aircraft were shot down by US and
British fighters and airfield defences, and even German flak.
Out of 929 aircraft which took off on the morning of 1
January, 271 were destroyed. No fewer than 124 of this
number were Messerschmitt Bf 109Gs and Ks. Three
Geschwaderkommodore, six Gruppenkommandeure, and ten
Staffelkapitne were among those missing or killed outright.
The attack was an overall failure, as the materiel losses
suffered by Allied forces could be made good within a week or
so, while the Luftwaffe would never recover from the losses
inflicted on their forces by the Allied defenders.
Following the massive losses suffered during Bodenplatte,
to III. and IV./JG 4. After an incredibly difficult month of
operations which capped off a terrible year full of losses, the
pilots and groundcrews of the various units wanted nothing
more than to take the night off on New Years Eve, celebrate
their current survival, and perhaps pause to remember all
those who had been lost. Such a reverie would not take place,
however, as the Jagdgruppe commanders all received orders to
prepare a maximum strength effort for the morning of 1
January 1945 the Luftwaffe was going to strike a big blow
against the hated American and British Jabos right where they
lived, by unleashing a massive attack against Allied airfields
all across northwest Europe. The operation was known by the
codename Bodenplatte.
Many volumes have been written about the events of 1
January 1945, with the highly detailed Bodenplatte-The
Table 10
Unit
III./JG 1
Stab/JG 3
I./JG 3
III./JG 3
IV./JG 3
I./JG 4
III./JG 4
IV./JG 4
Stab./JG 6
III./JG 6
II./JG 11
Stab/JG 77
I./JG 77
II./JG 77
III./JG 77
The Bf 109G-14/AS WNr

490642 of Fw. Eberhard Gzik
from 2./JG 300 is seen at
Borkheide in the autumn of
1944 in this photo. This
aircraft would be lost on 14
January 1945 in combat near
Brandenburg-Briest, with Uffz.
Thomas Tautscher being
killed
Maj. Klaus Mietusch served

his entire career with JG 26,
winding up in command of
III./JG 26 until he was shot
down and killed on 17
September 1944 by Lt.
William Beyer of the 361st FG
Reason
Left Rheine on 13 Jan., reached Stolp-Rietz on 27 Jan
Moved from Strmede to Stettin, Poland on 22 Jan
Moved from Paderborn to Stettin, Poland on 22 Jan
Left Bad Lippspringe on 22 Jan., reached Stettin, P oland on 29 Jan
Moved from Gtersloh to Stargard on 25 Jan
Moved from Darmstadt to Guben on 22 Jan
Moved from Darmstadt to Drewitz, SW of Berlin on 23 Jan, then to Jterbog-Damm 14 F eb
Left Frankfurt 23 Jan., reached Drewitz 26 Jan., then to Mar z Zwuschen on 14 Feb
Moved from Delmenhorst to Sorau in Jan., then to W elzow on 10 Feb
Moved from Gro-Stein to Sorau in Jan., then to W elzow on 10 Feb
Moved from Zellhausen to Strausberg on 23 Jan
Left Dor tmund on 18 Jan., reached Beneov (Beneschau) on 24 Jan
Left Dor tmund on 18 Jan., reached Beneov (Beneschau) on 22 Jan
Moved from Bnninghardt to Prostjov (Prossnitz) on 19 Jan
Left Dsseldorf on 17 Jan., reached Beneov (Beneschau) on 24 Jan
Defence and Defeat
81
08-MDF10-Chap-06_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:42 Page 82
indicative of the sheer desperation which pervaded the

Luftwaffe high command at the time; Schulungslehrgang Elbe
was the codename for an all-volunteer unit raised by former
JG 300 Kommandeur Maj. Hajo Herrmann that was intended
to use their Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulfs as piloted
missiles German kamikazes who were to ram their aircraft
into the hated US bombers in order to bring them down.
Approximately 120 pilots stepped forward to take part in this
mission, and the group saw its first and only mission on 7
April. The number of Luftwaffe pilots killed on this mission is
unknown, although it is estimated to be anywhere from 25 to
40, surprisingly lower than what even the pilots themselves
expected. 67 German fighters were claimed, although the true
total was closer to 47- exact numbers are difficult to pin down
as record-keeping took a distant back seat to keeping aircraft
in the air for the Luftwaffe units involved. Most telling of all,
only thirteen US bombers could be claimed as
This B-17F-95-BO Flying
Fortress, serial 42-30316
from the 568th BS, 390th BG
coded BI-J and named
Madie was shot down on the
17 August 1943 mission to
bomb Regensburg, one of
sixty B-17s to fall over
Germany on this raid. One
crewman was killed, while
the remaining nine were
taken prisoner
another series of unit moves took place. The Soviet Army was
making tremendous gains in the East, and a number of units
were relocated from the west in an attempt to slow, if not halt
the Soviet advance towards Berlin. Messerschmitt-equipped
units so affected are shown in Table 10.
This left the following Messerschmitt-equipped units still
tasked with Reichsverteidigung duties: II./JG 3, all of JG 27, I.
and III./JG 300, IV./JG 301, and all of JG 53 except for I.
Gruppe which was still in Hungary. III./JG 26 had been tasked
with close support of German army units along with the rest
of JG 26 following Bodenplatte, and they would take no further
part in defensive battles against strategic bombers. Massive
bombing raids would continue during the first months of
B-17F-85-BO 42-30037 flew

with the 546th BS, 384th BG
and was shot down by Oblt.
Josef Pips Priller on the 26
June 1943 raid against
Villacoublay. The aircraft
crash-landed about nine
miles east of Dieppe, and all
10 crewmembers were taken
prisoner
1945, but the end result was hardly in doubt for pilots on
either side. There were still minor defensive victories to be
won, including nineteen bombers shot down on 24 March
from US units supporting the crossing of the Rhine, but the
overwhelming might of the US strategic bombing fleet along
with the highly trained and aggressive fighter pilots sent to
escort those bombers had left the once-mighty Jagdwaffe a
ragged shell of its former self. An operation on 7 April 1945 is
This otherwise anonymous Bf
109G-6 exhibits a most
unusually-styled number 5
82
Chapter 6
A pensive Maj. Gnther Specht, Kommodore of JG 11, is seen in

discussion with the head of the L uftwaffe fighter arm, Gen. Adolf Galland.
Specht was a highly respected leader, and his loss in the Bodenplatte
slaughter on 1 Jan 45 was a hard blow
Schulungslehrgang Elbe victims. 20 April saw the last major

raid by the 8th Air Force, with approximately 800 heavy
bombers striking rail targets and cities from northwest of
Berlin all the way south to Czechoslovakia. Ten days later,
Adolf Hitler lay dead by his own hand, and with the
unconditional surrender of Germany to the Allies on 7 May,
the carnage was finally over.
09-MDF10-Chap-07_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:44 Page 83
Training Operations
Chapter
s operational units graduated to more powerful versions

of the Bf 109, the newly obsolete aircraft were
transferred rearwards to serve as useful training
platforms for new pilots. Before even setting eyes on a
Messerschmitt, however, these pilots would have received nearly
two hundred hours of instruction at a Flugzeugfhrerschule
(FFS), first in an A-class primary trainer such as a Bcker B
131 Jungmann or Heinkel He 72 Kadett, then graduating to the
heavier and more powerful B-class aircraft which included such
aircraft as the Gotha Go 145 and Messerschmitt Bf 108. Upon
successful completion of this course, the prospective pilots
would advance to a Jagdfliegervorschule (JVS) where they would
be introduced to the earliest obsolescent Luftwaffe fighters such
as the Heinkel He 51, Arado Ar 68, and the Jumo-powered
versions of the Bf 109. Captured aircraft were also used at this
level, such as the Bloch 152 and Dewoitine D.520. Upon
graduation from the JVS, they would then be assigned to a
Jagdfliegerschule (JFS) where they would practice fighter tactics
and other operational necessities on currently operational
fighters such as the Bf 109F and G. The last step prior to actual
combat operations would be the assignment of the pilots to the
Ergnzungsgruppe of a specific Jagdgeschwader. This Gruppe
functioned as a replacement pilot pool, from which operational
Staffeln would draw new pilots as current ones were shot down
or rotated to other units.
This extremely thorough training system resulted in very

highly trained pilots, but also consumed a great deal of time. As
the tide of war turned inexorably against the Luftwaffe, more
pilots were needed as quickly as possible. Shortcuts were
introduced into the training syllabus, beginning with a cut in the
number of hours dedicated to basic and aerobatic flight, and
eventually a wholesale reorganization of the training program
took place in 1942 with the disbandment of the
Ergnzungsgruppen. Three centralized replacement pool
squadrons were established in their place in February 1942;
Ergnzungsgruppe Ost (EJGr. Ost) was established at Krakow,
Poland under Hptm. Gnther Beise, Ergnzungsgruppe West
(EJGr. West) stood up at Cazaux, France under command of Maj.
Jrgen Roth, and Ergnzungsgruppe Sd was created at
Mannheim-Sandhofen with Maj. Alfred Mller commanding. In
theory, the establishment of these centralized replacement
groups had merit, as it allowed a greater degree of flexibility in
As newer model Bf 109s

entered service with front-line
units, the surviving older
model aircraft were rotated
rearwards to serve with the
Ergnzungsgruppen and
fighter schools, as is the case
with this Bf 109F-2 which
previously saw service on the
Eastern Front
Flight training took place in

all conditions, the better to
prepare a fledgling pilot for
the constantly changing
conditions on the front
JVS and JFS Units

The following is a list of the various JVS and JFS units in operation as of 1942:
Unit
Jagdfliegervorschule JVS 1
Jagdfliegerschule JFS 1
Flugzeugfhrerschule FFS JGr Drontheim
Flugzeugfhrerschule FFS JGr Langfuhr
Base
Kamenz/Saxony
Lachen-Speyerdorf
Vienna-Schwechat, with a detachment at Neubiberg
Frth
Vienna-Schwechat
Werneuchen
Schleissheim
Stolp-Reitz, with detachments at Grove, Denmark and Bad Aibling
Frth
Vienna-Schwechat, with detachments in France at Villacoublay and Guyancour t
Lachen-Speyerdorf, with a detachment at Eichbor n
Nancy, France
Drontheim
Langfuhr
Training Operations
83
09-MDF10-Chap-07_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:44 Page 84
JVS and JFS Units

The assignments and base locations of these new Jagdgeschwader n were as follows:
Flight readiness was all that

mattered at the
Jagdfliegerschulen, and
cleanliness took a distant
back seat. This dingy Bf
109F-4 is seen in ser vice with
an anonymous JFS, and par t
of a three digit code can just
be made out on the tail
section
Old designation
JFS 1
JFS 2
JFS 3
JFS 4
JFS 5
JFS 6
JFS 7
JFS 8 (FFS A/B 62)
I./JG 105
Stab/Blindflugschule 10
FFS-B 13
(new unit)
New designation
JG 101
JG 102
JG 103
JG 104
JG 105
JG 106
JG 107
JG 108
JG 109
JG 110
JG 111
JG 112
Base
Werneuchen
Zerbst
Bad Aibling
Frth-Herzogenaurach
Villacoublay-Nord
Lachen-Speyersdorf
Nancy-Essay
Bad Vslau
Stolp-Reitz
Altenburg
Roth
Landau/Isar
Unit Commander
Obstlt. Erich von Selle
Obstlt. Jrgen Roth
Maj. Herber t Ihlefeld
Maj. Hans Trbenbach
Maj. Richard Leppla
Obstlt. Hennig Strmpell
Maj. Georg Meyer
Hptm. Kurt Mller
Maj. Walter Kienzle (Formed Apr 44, became II./JG 103 in Oct 44)
Oberst Max Gerstenberger
Maj. Rolf Hermichen (Formed Jul 44, became II./JG 104 in Oct 44)
Hptm. Waldemar Wbke (Formed Jul 44, became II./JG 101 in Oct 44)
assigning pilots to operational units where they would be most

needed. However, the reality was that the Ergnzungsgruppen
assigned to the fighter units were often used operationally, and
the disbandment of these Gruppen deprived each
Jagdgeschwader of a percentage of their operational strength. In
1943, a further restructuring took place which placed the
Jagdfliegerschulen on an operational footing each unit was
redesignated as a full Jagdgeschwader, and the novice pilots
would henceforth be expected to contribute to the defence of
German territory.
The introduction of Wilde Sau nightfighting techniques with
single engined fighters also necessitated the creation of a
specific unit dedicated to training single-engine pilots in the
fine art of nocturnal flight, and the Ergnzungs-Nachtjagdgruppe
was established at Ludwigslust in April 1944, then taken over as
Considering the aircraft

supply situation facing the
Luftwaffe in 1944, it is
something of a surprise to
see this MW-50 equipped Bf
109G-6/U3 serving with a
training unit
This happy pilot was photographed at Aalborg in Denmark in a G-6 fitted

with a field-converted Erla clear vision hood. Note the lack of head armor ,
and the inclusion of a stiffening bar to provide rigidity to the large canopy
Bomber to Fighter Units

The former bomber units still maintained a shred of their identity , with the following Bf 109-equipped fighter units being crea ted as shadows of their
former Kampfgeschwader counterpar ts:
KG unit
Stab/KG 6
I./KG 6
II./KG 6
Stab KG/27
I./KG 27
II./KG 27
Stab./KG 30
I./KG 30
II./KG 30
III./KG 30
Stab./KG 55
I./KG 55
II./KG 55
84
Chapter 7
JG unit
Stab/KG(J) 6
I./KG(J) 6
II./KG(J) 6
Stab /KG(J) 27
I./KG(J) 27
II./KG(J) 27
Stab./KG(J) 30
I./ KG(J) 30
II./ KG(J) 30
III./ KG(J) 30
Stab./KG(J) 55
I./KG(J) 55
II./ KG(J) 55
Base
Prague-Gbell
Prague-Gbell
Prague-Rusin, Kletschany
Fels am Wagram
Raffelding
Hrsching
Chrudim
Chrudim
Kniggrtz
Pardubitz
Hohensalza
Landau
Plattling
RVT band color assignment

Red/black checkers
Red/black checkers
Red/black checkers
Green/white checkers
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Aircraft assigned
Bf 109G
Bf 109G-10 (19 recd Nov 44)
Bf 109K-4
Bf 109K-4 (4 recd Dec 44)
Bf 109G
Bf 109K-4 (31 recd. Dec 44)
Bf 109G (from Nov 44)
Bf 109G (from Jul 44)
Bf 109G (from Oct 44)
Bf 109G (from Sep 44)
09-MDF10-Chap-07_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:44 Page 85
Training Unit Losses

The following is a par tial extract of training unit Bf 109 losses from mid-1942 originally compiled by Jim P erry, and is not co mprehensive by any means. Any er rors in transcription are the
sole responsibility of the author.
Type W
Bf 109G-1
Bf 109G-1
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-1
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-5
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-12
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-5
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-12
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Nr
14059
14819
16213
20755
15824
19838
166073
710057
15818
411087
18337
18343
410770
14712
14714
14615
441287
14010
412478
410507
162600
165338
19828
13439
16514
18084
410830
161450
10369
19479
411921
14547
15544
410209
441765
440645
410909
163855
411924
162146
14847
412210
20631
20667
160845
10820
411706
160029
410042
19808
412365
15324
20536
19534
160619
163697
13700
760015
10862
15497
15674
20770
166079
15557
165520
16204
760014
781996
Pilot
Emmerich, Ofw. Heinrich
Brandner, Ltn. Sepp
Harms, Ltn. Hans
Zepke, Ogefr.
Linsei, Fhr. Hermann
Heintze, Uffz. Ferdinand
Vlkel, Gefr. Walter
Lobbet, Uffz. Wilhelm
Thomsen, Fw. Kurt
Grattenthaler, Fw. Josef
Keller, Ofhr. Hennig
Schwachenwalde, Uffz. C
Leupold, Gefr. Erwin
Halmai, Fw. Norber t
Moschke, Ltn. Heinz
Sahrhagel, Fw. Herber t
Jelloneck, Ogefr. Hans
Weniger, Ogefr. Gerhard
Powliki, Uffz. Bruno
Rosenthal, Uffz. Heinz
Lsche, Gefr. Helmut
Hartmann. Uffz.
Rommel, Fhr. Helmuth
Walter, Uffz. Otto
Drger, Uffz.
Bhm, Ogefr. Erich
Schierling, Gefr. Karl
Assel, Uffz. Fritz
Seifert, Ofhr. Helmut
Waldeck, Uffz. Franz
Fabender, Fhr. Jakob (Sch)
Rotke, Uffz. Gnter
Hoer, Uffz. Herber t (Sch)
Trapp, Uffz. Heinz
Dirichs, Gefr. Gnther
Trentini, Flg. Heinrich
Tippmer, Ogefr. Richard
Kmereit, Gefr. Kurt
Gottselig, Uffz. Adalber t
Geier, Uffz. Werner
Staude, Gefr. Fritz
Matti, Ltn. Tervo
Niederhummer, Gefr. Hermann
Wegschild, Uffz. Emerich
Rankl, Uffz. Theodor
Polaczinski, Uffz. Huber t
Jolinger, Ofhr. Eberhard
Merk, Uffz. Hans
Schulz, Gefr. Heimo
Blank, Gefr. Herber t
Marienfeld, Uffz. Fritz
Stolzenburg, Fw. Bruno
Grieb, Ogefr. Gustav
Blumenberg, Uffz. Kurt
Bender, Gefr. Willi
Gamradt, Uffz. Karl
Feldmeyer, Uffz. Hugo (Sch)
Kurz, Uffz. Rudi
Ro, Uffz. Adam
Grunau, Uffz. Hans-Georg
Hahn, Uffz. Kurt
Schirmacher, Ofhr. Karl-Heinz
Schmidt, Ogefr. Erwin (Sch)
Karsorsky, Fhr. Erwin (Sch)
Rath, Fhr. Fritz von
Schilling, Fw. Siegfried
Schlorke, Gefr. Johannes
Sorg, Uffz. Erwin
Unit
Erg.JGr.West
JG 105
JG 106
JG 102
JG 104
JG 104
JG 101
JG 106
JG 105
JG 104
JG 104
JG 104
JG 104
JG 106
JG 101
JG 104
JG 104
JG 101
JG 104
JG 102
JG 104
JG 101
JG 106
JG 103
JG 102
JG 106
JG 101
JG 104
JG 106
JG 108
JG 104
JG 102
JG 103
JG 106
JG 101
JG 108
JG 102
JG 104
JG 106
JG 104
JG 106
1./Erg.NJGr.
JG 104
JG 104
JG 102
JG 106
JG 106
JG 106
JG 102
JG 103
JG 104
JG 104
JG 102
JG 104
JG 104
JG 104
JG 101
JG 104
JG 104
JG 106
JG 106
JG 103
JG 101
JG 104
JG 104
JG 106
JG 103
JG 101
Code
SG + LC
Date
29 Jul 42
16 Dec 43
02 Jan 44
09 Jan 44
09 Jan 44
08 Feb 44
09 Feb 44
09 Feb 44
22 Feb 44
25 Feb 44
25 Feb 44
BJ + II
25 Feb 44
08 Mar 44
24 Apr 44
29 Apr 44
02 Jun 44
30 Jun 44
BD + GE 11 Jul 44
11 Jul 44
12 Jul 44
15 Jul 44
18 Jul 44
19 Jul 44
CC + ZN 21 Jul 44
28 Jul 44
28 Jul 44
30 Jul 44
07 Aug 44
RF + FK 10 Aug 44
10 Aug 44
11 Aug 44
14 Aug 44
15 Aug 44
16 Aug 44
17 Aug 44
17 Aug 44
18 Aug 44
18 Aug 44
18 Aug 44
573 +
19 Aug 44
19 Aug 44
20 Aug 44
574 +
20 Aug 44
873 +
20 Aug 44
21 Aug 44
21 Aug 44
RW + WY 23 Aug 44
23 Aug 44
24 Aug 44
25 Aug 44
27 Aug 44
27 Aug 44
28 Aug 44
28 Aug 44
30 Aug 44
04 Sep 44
05 Sep 44
05 Sep 44
05 Sep 44
05 Sep 44
05 Sep 44
07 Sep 44
08 Sep 44
08 Sep 44
08 Sep 44
10 Sep 44
11 Sep 44
12 Sep 44
Reason
Location
Damage
Killed in crash due to engine trouble. Bur ned
near La Teste
100%
Killed in crash
East of Char tres
100%
Injured in crash
Lachen-Speyerdorf
90%
Killed in crash
Heiligenhafen
100%
Killed in crash
near Ansbach
100%
Killed in crash due to pilot er ror
near Ansbach
100%
Uffing
100%
Injured in emergency landing due to engine trouble
Moosheom
30%
Killed in crash landing due to engine trouble
near Char tres
85%
Wounded in combat
Gerlachhausen
100%
Wounded in combat
Seenheim
100%
Wounded in combat
(noted)
Killed in crash due to altitude sickness
near Ansbach
100%
Killed in action
near Kaiserslautern
100%
Injured in crash due to engine trouble
Tarbes-Ossum
100%
Injured in emergency landing due to engine trouble
Frth A/F
100%
Injured in crash due to pilot er ror
Buchschlag
70%
Injured, over turned, emergency landing, engine fire
near Wrishofen
70%
Killed in crash
near Hchstadt
100%
Killed in crash due to technical failure
Heeselicht
100%
Killed in crash due to engine trouble
near Ansbach
100%
Injured in crash
near Tutting/Ammersee
100%
Killed in crash
Kirchheim/Teck
90%
Killed in take-off accident. Crashed into hangar
Stolp-Reitz A/F
100%
near Wolzow
100%
Reichenbach
80%
near Schongau
100%
near Unterschlauersbach
100%
Killed in crash
Mutmannshofen-Reichenbach100%
near Mitterndorf
100%
near Herzogenaurach
100%
Groenbrode
80%
Killed in flight collision with Bf 109G-6 WNr 15895
near Stolp
100%
Killed in take-off accident. Over turned
Reichenbach A/F
90%
Fl.Pl. Unterschlauersbach
80%
near Mnchendorf
90%
Injured in crash due to technical failure
Zismar auf Fehmarn
100%
Killed in crash
Nrnberg
100%
Injured in take-off accident
Reichenbach A/F
80%
Injured due to tire damage
Roth A/F
60%
Injured in emergency landing due to fuel shor tage
Reichenbach A/F
50%
Killed in crash
Ludwigslust
100%
Killed, over turned during landing due to pilot er ror
Roth A/F
100%
Roth A/F
100%
Dahme/Ostsee
100%
Reichenbach A/F
90%
Injured in flight collision with Bf 109G-6 WNr 160029 Graben near Waldsee
100%
Injured in flight collision with Bf 109G-6 WNr. 411706 Graben near Waldsee
100%
Ltjenbrode
100%
Stolp-Reitz
100%
Killed in flight collision with Bf 109G-6 WNr. 15324 near Roth
100%
Injured in flight collision with Bf 109G-6 WNr. 412365 near Roth
100%
Killed in crash due to pilot er ror during landing
Heiligenhafen
100%
Engine trouble during take-off
Bonn-Hangelar A/F
90%
Roth A/F
100%
Killed in crash
Buchschwabach
100%
Injured, over turned, emergency landing, engine trouble Pau A/F
80%
Killed in crash due to engine fire
near Roth
100%
Frth A/F
90%
near Reichenbach
100%
near Alleshausen
100%
Stolp-Reitz
80%
nr Unterschlauersbach A/F 100%
Roth A/F
90%
Injured in landing accident
Frth A/F
40%
Killed in take-off accidemt
Reichenbach A/F
70%
Killed in crash
Stolp-Reitz
100%
near Straubing
100%
continued...
Training Operations
85
09-MDF10-Chap-07_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:44 Page 86
Training Unit Losses continued...

Type W
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-12
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-5
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-12
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
86
Nr
412692
412109
19548
782219
16342
412533
161135
440147
411964
20668
782230
165362
412459
782265
412934
413491
165644
440205
165517
110224
411735
19437
412023
440639
464516
165143
760258
412117
163676
140095
441124
780927
441512
165408
411369
163547
441483
464488
166151
464848
462909
18718
410398
411015
441865
464493
410289
440057
461340
166220
46407x
441605
441477
161129
461340
782105
412414
41x066
463159
163838
464486
413895
18831
110397
440692
440962
464558
782192
163296
44006x
163982
165813
Chapter 7
Pilot
Berg, Gefr. Frobert
Rettenberg, Gefr. Paul-Karl
Gerck, FhjFw.
Boltendahl, Gefr. Hans
Pillhofer, Ogefr. Karl
Schwerte, Gefr. Heinz
Tumescheidt, Uffz. Bruno
Blitz, Ofw. Richard
Gerrelmayer, Uffz. Josef
Gro, Ogefr. Emil
Heumann, Ogefr. Alfred
Scholz, Uffz. Wolfgang
Kanthak, Gefr. Rudi
Schmidt, Gefr. Friedrich
Michaelis, Gefr.
Mller, Uffz.
Steinwall, Gefr. Heinz
Schmitz, Gefr. Hellmut
Ackermann, Fhr. Ulrich
Schwalbe, Fhr. Hermann
Bertsch, Uffz. Egon
Breitenbach, Uffz.
Kupka, Uffz. Fritz
Gagstetter, Fw. Karl
Delhey, Ofw. Josef
Klotzsche, Fw. Werner
Baldus, Uffz. Hans
Lehmann, Fw. Adolf
Lsch, Ltn. Waldo
Sprigade, Gefr. Herber t
Kneip, Ofw. Robert
Richter, Fw. Hans
Zweck, Uffz. Phillipp
Lieberwirth, FhjOfw. Kurt
Richter, Ofw. Edgard
Kleine, Fhr. Kurt
Hedrich, Uffz. Rolf
Bosch, Hptm. Hans
Hoppe, Ofw. Kurt
Kuckick, Gefr. Gerhard
Oehm, Ofhr. Egon
Hlzle, Fw. Karl
Mller, Uffz. Erich
Gier, Uffz. Karl
Hieseberger, Ofw. Johann
Balasus, Oblt. Waldemar
Kamp, Gefr. Konrad
Slapinka, Fw. Lothar
Neumann, Fw. Fritz
Wiegand, Fw. Heinrich
Zschlinski, Fhr. Kurt von
Schulz, Fhr. Dietrich
Htter, Ltn. Walter
Zukal, Ogefr. Josef
Haas, Ofw. Karl
Teifl, Gefr. Karl
Siegmund, Ogefr. Karl
Gummel, Uffz. Hans
Hemmerling, Uffz. Friedrich
Werthenbach, Ofw. Herber t
Mller, Gefr. Adolf
Glasmann, Uffz.
Schlidgen, Uffz. Helmut
Krmer, Uffz. Josef
Lhmann, Uffz. Hans
Lhmann, Uffz. Rudolf
Mediger, Fw. Friedrich
Meibeth, Gefr.
Neumann, Uffz. Heinrich
Rieck, Uffz. Fritz
Skrizipek, Hptm. Eduard
Endress, Ltn. Mar tin
Unit
Code
Date
JG 101
13 Sep 44
JG 106
13 Sep 44
1./Erg.NJGr. red 51 + 15 Sep 44
JG 104
15 Sep 44
JG 104
15 Sep 44
JG 104
15 Sep 44
JG 106
16 Sep 44
JG 101
17 Sep 44
JG 102
RX + FJ
18 Sep 44
JG 102
18 Sep 44
JG 104
19 Sep 44
JG 101
21 Sep 44
JG 104
22 Sep 44
JG 104
23 Sep 44
2./Erg.NJGr. red 24 + 27 Sep 44
2./Erg.NJGr. red 10 + 13 Oct 44
IV./Erg. JG 1 red-brn 3 + 20 Dec 44
IV./EJG 1
red 33 + 23 Dec 44
III./EJG 1
30 Dec 44
II./EJG 1
01 Jan 45
III./EJG 1
01 Jan 45
1.Eins.Gr./EJG 1 white 18 + 02 Jan 45
1.Eins.Gr./EJG 1 white 7 + 02 Jan 45
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
02 Jan 45
I./EKG(J)
02 Jan 45
9./EJG 1
25 +
08 Jan 45
14./EJG 1
red-brn 4 + 13 Jan 45
5./EJG 1
white 17 + 14 Jan 45
13./EJG 1
white 5 + 14 Jan 45
13./EJG 1
9./EJG 1
10 +
15 Jan 45
5./EJG 1
5./EJG 1
9./EJG 1
31 +
17 Jan 45
9./EJG 1
22 +
17 Jan 45
Eins.St./EJG 1 5 +
22 Jan 45
III./EJG 2
23 Jan 45
Eins.Gr./EJG 1 brn 44 + 26 Jan 45
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
27 Jan 45
Eins.St.I./EJG 1white 6 + 27 Jan 45
I./EJG 1
27 Jan 45
I./EJG 2
28 Jan 45
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
29 Jan 45
I./EJG 1
29 Jan 45
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
30 Jan 45
Eins.Gr./EJG 1 grn 29 + 30 Jan 45
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
02 Feb 45
12./EJG 1
white 27 + 02 Feb 45
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
04 Feb 45
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
07 Feb 45
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
08 Feb 45
I./EJG 1
SS + MY 08 Feb 45
II./EJG 1
08 Feb 45
II./EJG 1
08 Feb 45
II./EJG 1
09 Feb 45
I./EJG 1
11 Feb 45
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
13 Feb 45
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
17 Feb 45
I./EJG 2
17 Feb 45
II./EJG 1
17 Feb 45
Stab./EJG 1
17 Feb 45
II./Erg.KG(J)
18 Feb 45
I./EJG 2
18 Feb 45
I./EJG 2
18 Feb 45
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
20 Feb 45
II./EJG 2
24 Feb 45
III./EJG 2
24 Feb 45
I./EJG 2
24 Feb 45
I./Erg.KG(J)
25 Feb 45
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
02 Mar 45
Reason
Location
Damage
near Schongau
100%
Biberach
100%
Killed in crash
near Ludwigslust
100%
Killed in flight collision with Bf 109G-6 WNr 412533 near Ansbach
100%
Injured in landing accident.
Roth A/F
80%
Killed in flight collision with Bf 109G-6 WNr 782219 near Ansbach
100%
near Reichenbach
100%
Killed in crash
near Kaufbeuren
100%
Killed due to enemy fire
near Sderhastedt/Holst.
100%
Killed due to enemy fire
near Husum
100%
near Rothenburg
100%
Killed in crash
SW of Wrishofen
100%
Roth A/F
100%
Killed in crash
near Schwabach
100%
Killed in crash
Hagenau
100%
Killed in crash
Hagenau
100%
Missing in action, cause unknown
100%
100%
Killed in crash
NE of Kleinls
100%
Injured in crash due to engine trouble
SE of Strausberg
70%
Goldmoor
100%
Killed in parachute jump due to engine fire
Pl.Qu. 62727
100%
Pl.Qu. 4256, south of Steinau100%
Injured in emergency landing
Reitwein/Frankfurt/Oder
100%
Killed in crash
near Pilsen
100%
Killed in crash during training flight
800m SE of Metschkau
100%
Injured in parachute jump due to technical failure
8km SE of Greifenhagen
95%
Injured in belly landing due to fuel shor tage
Welzow
12%
Injured taxiing collision with Bf 109G-6 WNr 140095 Stargard-Kltzow A/F
35%
Injured taxiing collision with Bf 109G-6 WNr 163676 Stargard-Kltzow A/F
35%
Killed in crash, probably due to pilot er ror
Blchersruh
100%
Killed in crash during take-off
Strausberg A/F
80%
Killed in training flight clash, maybe altitude sickness Strausberg A/F
100%
Injured in high-altitude crash, cause unknown
Trostdorf Bez. Breslau
100%
Killed in crash, probably due to altitude sickness
Dassdorf Bez. Breslau
100%
(Welun area)
100%
Killed in crash
Perleberg A/F
100%
Staffelkapitn. Killed due to Flak
NW of Wirsitz
100%
100%
Missing in action due to Flak
NW of Wirsitz
100%
Missing in action due to Flak
near Filehno
90%
MIA cause unknown
100%
Killed, cause not repor ted
(noted)
Injured due to pilot er ror
Perleberg A/F
25%
v, cause unknown
(Wohlau-Malsch area)
100%
Missing in action
West of Lgerdor f
100%
Missing after belly landing due to engine trouble
Wohlau area
100%
(Wohlau area)
100%
Wounded due to Flak
near Kstrin
10%
Injured in crash due to technical failure
Nnschrit near Riesa
100%
100%
Killed in crash
100%
Wounded due to Flak. emergency landing
Killed, hitting an obstr uction
near Wurzen
60%
Wounded due to Flak
North of Frankfurt/Oder
(noted)
near Kstrin
100%
Groenhain A/F
35%
Injured in belly landing due to engine fire
North of Hof
100%
100%
Wounded due to enemy fighters
10%
Injured in ground collision with Bf 109G-14 WNr 464885
85%
Injured in belly landing due to technical failure
near Prenzlau
40%
Injured in belly landing due to fuel shor tage
Oberaschtz
50%
Strausberg
100%
Killed in crash due to technical fault
100%
near Pltz
100%
Wounded due to Flak
100%
100%
Injured in crash due to fuel shor tage
Thritz
100%
Killed, shot down by enemy fighters while landing
Perleberg A/F
100%
Killed in crash
Pilsen A/F
100%
Injured in crash landing due to engine trouble
Bautzen-Litten A/F
15%
continued...
09-MDF10-Chap-07_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:44 Page 87
Developed in response to a need for a hands-on trainer to allow students to get used to the handling quirks
of the Bf 109, the G-12 variant was a two-seat conversion of existing G-2, G-4 or G-6 air frames
Because of the greatly reduced fuselage tank in the Bf 109G-12, a unique
cylindrical drop tank was fitted to these aircraft for training missions.
This tank style was later seen in use on some Fw 190D -9s as well
Aircraft assigned to the Jagdfliegerschulen would often have a three-digit code assigned, as seen in this
photo of two Bf 109G-6s on a training flight
The canopies of the Bf 109G-12 hinged upwards along the upper right
corner, adding an additional degree of difficulty to exiting the aircraft in
case of an emergency
As the Allied juggernaut rolled across Europe and strafing attacks became more frequent, camouflaging
aircraft on the ground became increasingly impor tant for all Luftwaffe units. Someone has made a halfhearted attempt to mask this Bf 109G-12 with a couple of small trees, which would not be likely to fool an
attentive Thunderbolt or Typhoon pilot
Following his 202nd victory in September 1942, Maj. Hermann Graf was
removed from combat duty and posted as the commander of the
Ergnzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost at Bordeaux in France in early 1943. He is
seen here on the left with other officers, and clearly looks as though he
would rather be somewhere else at the moment
Another view of yellow 274 and yellow 279 seen during formation flight training
Training Operations
87
09-MDF10-Chap-07_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:44 Page 88
Training Unit Losses continued...

Type W
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Nr
462978
463136
461537
163730
463185
162384
510990
463162
166341
784068
464454
165714
464597
462982
464527
Pilot
Kuhne, Fw. Wolfgang
Richte, Fw. Ernst
Bttcher, Ofw. Friedrich
Suger, Uffz. Eberhard
Fichtinger, Uffz. Herber t
Mayer, Uffz. Erich
Schwarz, Uffz. Fritz
Erlewein, Uffz. Herber t
Adam, Ltn. Hans
Hoppe, Uffz. Adolf
Mink, Ofw. Wilhelm
Fischer, Ltn. Alfred
Grams, Fw. Gnter
Seidensticker, Hptm. Herber t
Leumt, Gefr. Rudolf
Unit
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
Eins.Gr./EJG 1
10./EJG 1
III./EJG 1
IV./EJG 1
I./Erg.KG(J)
I./EJG 1
I./EJG 1
I./EJG 1
I./EJG 1
10./EJG 1
10./EJG 1
10./EJG 1
Schutzst./EJG 1
Code
black 2 +
black 59 +
black 37 +
white 5 +
Date
03 Mar 45
03 Mar 45
06 Mar 45
07 Mar 45
07 Mar 45
07 Mar 45
08 Mar 45
09 Mar 45
12 Mar 45
12 Mar 45
12 Mar 45
21 Mar 45
21 Mar 45
22 Mar 45
14 Apr 45
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
782163
785127
440620
230823
110032
Otto, Ofw. Hugo

Armbrecht, Ltn. Hans
Dinger, Ofhr. Gerhard
Reiter, Ofw. Georg
Fleiszner, Ltn. Jost
9./EJG 1
10./EJG 1
10./EJG 1
11./EJG 1
10./EJG 1
white 16 +
black 7 +
black 12 +
yellow 7 +
black 17 +
16 Apr 45
16 Apr 45
16 Apr 45
16 Apr 45
17 Apr 45
This Bf 109G-12, coded

yellow 60, was found by
advancing American forces at
the Messerschmitt field in
Augsburg at the end of the
war. (Photo courtesy Jack
Johnston)
Although not a late-model

109, this photo of two Bf
109Ds serves to illustrate the
constant hazards faced by
pupils and instructors alike
from inattentive pilots. The
attrition rate in the JFS units
was quite high
black 3 +
Reason
Wounded due to Flak
Killed in combat
Killed in crash, engine damage during transfer flight
Injured in emergency landing due to fuel shor tage
Injured, over turning in bad weather
Killed in crash, cause not repor ted
Killed in combat
Killed in combat
Killed, shot down during take-off
Killed in crash during training
Killed in crash during emergency landing due to
engine damage during escor t for Feldm Schrner
Missing in action due to enemy fighters
Wounded in combat. Str uck trees
Missing after parachute jump due to enemy fighters
Missing in action, cause unknown, af ter Alarmstart
Wounded by enemy fighters. Belly landing. Alar mstart
I./EJG 2 in November 1944. Additionally, with the nearly

complete shift to a defensive stance in late 1944, a training
syllabus was established to convert bomber pilots into fighter
pilots, and the Ergnzungskampfgruppe (J) -Erg.K.Gr. (J)- was
established at Pilsen in November 1944 under the command of
Hptm. Walter Engel.
By the end of the war, the latest operational fighters were
being delivered straight to the training squadrons, with Bf
109G-6, G-10, and K-4 losses being recorded. The pilots of these
aircraft frequently had less than 100 flight hours in total, and
placing them at the controls of such a high-powered and touchy
aircraft as the Bf 109 essentially amounted to slaughter by
proxy. Those lucky pilots who did survive their tours with the
Location
Damage
Bautzen-Litten A/F
80%
Lauban area
100%
not repor ted
100%
near Erding
100%
Unterschlauersbach A/F
70%
Mnchen-Riem A/F
35%
South of Pilsen
100%
SW of Hadersleben
100%
near Vojens/Demmark
100%
NW Hadersleben
100%
near Hadersleben
100%
2km NW of Mettenheim A/F 100%
2km NW of Mettenheim A/F 100%
9km nor th of Wesserburg 100%
90%
Penzing, 15km nor th of Grlitz100%
Daub (Pl.Qu. 42653)
80%
Pl.Qu. 52578
100%
100%
1km west of Grlitz A/F
35%
Yes, that is what you think it is The L uftwaffe captured a large number
of North American NA-64 training aircraft (a fixed-gear variant of the
popular AT-6/SNJ trainer) with the conquest of F rance, and pressed them
into service as advanced trainers
training units found themselves assigned to operational units

and often shunned by the alte Hasen, who knew all too well
that these Nachwuchs (new growth, a nickname for fresh pilots)
would be unlikely to survive their first couple of missions.
Indeed, the loss lists of 1944 and 1945 are overflowing with the
names of Fhnrichs, Gefreiters, and other low ranks who were
often only in their late teens when they were hacked down like
clay pigeons.
An obsolete Bf 109F-2 (note the C -3 inscription in the fuel octane

triangle) of Erg./JG 2 ser ves as a backdrop for these men who appear to
be studying a chart
88
Chapter 7
10-MDF10-Colour-01_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:50 Page 89
Colour Side-views 1
This early production Bf 109F-1 was flown by the famed Geschwaderkommodore of JG 51, Maj. W erner Mlders, in May 1941. Painted in 71/02/65, Mlders
aircraft was highly polished and displayed 44 victories over British and F rench aircraft on the tail, with his overall total st anding at 50 (counting 16 victories
in Spain). This F-1 had a few detail differences from the more common F-2; notewor thy was the wingroot fairing, which was mount ed with a strip of
fasteners as per the earlier Bf 109E
Hptm. Franz Eckerle was among the most successful pilots of 6./JG 54 in the summer of 1941, scoring 34 victories between June and October. His Bf 109F-2
is depicted here following his 38th victor y over an SB-3 on 14 October, 1941, with the uppersur faces in 74 Graugrn and 75 Grau violett while the fuselage
sides have been overpainted with II./JG 54s distinctive pattern of RLM 70 Schwar tzgrn and RLM 02
In the late summer and early fall of 1941, the Geschwaderstab of JG 54 had several similarly painted machines on strength, inclu ding this Bf 109F-2 flown
by the Technischer Offizier, Hptm. Werner Pichon Kalau vom Hofe. A color film of this and another aircraft shows a field-applie d medium to dark brown with
a dark olive green disruptive pattern on the uppersur faces, a white spinner, and an RLM 70 backplate. The exact shade of the br own and green are open to
interpretation
Featuring one of the most distinctive and interesting camouflage schemes to be applied to any aircraft, Axis or Allied, during WWII, the Bf 109F-2 of Hptm.
Hans von Hahn, Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 3, is depicted here in overall 74/75/76 with the formerly all-yellow cowling and rudd er having received a
patchy overspray of 74. Also notewor thy is the large personal emblem beneath the windscreen (Hahn is the German word for roost er), and the tight, thin
spiral on the spinner cap in green and white
Colour Art John Fox
Colour Side-views
89
Colour Side-views 2
JG 53 was well known for its unusual paint scheme modifications, and this other wise anonymous Bf 109F-2 reflects their attempt t o tone down the overall
yellow cowling as viewed from above with a half-hear ted random application of 71 Schwar tzgrn. The overall camouflage of the ai rcraft is 71/02/65, as was
the norm for early production F-2s in the spring of 1941
Following the death of JG 2s Maj. Helmut Wick in combat on 30 November 1940, the contest for top ace status was reduced to two men- Maj. W erner
Mlders of JG 51, and Maj. Adolf Galland of JG 26. Unlike Mlders, Galland was constantly seeking ways to improve his aircraft, a nd one of the
modifications performed was to add a pair of MG 131/13 machine guns to the cowling in place of the MG 17s normally fitted. This aircraft is seen here as it
appeared at the time Galland handed over command of JG 26 to Maj. Gerhard Schpfel on 5 December 1941. The aircraft carries a fie ld-modified scheme of
what appears to be 71 Dunkelgrn and RLM 02 over 65 Lichtblau, with mixed grey mottling
As the war in R ussia entered its second year, the Bf 109F-4 was still the primar y mount of the Jagdwaffe. The aircraft shown he re, flown by the technical
officer of Stab. III./JG 3, Hptm. von Einsiedel, was finished in an overall scheme of 74/75/76, with field-applied patches of t an or brown on the upper wings,
and a streaky, field-applied mottle down the fuselage sides. The for ward upper cowling had been exchanged for a lighter -colored unit from another aircraft,
likely as a result of battle damage repairs. von Einsiedel scored his first two victories over Fleet Air Arm Swordfish while se rving with III./JG 2 during the
infamous Channel Dash on 12 February 1942. He scored his sixth victor y on 6 July 1942, and went on to achieve a total of 23 v ictories before being shot
down and taken prisoner in September, 1942
Colour Art John Fox
90
Colour Side-views
In the spring and summer of 1941, two L uftwaffe fighter-bomber units succeeded in nearly paralyzing the southern coast of Engla nd and resulted in a
massive amount of men and machiner y kept on standby to combat their raids. One of these units, 10.(J)/JG 2, was commanded by Hp tm. Frank Liesendahl,
whose Bf 109F-4/b blue 1 is depicted in this profile outfitted with an SC 250 bomb
Colour Side-views 3
The Bf 109F-4/R1 was the first later model Messerschmitt fighter that could be outfitted with 20 mm gondolas beneath the wings. A small number of
Bf 109F-4/R1s saw service with I./JG 52, including this example coded yellow 1 from 3./JG 52. The aircraft is finished in a st andard 74/75/76 scheme,
with heavy but indistinct mottling on the fuselage sides
This Bf 109F-4 reconnaissance variant ser ved with 1.(F)/122 at Gerbini, Sicily in early 1942. A series of Bf 109F-4s were const ructed which carried different
Rstzustand designations, depending on the camera equipment fitted. The aircraft carries a standard 74/75/76 scheme with a yell ow rudder; not visible are
the upper wings, which carried a distinctive sawtooth camouflage pattern
Arguably the most famous of all L uftwaffe pilots, Hptm. Hans Joachim Marseille downed a pair of P-40s near Fort Acroma to reach 50 victories on 21
February 1942 in this Bf 109F-4/trop WNr 8693. The aircraft carried a standard mid-fuselage demarcation 79 Sandgelb over 78 Hel lblau scheme, while the
rudder was a replacement unit which remained in its rust-red fabric dope color , having never been overpainted with camouflage
This fairly anonymous 4./JG 27 Bf 109F-4/trop was photographed after belly-landing in the deser t in the summer of 1942. The airc raft is painted in a lowdemarcation 79 Sandgelb/78 Hellblau scheme, but nothing fur ther is known of the pilot
Colour Art John Fox
Colour Side-views
91
Colour Side-views 4
Maj. Kurt Brndle, the Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 3, was shot down and killed in this Bf 109G-6 WNr 26058 by 132 Sqn Spitfires on 3 November 1943.
Brndle was among the most experienced fighter leaders in the W est at the time, having achieved 180 victories (mostly in the Ea st) at the time of his death.
His aircraft carries a densely mottled 74/75/76 scheme, with a retrofitted Erla Haube painted in RLM 66
In one of the most unusual operations of W orld War II, the leading R omanian ace Cpt.rez. av. Constantin Cantacuzino undertook a daring flight on 27 August
1944 to San Giovanni air field in Italy with the commander of the 454th Bomb Group, Lt. Col. James Gunn, locked in the aft fusel age of this Bf 109G-6, WNr
166139 to initiate US POW repatriation effor ts from Romania. The aircraft carried the emblem of Grupul 9 on the cowling, was fin ished in a standard
74/75/76 scheme, and to signal their intentions to any prowling US fighters, enormous American flags were hand-painted on eithe r side of the fuselage,
along with prewar US stars on the wings
This aircraft, Bf 109G-6/U4 WNr 441097, was flown by the Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 27, Hptm. L udwig Franzisket, on 12 May 1944 when he was shot
down and wounded by US bomber defensive fire during an interception over Bad Orb. The aircraft is finished in a standard 74/75/ 76 scheme, with the RLM
25 Reichsverteidigung band around the aft fuselage. Note that the aircraft is also outfitted with the R6 Gondelwaffen beneath t he wings
Appointed the Staffelkapitn of a unique unit intended solely to combat US bombers in the fall of 1943, Oblt. Alfred Grislawski commanded 1./JGr 50 until
being named the interim Kommodore of the entire unit in October 1943. During his tenure with 1. Staffel, Grislawski flew this h ighly polished Bf 109G-6/R6
with the entire vertical tail painted white to denote a R eichsverteidigung unit. The aircraft was finished in a standard 74/75/ 76 scheme, but the constant
waxing and polishing to glean ever y knot of airspeed has worn down the finish on the fuselage
Colour Art John Fox
92
Colour Side-views
Colour Side-views 5
This particular Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6, WNr 411938 should hold a special place in all modelers hear ts, as MT-422 was flown by SSgt. Bjre Hielm of
2/HLeLv 31, who later went on to found IPMS Finland. Hielm had this fantastic sharkmouth painted on MT -422 in February 1948, but was forced to remove it
by the base commander a month later. Painted in Finnish olive green and black over light blue, the aircraft was unique in being one of three Finnish Bf 109s
outfitted with the /R6 gunpods, but the 20mm cannons were removed at some point while the fairings remained mounted
In the fall of 1943, this par ticular Bf 109G-6 WNr 19456 was flown by Oberst Gnther Ltzow and Oberst Hannes Trautloft of the Stab/General der
Jagdflieger. Interestingly, the aircraft was originally built as a G-4 but was later conver ted into a G-6 after suffering signi ficant damage in May 1943. The
aircraft is finished in a standard 74/75/76 scheme, with dense mottling on the fuselage and fin
This interesting Bf 109G-6/AS or G-14/AS of 5./NJG 11 was photographed at the end of the war in a relatively intact state. The a ircraft was fitted with FuG
217 Neptun radar, as evidenced by the dipoles on the cowling and beneath the wing, and is painted in 76 Hellblau overall
Colour Art John Fox
Flown by Oblt. Heimo Emmerstor fer, the technical officer of 2./NAG 12 in Albania in 1944, the colors of this Bf 109G-8 have been the subject of extensive
debate. The scheme depicted here, a streaky, field-applied dark olive green over light grey (perhaps 77) with 76 Hellblau under surfaces, is just one possible
interpretation; other sources suggest the darker color is a brown tone
Colour Side-views
93
Colour Side-views 6
At the end of April 1945, Fw. Vladimir Sandtner of the Croatian 2. Jato defected with his Bf 109G-10 black 4 to the Allied bas e at Falconara, Italy.
His aircraft had seen substantial use with another unit prior to being transferred to the 2.Jato, and is depicted in a 75 Grauvi olett/83
Dunkelgrn paint scheme, with heavy overpainting and staining. The aircraft still carries the 30cm yellow
nose ring and yellow rudder specified for aircraft subordinated to L uftflotte 4
Vladimir Sandtners G-10 became the subject of some interest by units in the area, and wound up being exchanged for two bottles of whiskey by 318
(Polish) Squadron, a Spitfire unit based in Italy. The men of 318 Sqn then painted the G-10 in a standard RAF scheme of Dark Gr een, Ocean Grey, and
Medium Sea Grey with a red spinner and white backplate. The 318 Sqn. emblem was painted beneath the cockpit, and
the code letters LW (for Lotnicze Wojska, or Polish Air Force) were applied to the fuselage
Uffz. Horst Petzschler of Stab/JG 51 landed this Regensburg-built Bf 109G-10 yellow 5 (WNr 130297) at Bulltofta, Sweden on
4 May 1945 following a navigational error. Petzschler remained in Sweden until 1946, when he was turned over to the
Soviets and imprisoned for three years. The aircraft carries a standard 75 Grauviolett/83
Dunkelgrn scheme over 76 Hellblau, with dense mottling
Colour Art John Fox
94
Colour Side-views
Formerly serving with II./JG 51, this Bf 109G-10/U4 was on strength with 7./JG 52 when it was surrendered to US forces at Neubib erg, Germany on 8 May 1945.
The aircraft carries quite an interesting combination of colors; given the light contrast on the uppersur faces, the aircraft was either painted in 74 Graugrn and
75 Grauviolett, or a very light 83 Dunkelgrn and 75, with 76 Hellblau undersur faces. The cowling is a replacement unit, depict ed here in 81 Braunviolett and 83,
but this is strictly an interpretation based on a single photo taken from a distance. The same photo appears to show a standard 81/83 mottled rudder, which is
also likely a replacement as II./JG 52 aircraft typically carried a yellow band on the for ward fuselage and a yellow rudder, denoting Luftflotte 4
Colour Side-views 7
Faced with a requirement to teach students the intricacies of the Bf 109 while under the guidance of an instructor , the Bf 109G-12 was developed as a
conversion based on several different Bf 109G variants. This aircraft carries a standard 74/75/76 scheme and
operated with an unknown Jagdfliegerschule in late 1944 or early 1945
Based at Lonate Pozzolo in March 1945, this Bf 109G-14/AS WNr 780356 was flown by Serg.Magg. Giampiero Svanini of the 1 Squadriglie, 1 Gruppo
Caccia, also known as the Asso di Bastoni (Ace of Clubs) squadron. The aircraft was delivered in a standard 74/75/76 scheme w ith German markings,
which were soon painted over in Grigio Azzurro Chiaro 1, a pale blue-grey
Found in a derelict state in Germany at the end of the war , this Bf 109K-4 coded blue 16 of 12./JG 27 had been transferred from another unit, as evidenced
by the overpainted previous code. The camouflage in the single known photo appears to be in 81 Braunviolett and 83 Dunkelgrn o ver 76 Hellblau, with a
dense mottle on the fuselage and premanufactured fin and rudder components finished in the same uppersur face camouflage colors.
White 6 was a Bf 109K-4 which served with 9./JG 27. The aircraft was photographed following the end of the war in a dilapidat ed state, belly-landed next to
a railway line. The uppersur face camouflage is depicted here in 75 Grauviolett and 83 Dunkelgrn, with a standard premanufactur ed fin in 83 and rudder in
81 Braunviolett with 83 mottling
Colour Art John Fox
Colour Side-views
95
Engine: DB 605A
First introduced into service with the Bf 109G-1 and G-2 in the
summer of 1942, the DB 605A was a further development of the
earlier DB 601E. Externally, it looked very much like the older
engine, but there were a significant number of internal changes,
including an increase in displacement from 33 to 35.7 litres.
Walkaround photos are of the preser ved DB 605B (same as the DB 605A
except for the reduction gear ratio) on display at the National Air and
Space Museum in Washington, DC.
Manifold
DB 605A port view key

a. engine bearer mounting linkage
b. engine bearer
c. engine bearer suppor t strut linkage
d. compressor inlet gasket
f. cowling fastener panel (lef t)
g. exhaust stub
h. hydraulic oil tank
i. coolant header tank (lef t)
k. steam evaporator for coolant system
o. lower cowling
p. engine bearer suppor t strut
q. coolant return line
r. clamp
s. coolant line
t, u. circular clamps
Mechanical Specifications
Description:
Overall length:
Overall width:
Overall height:
Bore:
Stroke:
Engine displacement:
Valvetrain:
Crankshaft:
Propeller reduction ratio:
Ignition:
Firing order:
Induction system:
Fuel supply:
Engine star ting system:
Lubrication:
96
Engine: DB 605A
12-cylinder, liquid cooled, supercharged engine with two 6-cylinder banks

arranged in a 60 degree inver ted V
2303 mm (7 6 11/16)
762 mm (
1050 mm (3 5 11/32)
154 mm (6 1/16)
150 mm (6 5/16)
35.7 liters (2179 cubic inches); 2.99 liters (182.5 c.i.) per cylinder
2 intake and 2 sodium-filled exhaust valves per cylinder , actuated by a single
bevel-gear driven overhead camshaft per cylinder bank
7 main bearings, 6 offsets at 120 degrees each, rotating counter -clockwise
(viewed in flight direction)
1: 1.685
Bosch ZM 12 CR 8 dual magneto providing spark via shielded wires to Bosch
DW 27 ET 7 spark plugs (2 per cylinder) plugs could be substituted for BERU
F 280 E 43
1-8-5-10-3-7-6-11-2-9-4-12
Daimler-Benz 16-blade centrifugal supercharger impeller, automatically engaged
by an atmospheric pressure-sensitive regulator
Bosch mechanical injection pump PZ 12 HP 110/19 or 110/25
Bosch AL-SGC 24 DR 2 iner tial star ter, spun up manually by crank on the af t
right side of the cowling
Dry-sump system fed from exter nal 38.6 liter total capacity oil tank mounted in
front of engine
Viewed from the left front, the reduction gear housing is seen to
advantage in this photo
The port spark plug lead feed from the magneto assembly
is seen from aft in this photo
The front of the starboard valve cover is seen here; note

the brass fitting of the oil return line
The injection pump is nestled in the midst of the intake

trunking between the cylinder heads, beneath the engine
The engine underside is seen from aft, looking for ward, in this view
The port vapor separator for the coolant system is seen in this photo, as are the
characteristic twin plug leads of the DB 605 engine
An overall view of the upper aft engine assembly
An overall view of the lower aft accessor y section; note the supercharger trunking to the
left, and the plated-over opening for the MG 151/20 cannon barrel at the top center. The
box next to the trunking is the supercharger pressure regulator
Engine: DB 605A
97
The manufacturers stamp on the starboard cylinder head.

The label on the spark plug lead feed tube immediately
below indicates the manufacturer (Lieferer) as hdc, the
three-letter code for the Luftfahrtgertewerk Hakenfelde
GmbH, located at Berlin-Spandau
A close-up of the spark plugs themselves; note again the

braided steel wire, and the plug arrangement. Note the
arrangement of the plugs in relation to the plated-over
exhaust ports; each paired-up set of plugs fired into
adjacent cylinders
It was common practice to boldly mark the engine variant

on the upper forward crankcase cover, as most DB 605
variants were externally very similar
The crankcase breather tubes of this DB605B are slightly

different from those on the DB 605A fitted to the Bf 109G.
The actual engine block details remain the same, however
The magneto assembly is seen from starboard in this

photo
A close-up of the magneto assembly from por t
Another view of the injection pump and assor ted lines

beneath the engine
An overall view of the starboard side of the engine
A close-up of the injection pump as fitted to the DB 605A/B
The aftmost starboard spark plug leads can be seen here;

note the braided steel shielding of the leads themselves
The driveshaft for the starboard overhead cam is seen here

(the black cylinder with the white zip-tie around it). The
cams were driven by a system of bevel gears and shafts
Compare the size of the normal DB 605A/B supercharger

with that mounted to the DB605D... the later version was
some 25% larger than the one depicted here
98
Engine: DB 605A
Engine: DB 605D
Representing the highest development point of the basic DB 605
design, the DB 605D was largely similar to the DB 605A, but
featured a large number of performance refinements, including
a 25% larger supercharger assembly taken from the DB 603, an
improved oil circulation system to reduce cavitation and loss of
lubrication (a significant issue with the earlier DB 605A engine),
and the ability to quickly modify the engine to take maximum
advantage of whatever octane fuel was handy at a given field
(either 87 octane B4 or 100 octane C3). Further operational
details can be found in the Type Development chapter.
Walkaround photos are of the preser ved DB 605D fitted to Bf 109G-10
WNr 610937 at the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.
Photos taken by Derek Brown and L ynn Ritger.
One identifying characteristic of the DB 605D is the larger capacity oil

tank at the front of the motor, as seen here
Mechanical Specifications
Description:
Overall length:
Overall width:
Overall height:
Bore:
Stroke:
Engine displacement:
Valvetrain:
Crankshaft:
Propeller reduction ratio:
Ignition:
Firing order:
Induction system:
Fuel supply:
Engine star ting system:
Lubrication:
12-cylinder, liquid cooled, supercharged engine with two 6-cylinder banks

arranged in a 60 degree inver ted V
2303 mm (7 6 11/16)
845 mm (
1050 mm (3 5 11/32)
154 mm (6 1/16)
150 mm (6 5/16)
35.7 liters (2179 cubic inches); 2.99 liters (182.5 c.i.) per cylinder
2 intake and 2 sodium-filled exhaust valves per cylinder , actuated by a single
bevel-gear driven overhead camshaft per cylinder bank
7 main bearings, 6 offsets at 120 degrees each, rotating counter -clockwise
(viewed in flight direction)
1: 1.685
Bosch ZM 12 CR 8 dual magneto providing spark via shielded wires to Bosch
DW 27 ET 7 spark plugs (2 per cylinder) plugs could be substituted for BERU
F 280 E 43
1-8-5-10-3-7-6-11-2-9-4-12
Daimler-Benz 16-blade centrifugal supercharger impeller, automatically engaged
by an atmospheric pressure-sensitive regulator
Bosch mechanical injection pump PZ 12 HP 110/25
Bosch AL-SGC 24 DR 2 iner tial star ter, spun up manually by crank on the af t
Dry-sump system fed from exter nal 50 liter total capacity oil tank mounted in
front of engine
The left and right sides of the DB 605D as fitted to the Bf 109G-10 WNr
610937 are seen in these two overall views taken by Derek Brown
Seen here looking aft is the fully reassembled and installed engine, with
the mechanical injection pump centrally located between the cylinder
heads. Also note the oil return line which projects down through the
semicircular cutout on the for ward lower cowl. This line required
additional small bulges to be added to the lower cowling, an
identification feature which helps determine a DB605D-equipped G-10
from the earlier DB 605AS-engined G-6/AS or G-14/AS
Engine: DB 605D
99
The characteristic larger supercharger and cur ved engine bearer of the DB 605AS and DB
605D can be seen in this view of the rebuilt engine in Bf 109G-10/U4 WNr 610937
The starboard side of the engine reveals other detail differences; unfor tunately, the cold
weather start device has not been refitted to this restored example
Seen from the aft right, the accessor y section of this

engine is incomplete, with the star ter mounting bolts being
plainly visible. Also missing is the gas ejection por t for the
Mk 108 30mm cannon fitted to the /U4, which should be
just aft of the last exhaust stack
In this photo, taken by Derek Brown during the restoration

by Evergreen Aviation, the underside of the engine is seen,
looking aft
Here we see the accessor y section, with the two shielded

tubes for the spark plug leads prominently displayed
Another view of the rear of the engine, taken from the aft
right side
No, there are not two crankcase ventilation por ts atop the
engine; the rebuilt engine was finished in a ver y high-gloss
black paint
Although difficult to discern, the various linkages for the

throttle assembly are seen here, just to the right of the
supercharger trunking
100
Engine: DB 605D
The entire lower aft accessor y area of the DB 605D is seen in this photo
Spark is provided via a Bosch twin-magneto system
A close-up of the left side of the magneto assembly
A closer view of the injection pump and the assor ted lines leading to and from the oil cooler
mounted in the lower cowling
The larger diameter supercharger along with the various throttle regulation mechanisms
are seen in this view of the por t aft engine compartment
Here we have a clear view of the por t forward engine as installed in WNr 610937
The port forward engine bay of the restored G-10/U4 WNr 610937 is seen in this closeup
photo, again taken by Derek Brown
The distinctive side-mounted cannon plugs for the engines electrical system are
prominent in this photo of the starboard aft engine bay
Engine: DB 605D
101
Colour Photos 1
JG 53 was forced to abandon their base at Comiso in a hurr y following the rapid advance of
the Allied invasion. Consequently, a number of intact and repairable Bf 109s were left
behind, including this G-6/trop of 6./JG 53, and the G-6 of the Gruppenkommandeur himself ,
Maj. Gerhard Michalski, seen in the background
Oblt. Wilhelm Schilling is seen here in his Bf 109G-2 with 9./JG 54s Staffelhund begging
for a treat
This early production Bf 109G-6 of 1./JG 52 is seen undergoing engine maintenance on a

typical Russian steppe
The Bf 109 design was optimized mass production, as typified by this photo of F models
under construction at Wiener-Neustdter Flugzeugwerke. Note the fairly uniform tone of the
unprimed aluminum skin
Another photo taken at Catania or Comiso shows a smiling GI in the cockpit of a JG 53 Bf

109G-6/trop. The 74 and 02 mottling is interesting, and this is also an excellent example of
the exhaust stain pattern of a well-used 109
The Finnish Air Force was the last operator of the DB 605 engined Bf 109, retiring their last
examples in 1953. WNr 167220, coded MT-503, is seen in this photo taken shor tly before
their retirement
This Bf 109G-4, WNr 19566, was delivered to 365 Squadriglia, 150 Gruppo on 23 May 1943
and captured by Allied forces two months later at Sciacca with damage to the tail section
102
Colour Photos
A Rotte of anonymous Bf 109F-2s are seen here on the Channel front during 1941
Colour Photos 2
German fighter units often operated from any convenient stretch of flat ground, sharing
space with peasants and farmers which frequently made for unusual scenes around the
airfield. Here, a farmer guides his wagon of crops past a Bf 109G-6/trop of 3./JG 53 at
Catania, Sicily
Oblt. Hans-Joachim Marseille is seen being congratulated by one of his ground crew
presumably following yet another deser t victory in this propaganda photo
An anonymous Bf 109G-6 is seen undergoing engine testing; note the wavy pattern along
the leading edges of the wings, as well as the lower cowling in yellow which does not carr y
forward to the lower oil tank cover
The Bf 109F-2 of the technical officer of Stab./JG 54, Oblt. W erner Pichon Kalau vom Hofe,
is seen in this screenshot of a contemporar y color film shot in the summer of 1941. Aircraft
of the JG 54 Stabsstaffel at this time carried an interesting field-applied scheme of brown
and green, with a white spinner
The Eastern Front was not always snowed under; those units operating in the Ukraine and
the Crimea had to contend with scorching summer heat, as evidenced by these mechanics
of 1./JG 52. Note the interesting demarcation lines between the 74 and 75 on the wings, as
well as the red stenciling for the walkway and the aileron trim tab
Carrying the conversion number 39 in the midst of the fuselage cross, this Bf 109F-4 forms
the control component of a Mistel 1 flying bomb, using a conver ted Ju 88A-4 (WNr 5757,
coded red 6) fitted with a shaped charge warhead. The Mistel was photographed at Burg,
near Magdeburg in April 1945
The bitter winter of 1941-42 set meteorological records, with temperatures reaching -42C
in early January. Despite this, there were still missions to fly , so the Luftwaffe ground crews
adapted as best they could. These Bf 109F-2s of 6./JG 52 are seen at Krasnogvardiesk, with
a suitably camouflaged Ju 52 in the background
Colour Photos
103
Colour Photos 3
A useful photo for modelers! As the K ommodore of JG 54, Maj. Hannes Trautloft had several
aircraft at his disposal, including this Bf 109G-2. The odd mix of colors and overspray would
suggest the aircraft has received a winter coat at least once prior to this one
Hptm. Hans Phillipp was one of the most successful pilots of JG 54, amassing 178 victories
with I. Gruppe prior to becoming the K ommodore of JG 1 in May 1943. He is seen here with
his pet fox before his Bf 109F-4 at Krasnogvardiesk in 1942
After being forced to evacuate Tunisia following the Allied conquest of Nor th Africa, II./JG
51 moved to Sardinia, where the Bf 109G-6 of the Gruppenkommandeur , Maj. Karl
Rammelt, is seen undergoing heavy maintenance. The field-applied camouflage on the
wings is noteworthy
This Bf 109 from JG 53 has frequently been misidentified as a K -4, but the location of the
PF 16 direction finder loop base and the cowling bulge just visible behind the GI shows this
to be a late production G-6 or G-14
This Bf 109G-2, (WNr 13993) was delivered to 3./L eLv 34 of the Finnish Air F orce in May
1943 as MT-229, and was the aircraft flown by Lt. L auri Nissinen on 17 June 1944 when he
was killed in a mid-air collision with Lt. Uhro Sariamo in MT -227
Yellow 3, a Bf 109 of an anonymous unit stands by as a formation of L uftwaffe aircraft

beat up the airfield
104
Colour Photos
Wrecked during a raid on II./JG 27s base at F els am Wagram, Austria, this Bf 109G-6/AS
shows a number of interesting details, including the exposed MW -50 tank in the severed aft
fuselage, the red gear legs and wheels denoting the use of C -3 fuel, the roughly painted
yellow wing tips, and a crewman who looks suspiciously like former F errari F1 driver
Rubens Barrichello
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 105
Foreign Users
Chapter
ith the vast numbers of Bf 109s produced during the

war, it comes as no surprise that so many were used
operationally by Axis nations during the war.
Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Romania, and Slovakia
all used the Bf 109F, G, and K in their air forces, and Switzerland
purchased thirteen Bf 109G-6s in 1944 following a tense
diplomatic showdown. Spain also used several Bf 109Fs both
during and after the war, while Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia
used former Axis Bf 109Gs after the war for border patrols and
security flights. The Czech firm Avia also adapted the basic Bf
109G airframe to take the Jumo 211, and the resultant Avia S199 was used by both the Czech Air Force as well as the nascent
Israeli Air Force as their first fully combat-ready aircraft. The
postwar roles of the Bf 109 are beyond the scope of this book,
however, and this section will deal primarily with the wartime
use of the Messerschmitt fighter by Axis partners, along with a
brief overview of those aircraft captured and tested by Allied
forces. The strength and loss lists contained in each section are
necessarily incomplete, as research is continually ongoing, but it
is hoped that the information contained therein will be useful to
modelers wishing to build a subject not normally covered by
standard aftermarket decal sheets.
Bulgaria
ollowing the first of a series of raids against the oil

refineries in Ploesti, Romania on 11 June 1942, when the
surviving B-24 Liberators flew through Bulgarian airspace
unscathed on their way home, an urgent request was placed by
the Bulgarian Air Force (Vozdushni na Negovo Velichestvo Voiski)
to Germany for more modern equipment to combat the
American bomber armadas. The Liberator pilots flew
unmolested across Bulgaria, with not one single fighter rising to
challenge them; one can imagine that the initial reactions of the
Bulgarian High Command and the local Luftwaffe command
center to such a defensive debacle would be unprintable. To their
credit, however, the Luftwaffe not only made helpful
recommendations for improving the Bulgarian defenses, but
also committed to supplying substantially improved aircraft to
the Bulgarian air arm.
Those promises made at a local level took a great deal of time
to negotiate at higher levels, however, and as a result, the first
batch of 16 Bf 109G-2s was not delivered until March 1943 a
full nine months after the initial Ploesti raid. By late July, the
Bulgarian Air Arm had taken delivery of a total of 29 Bf
109G-2s, just in time for the second US attack on Ploesti. This
raid, codenamed Operation Tidal Wave, became the stuff of
legends for the bravery of the crews on both sides. The German
and Romanian defenses were fierce, and the Bulgarians were
ready this time. The planned attack and withdrawal routes went
through the northwest corner of the country, near Berkcvista.
The first Bulgarian aircraft to reach the B-24 Liberators was an
Avia B.534, which was predictably ineffective; however, once the

Messerschmitts of the 6th Aviation Regiment entered the fray,
the situation changed drastically. Both Poruchyk Stoyan
Stoyanov and Podporuchyk Ivan Bonev destroyed a Liberator
apiece and each damaged another B-24 to the point it was forced
to leave the formation, while an additional two Liberators were
claimed destroyed by Podporuchyk Petar Bochev and Poruchyk
Hristo Krastev. There were a total of 177 B-24s committed to the
raid, and losses amounted to 54 aircraft an unsustainable
30% loss rate.
In late August, another 48 Bf 109Gs were sent to bolster the
White 7, a Bf 109G-6 of the

6th Iztrebitelen Polk, is seen
in formation with another
Bulgarian machine. Note the
yellow wingtips on both
aircraft, as well as the
mismatched cowling and oil
tank cover on white 7. The
aircraft also sports a white
spinner with a black spiral
and a yellow lower cowling
and aft fuselage band
Poruchyk Stoyan Stoyanov of

the 682 Jato was the highest
scoring Bulgarian ace of
WW2, with four confirmed
victories and five damaged
Training Operations
105
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 106
Croatia
A group of Croatian pilots

from 15.(kroat)/JG 52 gather
for a group portrait. From left
to right: Fw. Bozidar
Bartulovic, Hptm. Josip
Helebrant, Maj. Vladimir
Ferencina, Oberst Franjo Dzal
(unit commander), Hptm.
Cvitan Galic, Lt. Nikolai Vice,
Hptm. Mato Dukovac, Ofw.
Viktor Mihelcic, Hptm.
Ljudetit Bencetic
This Bf 109G-2 from

15.(kroat)/JG 52 sustained
minor damage in a belly
landing
Hptm. Mato Dukovac, seen

here at center in front of his
Bf 109G-6 black < 1, was
the highest scoring Croatian
ace with 44 confirmed
victories
106
Chapter 8
Bulgarian air arm, and not a moment too soon as US bombing

attacks on Sofia stepped up through late 1943. With these
attacks and the increasing pleas for assistance from the
Bulgarian government, Germany committed to sending one full
Luftwaffe Jagdgruppe, as well as additional aircraft and training
for 50 pilots. By February 1944, the Bulgarian fighter arm had
received an additional 25 Bf 109G-2s and 40 Bf 109G-6s, but
significant raids on Sofia in January and early March were met
with relatively light forces. Another raid on 30 March 1944 saw
39 Bf 109G-6s from the II. and III./6th Iztrebitelen Polk (Fighter
Regiment) respond, with total US losses numbering at least ten
aircraft shot down while the Bulgarian forces lost five fighters,
three of those pilots being killed. The last raid on Sofia occurred
on 17 April, and due to a gross mistake in aircraft recognition by
the Bulgarian pilots, seven out of 16 Bf 109Gs were shot down in
short order by escorting P-51 Mustangs which had been
mistaken for friendly forces from a distance by the Bulgarians.
Incidental combat continued through the summer, but a coup
on 26 August resulted in Bulgaria changing sides and joining the
Allies in combating Germany. As of September 1944, the
Bulgarian air force was left with 101 Bf 109Gs out of a total of
approximately 145 delivered, all serving with the 6th Iztrebitelen
Polk. It is worth noting that the end of the war saw another 100
or so Bf 109G-10s, G-12s, and G-14s enter service with the 6th
Fighter Regiment following their capture as war prizes from
Czechoslovakia and Austria. These aircraft served until late
1946, when 59 were supplied to Yugoslavia as war reparations.
One of those G-10s now resides in an American museum: with
WNr 610824 on display at the US Air Force Museum in Dayton,
Ohio and WNr 610937 is currently displayed at the Michael King
Smith Aviation Center in McMinnville, Oregon.
he history of Croatias involvement in the Second World

War is a complex one, politically charged and rife with
intrigue, which still resonates to this very day. With the
German punitive invasion of Yugoslavia on 6 April 1941, the
royal government under the young Prince Paul was rapidly
toppled. A mere three days later, an ultranationalist political
movement known as the Ustashi declared an independent state
of Croatia with the capital being Zagreb. The Ustashi were more
concerned with eliminating Serbs than attending to all the
details of running a country, and the resultant partisan warfare
and mass defections would touch all levels of the military. The
Zrakoplovstvo NDH (Nezavisna Drzava Hrvatska), the air arm
of Croatia, was not exempt from this drama, as demonstrated by
the defections of a number of Croatian airmen serving with
Luftwaffe units.
The training of the Croatian fighter pilots at FFS A/B 123 in
Zagreb went far quicker than normal, as many pilots had
previous experience flying Bf 109Es with the Royal Yugoslav Air
Force. This cadre of pilots was split into two squadrons, the 10th
Jato under Hptm. Vladimir Ferencina and the 11th Jato under
Hptm. Zladko Stipcic, with the 10th being subordinated to JG 52
as the 15th Staffel at Taganrog and seeing action from November
1941. The 11th soon followed, but was disbanded within a few
weeks and the pilots incorporated into 15.(kroat)/JG 52 due to
lack of equipment. The unit saw significant action through the
spring of 1942, being sent to take part in the action against
Svestapol in May, and the 50th victory of the Staffel was scored
on 26 June 1942. After filing a plea for better aircraft to replace

their worn Bf 109Es and Fs, the entire Staffel transitioned onto
the Bf 109G-2 by September, and left for a leave period in
Croatia between November 1942 and late March 1943.
Apparently, exposure to the bitter fighting between the
Ustashi and the Serbian partisans in Croatia had a dramatic
effect on the Croatian airmen who had been highly regarded by
their regular Luftwaffe compatriots through the battles of 1942.
One pilot had defected to the Soviets in May of 1942 with his
Bf 109E, but this was regarded as an abnormality. Between May
and June 1943, however, an additional three pilots deserted their
unit and this caused a major upheaval among the Croatian air
force command as well as significantly strained relations with
the Luftwaffe. After a command shuffle and the discharge of all
original members of 15.(kroat)/JG 52, the unit was reformed
with new trainees in the fall of 1943 and outfitted with
Bf 109G-4s and G-6s. The unit then transferred to Beregovo in
October 1943 under the command of the second-highest
scoring Croatian ace, Hptm. Mato Dukovac. By February 1944,
Dukovacs unit strength was reduced to a mere four Bf 109Gs
thanks to the heavy fighting over the preceding months, and the
unit transferred rearwards to Croatia for another rest and refit
period between March and June 1944. Returning to the Eastern
front, 15.(kroat)/JG 52 found themselves caught up in the great
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 107
Croatian Losses
Known losses of 15.(kroat)/JG 52. This list is not intended to be fully comprehensive; only those Messerschmitts identified by WNr are listed.
Any errors are the sole responsibility of the author.
Type
WNr
Bf 109G-2 13445
Name
Galic, Asp. Cvitan
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-1
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Hellebrant, Cne. Josip

Mikovic, Ofw. Veco
Bencetic, Ltn. Ljudevit
Dzal, Ltn.Col. Franjo
Hellebrant, Cne. Josip
Ferencina, Col. Vladimir
10
10

Radic, Ltn. Stjepan
10
10
13463
13411
13489
13436
13463
13438
13436
13577
13517
13520
13421
13654
13608
13417?
14177
14154
13607
13741
14975
19543
14978?
14824
14848
13516
14822
14192
13761
13485
14545
14032
14205
20039
19494
13630
18497
15770
19638
19475
19208
19680
15859
Victories
38
13
10
10
Nikoljacic, Ltn. J.
Lasta, Ltn. Jure
Cipic, Ofw. Josip

Antic, Ltn. Angele
Mihelcic, Ofw. Viktor
Dukovac, Ltn. Mato

Vujicic, Hptm. Bogdan
Starc, Oblt. Alwin
Cvikic, Hptm. Nikolai
Vladimir, Uffz. Salamon
Rajtaric, Ogefr. Zvonimir
Vice, Ltn. Nikolai
Avdiz, Uffz. Zwenko
Gazapi, Uffz. D.
Martinko, E.
40
Code
Date
Reason
(black) 13 + 11 Mar 42 Damaged in combat with 7 I-153s and 8 Laggs,
later suffered fur ther damage in bombing attack
black 8 +
10 Jun 42 Wounded in combat
black 13 + 20 Jul 42 Missing, cause unknown
(black) 9 + 23 Jul 42 Take-off accident
black 1 +
28 Jul 42 Crash-landing, hit in engine due to enemy fighters
black 8 +
14 Aug 42 Belly landing due to undercar riage damage
black 10 + 21 Aug 42 Landing accident
24 Aug 42 Crash-landing due to technical failure
black 11 + 26 Aug 42 Crash-landing due to technical failure
black 11 + 27 Aug 42 Tire damage on take-off
(black) 9 + 29 Aug 42 Missing due to Flak
07 Sep 42 Flak
09 Sep 42 Engine damage due to enemy fire
black 10 + 28 Oct 42 Missing due to enemy fire
(black) 16 + 28 Oct 42 Killed in crash, engine explosion af ter claiming a Lagg
08 Nov 42 Take-off accident
07 Dec 42 Enemy fire
05 Jan 43 Crash-landing
05 Jan 43 Undercarriage damage
11 Feb 43 Engine trouble due to enemy fire
11 Feb 43 Engine trouble due to enemy fire
18 Feb 43 Killed, cause not repor ted
white 10 + 31 Mar 43 Missing after combat with 8 LaGGs
03 Apr 43 Rammed by a Ju 87
green 9 +
05 Apr 43 Missing, cause unknown
12 Apr 43 Take-off accident
15 Apr 43 Crash-landing due to pilot er ror
22 Apr 43 Engine trouble
black <2 + 14 May 43 Defected to Soviets af ter combat
green 11 + 14 May 43 Defected to Soviets af ter combat
24 May 43 Engine fire
green 2 +
15 Jun 43 Defected to Soviets
11 Jul 43 Killed in combat with P-39s & La-5s
29 Oct 43 Killed in crash due to pilot er ror after take-off
04 Nov 43 Injured in take-off accident
white 13 + 21 Nov 43 Wounded in combat with LaGG-3
25 Nov 43 Emergency landing due to fuel failure
26 Nov 43 Emergency landing due to technical failure
27 Nov 43 Killed in combat
28 Nov 43 Belly landing due to pilot er ror
11 Dec 43 Damaged by German Flak
16 Dec 43 Emergency landing in bad weather
westwards retreat in the face of a resurgent Soviet army, and

wound up moving from Slovakia through Poland, ending up at
Eichwalde in East Prussia for conversion training. The unit was
renamed the 1. kroatische Jagdgruppe 1 after an administrative
shuffle of Jagdwaffe units, and began receiving the more
powerful Bf 109G-14 and G-10 in late 1944, before moving to
Labyu in Latvia where they would remain until being disbanded
on 1 November 1944 following a dramatic defection.
On 20 September 1944, on what was to be a routine armed
reconnaissance flight, Staffelkapitn Mato Dukovac and his
wingman Vladimir Spoljar intentionally landed on a Soviet field
just behind the front lines. In a personal interview in the 1980s,
Dukovac said he was sick of the war and saw no possibility of
Germany winning, thus he and Spoljar took the opportunity to
escape the inevitable defeat. Dukovac escaped more than just
defeat; a great number of his fellow pilots were executed by
forces led by Josip Tito after the end of the war, including Oblt.
Ivan Jergovic, Ltn. Zivko Dzal, Hptm. Zlatko Stipcic, Fw. Kelez,
and the original Staffelkapitn of 15.(kroat)/JG 52, Oberst Franjo
Dzal, who was tried and executed immediately thereafter. Two
other Messerschmitt pilots escaped the coming purge by
Location
Maikop-North airfield
Damage
35%
Samurskaj
(Rostov)
Mariupol
Schamschijew
Armawir airfield
Kerch airfield
near Jelisawetinskaja
Krymskaja
Jelisawetinskaja
Tuapse
Rostow
Krymskaja
West of Tuapse
Tuapse (near Bejola river)
Rostov-North airfield
Sea of Azov
Taman
Taman
West of Bagerovo
West of Bagerovo
Szezekanow
Map grid 8657
Nikolayev-East
noted
100%
75%
100%
20%
50%
30%
30%
65%
100%
noted
20%
100%
100%
30%
15%
25%
45%
80%
20%
100%
100%
10%
100%
Bagerovo airfield
20%
Taman
55%
Map grid 76772
20%
Bjelaja-Glina airfield
100%
Bjelaja-Glina airfield
100%
East of Taman
35%
Bjelaja Glina air field
100%
Map grid 66532 (Sea of Azov) 100%
nr Bagerovo, 15km W of K erch60%
Taman
60%
Map grid 66592 (Kerch)
20%
Map grid 36452
35%
Karankut (Armjansk)
10%
Map grid 46143
100%
Karankut (Armjansk)
20%
6km NW of Kerch
40%
Kadagaj, 30km SSW Dshankoj 20%
Just visible in this closeup of

Sandtners Bf 109G-10 is the
dashed outline of a ram in a
square, the 2nd Fighter
Squadron emblem
Training Operations
107
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 108
The Bf 109G-10 of Fw.

Vladimir Sandtner is seen
here shortly after landing at
Falconara in late April 1945.
The extensive repainting is
noteworthy, as is the large
Ustaschi emblem on the fin
and rudder
defecting to Allied forces at Falconara airfield; Fw. Vladimir

Sandtner landed his Bf 109G-10 black 4 at Falconara on 16
April 1945, joined by his squadron mate from the 2nd Fighter
Squadron Fw. Josip Cekovic in Bf 109G-10 black 10. Sandtners
aircraft would later be purchased from some US soldiers by 318
(Polish) Squadron for the exorbitant price of two bottles of
bourbon (brand not noted), and repainted in a standard RAF
uppersurface scheme of Dark Green and Medium Sea Grey, with
standard RAF roundels and fin flashes. The aircraft was marked
with the code LW, standing not for Luftwaffe, but for Lotnicze
Wojska (Polish Air Force).
March. The G-2s were coded MT-201 to MT-230 in service, and

they had an immediate impact on the air war. Brought together
in a new squadron, Lentolaivue (LeLv) 34, two Gustavs were in
combat on 24 March, with the honors for the first Finnish Bf 109
victory falling to W/O Ilmari Juutilainen in MT-212. Many more
victories would follow, with Juutilainen himself scoring no fewer
than 58 kills (from a total of 94) in various Messerschmitts. The
initial batch of 30 G-2s was supplemented by an additional 18
G-2s (coded MT-231 through MT-248) as attrition replacements
delivered in small batches as necessary, but there were still not
enough Messers to go around. As such, another large batch of
Bf 109Gs was purchased, this time consisting of 109 later Bf
109Gs, with codes extending from MT-401 to MT-514. Included
in this total were two Bf 109G-6/ASs (MT-463 and MT-471),
and three Bf 109G-8 armed reconnaissance aircraft (MT-462,
MT-474 and MT-483), while the balance of these aircraft were
standard Bf 109G-6s. Fourteen of the aircraft were G-6
Finland
MT-212 was a Bf 109G-2 with

the WNr 14753, and arrived
in Finland on 9 May1943,
being flown by Ilmari
Juutilanen
This Bf 109G-2, WNr 10481,

formerly served with 4./JG 53
until sustaining 35% damage
in a taxiing accident on 14
September 1942. Following
repairs, it was delivered to
1./LeLv 34 on 10 May 1943
as MT-219. The aircraft was
lost on 20 August 1943 with
Lt. Kalevi Tervo being killed
fter the bitter fighting of the Winter War between Finland

and the Soviet Union over the fall and winter of 1939-40,
it was recognized that better equipment would be
required for the Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force).
Accordingly, a number of different types were purchased or
donated outright, including 44 Brewster 239s and nearly 30 each
of Fiat G.50s and Morane-Salunier MS.406s on strength in June
1941. The Finns were right to not trust the uneasy truce, as the
Soviets launched a new offensive on 25 June against southern
Finland, thrusting the Suomen Ilmavoimat pilots back into a
desperate battle for their country. The Finns took a positively
fearful toll of the Soviet invaders, with the Brewsters racking up
the one of the highest victory-to-loss ratios in combat history
(496 to 19, meaning 26.10 victories for every Brewster lost in
combat). The Brewsters, Moranes, Fiats, and other fighter
aircraft were still behind the technological curve, and as such
the Finns entered into negotiations with Germany to purchase a
number of Bf 109s.
Despite both countries being at war against the Soviet Union,
Germany and Finland were not allies in the traditional sense; it
was more a case of The enemy of my enemy is my friend. As
such, there were no agreements to assist Finland, and the RLM
initially balked at the purchase request. However, the discussions
ultimately bore fruit, with an agreement to sell 30 Bf 109G-2s
being reached in February 1943 and the first batch of fighters
was picked up by Finnish pilots and flown back to Finland in
Kanonenbooten, equipped with the underwing 20mm cannon,

which the Finns rapidly removed to capitalize on the
maneuverability of the aircraft. This brought the grand total of
Finnish Bf 109G deliveries to 157. 32 of the aircraft were lost in
combat, with an additional 24 being destroyed on the ground,
and 23 pilots were lost to all causes. Balanced against the 32
combat losses is a staggering total of 663 victories, equating to
20.7 kills for every Messerschmitt downed by enemy fire.
HLeLv 34 saw their first major action on 21 May, when eight
Soviet aircraft were downed for the loss of one Messerschmitt,
the first to be lost in combat; Lt. Saalasti collided with an I-153
flown by Lt. Sitvinikov. The Finnish pilot perished in the ensuing
crash of MT-228, while Sitvinikov managed to escape his
MT-212 was a Bf 109G-2 with the WNr 14753, and arrived in Finland on 9
May1943, being flown by Ilmari Juutilanen
108
Chapter 8
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 109
damaged Polikarpov by parachute. Aside from occasional aerial

skirmishes over the Gulf of Finland, the remainder of the
summer passed relatively uneventfully on the military front, as
President Ryti and Marshal Mannerheim sought to cease
hostilities with the Soviet Union, while simultaneously
attempting to appease an increasingly belligerent Germany.
Threats and ultimatums were sent from both the Soviets and
Germans, and the Finns eventually chose not to accept the harsh
peace terms offered by Stalin. Soviet attacks began to intensify,
and by the beginning of 1944, the resurgent Soviet army had
finally broken the siege of Leningrad, thereby opening the entire
Karelian Isthmus to renewed attacks. In February, the Finnish
capital Helsinki suffered a series of bombing raids which were
intended to break the will of the people to continue fighting.
This was an abject failure, and the Finns were able to negotiate
for further arms shipments from Germany, including a large
number of anti-tank weapons and an additional 114 Bf 109G-6s
and G-8s, with deliveries beginning in April and extending
through August. There were enough new Messerschmitts to
equip two full squadrons, recently redesignated as
Hvittjlentoulaivue (HLeLv, fighter squadron) 30 and 34 ,
while the older G-2s were transferred to HLeLv 24.
Just as the Bf 109G-2s had made an immediate impact on the
air war over Finland in March 1943, the large number of new
G-6s came as a particularly nasty surprise to the Soviets. The
first notable engagement with the Bf 109G-6 saw Maj. Ilmari
Luukkanen lead a small force of 11 Bf 109G-6s against a Soviet
bomber formation consisting of 27 Petylakov Pe-2s escorted by
15 Yakovlev fighters. By the time the combatants dispersed, the
Finns had lost a single Messerschmitt, while the wrecks of 8
Pe-2s and 3 Yaks littered the countryside below. The raids
continued through April and May, with the Finns scoring
multiple victories in each engagement, but the raids began to
taper off towards the end of May. Fulfilling Marshal
Mannerheims worst fears, the Soviets prepared an enormous
assault force, among the largest seen during the Second World
War, to overrun the Karelian Isthmus and push towards Helsinki
itself. This invasion was launched on 9 June across a 20
kilometer wide front with a massive artillery barrage from the
Soviet 21st Army, while overhead, no fewer than 1,300 aircraft
from the 13th Air Army unleashed attacks over a wide area.
Initially facing this overwhelming force were 30 Finnish Bf 109s
and 18 Brewster 239s, but the Finnish pilots of those few aircraft
fought like men possessed, downing 55 aircraft in the first week
of the invasion. The worst combat loss to be suffered by the
Finns occurred on the 17th, when Bf 109G-2 MT-227, flown by
Lt. Urho Sarjamo, lost its starboard wing to a Soviet fighter. As
the aircraft fell, it crashed into the Bf 109G-2 MT-229 of
1./HLeLv 24 piloted by the highly respected Lt. Lauri Nissinen,
killing both Sarjamo and Nissinen.
There was no time to mourn the loss of Lapra Nissinen and
Sarjamo, though, as the Soviet attacks continued to intensify. 19
June saw 19 aircraft fall to 3./HLeLv 34 led by Capt. Risko
Puhakka and 3./HLeLv 24 under Capt. Hans Hasse Wind,
followed on 20 June by an incredible 51 aircraft brought down

in a bitter but ultimately futile fight to prevent the capture of
Viipuri by Soviet forces. Indicative of the pace of operations
during these dark, desperate days are the multiple kills scored
by almost every Finnish pilot on every mission; Lt. Olavi Puro
of 2./HLeLv 24 downed five different Soviet aircraft (a LaGG-3,
La-5, P-39 Airacobra, Pe-2, and an Il-2) on 20 June while flying
the oldest Messerschmitt in the unit, MT-201. Three days later,
he downed three Lavochkin La-5s and a single Il-2 Sturmovik
on 23 June while flying MT-449, and on 1 July, he downed a pair
of La-5s and Yak-9s while flying MT-479. MSgt Urho
Lehtovaara of HLeLv 34 flew MT-448 in a defensive action
against 75 Soviet Pe-2s and Il-2s attacking HLeLv 24s base at
Lappeenranta, and he shot down three Pe-2s out of the four
downed in total during the raid. The Soviet forces also lost 11
Il-2s and a Yak-9 to the Finnish defenders. Gradually, the Soviet
offensive ground to a halt, stopped by a combination of fierce
and unyielding resistance from the Finnish units assisted by the
German 303rd Sturmgeschtz Brigade, equipped with 22
massive StuG III mobile assault guns and 9 StuH 42 assault
howitzers, as well as overextended Soviet supply lines. In a
complete turnaround of their previously frosty attitude towards
the Finns, the Germans had not only sent this brigade, but had
also expedited delivery of additional Messerschmitts and
provided a tactical air component, the Gefechtsverband
Kuhlmey under Oberst Kurt Kuhlmey, equipped with Fw 190s,
Olavi Puro had a habit of

making multiple kills in a
single day; he used this
aircraft, MT-479 (WNr
165323) to down two La-5s
and two Yak-9s on 10 July
1944
Bf 109G-2 WNr 10488

formerly served with 2.(H)/14
in Tunisia before being
damaged on 22 March 1943.
Repaired and sent to Finland
as MT-220, Lt. Oiva Tuominen
of 2./LeLv 34 used this
aircraft to down four Soviet
fighters between 19 and 24
June 1943
Warrant Officer Ilmari

Juutilanen was the highest
ranking Finnish ace, downing
94 aircraft throughout the
war. His primary Bf 109s
were MT-222, MT-426, and
MT-457
Training Operations
109
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 110
Finnish Losses
The Finns kept their Mersus in ser vice until the mid-1950s, being exceeded in lifespan only by the Spanish Air F orce examples.
Type
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2/trop
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
WNr
14718
14722
14726
14728
14738
14740
14741
14743
Name
Ehrnrooth, Major Erkki
Ervi, Capt. P.
Lahtela, Capt. Kullervo
Puhakka, Capt. Risto
Pekuri, Lt. Lauri
Pallasvuo, Ens. Yrj
Evinen, Lt. Veikko
Myllyl, Lt. Urho
Unit
2./LeLv 34
1./LeLv 34
2./LeLv 34
3./LeLv 34
1./LeLv 34
2./LeLv 34
2./LeLv 34
3./LeLv 34
Serial
MT-201
MT-202
MT-203
MT-204
MT-205
MT-206
MT-207
MT-208
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
14745
14750
14752
14753
14754
14781
14783
14784
10357
10414
10481
10488
10522
13528
13654
13568
13577
13592
13736
Lehtonen, Lt. L.
Nyholm, Ens. J.
Turkka, W/O Yrj

Tuominen, W/O Oiva
Mittl, Sgt. L.
Juutilanien, W/O Ilmari
Tani, Flt.Sgt. Antti
Karhila, Ltn. Kysti
Nissinen, Lt. Lauri
Peltola, M.Sgt. Eino
Erkinheimo, M.Sgt. Niilo
3./LeLv 34
1./LeLv 34
1./LeLv 34
1./LeLv 34
3./LeLv 34
2./LeLv 34
1./LeLv 34
3./LeLv 34
LeLv 34
LeLv 34
1./LeLv 34
2./LeLv 34
3./LeLv 34
1./LeLv 34
3./LeLv 34
2./LeLv 34
1./HLeLv 24
1./HLeLv 34
2./LeLv 34
MT-209
MT-210
MT-211
MT-212
MT-213
MT-214
MT-215
MT-216
MT-217
MT-218
MT-219
MT-220
MT-221
MT-222
MT-223
MT-224
MT-225
MT-226
MT-227
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
13890
13993
Saalasti, Ltn. T.
Myllyl, Ltn. Urho
2./LeLv 34
3./LeLv 34
MT-228
MT-229
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
14254
10322
10467
13749
13989
10461
13761
13536
14598
14678
10384
14253
10789
Kirjonen, Ens. Mauno

Gerdt, M.Sgt. Aimo
2./LeLv 34
2./LeLv 34
3./LeLv 34
2./LeLv 34
3./LeLv 34
3./LeLv 34
3./HLeLv 34
CC+PY
KA+KX
GE+WW
2./LeLv 34
1./LeLv 34
3./HLeLv 34
3./HLeLv 34
3./HLeLv 34
MT-230
MT-231
MT-232
MT-233
MT-234
MT-235
MT-236
MT-237
MT-238
MT-239
MT-240
MT-241
MT-242
Bf 109G-2
13519
Juutilainen, W/O Ilmari
1./HLeLv 34
MT-243
BJ+WP
17 Mar 44
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
13542
10301
14672
14822
14579
Laitinen, Ltn. Ahti

Leskinen, Ltn. O.
1./HLeLv 34
1./HLeLv 34
3./HLeLv 24
1./HLeLv 24
MT-244
MT-245
MT-246
MT-247
MT-248
DL+IQ
KA+KC
KG+WT
NN+ZB
RB+KE
27 Mar 44
27 Mar 44
06 May 44
19 Jun 44
Delivered on 27 Mar 44. Later to 2/HLeLv 24

Delivered on 27 Mar 44. Later to 2/HLeLv 24. Lost 2 Jul 44
Delivered on 6 May 44. Later to HLeLv 28
Delivered to this unit. To 3/HLeLv 28 on 4 Jul 44, take-off
accident
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
411039
411520
411773
411992
411993
411490
411721
411728
411800
Nyholm, Ltn. J.
Viljakinen, Ens. L.
Pallasvuo, Ens. Yrj
2./HLeLv 30
2./HLeLv 30
3./HLeLv 34
MT-401
MT-402
MT-403
MT-404
MT-405
MT-406
MT-407
MT-408
MT-409
VP+KZ
RW+VQ
RW+ZN
RX+GK
RX+GL
RW+UM
RW+XN
RW+XU
RX+BO
20 Jul 44
24 Jul 44
03 Jul 44
Bf 109G-6
411989
Frntil, W/O Mauno
1./HLeLv 34
MT-410
RX+GH
22 Jun 44
Shot down. Delivered on 5 Apr 44

Undercarriage damage. Delivered on 26 Mar 44
Missing in action. Originally delivered to 2/HLeLv 30 26 Mar
44. 11 Jun 44 to 3/HLeLv 34
Flak. Originally delivered to 2/HLeLv 30 26 Mar 44. 11 Jun 44
to 3/HLeLv 34
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
410896
411120
411337
2./HLeLv 30
MT-411
MT-412
MT-413
VP+IX
VP+OC
RW+MP
31 Mar 44
110
Chapter 8
Juutilainen, W/O Ilmari

Valli, Lt. R.
Frntil, Flt.Sgt. Mauno
Peltola, Sgt. Eino
Paronen, Flt. Sgt. Onni
Pallasvuo, Ens. Yrj

Alakoski, Sgt. Klaus
Lehtovaara, Flt.Sgt. Uhro
Aaltonen, Flt.Sgt. Laase
Lnnfors, M.Sgt. G.
Halme, Ens. M.
Code
white 1
white 7
yellow 8
red 2
red 3
yellow 4
red 5
red 6
red 7
Stkz
RF+UN
RF+UR
RF+UV
RF+UX
RJ+SH
RJ+SJ
RJ+SK
RJ+SM
Delivery
09 Mar 43
09 Mar 43
09 Mar 43
09 Mar 43
09 Mar 43
09 Mar 43
09 Mar 43
09 Mar 43
RJ+SO
RJ+ST
RJ+SV
RJ+SW
RJ+SX
GD+UY
GJ+QA
GJ+QB
09 Mar 43
09 Mar 43
09 Mar 43
09 Mar 43
09 Mar 43
09 Mar 43
09 Mar 43
09 Mar 43
10 May 43
10 May 43
10 May 43
10 May 43
10 May 43
10 May 43
10 May 43
10 May 43
10 May 43
21 Feb 44
10 May 43
red 9
red 0
yellow 2
DL+IC
yellow 5
NN+ZG
yellow 7
10 May 43
10 May 43
GE+WQ
GE+TI
DL+JK
RB+KX
KG+WZ
RF+FZ
CC+PX
NF+XY
10 May 43
08 Sep 43
08 Sep 43
08 Sep 43
07 Sep 43
11 Nov 43
11 Nov 43
15 Jan 44
13 Jan 44
16 Mar 44
16 Mar 44
22 Mar 44
Notes
Ditched by Vin Pokela 1 Aug 46 af ter hitting towed target.

Recovered and preserved at Central Finland Aviation Museum
Lost on 10 Mar 44 while being flown by another pilot

Crashed 20 Aug 43
Later to 1/HLeLv 24. Lost 7 Jun 44
Lost 2 Apr 44, Peltola killed in action
Later to 2/HLeLv 24. Lost 17 Jun 44, Lt. Ur ho Sarjamo killed
due to fighters. Collided with MT-229, Lt. Nissinen killed
Pilot killed in collision with I-153 on 21 May 43
Delivered on 10 May 43, later to 1/HLeLv 24. Lost 17 Jun 44,
Lt. Lauri Nissinen killed in collision with MT-227 (Sarjamo)
Later to 2/HLeLv 28
Delivered on 8 Sep 43, later to 1/HLeLv 24
Delivered on 8 Sep 43, later to 1/HLeLv 24
Delivered on 8 Sep 43, suffered landing accident 27 Nov 43
Delivered on 7 Sep 43, suffered landing accident 7 Mar 44
Delivered on 11 Nov 43, later to 1/HLeLv 24
Delivered on 11 Nov 43, later to 3/HLeLv 24. Lost 12 May 4 4
Delivered on 15 Jan 44, later to 1/HLeLv 24
Delivered on 13 Jan 44, suffered landing accident 21 Mar 44
Delivered on 16 Mar 44, later to 3/HLeLv 24
Delivered on 16 Mar 44, later to 3/HLeLv 24
Delivered on 22 Mar 44, later to 3/HLeLv 24. Lost on 12
May 44
Delivered on 17 Mar 44, crashed on landing 14 Apr .44,
another pilot KIC
Crashed on landing. Delivered to this unit 26 Mar 44

continued....
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 111
...continued
Type
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/U2
WNr
411784
412105
Name
Saarni, M.Sgt. P.
Luukkanen, Major Eino
Unit
3./HLeLv 34
3./HLeLv 34
Serial
MT-414
MT-415
Code
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/U2
411704
411902
Nuorala, SSgt. Aaro

3./HLeLv 34
3./HLeLv 34
MT-416
MT-417
yellow 6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
412129
412131
412142
411353
411938
Lahti, Ltn. O.
Pekuri, Capt. Lauri
3./HLeLv 34
3./HLeLv 34
1./HLeLv 34
Pokela, Vin
1./HLeLv 34
MT-418
MT-419
MT-420
MT-421
MT-422
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6
412122
412124
412126
411347
411387
411901
411918
412132
164932
164938
164943
164954
163964
165216
163627
164931
164920
Leino, SSgt. Hemmo
1./HLeLv 34
Wind, Capt. Hans
3./HLeLv 24
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
164944
164929
164947
164952
165421
165215
164934
164915
165260
164950
165278
165267
Helava, Sgt. R.
3./HLeLv 24
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
165277
165274
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
164978
164968
164982
164983
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
164991
164992
165001
165342
Bf 109G-8
Bf 109G-6/AS
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/AS
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-8
Bf 109G-6
200041
163979
164964
165347
165339
165351
165356
165450
165459
165117
164948
165273
200223
164998
Lehto, Sgt. Uhro

Toukoniitty, Ens. A.
Bf 109G-6
3./HLeLv 34
Myllyl, Ltn. Urho

Trontii, Lt. Nils
Tani, MSgt. Antti
3./HLeLv 34
3./HLeLv 34
3./HLeLv 34
1./HLeLv 34
MT-423
MT-424
MT-425
MT-426
MT-427
MT-428
MT-429
MT-430
MT-431
MT-432
MT-433
MT-434
MT-435
MT-436
MT-437
MT-438
MT-439
yellow 5
white 2
Stkz
RW+ZY
RX+IS
Delivery
14 Jun 44
Notes
Killed in combat. Delivered on 7 Apr 44
Luukkanen's replacement for MT-417, 16 victories in this
aircraft
RW+WW
RX+CY
27 Apr 44
RX+JQ
RX+JS
RX+KD
18 May 44
27 Apr 44
16 Jun 44
Delivered to this unit. Luukkanen downed by flak on 19 Ju n

44, pilot OK
Killed, crashing on take-off. Delivered to unit on 27 Apr 44
Delivered to this unit. Destroyed by bomb attack on 20 Jun 44
POW after combat. Delivered on 27 Apr 44
RX+RX
17 Jun 44
Usual mount of Sgt.G.Lnnfors. Used by P okela to down an

La-5, his last victor y (of 5); aircraf t later became the only Bf
109 with a sharkmouth, painted by IPMS/Finland founder and
Messerschmitt pilot Sgt.Brje Hielm of HLeLv 31
01 Jul 44
17 May 44
Injured, crashed on take-off. Delivered on 14 May 44

Wounded in combat. Delivered on 1 May 44
05 Jul 44
Combat. Delivered on 19 Jun 44
26 Jun 44
21 Jun 44
Combat. Pilot returned. Delivered on 19 Jun 44

Used by Tani to down his 17th kill (Yak 9) on this date
28 Jun 44
11 Jul 44
Delivered 19 Jun 44, used by Wind to down La-5 of HSU Maj.

A.V. Zhirkov same day. A/C damaged due to combat 28 Jun
44, pilot wounded
Missing in action. Delivered on 19 Jun 44
22 Jun 44
Missing in action. Delivered on 19 Jun 44
26 Jun 44
Injured in landing accident. Delivered on 19 Jun 44
02 Jul 44
Wounded in combat. Delivered on 20 Jun 44
white 3
white 8
RX+JL
RX+JN
RW+MZ
RW+QN
RX+CX
RX+DO
RX+JT
NY+AV
yellow 3
white 1
NH+LT
NY+AU
NY+AJ
Silvennoinen, Lt. L.
3./HLeLv 34
Puro, Ltn. Olavi

Jrvi, M.Sgt. Turo
2./HLeLv 24
1./HLeLv 34
MT-440
MT-441
MT-442
MT-443
MT-444
MT-445
MT-446
MT-447
MT-448
MT-449
MT-450
MT-451
Puro, Ltn. Olavi

2./HLeLv 24
1./HLeLv 34
MT-452
MT-453
yellow 4
white 11
1./HLeLv 34
MT-454
MT-455
MT-456
MT-457
white 0
01 Jun 44
Used by Luukkanen to down a Yak-9 on this date, 2x Il-2 s

on 1 Jul 44
Vesa, SSgt. Emil

Karhila, Ltn. Kysti
3./HLeLv 24
3./HLeLv 24
MT-458
MT-459
MT-460
MT-461
yellow 8
yellow 6
22 Jul 44
Katajainen, Flt.Sgt. Nils

Jrvi, Flt.Sgt. Turo
Savonen, Ltn. Joel
Nyman, Ltn. Atte
Koskela, M.Sgt. Paavo
Salomies, Ltn. H.
Pysti, Flt.Sgt. A.
Teromaa, Ltn. Erik
3./HLeLv 24
2./HLeLv 24
1./HLeLv 24
2./HLeLv 24
1./HLeLv 24
3./HLeLv 34
3./HLeLv 34
1./HLeLv 34
2./HLeLv 24
3./HLeLv 24
1./HLeLv 24
1./LeLv 34
1./HLeLv 24
2./HLeLv 24
MT-462
MT-463
MT-464
MT-465
MT-466
MT-467
MT-468
MT-469
MT-470
MT-471
MT-472
MT-473
MT-474
MT-475
Used by Lt. Olavi Puro to down 2 Il-2s and one La-5 on 22

Jul 44
Force-landing due to radiator damage, pilot OK
Delivered to this unit. Later to HLeLv 31
Take-off accident. Delivered on 29 Jun 44
Landing accident
Take-off accident
Killed in combat. Delivered on 1 Jul 44 by Ltn. A . Lumme
continued....
Nukarinen, Ens. E.
3./HLeLv 24
Valli, Lt. R.
1./HLeLv 34
Ala-Panula, Capt. V.
Turkka, W/O Yrj
Savonen, Ltn. Joel
Juvonen, Ltn. T.
NY+AS
NH+LS
NY+AY
NY+AE
white 0
BV+UF
02 Jul 44
05 Aug 44
BV+UE
BV+UB
15 Jul 44
01 Jul 44
yellow 7
BV+UA
PS+XT
03 Jul 44
28 Jun 44
28 Jun 44
28 Jun 44
28 Jun 44
09 Jul 44
29 Jun 44
30 Jun 44
01 Jul 44
30 Jun 44
01 Jul 44
22 Jun 44
27 Jun 44
20 Jul 44
Used by Puro to down 3 La-5s and an Il-2 on 23 Jun 44

Bombing attack. Delivered on 22 Jun 44 by this pilot
Luukkanen scored the last kill for HLeLv 34 on this date
(Yak 9)
Downed 2 Yak-9s on this date. Aircraf t on display at Utti AFB
Usual mount of S Sgt Osmo Lnsivaara; used by Tantti to
down 3 Il-2s on this date. 20mm gunpods fitted
Training Operations
111
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 112
...continued
Type
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-8
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/trop
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/trop
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/y
WNr
Name
165461 Katajainen, Flt.Sgt. Nils
165249 Pasila, Ltn. Mikko
165584 Saarinen, Ltn. Jorma
165323 Puro, Ltn. Olavi
165464 Ahokas, M.Sgt. Leo
165472 Riihikallio, Ltn. Eero
165185 Lehtonen, Lt. L.
710012 Lassila, Capt. Atte
165154 Toiviainen, Ens. I.
163953 Nyholm, Ltn. J.
165853 Karu, Major Veikko
166007 Frntil, Flt.Sgt. Mauno
166049 Karhila, Ltn. Kysti
166053 Hmlinen, Ltn. R.
166249
164930 Lappalainen, Ltn. E.
166118 Karme, M.Sgt. O.
166121 Uusiaho, Ens. T.
166132 Salminen, Ens. K.
166139 Himmannen, Ltn. H.
167211
167213
165286
165680
167223
167219
167225
167220
167310
166215
167231
167271
Unit
3./HLeLv 24
1./HLeLv 24
3./HLeLv 24
2./HLeLv 24
3./HLeLv 24
2./HLeLv 24
3./HLeLv 34
1./HLeLv 24
2./HLeLv 30
2./HLeLv 30
2./HLeLv 30
2./HLeLv 30
2./HLeLv 30
2./HLeLv 30
2./HLeLv 30
1./HLeLv 30
1./HLeLv 30
2./HLeLv 30
1./HLeLv 30
1./HLeLv 30
1./HLeLv 34
1./HLeLv 34
1./HLeLv 34
2./HLeLv 34
2./HLeLv 34
3./HLeLv 34
3./HLeLv 34
1./HLeLv 34
1./HLeLv 24
3./HLeLv 24
1./HLeLv 24
1./HLeLv 24
Serial
MT-476
MT-477
MT-478
MT-479
MT-480
MT-481
MT-482
MT-483
MT-484
MT-485
MT-486
MT-487
MT-488
MT-489
MT-490
MT-491
MT-492
MT-493
MT-494
MT-495
MT-496
MT-497
MT-498
MT-499
MT-500
MT-501
MT-502
MT-503
MT-504
MT-505
MT-506
MT-507
Code
yellow 7
yellow 7
yellow 0
Delivery
05 Jul 44
05 Jul 44
18 Jul 44
06 Jul 44
07 Jul 44
07 Jul 44
12 Jul 44
12 Jul 44
20 Jul 44
15 Jul 44
15 Jul 44
23 Jul 44
23 Jul 44
23 Jul 44
23 Jul 44
02 Aug 44
02 Aug 44
05 Aug 44
02 Aug 44
02 Aug 44
23 Aug 44
25 Aug 44
23 Aug 44
12 Sep 44
25 Aug 44
24 Aug 44
24 Aug 44
26 Aug 44
04 Sep 44
31 Aug 44
31 Aug 44
01 Sep 44
Bf 109G-6/y
167277
2./HLeLv 24
MT-508
yellow 5
01 Sep 44
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
167283
167215
165429
167274
167289
165206
2./HLeLv 24
2./HLeLv 24
2./HLeLv 34
3./HLeLv 24
3./HLeLv 24
MT-509
MT-510
MT-511
MT-512
MT-513
MT-514
Tuormaa, Ltn. T.
Stkz
yellow 7
NY+AT
CR+RN
CR+RQ
CW+ZB
CW+ZI
BV+UN
white 1
NH+LJ
31 Aug 44
15 Sep 44
07 Sep 44
31 Aug 44
10 Sep 44
01 Aug 44
Notes
Delivered on 1 Jul 44. Crashed on landing 5 Jul 44
Delivered on 5 Jul 44. Later to HLeLv 31
Killed in combat. Delivered on 5 Jul 44
Missing in action. Delivered on 13 Jul 44
Delivered on 23 Jul 44, later to HLeLv 23
Delivered to this unit
Crashed. Delivered on 2 Aug 44
Delivered to this unit. Later to HLeLv 31. Last Bf 109 to be
retired from service with the FAF, on 13 March 1954,
currently on display at Central Finland A viation Museum
Delivered to this unit. Later to HLeLv 31. R aced as blue B
with blue/white checks on lef t side in 1948 summer games
Delivered to this unit
Landing accident
guns at last fell silent in Finland on 5 September. As part of the

armistice terms, the Finns were to expel all German forces by 15
September, and a few skirmishes between the erstwhile
comrades in arms took place, but losses on both sides were few.
MT-222 (WNr 13528)

originally served with I./JG 52
until 13 August 1942, when
the aircraft suffered 35%
damage due to a tire blowout
at Kerch. Once repaired, it
was delivered to Finland on
10 May 1943 and used by
Juutilanen to down 16 Soviet
aircraft
112
Chapter 8
Ju 87s, and a few Bf 109s as well.

By the second week of July, it was becoming clear to the
Soviets that beating Finland into submission was going to be
extremely difficult, if not impossible, and thus they began
withdrawing surviving forces to begin pressuring German forces
in Estonia. The defensive stand mounted by Finnish and
German forces at Tali-Ihantala was extraordinarily costly, but it
literally saved Finland as a sovereign nation. The Soviets
suddenly appeared more receptive to peace negotiations, as
mopping-up operations continued in northern Karelia through
August. Marshal Mannerheim, who had succeeded Ryti as the
Finnish leader, contacted Stalin on 1 September to propose an
armistice, and upon acceptance of the terms by both parties, the
WNr 166007 entered service with 2./HLeLv 30 as MT-487 on 23 July

1944, and was later transferred to HL eLv 23. It is seen here in 1947 with
the original German markings beginning to show through the paint
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 113
Hungary
f all the satellite air forces which flew the Bf 109, the
Magyar Kirlyi Honvd Lgier (MKHL, Royal
Hungarian Air Force) was the largest user and also the
only country to successfully implement license production of
the Bf 109G. Hungarian pilots flying Reggiane 2000 fighters with
the 2nd Air Brigade had been operating in conjunction with
Luftwaffe squadrons on the Eastern Front since the start of
hostilities in June 1941, but by late 1942, these aircraft were in
dire need of replacement. A deal was struck which saw six Bf
109F-4/bs transferred to the 1/1 Fighter Squadron in October
1942, with the small unit subordinated to I./JG 52 while the
Hungarian pilots became familiar with their new mounts. The
first Hungarian Messerschmitt victories occurred on 16
December, when Lt. Imre Pnczl downed no fewer than four
Ilyushin Il-2s during the day. With these victories, Pnczl
became the first Hungarian ace, but he did not survive long
enough to enjoy the honor as he was killed on 11 January 1943.
A major Soviet offensive began in bitter winter weather on 13
January, and Hungarian units were in the thick of the fighting
right from the start. The 1/1 FS was heavily committed and
forced to evacuate from base to base as the Soviet forces moved
forward. The 5/1 and 5/2 Fighter Squadrons were quickly placed
into an accelerated conversion course in order to make them
available for combat as soon as possible, as the 1/1 FS, operating
as the Ungrische Jabostaffel undertook continual ground attack
missions throughout February and March. By April 1943, the 5/1

FS had moved to Kharkov and began operations in conjunction
with I./JG 51. The first credited victory for 5/1 was a Soviet
Douglas A-20 Boston shot down on 29 April by Sgt. Tarnay, and
many more would soon follow with the start of a new Soviet
aerial offensive in May. The 5/2 FS arrived at the front just in
time to join 5/I and 1/1 along with their partner Luftwaffe units
in defending against the massed Soviet strikes. The Soviets were
quickly forced back onto the defensive by June, and the
Hungarian units found themselves tasked with proper fighter
missions including bomber escort. With the onset of Operation
Citadel at the beginning of July, all three Hungarian units found
themselves flying multiple missions each day in support of the
German push towards Kursk. Hundreds of sorties were made in
support of Wehrmacht troops which brought an additional 17
victories to the Hungarian group by 20 July, but the fierce Soviet
resistance forced the Axis forces into retreat by late July.
Indicative of the pace of operations, 5/1 and 5/2 flew nearly 500
missions in the eleven days from 20 to 31 July. The following
month brought no respite from the Soviet counteroffensive,
which reached Kharkov by mid-August, and the westward push
continued towards Kiev by the end of the month, and both sides
worked to make good their losses and bolster their forces for the
next few weeks.
Combat was no less intense through September, however, as
the Soviet pressure on Axis forces around Kiev continued
unabated. The Soviet forces stepped up that pressure in October,
eventually recapturing Kiev on 6 November and repulsing a

strong German attempt to retake the city on the 15th. While this
was taking place, the Hungarian leadership under Adm. Horthy
took a clear-eyed look at the military and political situation, and
initiated very quiet discussions with the US and British
regarding Hungarys position in the war. The official Hungarian
stance was that they had joined the Axis in order to achieve a
border correction, and indicated their willingness to lay down
arms once the US and British forces reached the border. A
preliminary agreement was signed to this effect in Lisbon,
Portugal on 10 October, and this would soon have far-reaching
consequences for Hungary as a whole but not the sort they
were hoping for.
Momentum was now clearly in the Soviets favor, and an even
larger offensive was launched along the Ukrainian front in
December 1943, into which the Soviet forces threw more than
2600 aircraft. The German forces and their allies had been bled
nearly dry in the almost unending battles since the failure of the
Kursk offensive in July, and just over 1,400 aircraft of all types
were available to counter this renewed Soviet threat. By 10
January 1944, a major Soviet breakthrough at Vinnitsa brought a
desperate stop-gap counteroffensive. This forced the Soviet
offensive to a crawl as they sought to make good their losses,
and the Hungarian units stayed busy on both ground attack and
escort missions for the German bombers and vital transport
aircraft bringing much-needed supplies to the front line. It was
during one of these missions on 1 February that Lt. Gyrgy
Debrdy of 5/2 FS was hit and forced to crash land in an open
field behind Soviet lines. His wingman (and best friend), Lt.
Mikls Kenyeres shot down the Yak-9 which had just dispatched
Debrdy, and saw the masses of Soviet troops headed towards
his friend on the ground below. Making a fast decision to try
and help his friend, Kenyeres dropped his gear and flaps, and
made a perfect landing nearby. Debrdy immediately took off at
This Bf 109F-4/b of the 101st

Fighter Wing carries the
distinctive Puma emblem on
the cowling and is fitted with
an ETC 50 VIIId rack for 4 SC
50 bombs. Note that the oil
cooler cover has been
replaced with an item from a
Gustav with the small cooling
scoops
The bright national colors

seen on the tail of Bf 109G-6
V.753 would soon be
oversprayed, as would the
white crosses, in an effor t to
make the aircraft less
conspicuous.
This Hungarian Bf 109G-14 is

particularly interesting as it is
one of the few known Gustavs
to be fitted with Flettner tabs
on the ailerons. This
improvement was most
commonly seen on Bf 109K4s, but several WNF/Diana
built G-10s carried this
arrangement as well
Training Operations
113
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 114
WNr 612780 was a WNF-built

Bf 109G-10/U4 on strength
with the 101/2 Fighter
Squadron at the end of the
war and coded black 15
Bf 109G-6 V.374 is seen

receiving the attentions of the
Propaganda Kompanie
photographers following the
successful completion of a
mission
114
Chapter 8
a full sprint towards the idling Messerschmitt while Kenyeres

jettisoned the center and aft canopy sections to make room for
the two aces in the tight cockpit. As Debrdy jumped into the
cockpit and Kenyeres clambered atop him, they began to take
fire from the rapidly approaching Soviet troops. They managed
to get airborne, but nearly froze in the slipstream on their trip
back to Uman.
The fighting retreat continued throughout February 1944,
with further setbacks seeing the 5/2 FS abandon their field at
Uman on 1 March and wind up at Proshkhurov on the 2nd. The
unit had suffered heavy losses, particularly in equipment, and
was sent to the rear for re-equipment in mid-March. On 19
March, however, Hungary was occupied by German forces and
the government of Adm. Horthy was deposed and replaced with
pro-German functionaries in response to the peace overtures
made to the western Allies back in October. This brought a
temporary grounding of all MKHL units as the Germans wanted
to ascertain whether the pilots would be dependable enough to
continue the fight against the Allied forces. This proved to be the
case, and from mid-March onwards, the MKHL Messerschmitt
pilots would be increasingly engaged both in the Soviet Union
and over their own homeland against formations of USAAF and
RAF bombers. With the 5/2 FS still operating on the Eastern
Front, the 2/1 FS exchanged their obsolete Reggiane 2000 Hja
fighters in March for new Messerschmitt Bf 109Gs, including a
large number of Ga-4s and Ga-6s produced under license at
Gyr, with the 1/1 FS converting slightly later. Despite having
improved equipment, the Hungarian units were still unprepared
to meet the huge numbers of US 15th Air Force aircraft that
appeared over Budapest on 3 April. Roughly 180 US bombers
escorted by a like number of fighters raided transportation and
petroleum industry targets in the city, but many civilian targets
were hit as well, resulting in over 1,000 dead. Ten days later, the
US bombers returned in a two-pronged assault on aviation
industry targets south of Budapest and the Messerschmitt
factory at Gyr. US losses for both raids were comparatively
light, no doubt due to the poor fighter direction and limited
number of defenders which were able to respond.

The Hungarian units underwent a reorganization beginning
in April which saw the 5/2 FS redesignated as 102 Independent
Fighter Squadron, with two component units: 102/1 and 102/2.
These units were subordinated to Luftflotte 6 along the Eastern
Front, while the three disparate home defence groups were
organized into the 101st Fighter Group, with three component
units: 101/1 (formerly the 2/1 FS), 101/2 (formerly the 1/1 FS)
and 101/3 (formerly the 5/3 FS). The Group was fully equipped
with the latest Bf 109G models, and began operations against
15th AF missions from bases in Italy to targets in Austria and
southern Germany in late May, with many battles taking place in
the vicinity of Lake Balaton, southwest of Budapest. Budapest
itself was targeted again on 30 June by 450 US bombers escorted
by 160 fighters, and every single fighter of the 101 FG was sent
against this raid. The small formation of Hungarian fighters tore
into the bombers, scoring four confirmed victories over B-24
Liberators with a further three unconfirmed, along with an
unconfirmed P-38 Lightning. Three days later, on 2 July, another
heavy raid was met by 18 101 FG fighters along with a sizeable
Luftwaffe contingent including Bf 109Gs from II./JG 27 based at
Fels am Wagram, Austria. Six B-24s, one B-17, and several P-51
Mustangs were lost on this mission, including the P-51B of 4th
FG ace Ralph Kidd Hofer. His death in the crash of his Mustang
43-6746 (QP-X) at Mostar, Yugoslavia remained something of a
mystery until 2003, when noted aviation artist and researcher
Troy White uncovered Croatian documentation which
conclusively showed Hofer was downed by 4.Batterie/FlakRegiment 9 Legion Condor during a strafing pass over MostarSd airfield. A fighter to the last, Hofer crashed his stricken
P-51B into a flak emplacement 3 kilometers from the field at
Rodoc, killing two of the crew. The 101 FG Pumas continued to
engage the large US formations targeting Budapest and passing
through Hungarian airspace to attack Austria throughout much
of July with a fair degree of success, considering their small
numbers. The tables turned dramatically on 7 August, however,
when 8 of 18 total 101 FG Bf 109s were shot down by P-51s
escorting a large raid headed for Poland. Among those killed
was the leading Hungarian ace at the time, Lt. Lszl Molnr.
With further losses suffered in raids on the 21st and 22nd, the
101 FG was withdrawn from combat operations for just over a
month in order to re-equip and train a new cadre of pilots. In
the meantime, the relentless advance of the Soviet armies
towards the Hungarian frontier had continually pushed the 102
FS rearwards with the unit winding up back on Hungarian soil
by September 1944.
September 1944 brought a further reorganization of 101 FG
into a full fighter wing, with 101/I formed from 101/1 FS, 101/2
FS, and 101/3 FS while 101/II was formed from 101/4 FS. 101/5
FS, and 101/6 FS. The Pumas were then called back into action
in October, flying missions in concert with the recently returned
102 FG against increasingly stiff Soviet opposition. There was
still the matter of US fighter-bombers flying strafing missions
against Hungarian bases on a regular basis, but the main
defensive effort would be against the Soviet forces of the 2nd
and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts which had succeeded in nearly
reaching Budapest by early November. Despite the addition of a
third full fighter group to the 101 FW and the relentless pace of
defensive operations, there was to be no holding back the Soviet
juggernaut, and their forces reached Budapest on 10 December.
The next month would see several successive operations
intended to break the Soviet stranglehold on the city, and a
further fighter unit reorganization sought to bolster the
Hungarian defenses. The 102 FG had been absorbed into the 101
FW in mid-January, and 101/II had re-equipped with more
powerful Bf 109G-10/U-4s. In a remarkable feat of engineering
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 115
Hungarian Losses
Identified Hungarian aircraft and losses
This list is far from complete, but lists only those aircraf t with a positively identifiable WNr and other useful infor mation. Any errors in transcription are the sole responsibility of the author .
Type
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-2
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109Ga-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10
WNr
Pilot
Unit
Code
5380
1/1
5614
1/1
5636
1/1
5675
1/1
6724
1/1
6728
1/1
6753
1/1
7242
1/1
7476
1/1
8192
1/1
8449
1/1
8583
1/1
8621
1/1
9593
1/1
10623
Kgl.Ung.J.St. (II./JG 52)
12682
1/1
12721
1/1
12803
1/1
13037
1/1
13075
1/1
13190
1/1
13530
1/1
13754
Toth, Ltn. Ludwig
Ung.J.St./JG 52
13994
Ung.J.St.
14086
Ung.J.St.
14550
Kgl.Ung.J.St. (II./JG 52)
14677
Ung.J.St./101
14681
Ung.J.St./101
14681
V.3+38
16124
Ung.J.St./101
16174
Ung.J.St.
16651
101/1
V-7+51
19511
Kgl.Ung.J.St.
95107
101/1
V.7+93
95208
Por. Hemmer t
101/1
V.8+04
95217
101/1
V.8+07
95429
101/2
95435
101/2
163369
101/3
166488 Szeverni, Lt. Klmn
101/3
166491 Horvth, Lt.
101/3
167218
101/1
167245
101/3
167265
101/1
167275
101/3
167293
101/1
167309
101/3
440256
101/2
442019
101/2
511026
101/2
511037
101/1
white 9
511208
7+
511214
101/1
511219
101/1
511232
101/2
511238
101/1
511247
101/1
511273
101/1
511494
101/1
511869
101/1
512165
101/2
512167
101/2
512452
101/3
512644
101/1
512647
101/3
610386 Lnrd, Ens.
101/3
610389
101/3
610396
102/1
Date
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
10 Jul 43
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
07 Dec 42
Reason
Deployed to Rossosh on this date, subordinated to I./JG 52
Engine trouble
Location
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Map grid 0255
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
Rossosh airfield
% Dam
10 Mar 43
21 Sep 43
12 Apr 43
10 Nov 43
21-10-43
26-10-43
Reported lost, crashing af ter Combat. Pilot retur ned

Flak
Flak
Engine trouble
Flak
Taxiing accident
Map grid 1176

Kiev
Map grid 9164
Map grid 0294
Usin
Usin
100%
15%
100%
30%
20%
70%
21-10-43
12 Jul 43
23 Dec 42
11 Apr 43
Engine trouble
Flak
First flight for Gyr-produced Bf 109G-4a
Overturned on landing af ter damage from enemy fire
Map grid 1019

Map grid 81821
30%
100%
Kiev-Sd
50%
30%
burnt out in forced landing

02 Feb 45
02 Feb 45
30 Jan 45
22 Feb 45
19 Feb 45
12 Feb 45
22 Jan 45
13 Mar 45
09 Mar 45
04 Feb 45
22 Jan 45
13 Mar 45
28 Jan 45
04 Feb 45
09 May 45
09 May 45
04 Feb 45
28 Jan 45
20 Feb 45
02 Feb 45
12 Feb 45
12 Feb 45
09 Mar 45
11 Mar 45
15 Feb 45
14 Mar 45
21 Feb 45
09 Mar 45
23 Jan 45
16 Apr 45
22 Jan 45
16 Jan 45
Pilot error
Pilot error
Enemy fire
Killed in combat
Missing after combat
Lost, cause unknown. Hungarian pilot missing
Crash landing due to poor visibility
Enemy fire
Wounded in combat
Emergency landing due to engine trouble
Lost, cause unknown. Pilot retur ned
Lost, cause unknown
Captured at Zeltweg air field; DB 605 A-1 01105305
Gyr-built G-14, captured at Zeltweg. DB 605 A-1 81242
Enemy fire
Pilot missing due to Flak
Take-off accident
Lost, cause unknown. Hung. pilot missing
Lost, cause unknown. Hung. pilot missing
Crash landed due to darkness
Lost, cause unknown
Destroyed in bomb attack
Take-off accident
Crashed after Combat. Pilot unknown
Engine trouble
Shot down by US fighters
Pilot injured in emergency landing due to fuel shor tage
Kenyari airfield
Kenyari airfield
Sarosd Bord
Tatatvros
Esztergom
Seregelyes area
Veszprem airfield
near Csor
near Stuhlweienburg
Kenyari airfield
45%
50%
100%
60%
100%
100%
100%
100%
20%
10%
40%
35%
100%
100%
Zeltweg airfield
Veszprem airfield
15%
100%
100%
Kenyari airfield
35%
100%
100%
Veszprem airfield
20%
Sangobar area
100%
Kenyari airfield
20%
Kenyari airfield
40%
Veszprem airfield
15%
not repor ted
100%
Babolnapuszta
20%
Raffelding, Austria
100%
100%
not repor ted
15%
continued....
Training Operations
115
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 116
...continued
Type
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
WNr
610397
610421
610424
610535
610547
610556
610560
610571
610573
610576
610597
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
Bf 109G-10/U4
610941
610951
610954
610980
610991
611022
611032
611943
611962
612732
612736
Pilot
Unit
101/3
101/3
101 svzd
Asztalos, Ens.
Bajza, Lt.
Frank, Lt.
Csizmadia, Lt.
W-2+20
101/1
101/1
101/1
101/1
101/1
101/1
101/1
101/1
101/3
101/3
101/1
101/1
101/1
101/1
101/2
101/3
101/1
101/1
101/1
Code
Date
21 Feb 45
16 Feb 45
16 Feb 45
01 Mar 45
white 15
02 May 45
13 Mar 45
16 Feb 45
08 Mar 45
white 13 + - 02 May 45
W-1+99
03 Nov 45
white 1
02 May 45
(or W-2+19)
yellow 3 + | 02 May 45
11 Mar 45
W-2+16
04 Mar 45
W-2+17
21 Mar 45
13 Mar 45
02 May 45
02 May 45
yellow 13 (?) 02 May 45
W-2+04 (?) 02 May 45
W-2+06
21 Feb 45
white 12
13 Apr 45
(or W-2+07)
W-2+09
10 Apr 45
19 Feb 45
yellow 1 + I 02 May 45
yellow 12
09 May 45
black 4
25 Apr 45
white 10
02 May 45
white 16
16 Apr 45
black 11
02 May 45
yellow 11
25 Apr 45
white 3
02 May 45
black 15
02 May 45
white 2
19 Apr 45
yellow 13
14 Apr 45
black 13
02 May 45
black 10
25 Apr 45
black 14
14 Apr 45
black 1
25 Apr 45
white 11
02 May 45
W.2+15
09 Mar 45
yellow 14 + | 02 May 45
02 May 45
black 12
13 Apr 45
yellow 8
16 Apr 45
yellow 5
16 Apr 45
black 6
25 Apr 45
black 16
09 May 45
W.0+58
16 Jan 45
22 Feb 45
21 Feb 45
Reason
Enemy fire
Take-off accident, collided with G-14 WNr 464491
Destroyed by engine fire
Take-off accident
On strength
Damaged by own Flak
Force landing due to engine trouble
Missing due to Flak, pilot unknown
On strength, captured at Zeltweg. DB 605 D 11900036
Lost, cause unknown
On strength on this date
Location
Veszprem airfield
Veszprem airfield
% Dam
15%
40%
Veszprem airfield
20%
near Stuhlweienburg
Veszprem airfield
30%
90%
100%
Zeltweg airfield
Sangobar area
100%
On strength, captured at Zeltweg. DB 605 B-1 011102784

Enemy fire
Missing in action
Belly landed
Flak
On strength; surrendered to US forces at Neubiberg on 9 May
Taxiing accident
Shot down, pilot wounded
Zeltweg airfield
near Stuhlweienburg
near Tulin
25%
100%
Veszprem airfield
35%
Bf 109G-10/U4 612740
101/1
Bf 109G-10/U4 612744
101/3
Engine trouble
Bf 109G-10/U4 612756
101/3
On strength, captured at Zeltweg. DB 605 D-1 011101791
Bf 109G-10/U4 612769
101/3
Surrendered to US forces at Neubiberg
Bf 109G-10/U4 612770
101/2
Destroyed in strafing attack
Bf 109G-10/U4 612772
101/1
Bf 109G-10/U4 612775
101/1
Bf 109G-10/U4 612776
101/2
Bf 109G-10/U4 612778
101/3
Bf 109G-10/U4 612779
101/1
Bf 109G-10/U4 612780
101/2
Bf 109G-10/U4 612781 Bernyi, Ens.
101/1
Bf 109G-10/U4 612783 Sznssy, 1/Lt.
101/3
Shot down by US fighters, pilot wounded, POW
Bf 109G-10/U4 612785
101/2
Bf 109G-10/U4 612786
101/2
Bf 109G-10/U4 612787 Szebeni, Lt.
101/2
Forced landing after combat, pilot OK
Bf 109G-10/U4 612788
101/2
Bf 109G-10/U4 613008
101/1
Bf 109G-10/U4 613018
101/1
Missing after combat. Pilot unknown
Bf 109G-10/U4 613026
101/3
On strength, captured at Zeltweg. DB 605 D-0 117100017
Bf 109G-10/U4 613090
101/3
Bf 109G-10/U4 613091 Eggenhofer, Lt.
101/2
Shot down
Bf 109G-10/U4 613099 Sr, Ens. Bla
101/3
Downed by US fighters
Bf 109G-10/U4 613107 Szentgotay, Lt.
101/3
Downed by US fighters, missing in action
Bf 109G-10/U4 613123
101/2
On strength; may be typo for 613023
Bf 109G-10/U4 613155
101/1
Bf 109G-10/U4 613165
101/2
Bf 109G-14
782205 Szebeni, Lt. Antal
101/4
Bf 109G-14
785019
102/1
Enemy fire
Bf 109G-14
785070 Luzsnszky, Lt.
101/3
Bf 109G-14
51125x
101/2
Engine fire
Sources:
Messerschmitt Me 109 cz.6, Robert Michulec
In The Skies Of Europe, Hans W erner Neulen
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10/U4 Production and Operational Ser vice, Ales Janda and Toms Poruba
Hungarian Eagles, George Punka
No.1 Field Intelligence Unit (Austria) R AF, Report No. 61 Zeltweg, Austria (transcribed by Nick Beale)
Loss listings compiled by Jim P erry
prowess under pressure, every new Messerschmitt in this unit

had been fitted with the MW50 power boosting system within
72 hours. However, once again the Axis efforts would come to
naught with the failure of Operation Konrad III on 26 January
1945 due to the vast amounts of snow which grounded the
Hungarian and German aircraft and allowed the Soviet ground
forces to consolidate their gains.
February saw only two weeks worth of operational flying
116
Chapter 8
Neubiberg
Veszprem airfield
Vienna
40%
100%
not repor ted

Zeltweg airfield
Neubiberg
Raffelding, Austria
30%
100%
Raffelding, Austria
100%
Raffelding, Austria
100%
St. Andreas, Austria
100%
100%
Raffelding, Austria
100%
Raffelding, Austria
100%
100%
Zeltweg airfield
Vienna
Raffelding, Austria
Raffelding, Austria
100%
100%
Raffelding, Austria
Neubiberg
Hungary
not repor ted
near Stuhlweienburg
not repor ted
100%
70%
20%
40%
towards the end of the month due to the harsh winter weather,
with the majority of missions being flown against Soviet
crossing points across the Danube River. Early March brought a
further change to the Hungarian fighter units involving the
aircraft coding system. As the 101 FW had been placed under
administrative control of Luftflotte 2, Luftwaffe-style fighter
codes were now ordered to be used on the units Messerschmitts
as well as a 30cm yellow band around the forward cowling and a
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 117
yellow rudder. With the launching of a new counteroffensive

against Soviet forces in Transdanubia on 8 March, the 101/I and
101/III fighter groups were heavily involved over the next few
days but this offensive suffered the same fate as Konrad III a few
weeks prior, and only served to briefly forestall the inevitable. By
mid-March, Soviet forces were beginning to push towards
Vienna, having overrun much of Hungary itself, and the 101 FW
was forced to retreat from Hungarian soil on 5 April, moving to
Raffelding, Austria (just west of Linz). Here, the unit was to
engage Soviet fighters over western Austria and be subjected to
repeated strafing attacks by US fighters until eventually
surrendering to US ground forces on 4 May 1945.
Several aircraft from the Hungarian 101 FW flew to
Neubiberg, Germany to surrender to US forces there, and one of
these aircraft has survived to the present day Bf 109G-10/U4
WNr 611943, now on display at the Planes of Fame Museum in
Valle, Arizona. Neubiberg was the base of II./JG 52, and at least
one of the G-10s captured and returned to the US for evaluation
belonged to this unit; WNr 610824, coded black 2 + -. It has
long been presumed that WNr 611943 was part of II./JG 52 as
well, but research by noted Hungarian historian George Punka
has revealed that this aircraft was shown on strength with 101/3
as late as 2 May 1945. Postwar investigation of the aircraft once
in the Planes of Fame collection suggest that the code carried
was yellow 13, which fits with the color codes assigned to 101/3
and also fits with other aircraft in the unit; a previous yellow 13
was lost on 14 April 1945 and the unit was being re-equipped
with new aircraft as late as 23 April. It would be most interesting
indeed to see this very unique survivor returned to its original
service colors as a tribute to the brave Pumas of the 101st
Fighter Wing.
Italy
he Regia Aeronautica entered the war on 30 June 1940

when Mussolini declared war against England and
France. The Italians were very much a Johnny-comelately to the conflict which was already nine-months old, but
Mussolinis fierce Roman pride had been wounded again and
again by the tremendous successes of his erstwhile German
protg to the north. In a more practical vein, Mussolini was
also keenly aware that the English considered the Mediterranean
their own, and from the time he took power in 1922, his
rearmament programs focused heavily on capable naval units
designed to challenge British naval supremacy. Unfortunately,
while much attention was focused on naval rearmament, Italian
aviation did not progress at an equivalent rate to the remainder
of Europe.
Apart from the spectacular mass flights of General Balbo in
the 1930s, the overall state of the Italian aeronautical industry
hovered somewhere between mediocre and dismal at the time
Italy entered the war. The primary fighter in the Regia
Aeronautica was the Fiat CR. 42, an extraordinarily capable
aerobatic biplane, but hardly suited to the high speeds and
heavy firepower being introduced by other European nations.
Another Fiat design which was entering widespread service, the
monoplane G.50 Freccia, was a stout and sturdy aircraft but
again handicapped by a relatively low powered Fiat A74 radial
engine which gave the aircraft a top speed of approximately 290
mph. It was also poorly armed, with only two 12.7mm Breda
SAFAT machine guns. When compared to the contemporary Bf
109E, which was capable of approximately 340 mph and carried
two machine guns as well as two 20mm cannon, the
discrepancies are obvious.
The well-known firm of Macchi was also supplying fighter

aircraft to the Regia Aeronautica as Italy entered the war. Their
MC.200 Saetta was an attractive and highly maneuverable
monoplane of monocoque design, designed by the man behind
the record setting MC.72 floatplane, Dr. Mario Castoldi. The
fighter had the same 870 hp Fiat A.74 engine as the Fiat G.50,
but exceeded the top speed of that design by nearly 30 mph. It
was still lightly armed with two synchronized 12.7mm SAFAT
machine guns in the upper cowling, but later variants
introduced an extra pair of guns in the wings. The MC.200
began entering service in 1939, and saw front-line service across
the entire Mediterranean and into Russia.
Two US pilots point to the

Diavoli Rossi emblem of the
5 Sq./II Gruppo on this
abandoned Bf 109G-6
This Bf 109G-6/trop, WNr

18152, was photographed at
Aviano upon delivery in May
1943
This, then, was the state of the art for the gruppo caccia
(fighter squadron) pilots as Italy entered the air war. Little action
of consequence took place until October 1940, but the situation
changed rapidly at the end of that month. In a show of bravado,
Mussolini dispatched 48 Fiat G.50s of the 20 Gruppo Caccia
Terrestre and 50 Fiat CR.42s of the 18 Gruppo Caccia as the
fighter elements of the Corpo Aereo Italiano Italys
contribution to the Battle of Britain. And on 28 October, he
launched an attack against Albania towards Greece, expecting to
overwhelm the relatively poorly equipped Greek forces.
Mussolini had not anticipated such a strong Greek response,
however, and his numerically superior and better equipped
forces were positively routed the Greeks not only pushed the
Italians out of Greece proper by early November, but continued
their offensive into Albania, driving the disorganized and
demoralized Italian troops before them.
Back in Belgium, where the C.A.I. was conducting operations
Training Operations
117
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 118
Erla-built Bf 109G-10 WNr

491407 (coded white 3-blue
5) is seen here undergoing
main gear retraction tests
The rakish Ten. Ugo Drago is

seen here on the wing of his
Bf 109G-4 with other men of
the 363 Squadriglia
against the British in conjunction with Luftwaffe forces, the

situation was little better. The nimble Fiat fighters were no
match for the faster and more heavily armed Hurricanes and
Spitfires of the British defenders, and the Fiat BR.20 Cicogna
bombers were little better than sitting ducks when flown against
the fierce British defenses. By January 1941, the remnants of the
Corpo Aereo Italiano were on their way home to sunny Italy,
having had their fill of the cold, dank English Channel weather
as well as the stout resistance of the English defenders
themselves. The same imbalance in combat presented itself
wherever the Regia Aeronautica faced their foes, and the hard
lessons were not entirely lost on the Italian high command. New
fighter designs were urgently needed on the front line, but the
Italian engine manufacturers were having great difficulties in
getting decent power and reliability out of the various liquid
cooled, in-line engine designs currently under development.
These difficulties led directly to an agreement between Alfa
Romeo and Daimler Benz to produce the DB 601 engine under
license. This engine was to power the improved Macchi MC.202
Folgore, one of the most capable aircraft to enter Italian service
during the war, as well as the Reggiane Re 2001. In true Italian
fashion, the aircraft were elegant and viciously aerobatic, but
very labor-intensive to build, and the campaigns for Malta and
in North Africa through 1941 and 1942 had resulted in
significant attrition. By February 1943, with the withdrawal
from North Africa and the increasingly heavy Allied attacks on
Italy, a concerted effort was made to obtain a number Bf 109s
from Germany in addition to a large number of other types to
bolster the Regia Aeronauticas forces. Ironically, Alfa Romeo
had proposed license production of the Bf 109 as far back as
March 1940, based on the enthusiastic reports of Italian airmen
who had tested a number of Bf 109Es, but the request was
denied and Alfa Romeo turned to production of the outmoded
Fiat G.50.
The earlier, vaguely phrased assistance requests of February
were gradually refined into a firm request for 300 Bf 109s which
was ultimately granted by Hitler as a personal favor to his fellow
dictator Mussolini, over the objections of Gring who protested
that such a delivery would significantly impact the Luftwaffe.
The first 109s arrived on 19 April, and a total of approximately
122 Bf 109s had been received by the time the Armistice was
signed on 3 September. The following types were received:
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-6 and G-6/trop
15
6
10
91
The 150 Gruppo Autonomo Caccia Terrestre (independent

fighter group) was the first to receive the Bf 109, with the 363,
364, and 365 Squadriglia (squadrons) being fully equipped
118
Chapter 8
with several of each variant. The 9 and 10 Gruppo also

operated the Bf 109, with the 73 and 84 Squadriglia giving up
their Macchi C.202s for a number of Messerschmitts. This
arrangement did not last long, however, as these units were
ordered to transfer their aircraft to the 23 Gruppo for use by the
70 Squadriglia on 20 June, with the two 4 Stormo units
transitioning to a newer Macchi fighter, the C.205. The last Regia
Aeronautica unit to receive the Bf 109 was the 3 Gruppo, with
the 153, 154, and 155 Squadriglia receiving 23 Bf 109G-4s and
G-6s from II./JG 53 on 22 May 1943.
Honors for the first Italian Messerschmitt victories fell to 363
Squadriglia, with Ten. Ugo Drago and Ten. Giovanni Chiale filing
victory claims in the first major US attack on Pantelleria on 9
June 1943. Drago, flying Bf 109G-6 363-7, downed a Spitfire Vb
from the 308th FS, 31st FG flown by 1st Lt. Stanley E. McMann,
who was later rescued. Drago and Chiale were shortly set upon
by other 31st FG aircraft, with Chiale claiming a Spitfire for
himself while Drago was shot down, but successfully bailed out
and returned to his unit. The Pantelleria raids were a precursor
to an invasion which began on 11 June, and both the 3 and 150
Gruppo were heavily involved in the fighting over the next few
weeks as the Allies eventually seized control of the small island
between Tunisia and Sicily. The situation deteriorated to the
point that on 9 July, one day prior to the surprise Allied invasion
of Sicily, there were a total of six operational Messerschmitts
between both groups. There were another 15 Bf 109s in various
states of repair, but no spares were forthcoming from German
supply depots to fix them; there was a great deal of mistrust at
the command level of the Italian units, and the Luftwaffe
commanders sought to dictate the pace and location of Italian
operations by doling out spares and supplies as they saw fit.
On the Italian mainland, the 70 Squadriglia at Cerveteri

received the last twelve Bf 109s relinquished by the 4 Stormo in
early July, and they were immediately put to use in the defense of
Rome, but this small force was soon whittled down to a single Bf
109 by early September. Negotiations were still underway for
replenishments, but the Armistice of 8 September brought a
crashing halt to these discussions. After a nine-month period of
adjustment, the Bf 109 re-entered Italian service within the
newly created Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana (ANR), with
II Gruppo Caccia (Gr.C.). relinquishing their Fiat G.55s for Bf
109G-6s taken from I./JG 4. By late June, the II Gruppo was
declared combat ready, and the first victories for the newly reequipped unit were claimed on 24 June 1944 over P-47
Thunderbolts of Groupe de Chasse II/5 Lafayette south of
Ovada. No Thunderbolts were actually harmed in the making of
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:59 Page 119
these claims, however; it seems the evasive maneuvers and sooty

exhaust of their R-2800 engines running at full rich mixture
gave the appearance of a smoking, out of control aircraft. The
remainder of June brought numerous losses due both to combat
and accidents, but no further victories for the Italian pilots.
The first actual victories to be attributed to II Gr.C. occurred
on 5 July when eight Bf 109Gs attacked a formation of B-25
Mitchell medium bombers from the 340th BG over Ostiglia, and
two of the bombers were forced to crash-land at their base due
to the damage incurred from the Messerschmitts. On 11 July,
Cap. Mario Bellagambi of II Gr.C. shot down a single Frenchflown B-26 Marauder from GB II/20 Bretagne, while one
further B-26 sustained damage. It would be another nine days
before the II Gr.C. would register further victories, downing a
pair of B-24 Liberators on 20 July and claiming another two the
following day, although only one in fact was downed on the 21st.
By the end of the month, the balance sheet for II Gr.C. was
decidedly lopsided, having lost nine pilots and 15 aircraft for
very few confirmed successes. II Gr.C. spent much of August
training and regrouping from the heavy fighting during July, but
then found themselves grounded on 25 August thanks to a
particularly distasteful and ignorant undertaking by the
Germans called Operation Phnix (Phoenix). Briefly, the
Germans sought to disband the ANR and bring all Italian units
under German control due to constant shifts and infighting
among the Italian high command. As such, the Italian pilots and
ground crews were read a flowery proclamation inviting them to
join the Italian Legion, and the various trappings of Italian
service (such as the flag and uniforms) would be done away
with. Whatever accusations might be leveled at the Italians for
their bureaucratic fumbling, they are an immensely proud
people and it is almost inconceivable that anyone would expect
this plan to have worked. Despite promises, cajoling, and even
threats of deportation, very few of the ANRs 2300 front-line
personnel opted to join this Legion. When word of this
treachery reached Mussolini, he immediately sought to stop the
operation, and slowly things began to return to some semblance
of normalcy with the exception that the ANR units were now
unable to fly. II Gr.C. had sixteen of their Bf 109Gs repossessed
by the Luftwaffe, and the units remained grounded for nearly
two months while permission was sought to resume operations.
At long last, II Gr.C. rejoined the fight on 19 October, and
unleashed a furious attack on a formation of 319th and 320th
BG B-26 Marauders which saw at least three bombers downed
in flames for the loss of only one Italian pilot. However, there
was still much to be learned for the ANR pilots; a particularly
embarrassing fight on 31 October saw two US P-47
Thunderbolts engage almost the entire II Gr.C., with the two
P-47 pilots downing a pair of Messerschmitts and cleanly
escaping, albeit with some damage. November saw the units
strength continually increasing, and better results were in the
offing with two B-24s downed on 3 November, and three B-26s
shot down on 5 November. The Gruppo transferred from
Villafranca to Aviano on 12 November, and offered heavy
resistance once again to a raid on 17 November with two B-17s
and two escorting P-51s falling to the ANR pilots for the loss of
two Messerschmitts. The increasing effectiveness of the Italian

defenders was not going unnoticed by Allied commanders, and
a heavy bombing raid against Aviano the next day resulted in the
destruction of 6 Bf 109s and damage to fourteen more, along
with significant damage to the airfield itself. By the beginning of
December, II Gruppo moved from Aviano to Lonate Pozzolo
while further training took place at the old base. Another move
on the 17th saw II Gr.C. relocate to Thiene, and the unit would
receive a most unwelcome Christmas present from eight P-47
Thunderbolts of the 347th Fighter Group which discovered
Thiene and the essentially unprotected Messerschmitts. After a
short while, fourteen of the Gruppos new Bf 109G-14s were
reduced to smoldering wrecks. This turned out to be something
of a blessing in disguise, as the unit was now short-listed to
begin receiving the far more powerful Bf 109G-10, 11 of which
were delivered between 26 and 30 December.
By the turn of the new year, I Gruppo had begun receiving
Bf 109s as well, with 8 of 18 Bf 109Gs being listed as serviceable
on 24 December. January 1945 was marked by an extended
period of bitter winter weather which restricted operations until
the 20th, when 11 Gustavs were to be ferried from Lonate and
Ghedi to Aviano in icing conditions. This group had the
misfortune to encounter several US P-47s and lost one aircraft
shot down with the pilot being killed, while a second Bf 109G,
White 5 piloted by Ten. Volpi, managed to escape his pursuers
and reach Aviano. The next day, I Gr.C. began arriving at
Bergamo with their Bf 109Gs and the Gruppo was fully
This Bf 109G-6 served with

the 1 Sq., I Gruppo at
Lonate Pozzolo in early 1945
Serg.Magg. Baldis Erla-built

Bf 109G-10 coded black 11
was nicknamed Silva for the
pilots girlfriend. The
characteristic squared-off
bulge of Erla-built G-10s
beneath the windscreen is
seen to advantage
This Bf 109G-6 is seen

serving with the 70
Squadriglia on the Italian
mainland in the summer of
1943
Training Operations
119
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 120
Italian Aircraft and Losses

This list is far from complete, but lists those aircraf t with a positively identified WNr and other useful infor mation. Any errors in transcription or translation lie solely with the author .
Type
Bf 109F-2
Bf 109F-2
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F
Bf 109G-2
WNr
6657
8248
8995
9567
10488
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2/trop
Pilot
Squad.
70 Sq.
70 Sq.
364 Sq.
84 Sq.
70 Sq.
Gruppo
23 Gr.
23 Gr.
150 Gr.
10 Gr.
23 Gr.
Code
Stkz
Date
12 Jun 43
12 Jun 43
01 Jul 43
15 Jun 43
12 Jul 43
10547
10574
10610
10825
70 Sq.
70 Sq.
70 Sq.
365 Sq.
23 Gr.
23 Gr.
23 Gr.
150 Gr.
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109F-4
13048
13164
365 Sq.
363 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
01 Jun 43
01 Jul 43
Bf 109F-4
Bf 109G-2
13260
13805
363 Sq.
70 Sq.
150 Gr.
23 Gr.
12 Jun 43
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/R1
14888
15226
15242
15245
364 Sq.
365 Sq.
364 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
19 Apr 43
21 May 43
28 May 43
23 May 43
Bf 109G-6/R1
15255
365 Sq.
150 Gr.
01 Jun 43
Bf 109G-6/R1
Bf 109G-6/R1
15256
15258
363 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
21 Apr 43
21 May 43
Bf 109G-6/trop
15260
153 Sq.
Bf 109G-6
15261
363 Sq.
Bf 109G-6/R1
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/R1
Bf 109G-4
15278
15312
15342
15377
15443
15521
16196
363 Sq.
154 Sq.
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
18 May 43
12 Jun 43
12 Jun 43
01 Jul 43
365-8
3 Gr. yellow 4,
153 on fuse. band
150 Gr. 363-1
21 Apr 43
29 Jun 43
22 Jun 43
01 Jul 43
01 Jun 43
21 Apr 43
364 Sq.
150 Gr.
3 Gr.
3 Gr.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
16242
16245
16384
154 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
3 Gr.
22 Apr 43
22 Apr 43
19 May 43
Bf 109G-6/R1
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/trop
16390
16402
16468
363 Sq.
363 Sq.
365 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
365-10
SL+EE
21 Apr 43
28 May 43
28 May 43
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/trop
16509
16528
364 Sq.
363 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
364-8
363-3
KT+DB
06 Oct 43
21 May 43
Bf 109G-6
16594
364 Sq.
150 Gr.
364-2
KV+GP
20 Apr 43
Bf 109G-6/R1/trop 16602
363 Sq.
150 Gr.
363-5
KV+GX
21 May 43
Bf 109G-6/R1
16606
364 Sq.
150 Gr.
21 May 43
Bf 109G-6
16642
153 Sq.
3 Gr.
19 May 43
Bf 109G-6/trop
18018
155 Sq.
3 Gr.
Bf 109G-6/trop
18023
Ungarelli, S.M. Agostino 153 Sq.
Bf 109G-6/trop
18040
364 Sq.
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
18042
18043
153 Sq.
155 Sq.
365 Sq.
GK+OX
21 Jun 43
3 Gr. yellow 6, GP+IA

153 on fuse. band
150 Gr. 364-1
GP+IT
19 May 43
3 Gr.
3 Gr.
GP+IV
GP+IW
01 Jul 43
21 Jun 43
21 Jun 43
Reason
Location
% Dmg
Delivered from Greece to 84 Sq on 29 May 43; to 70 Sq. 12 Jun 43 (6th WNF F -2 built)
Delivered from Greece to 84 Sq on 29 May 43; to 70 Sq. 12 Jun 43
Transferred to training unit af ter sustaining damage in ser vice with 364 Sq
Delivered from Greece to 84 Sq/10 Gr on 29 May 43; written off 15 Jun 43
Delivered to 84 Sq/10 Gr on 18 May 43. Sent to depot for major repairs
following accident 12 Jul 43
Foggia depot
Delivered to 84 Sq./10 Gr. on 18 May 43.
Foggia depot
Delivered to 73 Sq; sent to 70 Sq. 12 Jun 43.
Delivered to 84 Sq; to 73 Sq on 21 May 43, to 70 Sq. 12 Jun 43
Delivered in mid-demarcation 78/79 deser t scheme, yellow lower cowl.
Captured at Sciacca Jul 43 in fair condition
Sciacca
Transferred to 3 Gr. 1 Jun 43
Damaged prior to 1 Jul 43, required factor y repair. Captured at San Pietro/
Biscari Jul 43, described as wrecked
San Pietro/Biscari
Captured at Sciacca Jul 43, minus lef t wing
Sciacca
Delivered to 84 Sq; to 73 Sq on 21 May 43, to 70 Sq. 12 Jun 43. Later
shipped to av.depot Ciampino Sud
Delivered to this unit 19 Apr 43
Bari depot
Delivered to this unit 21 May 43; destroyed in bomb attack
Sciacca depot
Orig. black 15 + -, 5./JG 53. Delivered 21 May 43, destroyed 28 May 43
Bari depot
Delivered to this unit. 21 Apr 43, in ser vice with 364 Sq. 23 May 43.
Written off prior to 1 Jul 43
Bari depot
Delivered to this unit 21 Apr 43, in ser vice with 365 Sq. 23 May 43.
Destroyed on takeoff 1 Jun 43
Bari depot
Delivered Bari to 150 Gr. 21 Apr 43
Bari depot
Delivered to this unit 21 Apr 43, heavily damaged by bomb attack and sent to
Sciacca depot 21 May 43
Sciacca depot
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43. Captured at Comiso Jul 43, described
Comiso
as shot up
Heavily damaged prior to 1 Jul 43, captured at San Pietro/Biscari Jul 43 minus
engine, described as wrecked
Santo Pietro/Biscari
Delivered to this unit 21 Apr 43; written off prior to 1 Jul 43
Bari depot
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, written off in forced landing near field on 29 Jun 43
Delivered to this unit 22 Jun 43
Delivered to this unit 1Jul 43
Bari depot
Bari depot
Bari depot
Orig. 4D+XA of Stab./KG 30. Delivered to this unit and heavily damaged prior
to 1 Jul 43. Captured at San Pietro/Biscari, described as a wreck
Santo Pietro/Biscari
Bari depot
Bari depot
Orig. C + blue Y of I./SchG.2. Delivered to this unit on 19 May 43, later
captured at Comiso, described as shot up
Comiso
Delivered to this unit 21 Apr 43, written off prior to 1 Jul 43
Bari depot
Delivered to this unit 28 May 43, written off prior to 1 Jul 43
Delivered to this unit 28 May 43, written off prior to 1 Jul 43. Captured at
Sciacca Jul 43, described as dismantled
Sciacca
Delivered to this unit 10 Jun 43, captured intact at Sciacca Jul 43
Sciacca
Damaged in bomb attack, sent to Sciacca depot for repair . Captured at
Sciacca Jul 43
Sciacca
Delivered to this unit 10 Jun 43, captured at Sciacca Jul 43, described
as burnt out
Sciacca
Delivered to this unit 21 Apr 43 damaged in bomb attack and sent to Sci acca
depot for repair 21 May 43. Captured at Castelvetrano Jul 43, described as
badly damaged
Castelvetrano
Delivered to this unit 21 Apr 43, damaged in bomb attack, sent to Sciacca
depot on 21 Apr 43
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, sent to Comiso depot for damage
repair 21 Jun 43
Comiso depot
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, sent to Comiso depot for damage repair
21 Jun 43. Captured at Comiso Jul 43, described as stripped and looted
Comiso
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, captured Comi so Jul 43, described as scrap
Comiso
Delivered to 155 Sq/3 Gr. on 19 May 43, to 150 Sq. 1 Jul 43. Captured
at Sciacca Jul 43, described as bad crash landing
Sciacca
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, sent to Comiso depot for damage repair 21 Jun 43
Origi. with II./JG 53, Stkz. only. Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, sent to
Comiso depot for damage repair 21 Jun 43. Captured at Comiso Jul 43,
described as almost completely bur nt out
Comiso
continued...
120
Chapter 8
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 121
...continued
Type
Bf 109G-6/trop
WNr
18048
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/trop
Bf 109G-6/trop
Bf 109G-6/trop
Bf 109G-6/trop
18058
18059
18065
18070
18076
153 Sq.
154 Sq.
154 Sq.
155 Sq.
153 Sq.
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/trop
18087
18096
154 Sq.
Bf 109G-6/trop
18098
154 Sq.
Bf 109G-6/trop
18104
153 Sq.
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/trop
18137
18139
155 Sq.
153 Sq.
Bf 109G-6/trop
Bf 109G-6
18145
18148
364 Sq.
155 Sq.
Bf 109G-6/trop
Bf 109G-6
18152
18154
155 Sq.
3 Gr.
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
18157
18169
155 Sq.
3 Gr.
3 Gr.
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/trop
Bf 109G-6/trop
Bf 109G-6/trop
18221
18241
18247
18248
363 Sq.
365 Sq.
365 Sq.
364 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
Bf 109G-6/trop
18250
364 Sq.
150 Gr.
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
18255
18261
70 Sq.
363 Sq.
Bf 109G-6/trop
18266
Bf 109G-6
Pilot
Squad.
153 Sq.
Gruppo
Code
Stkz
3 Gr. yellow 5,
153 on fuse. band
3 Gr.
3 Gr.
154-5
3 Gr.
154-4
3 Gr.
155-6
3 Gr.
+W
SS+WD
Date
19 May 43
Reason
Location
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, captured Comiso Jul 43, described as shot up Comiso
22 Jun 43
19 May 43
19 May 43
3 Gr.
SS+WO
3 Gr.
black 4, SS+WX
154 on narrow fuse. band
3 Gr. SS+WZ SS+WZ
22 Jun 43
07 Oct 43

Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, captured at Comiso Jul 43, described as fair c ondition
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, captured at Comiso Jul 43, described as bur nt out
Captured at Comiso Jul 43, described as par tly dismantled
Comiso
21 Jun 43. Captured at Comiso Jul 43, described as scrap
Comiso
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, abandoned at Comiso 10 Jul 43, found b y
Allies and described in good condition
Comiso
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, captured at Comiso Jul 43, described as
good condition. No Italian markings, Stkz. only
Comiso
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, captured at Comiso Jul 43, described as
partly dismantled
Comiso
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, captured at Comiso Jul 43, described a s scrap Comiso
3 Gr. yellow 3,
153 on fuse. band
3 Gr.
3 Gr. yellow 2, KT+WC
153 on fuse. band
150 Gr. 364-4
KT+WI
3 Gr.
KT+WL KT+WL
KT+WP
KT+WP
KT+WR
KT+WU
21 Jun 43
19 May 43
19 May 43
19 May 43
19 May 43
22 May 43
19 May 43
19 May 43
19 May 43
364-10
SQ+JK
SQ+JQ
SQ+JR
18 Jun 43
18 Jun 43
01 Jul 43
28 May 43
364-3
SQ+JT
28 May 43
23 Gr.
150 Gr.
SQ+JY
PL+DE
28 May 43
01 Jul 43
365 Sq.
150 Gr.
PL+DJ
14 Jun 43
18267
155 Sq.
3 Gr.
155-4
PL+DK
06 Oct 43
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
18268
18269
363 Sq.
364 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
364-11
PL+DL
PL+DM
06 Oct 43
22 Jun 43
Bf 109G-6
18271
365 Sq.
150 Gr.
365-5
PL+DO
01 Jul 43
Bf 109G-6/trop
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
18295
18296
18300
365 Sq.
365 Sq.
70 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
23 Gr.
365-13
PP+TM
PP+TN
PP+TR
06 Oct 43
01 Jul 43
12 Jun 43
Bf 109G-6
18303
70 Sq.
23 Gr.
PP+TU
12 Jun 43
Bf 109G-6/trop
18306
363 Sq.
150 Gr.
PP+TX
01 Jul 43
Bf 109G-6
18309
70 Sq.
23 Gr.
Bf 109G-6
18310
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/trop
18312
18313
363 Sq.
4 St.
150 Gr.
Bf 109G-6
18314
70 Sq.
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/trop
Bf 109G-6
18319
18320
18325
18330
363 Sq.
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/trop
Bf 109G-6
365-11
363-9
12 Jun 43
150 Gr.
BF+QA
19 Jun 43
BF+QC
BF+QD
19 Jun 43
01 Jul 43
23 Gr.
BF+QE
12 Jun 43
364 Sq.
70 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
23 Gr.
BF+QJ
BF+QK
BF+QQ
BF+QV
01 Jul 43
16 Jun 43
16 Jun 43
26 Aug 43
18335
18340
363 Sq.
364 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
BJ+IA
BJ+IF
14 Jun 43
22 Jun 43
18348
364 Sq.
150 Gr.
BJ+IN
01 Jul 43
363-1
364-4
364-10
% Dmg
Comiso
Comiso
Captured at Sciacca Jul 43

Sciacca
21 Jun 43. Captured at Comiso Jul 43, described as bur nt out
Comiso
Delivered in full Luftwaffe markings at Aviano May 43, code KT+WP
Aviano airfield
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, sent to Santo Pietro depot for repair of
strafing damage 1 Jul 43
Santo Pietro depot
Bari depot
Delivered to this unit 19 May 43, sent to Santo Pietro depot for repair of
strafing damage 1 Jul 43
Santo Pietro depot
Bari depot
Bari depot
Delivered to this unit 1 Jul 43
Bari depot
Delivered to this unit 28 May 43, damaged prior to 1 Jul. F uselage captured
at Sciacca Jul 43
Sciacca
Delivered to this unit 28 May 43, captured at Sciacca Jul 43 with tail uni t of
18248, described as fair condition
Sciacca
Delivered to 150 Gr. 28 May 43, transfer to 23 Gr/70 Sq. 13 Aug 43 at Cer veteri Cerveteri
Orig. with 6./JG 53, delivered to this unit 1 Jul 43, captured at Comiso Jul 43,
described as almost completely bur nt out
Comiso
Delivered to this unit 14 Jun 43, written off due to bomb attack prior to 1 Jul 43.
Captured at Comiso Jul 43, described as crashed and stripped
Comiso
Delivered to this unit 10 Jun 43, captured at Comiso Jul 43, described as
fair condition
Comiso
Delivered to this unit 10 Jun 43.
Bari depot
Delivered to this unit 22 Jun 43, captured at Sciacca Jul 43, described
as burnt out
Sciacca
Delivered to this unit 1 Jul 43, captured at Sciacca Jul 43, described as
shot up and looted.
Sciacca
Delivered to this unit 10 Jun 43, captured intact at Sciacca Jul 43
Sciacca
Bari depot
Delivered to 73 Sq; sent to 70 Sq. same day, listed as unservicable at
Cerveteri 28 Aug 43
Cerveteri
Delivered to 73 Sq; sent to 70 Sq. same day, suffered damage at Montalto
31 Jul, listed as unser vicable at Cerveteri 28 Aug 43
Cerveteri
crash-landed and stripped
Sciacca
Delivered to 73 Sq; sent to 70 Sq. same day, listed at Cerveteri repair
center between 5 and 28 Aug 43
Cerveteri
Delivered to 4 Stormo 19 Jun 43; listed at Jesi repair depot without
undercarriage Jun 43
Jesi
Delivered to 4 Stormo 19 Jun 43
fair condition
Sciacca
Delivered to 73 Sq; sent to 70 Sq. same day, listed as unservicable at
Cerveteri 28 Aug 43
Cerveteri
Delivered to this unit 16 Jun 43, damaged in flight the same day
Jesi
Delivered 16 Jun 43, damaged in bomb attack in early July . Aircraft fitted with Rstsatz R6
Delivered to 73 Sq; sent to 70 Sq. same day, suffered undercarriage damage
31 Jul 43. Later with 3 St. at Cerveteri 26 Aug 43
Cerveteri
Delivered to this unit 14 Jun 43, written off , damage suffered prior to 1 Jul 43
Bari depot
Delivered to 3 St. on this date, to 150 Gr. 23 Jun 43. Captured at Sciac ca
Jul 43, described as fair condition
Sciacca
fair condition
Sciacca
continued...
Training Operations
121
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 122
...continued
Type
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/trop
WNr
18363
18367
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
18368
18374
Bf 109G-6
18381
Bf 109G-6
18391
Bf 109G-6
18393
Bf 109G-6/trop
18394
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
18415
18417
18421
18432
Bf 109G-6/trop
Pilot
365 Sq.
Gruppo
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
365 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
TL+DH
TL+DN
06 Oct 43
28 Jun 43
150 Gr.
TL+DU
18 Jun 43
TO+QE
22 Jun 43
TO+QG
23 Jun 43
23 Jun 43
363 Sq.
363 Sq.
365 Sq.
3 Gr. yellow 7, TO+QH

153 on fuse. band
150 Gr.
CJ+MC
150 Gr. 363-8 CJ+ME
150 Gr. 363-7
CJ+MI
150 Gr.
CJ+MT
22 Jun 43
18433
365 Sq.
150 Gr.
365-16
22 Jun 43
Bf 109G-6/trop
18443
363 Sq.
150 Gr.
363-11
Bf 109G-6
18458
155 Sq.
Bf 109G-12
Bf 109G-4
19319
19359
363 Sq.
3 Gr. yellow 1,
155 on fuse. band
II Gr.C. CJ+MG
150 Gr.
02 Jul 44
23 May 43
Bf 109G-4
19426
364 Sq.
150 Gr.
364-5
23 May 43
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
19467
19477
364 Sq.
365 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
365-3
23 May 43
23 May 43
Bf 109G-4
19541
365 Sq.
150 Gr.
20 Apr 43
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
19563
19566
363 Sq.
365 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
23 May 43
23 May 43
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
19593
19594
363 Sq.
363 Sq.
150 Gr.
150 Gr.
Bf 109G-4
19595
365 Sq.
150 Gr.
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/trop
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-6
19607
154 Sq.
19663
155 Sq.
19687
154 Sq.
130370
160319 Bianchini, S.M. Giacomo 5 Sq.
3 Gr.
154- ?
3 Gr.
155-8
3 Gr.
154-3
II Gr.C. white 0
II Gr.C. yellow 14 +
19 May 43
19 May 43
05 May 43
02 May 45
12 Feb 45
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
160411
160416
160614
160639
160660
160766
161428
161798
Fornaci, S.M. Fausto

Dell'Acqua, S.Ten.
II Gr.C.
I Gr.C.
II Gr.C.
II Gr.C.
II Gr.C.
II Gr.C.
II Gr.C.
II Gr.C.
02 May 45
23 Jan 45
Bf 109G-12
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
162331
162467
163197
163279
163466
Taberna, Serg.
Ancilotti, Serg.Magg.
Girace, M.Ilo.
Luziani, S.Ten.
Filippi, Ten. Fausto
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/AS
Bf 109K-4
163476
163842 Cusmano, S.M. Pietro
163849 Gamberini, S.Ten. Gino
166093
166303 Ferrero, Ten.
330209
6 Sq.
3 Sq.
Bf 109K-4
333878 Gallori, S.Ten. Umberto
3 Sq.
Bellagambi, Capt. Mario
Squad.
364 Sq.
150 Gr.
Code
365-15
364-1
150 Gr.
153 Sq.
2 Sq.
3 Sq.
Zerini, S.M. Wladimiro
Neri, S.M.
Squasso, Serg.
5 Sq.
6 Sq.
Sez.Add.
5 Sq.
2 Sq.
3 Sq.
365-1
Stkz
TL+DC
TL+DG
Date
18 Jun 43
16 Jun 43
CJ+MU
23 Jun 43
28 Jun 43
22 Jun 43
23 Jun 43
23 May 43
23 May 43
365-6
23 May 43
I Gr.C. white 20
II Gr.C.
II Gr.C. yellow 15
II. Gr.C. black 2 +
I Gr.C. yellow 10
(blue 1?)
II. Gr.C.
II Gr.C. yellow 0
II Gr.C.
II Gr.C.
II Gr.C. white 12
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 17
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 14
Delivered to this unit 23 May 43, Ten. Ugo Drago shot down by 31 FG
Spitfires 9 Jul 43, pilot parachuted, OK
Delivered to this unit 23 May 43, damaged prior to 1 Jul 43, captured at
Sciacca Jul 43, described as fair condition
Delivered to this unit 23 May 43, captured at Sciacca Jul 43, described
as fair condition
Delivered to this unit 20 Apr 43, damaged prior to 1 Jul 43, found at
Santo Pietro Jul 43, described as wrecked
Delivered to this unit 23 May 43, captured at Sciacca Jul 43, described as
fair but tail damaged
Delivered to this unit 23 May 43, damaged and sent to depot 27 May . Captured
at Sciacca Jul 43, described as fuselage damaged
Captured by Allies at Sciacca, Jul 43, described in fair condition, repainted
overall sand yellow and flown by 31st FG ace Maj. F rank Hill
Taken on strength 19 May 43
Captured by Allies at Comiso, Sicily Jul 43, described as shot up
Captured by Allies at Comiso, Sicily Jul 43, described as badly looted
Location
Bari depot
% Dmg
Sciacca
Bari depot
Sciacca
Sciacca
Sciacca
Sciacca
Sciacca
Sciacca
Sciacca
Sciacca
Sciacca
Sciacca
Sciacca
Comiso
Villafranca
Bari depot
Sciacca
Sciacca
Santo Pietro
Sciacca
Sciacca
near Bovolone
40%
(Fl.Pl. Villafranca di Verona)
03 Jul 45
11 May 44
03 Mar 45
25 Jun 44
23 Jan 45
Bruchlandung after air combat with B -25s of 310th BG. Fuselage only found
on 2.5.45 by No. 1 FIU
Shot down 5 Feb 45, pilot killed. Remains recovered 2002
On strength 23 Jan 45
At Villafranca Oct 44
At Villafranca Oct 44
Forwawrd fuselage found at Vilalfranca 2 May 45
Downed by German flak near Pordenone, pilot killed
Injured in crash during training flight. On strength 28.2.45
Usual mount of Serg. Archidiacono, pilot Squasso parachuted
successfully on 12 Mar 45
Take-off accident; Sezione Addestramento based at Villafranca to 22 Apr 45
Emergency landing after air combat. On strength 28.2.45
Emergency landing after air combat. On strength 28.2.45
Killed during attempted parachute jump
Killed in air combat with Spitfires of 417 Sq. R CAF
near S. Giorgio
40%
100%
100%
31 May 45
03 Mar 45
24 Jun 44
31 May 45
02 May 45
28 Feb 45
Found burnt at Aviano, 31 May 45

Killed in air combat with B -26s
Killed on 26 Jun 44
Found burnt at Aviano, 31 May 45
Found at Orio al Serio 2 May 45
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small white/blue diamond separates codes
Aviano airfield
South of Fontanafrede
100%
Aviano airfield
Orio al Serio air field
Lonate Pozzolo
04 Oct 45
Damaged air combat with P-47s of 65th FS, 5th FG. On stre ngth 28 Feb 45.
Small white/blue diamond separates codes
Lonate Pozzolo
yellow 8
white 1
yellow 5
Reason
Delivered to this unit 16 Jun 43, captured at Sciacca Jul 43, described a s
fair condition
Delivered to this unit 28 Jun 43, captured at Sciacca Jul 43, described as
fair condition but wheels off
Delivered to this unit 18 Jun 43, fuselage captured at Sciacca Jul 43,
described as stripped
Delivered to this unit 22 Jun 43, captured at Sciacca Ju l 43, described as
crash landed
Delivered to 3 St. on this date, to 150 Gr. 1 Jul 43. Captured at
Sciacca Jul 43, described as bur nt out
Delivered to 3 St. on this date, to 150 Gr. 27 Jun 43. Captured at Sci acca
Jul 43, described as stripped and looted
Delivered to 3 St. on this date, to 150 Gr. 1 Jul 43
Delivered to this unit 28 Jun 43, captured Sciacca Jul 43, described as damage d
Captured at Sciacca Jul 43, described as belly landed
Delivered to 3 St. on this date, to 150 Gr. 23 Jun 43. Captured at Sciacca
Jul 43, described as fair condition
Delivered to 3 St. on this date, later to 150 Gr. Damaged in flight 1 Ju l 43,
captured at Sciacca Jul 43, described as dismantled and looted
Delivered to 3 St. on this date, to 150 Gr. 27 Jun 43. Captured at Sciacca
Jul 43, described as stripped and looted
Delivered to 3 St. on this date, to 150 Gr. 1 Jul 43. Captured at Comiso
Jul 43, described as fair condition, wings being changed
02 May 45
03 Mar 45
03 Jul 45
12 Mar 45
Villafranca
Villafranca
Villafranca
near Pordenone
Fl.Pl. Osoppo
100%
100%
100%
Fl.Pl. Aviano
Pescatina Veronese
Fl.Pl. Aviano
50%
continued...
122
Chapter 8
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 123
...continued
Type
Bf 109K-4
WNr
Pilot
333958
Squad.
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-6
412349
2 Sq.
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6/U4
Bf 109G-14
413685
440247
440547
5 Sq.
5 Sq.
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-14
460367
2 Sq.
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
461327
461512
1 Sq.
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-14
462739
2 Sq.
Bf 109G-14
462995
2 Sq.
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-14
464380
464414 Bonara, Ten. Leandro
464428
464429 Polizzi, Serg.
464430
464469
464480
464502
2 Sq.
6 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
490265 Gallone, S.Ten. Alessandro 2 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10
490266 Forlani, M.Ilo Dino

490379 Sanson, S.M.
490621
1 Sq.
5 Sq.
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
490736
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10/U4
490761
491281
491313
491319
491320 Cavagliano, S.M. Carlo
491322
491323 Valenzano, Ten. Raffaele
1 Sq.
1 Sq.
5 Sq.
5 Sq.
5 Sq.
4 Sq.
4 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491324 Bartolozzi, Cap. Guido
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491325 Billi, M.Ilo Danilo
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491327
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491333 Colonna, Ten. Oddone
2 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10
491353
491354
4 Sq.
2 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491356 Visconti, Magg. Adriano
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10
491358
491398
5 Sq.
2 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491407 Marchesi, Cap. Cesare
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491409
2 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491425
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491437 Balduzzo, Serg. Domenico 3 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10
491439
491444
1 Sq.
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491456
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491461
1 Sq.
6 Sq.
5 Sq.
5 Sq.
3 Sq.
Gruppo
Code
Stkz
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 15
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 13
II Gr.C. yellow 15
II Gr.C. 10 (yellow?)
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 16
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 14
I Gr.C. blue 1-red 15
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 1
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 15
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 16
II Gr.C. white 11
II Gr.C.
II Gr.C. yellow 4
II Gr.C.
II Gr.C. yellow 3
II Gr.C.
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 2
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 1
II Gr.C. yellow 8
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 11
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 4
II Gr.C. yellow 2
II Gr.C. black 12
II Gr.C. black 2
II Gr.C. black 3
Date
28 Feb 45
Reason
Location
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small white/blue diamond separates code s Lonate Pozzolo
28 Feb 45
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45
14 Mar 45
13 Mar 45
28 Feb 45

Delivered on this date
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small white/blue diamond separates cod es
28 Feb 45
28 Feb 45
16 Mar 45
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small red/blue rectangle separates codes
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small white/blue diamond separates code s
28 Feb 45
28 Feb 45
02 May 45
12 Feb 45
02 May 45
02 Aug 45
02 Feb 45
02 May 45
14 Mar 45
16 Mar 45
Aircraft tested camera installation in Jan 45; remains found at Villafranca 2 M ay 45 Villafranca airfield
Shot down on this date, pilot killed
Found at Ghedi on this date
Ghedi airfield
Pilot wounded in action on this date
Delivered on this date, used until 14 Mar
Remains found at Ghedi
Ghedi airfield
11 Apr 45
Landing accident. On strength 28.2.45
28 Feb 45
03 Mar 45
28 Feb 45
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small red/blue r ectangle separates codes Lonate Pozzolo
Wounded in air combat. belly landing
near Aviano
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small white/blue diamond separates cod es Lonate Pozzolo
16 Mar 45
28 Feb 45
28 Feb 45
28 Feb 45
14 Mar 45
12 Feb 45
02 May 45
12 Mar 45
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>

white 1
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 2
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 3
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 10
II Gr.C. black 7
I Gr.C. white 2 <>
white 2
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 4
II Gr.C. yellow 12
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 3
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 5
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 4
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 6
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 7
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 12
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 8
14 Mar 45
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small red/blue rectangle separates c odes
Delivered on this date. Found at Orio al Serio 2 May 45
Delivered 28 Feb 45
Air combat with B-25s of 310th BG. Parachuted
Found at Orio al Serio 2 May 45.
Take-off accident due to pilot er ror. air combat on 3.3.45 with B-26s. Captured
by No.1 FIU on 2-5-45. Usual mount of Capt. Ugo Drago
CO. Injured in takeoff accident, died of wounds. On stre ngth 28.2.45. Small
white/blue diamond separates codes
Hit crane while landing. On strength 28.2.45. Small white/b lue
diamond separates codes
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small white/blue diamond
separates codes
Air combat with B-24s of 849 BS, 264th Prov. Gr. Replacement aircraft
delivered 15-16.3.45
On strength 3 Mar 45
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. White codes unusual
14 Mar 45
28 Feb 45
19 Apr 45
18 Feb 45
28 Feb 45
14 Mar 45
04 May 45
28 Feb 45
14 Mar 45
Wounded in air combat with P-47s of 346 FS, 350 FG. FSA . On strength 28.2.45
28 Feb 45
Belly landing after air combat. On strength 28.2.45. Capt ured by No.1 FIU
on 2.5.45. Fuselage only. Small white/blue diamond separates codes
28 Feb 45
14 Mar 45
28 Feb 45
28 Feb 45
Killed after parachute jump, shot down by W alt Miller in P-47 of 346th FS,
350 FG. On strength 28.2.45. Small white/blue diamond separates codes
28 Feb 45
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small white/blue diamond separates code s
28 Feb 45
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small red/blue rectangle separates codes
% Dmg
40%

Carceri
Osoppo
(Orio al Serio air field)
100%
Malpensa airfield
100%
10%
Malpensa airfield
West of La Garda,
near Varese
100%
Ghedi airfield
100%
Lonate Pozzolo
continued...
Training Operations
123
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 124
...continued
Type
Bf 109G-10
WNr
Pilot
491463
Squad.
2 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10
491464
491474 Abba, S.Ten.
491477 Baccarini, S.M. Isonzo
1 Sq.
4 Sq.
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491479 Zuccarini, Ten.
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491480
2 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491485 Chiussi, M.Ilo Giuseppe
1 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491488
2 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491493
2 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491495
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10
491497
491499 Barioglio, Cap. Camillo
1 Sq.
2 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
491501 Baldi, Serg.Magg. Loris
1 Sq.
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109G-10/R2
491504
491506 Miani, Magg.
770184
Bf 109G-10/R2
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14/AS
770209
780356 Svanini, Serg.Magg.
780838
780869
780904
781096
781121 Santoli, Ten. Oscar
Bf 109G-14/AS
781127
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14/AS
782309
782414 Rosati, Ten.
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14/AS
784114
784933
785039 Santoli, Ten. Oscar
5 Sq.
5 Sq.
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14/AS
785061
785067
5 Sq.
2 Sq.
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14/AS
785083 Burei, Serg.Magg. Aroldo

785731
785749 Bellagambi, Magg. Mario
785753
1 Sq.
5 Sq.
5 Sq.
3 Sq.
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14/AS
785875
785910
785990 Veronesi, M.Ilo. Mario
5 Sq.
1 Sq.
Bf 109G-14/AS
Bf 109G-14
786344
787465
1 Sq.
2 Sq.
Gruppo
Code
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 8
II Gr.C. black 10
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 9
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 10
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 6
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 7
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 8
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 5
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 10
II Gr.C. black 11
1 Sq.
Nuc.Com. II Gr.C. black <<
2 Sq.
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 5
3 Sq.
I Gr.C.
1 Sq.
5 Sq.
5 Sq.
1 Sq.
II Gr.C. 18 (unnoted)
3 Sq.
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 7
3 Sq.
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 9
5 Sq.
1 Sq.
Chapter 8
Date
05 May 45
Reason
Found at Vizzola Ticino 5 May 45
28 Feb 45
19 Apr 45
14 Mar 45
14 Apr 45
Assigned to unit on 19 Apr 45, found at Orio al Serio 2 May 45
Overturned in emergency landing af ter air combat. On strength 28.2.45.
Destroyed on takeoff. Small white/blue diamond separates codes
28 Feb 45
14 Mar 45
near S. Vigilio
28 Feb 45
Killed, shot down by 1st/Lt. Bergeron in P -47 of 346th FS, 350 FG.
On strength 28.2.45. Small red/blue rectangle separates codes
28 Feb 45
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small red diamond separates codes
Lonate Pozzolo
16 Mar 45
28 Feb 45
03 Oct 45
CO. Injured in landing accident due to another pilot's error. On strength 28.2.45
02 May 45
Found at Orio al Serio 2 May 45. Pilot's girlfriend's na me SILVA behind

canopy on por t side
Assigned to unit on 19 Apr 45, found at Orio al Serio 2 May 45
Aircraft turned over to NAGr 11 on 27 Feb 45
28 Feb 45
19 Apr 45
27 Feb 45
27 Feb 45
12 Apr 45
14 Mar 45
14 Mar 45
28 Feb 45
02 May 45
30 Mar 45
Location
% Dmg
Vizzola Ticino airfield
Orio al Serio airfield

Lonate airfield
Lonate airfield
14 Mar 45
14 Mar 45
03 Oct 45
02 May 45
28 Feb 45

28 Feb 45
14 Mar 45
14 Mar 45
16 Mar 45
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small red /blue rectangle separates codes
Personal aircraft of Magg. Bellagambi. Black outline fuselage cross
Delivered on 15 or 16 Mar 45. Small white/blue diamond separates codes
02 May 45
14 Mar 45
04 Oct 45

I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 12
5 Sq.
II Gr.C. yellow 4
Nuc.Com. II Gr.C. black <<
28 Feb 45
28 Feb 45

air combat with P-47s of 65th FS, 57th FG. On stren gth 28.2.45.
Small red/blue rectangle separates codes
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small red/blue rectangle separat es codes
14 Mar 45
18 Feb 45

*: corrected from 434444 by Alegi
14 Mar 45
03 Oct 45
80%
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 13
II Gr.C. yellow 3
I Gr.C. blue 2 <>
yellow 11
II Gr.C. yellow 13
II Gr.C. yellow 1
I Gr.C. blue 3 <>
white 10
II Gr.C. white 21
14 Mar 45
100%
Aircraft turned over to NAGr 11 on 27 Feb 45

Aircraft assigned to S.M. Svanini. Small red/blue rec tangle separates codes
Delivered on this date, present Apr 45. Small red/blue rectangle separat es codes
Take-off accident. Replacement aircraft delivered 15-16.3.45. Small white/blue
diamond separates codes
Lonate airfield
Delivered 15-16 Mar 45, on strength Apr 45. Small white/blue diamond
separates codes
Injured due to undercarriage damage while landing af ter engine trouble.
On strength 28.2.45. Small red/blue rectangle separates codes
Take-off accident. On strength 28.2.45. Small white/blue diamond separates codes
Bf 109G-14
787470
Bf 109G-14
464444* Miani, Magg. Carlo
Sources:
Messerschmitt Bf 109 Italiani, Gregor y Alegi
Air War Italy 1944-45, Nick Beale, Ferdinando DAmico, and Gabriele Valentini
The Messerschmitt 109 in Italian Ser vice, Ferdinando DAmico and Gabriele Valentini
Messerschmitt Me 109 cz.6, Robert Michulec
Loss listings compiled by Jim Perry
124
Stkz

Osoppo airfield
100%
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 125
established in theatre by the end of February. Among the

equipment of I Gr.C. were three Bf 109K-4s as well as numerous
Bf 109G-10s. II Gr.C. received a fresh contingent of G-10s in
early February, and underwent a unit redesignation as well; the
three constituent Squadriglie were renumbered from 1, 2, and
3 to 4, 5, and 6 in common with the standard Luftwaffe unit
structure. A sharp combat between II Gr.C. and P-47s of the 57th
Fighter Group on 4 February saw one Thunderbolt downed by
Cap. Bellagambi and another Thunderbolt downed by a young
Serg. Gualberto Benzi of 4/II Gr.C. in his first combat. Combat
engagements continued over the next few days, with a major
encounter on 12 February seeing several Gustavs sustain heavy
damage from the defensive fire of 310th BG B-25 Mitchells. One
pilot, Ten. Leandro Bonara of 6/II Gr.C., was shot down and
killed in Bf 109G-14 WNr 464414. Two more Bf 109s were lost
on 21 February with no offsetting victories, thus closing out the
month for the unit on a low note.
3 March saw another running battle with II Gr.C. facing an
attack by British and South African B-26 Marauder units with a
small Spitfire escort. One of the Spitfires from 4 (SAAF) Sqn.
was shot down with the pilot successfully parachuting, then the
Messerschmitts turned their attention to the bombers. Seven
bombers were claimed by the overly optimistic Italian pilots,
while in reality none were lost; several did sustain damage, and
at least one managed to spoof its assailant with a well-timed
cloud of propaganda leaflets causing the Italian pilot to believe
his target had exploded! Two Bf 109s were lost with their pilots,
with another three suffering varying degrees of damage. Much
worse was to follow on 14 March, when I Gruppo undertook
their first operational mission since returning from their
conversion courses in Germany. After attacking a formation of
321st Bomb Group B-25 Mitchells escorted by eight US P-47s,
I Gr.C. was virtually decimated, losing three Bf 109G-10s shot
down and six others heavily damaged due to accidents or forced
landings. Three pilots were killed and the commander, Magg.
Adriano Visconti, suffered wounds and was forced to bail out of
his aircraft after a head-on attack against one of the P-47s (his
was one of the three G-10s lost on the mission). The 23rd saw
the more experienced II Gr.C. in combat once again, with Cap.
Ugo Drago downing a 79th FG P-47D and another pilot downing
a 310th BG B-25J against no Italian losses.
2 April 1945 saw the virtual elimination of II Gruppo as a
fighting force after being bounced by the P-47s of the 350th
Fighter Group. A series of vicious battles resulted in the loss of
no less than fourteen Bf 109Gs, including six pilots killed and
two wounded, and the Gruppo did not fight en masse again until
19 April. On this date, Magg. Miani led II Gr.C. in an attack
against what was presumed to be an unescorted flight of 340th
BG B-25s. However, the Messerschmitt pilots were surprised by
the rapid appearance of eight P-51D Mustangs from the 317th
FS, 325th FG led by 1Lt. Frank Schaefer. In the combat which
followed, 1Lt. Schaefer downed the Bf 109G-10 of Serg.Magg.
Bianchini who successfully bailed out, while Lt. Bagley downed
the Bf 109s of Ten. Betti and Serg. Renato Patton and Lt. Frank
Bolek downed Serg.Magg. Zanardi in his Bf 109K-4. One further
loss was M.Illo Covre, being shot down and slightly burned by
Lt. Bagley.
Ten days later, the war was over for I Gruppo Caccia when
Magg. Visconti was forced to sign a surrender with local
partisan groups which would ostensibly protect his men from
reprisals. His actions over the past few months in conducting
searches of local homes for abducted or deserting unit officers
had created a significant amount of hatred towards him
personally, however, and both he and his aide, S.Ten. Stefanini
were brutally executed after having been tried by a partisan
court in absentia. On 24 April, the men of II Gruppo Caccia
flew their Messerschmitts to Orio al Serio to turn them over to

the Germans, while those in the III Gruppo Caccia never fully
completed their transitional training. Thus ended the career of
the Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Italian hands, not with a bang, but
a whimper.
This Erla-built G-10 coded 210 (WNr 491333) was flown

by Cap. Rovetta of 2 Sq., I
Gr.C
Romania
he Aeronautica Regal Romn (Royal Romanian Air

Force, ARR for short) was one of the early export
customers for the Bf 109E, having ordered fifty as early as
December 1939, and the entire order had been received as of
February 1941. The aircraft entered service with Escadrila 57
vntoare (Fighter squadron 57) and by the winter of 1942, the
Emils were positively worn out from their months of service on
the Eastern Front with Grupul 7 vntoare. Accordingly, Gr 7 vn
was withdrawn for re-equipment in the spring of 1943, and
twenty ARR pilots were sent with new Bf 109G-2s and G-4s to
operate with III./JG 3 under Hptm. Eberhard von Boremski at
Pavlograd in March 1943. The Romanian and German pilots
worked well together, and the ARR men proved to be quick
studies; by the time the ad-hoc Deutsch-Kniglich Rumnischen
Jagdverband (German-Romanian Fighter Unit) was dissolved in
June, the Romanian pilots had lost three of their number but
downed 28 Soviet aircraft.
The Romanian pilots returned to become part of the Corpul 1
Aerian Romn (C1AR), which counted Grupul 7 vntoare
among its constituent units. Having fully re-equipped with their
new Bf 109Gs, Gr 7 vn was sent first to Mariupol, then to
Kramatorskaya to support operations along the Donets and
Mius rivers in the summer of 1943. Aerial activity intensified in
Cpt.av.rez. Constantin
Cantacuzino is seen here by
the tail of his Bf 109G-2
coded white A. Cantacuzino
would become the highest
ranking Rumanian ace with
56 confirmed and 13
unconfirmed victories
Training Operations
125
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 126
WNr 19522, coded white 31

with Gr.7 van., was a
Bf 109G-4 which suffered
35% damage from enemy fire
on 19 August 1943
Yellow 19 was a Bf 109G2

from the original batch of 44
Messerschmitts delivered to
the ARR. This aircraft was
returned to Germany for
repair in August 1943
the late summer, with ARR pilots claiming 15 confirmed

victories and five probables on 18 July, and another 22
confirmed victories with five probables on 16 August. However, a
resurgent Soviet army soon forced another change of venue for
Gr 7 vn, and the Soviet pilots were sharpening their skills as
well; an entire flight of four Bf 109Gs was downed by Soviet P-39
Airacobras on 10 October, with Slt. Av. Liviu Muresan being
killed and the other three surviving their force landings.
The Ukraine was not the only battleground for the Romanian
Bf 109Gs in the summer of 1943. As part of Grupul 7, Escadrila
53 vntoare had received a number of Bf 109Gs and this unit
operated together with I./JG 4 as a mixed defensive unit covering
the vital oil production plants at Ploesti, north of Bucharest. On
1 August 1943, these plants were the targets of 177 B-24D
Liberators of VIII and IX Bomber Command, flying on a longdistance, unescorted mission from fields around Benghazi,
Libya. Thanks to efficient intelligence monitoring, the German
forces were aware of the US attack plan, and worked with the
Romanians to establish flak corridors along the anticipated
paths the bombers were expected to travel. The US bomber
formations, already disrupted due to several navigational errors
by some groups, were decimated by the Romanian and German
defenses with 53 bombers being lost to all causes. The
willingness of the American crews to complete their mission at
any cost still stands as a high-water mark for bravery in the face
of enemy fire, as no fewer than five Congressional Medals of
Honor were bestowed upon various crewmembers (several
posthumously) in recognition of their deeds. The tally sheet
This Bf 109G-6 coded blue

10 is seen serving with Gr.9
van shortly after Rumania
joined the Allies in late
August 1944. The newly
painted roundel has yet to
receive its blue center
would later show ten of the bombers being credited to the

combined German and Romanian squadrons, with the
remainder being lost to the frighteningly effective flak batteries.
After the losses suffered by Gr 7 vn in mid-October, the unit
was rotated rearwards and replaced by Grupul 9 vntoare.
They remained the sole Romanian unit on the Ukrainian front
until Soviet advances forced the group rearwards in a series of
moves from Nikolayev in January all the way back to Tecuci
airfield in Moldavia in early April. They were soon joined by
Grupul 7 vntoare which had transferred northwards from the
Bucharest area in an effort to hold back the steadily advancing
Soviet forces. However, their problems were soon compounded
126
Chapter 8
by the increasing strength and frequency of US heavy bomber

raids on Romanian targets including Bucharest itself, along
with the introduction of the long-range P-51 Mustangs of the
31st and 325th Fighter Groups. The capital was primarily
defended by units equipped with the indigenous IAR 80 and
81, which proved to be no match for the marauding Mustangs.
As such, Gr. 9 vn. moved southwards to exchange postings
with an IAR-equipped Grupul in order to provide more
effective defense against the American forces in June. The
Bf 109Gs of Gr. 9 vn proved more capable of handling the
American escort fighters, but were always outnumbered and the
units strength was gradually drained away through July and
early August. With the loss of the top-scoring Romanian pilot
Cpitan aviator Alexandru Serbnescu to US fighters on 18
August, Grupul 9 vntoare was ordered to disperse its aircraft,
leaving the aerial defense of Romania against US attacks solely
to German fighters.
Gr. 9 vn. still had a role to play for the next few days,
however. A massive Soviet offensive along the northern border of
Romania was launched on 20 August, and the Romanian pilots
fought desperately to keep their country from being overrun by
Soviet forces. The strength of the Soviet forces was too great,
however, and an armistice was sought with the Soviet Union on
the 23rd. The German forces still based in Romania were highly
surprised, and as of the 25th, found themselves fighting their
erstwhile allies. An interesting sidebar to this armistice concerns

one of the greatest figures of Romanian aviation, Cpt. rez. av.
Constantin Cantacuzino. He was asked to contact the Allies on a
diplomatic mission to explore peace terms, and Bazu certainly
rose to the task. A Bf 109G-6/y was prepared for the mission by
removing the radios, installing an extra fuel tank, and placing a
certain very valuable passenger in the rear fuselage, Lt. Col.
James Gunn. Cantacuzino then had the Bf 109 painted with large
American flags on the fuselage sides, and rudimentary US
prewar stars on the wings, and when it was ready, he and Gunn
sped to Foggia, Italy on 27 August 1944. Cantacuzino then flew
back in a P-51B Mustang, as his Messerschmitt was wrecked by
an overenthusiastic American airman.
By 2 September 1944, the last German and Hungarian forces
had retreated past the Romanian frontier into northern
Transylvania, and a combined Romanian/Soviet offensive was
launched on 7 September to push the Axis forces out of this
region. The Romanians contributed several Messerschmittequipped groups to the offensive, including the combined
Grupul 7/9 vntoare and Escadrila 44 vntoare, which
operated a mix of Bf 109G-6s and IAR 80s. 19 September saw
the uncommon occurrence of Messerschmitt versus
Messerschmitt when a Rotte of Bf 109G-6s from 6./JG 52
encountered a pair of Gr. 9 vn. Bf 109G-6s. Both Romanians fell
to the expert marksmanship of Uffz. Heinrich Tammen, with
Slt.av. Stefan Ciutac and Slt.av. Andrei Popa both being fortunate
to survive the encounter. Uffz. Tammen claimed a third
Romanian Gustav of Gr. 6 vn. on the 23rd. Following the loss of
Gr.9 vn. commander Cpt. Av. Lucian Toma in his Bf 109G-6 on
25 September, combat activity began to slacken somewhat as the
Romanian units turned towards bomber escort and ground
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 127
Romanian Losses
The following list of Romanian Bf 109Gs is by no means complete; only those aircraf t with a verified WNr have been included in this list based on research by Jim P erry and Dnes
Bernd, as well as infor mation in Les Messerschmitt Bf 109 roumains from Air Mag and the R omanian Military History Forum at http://www.worldwar2.ro/forum/index.php.
Type
WNr
Name
Bf 109G-2 10447
Bf 109G-2 13816
Bf 109G-2 14839
Bf 109G-2 13626
Bf 109G-2 14812
Bf 109G-2 14821
Bf 109G-4 19627
Bf 109G-2 13845
Ursache, Adj.av. Constantin
Bf 109G-2 13755
Serbanescu, Cpt.av. A.
Bf 109G-4 19604
Bf 109G-2 14207
Bf 109G-2 14832
Bf 109G-4 14877
Bf 109G-2 13810
Bf 109G-2 14186
Bf 109G-4 19658
Bf 109G-2 13534
Bf 109G-2 13649
Bf 109G-2 13844
Bf 109G-4 19528
Georgescu, Slt.av. Costin
Bf 109G-4 19607
Moraru, Adj.stag.rez.av. Iosif
Bf 109G-4 19522
Milu, Of.ech.av. Ioan
Bf 109G-2 14672
Bf 109G-4 19621
Bf 109G-3 14787
Bf 109G-2 14829
Bf 109G-2 14724
Bf 109G-2 13560
Bf 109G-4 19604
Bf 109G-4 14865
Serbanescu, Cpt.av. A,
Bf 109G-4 19753
Bf 109G-2 13607
Bf 109G-2 13709
Bf 109G-4 19622
Bf 109G-6 15854
Bf 109G-4 19806
Muresan, Slt.av. Liviu
Bf 109G-6 20340
Bf 109G-2 10449
Bf 109G-2 14823
Bf 109G-4 16664
Bf 109G-3 27182
Bf 109G-4 19770
Bf 109G-4 14872
Bf 109G-2 14845
Bf 109G-2 10710
Teodoru, Adj. Casian
Bf 109G-2/R6
Bf 109G-6/y166133 Cantacuzino, Cpt.rez.av. C.
Group
Grupul 7
Grupul 9
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Grupul 9
Grupul 9
Grupul 9
Grupul 9
Grupul 9
Grupul 7
Bf 109G-6 166167
Bf 109G-6 166012
Bf 109G-6 166135
Bf 109G-6 166210
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
163580
165662
166061
165135
164997
166169
166248
166182
165540
10360
13902
14680
19546
165560
166161
Grupul 7
white 10
yellow 1
red 31
Date
10 Jan 43
12 Apr 43
08 May 43
08 Jun 43
15 Jul 43
18 Jul 43
20 Jul 43
21 Jul 43
28 Jul 43
30 Jul 43
10 Aug 43
15 Aug 43
15 Aug 43
16 Aug 43
16 Aug 43
16 Aug 43
17 Aug 43
17 Aug 43
17 Aug 43
17 Aug 43
18 Aug 43
19 Aug 43
20 Aug 43
20 Aug 43
26 Aug 43
26 Aug 43
27 Aug 43
29 Aug 43
31 Aug 43
07 Sep 43
09 Sep 43
14 Sep 43
30 Sep 43
08 Oct 43
10 Oct 43
10 Oct 43
10 Oct 43
24 Oct 43
25 Oct 43
20 Nov 43
23 Nov 43
28 Nov 43
29 Nov 43
30 Nov 43
05 Apr 44
18 Aug 44
27 Aug 44
Anastasiu, Adj.av. C.
Ciutac, Slt.av. Stefan
Popa, Slt.av. Andrei
Grupul 6
Grupul 9
Grupul 9
no code
blue 3
red 9
28 Aug 44
19 Sep 44
19 Sep 44
Brncoveanu, Slt.rez.av.
Prince Gheorghe
Drjan, Adj.stag.rez.av. Traian
Toma, Cpt.av. Lucian
Vanca, Adj.av. Ioan
Mlcescu, Adj.av. Ioan
Rosariu, Lt.av. Constantin
Cantacuzino, Cpt.rez.av. C.
Drjan, Adj.stag.rez.av. Traian
Baciu, Lt.av. Dumitru
Galea, Lt.av. Ion
Greceanu, Adj.av.rez. Stefan
Grupul 9
red 5
19 Sep 44
yellow 6
white 1
red 8
blue 3
blue 6
red 2
yellow 9
red 3
red 1
white 8
white 24a
white 1
white 44
yellow 3
white 2
22 Sep 44
25 Sep 44
09 Nov 44
13 Dec 44
24 Dec 44
25 Feb 45
25 Feb 45
04 May 45
31 Jul 45
Grupul 9
Grupul 7/9
Grupul 9
Grupul 9
Grupul 9
Grupul 9
Grupul 9
Grupul 9
Grupul 9
Grupul 7
Grupul 7
Toma, Cpt.av. Lucian
Grupul 7
Cantacuzino, Cpt.rez.av. C. Grupul 7
Greceano, Loc.av. Tudor
Grupul 9
Grupul 9
Code
11 +
white 38
white 1
white 28
white 24
white 31
5a
white 44
white 36b
Reason
Location
Damage
Map grid 5858
15%
Damaged due to pilot er ror
Nikolajew-Ost
50%
Undercarriage damage while landing
Mariupol-West A/F
35%
Damaged landing due to pilot er ror
Mariupol-West A/F
20%
Taganrog
100%
Damaged, cause unknown
North of Taganrog
30%
Suffered engine trouble
Map grid 8838
25%
Damaged by Soviet flak, pilot OK
unknown
30%
On strength Aug 43; aircraf t fitted with 20mm gondolas
Mariupol A/F
55%
Damaged by engine fire
Map grid 8834
25%
Engine trouble
Map grid 4782
25%
Kramatorskaja
20%
Forced landing due to fuel shor tage
Kramatorskaja
35%
Crash landing
Kramatorskaja
50%
Taxiing accident
not repor ted
15%
Damaged due to enemy fire
West of Kramatorskaja
80%
Kramatorskaja
20%
Kuteinikowo
20%
Kriwoitowka
25%
Damaged in combat, pilot wounded; lef t arm amputated South of Sslawjansk
35%
Damaged landing, pilot er ror, to Germany for repair
Kramatorskaya A/F
30%
Damaged in combat with LaGG-3, pilot OK
unknown
35%
Take-off accident
Kramatorskaja
15%
Map grid 7933
90%
Lost, cause unknown
Map grid 7076
100%
Damaged by flak
Kramatorskaja
35%
Belly landing due to engine trouble
Barwenkowo
25%
Engine damage
Map grid 7873
100%
Mariupol-West
20%
Kuteinikowo
80%
Reported lost, cause unknown
Melitopol
100%
Lost in combat
Map grid 6915
100%
Genitschesk
25%
Lost to enemy fire
Sslawjansk
100%
Shot down by Soviet P-39, pilot OK. First G-6 to ARR
Molotnoye Liman
30%
Shot down by Soviet P-39, pilot killed
Molotnoye Liman
100%
Damaged by flak
Genitschesk
305
Lost in combat
Map grid 9751
70%
Genitschesk
15%
Take-off accident
Nikolajew-Ost
80%
Take-off accident
Nikolajew-Ost
65%
Map grid 3883
30%
Nikolajew-Ost A/F
30%
Nikolajew-Ost A/F
80%
Shot down in combat with US bombers
unknown
100%
Killed in combat with P-51s of 31FG
100%
Flown to Foggia with Lt.Col. James Gunn in af t fuselage; Foggia A/F
aircraft painted with rough US flags on fuselage and prewar stars on wings
Aircraft downed by flak, pilot killed
Lake Floreasca, Budapest
100%
Downed by Uffz. Tammen (Bf 109G), pilot parachuted, OK
Alba Iulia, Transylvania
100%
Aircraft downed by Uffz. Tammen of 6./JG 52
Drmbari A/F
(in Bf 109G), pilot bellylanded at Drmbari a/f
Aircraft crashed on takeoff, pilot killed
Cluj-Someseni A/F
100%
Aircraft downed by La-5, pilot POW but escaped
Commander. Killed by retur n fire from Ju 188
Pilot allegedly defected to Ger mans
Aircraft crashed on takeoff, pilot severely wounded
Aircraft hit by flak, forcelanded
Shot down by Hptm. Helmut Lipfer t, pilot forcelanded OK
Shot down by Hptm. Helmut Lipfer t, pilot killed
Force-landed after combat with Yak-3s, pilot OK
Aircraft photographed this date
On strength Jul 43
Replacement for WNr 19607
Aircraft listed on unit strength retur n summer 43
Aircraft listed on unit strength retur n
Aircraft listed on unit strength retur n
Aircraft listed on unit strength retur n Jul 44
Moldavia
Cluj-Kolozsvr
Trkeve A/F (Hungary)
Vgles
Vgles
Kromerziz
Miskolc A/F (Hungary)
Mizil
Training Operations
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
127
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 128
Bf 109G-6/y WNr 166139

from Gr.9 van. was used by
Cpt.av.rez. Constantin
Cantacuzino on 27 August
1944 to fly Col. James Gunn
back to Italy to discuss US
POW repatriations. The US
flag and stars on the wings
were hand-painted, with all
Rumanian markings
overpainted
WNr 15195 was a Bf 109G-4

coded yellow 10 on strength
with Letka 13 at Anapa. This
photo gives an excellent view
of the zig-zag demarcations of
the uppersurface camouflage
128
Chapter 8
Slovakia
support in Transylvania and Hungary through the end of the

year. Combined German and Hungarian resistance flared up
again in late December, with a pair of Romanian Bf 109G-6s
being forced down, one of which may have been the victim of a
Hungarian Bf 109G.
Romanian forces moved into Slovakia in February 1945 to
take part in a final offensive against the combined Hungarian
and German forces, and once again the Bf 109s of Gr. 9 vn.
were engaged with their German counterparts. Bazu
Cantacuzino and his wingman Adj. stag. av. Traian Drjan
found themselves on the receiving end of a surprise bounce by
a pair of I./JG 53 Bf 109Gs on 25 February, with Drjan being
killed by the Kommandeur of I./JG 53, Hptm. Helmut Lipfert,
and Cantacuzino having to force-land his Messerschmitt due
to damage incurred from Lipferts Rottenflieger, while other
combats during the day saw two further Romanian Bf 109Gs
suffer damage. This marked the last major combat between the
Romanian Gustav pilots and their erstwhile Luftwaffe cohorts,
while the last victory and loss of the Second World War for the
proud Romanian fighter force allegedly occurred on 9 May
1945 during the same combat when Lt av Dumitru Baciu and
Of ech av Ioan Milu were fired upon by a pair of Yak-3s from
their supposed Soviet ally. According to an unconfirmed
report from a former Romanian pilot related by noted Central
European aviation historian Dnes Bernd, Milu force-landed
his aircraft in Austria, but Baciu apparently engaged the Yaks
and downed one before being forced to crash-land with
damage to his own machine.
lovakia declared itself an independent country in March

1939, following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in the
bloodless German takover of late 1938. Equipped
primarily with Czech equipment including Avia B.534 fighters,
the fledgling country fought a week-long skirmish with Hungary
over border incursions which occurred between 23 and 31
March. Despite the bravery of the Slovak crews, the Avias were
roughly handled by the Hungarian flak units and Fiat CR.32
fighters which shot down four B.534s outright and damaged 11
more. The Slovak government recognized they would not be able
to fend off further Hungarian action, and aligned themselves
with Germany as a buffer against further Hungarian aggression.
The Slovaks continued to use their B.534s until early 1942, when
a cadre of pilots and ground personnel transferred to Germany
for training on the Bf 109E. Once training was completed, the
13. Letka (squadron) under Maj. Ondrej Dumbala was sent to
the Eastern Front in late October 1942 with twelve rather worn
Bf 109Es. Subordinated to JG 52 as 13.(slovak)/JG 52, the unit
finally began receiving more modern equipment in early 1943,
with Bf 109F-2s being used from January. Uffz. Jan Reznak used
the F to good effect, shooting down a pair of I-153s on 17
January in F-2 WNr. 12004, an I-16 on 28 January in F-2 WNr
7208, a LaGG-3 near Novorossijsk on 9 February in WNr 13220,
and another I-153 near Krymsk on 11 February using F-4
WNr 7354.
By March 1943, 13.(slovak)/JG 52 had been equipped with
Bf 109G-2s and G-4s, with a few Bf 109G-6s loaned to the unit
as well, and the scoring continued to mount; between 10 March
(the date of the first confirmed victory with the new G-2) and 27
October, the 13. Staffel downed 207 Soviet aircraft. The initial
cadre of pilots returned to Slovakia in June, being replaced by a
new group of pilots whose motivation to fight was substantially
lower than that of the earlier group, and there were several
defections to the Soviets in September. Having joined
13.(slovak)/JG 52 in June and July following the debacle at
Stalingrad, the defeat at Kursk, and being thrown against a
renewed Soviet offensive which was continually pushing the
German forces westward, the pilots were understandably
reluctant to fight for a regime which would not fight for itself.
The declining morale combined with the defections ultimately
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 129
Slovakian Losses
Known losses of 13.(slovak)/JG 52
Type
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
WNr
10473
13330
13642
13743
13743
14761
14801
14814
14830
14856
14895
14938
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4
14967
14968
14979
14982
19248
19259
19292
19330
19347
19492
19506
19532
19603
19756
19763
Pilot
Kovarik, Uffz. Izidor
Victories
28
code
Galic, Ltn. Cvitan (Croatian)

Reznak, Uffz. Jan
38
32
Bozik, Uffz. Rudolf
12
Stauder, Uffz. Josef

Jancovic, Uffz. Josef
11
7
yellow 3 +
Geric, Uffz. Alexander
yellow 2 +
Geletko, Uffz. Karol
Dobrovodsky, Uffz. Ludvit

Palaticky, Uffz. Rudolf
2
6
Matusek, Fw. Anton
12
Ocvirk, Uffz. Stefan
yellow 2 +
15 Aug 43
01 Aug 43
16 Aug 43
29 Sep 43
19 Oct 43
yellow 13 + 09 Sep 43
18 Jul 43
18 Apr 43
01 Jul 43
26 Sep 43
10 Jun 43
16 Aug 43
03 Aug 43
Identified aircraft of 13. Letka

Type
WNr
Pilot
Bf 109G-6 161722 Geletko, Uffz. Karol
Bf 109G-6 161720 Puskar, Ltn. Jaraj
Bf 109G-6
Jambor, Staff Sgt. Stefan
Code D
white 1
white 3
white 4
ate
3 Aug 44
6 Jun 44
6 Jun 44
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Bf 109G-6
Ocvrik, Staff Sgt. Stefan

Zelenak, Sgt.Maj. Pavol
Bozik, Staff Sgt. Rudolf
white 5
white 5
white 6
white 7
6 Jun 44
17 Aug 44
6 Jun 44
6 Jun 44

Lang, Sgt.Maj. Gustav
Stauder, Sgt.Maj. Jozef
white 8
white 10
white 11
14 Jun 44
6 Jun 44
6 Jun 44
161741
161741
161717
161742
Bf 109G-6 161735
Bf 109G-6 161713
Bf 109G-6
date
14 Mar 43
16 Apr 43
13 May 43
25 Mar 43
25 Mar 43
26 Sep 43
21 Apr 43
21 Mar 43
29 Mar 43
22 Oct 43
22 Sep 43
11 Sep 43
led the unit commander to request his unit be withdrawn from

the front. The request was granted, but the unit was required to
return their Bf 109Gs to JG 52, returning with only a few
outdated Bf 109Es.
Upon their return to Slovakia, the units designation was
changed to Pohotovostna letka (Emergency squadron), charged
with homeland defense. 14 new Bf 109G-6s were received
directly from Regensburg in May 1944, but this gift came with a
price. As their primary mission was homeland defense, the
pilots of 13 Letka did not engage aircraft transiting across Slovak
airspace, which by this point in the war consisted primarily of
USAAF bombing raids headed towards Austrian or German
targets. The pilots did scramble and keep a wary eye on the
American units, but no actual engagement took place. As the
unit was tactically under the command of the 8th Fliegerdivision
in Vienna, the Germans were positively infuriated by this, and
openly accused the Slovak pilots of cowardice. The proud pilots
took great offense to this charge, and on 26 June 1944, eight of
the G-6s attacked an inbound force of Liberators from the 459th
Bomb Group, escorted by P-51s of the 52nd Fighter Group and
P-38s of the 82nd Fighter Group. The result was a massacre. Led
by Oblt. Juraj Puskar, an Eastern Front veteran with five kills to
reason
Enemy fighters
Damaged in taxiing collision
Forced landing due to tire damage
Forced landing after engine trouble
Technical failure
Damaged in bombing attack
Forced landing after combat. Returned
Wounded by enemy fighters
Landing accident
Undercarriage damage
Defected to Soviets with Private V. Tkacik [Slovak pilot].
Reported as missing in action af ter combat
Landing accident
Forced landing due to engine trouble
Landing accident
Injured in forced landing due to engine trouble
Combat loss
Defected to Soviets. Reported as missing in action
Emergency landing due to engine damage
Landing accident.
Defected to Soviets, repor ted missing (Reznaks usual A/C)
Damaged in bombing attack
Landing accident
Engine trouble
Undercarriage damage while landing
Injured in belly landing due to technical failure
Belly landing due to engine damage
Reason
Location
Overturned on landing
Killed in combat with P-51s of 52nd FG, 15 AF
Killed after combat, parachuted. Shot down by 52nd FG P -51s,
may have been shot in chute
Emergency landing after Luftkampf with 52nd FG P-51s, 15 AF.
Damaged due to taxiing accident
Wounded crash-landing after Luftkampf with P-38s of 82nd FG,15 AF
Crash-landing after combat with B -17s of 15 AF.
Aircraft scored 7 victories in Slovak uprising
Overturned on landing
Killed in combat with P-38s of 82nd FG,15 AF
Emergency landing after combat with P-51s of 52nd FG, 15 AF
location
Pl.Qu. 6666
Anapa airfield
Taman
unknown
Taman
Taman
Anapa airfield
Stasiewskaja
Pl.Qu. 66661
Bagerowo
Taman
East of Novomalorossisk
damage
70%
15%
60%
75%
75%
90%
25%
100%
100%
35%
35%
100%
Anapa airfield
Pl.Qu. 66861
Anapa airfield
Fl.Pl. Kertsch
Pl.Qu. 66574
Novomalorossisk
Pl.Qu. 75161
Taman
Novomalorossisk
Anapa airfield
Anapa airfield
Taman
Kertsch
near Anapa air field
Anapa airfield
30%
50%
30%
75%
100%
100%
35%
35%
100%
40%
40%
40%
30%
50%
20%
% damage
Isla airfield
Horne Lovcice
Hubice
unk.
100%
100%
Plestany
Isla airfield
Horna Streda
Plestany
100%
unk.
unk.
100%
Spisska Nova Ves

Miloslavov
Ivanka pri Dunajl
unk.
100%
100%
The commander of Letka 13,

podplukovnk Jozef Plenek,
is seen standing before one
of the units distinctively
marked Bf 109G-4s on 30
April 1943. Note the nose cap
painted with white, blue, and
red rings, the Slovak national
colors
Training Operations
129
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 130
Spain
This Bf 109G-6 coded white

6 (WNr 161717) was forcelanded by Sgt. Maj. Pavol
Zelenak following combat
with the P-38s of the 82nd
Fighter Group on 26 June
1944
Uffz. Karol Geletko damaged

this Bf 109G-6 coded White
5 (WNr 161741) of Letka 13
on 17 August 1944 in a
taxiing accident. Note the
Slovakian cross on the
vertical fin
C4K-145 was Bf 109F-4 WNr

10062, which formerly served
with 2./JG 3 before suffering
80% damage from
overturning during landing on
5 September 1942. Repaired
and issued to the 23rd
Jagdregiment, it suffered
80% damage again on 17
May 1943 in a forced landing.
Judging by this photo, it
appears the aircrafts luck did
not improve much by moving
to Spain
his name, the eight Bf 109s were set upon by the escort fighters,
and five were lost in short order with two more being damaged.
Three Slovak pilots were killed, including Puskar and Stefan
Jambor who was allegedly strafed to death as he hung in his
parachute. One Liberator was downed by Uffz. Gustav Lang in
WNr 161713, this being the B-24H-10-DO flown by Lt. Lincoln
E. Artz of the 758th BS, 459th BG, but this was small
compensation for the grievous losses suffered by the unit. With
the death of Puskar, 13 Letka essentially ceased to function, and
the unit was eventually disbanded, with the surviving G-6s

going to the 12th Letka to defend the Carpathian mountain
passes. By late August, as Soviet forces neared the Carpathians
and the political climate grew more desperate, plans were laid to
allow the Soviets free passage through the mountain passes.
However, this plan was quashed when the German high
command learned of it, and Slovakia was rapidly occupied by
German forces. This caused a mass exodus of Slovak soldiers
and airmen, with a number of former 13. Letka pilots joining the
Soviet forces in fighting against their former allies; in fact, one
former pilot who had defected in September 1943, Ludvit
Dobrovodsky, added an additional five German aircraft flying an
La-5FN to his previous two victories with 13.(slovak)/JG 52 to
become the leading scorer of the Slovak National Uprising. The
two surviving Bf 109G-6s were used to good effect in the
fighting as well, with one aircraft, WNr 161742 white 7 being
used by four different pilots to score seven victories while WNr
161725 was used by Frantisek Cyprich to down an Fw 189A-2 of
2./NAGr 16 on 6 September 1944.
pain was the very first foreign customer for the Bf 109,
receiving 131 Messerschmitts of various marks during
the Spanish Civil War between December 1936 and early
1939 under the auspices of the Legion Condor, the German
volunteer brigade which assisted Francos Nationalists in
overthrowing the Republican government. Franco later repaid
the favor by sending a large group of volunteers to fight on the
Eastern Front in July 1941, with the Spanish fighter pilots of the
1. Escuadrilla de Cazo being led by the highly successful ace
Comandante Angel Salas Larrazbal. The men were
subordinated to JG 27, and served as 15.(span.)/JG 27 in Minsk
flying Bf 109E-7s. This unit returned to Spain in January 1942,
having shot down ten Soviet aircraft for the loss of five pilots.
The second Spanish group to join the battle on the Eastern Front
was the 2a Escuadrilla Azul, which was established a month after
the return of the 1. Escuadrilla. Commanded by 24-victory ace
Comandante Julio Salvador Diaz-Benjumea, the cadre of men
underwent training at Werneuchen and then moved to Orel in
early June 1942 as 15.(span.)/JG 51 with brand new Bf 109F-4s.
The Spaniards fought well throughout the summer and fall,
claiming 13 Soviet aircraft for the loss of just two pilots, and the
2a Escuadrilla was scheduled to be relieved by the 3a Escuadrilla
on 30 November but several 2a Escuadrilla pilots had to remain
with the 15. Staffel due to a shortage of manpower. This group
continued to use the Bf 109F-4 with great success until March
1943, destroying at least 25 Soviet aircraft in January and
February. In April, 15. Staffel exchanged their worn-out
Friedrichs for new Fw 190A-3s.
Back in Spain, the surviving Bf 109s of the Legion Condor
were left to the Spaniards when the German pilots and
groundcrew returned home to a heroes welcome in the spring
of 1939, and these aircraft gave yeoman service well into the
late 1940s. The story of German Messerschmitts in Spain does
not end there, however. An arrangement was made to purchase
attrition replacements, and fourteen Bf 109F-2 and F-4 models
were sent to Spain, as listed in the following chart:
Spanish Deliveries
Type
Wnr
Code
Fuselage code
Bf 109F-2
12368
6-132
Bf 109F-2
7237
6-133
Bf 109F-2
7341
6-134
Bf 109F-2
7486
6-135
Bf 109F-2
8172
6-136
Bf 109F-4
12906
6-137
Bf 109F-4
13106
6-138
Bf 109F-4
13110
6-139
Bf 109F-4
13210
6-140
Bf 109F-4
13329
6-141
Bf 109F-2
8328
6-142
Bf 109F-2
8205
6-143
Bf 109F-2
7539
6-144
Bf 109F-4
10062
6-145
23-51
(note: replace 6- with C4K- for later designation)
In addition, a license production contract was signed with

Hispano Aviacion in June 1943 to build 200 additional Bf
109G-2s, with 25 sample airframes and all engines being
supplied by Germany. However, the continually deteriorating
war situation in Germany meant that by late 1944, only the 25
airframes had actually reached Spain; the DB 605s never
arrived. With the end of the war in 1945, Hispano decided to
investigate other powerplant options for the aircraft, first
130
Chapter 8
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 131
The Ejercito del Aire received 14 Bf 109Fs during the war , including WNr 7486 formerly
flown by 9./JG 54 ace Gefr. Erich Kolodzie which was coded 11+ ^^ in L uftwaffe service.
It was repainted and coded 6 135 in Spanish ser vice
installing a Hispano-Suiza 12Z 89 upright V-12 engine of 1,300

horsepower in Bf 109E 6-119, which proved at least mildly
satisfactory. Thus, the 25 G-2 airframes were fitted with the
Hispano engine, with the aircraft being designated Ha 1109
J1L. The 12Z 89 proved to be very troublesome in service,
however, so the aircraft were re-engined with the HS 12Z 17
with fuel injection, the aircrafts designation changing to Ha
1109 K1L. This largely resolved the engine difficulties, and the
Triplata (three petal, named for the aircrafts three-blade
propeller) entered squadron service in 1951. Despite the
overall improved performance of the Ha 1109 K1L, the Ejercito
del Aire (air force) sought to find a more reliable powerplant
solution, and eventually settled on the tried and true Rolls
Royce Merlin. The first Merlin conversion flew in 1954, and the
Ha 1112 M1L entered squadron service in 1956, serving until
1965. On 5 October of that year, the last military sortie by a Bf
109 variant took place, thus ending the 30-year career of the
worlds most successful fighter aircraft.
Switzerland
he Swiss originally took delivery of ten Bf 109Ds and

subsequently purchased a large number of Bf 109E-3s
between 1939 and 1940. They were so impressed with
the capabilities of the aircraft that they obtained a license to
produce the type, and the Emils gave faithful service to the
Schweizer Flugwaffe for over ten years. However, the Swiss also
found themselves with a few Bf 109G models as the war
dragged on, mostly due to navigational errors by their pilots.
The Gustav represented a significant performance improvement
over the older Emil, but Swiss authorities were unable to secure
favorable terms to purchase a group of these aircraft.
However, all this changed from approximately 2AM on 28
April, 1944. A highly successful Luftwaffe night fighter ace,
This Bf 109F-2 of 15.(span.)/JG 51 carries the name of Cabo Mecanico Zaro on the
starboard cowling to commemorate the pilots fallen comrade
Oblt. Wilhelm Johnen of NJG 5 had unknowingly chased a

retreating British bomber into Swiss airspace in their
Bf 110G-4 nightfighter. Upon detecting the intruder, the first
line of the Swiss defense kicked into action, illuminating
Johnens aircraft with powerful searchlights. Still unaware he
was over neutral Switzerland, Johnen decided to land at the
airfield near the searchlights and it was only then that he
discovered what a huge mistake he had made the airfield
where he landed was actually Dbendorf, Switzerland.
Compounding the magnitude of the error, his radioman Ltn.
Kampath had brought along a current map with location
codes, tables and other sensitive documentation which was
completely out of character for him he had never before
brought these along on a combat flight.
The arrival of the fully armed, radar-equipped night fighter
in Switzerland caused a dangerous political situation to
develop very quickly. Switzerland was crawling with both Axis
and Allied agents, and the Allies were naturally very eager to
get their hands on a Bf 110G-4 with a functional SN-2 radar
set and Schrge Musik vertical cannon. For a while, it seemed
Sen.Lt. Gaviln of the 3rd

Escuadrilla looks decidedly
uncomfortable with the cold
weather at Orel on 20
February 1943. His Bf 109F-2
looks as though it were
painted with a mop from ten
feet away; note that the gear
doors have been removed,
and that the gear wells are
the squared-off style
Swiss Deliveries
Serial
Stammkennzeichen Swiss code Canopy style
Tail style
Delivery date
Out of service date
163112 ST + RB
J-701
Framed
Small
20 May 44
8 Sep 47
Taken out of ser vice
163320 ST + VB
J-702
Framed
Small
20 May 44
8 Sep 47
163243 RQ + BG
J-703
Framed
Small
20 May 44
8 Sep 47
163245 RQ + BI
J-704
Framed
Small
20 May 44
7 Feb 47
163248 RQ + BL
J-705
Framed
Small
20 May 44
8 Sep 47
163251 RQ + BO
J-706
Framed
Small
20 May 44
8 Sep 47
163804 NF + FE
J-707
Erla Haube
Tall
23 May 44
28 May 48
163806 NF + FG
J-708
Erla Haube
Tall
23 May 44
8 Sep 47
163808 NF + FI
J-709
Erla Haube
Tall
23 May 44
8 Sep 47
163814 NF + FO
J-710
Erla Haube
Tall
23 May 44
2 Oct 46
Wrecked due to propeller failure on 13 Apr 46
163815 NF + FP
J-711
Erla Haube
Tall
23 May 44
8 Sep 47
163816 NF + FQ*
J-712
Erla Haube
Tall
23 May 44
8 Sep 47
* It is interesting to note that the Australian W ar Museums original Bf 109G-6 came from the same production batch as the seco nd group of Swiss machines, as it car ries the WNr
163824 this would make its original Stammkennzeichen NF + FY)
Training Operations
131
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 132
The first of twelve new Bf

109G-6s to enter service with
the Swiss Air Force, WNr
163112 was delivered on 20
May 1944 and required an
engine replacement after only
20 hours due to missing
screws and other fasteners
that Germany was on the verge of opening actual hostilities

with Switzerland over Johnens navigational mistake. In
Germany, Johnens family was placed under arrest as it was
originally suspected that he had defected to Switzerland, but
the situation was eventually successfully resolved when
Germany agreed to sell Wrzburg radar sets and twelve new
Bf 109G-6 fighters to the Swiss in exchange for the complete
destruction of the Bf 110G-4 before the eyes of German
diplomatic officials. The destruction of the night fighter took
place on 18 May at Dbendorf, and the very next day, the Swiss
placed their order for the twelve Gustavs.
Contrary to what has been suggested elsewhere, these
Bf 109G-6s were not freely given in exchange for the
destruction of Johnens aircraft instead, each aircraft was
purchased at a price of 500,000 Swiss francs, paid for in two
bank draft checks of 3 million francs each. The twelve aircraft
were all delivered from Messerschmitts Regensburg
production facility, and upon delivery carried the serial
numbers and codes as shown in the table on page 131.
Captured after landing in

error at Samedan on 29 May
1944, Bf 109G-6 WNr 162764
was eventually purchased
from Germany and placed in
service with the Swiss Air
Force
After a further delivery of ammo for the MG 131 and

MG 151/20 cannon, the new Gustavs were repainted in Swiss
markings and immediately placed into service. The
performance gains over the older Emil were immediately
apparent, but unfortunately, the cost paid by the Swiss was far
too high for these aircraft it was not long before major
technical problems began manifesting themselves. The central
spar bridge of WNr 163248, J-705, was found to be
significantly deformed, requiring repair by F+W in
Switzerland, and other aircraft were found to have poorly
manufactured central spars as well. The worst problems were
experienced with the DB 605A engines, however. Often built in
factories utilizing forced labor and no longer subject to the
same strict quality control exercised on the DB 601s of the
earlier Emils, the DB 605s were an absolute travesty in service,
suffering from such various deficiencies as main crankshaft
bearing failures, missing bearings, cylinder casing cracks, misseated valves, spark plug seats tearing out of the cylinder
heads and so forth. Due to the massive number of issues
encountered with the Gustavs they did not last long in Swiss
service, with most being struck off charge a mere three years
after receiving them this stands in stark contrast to the
sturdy Emils, several of which soldiered on from 1939 to 1949.
132
Chapter 8
In addition to the twelve Gustavs noted above, there were

two further Bf 109Gs which served operationally with the
Swiss Air Force, both of which were interned during the war.
J-713 was assigned to WNr 162764 (Stammkennzeichen
RU+OZ), a Bf 109G-6 Jabo Rei flown by Ofhr. Lothar Hirtes of
2.(Sd)/Flugzeugberfhrungsgruppe 1, which was an aircraft
delivery unit. Hirtes got lost in poor weather while on a
transfer flight to Osoppo on 29 March 1944, and put the
aircraft down at the first airstrip he saw. This turned out to be
Samedan, in Switzerland. Naturally, the Swiss were pressed for
the aircrafts return, and negotiations with the German
government eventually arrived at a price of 400,000 Swiss
francs for the new Messerschmitt. The aircraft was later placed
in Swiss service as J-713, and met a tragic end on 29 May 1946
when Oblt. Zweiacker disappeared over the Gotthard Pass on a
training flight. The remains of Zweiacker and J-713 were not
found until September 1953.
The aircraft assigned Swiss code J-714 led a far less eventful
life, although its delivery was certainly more abrupt. Originally
on strength with III./JG 3, this Bf 109G-14 WNr 462818 was
being flown on a transfer flight by Fw. Siegfried Henning when
he was intercepted by a flight of US P-51 Mustangs. In his
frantic efforts to evade his pursuers, he completely lost track of
where he was going and decided to belly-land in an inviting
open pasture at Affeltrangen. Unfortunately, what Henning
didnt see was a barbed wire fence which caught on his
starboard aileron counterbalance, jerking the G-14 to one side
and straight into a drainage ditch. Henning clambered from
the cockpit without a scratch and was taken into custody, while
his aircraft, coded black <2 + | was subsequently retrieved
and repaired, entering service with the Swiss Air Force in 1946.
One very interesting point about this aircraft is that when
captured, the WNr as painted on the port fin read 282818,
while the aircraft data card clearly showed it as 482818
thereby proving that even the Luftwaffe got their own
markings wrong occasionally!
There were two additional Bf 109s taken on strength with
the Swiss Air Force on paper, these being a pair of Bf 109Fs
which became lost in bad weather on 25 July 1942 and landed
intact at Bern-Belp. The Bf 109F-4/z WNr 7605 of Ogef. Heinz
Scharf coded blue 10 of 10.(Jabo)/JG 2 and the Bf 109F-4/b
WNr 7197 of Fw. Martin Villing coded white 9 + bomb of
10.(Jabo)/JG 26 were thoroughly examined by the Swiss, with
WNr 7605 being assigned the identity J-715 and WNr 7197
being assigned J-716. No photos are known to exist of these
two aircraft in Swiss service, and the two aircraft were struck
off charge on 28 May 1948.
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 133
Captured Bf 109s
any Messerschmitt Bf 109s were captured throughout

the course of the war, both damaged and undamaged,
and many examples were repaired and utilized for
testing purposes by the Allied forces. During the war, most fell
into the hands of British or Soviet forces as they overran landing
fields and found inoperative examples, although this happened
with US forces more frequently from late 1943 onwards. The
Soviets perhaps had the greatest number of captured Bf 109s,
with a number of aircraft being delivered intact by defecting
pilots, as well as large numbers of abandoned aircraft being
captured on airfields as they were overrun by rapid Soviet
ground advances. In fact, there are references to Soviet units
utilizing captured Bf 109s, although little more is known of
these operations.
VD364 was the other G-14/U4 captured at Gilze-Rijen, and its histor y is as murky as that of VD358. The D -Day
stripes are evident on this aircraft as well
Despite having a proper serial applied following its capture by 3 Sqn

RAAF, little else is known about Bf 109F-4/trop HK849
Hoimann was a Bf 109G-6/trop captured by the 325th Fighter Group and painted flat black, with all control
surfaces (rudder, elevators, flaps) and spinner in red
Captured Aircraft
A brief listing of many known captured examples with histories (where known) is given below; please note that some confusion st ill surrounds the original identity of many of these
aircraft, and research is still ongoing to identif y those examples. One myster y which may have been solved is the identity of t he Bf 109F-4 tested by the USAAC at Wright Field, originally
provided by the Soviets; by examining infor mation provided by noted researchers Jim P erry and Peter Evans, the aircraf t has been tentatively identified as WNr 7640, coded yellow 12 +
| with 9./JG 3 and lost on 29 May 1942 in the T sugeychev area, with the pilot Uffz. Erich V olkmann being taken prisoner.
Identified late Bf 109s in US hands
Type
WNr
Orig. unit
Orig. marking
Orig. pilot
Operator
Operator code
Bf 109F-4
7640
9./JG 3
yellow 12 + |
Uffz. Erich Volkmann
Wright Field
EB-1/ EB-100
Pilot POW on 29 May 42 in Tschugeyev area, A/C sent to US by Soviets- subsequent fate unknown. Same aircraf t?
black 14/ Irmgard Oblt. Gerhard Wernicke Wright Field
X8-7
Bf 109G-2/trop
10605
2.(H)/14
Belly landed due to damage 20 F eb 43, pilot evaded; A/C recovered and repaired, operated by 87th FS/79th FG then sent to Wright Field for str uctural testing. A/C later scrapped.
Bf 109G-6/trop
16416
4./JG 77
white 4 + unknown
Wright Field
EB-102
A/C scrapped Oct 44
Bf 109G-6/trop
160756
3./JG 4
yellow 4 +
Uffz. Ren Darbois
Air Tech. Svc. Command, Freeman Field
FE-496
Pilot defected to Allies, A/C sent to F reeman Field for evaluation.
Bf 109G-6/trop
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
325th FG
Hoiman
Captured by group and repaired, used as hack
Bf 109G-6
166133
Grupul 9 vntoare
red 31
Toni Desescu
325th FG
None assigned
A/C used by Capt. Av. Constantin Cantacuzino to fer ry Lt.Col James Gunn to US forces in August 1944 to negotiate US POW release , painted with large US flags on fuselage sides and
prewar stars on wings. A/C wrecked on takeoff by US pilot.
Bf 109G-10/U4
611943
II./JG 52
yellow 13 +
unknown
T2-122
Captured at Neubiberg, sent to F reeman Field for evaluation; later to Ed Maloney for Planes of F ame museum
Bf 109G-10/U4
unknown
II./JG 52
black 7 +?
unknown
T2-123
Captured at Neubiberg, sent to F reeman Field for evaluation; subsequent histor y and whereabouts unknown
Bf 109G-10/U4
610824
II./JG 52
black 2 +
unknown
T2-124
Captured at Neubiberg, sent to F reeman Field for evaluation; now in collection of USAF Museum in inaccurate colors/markings
continued...
Training Operations
133
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 134
Oblt. Anton Nie, the Staffelkapitn of 8./JG 51 was obliged to set his Bf 109F-2 WNr 9692
black 16 down behind Soviet lines after suffering damage to his cooling system. The
aircraft was recovered and extensively tested by TsAGI, the Soviet aeronautical research
institute
One of two Bf 109G-14/U4s captured at the former L uftwaffe base of Gilze-Rijen, the
Luftwaffe identity and ultimate fate of VD358 is currently unknown. The D -Day stripes on
the undersurfaces are certainly something one doesnt see on a Bf 109 ever y day!
There is no historical information at present on this Bf 109G-6 captured by US forces in

North Africa in the fall of 1943. The aircraft appears to wear an overall coat of Middlestone
with a red spinner and red wingtips, and the interim red-bordered US insignia
Yellow 2 of 9./JG 27 was another intact Bf 109F-4/trop lost to the advancing

Commonwealth forces in the deser t, and is seen here with British roundels complete with
yellow surrounds
RAF Manston provided the welcoming committee for several L uftwaffe aircraft through the
war which flew a reverse compass heading; among these unfor tunate pilots was Ltn. Horst
Prenzel of 1./JG 301, who landed his Bf 109G-6/U2 coded white 16 at Manston on 21 July
1944 for that exact reason. The aircraft was later coded TP814 and tested at RAE
Farnborough
Black 12 of 8./JG 53, another Bf 109F-4/trop, is seen here immediately following capture
This Bf 109G-6/trop received the USA AF Equipment Bureau code EB -102, and was used in
trials at Eglin Field
134
Chapter 8
This lovely natural metal Bf 109G-6 is WNr 160756, once coded yellow 4 of 3./JG 4 and
flown to an Allied field by Uffz. R en Darbois on 25 July 1944. The aircraft, which is
currently on display in Washington, DC, was completely stripped of paint shor tly after
capture. This complicated determining its proper identity until just recently
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 135
Captured Aircraft continued...

Identified late Bf 109s in British hands
Type
WNr
Orig. unit
Orig. marking
Orig. pilot
Operator
Operator codeInfo
Bf 109F-2
12764
I./JG 26
black <<
Hptm. Rolf Pingel
RAE Farnborough
ES906
First F model captured by British; pilot force-landed aircraf t near Dover 10 Jul 41, recovered and tested until crashed in Oct 41
Bf 109F-4/trop
unknown
7./JG 53
white 6 + |
unknown
unknown
unknown
Photographed with British nat'l markings; no fur ther history known
Bf 109F-4/trop
unknown
7./JG 53
white 9 + |
unknown
unknown
AX - ?
Bf 109F-4/trop
unknown
8./JG 53
black 12 + |
unknown
unknown
unknown
Bf 109F-4/trop
unknown
9./JG 27
yellow 2 + ^^ unknown
unknown
unknown
Bf 109F-4/trop
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
185 Sqn.
GL - ?
Bf 109F-4/trop
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
3 Sqn RAAF
HK849
Captured in deser t by 3 Sqn RAAF, RAF serial assigned, fur ther history and whereabouts unknown
Bf 109F-4/b
7232
10./JG 26
white 11 + bomb Uffz. Oswald Fischer
1426 (EA) Flight
NN644/ white 11 + bomb
Belly-landed at Beachy Head 20 May 42, repaired and extensively tested. Written off in crash
Bf 109G-2/trop
10639
8./JG 77
black 6
Ltn. Heinz Ludemann
1426 (EA) Flight
RN228/ CV-V
Captured in deser t by 3 Sqn RAAF, sent to UK for testing, fully restored and on display with R AF Museum, airworthy but not flown
Bf 109G-4
14925 (?)
2.(H)/14
black 13 +
Fw. Georg Riedmayer
unknown
unknown, possibly later coded B
Unidentified G-4 in photo being painted with R AF markings may be this aircraf t; another shot of an unidentified R AF G-4 with the badge of 2.(H)/14 on cowling may be the same aircraf t
Bf 109G-6/U2
412951
1./JG 301
white 16 +
Ltn. Horst Prenzel
RAE Farnborough
TP814
Landed at RAF Manston 21 Jul 44 in er ror; extensively tested until crashing on takeoff in Nov 44
Bf 109G-14/U4
413598
unknown
unknown
unknown
Air Fighting Development Unit (AFDU)
VD358/ P (2?)
Captured at Glize-Rijen, fur ther history and whereabouts unknown
Bf 109G-14/U4
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
1426 (EA) Flight
VD364/ P
Captured at Glize-Rijen, fur ther history and whereabouts unknown
Bf 109G-6/trop
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
1426 (EA) Flight
VX101
Captured in Med theatre, crashed May 44 and used as source for spares
Bf 109G-10
unknown
2nd Croat. FS
black 4
Fw. Vladimir Sandtner
318 Sqn
LW
Pilot defected to Allies at F alconara, A/C later purchased by P olish RAF Sqn for two bottles of whisky and repainted in full RAF camo with red spinner/white backplate. F urther history and
whereabouts unknown
Bf 109G-10
unknown
11./NJG 11
white 44 + unknown
unknown
unknown
Identified late Bf 109s in Soviet hands
Type
WNr
Orig. unit
Orig. marking
Orig. pilot
Operator
Operator codeInfo
Bf 109F-2
9692
8./JG 51
black 16 + |
Oblt. Anton Nie
TsAGI
Unknown
Pilot missing in action 22 F eb 42 due to ground fire; aircraf t recovered in good condition, repaired and tested by Soviets. F requently misidentified as WNr 9209
Bf 109G-2
13689
3./JG 53
yellow 15 +
Uffz. Gerhard Riess
TsAGI
none
Pilot missing in action 8 Sep 42 near Stalingrad; a yellow 15 of JG 53 was subsequently exhibited in good condition at TsAGI in 1943 (photo p. 28, Under The R ed Star). Same aircraft?
Bf 109G-2/R6
13903
1./JG 3
white 13 +
Uffz. Heinrich Blaut
NII-VVS
red 2
Pilot forced down 8 Dec 42 and made POW af ter combat with Yak-1.
Bf 109G-2
14513
5./JG 3
unknown
unknown
NII-VVS
unknown
Captured at Pitomnik af ter German retreat
Bf 109G-2
13485
15.(kroat.)/JG 52
black <2 +
Hptm. Bogdan Vujicic
unknown
unknown
Pilot defected to Soviets af ter combat on 14 May 43.
Bf 109G-2
14545
15.(kroat.)/JG 52
green 11 +
Oblt. Alwin Starc
unknown
unknown
Pilot defected to Soviets af ter combat on 14 May 43.
Bf 109G-2
14205
15.(kroat.)/JG 52
green 2 +
Hptm. Nikolai Cvikic
unknown
unknown
Pilot defected to Soviets af ter combat on 15 Jun 43.
Bf 109G-4
19968
7./JG 52
white 6 + ^^ Fw. Ernst Lohberg
NII-VVS
unknown
Pilot missing in action 9 Jul 43, cause unknown; A/C tested by A . Proshakov at NII VVS in Oct 43.
Bf 109G-4
19347
13.(slowak)/JG 52
yellow 9 +
Fw. Anton Matusek
unknown
unknown
Pilot defected to Soviets on 9 Sep 43.
Bf 109G-4
19259
13.(slowak)/JG 52
yellow 13 +
Uffz. Ludvit Dobrovodsky unknown
unknown
Pilot defected to Soviets on 9 Sep 43.
Bf 109G-4
14938
13.(slowak)/JG 52
yellow 2 +
Uffz. Alexander Geric
unknown
unknown
Pilot defected to Soviets af ter combat with Priv. V. Tkacik on 11 Sep 43.
Bf 109G-4/R6
14997
7./JG 52
white 2 + ^^ Uffz. Herber t Meissler
812 IAP
unknown
Pilot forced down 28 May 43 and made POW; A/C tested by Gen. Y evgeni Savitskiy. (This was Erich Har tmann's A/C originally)
Training Operations
135
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 136
This Bf 109G-6/trop was captured by British forces and made par t of

1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight until it was written off in May 1944 in a
crash. It subsequently served as a spares source for other captured Bf
109s
Wernickes Irmgard eventually made it back to the US, where it wound up at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio
and was subjected to structural tests. These tests destroyed the air frame, and the remains were scrapped
If there is one single Bf 109G that most ever yone will recognize
nowadays, it is Black 6, the fabled G-2/Trop which flew for several
wonderful years before being wrecked due to pilot error in 1997 and rerestored for static display at Hendon. During the war, the aircraft carried
the RAF serial RN228 and full RAF camouflage and markings, as seen
here
Bf 109F-2, White 9, 7.JG 53 - 2
One of these things is not like the other The US 79th Fighter Group laid claim to an abandoned Bf 109G-2 of
2.(H)/14 which was belly-landed by Oblt. Gerhard W ernicke on 20 Feb 1943. Wernicke made it back to his
lines, and his aircraft received an impressively gaudy makeover including large unit badges, a red spinner
and wingtips, RAF fin flashes, US stars, and the code 8-7 for the 87th FS
One of the best war stories concerning a Bf 109 involves the G-10 coded
black 4 of the Croatian 2nd Fighter Sqn. F ollowing Fw. Sandtners
capture, the aircraft wound up in the hands of 318 (P olish) Squadron in
exchange for two bottles of whiskey
The Soviets were mightily impressed with the per formance of the Bf 109G-2 following a batter y of flight tests
with WNr 13903, the former aircraft coded white 13 of Uffz. Heinrich Blaut of 1./JG 3 who was forced down
on 8 Dec 1942 and captured
136
Chapter 8
11-MDF10-Chap-08_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:00 Page 137
Little is known about this Bf 109F-4/trop aside from the fact it was repainted in 185 Sqn
codes and full British markings
Seen at a later date, this may be Riedmayer s Bf 109G-4 WNr 14925 of 2.(H)/14; other
photos of this aircraft show this unit emblem on the cowling
Once 318 Sqn had possession of Sandtner s G-10, they repainted it in full RAF markings
and camouflage, with the code LW (Lotnicze Wojska) and a red spinner with white
backplate
Of the three Bf 109G-10/U4s captured and brought to F reeman Field, Indiana, the identity
and whereabouts of T2-123 remains a complete myster y
Little is known about this Bf 109G-4 seen being painted in RAF markings;
there is one known loss for 2.(H)/14 in T unisia for a black 13, with the
pilot Fw. Georg Riedmayer being listed as missing in action
The identity of this F-4 has remained a myster y for some time, but recent research suggests this may be WNr
7640, coded yellow 12 + | of 9./JG 3 which was lost on 29 May 1942 with the pilot Uffz. Erich V olkmann
being taken prisoner
Damaged in an attack on a British cor vette off of Beachy Head, Uffz.

Oswald Fischer of 10.(J)/JG 26 was obliged to set his Bf 109F-4/b WNr
7232 down on British territory on 20 May 1942
Fischers WNr 7232 was repaired and placed into British ser vice with 1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight as NN644,
wearing full British camouflage but retaining the original codes
Training Operations
137
12-MDF10-Chap-09-Detail_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:24 Page 138
Detailing
Chapter
Bf 109F
Aileron
Controls
Fuel Filler
Compressed Air
for MG 17s
Belts
Seat
FuG VII
radio set
138
Chapter 9
Bf 109F
Tropical filter
Tailwheel recess
Cockpit
Windscreen and port side

clear vision panel
Port rudder
pedal mount
(starboard similar)
Modelling the Bf 109 Detailing
139
Bf 109G
G-1, G-3 and G-5 windscreen with

retrofitted Erla Haube canopy
Bellypan
Pilots oxygen supply bottles

Coolant flap
mechanism
Port fuse inner
Slat arm
G-12 Aft Cockpit
140
Chapter 9
a- slat arm
b- roller track
c- slat connector arm
d- bearing bolts
e- roller track bolts
Bf 109G
Starboard
fuse inner
Slat profile
G-1 Pressurization equipment

G-1/G-2 Instrument panel
G-1 Trim wheels

G-2
Firewall
G-2 Aft port engine

G-2 Gun deck
141
Bf 109G
Outer gear door (tested,
not used operationally)
DB 605A oiltank
Rb 12, 5/7x9 cameras in G-8
Seat
Rb 32, 5/7x9 cameras in G-8

Modified tall
tail aluminium
framed rudder
Camera controls in G-8
142
Chapter 9
Bf 109G
Frame-mounted
Rb 12 camera
Fuselage hatches covering

camera ports in G-8
G-12 flight controls
Relocated battery on
MW-50 equipped G-6s
Mounting frame for Rb 12 in G-8

12345-
Loading an Rb 12 in a G-8
canopy jettison bar

jettison bar mounting bracket
canopy latch receiver
canopy release ar m
6- canopy jettison mechanism

retainer
7- bar retainer
8- battery box
9- cover over fuel tank
10- supplementary fuel tank

(MW-50, 75 litres or fuel, 110
litres)
11- jettison bar carrier
12- steel screw (M5)
Fuel tank rack
143
Bf 109K
1- MW50 tank
2- tank fill point
3- overpressure valve
4- MW 50 flow regulator
5- handle for flow regulator
6- fuse on fuse panel
7- manual switch on instr ument
panel
8- secondary fuse
9- limiter on throttle control rod
10- pressure gauge
11- injection nozzle
12- filter
13- one-way supply valve
14- switching valve
15- supercharger pressure
supply joint
16- air pressure feed line
17- MW 50 feed line
18- air pressure line for fuel feed
from aft tank (located beneath
fuselage)
Instrument panel
Fuselage
Belly
Primer system
144
Chapter 9
Seat
Bf 109K
Centre
panel open
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Radios
Left wing root leading edge fillet

Right wing root leading edge fillet
Coolant pipe
Mounting frame
Fuel return line
Primer line
Supercharger pressure gauge line
Fuel pressure gauge line
Oil pressure gauge line
Firewall
wiring
Port wall
Starboard wall
Tailwheel
recess
Cockpit
armor
145
Bf 109K
Trim tab
aileron
Firewall
Gun deck
Trimtab rod
Bf 109Trop
Filter
control
Sand filter shutter

cable control
a - lever
b - control cable end
c - lever mounting plate
146
Chapter 9
Trop equipment
a- Rifle rack
b- Rifle (Mauser 98k)
c- Emergency equipment
d- Whitewalls on 650x160 tires (not
shown in diagram)
e- Sand filter
f- Sand filter shutters
h- Full protective covers (not shown
in diagram)
i- Repainting of uppersurface in
tropical paint (undersides remain in
original color)
k- Dust boots for coolant flap
actuating cylinders
m- Dust boot for oil cooler flap
actuating cylinder
n- Full protective canvas cover for
sand filter (not shown in diagram)
o- Exhaust plugs (not shown in

diagram)
p- Brackets for sun umbrella
q- Dust boot for coolant system
thermostat
r- Dust boot for oil system
thermostat
Mauser 98K
in aft
fuselage
13-MDF10-Chap-10-Arms_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:26 Page 147
Armament
Development
Note the extensive use of

zippered canvas covers over
the ammunition drum and aft
end of the breech in this view
of the MG-FF cover
Standard fuselage-mounted armament
he Bf 109 had been intended to carry a centrallymounted gun firing through the propeller hub since its
inception, but significant technical issues prevented the
introduction of such a weapon. Trials with a Bf 109B equipped
with a centrally-mounted MG 17 revealed overheating and
jamming issues, and as such the standard armament package
for all early 109s was located in the cowling and wings only.
Among the major improvements introduced with the
Bf 109F-0 and F-1 was a refined armament package which
included a centrally-mounted, drum-fed MG-FF cannon
mounted to the cockpit floor and firing through a barrel which
extended through the hollow central shaft of the propeller. The
use of the MG-FF in the early Bf 109F is often overlooked, but
factory manuals are quite clear in showing the cannon and
associated equipment fitted to the aircraft, as shown below:
Despite having significant hitting power, the relatively slowfiring MG-FF was not an ideal solution for a maneuverable,
high-speed fighter aircraft and efforts were already underway to
introduce a far more suitable weapon. This took the shape of
the Mauser MG 151/15 15mm cannon, a faster firing, electrically
operated weapon. The MG 151/15 represented an incredible 815
10
Chapter
fps (foot per second) increase in muzzle velocity over the

previous MG-FF (1,900 fps versus 2,715 fps for the MG 151/15
firing tracer ammunition) as well as a new belt-feed mechanism
which was located in the port wing root. This led to the
introduction of two small hatches on the wing uppersurface
which were a feature of all subsequent Bf 109 models. The cover
for the MG 151/15 was also substantially smaller, which freed up
a bit of space within the very cramped cockpit of the Bf 109F.
Introduced with the Bf 109F-2, the MG 151/15 was an
excellent and effective weapon, but not everyone was enamored
The new cover for the MG

151/15 was a simple metal
piece which slid over the aft
end and was latched into
place
To reload the central Mauser

cannon, one mechanic would
feed the rounds into the
innermost hatch while
another mechanic would
arrange them in the feed box
through the outboard hatch,
as shown in this photo of a
III./JG 54 Bf 109G-2 being
rearmed. Note also the
walkway markings which
have been carefully masked
around before repainting the
aircraft in locally mixed
shades of green
The feed mechanism for the MG 151/15 extended into the port wing root,
as shown
Armament Development
147
The MG 151/20 was a

compact installation, as seen
here; the thick cable
extending towards the bottom
of the picture is the electrical
lead for firing the weapon,
moved from its more usual
position wrapped around the
cannon
The basic arrangement of the

staggered MG 17s can be
seen in this view of a Bf 109F.
right: As seen here, the

electrical lead wrapped over
and beneath the cannon body,
to keep it out of the way of
the cover. Note also the
relative positions of the fully
deflected rudder pedals; full
right rudder is depicted here
far right: The standardized
cannon cover was much
simpler than the original
design, essentially consisting
of two rectangles with
rounded corners
148
Chapter 10
tremendous number of MG 17 hits without significant

detrimental effect. The entry of the US into the European air
war also meant a tremendous upswing in the number of
American-built aircraft, which were typically designed with a
much heavier structure than their Allied counterparts. A new
armament solution was needed quickly, and this led to the
design and introduction of the most numerous Bf 109 version,
the G-6.
In response to the increased firepower requirement,
Messerschmitt mounted a pair of 13mm MG 131 machine guns
in the cowling, replacing the MG 17s and their associated
equipment. Due to the increased space required by the larger
weapons and their ammunition tanks, the cartridge ejection
chutes for the guns had to be run outside the upper aft engine
bearer mount, and this necessitated a redesign of the cowling.
of the new arrangement. While the Experten were able to
quickly adapt to using the Bf 109F like a flying rifle, less talented
pilots were finding they had trouble in trying to shoot down
enemy aircraft; the extra hitting power of the wing-mounted
cannon in the Bf 109E was sorely missed. In response, a
compromise of sorts was reached; a new 20mm version of the
Mauser MG 151 was introduced which answered pilots requests
for heavier hitting power. The new gun was about ten pounds
heavier than the previous model (93.5 versus 84 pounds), with a
corresponding slight increase in ammunition weight as well, but
it still maintained a very high muzzle velocity of 2,650 fps
(firing HE incendiary ammunition). A new, easy to produce
aluminum gun cover was introduced into the cockpit as well,
and this configuration would become standard issue on all
subsequent Bf 109F and G variants.
As introduced into service, the Bf 109F was also fitted with a
pair of Rheinmetall MG 17 pneumatically cocked 7.92mm
machine guns mounted in the forward fuselage, firing through
the propeller disc. These rifle-caliber guns had an extraordinary
rate of fire of 1,000 rounds per minute, and a 3,000 fps muzzle
velocity. The weapons were staggered to allow for their feed
boxes to be mounted fore and aft of one another, increasing the
amount of ammunition available.
Although very effective against lightly built fighters and light
reconnaissance aircraft, by 1942 the Luftwaffe was increasingly
facing medium and heavy bombers which could absorb a
In this photo, a technician is

seen aligning the MG 131s at
the gun butts; the projecting
ejection chute for the
cartridge casings from the
port gun can be seen to
advantage
The schematic photo above comes from the G-6/U4 manual, and shows
both the larger machine guns as well as the central access panel to the
MK 108 ammunition feed tank
A view of the EDSK-B control mechanism (the two boxes with the large
cables running out the sides) as installed on the G-6/U4
Production speed was paramount, and no additional design

work could be allowed to interfere with the introduction of the
G-6 into service, so to accommodate the ejection chutes, two
large, round bumps were riveted onto the cowling. These bumps
quickly led to the aircraft receiving the nickname Beule (boil),
among other, less kind epithets, and created a significant
amount of parasitic drag on the airframe, thereby reducing the
aircrafts top speed. Eventually, a refined cowling design was
created and introduced with the G-6/AS which accommodated
both the enlarged supercharger and port engine bearer of the
DB 605AS engine and the feed chutes of the MG 131s in an
aerodynamically smooth cowling, and this new design was
carried forward into the G-10 and K-4 variants as well.
There was one further standard weapon introduced during
Bf 109 production, and this was the centrally mounted
Rheinmetall-Borsig MK 108 30mm cannon. Originally fitted as
an Umbausatz (listed as /U4 in the official aircraft designation),
the pneumatically operated MK 108 was first fitted to the
G-6/U4 in an effort to increase the hitting power of the basic
armament package. Despite having a slower firing rate (500
rounds per minute, down from around 750 rpm with the MG
151/20), and a much slower muzzle velocity of 1,650 fps, the
MK 108 offered tremendous striking power, with only a few hits
being necessary to significantly damage or destroy most aircraft.

The cannon was also extremely simple to manufacture,
consisting of only a few stamped and machined parts, but there
was a significant weight penalty to pay. The cannon itself
weighed 265 pounds (as compared to 93.5 pounds for the
MG 151/20), and the ammunition and associated hardware also
added further weight to an airframe already burdened with
additional armor, larger cowl guns with beefier structures to
keep them in place, heavier ammunition, and increased parasitic
drag thanks to all the bumps and lumps protruding from the
basic G-6 airframe.
In this well-known shot of

Oblt. Ludwig Franzisket,
Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG
27 taken in late 1944, the
large cowling bumps of the Bf
109G-6 are clearly seen. In
addition, this aircraft has
been outfitted with Rststze
R 3 (external 300 liter drop
tank) and R 6 (two MG
151/20 cannon carried in
underwing gondolas). As
mentioned elsewhere, these
Rststze were not reflected
in the aircrafts official
designation
The effectiveness of the MK 108 as an air-to-air weapon may

be judged by the introduction of the cannon as part of the
standard armament package of the Bf 109K-4. Designed from
the outset to utilize the higher performance DB 605D engine, the
K-4 represented the last fully factory developed and prototyped
Bf 109 variant, and was outfitted with the pneumatic hammer,
as the MK 108 was nicknamed, along with the now-standard
pair of MG 131s above the engine. The upper fuselage decking
underwent a few further changes in equipment arrangement, as
A schematic overview of the
components of the onboard
weapons of the G-6/U4
149
right: The final central cannon

cover design for the MK 108
is seen installed in this photo.
The cover was secured by a
simple tension latch attached
to two thin pieces of steel
far right: With the cover off,

the MK 108 installation can
be seen to advantage in this
photo. The cannon gas
exhaust projected from a
small pipe immediately aft of
the last exhaust stack on the
The EDSK-B controls are still

ahead of the instrument panel
coaming, but the whole affair
is now attached to a large
plate which lifts to allow
access to the MK 108
ammunition feed tank
seen in the picture right.

Although the K-4 was the last fully developed German Bf 109
variant, there was one further variant which should be
mentioned. With the vast numbers of wrecked Bf 109Gs
awaiting attention in repair centers, it was decided to develop a
program which would bring these airframes up to the same
operational capability level as the K-4. This entailed the fitment
of a DB 605D engine with refined cowlings, a single-piece Erla
Haube canopy, retrofitting the redesigned, taller tail, and a few
other minor equipment changes. The resulting Bf 109G-10 was
the equal of the K-4 in nearly every respect, although the aircraft
often retained the original MG 151/20 central cannon
armament. The 30mm /U4 upgrade was introduced into aircraft
being produced by the Wiener Neustdter Flugzeugwerke and its
Diana subsidiary in Czechoslovakia, and a substantial number
of these aircraft were in service by the end of hostilities in May
1945. Interestingly, all three of the surviving original G-10s to
be found in museums across the United States are WNFproduced G-10/U4 variants.
External and supplemental armament packages
Fitted as Rstsatz 1, the ETC

500/IX b rack (seen here
attached to a Bf 109E) could
be used for weapons up to
500 kg. Most aircraft so
fitted were used in a ground
or shipping attack role,
although 5./JG 1
experimented briefly with
dropping ordnance onto
attacking bomber formations.
Despite a few successes, the
overall concept was deemed
unsuitable as standard
doctrine and discontinued
150
Chapter 10
One of the hallmarks of the Bf 109 design was its adaptability to

a wide range of combat requirements. Originally conceived
strictly as a single-seat, high-speed fighter, by the end of the war
the basic airframe had been transformed into a heavy fighter, a
fast reconnaissance platform, a ground attack aircraft, and a
light maritime strike aircraft, with modifications to allow
operation from the frozen Arctic north to the scorching sands of
Africa. Many of these modifications could be made to the
aircraft at unit level via equipment packages known as Rststze
(literally, equipment sets). Examples of such ordnance packages
for the Bf 109G could include Rstsatz 1, indicating the fitment
of an ETC 500 IX/b bomb rack capable of carrying an SC 250
(250 kg/550 lbs) or SC 500 bomb (500 kg/ 1100 lbs); Rstsatz 2,
denoting the presence of an ETC 50/VIII d rack which carried
four SC 50 bombs (50 kg/ 110lbs each); Rstsatz 3, a common
modification which allowed the use of a jettisonable 300 liter
fuel tank on a rack beneath the aircraft; or Rstsatz 6, consisting
of an MG 151/20 20mm cannon along with associated
ammunition trays and hardware mounted beneath each wing,
just outboard of the wheel wells. There were several other
Rststze which varied from model to model, and in fact the

Rstsatz designation for a given set of ordnance or equipment
did not always remain the same between variants Rstsatz 6
for the underwing 20mm gondolas on the Bf 109G was changed
to Rstsatz 5 on the Bf 109K-4.
It is important to note at this point that any equipment
carried as a Rstsatz did NOT result in a change in the aircrafts
designation. This has been a common misconception for many
years, and is largely due to the Luftwaffes decision to use the
same naming schema for permanent modifications to an
aircrafts structure or equipment. Such a modification was
known as a Rstzustand (literally, equipment condition), and
these upgrades or modifications to the aircraft were reflected in
the aircrafts official designation. As an example, a Bf 109G-
Rstsatz 2 on the Bf 109G family indicated the presence of the ETC

50/VIII d. This allowed the carriage of four SC50 bombs on a streamlined
rack assembly beneath the aircrafts fuselage
The ETC 500/IX b rack was fitted to the Bf 109F-4, which then modified the designation to F-4/B (in the same
fashion as the earlier E-1/B and E-4/B). On the later Bf 109G and K series, this field modification would be
listed as Rstsatz 1
This Bf 109G-2 of 9./JG 52 is seen outfitted with Rstsatz 6, the under wing gondolas carrying the 20mm MG
151/20 cannon
The ammo drum containing 135 rounds

of 20mm ammunition can be
seen in this schematic view
While it was uncommon to see Rstsatz 2 in use, it was by no means
unheard of, as can be seen in this photo of a smiling JG 54 Grnherz
pilot standing in front of his bomb-laden Bf 109G-2
left and above: Another rarely used ordnance kit on later Bf 109s was Rstsatz 4, which indicated the carriage
of the SD 2 bomblet release rack. The rack carried 24 of these simple but deadly devices, used primarily as
anti-personnel weapons. The rack was more commonly seen on the Bf 109Es of the Schlachtgeschwadern,
but contemporary manuals indicate the SD 2 system could be fitted to the Bf 109F and G as well
151
right: And because there are

doubtless modelers who will
want to know what the
internal structure of the wing
looks like, here is a view into
the wing interior prior to the
installation of Rstsatz 6
far right: Another factory
photo shows the MG 151/20
installed in the gondola. The
open circular hatch was the
access panel to feed the
ammunition into the circular
ammo tray located within the
wing structure
This Bf 109F-4/R1, also belonging to JG 52, also carries a pair of MG

151/20s in underwing gondolas. However, this was something of an
experimental installation on the Bf 109F, and was done at the factor y
level hence, the modification was listed as Rstzustand 1, and the
aircrafts official designation was changed to reflect this modification
These two ground crewmen
are seen reloading the por t
MG 151/20 of a Gustav
somewhere in the
Mediterranean theatre
10/R6 was a basic G-10 upgraded to an all-weather fighter with

the addition of an autopilot and a blind landing device. A
Bf 109G-6/R3 was a basic G-6 outfitted with a single Rb 75/30
camera in the aft fuselage just behind the fuel tank for armed
reconnaissance purposes.
The confusion between Rststze and Rstzustnde is
certainly understandable, and much remains to be learned
about all the different possible permutations among Bf 109
variants. In the meantime, a comprehensive listing of all
currently known modifications is given with each individual
type summary elsewhere in the book. Credit must be given to
French researcher Olivier Lefebvre for his steadfast efforts to
unravel the seemingly conflicting designations.
There was one further airframe modification which

warranted a suffix within the aircraft designation, and this is
variously referred to as an Umbausatz or Umrst-bausatz.
Literally translated as equipment installed after production, the
Umbausatz occupied something of a middle ground between
the complexity of a Rstzustand and the field-ready Rstsatz.
One significant example has already been explored, the /U4
modification which denoted a 30mm MK 108 cannon
The internal structure of the 20mm gondola without the MG 151/20 can
be seen in this factor y photo
Photographed on a Sicilian air field, this Bf 109G-6/trop is seen carr ying Rstsatz 7, which consisted of a 21
cm diameter WGr 21 rocket and launcher tube slung beneath each wing outboard of the gear wells. Of all the
armament modifications made to the Bf 109G, the WGr 21 was easily the most destructive one single
rocket could obliterate a B -24 or B-17 bomber. However, with each rocket weighing 248 pounds and the
unwieldy launch tubes causing an enormous amount of drag, the Bf 109 lost all pretence of maneuverability
when outfitted with this Rstsatz.
152
Chapter 10
substituted for the standard MG 151/20. Another example

would be a G-6/U2, which indicated the aircraft was equipped at
the factory with the GM 1 nitrous oxide engine booster for
increased high-altitude performance.
As can be seen by the few examples listed above, not all of the
airframe modifications were ordnance-related many
Rstzustnde designations involved various specific camera
packages, for example. However, examples of common weapon
and ordnance carriage upgrades are shown in the accompanying
photos.
14-MDF10-Chap-11-Walk_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:28 Page 153
Bf 109F-4 WNr 10132 Walkaround
ossibly the most historic German aircraft currently

in existence owing to its originality, Bf 109F-4
WNr 10132 was the personal mount of the
Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 5, Hptm. Horst Carganico,
while based at Kirkenes, Norway through the summer of
1942. As built by the Erla Flugzeugwerk at Leipzig in April
1942, 10132 was finished as an F-4/trop with all attendant
modifications, including a high-demarcation 79 Sandgelb
over 78 Hellblau scheme and issued the Stammkennzeichen
CD+LZ.
The aircraft may have been part of a batch of 20 Bf
109F-4s sent to JG 5 in May 1942. As JG 5 was operating out
of Norway, some modification of the tropical scheme was in
order, and large segments of 74 Graugrn were applied to
break up the aircrafts outline. The lower cowling and
wingtips were painted in 04 Gelb, and Carganico added his
own personal Mickey Mouse emblem along with the
Gruppenkommandeurs chevrons and the II. Gruppe
cloverleaf emblem. Carganico belly-landed the aircraft on 12
August 1942 following combat with two Russian P-39
Airacobras and two P-40 Warhawks. A lucky strike hit

Carganicos radiator, causing an immediate loss of coolant
and the engine seized before he could reach his own lines.
He set the aircraft down in a coal yard at Motowiski with
little additional damage, and ran for his life.
And there it sat until 1980, when it was recovered by the
Russian Air Force. 10132 moved through a few Russian
museums before being purchased and moved to England in
1995. The following year, Aero Vintage Ltd. in Sussex,
England received the aircraft, and after two years of
painstaking effort, the beautifully refinished aircraft was
unveiled. It moved to Canada in 1999, and is currently on
display at the splendid National Aviation Museum at
Rockcliffe, Ottowa.
Many thanks are due to Mark J. Sheppard, Guy Black,
Gerhard Stemmer, Eric Mombeek, and Hannu Valtonen for
their efforts to discover the history of this amazing survivor.
My personal thanks go to Graham Mansell for his
permission to use these fantastic photos.
11
Chapter
Bf 109F-4 WNr 10132

1 One of the wing radiators is
seen in this photo.
2 The starboard wing

uppersurface still in its
shipping container
3 The standard walkway
stenciling was reapplied over
the 74 Graugrn
4 This useful photo shows
details of the radiator bath in
the port wing
5 An overall view of the por t
wing underside
3
6 Carganico chose a
whimsical Mickey Mouse
character for his personal
emblem, seen here applied on
the forward engine cowling
7 The four-leaf clover was
originally the unit badge of
6./JG 5; when Carganico took
over II./JG 5, he brought the
emblem with him and made it
the official II. Gr uppe emblem
Modelling the Bf 109 Bf 109F-4 WNr 10132 Walkaround
153
Bf 109F-4 WNr 10132

8
8 The restoration team left

these original bullet holes
intact from the combat which
caused Carganicos forced
landing in 1942
10
9 A view of the oil fill hatch

immediately behind the spinner
10 The vertical fin assembly
is seen here minus the r udder
and horizontal stabilizer
11 When flown by
Carganico, 10132 was fitted
with the early style rounded
hood as seen on Bf 109Bs
through Es. As the restoration
team did not have access to
such a hood, a heavier-framed
Gustav unit was used instead
11
12 A view of the
characteristic fuel filler hatch
of the F model
12
13 The 24v power plug was

present, but a simple blanking
plate has replaced the cover
for the pilots oxygen supply fill
hatch
14 This gives a view of the
tail strut access hatch located
in fuselage station 8
15 The MG 17s in the
cowling were pneumatically
operated, and the system was
filled through this hatch on the
lower starboard fuselage in
station 6
13
16 An overall view of the

starboard fuselage
14
17 A close-up of the inboard

edge of the starboard elevator
18 An interesting look at the
horizontal stabilizer assembly
and aft fuselage assembly
19 The VDM 9-12010A
propeller blades are thought to
be the originals fitted to the
aircraft in service, and one still
bears a bullet hole from the 12
August combat which brought
the aircraft down
16
15
17
154
Chapter 11
18
19
Bf 109F-4 WNr 10132

20
22
21
20 A look at the por t landing

gear strut and attachment
point
24
23
21 The starboard gear str ut

and attachment point to the
fuselage
22 On all Bf 109F through K
models, the lower cowling was
hinged on the starboard side
and swung free by simply
releasing two latches on the
left side for rapid access to the
lower engine area
25
23 Several interesting details

are seen in this view, including
the gear and engine mount
bearers, and the fresh air
intake tube
26
24 A further view of the

lower engine and cowling
assembly
25 The manufacturers data
plate on the por t forward
fuselage
26 A view of the cockpit; there
are several subtle differences
between the F and G cockpits
27 The antenna lead to the
FuG VII radio set connected to
a white ceramic insulator on
fuselage station 5, offset
slightly to por t
27
28
29
30
31
28 A glimpse of the inside of

the port upper engine cowling
panel
29 The DB601E engine is
missing much of its auxiliar y
gear and piping, but is
otherwise remarkably
complete
30 A view of the fully opened
port engine compar tment
31 The complex gear mount
casting for the por t main gear
strut is seen here
Modelling the Bf 109 Bf 109F-4 WNr 10132 Walkaround
155
Bf 109G-4 WNr 19310 Walkaround
his aircraft, Bf 109G-4 WNr 19310, is currently the

only surviving example of the G-4 variant.
Constructed in the last production block from WNF
between in early 1943, WNr 19310 received the
Stammkennzeichen BH+XN and was issued to 4./JG 52,
then stationed at Nikolayev in the Ukraine, near the north
shore of the Black Sea. On 20 March 1943, Ltn. Wolf-Dieter
von Cster of 4./JG 52 was aloft in WNr 19310, now coded
white 3 + - and nicknamed Nesthkchen (nestling), near
Novorossiysk on the east side of the Kerch Strait when
engine failure forced him to ditch about 20km southeast of
Anapa. Ltn. von Cster was never seen again, but White 3
was found and raised in 1987. Displayed as found at a
museum in Krasodar, the aircraft went through an odd array
of owners, being traded about in exchange for other
hardware until it finally wound up in the very capable hands
of AREA (Aeronautical Restoration Association) in Italy.
After a number of years, the restoration was completed and
the beautifully restored aircraft was placed on display at the
Technikmuseum Speyer in Germany, where these photos
were taken by Slovak researcher and publisher Jozef Andal.
12
Chapter
Bf 109G-4 WNr 19310

1 The aircraft has its own
display area in the museum,
which is brightly lit... standing
in stark contrast to the dark,
moody atmosphere present
at other facilities
2 The Revi 12C gunsight is

clearly visible in this photo
3 A view straight down to the
pilots seat
4 The pilots baggage
compartment opened
5 The fuse panel is the
central item in this photo, with
the oxygen equipment
highlighted in blue below and
the fuel feed line in yellow
6 A view of the early head
armor from aft
7 The heavy central por tion

of the canopy is seen here
partly opened
8 A look at the af t port
cockpit wall
156
Chapter 12
Bf 109G-4 WNr 19310

9
10
11
12
9 The head armor seen from

directly beneath
13
10 The starboard cockpit

wall equipment is seen in this
photo
11 The control column and
MG151/20 cover are seen
here in closeup
12 The throttle and mixture
control assembly are seen in
this close-up of the por t
cockpit wall
14
13 The engine primer is

shown here, with the friction
knob for the throttle assembly
in the left upper corner of the
photo
16
15

cockpit interior
15 The underside of the DB
605A-1 engine, from por t
looking aft
16 This view of the for ward
cowling gives us a look at the
oil tank fill hatch
17 The oil cooler and
thermostatic flap control and
rod are seen in this photo
18 The MG 17s have been
removed on this museum
example, as have the gun
mounts
17
20
18
19
21

engine compartment from por t
20 A close-up of the engine
underside
21 The A, denoting a DB
605A, is just visible in this
photo of the engine upperside
Modelling the Bf 109 Bf 109G-4 WNr 19310 W alkaround
157
Bf 109G-4 WNr 19310

22
22 The interior of the

starboard engine compar tment
cover, viewed from below
23
23 A small coolant tank was

located on each side of the
engine; this is the starboard
tank
engine, taken from starboard
25 Close-up of the lower
engine accessory section from
starboard
24
26 A different angle of the

same area gives a better view
of the structure surrounding
the MG17 ammo box location;
the two ammo boxes would
slide side-by-side into the
structure at left
25
27 The vapor separator was

connected to the coolant
header tank by a shor t pipe.
Note also the stenciling on the
VDM 9-12087A propeller blade
28 The magneto assembly is
seen from starboard
29 A view of the interior of
the port engine cowling panel
26
30 The extensive use of red

piping on this restoration is
questionable, but the majority
of the restoration work is
simply fantastic. Here we see
the throttle control rods and
27
28
29
ancillary equipment on the

port side of the firewall
31
30
31 Another view of the

engine underside, this time
taken from starboard
32 The angle of the cowling
when propped open is seen to
advantage here
33 The leading edge of the
oil cooler housing had a ver y
small drain tube from the
lower cowling which also
doubled as a stiffener
34 The oil fill hatch is open in
this photo, revealing the tank
filler neck
32
158
Chapter 12
33
34
Bf 109G-4 WNr 19310

35 The aircraft is not fitted
with radios, but the thin
plywood bulkhead behind the
fuel tank is seen in this view
36
35
36 Looking aft inside the

fuselage, we see the
uppermost stringer to which
the two fuselage halves were
riveted during construction
37 The wire antenna attached
to a simple hook at the top of
the antenna mast
38 A view of the opened
access hatch in the fif th
fuselage section
39 Another view aft inside
the fuselage; note the lower
stringer with two rows of
rivets, as well as the various
control line and cable r uns
37
40 This small hatch on the

starboard engine cowling
opens to reveal the cold
weather start device. The
small hole just above it is for
the engine star ter handle
39
38
41 The fill point for the

pressurized air flasks of the
MG17 firing system is seen in
this photo taken through the
open fuselage access hatch,
as is the mounting rack for the
bottles themselves
42 The interior of the access
hatch itself, as modeled by a
friend of Jozef Andal
43 The footstep
(Einstiegklappe) on the
starboard side was deleted on
the Bf 109K model
41
40
45
44
43
42
44 The fill valve for the

MG17 system is seen in this
photo
46
45 Both the 24 volt exter nal

power plug and the pilots
oxygen fill valve are shown
here
46 The aircraft is configured
with Rstzustand R3, equipped
to carry a 300 liter drop tank
47 A view of the tailwheel
47
48
49
28
48 The tailwheel recess was

often plated over on G-4s, as
the tailwheel diameter
increased from 290 x 110mm
to 350 x 135mm, preventing
the tailwheel from fully fitting
into the well
49 The antenna wire led from
the antenna mast to this small
post at the top of the fin
159
Bf 109G-4 WNr 19310

50
50 The lead from the antenna

wire entered the fuselage via
this ceramic insulator offset to
port
52
51
51 A look into the

supercharger intake; note the
smooth surface
52 Another look at the
tailwheel and strut assembly
53 A view of the por t side
markings on the aircraf t
53
54 Somewhat surprisingly,
the aircraft is displayed with a
swastika; this is of course
authentic, but given the effor ts
by German authorities to
suppress the use of the
swastika elsewhere, such as
on model aircraft, it stands out
by virtue of its mere presence
54
55 No drop tank is fitted to

the rack, which allows an
unobstructed view of the
mounting points
56 The drop tank rack
viewed from forward
57 One area which no model
manufacturer has yet managed
to get right is the inboard gear
well; note the structure of the
gear mount visible in this
photo
57
56
55
58 The hydraulic retraction

cylinder is visible through the
aft set of lightening holes in
the inboard gear well; note the
gold tone of the anodized
cylinder
59 When retracted, the main
gear strut was held in place by
this simple spring-loaded
hook; in the event of a
hydraulic failure, the pilot could
pull a handle in the cockpit
which would release the gear
to swing downwards and
(hopefully) lock into place.
60 The small angled hash
marks seen here are visual
indicators for the pilot to tell
how many degrees of flap he
has dialed in
58
59
60
61 To load the 20mm

ammunition, the ground crew
would reach through this small
door on the inboard por t wing
to assist in feeding the rounds
into the ammo tray
62 The 20mm rounds
themselves would be fed into
this larger door, just outboard
of the wing root
63 A view of the flap angles
at nearly full extension
61
160
Chapter 12
62
63
Bf 109G-4 WNr 19310

64
64 The leading edge slats

can be moved back and for th
with fingertip pressure.
65
65 It was common to see

camouflage patterns continue
under the area usually covered
by the slats.
66 Another view of the flap
angles, this time from above.
67 The flap/aileron junction is
seen in this photo.
68 A view of the por t coolant
flaps; note the linkage
mechanism on the outboard
side of these flaps.
69 The ribs of the coolant
flaps are seen to advantage
here.
70 The aft coolant flaps were
mechanically linked to the
forward lip of the radiator bath
to increase airflow through the
radiators.
67
66
71 The G-4 introduced the

first external bolt-on bulges of
the Gustav family, to cover the
larger 660x160 mainwheel
tires.
72 The mainwheels of the G4 were set at a more ver tical
angle than previous variants,
which was another reason to
introduce the small upper wing
bulges over the wheel wells.
68
70
69
72
71
74
75
73
73 A view of the inboard por t

main gear well.
74 The gear bays themselves
would ordinarily have a sewnin leather cover around the
interior, which is missing on
this example.
75 A general view of the
starboard gear and wheel
assembly
161
ne of the centerpiece displays at the National Air and

Space Museum in Washington, DC, this Gustav is one
of the best known survivors of the breed. The aircraft
was hurriedly restored in 1975-76 to be ready in time for the
grand opening of the NASM on 1 July 1976. As such, the
restoration was not done to the same thorough quality seen
on other aircraft such as the Focke Wulf Fw 190F-8 in their
collection. Interestingly, the restoration team claimed to be
unable to identify the airframe, and as such they painted the
aircraft in the markings of a known aircraft from III./JG 27 in
the 160xxx WNr block. Their estimation of the WNr block
was surprisingly close, as the true identity of the aircraft was
eventually revealed to be considerably more interesting.
The aircraft was originally coded yellow 4 of 3./JG 4,
stationed at Maniago, Italy, and finished in a very dingy
field-applied brown and green scheme over the uppersurface
camouflage. Produced at Messerschmitts Regensburg plant,
the aircraft carried the Stammkennzeichen KT+LL when
delivered. The aircraft was flown to Santa Maria Capua Verde
airfield, north of Naples by a defecting French Luftwaffe pilot
named Ren Darbois on 25 July 1944. It was subsequently
sent to the US for evaluation, then placed into storage at the

Paul Garber facility in Silver Hill, MD. It is the intention of
the museum staff to eventually re-restore this aircraft back
into its proper colors, which will no doubt be a fascinating
process.
13
Chapter
160756 is seen at the Allied air field at Santa Maria Capua Verde field on 25 July 1944
Bf 109G-6 WNr 160756

1
1 3 These photos show

close-ups of the VDM 912087A propeller and spinner
assembly
4, 5 The aircraft retains its
full armament of two MG 131
machine guns and one
MG151/20 cannon; the upper
guns are seen in these photos
projecting through the cowling
6 A view down the upper
cowling towards the
windscreen. The limited field of
view from the cockpit is clearly
evident in this shot
162
Chapter 13
7 The cover over the MG

131s has a pair of handgrips
with spring-loaded covers on
its surface
8 An overview of the for ward

cowling from above
Bf 109G-6 WNr 160756

9
10
9 The starboard aft engine

cowling
11
10 A close-up of the latch for

the gun deck cover
11 The forwardmost cowling
latch on the por t side. Note the
very simple design of the air
scoop
12
12 A view of the lower

cowling. Interestingly, the
lower engine cover does not
blend smoothly into the lower
forward cowling; there is a
very distinctive ridge in this
area. This does not seem to be
common on other 109s; it
may have resulted from a
mismatched part, or a supplier
not building par ts to exact
specification
13
13 The port exhaust bank.

The warning below the stacks
warns groundcrew to be
careful when opening the
lower cowling, as the oil cooler
is part of the assembly. Note
also the four screw holes for
the lower forward tropical filter
mount just above the exhausts
14 The supercharger intake
in profile. Note the rough weld
bead, a common feature of
these intakes
15 Looking directly down the
intake, the very smooth interior
surfaces are evident
14
15
16 The oil cooler bath is

seen from starboard in this
photo
16
17 A thermostatically
controlled flap at the back end
of the oil cooler helped
regulate airflow through the oil
cooler
18 The forward edge of the
oil cooler is somewhat bashed
in, although it is not known if
this happened in ser vice or
storage. Note the small drain
tube which doubles as a
stiffener for the lower lip of the
housing
17
18
19
19 Many of the hatches on

the aircraft are not original,
including the cover over the
cold weather star t device on
the starboard cowling
20 The empty 13mm casings
from the cowl-mounted MG
131s would exit the aircraf t
through these two rectangular
chutes
20
21
21 The access panel

immediately behind the dump
chutes had a vent to help clear
the engine compar tment of
fumes. This panel swung
down and aft to allow access
to the aft engine mounts and
the fuel filters. Note also the
two line stubs at right; one
was the fuel feed tube for the
300 liter drop tank, and the
other was to provide air
pressure to the tank to force
the fuel up and out
163
Bf 109G-6 WNr 160756

22
23
22 The pilots seat pan. Note

the dingy, tan belts; these were
closer to off-white when new
24
23 The shoulder belts and

attachment points are seen in
this view
24 The top of the KG 13A
control column
25 The manufacturers
dataplate on the control
column. Interestingly, no
manufacturer stamp is visible
on the plate, although the type
and part numbers are clearly
evident
25
26 The base of the control

column is covered by a
zippered leather cover in a
strange light tan color; note
also the small button at the
base of the stick grip for
transmitting over the radio
26
27 The blue-trimmed oxygen

equipment is seen in this view,
as is the direction finder
control box (aftmost black
box), radio control box (middle
box), the emergency fuel tank
jettison handle (in yellow), the
manual control for the radiator
flaps, and a real rarity- the
white handle is a shutoff valve
for the starboard radiator in
case of damage
27
28
29
30
31
28 The starboard cockpit

side vent is seen here, as are
the lines leading from the
oxygen cylinders in fuselage
station 2. Note also the
shielded electrical cables along
the cockpit wall, covered in
braided stainless steel
29 The fuse panel on the
starboard cockpit wall, along
with the sight glass which
allowed the pilot to confir m fuel
was flowing from the 300 liter
tank into the main fuel tank
30 Port cockpit wall.
Comparison with the G-4 and
G-10 walkarounds in this book
will reveal small equipment
differences
32
33
31 The red handle controlled

the tropical filter shutters via a
Bowden cable (seen slack to
the right side of the photo)
instrument panel; note the
missing MG 151/20 as well as
the missing cover for the gun
33 The windscreen frame had
two angled grab handles to
assist the pilot in getting in or
getting out; note also the leather
pad on the Revi C12/D gunsight
to help prevent massive head
injuries in crash landings. This
was not always successful...
164
Chapter 13
Bf 109G-6 WNr 160756

34
35
37
38
36
34 A close up of the Revi C

12/D gunsight. The flash has
highlighted the brownish cast
to the metal; it is substantially
darker than this in real life
39
35 The hatch into the pilots

baggage compartment is open
in this view
36 The fittings atop the fuel
tank are seen here to
advantage
40
37 The windscreen assembly

seen from por t. There were a
number of different fresh air
scoop designs through the
war, with that illustrated being
among the most common
41
38 The thickness of the

integral windscreen armor is
apparent in this view through
the top of the windscreen
39 The sideways hinging
hood had two plexiglas panels
which could be unlatched and
slid aft for additional fresh air
or to improve vision
40 The hood was kept from
flopping off to the side by a
braided steel wire restraint
mounted between the hood
and the aft canopy section
41 A view of the canopy
latching mechanism
42
43
44
42 The later Galland Panzer

armor is seen from the front in
this view
43 The armor had two
flanges which mounted about
midway up the central hood,
as well as two flanges bolted
to the bottom edge of the hood
44 The aft canopy section
viewed from starboard
45 There was a central beam
to the aft canopy section
which was entirely internal;
this beam was always finished
in 66 Schwar tzgrau
45
46
47
46 The retaining wire had a

small spring affair to prevent
the heavy hood from suddenly
yanking the aft canopy section
free if opened quickly
47 The aft fuselage seam
stops just aft of the rear
canopy section, right at the
junction between fuselage
stations 1 and 2. The antenna
mast mount is also clearly
seen in this view
165
Bf 109G-6 WNr 160756

48
49
50
48 The PR16 Peil direction

finding antenna mounted on the
aircraft centerline, lined up right
with the seam between fuselage
stations 2 and 3. The base is
Bakelite, which is usually a dark
brown color
53
52
51
49 Another view of the panel

lines between stations 1 and 2
on the spine
50 The antenna wire had a
ceramic insulator just aft of the
tensioning spring, mounted up
at the antenna mast end of the
wire itself
54
56
55
51 A view of the fuel filler ; the

original cover is long since gone
52 The compass hatch cover
on the port fuselage is seen
here
53 The characteristic aft
fuselage access hatch which
remained the same from the
Bf 109A through the G-14
54 The fuel overflow drain
tube exit beneath the fuselage
55 The FuG 25a IFF antenna;
note the somewhat spherical
mount for the whip antenna
57
59
58
56 The fill valve for the pilots

oxygen supply
57 A close up of the exter nal
24v power plug socket
58 The G-6 introduced a large
oval inspection panel on the
port side of fuselage station 8
59 There was a circular
inspection panel on the
starboard side of section 8 as
well
60
61
60 There was a small primer

tank mounted in the starboard
top of fuselage station 5
61 A glimpse inside the
fuselage, taken through the
primer fill port. The stamped
aluminum is just visible at the
top of the photo, and much, if
not all, of the equipment
appears to be undisturbed since
the aircraft was restored. The
bubble wrap, however, is
decidedly unoriginal...
62 With the introduction of the
FuG 16z radio on the G-4 and
all subsequent models, the
antenna lead to the radios
moved from station 5 to station
8, and now led through a
circular plexiglas insulator
62
166
Chapter 13
63
63 A view of the base of the

fin fillet
Bf 109G-6 WNr 160756

64
67
65
66
64 In this shot, taken from

directly overhead, the
distinctive airfoil shape of the
vertical stabilizer can be seen
68
65 The integral antenna post

on the fin is seen here in
close-up. The antenna itself is
a rather thick copper wire,
which has darkened with age
69
70
66 Most Gustavs were seen

with the tailwheel recess
plated over. This gives a good
view of the plating; note also
that the stenciling has been
incorrectly applied in red,
instead of black. The tailwheel
boot on this example has
been made of heavy canvas
67 A closeup of the outer
elevator hinge; note also the
component manufacturer tag
from the Wiener Neustdter
Flugzeugwerke
68 This montage
demonstrates the maximum
range of elevator travel
69 The starboard radiator
flaps are seen in both open
and closed positions in this
paired photo
71
72
70 A view into the fully opened

starboard radiator flaps. Note
that the upper flap projects
above the wing sur face; it is
very unusual to see this on the
ground, as this flap is ordinarily
thermostatically controlled and
would only be in such a
position when the engine was
warm
71 The middle flap and
inboard lower radiator flap
should have roughly the same
angle when extended
downwards, as seen here
73
74
72 The port radiator flaps

seen in the open position.Note
the linkage mechanisms at lef t,
and the entirely walled-in
radiator; no open spaces as
shown in most kits
73 A closer look at the
outboard flap linkage; the thick
layer of dust is not usually
found on operational aircraft...
74 These handpainted flap
angle marks were applied
when the aircraft was in
service. This demonstrates
that the flaps were raised
when the brown and green
paint was applied, as there is
no trace of brown paint on
these markings. Also note the
very tight fit of the upper flap;
there is vir tually no gap
between the flap and the upper
wing skin
167
Bf 109G-6 WNr 160756

75
75 Another look at the

midwing flap and the angles of
the flaps when extended to
their maximum
76
76 The whole affair tidies up

quite nicely with the flaps fully
raised
77 A look at the movable
forward lip of the radiator bath
78 The control rod from the
thermostatic control mounted
slightly off-center to the
leading edge flap
77
79 The large main spar

attachment bolts were covered
by these teardrop-shaped
fairings
78
80 A look at the outboard

port wheel well
81 The inboard por t well is
seen here, along with the
various equipment visible
through the lightening holes
82 The main gear retraction
jack was mounted behind the
aft set of lightening holes, and
is clearly visible as shown
here
79
80
83 Note the gold anodized

finish to the hydraulic
retraction jack
81
84 The angled spur at the

top of the main gear str ut was
bolted to the hydraulic ram of
the retraction jack; when the
gear was to be raised, the jack
would push inwards on that
spur, causing the str ut to
pivot up and into the wheel
well
85 An overall view of the por t
gear leg
86 The port gear leg from
forward
87 The main gear cover is
seen here from the rear
88 The oleo links on the af t
side of the str ut are seen to
advantage in this photo
82
85
168
Chapter 13
83
86
84
87
88
Bf 109G-6 WNr 160756

89
90
89 A close up of the top of

the starboard gear strut
91
90 The starboard gear strut,

showing the brake line to
advantage
91 Another view of the upper
starboard gear strut and brake
line with fittings
92 The starboard strut
viewed from aft
92
93
93 There were two patterns

to the mid-war stamped steel
wheel. The later version as
fitted to this aircraf t featured a
six-bolt pattern with a fluted
outer rim, to provide increased
strength around the area of the
tire bead
94
94 Interestingly, the Me 262

used a stock early Bf 109G
stamped steel wheel, and this
wheel is fitted to the NASMs
Me 262A. It is still a six-bolt
wheel, but the outer rim is
smoother with no ridges
95 Taken atop the por t wing,
this photo shows the upper
wing cross alignment on this
wing
96 The extended slat is seen
in this photo; even without
proper lubrication for a number
of years, the slat moved in and
out of the wing with mere
fingertip pressure
95
96
97 A glimpse of the slat

mounting arm, which rode on
a curved track within the wing
itself. Note the ver y, very small
difference in height between
the wing skinning and the slat
housing... no more than 30 or
40 thousandths of an inch, the
thickness of the aluminum
itself
97
98 The slat mounting arm

seen from below
99 The extended slat, seen
from below
98
99
100 The port wingtip,

photographed from below;
there was a fairly large gap
between the wingtip and the
wing, which would frequently
be covered by pinking tape in
service
100
101 A close up of the

starboard outboard navigation
light
102 This photo demonstrates
the proper angle for mounting
the aileron mass balances on
aircraft
103 An overhead view of the
starboard upper wing cross, to
aid in marking alignment
101
102
103
169
riginally constructed in 1944 by WNF, most likely as

a G-14, this aircraft, WNr 610937, was
remanufactured into a G-10/U4 in December 1944,
and captured at Zeltweg airfield in Austria. We do not know
to what unit this 109 originally belonged (about which more
in a moment), but we do know that the aircraft wound up
serving in the 6th Polk (regiment) of the Bulgarian Air Force
until around 1947. From here, it was sent to Yugoslavia as
part of an exchange for IL-2 parts, and entered service with
either the 83rd or 172nd Fighter Wing at Cerklje, carrying
the YAF serial 9644 and coded white 44 in service. The
aircraft flew for an additional three years before being struck
off charge in late 1950 and stored. It wound up at the
Yugoslav Aviation Museum in Belgrade for a number of
years before being sold to Doug Arnolds Warbirds of Great
Britain collection in the early 80s.
The aircraft changed hands again in 1989, moving across
the Atlantic to Evergreen Ventures, and was sent to Vintage
Aircraft Restorations in Ft. Collins, CO in 1991 for restoration
to airworthy status. At this point, the aircraft was still fully
intact in its 1950s Yugoslav Air Force paint, which of course
covered the original markings as well as the Bulgarian
camouflage... it was a true time capsule, and if the restoration
had been approached properly, could have represented a
treasure trove of late-war camouflage and markings
information, much like the Bf 109G-6 WNr 163824 at the
Treolar Centre in Australia. However, no such forethought was
given to the process... the skins were summarily stripped
from the airframe and sent away for recycling, forever losing
this opportunity. In fact, little thought seems to have been
given to any sort of historical authenticity in the restoration
process of this aircraft and its sibling, WNr 610824 which
currently resides in the US Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH.
We do know the identity of that aircraft; it was coded black 2
in service with II./JG 52, and was captured at Neubiberg by
US forces at the end of the war.
In a final thumbing of the nose to those who seek to
preserve history as it happened, both airframes were
finished in inappropriate schemes; the curator of the
USAFM decided he wanted their G-10/U4 to represent a
Western Front aircraft, so he had it refinished in an
inaccurate JG 300 scheme, while the subject aircraft of this
walkaround was painted as Erich Hartmanns last known
mount, disregarding the fact that Hartmanns aircraft was an
Erla-produced example with numerous detail differences.
There is a bright spot to this story, however; an enterprising
modeler and aviation enthusiast named Derek Brown was
granted full access to the restoration shop during the
rebuilds, and photographed everything he possibly could. It
is only through his diligence that we have any record of the
original Yugoslav markings on 610937, and photographs of
original details such as the manufacturing stamps visible on
the skins of the unpainted fuselage interior. My thanks go to
Derek for both his efforts in recording these details as well as
his permission to use some of his photos here.
14
Chapter
Bf 109G-10 WNr 610937
170
Chapter 14
1 5 the cockpit interior of

the G-10 as received by
Evergreen is seen here...
numerous fascinating details
are visible, not least being the
late war-style footplates more
commonly seen on K-4s. Note
also the wear pattern on the
seat pan and seat back, the
profusion of yellow wiring, and
the angled mount of the fuel
primer on the por t side of the
cockpit, in front of the trim and
flap wheels
Bf 109G-10 WNr 610937

6 8 As can be seen by
these photos, the restored
interior owes little, if anything,
to the concept of originality.
Painted in a garish bright blue,
everything has been returned
to full functionality but this
aircraft will never see air
beneath its wings
9 The four characteristic

electrical plugs in the af t
starboard engine bay are seen
here prior to restoration
10 The same plugs are just
visible in this shot which
shows the starboard riveted
bulge to advantage
8
11 What a wasted
opportunity... The port side of
the fuselage shows the original
Yugoslav camouflage, along with
the 02 primer in the wing root
area. Note also the two
dataplates, one of which is
missing; the lost plate contained
the airframe manufacturer and
type data, while the second tag
was applied when the aircraf t
was rebuilt to G-10 standard.
The WNF-pattern portside riveted
bulge and windscreen fairing are
also visible in this photo
10

starboard mid-fuselage area
11
13 The unpainted original

fuselage interior might come
as a surprise to some, but
recall that these aircraft were
being turned out at an
unprecedented rate in 1944; in
fact, overall fighter production
in 1944 actually increased
despite the best effor ts of the
Allied Combined Bombing
Offensive. The slapdash finish
on the aircrafts interior
surfaces bears mute testimony
to this frantic effor t
12
14 A close up of the aluminum

manufacturers stamps applied
to the fuselage skinning
13
16
14
15
17
18
15 The lift tube is labeled

Hier Anheben- lift here
16 The Bf 109 af t fuselage
was built in two halves then
riveted together, much like a
Revell kit. This view
conclusively demonstrates that
yes, Virginia, there is a seam
on the spine
17 A view looking aft down
the fuselage at the spine seam
18 The restored aircraft
carries a PR16 Peil antenna,
as well as a questionable
antenna mast mounted fur ther
aft than normal
171
Bf 109G-10 WNr 610937

19
20
21
22
19 The fuselage access

hatch in station 5 is shown
here. The red cross denotes
the location of the emergency
first aid kit
23
20 The G-10/U4 carried a

pneumatically operated 30mm
MK108 cannon on the
centerline, and the pressurized
bottles for the cannons
operation were located in
approximately the same place
as the earlier MG17 air bottles.
They were filled via an exter nal
fitting, covered by the hatch
seen here
21 The supercharger intake,
seen from below. Note also the
complex curves of the cowling
in this view
25
22 The interior of the por t

cowling is seen here; the
bright blue finish is decidedly
unoriginal
24
23 When filling the aircraf ts

fuel tank, fuel would of ten
splash out of the filler neck;
this overflow tube led from the
tank fill recess out through the
lower fuselage
24 The access hatch for the
master compass and FuG 25
IFF equipment is seen here
26
25 The elevator actuating rod

projected from a very small
cutout in the side of the fin
27
26, 27 A view of the

elevators from above; note the
wide trim tabs, only seen on
late-war aircraft
28 30 The fin and r udder
assembly are seen in these
photos; note that the r udder
carries two fixed trim tabs as
well as the mechanically
adjustable trim tab
28
172
Chapter 14
29
30
Bf 109G-10 WNr 610937

31
31 As above, so below... the

fuselage assembly results in a
seam both above and below
the aft fuselage
32
32 The fuel fill cover

33 The unrestored starboard
gear mount casting is seen in
this photo
33
34 The starboard gear str ut

and wheel; the aircraf t was
rebuilt with wings from a
Spanish Ha 1112, and features
the smaller 660x160mm
wheels commonly fitted to the
G-6 as well as the Buchon
34
35, 36 The two hatches in

the port wing were for loading
the central 20mm cannon
ammo tray on those aircraf t so
equipped; the 30mm MK108
of this aircraft was loaded
from above, but there was no
sense in building separate
wings for the G-10/U4 when
the earlier models worked just
fine
37 A view of the por t midfuselage area showing the
lowered flaps to advantage
38 The two stiffening ribs on
the coolant flap interiors can
be seen here
39 The port aileron at max
deflection as viewed from
above
36
35
40 The port aileron at max

deflection as viewed from
below
41 The port aileron in a
neutral position
42 A close up of the
tailwheel assembly
37
38
39
40
41
42
173
18-MDF10-Chap-15-Modelling_MDF10 03/05/2012 14:54 Page 174

Bf 109F-4/Trop
14
Chapter
1/144 Sweet [Kit no 14] (2 per package)
very once in a while, you come across a

model which causes your jaw to drop wide
open in outright astonishment, and the
Sweet Bf 109F-4 is most assuredly in this select
group. The box art leaves little doubt as to the
central theme of the kit there is a beautiful
painting of Hans Joachim Marseille including a
plan view of one of his famed yellow 14s. The rear
of the box is rather more whimsical, with a
Japanese manga character named Yuki in full
Afrika Korps pilot garb, and a couple of small
caricatures of cats piled into Marseilles
Kbelwagen OTTO, as well as a black cat sitting in
the cockpit of another one of Marseilles F-4/trops.
Very odd, yet amusing at the same time.
When you open the box end and slide the sprues
out, you are greeted with not one, but TWO
complete Bf 109F kits and what kits they are! I
have seen 1/48 scale Bf 109 models without as
much detail as Sweet has managed to cram into
these diminutive beauties. They feature a separate

pilot seat, separate oil cooler bath and radiator
baths, a choice of standard or filtered supercharger
intakes, beautifully cast six-spoked wheels,
separate gear legs and doors, an optional 300 liter
drop tank and properly shaped rack, a decently
shaped spinner and propeller made up of
individual pieces, a separate cowl top insert with
properly staggered MG 17 muzzles, and the most

exquisite surface detail you can imagine, with all
the hatches and panel lines in their exactly correct
locations. The canopies are likewise beautiful, and
you get the option of both armored and
unarmored windscreens again, one each for
both kits, so youll have spares. However, the real
cherry atop this delicious plastic cake is the VERY
thorough decal sheet. Sweet gives you no less than
SEVEN options, including all four of Marseilles
known Bf 109Fs, along with aircraft from 9./JG 27,
4./JG 27, and Lt. Franz Gtzs F-4/trop gelbe 1
from 9./JG 53. And as if this werent enough, Sweet
also includes decals in THREE scales for
Marseilles famous Kbelwagen OTTO 1/144,
1/72, and 1/48.
Noteworthy construction details

What is there to be said? The kit absolutely fell
together with no difficulties whatsoever, and can be
built during a commercial break if one were so
inclined. I did take a photo of the wee 109 posed
with a US dime to highlight the diminutive size of
the kit masking and airbrushing proved to be
quite a unique challenge.
Improvements or construction tips

I cannot think of one single thing to improve in this
kit, outside of cutting some very thin tape for
seatbelts. A true master such as Ben Guenther or
Alex Bernardo might be able to create a full interior
for it, but what Sweet gives you is more than
sufficient to create an absolutely beautiful piece of
work straight from the box.
Markings and camouflage details

I opted to go with Marseilles first gelbe 14, WNr
8693, just for sentimental reasons Ive always
liked the look of that aircraft, being the one
depicted on the cover of an old paperback copy of
Tolliver and Constables Horridoh! which I nearly
wore out while in high school. I first airbrushed the
white spinner and forward cowling, then masked
this area and airbrushed the uppersurfaces with
Model Master 79 Sandgelb. This is the reverse of
how I usually do things, but considering what little
surface area I had to work with for masking, it was
far simpler to mask the topside then spray the
Model Master 78 Hellblau. In keeping with the
overall theme of excellence with this kit, the decals
went on flawlessly, including the nearly microscopic
stenciling. Underscoring this is the fact that the
Werknummer applied to the port side of the fin is
actually legible.
Overall kit impression

This kit is a Faberg egg among tacky souvenirs
from Graceland. I have never been so impressed
with a 109 kit, and I can see more than a few of
these in my future. For 109 enthusiasts, this kit
offers by far the most bang for the buck of any
model on the market my sample cost a grand
total of $10.00 US from Hobby Link Japan.
174
Chapter 14
Bf 109F
1/100 Accurate Miniatures [Kit No. 1004]
fter years of hoping and pleading, Accurate

Miniatures has finally answered the prayers
of modelers around the world by releasing a
Messerschmitt Bf 109. Of course, theres a catch
its in 1/100 scale. Now ordinarily, one may be
tempted to write this off as a gimmick or a childs
toy; after all, the thing comes pre-painted on the
sprues! Dont be so quick to judge, though, as this
is a basic but seriously nice model. All panel lines
are crisply engraved and are where they belong
(something many larger kits cant say); the shapes
are very good, and the kit presents an ideal basis
for those who enjoy a superdetailing challenge. In
fact, the only poorly shaped item in the entire kit

Kit 1004 comes marked as Maj. Werner Mlders
Bf 109F-2 in June, 1941 while kit 1005 is marked as
Marseilles WNr 10132 gelbe 14 with the primer
red rudder. The markings on both are nothing short
of exquisite, and the colors are fairly close; the
uppersurface of Mlders aircraft is camouflaged in
RLM 75 and something approaching Euro 1 Dark
Green, not entirely accurate but I will admit that its
handsome when done. Basic stenciling is also
already provided, with the only missing item being
the swastika on the tail. It would be fantastic to see
some aftermarket support for these, at least in the
decal arena a resin cockpit might be a bit much
to take for some folks, though!

What a little jewel this is! It is a pity there are only
two marking options available at the moment;
hopefully, Accurate Miniatures will release other F
models as well, and perhaps expand their Fighter
Legends line to include other Bf 109 variants.
is the overly bulbous spinner, but the prop blades

are even correct for an F-2. All in all, this is a little
gem of a kit.

I opened the box, cut the parts from the sprue, and
glued the bits together. Honestly, its the simplest
thing Ive built in years with a whopping sixteen
parts (not counting the belly tank and rack), its
incredibly easy. It would be an ideal kit for a
youngster to build with parental supervision, in
fact, as the pieces are already pre-painted (see
below).
where necessary, and added an antenna. As

mentioned previously, though, this kit presents a
fantastic opportunity for a scratchbuilt interior,
dropped flaps, and so forth things which would
not be terribly difficult, as details are still easily
visible in 1/100 scale, but which would result in a
spectacular model when completed.

I couldnt just leave well enough alone I did clean
up the fuselage seam on the nose, and used a .9
mm ball router bit in my Dremel to deepen the
cowl gun troughs. I also hollowed out the
supercharger intake, added a bit of touch-up paint
175
Bf 109F-4
1/72 Italeri [Kit no 053]
taleri has a well-earned reputation for being

very hit or miss when it comes to the accuracy
of their kits. Some kits, like their 1/72
Messerschmitt Me 321 and 323, or Dornier Do
217N and K, will build up into beautiful and fairly
accurate representations of the real thing. Others,
however, are a completely different story, and sadly
their 1/72 Bf 109F and G kits fall well short in the
accuracy department.
It would not be overstating the case to say that
my initial reaction when examining the Italeri kit
was unprintable. Inaccurate and even imaginary
panel lines were all over the place, the cockpit
details were sketchy at best, the spoked wheels in
the F-4 kit might as well have been lifted from a
John Deere tractor model, and the wheel wells were
not only hollow they also featured a bizarre
waffle pattern molded into the upper wing halves.
The fabric texture on the ailerons and elevators
looked more like a scale piano keyboard, and the
gear legs were severely anaemic, a disturbing trait
shared by the misshapen supercharger intake.
It positively boggles the mind that a company as
large and well-known as Italeri would butcher such
a well-known and easily researched aircraft as the
late Bf 109 series. However, with all that said, there
are some high points to the kits; the canopies are
multi-piece, which is a nice touch, the separate
cowling halves present the option of putting an
Aires resin engine within (although youd have a
world of work ahead of you to bring the rest of the
kit up to par), the wheels in the G-6 kit are fairly
decent, and both kits have very attractive options
on their decal sheets. In fact, despite all the
shortcomings of the kit itself, the Bf 109G-6 kit is
worth finding and purchasing just for the decals
alone. Where else will you find Swiss, Finnish, and
oddball late-war German G-6 markings in 1/72
scale nowadays?

I went through the aircraft from stem to stern,
modifying or improving the following:
Reprofiled propeller blades
Completely scratchbuilt the narrow, F-2 style
supercharger intake from resin
Hollowed out gun troughs and added MG 17
muzzles from drilled sprue

It may be easier to list the things I did NOT alter on
the kit, as there was just so much to fix. On the plus
side, the fit of all unmodified components was
good, including the separate vertical tail surfaces,
and the separate rudder was a nice touch.
Reshaped wheel wells, boxed them in, and sanded

away the waffle pattern
Filled in all inaccurate panel lines and rescribed
the kit
Cut away and repositioned the elevators
Used the kit windscreen with vacuformed center
and rear canopy sections
Replaced the Italeri tractor tires with spare Fine
Molds spoked mainwheels
Thats an awful lot of work for a 1/72 scale
model, a lot more than I originally anticipated, but
it had the desired effect the kit now looks
something like a proper Bf 109F-2. Of course, even
after all that, I still found things I wasnt happy with
after painting for example, the spinner appears
to be too blunt, and would be a candidate for
replacement from a Hasegawa or Heller item.
Cut away and dropped flaps and slats

Cut away and repositioned oil cooler outlet flap
Added control rods to forward radiator shutters
Scratchbuilt seat, added belts from tape, added
fuel line from solder
A friend had sent me Eagle Strike sheet 72070,

Augsburg Flyers Pt 1, and I opted for Oblt. Robert
Olejniks F-2 WNr. 6743 from 1./JG 3, complete with
white Tatzelwurm on the cowling. The paint scheme
was given as 71 Dunkelgrn and RLM 02 over 76
Hellblau, and I was sufficiently intrigued to go with
this suggestion. I used Model Master 76 and 02
enamels, and Aeromaster Warbird Enamels 71. The
fuselage band and other yellow ID panels were
painted with Floquil Reefer Yellow. After a few light
coats of Future for a clearcoat, I applied the decals
which performed superbly, as is the norm with
Aeromaster and Eagle Strike products.

There is simply no excuse for a major manufacturer
to make a complete mess of such a well known and
heavily covered subject as the Bf 109 if it were a
Mureaux 115, Pitcairn Mailwing, or a similarly
esoteric aircraft, it would still be disappointing, but
perhaps understandable. I would be hard pressed to
recommend their Bf 109F-4 kit for any reason
beyond simple masochism, but their G-6 kit does
have the saving grace of a fantastic decal sheet,
which can be used with other, better kits.
176
Chapter 14
Bf 109G-6
1/72 Hasegawa [Kit no AP173]
or many years, the Hasegawa Bf 109G-6 was

one of the best 1/72 Gustavs available, with
delicately scribed panel lines, crisp external
details, and a variety of options available. There are
a number of other high points, including a decent
overall outline, well detailed multi-piece propeller
assembly, and a very clear canopy. The interior is
virtually nonexistent, however, and in common
with many other 1/72 kits, the landing gear mounts
slightly too far outboard, giving the model
something of a bowlegged stance when completed.
In addition, the outboard main gear wells are too
elongated in shape and the detail on the main gear
struts is a bit soft.

I had wanted to build a nightfighter G-6 from
JG 300 for some time, and finding a pic of yellow 7
from 3./JG 300 provided the needed impetus to get
the model finished. After completing the build, I
airbrushed the overall 74/75/76 camouflage using
Model Master camouflage, then applied a couple
coats of Future floor wax to apply the kit national
markings. Once these were dry, I mixed up a thin
batch of plain Testors Flat Black, and began
overspraying the kit markings as per the original
article, as well as the underside. This took a bit
more patience than I originally thought, and at least
two cleanup sessions using 74 and 75 to correct
overspray issues on the upper wing camouflage.
The 7 was simply masked and sprayed in yellow,
while the yellow ring on the black spinner was
carefully handpainted.

This kit was built straight from the box using the
kit decals, and construction could not have been
simpler. Fairing in the upper cowl insert was the
only potential trouble spot, and this proved to be a
very simple matter the fuselage assembly and
upper cowling mated up perfectly, with a minimum
of filler. Separating and reposing the elevators
would be very simple on this kit, although dropping
the flaps and slats might take a bit more work. On
the plus side, the lower aft radiator flaps are molded
as part of the wing, so if one very carefully cuts
these pieces out, cleaning them up and reattaching
them should present little trouble at all.
could use a little finesse to get it to match up at the

front edge where it meets the cowling. The kit G-6style wheels are quite nice, and with a little work
around the gear attachment points, the overall sit
of the model could be significantly improved.
Outside of these suggestions, however, the kit itself
builds up very quickly with no issues encountered.
The Hasegawa kit has been far surpassed by the

recent Fine Molds releases, but is still readily
available and builds into quite a handsome
model. The virtually nonexistent cockpit is a
major let-down, however, making scratchbuilding
or using a resin or photoetch update set a
necessity for those who want cockpit details in
their model. Based on this alone, the well detailed
Academy kit has a slight edge on the Hasegawa
offering, although the airframe shape of the
Hasegawa kit seems a bit crisper.

Many years ago, True Details released a lovely resin
cockpit in 1/72 specifically for this kit, and it
desperately needs it. The stock cockpit was used in
this example, as was the stock windscreen which
177
Bf 109G-6
1/72 Academy [Kit no 1670]
ollowing their disastrous Bf 109E, Academy

have certainly redeemed themselves with
their 1/72 Bf 109G-6. Beyond the overall
outline, which appears quite good, the details are
well done as well there are two different styles of
upper cowling featuring pressed and stamped
MG 131 gun troughs, properly shaped MG 131
breech covers, a multi-piece canopy which looks
quite good, excellent cockpit detail right out of the
box, and delicately engraved surface detail. The kit
also features separate exhausts and well-moulded
landing gear legs and wheels, along with a multipiece supercharger intake which is already
hollowed out for you, and a prop and spinner
assembly which look good as well. Even the
instrument panel has detail moulded in the right
place a vast improvement over the completely
barren Hasegawa kit. In fact, the only significant

The kit was virtually trouble-free to build, with no
significant alignment issues being encountered. The
upper cowling insert fit quite well, with very little
effort required to clean up the seams. As is my usual
procedure with a 109 kit, I assembled the fuselage
first, attached the upper wings to the wing roots, let
dry, and then brought the lower wing up to the whole
assembly. This resulted in almost perfect alignment,
and minimal seam cleanup. The canopies were
another high point, fitting well and becoming crystal
clear after a bath in Future floor wax.
issues with this kit center on the outer gear wells,

which are slightly misshapen, and the gear mounts
set too far outboard of the wingroots, giving a
slightly bowlegged look to the aircraft. For those
with a highly critical eye, the outline of the
horizontal stabilizers and elevators could use a
slight bit of tweaking, and the portside fuselage
access hatch is slightly oblong, but these are
admittedly minor issues.
dense fuselage mottle, and large areas of red on the

fuselage, rudder, and lower wings. Model Master
enamel paints were used throughout, thinned with
lacquer thinner to speed the drying time of the
semi-gloss paint. Despite having applied a thorough
gloss coat using Future, the Italeri decals did not
react quite as well as I had hoped as they were quite
brittle, but careful work with hot water and a damp
cotton swab eventually coaxed them into place. One
lower wing cross did wind up tearing to the point of
requiring touchup paint, however. Once all the
decals were in place, a few thin coats of Testors
Dullcote took the shine off the plane, and tied
everything together very nicely.
The kit was built straight from the box with the
exception of the markings, which came from the
Italeri Bf 109G-6 offering. With that said, there are a
number of small modifications which would be
quite easy to accomplish on this model, such as
repositioning the elevators and rudder, as well as the
trailing edge flaps. There are a few Eduard photoetch
sets which can be used with the kit as well.

I chose to build the first Swiss Bf 109G-6, WNr
163112 (coded J-701) using the Italeri decals. The
aircraft wore a bone-stock 74/75/76 scheme with a

This is really a decent little kit, and marks quite
an improvement over the Hasegawa kit in terms
of detail available right from the box. There are a
few small items which could use improvement,
most noticeably the wide stance, but the other
features of the model are excellent, especially the
cockpit and multi-piece canopy. In terms of
overall detail and value, the Academy 1/72 Bf
109G-6 is surpassed only by the exquisite (and
expensive!) Fine Molds kits.
178
Chapter 14
Bf 109G-10
1/72 ProModeler [Kit no 85-5940]
hen this kit was first announced in the

late 90s, there was quite a bit of
excitement surrounding it as popular
as the Bf 109 is, there was a surprising lack of state
of the art kits in 1/72 scale. Hasegawa had a G-6
and G-14 which were passable, but suffered from a
number of detail inaccuracies, so the
announcement of a new-tool kit from the
ProModeler stable was thought to be a very good
thing indeed.
Unfortunately, the kit fell well short of
expectations when it was finally released. The
surface detail was beautifully moulded, but there
were some infuriating accuracy and detail issues.
The propeller was a misshapen blob, the
supercharger intake was a solid chunk of plastic
without so much as an inlet, the interior was a
throwback to the bad old days of the 1970s with its
lack of detail, the canopy was a single piece of thick
clear plastic, and the landing gear mounts were
placed too far out on the wings. In other words, it
was yet another letdown for those who enjoy
building in 1/72 scale.

As ugly as the above issues are, they are not
insurmountable. The interior was the easiest thing
to fix simply grind off the sparse fuselage wall
detail, and replace the interior with a True Details
resin item for the Bf 109G-6. I swapped the kit
propeller assembly for a spare multi-piece unit
from the Heller Bf 109K-4, and robbed the twopiece canopy assembly from the same kit. I used a
router bit to open up the supercharger intake, then
carefully filed and sanded it to shape.
Dealing with the bowlegged landing gear
mounts took a bit more effort, however. After
comparing the lower wing assembly to photos and
drawings, I found that the kit mounts were placed
right at the wing joint line with the fuselage, which
placed them too far outboard. The landing gear
legs on a real Bf 109 are attached to the fuselage,
which meant I needed to cut away the kit mounts
and fabricate a new mounting plate further
inboard. This was accomplished with pieces cut
from a leftover resin pour stub, sanded to shape
and superglued into the lower wing after extending
the landing gear openings inwards slightly. I then
drilled out the resin plates to accept the gear
mounting pins, and this dramatically improved the

sit of the finished model.
The remainder of the construction was quite
straightforward, although care must be taken when
attaching the separate lower cowling bulges
theyre quite small, so be careful not to lose them!

With all the extra work I had to do in order to
correct the basic issues on this kit, I decided to go
the extra mile and drop the flaps, slats, and
you can easily reuse them after adding the internal

ribbing. The outboard flaps were a little trickier, as
they require an extension to be added to the upper
half which will hide the resulting gap when
reattaching the flaps in a lowered position. I used a
strip of .010 Evergreen sheet for this purpose,
attached with superglue and sanded to shape.
The slats proved to be the trickiest operation of
all. Again, the basic principle is the same as the
other modifications: be careful when you remove
the parts, and you can reuse them. The upper wing
half slat section was dead easy, but the tiny strip
along the leading edge of the lower wing section
required multiple careful passes with a #11 blade to
separate the strip. I always do the top half first, then
immediately attach the lower strip to the upper
section so as to not lose the pieces- theyre rather
small in 1/72, after all. Once the wings are mounted
to the fuselage, simply glue a section of .010 styrene
sheet cut to shape into the gap in the leading edge
of the wing and sand it to shape to give a backing
section to the completed slat.

elevators. The elevators were an absolute cinch
use a razor saw on the outboard angled line, then
use the back of a #11 blade or a scribing tool to
score along the upper and lower hinge line until the
elevator breaks free. All thats left is to clean up the
pieces, and reattach in the desired position.
Dropping the inboard flaps was similarly simple;
if you are careful when cutting out the flap sections,
My original intent was to finish the G-10 in the kitsupplied markings of Heinz Ewald from 4./JG 52,
but I lost enthusiasm for the kit following an
accident which saw the gear snapped off and other
various damage incurred. I eventually pulled it
back out and finished it for this project, marking it
as red 2 of 2./JG 300 based at Borkheide in
November 1944 using leftover decals from a variety
of sources. The standard 74/75/76 camouflage was
applied using the late, lamented Aeromaster
Warbird Enamels.

The overall impression of this kit is best summed
up by a line uttered by the late, great Marlon
Brando in his 1954 film On The Waterfront I
coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. The
flaws are not fatal by any means, and an excellent
replica can be build from the kit with enough effort,
but its frustrating to see a manufacturer
incorporate a blend of excellent detail with such
ridiculous mistakes.
179
Bf 109G-12
1/72 Hobbycraft [Kit no HC1322]
obbycraft has been teaming up with other

model manufacturers to release new
versions of pre-existing kits for some time
now, most notably partnering with Trumpeter on
several large-scale releases. One of their lesser
known partnerships was with InTech of Poland,
who released a 1/72 Bf 109G-12 in the late 90s
which was repackaged by Hobbycraft with new
decals. The kit itself is moulded in white plastic,
and on first look appears to be pretty decent. Some
areas of concern did become evident on closer
inspection, however. The cockpit was essentially
bare, the one-piece canopy had only the faintest of
lines indicating framing, and even these were not
all correct (most notably around the windscreen),
the propeller assembly would require quite a bit of
cleaning up once free of the sprue, and the texture
of the plastic resembled 200 grit sandpaper.

Joining the individual tail halves to the fuselage
halves was the first order of business, as this
helped with aligment. Having already noted the
Spartan cockpit, I dressed it up a bit with
homemade instrument panels fore and aft, and
cleaned up the few components offered in the kit
before spraying all parts with 66 Schwartzgrau. As
there was no provision to open the thick canopy, I
elected to limit the modifications to the
instrument panels, and closed up the fuselage
halves after a quick wash and drybrush session in
the now-completed cockpit. With the fuselage
halves together, I added the forward cowling insert
and breech covers, and spent a bit of time lightly
sanding down the fuselage with wet 400 grit
sandpaper to smooth out the gritty surface texture.
The supercharger intake was built and added, with
surprisingly little modification necessary, and I
then started with cleaning up the wing pieces to
add the upper halves to the fuselage first per my
normal build technique. It was here that I ran into
what would prove to be an almost insurmountable
fit problem.
Put simply, the lower wing and upper wing
halves are not very closely matched. I spent quite a
bit of time working on this, eventually resorting to
several strips of .010 styrene, putty, a good deal of
filing and sanding, and not just a little cursing to
hammer out something approaching an

acceptable fit.
Having conquered the wing as best as possible, I
turned to the tailplanes and found them to be
simply hideous. Fortunately, the Fine Molds Bf
109K-4 includes a whole host of spare parts
including early-style horizontal stabilizers and
elevators, so these were added to the Hobbycraft G-
the correct shape, while the spinner and backplate

required their own sanding and grinding session to
get a decent shape.

The lack of instrument panels in this kit was
particularly odd, but not insurmountable; the fit of
the wing, however, was absolutely abhorrent and
much dryfitting should take place prior to
committing cement to plastic on this area.
Likewise, the propeller will require quite a bit of
work to look good, and there are other sparse
details which would benefit from extra attention. As
the Intech family of kits is based on the Hasegawa
1/72 Bf 109G family, the easiest thing to do would
be to obtain a Hasegawa G-6 and combine the
wings, horizontal tailplane, and propeller with the
Intech/Hobbycraft G-12 fuselage. Such a kit-bash
would likely result in a very attractive model.
12 and went some ways towards making this a

decent looking model. Work on the propeller
assembly was next, and while Intech/Hobbycraft
should be commended for at least making the
effort to have a multi-piece item, they should pay a
bit more attention to the design of the parts next
time. Quite a bit of sanding and shaping was
necessary on the blades to get them into roughly
The real standout item in this kit turned out to be

the Hobbycraft decal sheet; not only were two
documented G-12s included (white 20 from the
ANR and yellow 60 of an unidentified
Jagdfliegerschule found at Augsburg at the end of
the war), but Hobbycraft also thoughtfully provided
markings for a postwar Yugoslav G-12 coded white
15. Best of all, there are also bonus decals in 1/48
scale for white 44, the Bf 109G-10 WNr 610937
which operated with the Yugoslav Air Force until
the 1950s and was later restored by Evergreen
Aviation. Finding well-printed Yugoslav decals in
this kit turned out to be a complete surprise, and
automatically makes this kit worth finding just for
the decals alone.

Its rough, but given sufficient effort this could form
the basis of a very nice 1/72 G-12. Kitbashing it
with the Hasegawa G-6 would almost seem to be a
prerequisite, and modifying two True Details resin
G-6 cockpits would give a suitably busy appearance
to the interior. And as mentioned earlier, even with
all the shortcomings of the kit, the excellent decal
sheet makes this a worthwhile kit to find.
180
Chapter 14
Bf 109K-4 Bodenplatte
1/72 Fine Molds [Kit no FL-12]
t long last, the prayers of 1/72 enthusiasts

around the world have been answered by
Fine Molds with their absolutely gorgeous
series of late Bf 109s. All of the Messerschmitts in
this series, from the Bf 109F-2 through the Bf
109K-4, are equally stellar in their detail, but this
review will focus solely on the Bf 109K-4 kit. This
model stands head and shoulders above any other
1/72 K-4 on the market, and has a legitimate claim
to be the best K-4 currently available in any scale.
The overall shape of the kit is dead-on, the interior
is properly moulded as a K-4 with no cutting or
grinding necessary, and the exterior details are
almost perfectly captured, including the deeper oil
cooler and wider prop blades as well as the larger
eight-bolt mainwheels and outer gear doors typical
of the Bf 109K.

The only improvement one might consider necessary
would be an opened canopy. Fine Molds provides
only a closed canopy, so if you desire an opened
canopy to display the cockpit, you will need to either
obtain a vacuformed replacement, or carefully cut
the kit item apart and utilize the separate aft canopy
from the Heller kit for best results.
There is one area you will want to be careful with
in construction, and that is the outer wingtips. The
wingtips are integrally molded with the upper wing
halves, and if you are not careful, you may wind up
with a larger than desirable gap on the underside
where these meet the outer lower wing.
Aeromaster 81 Braunviolett and a custom mix of

Testors paints for the 83 Dunkelgrn, over
Aeromasters version of the late-war blue-green color
once called 84. This was applied to the fuselage,
while the lower wings and horizontal tailplanes
received a coat of Model Master 76 Lichtblau.

The most noteworthy detail in building this kit is
that everything fits almost perfectly. No fussing, no
fighting, even the separate cowling panels nearly
snapped into place. And when you are finished, you
have a number of extra parts carried over from the
earlier variants which will help dress up other lesser
quality 1/72 Bf 109Fs and Gs, such as an early style
rudder and a pair of highly detailed spoked wheels.
The only details missing from this K are the inboard
gear position indicators (easily added with small
bits of sprue), the underwing fill point for the pilots
oxygen cylinder, and the ejection port for the
centerline MK 108 on the underside of the fuselage,
due to all Fine Molds Bf 109 kits using a common
wing section for the F, G, and K.
Having built the 1/32 Hasegawa Bf 109K in a

standard early production scheme from the 330xxx
production block, I decided to find an aircraft in
the 332xxx production block to give an example of
the later camouflage primarily designed for ground
concealment. I also needed a JG 11 aircraft to meet
the goal of having at least one Bf 109 from as many
Jagdgeschwadern as possible in the book. After
verifying I had no such markings in the decal stash,
I started researching Bf 109K losses for JG 11, and
quickly found a suitable subject.
This aircraft, WNr. 332273 of 5./JG 11 (coded
white 9 + -) was lost on 5 February 1945 when
Uffz. Richard Huber flew into the ground northwest
of Strausberg due to bad weather. As there were no
photos of this aircraft to work from, I based the
scheme on the excellent Janda/Poruba work on the
camouflage and markings of the Bf 109K-4, using
As I was unsure as to whether JG 11s assigned

yellow Reichsverteidigung tailband had been
applied, I elected to leave it off, handpainting the
last three digits of the Werknummer on the aft
fuselage as was common practice on later Bf 109Ks.
The national markings and stenciling came from
the Fine Molds kit decal sheet, and worked
amazingly well would that all decals would slide
from the paper after mere seconds of immersion in
the water, and cling so tenaciously to surface detail!
The white 9 and the II. Gruppe bar were leftover
items from another 1/72 kit. I did have to go back
and carefully fill in the fuselage and upper wing
crosses with 83 Dunkelgrn, which was
accomplished with a 10/0 liner brush and repeated
careful application.

The K-4 kit represents a stellar effort from Fine
Molds, and their 1/72 Bf 109 family has set a new
standard for small-scale Messerschmitts. They can
be somewhat pricey and difficult to find, but if you
have any interest at all in 1/72 scale Bf 109s, you
should have one or more of these in your collection.
181
Bf 109K-4
1/72 Heller [Kit no 80229]
olded in a light grey plastic with raised

panel lines, Hellers K-4 was the gold
standard of late series Bf 109s in 1/72
for years. Consisting of only 39 parts, the kit itself
is simplicity itself, but where it really stands tall is
in the accuracy of its overall shape. In the early
80s, the noted French modeler and researcher
Jean-Claude Mermet produced an article on
detailing this kit for the IPMS Journal, and his
work is still useful over 20 years later. Despite the
age of the kit, it is worthy of inclusion in this
section because 1) it is still commonly available,
2) the outline is more accurate than many later
kits, and 3) it is usually dirt cheap.
can be assembled, cleaned up, and ready for paint
inside a couple hours if you take your time.

Other than mounting the upper wing halves to the
fuselage first, there isnt much to watch out for
when building the aircraft out of the box. It does
come with an enormously oversized belly rack,
which I would recommend leaving off, and take
care to scrape or sand off the raised location lines
for said belly rack on the lower wing center section.
The main gear doors do have too sharp an angle

at their base, with a correspondingly sharp angle on
the outer doors, but this can be easily rectified with
either a few swipes of a file or replacing them from
card stock, if one is so inclined. True Details also
offers a set of resin wheels for the G-10 and K-4 in
1/72, which would help dress this kit up very nicely.

The decals (at least in the old example I had) were
horrid, so a raid on the spare decal binder was in

As previously mentioned, the kit is absurdly simple,
but a little careful work can produce a handsome
addition to your collection. Potentially the most
troublesome construction area on any Bf 109 is the
wing alignment, so as per usual I mounted the
upper wing halves to the fuselage, taking care to
align them and let them dry before attaching the
lower wing section. Aside from that, theres not
much else to get in the way, and the entire airframe
order. I used leftover markings from the FineMolds
Bf 109K-4 for red 7 of 10./JG 77, flown in
Operation Bodenplatte by Uffz. Johann Twietmeyer.
The camouflage was applied in the distinctive, wavy
style common to the WNr. 330xxx production block
using Testors Model Master 76 Hellblau on the
undersurface, and Aeromaster 81 Braunviolett and
Testors Model Master Marine Corps Green for the
83 Dunkelgrn.

Sure, its an old kit, and there are far more detailed
options out there (see: FineMolds). However, for
around 5 dollars, the Heller kit is a great value, and
it still has one thing which no newer kit has yet to
offer a separate canopy and windscreen. This
alone makes the kit worth finding and picking up,
to replace the one-piece canopies in the RevellGermany or FineMolds kits.
182
Chapter 14
Bf 109G-10
1/48 Revell [Kit no 4532]
hen this kit was first released around

1978, it was an absolute revelation, and it
still stands up pretty well almost 30 years
later. Comprised of around 40 pieces in grey and
clear styrene, the kit is quite simple, with engraved
panel lines throughout and a fairly basic interior
made up of a seat, stick, floor pan and instrument
panel with sidewall details moulded to the fuselage
halves. When compared to todays hyper-realistic
kits from DML and Tamiya it looks rather Spartan,
but this was considered highly detailed by the
standards of 30 years ago. The kit was also the first
to capture the contoured fin (airfoil-shaped to
counteract propeller torque) and the wheel well
interior details of the Bf 109G. In addition to all
this, the kit came with a multi-part canopy with a
separate late headrest armor piece.
The kit is quite easy to build, although the dihedral

winds up being somewhat flat if built straight from
the box. To correct this, I recommend sanding or
filing the upper wingroot stubs on the fuselage
halves slightly, then mount the upper wing halves to
the fuselage prior to bringing up the lower wing.
This will help you sort out the alignment much
easier. You may find it necessary to carefully trim
the mounting pegs for the main gear struts as well,
to eliminate any flash that would interfere with fit.
This kit was built in 1997 using Aeromaster decal

set PAF-4804 containing several aircraft flown by
Erich Hartmann. As luck would have it, I chose the
one scheme on the entire sheet which was a
complete work of fantasy. It is well known that Erich
Hartmann flew a Bf 109G-10 with I./JG 52 at the
end of the war, and there is a photo of him posing
by the aircraft carrying Gruppenkommandeur
chevrons and his Usch emblem beneath the
cockpit. What wasnt obvious to me until later was
that this aircraft was actually an Erla-built G-10,
with the squared-off fairing beneath the
windscreen. I also should have known better than to

Aside from the sparse interior, there are just a
couple other minor nits to pick with the kit, namely
the short propeller blades and the cowling plan,
which does not have the correct asymmetric profile.
The FuG 16ZY antenna mast beneath the port wing
is also mounted too far outboard as given in the kit.
These are very minor things, however; the first
issue is easily resolved by replacing the kit blades
with spare Hasegawa items or using an aftermarket
resin propeller and spinner assembly, while the
cowling profile will go unnoticed by all but the
most fervent 109 aficionados. Moving the Morane
mast inboard requires drilling one hole, and filling
another hardly a difficult task! The aircraft is
configured as a WNF-built G-10 from the 61xxxx
production batch, with a short tailwheel, large
wheel bulges over the wings, and properly shaped
riveted fairings aft of the cowling.
I chose to scratchbuilt the entire cockpit on this kit,

using spare Hasegawa parts such as rudder pedals
and the instrument panel, and I was quite pleased
with the end result. I also chose to drop the flaps
and slats, and the Revell kit is ideal to experiment
with this as the plastic is very easy to work with.
The radiator faces were made from fine brass
screen cut from an automatic transmission filter, as
was the oil cooler face. The oil cooler exit shutter
was made from .010 styrene, and the elevators were
cut and repositioned as well, which took all of five
minutes cutting and cleaning up. All of these
modifications are very easy, but add immensely to
the overall look of the kit once complete. One last
suggestion is to wet-sand the assembled model
with wet 600 grit sandpaper prior to painting, to
knock down the ridges which have formed along
the panel lines due to the age of the molds. This
gives a very nice, even appearance to the entire kit.
give the aircraft red legs and wheels, as was seen on

G-6/AS and G-14/AS aircraft equipped to use C-3
100 octane fuel only. And lastly, the overall
81/83/Grnblau camouflage colors are likely
completely wrong; were I to build this aircraft again,
I would paint it in 75/83/76, with an 83 fin and 81
Braunviolett rudder with 83 Dunkelgrn spots. If
nothing else, at least its colorful.

There is a tremendous amount of aftermarket
support for this kit, including photoetch and resin
interiors, replacement resin propellers and wheels,
vacuformed canopies, and a vast number of
marking options. It is an ideal kit for beginners as
well, thanks to the low parts count and easy
assembly. Thanks to all of this, the Revell 1/48
Bf 109G-10 kit continues to be one of the best
modeling values available today.
183
Bf 109F-2
1/48 Hasegawa [Kit no HSJGT26]
s there possibly a Luftwaffe modeler out there

who has not built one of these? The Hasegawa
Bf 109F through K family is one of the single
most popular releases of the past fifteen years,
although later offerings of different subjects must
surely be drawing close. The F and early G kits
give you a two piece main fuselage with separate
upper cowling halves, a three-piece wing with the
dihedral moulded in, and a basic cockpit
consisting of floorboard, inaccurate MG 151/20
breech, a stick, two sidewalls with a bit of extra
detail, rudder pedals, and a Gustav seat pan (not
the characteristic interim seat fitted to F models,
something of a cross between the Emil full seat
and the later square-ish bucket). While the
cockpit is somewhat on the sparse side, theres
plenty of room to dress it up if you so desire, and
because the cockpit can be assembled in one go
and added later, this helps speed airframe
construction. One cockpit item worthy of note is
the very nice instrument panel, which looks
fantastic with a bit of careful painting and a
drybrush session. Other noteworthy inclusions
are two different tailwheels, a somewhat
misshapen drop tank rack with a decent 300 liter
tank, well-formed early spoked wheels, and a
beautifully thin set of transparencies with a
separate external armor glass piece (if required).
of the aircraft without violating the IPMS out of

the box rulebook.

Having built more than my fair share of these, there
are a few things I do somewhat different to speed
the construction process along.
I add the cowling halves to their respective
fuselage halves before gluing the fuselage halves
together; this allows for necessary alignment
adjustments before trying to get the whole affair
lined up, only to find the cowling halves have
shifted and are now off-center.
Once the cowlings are dry and the lower aft seam
is blended in (it doesnt fall on the correct panel
line), I mount the fuselage halves together, and
take care to leave a consistent seam above and
below the aft fuselage.
The upper wing halves are glued to the
assembled fuselage separately, which allows for

perfect adjustment and alignment every time.
Once all this is together, you can affix the cockpit
from below, then offer up the lower wing to seal
the whole affair.
The lower wing of this release, along with all other
1/48 late 109s from Hasegawa, is moulded with
the circular wheel well opening, but trimming
their outer edges right up to the internal
bulkheads will give you the proper shape for the
later squared off wells so common to the 109.

As this particular model was built straight from
the box per IPMS rules, I will only cover those
small tweaks which help the overall appearance
The spinner is virtually hemispherical in profile,

which is quite incorrect. To help offset this, I drill
out the cannon aperture in the spinner tip, then
chuck the spinner into my Dremel at low speed,
and carefully add a bit more taper to the profile
with progressively finer grades of sandpaper.
The four holes in each gear strut well are carefully
opened using a small router bit in a Dremel and
cleaned up with a new #11 blade. This is a quick
and easy trick to give a little bit of extra detail to
the wells while complying with IPMS built out of
the box rules, if one so desires.
If care is taken when mounting the wings, it is
possible to get a virtually perfect fit with minimal
seam cleanup. I always use gap-filling super glue
in construction, which also acts as a decent filler,
and the area can then be quickly sanded.

Bf 109F-2 WNr 5749 was flown by Maj. Hans Assi
Hahn, the Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 2
Richthofen at St. Pol, France, in May 1941. The
aircraft was finished with a mix of Aeromaster
Warbird Enamels 76 on the undersurfaces, and
Model Master 75 Grauviolett and 74 Graugrn on
the uppersurfaces, thinned with lacquer thinner for
ease of application, along with Floquil Railroad
Colors Reefer Yellow with a touch of red for the
characteristic yellow nose and rudder. All
camouflage was airbrushed freehand using a
Badger 150 double-action airbrush. Decals came
from Eagle Editions sheet EC 51, and performed
Flawlessly.

Simply lovely. Surprisingly, there are some small
accuracy issues with the kit, with the major
complaint being that the overall length is about
four scale inches too short, with the shortfall being
somewhere just forward of the cockpit, but in
contrast to the Fujimi kit, the completed kit looks
like a proper Messerschmitt Bf 109.
184
Chapter 14
Bf 109F
1/48 Airfix [Kit no 04101]
irst released in 1976, the Airfix Bf 109F

represented one of the very first serious
attempts to produce an accurate scale Bf 109
of any variant. Thirty years later, the kit still holds
its own as Airfixs designers managed to
successfully capture the overall shape of the
Friedrich better than any manufacturer since. The
kit features delicate raised panel lines in most
areas, with engraved lines on the wings around the
control surfaces, and a very well appointed cockpit
for the time. There are no frills to the kit no
separate control surfaces, no opening canopy, no
options for an unarmored windscreen and as
such, the Airfix kit provides an excellent basis for
both first time builders as well as the more
experienced modeler who wishes to try his or her
hand at repositioning control surfaces, opening
canopies, and so forth.

The kit itself is fairly simple, although there are
some potential trouble points to watch out for. One
observation is that a bit of filler will be necessary
in some areas such as the oil cooler face insert and
the drawn-in outer sidewall on the port fuselage
half. The fit of the parts is quite good, with only the
aforementioned oil cooler face giving any trouble
during the fuselage assembly. The interior builds
up quickly, and once painted it looks quite good
after a wash and drybrush session. Unlike almost
every other Bf 109 kit on the market, the fuselage
halves include the lower fuselage and this
immediately suggests care must be taken with
alignment when mounting the wings. Fortunately,
the engineering of the kit is such that careful
cleanup of the mating surfaces will result in almost
perfect alignment straight from the box, with littleto-no alteration necessary.
Another bit of clever engineering guarantees
proper alignment of the gear legs, always a trouble
spot on any Bf 109 model. The wheels seem like
they will look out of place on the model, but once
built and mounted, this concern vanishes the
model has the proper sit, not always easy to capture
on a Bf 109. I did run a scribing tool along all
control surface outlines to give a bit of relief to these
areas, and the entire fuselage and wing assembly
was gently wet-sanded with 600 grit sandpaper to
further knock down the raised panel lines prior to

painting. A special note should be made of the
canopy; this single-piece unit turned crystal clear
after a quick bath in Johnsons Future floor wax, and
the fit of the part was spectacular, with no gaps
evident. One last favorable note concerns the
propeller; most Bf 109 kits on the market manage to
make the spinner far too bulbous, the Hasegawa kit
in particular. Airfix did not fall into this trap, and

Scribing the outline of the control surfaces as
mentioned above should certainly be done to help
delineate these areas on the completed model, and
it would be a simple matter indeed to cut and
separate those items from the kit pieces. For those
so inclined, a resin interior would be a nice addition
although a great deal of grinding would have to
take place to remove all the moulded-in cockpit
detail. Some may wish to completely rescribe the
model, and while this is certainly an option, the
model does not suffer significantly from having
raised panel lines.
the overall shape of their spinner and propeller

assembly is positively excellent. The only discordant
note concerns the supercharger intake, which is a bit
narrow and looks like a cross between an F-2 and an
F-4, and the oil cooler which is closer to the deep F2/z and F-4 style. The amount of sanding necessary
to fair in the oil cooler intake can result in a
misshapen housing, so care must be taken to not
flatten this piece out too much.
As I worked towards completing the various

models for this book, I realized I had not included
any JG 26 aircraft in the model lineup. After finding
a Cutting Edge decal sheet which featured the Bf
109F-4/b of Uffz. Oswald Fischer from
10.(Jabo)/JG 26 (WNr 7282, white 11 + bomb), I
dug out a spare centerline rack from a Hobbycraft
Bf 109G and a leftover SC 250 bomb from an old
DML Me 262 kit to complete the Airfix kit as
Fischers aircraft. He flew a standard Bf 109F-4 in
74/75/76, but which had significant amounts of
overpainting evident when he set it down near
Beachy Head in May 1942. I used Model Master
paints thinned with lacquer thinner throughout,
with the exception of the Tamiya Black Green for
the propeller assembly, and was quite pleased with
the overall appearance of the model once complete.

Sometimes, newer isnt necessarily better. The
venerable Airfix Bf 109F is still an excellent kit with
plenty of promise, and can be built into a real headturner with a minimum of effort. Beginners will
not be put off by excess complexity, while
experienced modelers can use the kit as the basis
for an outstanding, contest quality model. Best of
all, the kit can be found for inexpensive prices at
almost any model show, making it an ideal quick
and cheap weekend project.
185
Bf 109F-4/trop
1/48 Hasegawa [Kit no JT142]
he basic contents of the Hasegawa F kit have

already been laid out in the F-2 kit
description. The F-4/trop kit, which features
a fantastic Shigeo Koike painting of Marseille
downing a 112 Sqn Tomahawk on the boxtop, adds
a few new bits, as follows:
Wider VDM 9-12159A propeller blades, common
to the G-2 kit as well
Deeper Fo 870-style oil cooler, common to the G-2
kit as well
An enlarged supercharger intake
The best part of this is that the original narrow
prop blades, supercharger intake, and oil cooler are
still in the box, so you have some nice additions to
your spares collection. One further note about the
F-4/trop release: for some reason, Hasegawa
includes both the F-series canopies, as well as the
later G-series canopies with the heavier framing. I
do not know why these are included, but I am
highly appreciative of Hasegawas largesse, as these
canopies can be used on the Otaki/ARII/AMT and
Hobbycraft kits to correct some of the most glaring
deficiencies of those offerings.
One item worthy of note is the decal sheet; while
the white areas are printed in Hasegawas infamous
French Vanilla color, the inclusion of several
different H.J. Marseille aircraft makes the decal
sheet particularly useful.
wingtips, then sawed a bit of clear sprue in half,

drilled a small hole in the back of each, and added a
drop of dark blue (for starboard) and red (for
port). I then used superglue to affix these bits to
their respective wingtips, let them dry, and used
four different foam-backed fingernail sanding
sticks to shape them; coarse, medium, fine, and a
polishing stick. The overall effect makes quite a
difference, for no more than ten minutes work.
Reheat photoetch seatbelts were used in the
cockpit, and some minimal detailing work was
added as well, just to dress things up a bit.
The aircraft shown was built and painted within 3

days (details below), so no extra detailing work was
done, outside of separating and posing the rudder
and elevators.

Aside from the construction techniques mentioned
in the F-2 article, I did reposition the elevators and
rudder. This is easily accomplished by running
either a scribing tool or the back of a #11 blade at
an angle along the upper and lower hinge line of
the elevators, then using a razor saw to make a
vertical cut between the outer balance and the
stabilizer itself. Once free, clean up the mounting
surface with a small rat-tail (circular) file, and sand
the elevator leading edge smooth by doing this,
you can set the elevator into the aft edge of the
stabilizer, giving a decent scale appearance to the
repositioned items. The rudder is even simpler it
is molded to one fuselage half, so you need only cut
from one side using the same technique as above,
then clean up both pieces, dryfit to the fuselage to
test alignment and fit, then mount it to the fuselage
when appropriate. This is particularly useful for
those aircraft which feature painted rudders in
service; you can paint the rudder separately, put it
aside and finish construction and camouflage, then
attach the rudder later.
I also used an old modelers trick to create the
clear wingtip lights. I used a square-edge file to
grind away the molded nav light areas on the
In early 1999, I had the opportunity to meet former

Luftwaffe pilot Franz Stigler at an art show in
Jacksonville, FL along with Charlie Brown, a B-17
pilot whom he escorted to the North Sea in one of
the most inspiring displays of chivalry in WWII. I
decided to build this F-4/trop in Stiglers markings
from 4./JG 27, as documented in the Osprey Bf 109
Aces of the Mediterranean book.
The model was finished in Model Master 78
Hellblau and 79 Sandgelb, but I was not entirely
happy with the colors; the blue is a bit dark, while
the tan seems a bit light in comparison. On top of
that, they took a long time to dry in fact, the
model was still tacky when I took it to the art show
to meet Brown and Stigler. The yellow cowling was
painted with Aeromaster Warbird Enamels RLM
04. Weathering was kept somewhat subtle, using
brown pastels for uppersurface panel lines and grey
pastels for the underside, while a mixture of black
and dark brown pastels were used for the exhaust
and cordite stains. I used decals from my spares
box for Stiglers white 12, although the shape of the
2 was not exactly correct.

Again, despite the slightly short nose, the Hasegawa
kit forms a great basis for a beautiful 109 model;
the inclusion of the Gustav canopy along with the
extra oil cooler, supercharger intake, and prop
blades for the earlier F-2 make this an excellent
choice to pick up to add to your spares box!
186
Chapter 14
Bf 109G-6
1/48 AMT/Ertl [Kit no 8882]
riginally released by Otaki, then by ARII,

then by AMT/Ertl, then later still by Airfix,
this kit has been in circulation since at least
the early 1980s. At the time it was released, it was
the most state of the art kit of the late Bf 109
family available; in contrast to other kits, the panel
lines and surface details were delicately engraved,
giving the finished item a very refined look.
Unfortunately, as was common with kits of this
era, the interior is not exactly spectacular. The basic
shapes are more or less correct, but anyone building
the kit today would be highly advised to add a
replacement resin cockpit. The landing gear struts
and doors appear odd at first look; the gear struts
were seemingly moulded with the oleos at full
extension, and the doors have a curious angle at the
upper end, while the tailwheel is on the anaemic
side. The wings are also a touch thick, and the
wheel wells are incorrect, for those who focus on
such things.

I decided early on that this would be a quick build,
and obtained a True Details resin cockpit to replace
the sorry kit items. I then cleaned up all seams,
rescribing the upper and lower join lines, then
added the upper wings to the assembled fuselage.
The oil cooler insert was next; a quick root through
my spares revealed some leftover photoetch bits
from a True Details set for the Monogram Bf 109G10, including the oil cooler face, so I ground away
the sparse detail on the face of the oil cooler insert
with a Dremel, cleaned up the area, and added the
photoetch grille much better!
The cockpit was painted and assembled with
little difficulty, substituting a spare Hasegawa Bf
109F instrument panel for the sparse resin item,
and inserted into the fuselage from below, followed
quickly by the lower wing, which fit remarkably
well. Despite having an Eduard photoetch set which
would have made short work of the incorrect
landing gear bays, I left them alone and forged
ahead with other exterior details. I added scrap
pieces of .05 styrene sheet to bulk out the upper
gear doors, then cut them into a more proper
shape, attached the unmodified gear legs, and
added brake lines from silver solder. After adding
the tailplanes (again, an excellent fit) and masking

and adding the canopies, it was time for paint.

In addition to the Hasegawa canopy and True
Details interior and photoetch bits, I also used a set
of beautiful True Details resin wheels. The kit
propeller had been lost at some point, but I had a
spare Hobbycraft unit which I modified to a more
superglued together to each truncated blade, then

superglue the tip pieces back on make sure you
match up the proper tips to their corresponding
root sections, to simplify alignment
Once the superglue is dry, file or sand the blades
to shape.
The only filler required was around the inlet of
the oil cooler, where I had caused damage by
accidentally gouging out the surrounding plastic
when removing the moulded-on cooler face
hardly the fault of the manufacturer!
scale appearance by extending the blades with

stacked sheet styrene as follows:
sand the backs of the prop blades, and number
them at the tip and root 1, 2, and 3.
Cut each blade in a straight line, roughly midway
down the blade.
Add three slabs of .10 thousandths sheet
Having had the opportunity to examine the G-6

WNr 160756 in detail at the National Air and Space
Museum in Washington, DC, I thought it would be
appropriate to finish the model as 160756 originally
appeared. The aircraft, originally coded yellow 4
with 3./JG 4 at Maniago, Italy, was used by Uffz.
Ren Darbois to defect to the Allies during a
transfer flight on 25 July 1944. Darbois, a
Frenchman born in Alsace, landed the aircraft on a
British emergency field at Santa Maria Capua Vetere
airfield, north of Caserta, and the Messerschmitt
was later transferred to the US for testing. The exact
shades of the original scheme are not known, but it
is widely presumed that Italian colors may have
been most likely, given the low tonal contrast of the
camouflage in black and white photos, although
German colors cannot be excluded. As such, I used
Aeromaster Warbird Acrylics Bruno Mimiteco as
the base coat, followed by Floquil RLM 80 Olivgrn;
this gave the overall effect I wanted on the
uppersurface. The undersurfaces were painted in
Aeromaster RLM 76, with white theatre markings
on the wingtips one photo, taken from the front,
shows a distinct color difference on the starboard
wingtip, so thats what I went with. Markings came
from a variety of decal sheets in my spares box.

This kit has long since been surpassed in detail and
quality by Hasegawas lovely Gustav kits. However,
with just a little extra effort, a very handsome model
can be produced from this kit, and it will certainly
look right at home among other 109 models.
187
Bf 109G-6
rom the time Hasegawa first released their

1/48 Bf 109F family, there was a great deal of
demand to produce a G-6. Finally, in 1997
Hasegawa answered that call with a G-6 which
featured an entirely new-tool fuselage assembly to
accommodate the different styles of cowling gun
troughs between early and late Gustavs, as well as
separate MG 131 breech covers with the provision
for the G-5 style with the fairing over the
pressurization compressor on the starboard
cowling half. The kit uses the original upper wings
of the F kit, which means that a bit of scribing will
be required, but the lower wing features the correct
shell ejection ports for the MG 131s in addition to
fully circular wells again, nothing too complex to
work out with a sharp knife and a flat file.
Other different details in the kit include revised
main gear covers, with nasty ejector pin marks
right in the lowest point of the door a real treat
to fill and sand. The wheels provided are the midwar steel style, and the wheels in several of my kits
have been slightly wavy, perhaps due to being
removed from the mold too soon. A new tailwheel
assembly is provided as well, although again there
are poorly placed ejector pin marks right in the tire
fortunately, Hasegawa also includes the large and
small tailwheels from the earlier F/G-2 kit, so the
G-6 tailwheel boot can be modified to accept the
larger tail wheel.
An updated instrument panel is included, along
with the earlier F model panel, but no other detail
differences are evident in the cockpit. One of the high
points of these kits is the canopy assembly;
commendably thin and well shaped, many of the G-6
boxings will include two different windscreens to
accommodate the different intake ventilation styles.
The center and aft canopy sections are equally nice,
and on those kits with the Erla Haube, this part is
nearly vacuform-like in its thinness and clarity.

The kit presented no particular challenges or
surprises, although this is in part due to careful
trimming of all parts prior to assembly, and taking
particular care with the upper cowling insert and
upper wing mounting to the fuselage. Attaching the
insert first and cleaning up the resultant seam, I
then added the assembled supercharger intake
before adding the wings this allowed me to clean

up the small seam around the supercharger base
with no difficulties. Once I was satisfied with the
overall condition of the fuselage, I attached the
upper wings to the fuselage with gap-filling super
glue. The lower wing assembly virtually fell into
place thanks to taking particular care with this
upper wing fit, and seam cleanup was minimal.
very low speed and carefully sanding the spinner

into a slightly more conical shape. Low speed is
the key here, as higher speeds will tend to melt the
plastic as you apply pressure to the sanding stick
or sandpaper while it spins.
I did add one other small detail which may
prove to be helpful to fellow modelers; the Bf 109
had a tension spring at the forward end of the
antenna wire, to help keep it taut at all times. This
spring, along with the tensioning spring for the
canopy assembly when opened, was created using
filaments from automotive taillight bulbs. I
recommend using dual filament bulbs, as you get
both a large and a very small filament assembly
which can be used on 1/72 aircraft. Finding a pack
of 1157, 2057, or 3157 bulbs will serve these needs
quite well.

The propeller spinner has always been something
of a shortcoming for the Hasegawa Bf 109 family,
and the G-6 is no exception the standard
bulbous spinner is included in the kit, along with
very nice renditions of the VDM 9-12159 prop
blades. There are two options to correct the
spinner; the easy route would be to replace it with
a more accurate resin offering from Eagle Editions
or Cutting Edge, while the other option would be
to reshape the spinner itself. Having used up my
supply of resin spinners, I elected to try and
correct this one by chucking it into my Dremel at
While I used a G-6 for the basic kit assembly, I

chose to build Bf 109G-14 WNr 512428 of 3./JG 77
coded yellow 10. This aircraft was one of many lost
by JG 77 during Operation Bodenplatte on 1
January 1945; the pilot of this aircraft was one of
the lucky ones, however, as he was able to belly-land
his damaged machine near Euskirchen. The
standard 74/75/76 camouflage was applied with
Aeromaster paints, and the characteristic white and
green Reichsverteidigung band was airbrushed with
plain Testors Flat White and Polly Scale acrylic
RLM 25. The spinner was sprayed white, then
liquid masking agent was applied in a spiral pattern
and allowed to dry. Once coated in flat black, the
masking agent was lifted and the resultant spiral
required only a small amount of touch-up. The
markings themselves were a combination of kit
items and Aeromaster decals, and no trouble was
encountered in using them.

The Hasegawa Bf 109G-6 family in 1/48 scale is still
the standard bearer for late model 1/48
Messerschmitt Bf 109s. There are some small
dimensional issues with the overall length, but
overall the model builds up into a lovely rendition
with little to no fuss.
188
Chapter 14
Bf 109G-10
1/48 Hobbycraft
he Hobbycraft kits have frequently been

touted as being as good as the Hasegawa
1/48 kits, and while this might be true for
their Bf 109E series, its hard to make the same
claim for their later model 109s. Granted, theyre
available in a wide range of configurations and can
be used as the basis for a well-detailed project, but
the same can be said of just about any kit, given
enough time and energy.
The primary issues with the Hobbycraft kit are
as follows:
Propeller blades too short
Inaccurate upper cowl configuration for later
models
Cowling area too fat in overall cross-section
Aft fuselage too fat in overall cross-section
Horizontal stabilizers are well-off in plan, with the
leading edges being too straight and the trailing
edges being too angled their mounting slots are
also staggered
With that said, there are some high points to
these kits:
Decently shaped spinner
Overall wing shape is quite decent
The kit has a reasonable interior, on a par with the
Hasegawa kits
The gear legs and wheels are decent as well
The kits come with a smorgasbord of extra parts
to fill the spares box
There are four basic variations to the Hobbycraft
109 kits, excluding the Avias and Hispanos the
early 109G which often contains parts to build a
G-6; the Bf 109G-14 with the tall tail; the Bf 109G10; and the Bf 109K-4. The forward fuselage of the
G-10 and K-4 share the same problem as the older
Revell G-10 kit, namely that the bulges are perfectly
symmetrical on both sides, but again, both kits
suffer from the oddly shaped cowling gun inserts
which seem to fall between the MG 17 and MG 131
designs, meaning you have to do extra work in this
area no matter which variant you are building.

I wanted to build a G-6/AS from this kit, and this
was a fairly straightforward conversion. The wing
bulges are a non-issue, as the kit gives you both the
small kidney shaped ones as well as the later long
bulges for the 190mm wheels. Following my usual

method for building 109s, I attached the upper
wings to the assembled fuselage first, then attached
the lower wing, and sanded the resultant seams
no trouble at all. I did add extra details in the
cockpit, simply because Im not a fan of emptyappearing cockpits on 109s strictly a personal
issue, one which I am certain will eventually be
overcome, given sufficient therapy.
when viewed from head-on. I also cut away the

flaps on the trailing edge and added a bit of detail
to the radiator areas. This is quite easy, with the
only tricky part being the fairing in of the leading
edge of the mid-wing flap. When doing this, be sure
to thin the plastic at the edge of the upper wing
where the mid-wing flap will be attached; this will
allow you to get a nice, tight appearance to the
mounting surfaces when reattaching the flaps.

As mentioned previously, there are some significant
shape issues with the cowling and the tail. I did
carefully file down the mounting tabs of the
horizontal stabilizers after separating the elevators,
in order to eliminate the stagger of the stabilizers
In March 1999, I had the good fortune to meet

Horst Petzschler at an aviation art event in
Jacksonville, FL, hosted by aviation artist Ernie
Boyette. Ernie was a great supporter of the local
modeling community, and always made sure to
include the local IPMS club when planning his art
displays and seminars with the pilots who were the
subject of his paintings. As such, I wanted to build
the Bf 109G-6/AS of Uffz. Horst Petzschler of
2./JG 3, as he was appearing with USAAC ace Don
McGee. The scheme of Petzschlers black 14 could
not have been simpler as he was assigned to
2./JG 3, which flew high cover for the Sturmbock
Fw 190s of JG 3, the overall paint scheme was 76,
with an 04 yellow lower cowling and a
Spiralschnauze. Aeromaster paints were used for the
76, 04, and the RLM 70 Schwartzgrn prop blades,
while Testors white and black were used for the
spiral on the spinner. The decals came from an old
Ministry of Small Aircraft Production sheet and
have yellowed over the years, so be careful if you
find MSAP decals in the bargain bin.

Well, its not a Hasegawa kit, but it can be made into
quite a decent replica. The G-6 has been re-released
by Academy and is widely available currently, and
there are a number of photoetch sets specifically for
the Hobbycraft/Academy kits available from
Eduard. With the exception of the Cutting Edge
resin propeller and spinner, most other standard
aftermarket resin and decal offerings will work
with this kit as well. So, if you find a Hobbycraft
Gustav for a decent price, you have plenty of
options to dress it up.
189
Bf 109G-14/AS
Fujimi
hen Fujimi brought out their updated

109 family back in 1993, there were a lot
of high expectations for the kit. At the
time, Hasegawa only had the F and early G models
available, and the only options for a mid to late G
were the Otaki Gustav and the Revell G-10. So,
Fujimi was wise to cater to a ready and waiting
market.
All was not well in 109-ville, though... in an
effort to squeeze as many pressings from a single
tooling as possible, Fujimi had engineered the
fuselage assembly in such a way that EVERY panel
and hatch configuration was provided on the parts.
There are many nice features the landing gear
is absolutely beautiful, the empennage shapes are
absolutely dead-on (although the tall rudder has a
huge panel line to fill), and the wings feature
separate slats and flaps. The prop blades are separate
as well, and the wide VDM 9-12159 style blades in
the K-4 kit are among the best kit items on the
market. In fact, I have purchased at least two of these
models exclusively for parts to tart up other kits in
my collection building a Frankenschmitt can be
fun when you mix and match parts from different
kits to see what you get! However, that still doesnt
answer what to do if you actually want to build the
kit and make it look halfway decent.
wrappers, it could probably be done, but why?

Speaking of the exhausts, have I mentioned yet
that they are simply horrid? Six somewhat
trapezoidal lumps of plastic per side leaves quite a
bit to be desired the good news is that
replacement items are easily found, such as resin
items from Cutting Edge or beautiful metal ones
from Moskit. The bad news is that you still have to

Considering the nose is the most deformed area on
the kit, my improvement efforts on this particular
build were focused primarily on this area. The first
thing I set out to do was to extend the gun troughs
which are too short. This alone helps the
appearance of the nose, although there is still much
work to be done. To really get things sorted out
right, you would have to move the entire exhaust
section forward slightly on each side, rescribing the
aft edge of the oil tank cover and the forward edge
of the lower cowling section. Obviously, this would
be an awful lot of trouble to go through, and given
how ubiquitous the far better Hasegawa kit has
become, I would only recommend this approach to
those who enjoy a real challenge much like
building a full scale, functional HMS Victory replica
from discarded toothpicks and recycled hamburger
also took five minutes to separate the elevators and

horizontal stabilizers in order to reposition them on
the finished model. The barren and featureless kit
interior was replaced with a lovely Cutting Edge
resin cockpit, which also goes a long way towards
dressing this kit up. Determining which hatches
should be filled and which should stay also leads to
some aggravation thank goodness for gap-filling
superglue and sanding sticks, I consider these
indispensable tools and they proved their worth yet
again on this kit.
contend with a bizarre mounting which has the

exhaust shield along with a portion of the lower
cowling door mounting to the bottom of the
forward cowling section. All in all, its a strange and
ineffective mounting method, and leaves another
unnecessary seam to fill.

Aside from the aforementioned gun trough
improvements and a few other detail additions, I
As I built this G-6/AS, I decided I would go

through the loss listing compilations done by Jim
Perry to see if I could find a suitable subject, and
indeed I did. Oberfhnrich Herbert Berthold
served with 4./JG 27 at Fels am Wagram, Austria, in
mid-1944, and perished in the crash of his white
17 at Jarendorf, about 20km east of Parndorf,
being shot down in combat on 8 July 1944. Ofhr.
Bertholdts aircraft carried WNr 412640, and there
are photos of other aircraft in this production
block which made extrapolating the camouflage of
this airframe a relatively simple matter. Other
markings are based on known JG 27 practice,
including the forward-set RVT band, the lack of
outline to the Kennzeichen, and the FuG16Z radio
antenna mounted immediately below the fuselage,
next to the belly tank.

After seeing that pug nose, I was not that
impressed by the Fujimi kit when it first appeared
in the mid-90s. Im still aghast that they could
make such a mess of the nose of the 109, but there
are some redeeming qualities to the kit I may
yet attempt to graft the nose of the 1970s-era
Fujimi G-6 or a Revell G-10, as everything aft of
the firewall is quite acceptable, although a bit
tedious to build thanks to all the different panels
you must fill to build your chosen variant. If you
can find one of these for a reasonable price, it
would be worth picking up to experiment with
different paint schemes or even practice
conversion techniques.
190
Chapter 14
Bf 109G-10 Nachtjger
1/48 Hasegawa [Kit no 09511]
he Hasegawa Bf 109G-10 kit features many

of the same details as the earlier K-4 kit, with
the exception of type-specific fuselage
halves, interior bits, and exterior details. The lower
cowling bulges to cover the larger rockers of the
DB 605D are moulded integrally with the fuselage
halves, and the rudder represents a later style with
the sharp heel to the lower edge. The release used
for this conversion allegedly allows the modeler to
construct a Schrge Musik-equipped G-10 as flown
by Friedrich-Karl Mller which used a larger
Lockheed P-38 drop tank in lieu of the standard
300 liter item. This aircraft was verbally described
back in the 1970s, and not one bit of documentary
evidence has surfaced to support the existence of a
Bf 109 so equipped. As such, I had no interest in
building the kit as given in the box and sought to
do something different. Fortunately, Hasegawa is
thoughtful enough to give you both the small and

large overwing wheel bulges, which allows the
modeler to build a G-10 from almost any
production batch. Thanks to the inclusion of the
standard wheels and wing bulges, the kit can also
be used to build one of the more overlooked
variants of the Bf 109, the G-6/AS or G-14/AS. After
seeing a series of photos of an all-black G-6/AS of
I./EJG 2 sent to me by a friend several years ago, I
decided I had to have this aircraft in my collection.

To build an AS-engined aircraft, a few small
modifications are necessary:
Fill the higher oil fill hatch, and rescribe in the
standard lower position on the port forward
cowling ring
Fill the higher cold weather start device access

hatch on the starboard cowling
Many examples did not have the bulges in the
lower cowling; always check references for this
point
Shorten the oil cooler height
Rework the rudder to the earlier rounded heel
style
The basic kit construction follows standard
Hasegawa protocol, taking special care to blend in
the upper cowling insert so no seam lines are
visible. Also, as I had no spare standard G-6 oil
coolers, I simply sanded and filed the larger Fo 987
cooler in the G-10 kit until it was the correct shape
and depth. Filling and rescribing the few necessary
hatches was also quite easy, but grinding away the
lower cowling bulges took quite a bit of careful
sanding and rescribing until I had the appropriate
shapes in this area. Surprisingly, the rudder turned
out to be the most difficult part of the project, as I
mistakenly oversanded the trailing edge of the
rudder and had to build it back up using .010
Evergreen styrene and superglue. Eventually it
worked out, but it was definitely not a mistake I
would care to repeat.

Outside of the modifications mentioned above, the
remainder of the kit was completed as given in the
box, including the use of the standard kit cockpit
and mainwheels. For those so inclined, a set of
resin True Details mid-war steel wheels and a
standard G-6 resin cockpit would work just fine for
an AS-engined aircraft.

This aircraft first surfaced in an article in the
German magazine JET+PROP in 2002, and a
postwar color photo appeared in a recent Luftwaffe
im Focus color special which documented the
overall black scheme, as well as verifying the code
number as being green, not red as had been
suggested by some alternative sources. Markings
for this aircraft were released by Luftverlag Start,
and a good friend sent me a set as he had little
interest in building this specific aircraft. The paint
scheme could hardly have been simpler; Model

Master Aircraft Interior Black was used throughout,
with Tamiya Black Green used on the propeller
blades, and Floquil Reefer White for the spiral and
blade tips. Weathering was intentionally kept light,
although the overall black color scheme could stand
for a bit more subtle variation on the
uppersurfaces. The Luftverlag Start markings
worked quite well, settling down over the Future
clearcoat with a bit of assistance from Solvaset.

The conversion to a G-6/AS from the Hasegawa Bf
109G-10 is simple and well within the bounds of
any moderately skilled modeler, but it would be
nice to see Hasegawa recognize the existence and
importance of the AS-engined aircraft and release a
dedicated kit of this variant. Conversion work aside,
the G-10 kit builds up quite easily, and again stands
as the standard-bearer for the G-10 in 1/48 scale.
191
Bf 109G-10
1/48 Revell [Kit no 4235]
his kit has been around since the very early

1980s, yet it is still an excellent overall model.
The cockpit is sparse, as one might expect in
a kit of this vintage, and the canopy sections are
quite thick, but there are plenty of high points to
offset the small issues. This is still the only 1/48 kit
to get the overall length and proportions correct on
the fuselage, all panel lines are engraved, and the
model captures very well the overall appearance of
the 61xxxx series G-10s, with the later wide
mainwheels and standard short tailwheel.

Having built a number of these over the years, I
decided to test my luck and see if I could convert
the G-10 kit into the earlier G-6/AS. The primary
differences centered on the upper wing tire bulges,
the lower cowling bulges, and the deeper oil cooler
of the G-10. Surprisingly, there is just enough
plastic in the upper wings to allow the upper wing
bulges to be sanded off, but be warned the
plastic will be thin enough to read through by the
time youre done. Once this task was completed, I
used a pair of spare Hobbycraft kidney bulges on
the upper wings, and proceeded to cut away the
flaps and slats which gave little trouble.

As mentioned previously, the flaps and slats were
cut away from the wings, rudimentary radiators
added, and the flap sections had stiffening strakes
added before being reattached to the wings once
they were mounted and faired in to the fuselage. I
also added extra detail in the cockpit, using a spare
Hasegawa cockpit as a base and adding fuel lines,
wiring, and so forth. The prop assembly was
modified using a spare Hasegawa backplate and
leftover K-4 blades, but the spinner itself is shaped
rather nicely so this was used to complete the
assembly. I added a small bit of aluminum tubing
in the tip for the 20mm blast tube, then masked
and sprayed the spiral. The rudder was separated,
as were the elevators, and brake lines were also
added from silver solder.
aircraft in Eric Mombeeks Defenders Of The Reich

volume 3, which looked rather attractive in its
heavily mottled 74/75/76 scheme with a bright red
fuselage band. The aircraft, black 14 of 8./JG 1, was
flown by Uffz. Hugo Hausotter on 25 July 1944 when
he downed a Spitfire, but was then quickly downed

As seems to be the norm with many of my
Messerschmitt builds, markings came from a
variety of sources. I found a photo and profile of this
Grinding away the lower cowl bulges was also a

simple matter, with just a bit of filler being the only
price to pay here. And the oil cooler was also fairly
easy to deal with; separating the oil cooler housing
from the fuselage with a razor saw and sanding the
mating surfaces lower resulted in a more shallow oil
cooler. The last major profile change was to round off
the trailing edge heel of the rudder, as the G-6/AS
used a converted standard metal-frame rudder.
himself by his victims wingman. Hausotter

successfully bailed out near Rouen, and went on to
claim four victories by the end of the war.
I first sprayed the red tailband using standard
Testorss flat red, then sprayed the undersurfaces with
Model Master 76 followed by a freehand camo
session with Model Master 75 Grauviolett and 74
Graugrn. Most of the markings came from two
different Eagle Editions sheets, with stenciling
coming from leftover Hasegawa decals. The propeller
blades received a coat of Tamiya 70 Schwartzgrn,
and the spinner was sprayed white, masked, then
sprayed black for the characteristic spiral. Hausotter
had named his aircraft Eina, so this legend was
carefully painted on the port fuselage.

Built straight from the box, or with minor
improvements, the venerable Revell/Monogram Bf
109G-10 still builds up into a high quality model
and holds its own with later offerings. Best of all,
the kit can be converted back to an earlier ASengined aircraft with a bit of elbow grease and the
help of the spares box, thereby significantly
broadening your options.
192
Chapter 14
Bf 109G-14
ollowing close on the heels of their G-6

release in 1997, Hasegawa retooled the
fuselage molds and released this tall tail
variant shortly thereafter. Aside from the revamped
vertical fin and rudder, the model is otherwise
identical to the Bf 109G-6 kit. There is one notable
exception to kit JT48, however; Hasegawa includes
both the early framed canopy as well as the Erla
Haube in this release. The extra canopies are a great
bonus, as the Hasegawa clear parts are absolutely
first rate and go a long way towards dressing up
other Bf 109 models with less than stellar canopies,
such as the Otaki/AMT or Hobbycraft kits.
One further note concerns the kit decals in
JT48 the sheet gives you markings for Erich
Hartmanns well known I./JG 53 aircraft, but also
includes markings for yellow 20, an aircraft
ostensibly from III./JG 7. Research by Dr. Jim
Kitchens III and John Beaman turned up a
prisoner interrogation report of a pilot who bellylanded an aircraft coded yellow 20 + | near
Luneville, France on 22 March 1945. This pilot
was from Ergnzungskampfgruppe (J), a
conversion unit for bomber pilots from KG 6,

KG 30, and KG 54 (among others) being trained
to fly fighters. As the circumstances of the
aircrafts landing and appearance match closely
with the photos, it is thought that this aircraft is
the one mentioned in the interrogation report.
The dark area around the rear fuselage which has
been taken to be a blue band segment is in all
likelihood an overpainted band from a previous
unit, while the forward section is likely a darker

yellow band indicating the aircraft belonged to a
training unit.

I built this particular aircraft straight from the box
as per IPMS rules, although I did replace the kit
decals with a set from Ventura Decals. Construction
proceeded as per my normal method, building the
fuselage assembly first then inserting the
assembled cockpit tub from below and adding the
upper wings, followed by the lower wing assembly.
As I work with gap-filling superglue, no filler was
required at any stage of construction.

There are plenty of aftermarket options for the
G-14, including resin and photoetch cockpit
components, replacement propellers and spinners,
resin wheels, and so forth. None of these were used
on this kit, as it was built to conform to IPMS-USA
regulations regarding out of box construction.

Having received a profile personally inscribed to
me by Signore Ugo Drago some years ago, I very
much wanted to have one of his aircraft in my
collection. Accordingly, I used the Ventura Decals
set which included markings for his Bf 109G-14
coded black 7 from the 4 Squadriglie, II Gruppo
Caccia at Aviano in December 1944/January 1945.
The model was painted in a standard 74/75/76
scheme, then areas for the previous unit markings
and Hakenkreuz were overpainted using a custom
mix of Grigio Azzurro Chiaro 1. The upper wing
crosses came from the kit, and were then carefully
overpainted using the same custom Italian bluegrey. I airbrushed the spinner in white, then used
Microsol Liquid Mask to paint a spiral pattern on
the spinner, airbrushing it with Model Master
Aircraft Interior Black once the masking agent was
dry. When I peeled it up, the resultant spiral only
required a few small touchups. The Ventura decals
gave quite a bit of trouble, although in fairness this
may be because my sheet was several years old;
they did eventually settle down, however, and the
result was a rather attractive Italian Messerschmitt
for the collection.

The Hasegawa 1/48 Bf 109G-14 is certainly the best
example of this type on the market today, and
builds up into a beautiful replica of this important
late-war variant.
193
Bf 109K-4
fter almost twenty years of reworking the old

Revell/Monogram Bf 109G-10, the Hasegawa
K-4 was the answer to many a Luftwaffe
modelers prayers. The kit uses the same parts trees
as all other Hasegawa kits for the wings and
interior fittings, with one holdover parts tree from
the earlier G-6 kit for other detail parts. The newly
tooled fuselage accurately captures all the subtle
bumps and curves of the original K-4, including the
asymmetrical cowling, repositioned fuselage
hatches, and opened tailwheel doors. The interior
features the proper K-4 instrument panel with six
instruments grouped on the blind flying panel, and
the reconfigured starboard sidewall. Only the
earlier stamped floor plate pattern is provided,
however. The wide, eight-bolt mainwheels are
beautifully rendered, and the kit also includes
bulged outer gear doors.
fuselage was assembled, the upper wing halves were

attached to the fuselage, followed by the cockpit
assembly and the lower wing itself. I did open up
the four inner gear bay holes per wing, as per
normal practice, and cleaned up all seams,
rescribing the aft fuselage upper and lower seam
lines. The tailplanes were such a good fit that I left
them off until after painting, to simplify applying
the mottle on the vertical fin and rudder.

In common with most Hasegawa Bf 109 kits, this
one virtually falls together with little to no drama
whatsoever. Following my normal practice, the
fuselage halves were assembled first, followed by
the upper cowl insert. Care must be taken here to
fair this piece in; only the gun trough inserts
themselves should have panel lines around them,
not the entire upper cowling. The supercharger
intake required a bit of putty on the interior to
smooth over some ejector pin marks, as did the
inside of the main gear covers; this was virtually
the only filler used on the whole model. Once the
While I built this kit straight from the box, there are
a wide variety of aftermarket parts available for the
K-4 from companies such as Eagle Editions,
Eduard, True Details, MDC, and Cutting Edge. The
kit builds up into a very nice replica right from the
box, but drop-fit accessories such as the improved
resin ETC drop tank rack from Eagle Editions, the
replacement spinner and prop assembly from
Cutting Edge or the cockpit set from MDC are well
worth the time and effort to install. There are other
small improvements you can make to the kit with
just a bit of knife work, such as separating and
repositioning the rudder and elevators, opening the
four holes in each inner gear bay, and adding small
details such as the gear position indicators (yes, the
K had them) in each wing.
There are a few other K-specific detail items
which you will need to address:
The rudder is the correct later, pointed heel style
but still features a fabric ribbing effect this is

easily sanded down for the plywood rudder,
however.
The oxygen fill point needs to be scribed beneath
the starboard wing
The 30mm gas ejection port should be drilled out,
behind the aftmost starboard exhaust stack
The 30mm shell casing ejection just to the side of
the drop tank rack beneath the center wing needs
to be added
The ailerons lack Flettner tabs; these are easily
scribed, but do not forget to add actuator rods.

I had purchased the excellent Janda/Poruba Bf
109K-4 book from JaPo around the same time as
the kit, and found a few photos of a fascinating
JG 53 tucked up in the woods minus its wings. It
clearly had a replacement cowling and mismatched
fin and rudder, so I bashed some markings together
from several different sheets to replicate this
aircraft. Aeromaster paints were used throughout,
with 81 Braunviolett and 83 Dunkelgrn being
applied to of the uppersurface with some 75
Grauviolett added on the cowling and fin, and 76
Lichtblau and Aeromasters interpretation of the
green-blue undersurface color (formerly known as
84) being used below.

Eight years after its introduction, the Hasegawa
Bf 109K-4 still stands as the absolute best 1/48 scale
example of this, the ultimate Messerschmitt Bf 109.
194
Chapter 14
Bf 109F-2/4
1/32 21st Century
arly in 2007, 21st Century Toys released

several different kits in 1/32 scale aimed
primarily at entry-level modelers. Panel lines
are engraved and tend to be on the heavy side,
although not so much that it detracts from the
overall appearance. Detail-wise, the airframe is best
suited to build a Bf 109G-2 straight from the box. A
pair of 20mm gunpods are included, along with a
decent centerline fuel tank rack and an SC 250
bomb. The canopy is designed to hinge open, so
thick blocks are molded on the starboard side of
the windscreen and aft section to trap pins on the
actual hood when the parts are mounted. The gear
is surprisingly well detailed, with separate struts
and gear doors, although the doors are a bit too
deep and the wheels are a weak point, which would
benefit from replacement.

The following is a list of details necessary to build a
decent F-2 or F-4 out of the kit
Cut away the internal spar structure of the lower
wing as the model will have almost zero dihedral
if it is left in
Fill the fuel filler hatch on the spine, along with all
other spine hatches
Fill the rectangular vents on both sides of the
cockpit
Fill the divot in the upper supercharger base with
plastic card/putty
Fill the oval tailwheel inspection hatch in fuselage
station 9 to port
Fill the FuG 16ZY mast mount point beneath the
port wing
Fill the MG 131 shell ejection ports in the lower
center wing
On the upper wings, there are two panel lines
running fore and aft between the aileron and slat;
fill the outermost panel line
Scribe a circular fuel fill port on the port fuselage
beneath the cockpit
Scribe a small circular access hatch on the port
fuselage just aft of the cowling
Scribe the MG17 pressurized air fill on the
starboard aft fuselage
The aftmost panel lines seem mismatched
between the upper cowling insert and the fuselage

halves; in reality, each piece needs a second panel
line scribed to create the rubber strip at the aft
end of the cowling
Cut approximately 1/8 or so from the back of one
cowling machine gun, and mount it in the
starboard cowling gunport so that the tip of the
muzzle is just visible at the edge of the aperture,
but do not modify the port gun muzzle. (The MG
17s were staggered which allowed the ammo feed
boxes to be mounted back to back)
Carefully shave off the four small cooling scoops
on the nose
Carefully refine the oil cooler intake to thin down
the edges
Carefully refine the radiator intakes to thin down
the edges
Grind open the tailwheel recess, following the
panel lines on the fuselage
Add styrene backing to the open slat holes in the
wing leading edges, then cut small holes to match
the mounting arms of the slats themselves.
Add the reinforcement strips between fuselage
section 8 and 9
Add inner gear well recesses using a piece of .010
styrene curled into a U shape around the handle
of a paintbrush; mount into the assembled wings
and trim flush with the lower wing surface.
Add the wheel well canvas liners using .010
styrene
Add the trapezoid-shaped access hatch on the
angled rear bulkhead of the cockpit, filling the
holes on either side of the bulkhead
Add a small strip of thin sprue down the center of
the supercharger intake to replicate the weld bead
Add aileron mass balances; these will need to be
scratchbuilt or taken from another 1/32 Bf 109 kit
The two teardrop-shaped umbrella holders on the
port fuselage should be removed if you are not
building a Trop variant
If you are building a Trop variant, add a small
brace between the sand filter and the cowling.
Replace the kit pitot tube with either a spare
Hasegawa item, or scratchbuilt it using stretched
sprue and wire
There are a few interior changes which should be

made as well to modify the cockpit back to an F
series layout:
Grind away the cockpit vents on both sides of the
fuselage
Reposition the oxygen gauge cluster horizontally
above the O2 regulator
Add a map case on the starboard cockpit wall
Grind away the map strap on the port cockpit wall
Add the upper seat back from an Emil to the G
seat pan (straps go over the top, not through the
back)

The kit decals are positively brilliant, giving three
options:
The Bf 109F-4/b of Frank Liesendahl,
Staffelkapitn of 10.(J)/JG 2, coded blue 1 + <-
The Bf 109F-2 of Max-Hellmuth Ostermann from
7./JG 54, coded white 2 + ^^
The Bf 109F-4 of Viktor Bauer from 9./JG 3, coded
yellow 7 + |
Despite these excellent options, I chose to build
something well off the beaten path, using a set of
Eagle Strike decals to build the Bf 109F-2 of Maj.
Hannes Trautloft, Geschwaderkommodore of JG 54.

It is a real pleasure to be able to purchase a welldetailed 1/32 model with an excellent decal sheet
for less than the cost of an average 1/72 scale kit
from the major kit manufacturers. Most
importantly, 21st Century has now made decent
models available to the younger generation for a
very reasonable price, which will be of paramount
importance to our hobby in the years to come.
195
Bf 109G-4
1/32 ProModeler
he Bf 109G-4 kit is the happy result of the

ongoing collaboration between Revell and
Hasegawa. Based on the Bf 109G-6 kit, the
G-4 is largely similar, with the exception of a
different cowling insert with the MG 17 apertures, a
tropical dust filter for the supercharger intake, and
a pair of lovely resin wheels. Marking options are
provided for Oblt. Franz Schies black 1 of 8./JG
53, and yellow 8 of 6./JG 27.

The construction of the kit is no different from the
Hasegawa G-6 reviewed elsewhere, but the salient
points to remember are:
Join the individual tail halves to their respective
fuselage halves first for a better fit
Build the lower wing as a complete assembly with
the spar and center plate
Attach the upper wings to the fuselage first, then
bring the lower wing assembly up for a better fit
Fill the panel line where the upper cowl insert
meets the fuselage; there is no natural panel line
here
Be sure to leave a seam on the upper and lower
rear fuselage
One small note to make on the G-4 is to take care
with the fit of the wheels to the struts; you will want
to carefully open up the mounting holes in the
wheels to get the proper angle.
lower aft starboard fuselage (in station 6)

Open up the tail wheel well and use a smaller tail
wheel
Add a small sliver of .010 plastic along the upper
base of the supercharger intake; this is cut away
to clear the MG 131 ammo feed chute bulge of
the G-6, but was a continuous curve on earlier
Gustav variants.

As it sits in the box, the kit is a mish-mash of G-4
and G-6 elements, so a number of different things
will need to be addressed to build an early G.
Fill the oval inspection hatch on the aft port
fuselage (in station 8)
Fill the three oval hatches on the upper aft
starboard fuselage hatch
Fill the FuG 16zy Morane mast antenna mount on
the lower port wing
Scribe the circular pressurized air fill hatch on the
Consult references to determine the proper

configuration of the windscreen air intake scoop
of your chosen aircraft
These are just the most noticeable and easiest
items to rectify. There are also shape issues with the

spinner, the VDM 9-12087A prop blades, and the oil
cooler; of these, only the spinner currently has a
resin replacement available. The blades are fairly
easy to correct, rounding off the lower shoulders of
the blade where it tapers towards the base to give a
more consistent curve to the leading and trailing
edges. For maximum accuracy, the oil cooler should
be slightly deeper and wider, but this can be a real
chore to get through.
The tailwheel issue bears further explanation
the large tailwheel as given in the kit did find its
way onto G-4s at some point in production, but a
smaller item was in use for the F and all other early
G models. There is no resin replacement at the time
of this writing, so kitbashing a tailwheel from a
1/32 Hasegawa or Matchbox Bf 109E is currently
the only way to get this earlier style tailwheel.
Opening the tailwheel well is significantly less
challenging; once the well has been opened,
following drawings and photos to get the proper
shape, be sure to scribe a line around the edge of
the well to represent the reinforced lip of the
aperture on the real aircraft.

I cobbled together the markings from various
EagleCal and Aeromaster sheets, and used Model
Masters enamel versions of 76 Lichtblau, 74
Graugrn and 75 Grauviolett for the camouflage
scheme. Weathering was accomplished with a thin
wash of black enamel in certain areas, followed by
some light chipping with a silver Prismacolor
pencil and a mix of black/brown pastel chalks for
exhaust stains.

Being based on the superlative Hasegawa kit, the
basic shapes and details are there, but there
remains some work to be done if one truly wants a
proper G-4 on the shelf. The changes are not
beyond the skill level of even the novice modeler,
and the resulting model will certainly be attractive,
but it is slightly disappointing that more effort was
not invested by Hasegawa in providing for earlier
Gustav variants.
196
Chapter 14
Bf 109G-6
1/32 Hasegawa [Kit ST17]
he new Hasegawa 1/32 Bf 109G-6 was first

released in 2001, and as of this writing
remains the single most accurate Bf 109 kit
on the market. Intelligently designed to allow for
the maximum number of variants, the Hasegawa
Gustav includes a fantastic amount of detail for the
price. There are two different cowling inserts,
options for the outboard MG 151/20
Waffengondolen, a passable belly tank rack and
decent 300 liter drop tank, gear legs with mouldedon brake lines, very nice mainwheel assemblies,
and a well-engineered interior with lovely detail.

Construction of this kit could not be easier, but
there are a few areas where deviating from the kit
instructions may actually help avoid alignment
issues.. The instructions would have you build and
attach the tail unit separately, but you will get better
results by attaching and aligning the separate tail
halves to their respective fuselage halves before you
join them. The wings are also engineered so that
they can be slid onto spars once the fuselage and
belly pan are assembled; for best alignment results,
join the upper wing halves directly to the fuselage
and align them, then allow to dry. Once these are
done, attach the lower wing halves to the spars and
belly pan assembly before attaching this to the
fuselage. This will give you almost perfect
alignment when you attach the lower wing and
belly pan assembly to the model.
MG 131s and MG 151s for the wing gondolas. The

best item in the exterior set has to be the separate
tailwheel and fork assembly, though, as it replaces
the solid item on the kit. The Cutting Edge interior
was very easy to use and has decent detail, but there

Even though this kit has set new standards for the
amount of detail included in a basic Bf 109 model,
there are a number of areas which can be improved
and aftermarket companies have not been shy in
supporting the kit. A number of companies are
producing resin upgrades for it, and I used the Eagle
Editions spinner (mastered by Gregg Cooper) and
the Cutting Edge interior and exterior sets which
were mastered by Mr. Cockpit himself, Scotty
Battistoni. The Cutting Edge exterior set gives you a
new rudder and elevators, which I promptly put in
the spares box as I was able to reuse the kit items
once they were separated, and it also gives you two
styles of tropical sand filters, along with beautiful
are other sets available as well, including a positively

gorgeous set from MDC created by French master
modeler Vincent Kermorgant. I used MDCs solid
photoetch belts on this G-6 as well.

Among the other great things offered by Jerry
Crandall through Eagle Editions are a whole series
of meticulously researched decal options, including

this Bf 109G-6/R6 which served with two units
simultaneously in late 1943-early 1944. JG 301, one
of the original Wilde Sau single-engine
nightfighter units, found its number of serviceable
aircraft rapidly decreasing as the RAFs night
bombing campaign continued to grow through the
autumn of 1943. As such, they were ordered to
share fields with existing daytime fighter units,
with the idea being maximum utilization of the Bf
109s on hand. Thus, in November 1943, the men of
II./JG 53 were surprised to find themselves having
to share their field at Wien-Seyring as well as their
Messerschmitts with II./JG 301. The attrition rate
for the nightfighter units was significantly higher
than that of the day fighters, not terribly surprising
considering the aircraft were fitted with only the
most basic blind-flying instruments and the
airfields were intentionally kept dark to avoid
attack. This attrition rate soon caused tempers to
flare between JG 53 and JG 301, as the Wilde Sau
pilots were using up all the fighters necessary to
attack the US bomber formations during the day.
Eventually, JG 301 would receive its own
complement of aircraft, and II./JG 53 moved from
Wien to Frankfurt in early March 1944.
Eagle Editions gives a marking option to build
yellow 6 (one of these dual-unit aircraft) on EC 41,
and this was the one I went with. The aft band is
Testors Rust straight from the bottle, while Model
Master 74, 75, and 76 were used for the remainder
of the uppersurface camouflage. The aircraft was
weathered using a thinned burnt umber wash and
pastel chalks, along with some subtle chipping from
a Prismacolor silver pencil.

Whats not to like? Hasegawa quality, ease of
assembly, accurate details the 1/32 Bf 109G-6
and G-14 from Hasegawa have it all.
197
Bf 109K-4
1/32 Hasegawa [Kit no ST20]
he K-4 kit was the second major variant

retool of Hasegawas 1/32 Bf 109G series, and
it included an entirely new-tool fuselage split
at fuselage station 2 to allow for later introduction
of a G-10 style fuselage, as well as many of the
characteristic external features of the K-4 such as
the wider propeller blades, deeper oil cooler, wide
mainwheels and outer gear covers on separate
sprues. Unfortunately, any modeler who wants an
accurate Bf 109K-4 will have quite a bit of work to
do. Noteworthy issues include the following:
Sparse detail on port cockpit sidewall
Inaccurate floor, carried over from the G-6
Inaccurate cannon breech (MG 151/20), carried
over from the G-6
No back armor for the seat
No provision for the oxygen fill point beneath the
port wing
No provision for the central MK 108 cartridge
dump chute beneath the center fuselage
No provision to close the tailwheel doors, as was
often seen on operational K-4s
The aft fuselage has a noticeably square crosssection to the upper spine
The rudder is a mish-mash of different styles seen
on the K-4
lead foil. Lead foil was also used to simulate the

canvas covers stitched around the rear of the wheel
well, while the outer walls were dressed up a bit
with circular stiffeners made using a Waldron
punch, then drilled out and filed to shape.
Moving to the tail, the elevators were separated
and cleaned up, and a rudimentary tail wheel well
was added from .010 styrene sheet, gently heated
and folded over a paintbrush handle to give a clean,
sharp bend. This closes up an unsightly void which
opens straight into the inside of the vertical fin.

My first priority was to update the cockpit to
something approaching a proper K-4 configuration.
As such, I scratchbuilt new floor plates and an MK
108 breech cover from resin scrap sanded to shape.
I then added back armor from .010 sheet styrene,
reworked the fuel primer pump to port with resin
and plastic, added simulated drive chains to the
flap and tailplane incidence wheels using 28 gauge
brass wire, and used an ancient photoetch set from
Model Technologies for the rudder pedals and seat
belt buckles. I also extended the sidewalls
downwards to meet the cockpit floor, as Hasegawas
kit sidewalls follow the contour of the wing root
fairings, which leaves a large gap at the base where
the floor meets the sidewall.
I then turned to the wing, adding the 30mm
cannon shell ejection port and deepening the MG
131 ejection ports. The inboard lightening holes in
the wheel wells were drilled out, and retraction
jacks were added from aluminum tube, sprue, and

To simplify alignment, I attached the upper wing
halves to the fuselage first, then built up the lower
wing as an entire assembly using the spar section,
central belly pan, and outboard wing halves. This
was then brought up to the fuselage assembly, and
everything virtually clicked into place. A small
amount of filler was necessary at the trailing edge of
the belly pan where it meets the aft fuselage, but the
rest of the seams were quickly dealt with using
various grades of sanding sticks. I should note at this
point that despite K-4s having a rearranged internal
equipment configuration, I chose to use the Eagle
Editions resin pilots baggage compartment access
door replacement which has the box to cover the
battery of an MW-50 equipped Gustav yes, I know

full well it is not K-4 standard equipment, but this kit
provided an opportunity to use the exquisitely
moulded piece in a review. The elevators were reattached to the horizontal stabilizers in a dropped
pose as was common on parked operational Bf 109s,
and it was off to the paint shop.

As is my habit, I chose to build an aircraft that was
not available on commercial decal sheets, in this
instance building the Bf 109K-4 of Lt. Heinrich
Hackler, the Staffelkapitn of 9./JG 77 on 1 January
1945. Hackler was a long-time member of 8./JG 77,
eventually achieving 56 victories and receiving the
Ritterkreuz. He was killed in his Bf 109K-4 Yellow 1
(WNr 330196) during Operation Bodenplatte, being
hit by flak on a strafing run and crashing to his
death near Raamberg, Holland. His aircraft was an
early Regensburg-built machine, being built in the
fall of 1944, and as such would have carried the
distinctive scalloped 75/83/76 camouflage scheme of
this production batch. I used Model Master 75 and
76 with a custom mixed batch of 83 Dunkelgrn to
paint the basic camouflage, then went back along the
demarcation lines with highly thinned 75 and 83 to
create the scalloped edges. The mottling on
Regensburg-built K-4s in the 330xxx batch appeared
as thinly applied blotches, which I duplicated by
decreasing the compressor pressure and again using
a very thin batch of 83. The characteristic
green/white tailband of JG 77 was applied just prior
to the Bodenplatte mission, and these were applied
using plain white and a custom-mixed batch of RLM
25 Grn. Weathering was applied using a mix of dark
brown and black pastel chalks, along with some
judicious drybrushing along raised areas with
Grumbacher Titanium White.

There is no question the kit can be built into a very
attractive replica, and of course there is the fabled
Hasegawa build quality to consider few surprises or
issues cropped up in the actual construction of the
model. However those who wish to build an accurate
K-4 will need to spend some extra time correcting
the errors Hasegawa introduced into the kit.
198
Chapter 14
Bf 109G-6 (late)
1/24 Trumpeter [Kit no 02408]
pon opening the rather massive box, one is

confronted with an intimidating array of
parts. The detail parts are absolutely
infected with ejector pin marks, many in hard-toreach places. Cockpit detail is inconsistent but
generally good, but no seatbelts are included.
The wings are very nice, including a full onepiece lower wing, but another opportunity was
missed in the gear bays Trumpeter gives you a
blank wall around the entire circumference of the
wheel bay, with no hint of a canvas liner. The
rudder of the early G-6 is quite rough, missing quite
a bit of surface area along the aft edge, and the heel
of that rudder is too shallow as well. The late G-6
features the retrofitted tall tail which is somewhat
better, although the upper fin cap needs a bit of
sanding to clean up the profile.
The clear parts are another high point, being
unbelievably thin and mostly distortion-free; the
windscreen profile is a bit suspect, but it seems
worse in photos than in person. The Erla Haube is
just beautiful, and some extra work on the internal
framing would be an excellent time investment.
And all these wonderful clear parts showcase the
absolutely horrid head armor amazingly,
Trumpeter has molded the late head armor in one
solid piece of plastic with no provision for the
armor glass insert! Of all the head-scratchers on
this kit, this is undoubtedly one of the most
puzzling errors.
would result in a full hot open position for the

flaps, which not only looks odd, but is very rare to
see on photos of parked 109s. I also drilled out the
characteristic holes in the inboard landing gear
troughs while I was working on the wing.
The fitting of the interior and attached engine to
the fuselage was a bit of a concern, but things went
better by mounting the upper gun deck and
instrument panel assembly to one fuselage half
first, letting this dry, then adding the
interior/engine assembly. This allows you to
position the gun deck to properly set the projection
of the misshapen and ovoid MG 131 barrels
(another item which desperately needs
improvement or replacement).
There is also no provision in the kit to build a
G-6 which does not carry underwing cannon; you
must fill in the mounting holes and slots for the
cannon gondolas on the wing underside yourself.
chevron, tailbands, kill markings and III. Gruppe

dot device. Noted Norwegian aviation historian
Kjetil Aakra believes Drrs aircraft may have
carried the JG 5 Eismeer badge on the cowling, and
recent research indicates that the badge was indeed
applied to all aircraft in April 1945. As I was not
terribly interested in handpainting two of the
intricate badges, I decided the aircraft would be
dated from the February-March timeframe in
other words, I took the easier route and left it off.

In spite of wanting to do this straight from the box,
I could not resist correcting a few easy things. The
supercharger intake was one of the first areas to
improve; I sanded the forward edge flush with the
engraved line around the circumference, then
added two .010 styrene disks to the forward edge,
sanded them to give a bit of taper to the inlet, then
drilled out the center and carefully rounded it out
with a file and sandpaper. Not too tough, all in all.
As molded, the leading edge slats would sit flush
against the wing surface; I added small strips of
.010 styrene to space them out just slightly from the
wing surface when posed in an open position,
which worked very well. The radiator flaps required
a bit of work as well; left stock, the mounting tabs
The aircraft carries the markings of Hptm. Franz

Drr, the Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 5 in
Norway. Drr, who finished the war with over 120
victories, flew this late G-6 (WNr 411960) at the
end of the war when III. Gruppe was stationed at
Gossen. As there is little to no aftermarket decal
support for the late G-6, I masked and sprayed all
markings except for the Hakenkreuz and text
stenciling, including the Gruppenkommandeur
The article also suggested that the spinner would

have been in bright green as the aircraft was part of
the Stabstaffel, but lacking any further evidence on
this, I chose to paint the spinner in the standard
black/white scheme. The aircraft was painted with
almost an entire bottle of Model Master 76, along
with Model Master 74 and 75 for the uppersurface
camouflage. The spinner spiral was masked and
airbrushed, then touched up by hand.

As of this writing, the Trumpeter Bf 109G-6 and
G-10 kits are currently the largest mass-market full
109 kits available today. They have some very nice
details, but they also have some puzzling and
significant detail and outline errors, in spite of which
it can be made into a truly impressive piece of work
with sufficient time and effort, the construction
process is straightforward and relatively trouble-free,
and the kit certainly commands attention in the
display area. If you have the space for it, I would say
go for it and pick one up.
199
Bf 109G-6/R6
1/18 21st Century Toys [Kit no 10001]
his review is quite a bit different from the

remainder of the builds in this volume, as
the model you see before you was purchased
fully painted and almost completely assembled.
There is a small amount of construction necessary
out of the box the tailplanes, wings, and 300 liter
drop tank and rack are separate, and you will need
to snap them into place once they are all removed
from the packaging
Once assembled, the sheer size of the model
becomes apparent, as does the attention to detail.
All flight control surfaces are separate and have
some degree of movement, the canopy opens to
reveal a well detailed interior with an accurate
layout, and the main gear retracts and extends. It is
the landing gear, in fact, which is the least
impressive part of this model the gear legs are
molded integrally with the doors, giving a
distinctly two-dimensional appearance to the
whole affair, and the angle of the gear once
extended is off by quite a bit. With that said, the
wheels and tires are quite good, and new gear legs
can be constructed without too much difficulty
using varying diameters of aluminum tubing
which is exactly what is planned for the second
1/18th scale Bf 109 currently occupying a large
amount of space in my attic.
The exterior details are well done, with all major
panel lines being present in roughly the correct
place, although some refinement would certainly
improve the supercharger intake and oil cooler
inlet. The propeller and spinner shapes are quite
good, although the prop blades have been moulded
in something approaching a flat pitch; cutting and
re-attaching these at a greater angle of attack will
improve their appearance greatly. A 300 litre belly
tank is provided along with a single-piece ETC
rack, and this release of the model is equipped with
20mm gunpods which are the correct length and
shape. Both the 20mm cannon barrels and the
13mm machine gun barrels are in a flexible plastic
designed to be resilient under rough handling, and
replacement with aluminum tubing would be both
simple and effective.
The canopy assembly is particularly noteworthy,
as it manages to capture the shape and the exterior
details (including subtle rivets) quite well. As
mentioned previously, the interior is properly

outfitted with such details as an oxygen regulator
and associated piping, the oxygen flow gauges, both
trim wheels to port, the throttle assembly with
knobs, the ventilation doors on both sides, the
characteristic fuel supply pipe to starboard, a decent
KG 13B control stick, a well-formed Revi 12B
gunsight, and a deeply molded instrument panel
The construction breaks down in much the same

fashion as the Hasegawa 1/32 Bf 109G-6, with a
separate tail assembly joint at fuselage station 7 and
a separate upper cowl insert. One item lacking on
the model is a standard antenna mast; a
rudimentary stub antenna is mounted to the
fuselage where the Peil Gert loop antenna would
go just forward of fuselage station 3, so this would
need to be removed and replaced.
with holes for individual gauge faces. Early-style

head armor is also mounted to the canopy, although
this is a bit chunky and could stand to be replaced.
All in all, however, the interior of the 21st Century
Gustav is better detailed straight from the box than
the more expensive Trumpeter 1/24 offering.

The most obvious refinement would be to reverse
engineer the model, disassembling it to get to the
interior components and begin an upgrade process.
The model has been released in several schemes,

including Oblt. Hermann Grafs green 1 of JGr. 50,
Oblt. Anton Hackls black << of II./JG 11, Uffz.
Sahls black 8 of 8./JG 54, and a limited edition
release of Maj. Gnther Ralls black << of JG 52.
This edition carries the markings of Uffz. Georg
Amon of 9./JG 53 with the famed Seeman
character on the port side. All markings are
painted on at the factory, including the
camouflage, and 21st Century has done an
impressive job capturing the camouflage and
markings of this typical mid-war Bf 109G-6. With
that said, there are still improvements which can
be made; the fuselage crosses on my example were
slightly misaligned, which can be fixed with
judicious masking and airbrushing. At this time,
there is no aftermarket support for the big Gustav,
but there are small cottage industries which
provide marking alternatives for other 21st
Century releases such as their 1/18th scale Ju 87
Stuka and P-47 Thunderbolt, so it is not
unreasonable to expect someone will come up
with similar sheets for the Bf 109.

No, it is not a kit in the traditional sense, but it is
most certainly a model. A British friend recently
opined that the difference between a model and a
toy lies in the intent of the purchaser, and 21st
Century has begun to blur that line. Their 1/18th
scale aircraft provide sufficient detail to please
almost any modeler, and can provide the basis for a
stunning, contest-quality model with a minimum
of effort, while at the same time being sturdy
enough to stand up to mock dogfights around the
neighborhood by enthusiastic boys.
200
Chapter 14
19-MDF10-App-01-I-Kits_MDF10 03/05/2012 15:00 Page 201
Kits
Appendix
he kits and accessories listed below represent only a small fraction of the
many items released over the years that relate to this most popular of
subjects. Present are a selection of those most current or most readily
available, and as space precludes a more comprehensive selection it is the
intention of this appendix to point the modeller towards those manufacturers
most likely to be of help in this field, rather than to act as a definitive guide to
available products.
21ST CENTURY
10001
22103
SCALE
1/18
1/32
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 (pre-built model)
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2/4 (model kit)
ACADEMY
1653
1670
1682
2146
SCALE
1/72
1/72
1/48
1/48
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-14
ACCURATE MINIATURES
1004
1005
SCALE
1/100
1/100
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109F
AIRFIX
04101
01072
SCALE
1/48
1/72
SUBJECT
AML
72026
72029
SCALE
1/72
1/72
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109K-4
AMODEL
72021
72022
72036
72048
SCALE
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109K
FiSk 199
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 RZ65
AMT/ERTL
8882
SCALE
1/48
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-5/6 (ex-Otaki)
ARII
334
SCALE
1/48
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-5/6 (ex-Otaki)
FINE MOLDS
FL-01
FL-01SP
FL-02
FL-02SP
FL-02SP2
FL-05
FL-06
FL-06SP
FL-07
FL-08
FL-08SP
FL-11
FL-12
SCALE
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 w/Moelders
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4 w/Barkhorn
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4/B 10.Jabo/G2 F. Liesendahl
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4/Trop Marseille
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 StaKap./JG52 Gunther R all
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6/R2 w/Gun Pack
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 Regensburg Production
Messerschmitt Bf 109K-4 Op. Bodenplatte
FUJIMI
48001
30001
27030
27031
27032
27033
SCALE
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf109K-4
Messerschmitt 109G/K
Messerschmitt Bf109K-4 "Herz As"
Messerschmitt Bf109G "Har tmann"
Messerschmitt Bf109K-4
Messerschmitt 109K-4 "Red Tulip"
HASEGAWA
00267
00707
AP17
AP170
AP173
AP18
09303
09313
09324
09330
09363
09375
09401
09417
09434
09445
09459
09468
09497
09499
09511
09521
09534
09559
09569
SCALE
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "Grislawski"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-14 Finland Post War
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "Gustav 6"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-14 "Croatian Air F orce"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6/14 "Har tmann"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-14 "Gustav 14"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-4 "Har tman"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "JG53"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 Graf
Messerschmitt Bf 109K-4 "JG53"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "Barkhorn"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-14 "Bodenplatte"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "Exper ten"
Messerschmitt Bf 109K-4 "Red Tulip"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "JG 27"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-14 'Finland Postwar'
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4 Trop "North Africa"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 "Reichs Defense"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "Rumanian Air Force"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 Trop "Black Six"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 Nacht Jager
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-6/U Galland Special
Messerschmitt Bf 109K-4 Hartmann
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-4 "Regia Aeronautica"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 JG300
09579
09588
09599
09627
09638
09645
09723
09730
09742
CH32
DQ99
GA10
J10
J11
J12
J13
JT26-1
JT26-2
JT27
JT28
JT29
JT47
JT48
JT63
JT64
JT106
JT115
JT142
JT145
JT149
JT156
JT163
JT166
JT173
JT187
08135
08142
08153
08157
08170
ST17
ST18
ST20
ST22
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
Messerschmitt Bf 109F "Hannes Trautloft"

Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 "Grnher z"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 "JG 51 "
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "Hungarian Air F orce"
Messerschmitt Bf 109F "Hahn "
Fieseler-Skoda FiSk 199
Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4/Trop "Marseille "
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "JG3 Udet "
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 "End of W ar"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "Super Detail"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-03 V Tail (made with Gar tex)
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4/Trop
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 "Eastern Front 1942 "
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 "North Africa "
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4 Trop
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 "Karayaher z"
Messerschmitt Bf 109F - "Easter n Front 1942"
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4 Trop "North Africa Theatre"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "Har tmann"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-14 "Air War Over Italy"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "JG51 Moelders"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "Finnish Air F orce"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "Italian Air F orce"
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4/R1 "10(Jabo)/JG 2"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "Nachtjager"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-4 Har tman
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 Eyeball
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 Super Exper ten
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 Heinz Ewald
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-4 Jagdgeschwader 27
HELLER
0229
0230
SCALE
1/72
1/72
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109K-2/4
HML
PH002
SCALE
1/18
SUBJECT
HOBBYCRAFT
1322
1522
1538
1539
1541
1543
1544
SCALE
1/72
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 "Axis Allies"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-1/2 "African Front"
Messerschmitt Bf 109K-4 "The Last of the Last"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 "Aces Mount"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-3/4 "Jabo"
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-14 "Reichs Defense"
HOBBY BOSS
20223
20224
20225
20226
20227
SCALE
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2/Trop
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 Early
ITALERI
0053
0063
SCALE
1/72
1/72
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2/F-4
MAQUETTE
07236
SCALE
1/72
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10/R-2
MPM
72127
72136
SCALE
1/72
1/72
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109H-1 Upgraded Kit
PEND ORIELLE
3501
SCALE
1/35
SUBJECT
REVELL
4160
4532
SCALE
1/72
1/48
SUBJECT
SWEET
14113
14114
SCALE
1/144
1/144
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4 Winter Version
Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4 Trop
TRUMPETER
02406
02407
02408
02409
02418
SCALE
1/24
1/24
1/24
1/24
1/24
SUBJECT
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 Early Version
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 Late Model
Appendix I Kits
201
20-MDF10-App-02-II-Conver_MDF10 03/05/2012 15:02 Page 202
Accessories & Conversions
n enormous quantity of accessories have been released over the years.

Many are now unavailable, but will surface regularly on the secondhand
market. Others may still be stocked by dealers and retailers, but in
limited quantities and may become unavailable in due course.
AEROCLUB
116
Bf 109G-10 Prop/Spinner (Revell)
1/72
AML
L32002
Me Bf 109K-4 W/Wheels
1/32
AIRES
2001
2002
2005
2016
2017
2029
2041
2042
2043
4028
4034
4055
4120
4156
4246
4248
4260
4271
4284
4286
4307
7008
7025
Bf 109G-6 Cockpit Details

Bf 109F-2/F-4 Conv (Hasegawa)
Bf 109F Wheels w/paint mask
Bf 109 Wheel Bay
Bf 109G Engine Set (Hasegawa)
Bf 109G Wheels&Paint Masks (Hasegawa)
Bf 109K Radio Equipment
Bf 109G-10 Cockpit (Hasegawa)
Bf 109G Radio Equipment Late
Bf 109F Cockpit
Bf 109G Cockpit
Bf 109K Cockpit (Hasegawa)
Bf 109G Details (Hasegawa)
Bf 109G Wheels/Masks
Bf 109G-6 (Late) Wheels & Paint Masks
Bf 109K Cockpit (Hasegawa)
Bf 109F-2/F-4 Cockpit (Hasegawa)
Bf 109G-6 Cockpit Early (Hasegawa)
Bf 109G cockpit set
Bf 109G Update
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/72
1/72
AIRWAVES
4012
4065
5091
2140
2158
3130
Messerschmitt Bf 109G/K Photoetch

Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6/G-10/K-4 Panels
BF 109G Recce Pack
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6/G-10/K-4 Panels
BF 109G Recce Pack
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/72
1/72
1/72
BLACK MAGIC MASKS

CEBM24013 Bf 109G Series Canopy Masks for Trumpeter
CEBM32002 Bf 109B to G-2 Wheel Hub Masks for TD32002/48002
CEBM32003 Bf 109F/G/K National Insignia Masks
CEBM32004 Bf 109F/G/K Spiralschnauze (Spinner Spirals) Masks
CEBM32005 Bf 109G-6 Canopy & Wheel Hub Masks for R evell
CEBM32069 Bf 109G/K Reich Defense Bands Masks for Hasegawa
CEBM32070 Bf 109G-1/2 Camouflage Masks
CEBM32071 Bf 109G-10 Camouflage Masks
CEBM32075 Bf 109G-6 Canopy (Standard) Masks for Hasegawa
CEBM32078 Bf 109G-14 (Erla) Canopy & Wheel Hub Masks for Hasegawa
CEBM32083 Bf 109G-10/Bf 109K-4 Canopy & Wheel Hubs Masks for Hasegawa
CEBM48025 Bf 109B/G-2 Wheel Hub Masks for TD48003
CEBM48026 Bf 109F-2 Canopy & Wheel Hub Masks for Hasegawa
CEBM48027 Bf 109G Standard Canopy & Wheel Hub Masks for Hasegawa
CEBM48028 Bf 109G-10/K Erla Canopy & Wheel Hub Masks for Hasegawa
CEBM48029 Bf 109G-10/K-4 Wheel Hub Masks for TD48023/46023 (True Details)
CEBM48030 Bf 109G-10/K-4 Wheel Hub Masks for TD48006/46004 (True Details)
CEBM48031 Bf 109G-6/G-10 Wheel Hub Masks for TD48004 (True Details)
CEBM48032 Bf 109G/K Reich Defense Bands Masks for Hasegawa
CEBM48230 Bf 109G-10/K-4 Erla Canopy & Wheel Hub Masks for R evell/Monogram
CEBM48285 Bf 109G-1/2 Camouflage Masks
CEBM48289 Bf 109K Camouflage Masks
CEBM48305 Bf 109G-6/G-14 Canopy & Wheel Hub Masks for Hobbycraf t
CEBM48306 Bf 109K Canopy & Wheel Hub Masks for Hobbycraf t
CEBM48323 Bf 109G-6 Canopy & Wheel Hub Masks for Otaki/Arii
CEBM48326 Bf 109G-6 Canopy & Wheel Hub Masks for F ujimi
CEBM48491 Bf 109F/G/K Spiralschnauze (Spirals) for any kit-replaces CED48049
CEBM72014 Bf 109B/G-2 Wheel Hub Masks for TD72004 (True Details)
CEBM72015 Bf 109G-10/K-4 Wheel Hub Masks for TD72014 (True Details)
CEBM72057 Bf 109G-10/K Canopy & Wheel Hub Masks for R evell/Monogram
CEBM72059 Bf 109G/K Erla Canopy & Wheel Hub Masks for Hasegawa
CEBM72061 Bf 109G-6 Flat Canopy & Wheel Hub Masks for Hasegawa
CEBM72111 Bf 109G Canopy & Wheel Hub Masks for Academy
CMK (CZECH MODEL KITS)
4005
Bf 109K Interior set
202
Appendix II Accessories & Conversions
1/24
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
II
Appendix
CONTACT RESINE
24006
Wheels and tail wheel Bf 109G-2, Trumpeter
24007
24008
Spinner and propellers Bf 109G-2/G-6, Trumpeter
24009
24010
Control surfaces Bf 109G-2/G-6, Trumpeter
32013
Correct spinner, Blades, and wheels Bf 109G-2 all kits
32014
Correct spinner, Blades, and wheels Bf 109G-6 all kits
48013
Spinner and propellers Bf 109F all kits
48014
Spinner and propellers Bf 109G-6 all kits
1/24
1/24
1/24
1/24
1/24
1/32
1/32
1/48
1/48
CUTTING EDGE RESIN

CEC32042
Revi C/12 Gunsight
CEC32083
Bf 109G-6 Super Detailed Cockpit with molded on seatbelts
CEC32084
Bf 109F/G/K Detailing Set for Hasegawa
CEC32090
Bf 109G-6 Super Detailed Cockpit with posable seatbelts
CEC32138
Bf 109G/Bf 109K Extended Tail Wheel Strut & Tail Wheel for Bf G-10, K-4, etc.
CEC32139
Bf 109G-10 Type 110 (Erla) Cowling Conversion
CEC32140
Bf 109F/G/K Corrected Spinner & Prop Blades
CEC32147
Bf 109G/K-4 Super Detailed Main Wheel W ells & Top Wing for all Hasegawa Bf 109s
CEC48154
300 Litre Drop Tank & Rack (round cross-section)
CEC48158
Revi C/12D Gunsight
CEC48172
Revi 16 Gunsight
CEC48357
Bf 109F Corrected Spinner & Late Style P rop Blades for Hasegawa
CEC48358
Bf 109G Corrected Spinner & Prop Blades for Hasegawa
CEC48359
Bf 109K Corrected Spinner & Wide Prop Blades for Hasegawa (NOT R evell!)
CEC48388
Bf 109 DB605 Exhausts (2) for Bf 109G/AS & Bf 109K
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
EXTRATECH
72016
Messerschmitt Bf 109K photoetch
1/72
EDUARD
32012
32014
32070
32121
32122
33006
4104
4130
4211
4316
4317
4318
4328
48110
48115
48326
48390
48398
48444
49211
49316
49317
49318
49328
7109
7210
72232
7262
7263
7272
73210
73262
73263
73272
B3214
B3231
B4824
B4841
B4849
B4856
CX022
CX023
CX035
CX036
CX064
EX018
EX049
EX145
JX007
JX008
JX040
XF200
XS506
Bf 109G Detail Set

Bf 109G Extra Detail Set
Bf 109G-6 Detail Set
Bf 109K-4 Exterior Detail Set
Bf 109K-4 Interior Detail Set
Bf 109G-6 Instrument Panel Detail Set
Bf 109G-10 ZOOM Detail Set, R evell
Bf 109G-6 ZOOM Detail Set, Academy
Bf 109G-6 ZOOM Color Detail Set, Hasegawa
Bf 109F-2 ZOOM Color Detail Set, Hasegawa
Bf 109G-6 Detail Set, Fujimi
Bf 109K Detail Set, Fujimi
Bf 109G-6 Detail Set, Academy
Bf-109G-10 Detail Set, Hasegawa
Bf 109G-14 Photo-etch Set, Hasegawa
Bf 109G/K Access/Scrib/Temp, Hasegawa
Bf 109G-6 Photoetch set, Hasegawa
Bf 109G-2 Color Detail Set, Hasegawa
Bf 109F-2 Color Detail Set, Hasegawa
Bf 109G-10 Detail Set, Revell
Bf 109G-14 Detail Set, Hasegawa
Bf 109F-2/F-4 Color Detail Set, Fine Molds
Bf 109G-14 Detail set, Academy
Bf 109K-4 Detail Set, Fine Molds
Bf 109F-2/F-4 Color Detail Set, Fine Molds
Bf 109G-14 Color Detail Set, Academy
Bf 109K-4 Detail Set, Fine Molds
Bf 109K Big Ed Detail Set
Bf 109G-6 Big Ed Detail Set
Bf 109G Express Mask, Hasegawa
Bf 109G Express Mask, Academy
Bf 109F-4 Express Mask, Fine Molds
Bf 109F-2 Express Mask, Fine Molds
Bf 109F Express Mask, Italeri
Bf 109F Express Mask, Hasegawa
Bf 109K Express Mask, Hasegawa
Bf 109G-6 Express Mask, Academy/Hobbycraf t
Bf 109G-6 Express Mask, Hasegawa
Bf 109 K-4 Express Mask, Hasegawa
Bf 109G-14 Express Mask, Hasegawa
Bf-109 K/G-10/14 Express Mask, Fujimi
Bf 109F/G Tree camo mask, Academy/Hasegawa
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/32
1/32
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/48
1/72
ENGINES & THINGS

72036
Daimler Benz 601 V-12
72083
48024
48079
32032
32034
1/72
1/72
1/48
1/48
1/32
1/32
20-MDF10-App-02-II-Conver_MDF10 03/05/2012 15:02 Page 203
The Bf 109G-6s and G-14s of III./JG 5 are seen here lined up at Gossen in early 1945. The
white spinners with black spirals are notewor thy
FALCON CLEAR-VAX
0150
Messerschmitt Bf 109 Special
1/48
FM MODELS
489502
480105
480107
489901
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
Me 109G-10/K-4 detail set. (Resin engine & cowlings)

Me 109K-4 detail set for Hasegawa kit
Me 109G/K photo-etched undercarriage sets for Hasegawa kits
Me 109G-6/14 detail set for Hasegawa kit
FUSION MODELS
4802
Bf 109F Spinner/Prop
4804
Bf 109G Spinner/Prop (Hasegawa and Hobbycraf t)
4805
Bf 109G-10&K-4 Spinner/Prop (Hobbycraft/Fujimi/Revell-Monogram)
HAWKEYE DESIGNS
72103A
Bf 109G cockpit interior for Hasegawa
72105
Bf 109F/G Corrected Tail Set for Hasegawa
72107
Bf 109G Miscellaneous Detail Set (cowl bumps, gun muzzles, prop blades)
72108
Bf 109G Thin Wheel Set (gear doors & white metal gear legs)
72111
Bf 109E Cockpit & Detail Set for Hasegawa (incl. tail wheel, r udder, & ailerons)
72113
Bf 109G-10 Wide Wheel Set (wheels, tall tail wheel, gear doors, w/metal gear legs)
72209
Bf 109G-10 Complete Multimedia Kit (no decals)
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
ITALIAN WING PRODUCTION

72006
Bf 109G-10 (Maj Visconti) Resin Conversion Set
KORA MODELS
D72006
Bf 109A thru G-2 Wheels
D72014
Bf 109G-4/5/8/14 Wheels
D72018
Bf 109G-10/12/14 K wheels
LOON MODELS
LO72002
Bf 109G-10 Wing for Revell
LO72207
Bf 109G-10 Erla (490xxx,491xxx) conversion for R evell
LO32203
Bf 109K-4 Details
LO32204
Bf 109G Details
1/72
1/72
1/32
1/32
PART
48051
48053 Bf
48056
48057
72008
72009
72020
72173
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
Bf 109F
109G-2
Bf 109E Canopy frames
Bf 109G-1/G-6 Canopy frames
Bf 109F-4 For Italeri
Bf 109G-6 For Italeri
Bf 109G-10 For Revell
Bf 109G-14 Etched metal for Academy
PARTSRPARTS
020
Bf 109G Forward cowling for Hasegawa
021
Bf 109G-10/K-4 Forward cowling with high oil fill
022
Bf 109G-1 through G-4 Superchargerintake and base
1/32
1/32
1/32
PAVLA
7220
7257
VC7214
Bf 109G/K Upgrade for all kits 1/72 resin

Bf 109G-10/K-4 propeller and spinner
Bf 109K clear vacuform canopy
1/72
1/72
1/72
QUICK BOOST
32009
32010
32016
32018
48051
72019
72039
72043
Bf 109G-6 Gun barrels

Bf 109G-6 Exhausts
Bf 109G-6 Dust filter-early model
Bf 109G-6 Control Columns (2)
Messerschmitt Bf 109G/K Pitot Tubes
Bf 109G-10 Propeller
Bf 109G-10 Air Intake & Tail Wheel (for Revell)
Bf 109K Air Intake & Tail Wheel (for Heller)
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/48
1/72
1/72
1/72
RB PRODUCTIONS
P32001
Bf 109G photoetched canopy assembly
1/32
RONS RESINS
48004
Mainwheels for ME109 late G-10 or K-4
72004
Bf-109G-10 Conversion
72005
Bf 109K Mainwheels
72011
Bf 109G-1 to G-6 Conversion
72012
Bf 109 Radiator & Wing Flaps
72016
Messerschmitt Me 109G-14
1/48
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
SCALE AIRCRAFT CONVERSIONS

32-007
Bf 109 Main Landing Gear (for all Hasegawa 1/32 Bf 109)
1/32
SKY MODELS
48-038
Me 109F/G/K Control Sur faces, Revi gunsights set for Hasegawa
1/48
SQUADRON
9128
9177
9182
9507
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/48
Bf 109G/K Vacuform Canopy, Hasegawa/Heller

Bf 109F Vacuform Canopy, Italeri
Bf 109G Vacuform Canopy, Hasegawa
Bf 109G Erla Canopy, ARII/Otaki/AMT
TRUE DETAILS
32002
Bf 109B/G-2 Wheel Set
32008
Bf 109G-6/G-10 Wheel Set
48003
Bf 109B thru G2 Wheel Set
48004
Bf 109G-6 thru G-10 Wheel Set
48006
Bf 109G-10 thru K-14 Wheels (smooth tread)
48023
Bf 109G-10 thru K-14 Wheels (raised tread, 8 bolt)
48490
Bf 109G1-G4 Cockpit Detail Set
48491
Bf 109G5- G6 Cockpit Detail Set
48492
Bf 109K-4 Cockpit Detail Set
48493
Bf 109F Cockpit Detail Set
72004
Bf 109B/G-2 Wheel Set
72014
Bf 109G-10-K-14 Wheel Set
72456
Bf 109G/K Cockpit Set
1/32
1/32
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/72
1/72
1/72
ULTRACAST
023
050
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
Bf 109F-K Seats
Bf 109G/K Wide Blade Prop (Hasegawa)
Bf 109F/G-4 Wheels (second patter n spoked rims), 650 x 150 ribbed tires
Bf 109G-2/G4 Wheels (second patter n spoked rims), 660 x 160 ribbed tires
Bf 109G-5/G-14 Wheels (2-piece smooth style rim), 660 x 160 smooth tires
Bf 109G-5/G-14 Wheels (2-piece smooth style rim), 660 x 160 ribbed tires
Bf 109G-5/G-14 Wheels (2-piece ribbed rim), 660 x 160 smooth tires
Bf 109G-5/G-14 Wheels (2-piece ribbed rim), 660 x 160 ribbed tires
Bf 109G-10/K Wheels, 660 x 190 smooth tires
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
VERLINDEN
1302
1321
1809
2062
Me 109G-2 Super Update Set

Me 109 Underwing Stores
Me 109G-6 Detail Set
Me 109G-2 Improvement Set
1/48
1/48
1/32
1/24
As Oberst Mlders walks past on his visit to Dsseldor f, the uncovered

wingtip light of his Bf 109F-1 is in evidence
Appendix II Accessories & Conversions
203
21-MDF10-App-03-III-Decal_MDF10 03/05/2012 15:03 Page 204
Decals
III
Appendix
bviously there are many more decal sheets in circulation than listed
here, and new releases and deletions will constantly change the available
ranges. These are some of the main decal manufacturers producing new
sheets at time of writing.
AEROMASTER DECALS
72-002
Reich Defense Bf 109G/Ks (Bf -109)
72-021
Italian Bf 109G/Ks (Bf 109G-4, G-6, G-10. K -4)
72-034
Augsburg Eagles - Pt. II (Bf 109F -2, F-4, G-6, G-10)
72-073
Desert War Bf 109s of JG 27 (Bf 109E-7, F -2, F-4)
72-074
Mediterranean Bf 109s of JG 27 (Bf 109E-4, G-4, G-6)
72-075
Mediterranean Bf 109s of JG 53 (Bf 109F -4, G-2, G-4, G-6)
48-001
Foreign Bf 109s (Bf 109Ga-2, G-6, G10)
48-002
Finnish Aces of WWII (Bf 109G-2, F2A Buffalo, Moraine-Saulnier)
48-057
Wings over the Sahara (Bf 109F -4, G-2 and 4 other aircraf t)
48-062
Augsburg Eagles, Pt. II (Bf 109F -2, F-4, G-6, G-10)
48-105
Reich Defense, Pt. IV (Bf 109G-6)
48-127
Desert War Bf 109s of JG 27 (Bf 109E-7, F -2, F-4)
48-128
Mediterranean Bf 109 of JG-27 (Bf 109)
48-129
Mediterranean Bf 109s of JG 53 (Bf 109F -4, G-2, G-4, G-6)
48-220
Hungarian Air Force Pt. I (Bf 109F-4, G-6, G-14)
48-221
Hungarian Air Force Pt. II (Bf 109F-4, G-6, Fw-190F-8)
48-222
Operation BodenPlafte Jan. 1, 1945 Pt. I (Fw 190A , D-9, Bf 109G-14)
48-223
Operation BodenPlatte Jan 1, 1945 Pt. II (Bf 109K -4, Fw 190A8, D9,Me 262A-2a)
48-227
Bf 109s of JG 53 (Bf 109E-1, E-3, F -2)
48-228
Bf 109s of JG 3 (Bf 109F -2, F-4, G-4, G-6)
48-293
Air War over Italy, Pt. I (Bf 109G-6, G-10)
48-294
Air War over Italy, Pt. II (Bf 109G-10, G-14)
48-310
Foreign Bf-109s (Bf 109G-2, G-6)
48-352
Augsburg Eagles, Pt III (Bf 109F, G-2, G-6)
48-366
Augsburg Eagles, Pt. IV (Bf 109G-2, G-6)
48-383
Augsburg Eagles, Pt. V (Bf 109F -4, G-6)
48-384
Augsburg Eagles, Pt. VI (Bf 109G-1, G-2, G-6, G-10)
48-385
Augsburg Eagles, Pt. VII (Bf 109F -4, G-4, G-6, G-10)
48-386
Augsburg Eagles, Pt. VIII (Bf 109F -2, F-4, G-10)
48-388
Augsburg Eagles, Pt. IX (Bf 109F -4, G-6, G-14)
48-460
Augsburg Eagles, Pt. X (Bf 109F -2, G-6)
48-461
Augsburg Eagles, Pt. XI (Bf 109F -2, G-2, G-4)
48-492
Last of the Breed, Bf -109K (Bf 109K)
48-493
Last of the Breed, Bf -109K, Pt. II (Bf-109K)
48-494
Last of the Breed, Bf -109K, Pt. III (Bf-109K)
48-685
JG-1 Defenders of the Reich (Bf 109E-3, G-6, Fw 190A-4)
48-706
Aces of Aces, Eric Har tmann (Bf 109G-6, G-10)
48-707
Kommodore Adolph Galland (Bf 109 E-3, E-4, F -0, F-2, Me 262A)
148-007
Bf-109F/G/K Stencils (Bf 109F, G, K, Stencils)
PAF48-01
Kommodore Adolph Galland (Bf 109F-0, F-2, Me-262A)
PAF48-04
Ace of Aces, Erich Har tmann (Bf 109G-4, G-6, G-10)
PAF48-05
Planes the Aces Flew (Maltzahn) (Bf 109E-1, E-4, F -2, G-2, G-6)
SP48-01
Luftwaffe Top Guns (Bf 109E-3, E-7, F -2, F-4, G-2, G-4, G-6 and 3 others)
SP48-02
Luftwaffe Green Hear ts, JG 54 (Bf 109, Fw 190)
32-008
Early Eastern Fredrich, PT II (Bf 109F-2, F-4)
32-009
Early Gustav Aces (Bf 109G-2, B -2/R1)
32-010
Early Eastern Fredrich, PT I (Bf 109F-2)
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/32
1/32
1/32
AML DECALS
7213
7222
4807
4808
4809
1/72
1/72
1/48
1/48
1/48
4822
3201
3202
Bf 109F-4 Trop/JG27 over Sahara

In Finnish Air Force Servce. Includes G-6 MT-452 of 1/HLeLv 34, and 4 other
Bf 109F-4/Trop JG 27. Mkgs for 4 a/c
Bf 109K-4. Set includes mkgs for 3 Bf 109K -4s. Includes bonus resin wheels
Bf 109K-4. Three options, resin wheels: WNr 330 204, 9/JG 77, Lt. Abendroth;
WNr 332 529, JG 52, Deutsch Brod; WNr 334 176, 11/JG 3, Uffz Mar tin Deskau
In Finnish Air Force Servce. Includes G-6 MT-452 of 1/HLeLv 34, and 4 other
Bf 109K-4, Pt. I (with wheels). Decals for Stab III/ JG52, Stab III/ JG27 and NJG11
Bf 109K-4, Pt.II
1/48
1/32
1/32
One could hardly ask for a better diorama idea a damaged Bf 109F lying next to a P anzer
III with the German flag on the aft deck, with a few trees, bushes, and a dir t road
204
Appendix III Decals
AVIATION USK
7003
7112
4102
4203
Bf 109G-2, two Finnish aircraf t in 1/48 (MT-213 and MT-214)

Bf 109G-6, G-10, and G-14, markinigs for four Hungarian aircraf t
Bf 109G-2, two Finnish aircraf t in 1/48 (MT-213 and MT-214)
Bf 109G-10, G-14, and K-4, markinigs for five Hungarian aircraf t
CUTTING EDGE DECALS

CED72036
Bf 109F/G/K Faded Black National Insignia
CED72049
Bf 109F/G/K Spiralschnauze
CED72056
Bf 109E & G Nose Ar t Special
CED72074
Bf 109G/Ks decal 1/72
CED48040
Swiss Bf 109s: 14 Bf 109Ds, Bf 109Es & Bf 109Gs in WW II Swiss AF ser vice
CED48087
Luftwaffe Special Nr.2: Bf 109G-10 of KG(J) 6; Bf 109G-6 of III./JG 11;
Me 262A-1a of I./KG 54; Me 262A-1a of JV 44
CED48167
Luftwaffe Over Czech Territory Nr.4: Bf 109s: Bf 109G-10 of KG(J) 54 and JG 300;
Bf 109G-14, unit unknown; Bf 109G-6 of KG(J) 54
CED48168
Bf 109 Friedrichs & Gustavs: Bf 109G-6 of 7./JG 3; Bf 109F -4/Trop of 1./JG 3;
Bf 109F-4/B of 10. (Jabo)/JG 26; Bf 109F -4/B of 10.(Jabo)/JG 53
CED48216
Desert Eagles: Bf 109F-2/Z Trop, II./JG 27; Bf 109E-4 Trop, 2./JG 27;
Bf 109F-4/trop, Stab II./JG 27; Bf 109E-7/Trop, 1./JG27; Bf 109F-4/Trop, 3./JG 27
CED48234
Great Gustavs: Bf 109G-6 Lt. Erich Har tmann, 9./JG 52; Bf 109G-6, Hptm.
Anton Hackl, Stab III./JG 11; Bf 109G-6, Major Her mann Graf, JGr. 50
CED48243
Operation Barbarossa 109s: Bf 109E-4/B, 8./JG 77; Bf 109F -4, 7./JG 54;
Bf 109F-2, 2./JG 54; Bf 109F-4, Stab/JG 54
CED32025
Gustav Aces Nr.1: Bf-109G-6, III./JG 53; Bf 109G-6/R6 Trop, 7./JG 27
CED32026
Gustav Aces Nr.2: Bf 109G-6/Trop, 4./JG 51; Bf 109G-6, Stab I./JG 27;
Bf 109G-6/R6, III./JG 3
CED32027
Gustav Aces Nr.3: Bf-109G-5, Stab II./JG 52; Bf 109G-6, 6./JG 52;
Bf 109G-6/Trop, 6./JG 53
CED32028
Foreign Gustavs Part 1: Bf 109G-6, 365 Sq., 150 Gr. Aut.; Bf 109G-6 Trop, MT-451,
Finnish AF; Bf 109G-6, 364a Sq., 150 Gr. Aut.; Bf 109G-6, MT-408, Finnish AF
CED32029
Foreign Gustavs Part 2: Bf 109G-6, 1a Sq. ANR; Bf 109G-6, V8+06,
101/3 Puma Sq., Hungarian AF; Bf 109G-6, V8+65, 101/2 Puma Sq., Hungarian AF
CED32030
Colorful Messerschmitts Part 1: Bf 109G-4/Trop, 3./JG 53; Bf 109F-2, I./JG 3;
Bf 109F-2, 8./JG 54
CED32031
Colorful Messerschmitts Part 2: Bf 109F-4, 7./JG 54; Bf 109G-6, Stab II./JG 51;
Bf 109F-4, 10.(Jabo)/JG 2
CED32032
Bf 109 Friedrichs & Gustavs: Bf 109G-6, 7./JG 3; Bf 109F -4/Trop, 1./JG 3;
Bf 109F-4/B, 10. (Jabo)/JG 26; Bf 109F -4/B, 10.(Jabo)/JG 53
CED32059
Bf 109G-10 Type 100 & Type 110 (Erla cowls) Part 1: Bf 109G-10, 2./JG 300;
Bf 109G-10/R6, JG 52; Bf 109G-10, JG 300
CED32060
Bf 109G-10 Type 100 & Type 110 (Erla cowls) Part 2: Bf 109G-10 KG(J) 54;
Bf 109G-10, Stab/JG77; Bf 109G-10, 2./JG 300
CED24003
Great Gustavs Part 1: Bf 109G-6, 9./JG 52; Bf 109G-4/T rop, 3./JG 53;
Bf 109G-6, Stab III./JG 11; Bf 109G-6/R6 T rop, 7./JG 27
CED24004
Great Gustavs Part 2: Bf 109G-6, Oblt. Heinrich Ehler, 6./JG5; Bf 109G-5,
Hptm. Gerhard Barkhorn, Stab II./JG 52; Bf 109G-6, 7./JG 3
CED24005
Great Gustavs Part 3: Bf 109G-6, Maj. Her mann Graf, JGr. 50
BLUE RIDER
BR601
1/72
1/72
1/48
1/48
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/24
1/24
1/24
Bf 109G-6 W.Nr. 166xxx, markings for Cantacuzinos G-6 in handpainted

American markings
EAGLE STRIKE DECALS

72-012
Bf 109 Fighters, Pt. I (Bf 109F -4, G-6/R-3, G-10, G-14)
72-014
Defenders of the Fatherland (Bf 109G-10, K-4)
72-070
Augsburg Eagles, Pt. I (Bf 109F -2, F-4, F-4/B, G-4Trop)
72-071
Augsburg Eagles, Pt. II (Bf 109F -2, F-4, F-2 Trop, F-4 Trop)
48-045
Augsburgs Flyers, Pt. I (Bf 109F -4/B, F-4/R5, G-4, G-6/R6)
48-051
Augsburgs Flyers, Pt II (Bf 109F -4, G-4, G-6)
48-055
Augsburgs Flyers, Pt III (Bf 109 E-4, E-7, F -4, G-10, G-14)
48-062
Too Little, Too Late, Pt I (Bf 109K-4)
48-101
Augsburgs Flyers, Pt IV (Bf 109G-2, G-4, G-6, K -4)
48-132
Barbarossa, The Invasion of Russia 1941, Pt I (Bf 109F -2)
48-133
Barbarossa, The Invasion of Russia 1941, Pt II (Bf 109F -2, F-4)
48-139
Augsburg Flyers, Pt V (Bf 109E-1, E-6, G-3, G-6)
48-144
Marseille, A Star in Afrika (Bf 109F -2, F-4)
48-145
Barbarossa, Pt III (Bf 109F, F-2)
48-146
Barbarossa, Pt IV (Bf 109E, F, F-4)
48-251
In Defense of the Reich, Pt IV (Bf 109G-6, G-10)
48-252
In Defense of the Reich, Pt V (Bf 109G-2, G-10, G-14)
32-035
Augsburgs Flyers, Pt. I (Bf 109G-6, G-6/R-3)
32-036
Augsburgs Flyers, Pt. II (Bf 109G-6, G-6/R-6)
32-037
Augsburgs Flyers, Pt. III (Bf 109G-6, G-6/Trop)
32-038
Augsburgs Flyers, Pt. IV (Bf 109G-6, G-6/Trop)
32-039
Augsburgs Flyers, Pt. V (Bf 109G-6, G-6/R-6/Trop)
32-041
Augsburg Flyer, Pt VI (Bf 109F-2, F-4)
32-042
Augsburg Flyer, Pt VII (Bf 109F-4. F-2/Trop. F-4/Trop)
32-043
Augsburg Flyer, Pt VIII (Bf 109F-4, F-4/B)
32-044
Augsburg Flyer, Pt IX (Bf 109F-2, F-4/Trop)
32-052
Marseille, A Star In Afrika (Bf 109F -2Z, F-4Z)
32-057
Too Little, Too Late... Bf 109K-4, Pt I (Bf 109K-4)
32-058
Too Little, Too Late, Pt II (Bf 109K-4)
24-004
Gustavs, Pt I (Bf 109G-6)
24-005
Gustavs, Pt II (Bf 109G-6)
24-006
Gustavs, Pt III (Bf 109G-6, -14)
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/24
1/24
1/24
21-MDF10-App-03-III-Decal_MDF10 03/05/2012 15:03 Page 205
EAGLE EDITIONS DECALS

EagleCals#12 Bf 109G-6s from JG 300 Wilde Sau
EagleCals#15 Bf 109K-4s from JG 27 & JG 52
EagleCals#16 Bf 109G-10s from JG 51 / JG 52
EagleCals#26 Bf 109G-10s, G-14s
EagleCals#27 Bf 109G-6s from JG 3 and 8./JG 54
EagleCals#28 Bf 109G-6s from JG 3 and JG 27
EagleCals#36 Bf 109Gs of The Blond Knight, Erich Har tmann
EagleCals#39 Bf 109G-6s from JG 54, JG 3 and JG 27
EagleCals#40 Bf 109G-6s from JG 1, JG 11, JG 54
EagleCals#42 Bf 109G-6s from JG 3, JG 5, JG 52, JG 77
EagleCals#47 Bf 109G-6/Trops from JG 27, JG 51
EagleCals#50 Major Hans Assi Hahn Special (Part I) - Bf 109E-3/E-4
EagleCals#51 Major Hans Assi Hahn Special (Part II) - Bf 109F-2/F-4
EagleCals#52 Major Hans Assi Hahn Special (Part III) - Bf 109G-2, F -2, F-4
#62
Bf 109K-4s from JG 27 and JG 52
#63
#64
Graf & Grislawski Special (Part I) - Bf 109F-4
#65
Graf & Grislawski Special (Part II) - Bf 109G-2, G-4, G-5, G-6
#66
Graf & Grislawski Special (Part III) - Bf 109E-1, E-4, G-2
#67
Graf & Grislawski Special (Part IV) - Bf 109F-4, G-2
#74
Bf 109K-4s from JG 3, JG 27 and JG 11
#75
#80
Bf 109G-10s from KG(J) 6, JG 51, NJG 11, JG 300 (32nd scale only
#81
Bf 109G-14/AS and G-10s from JG 52, KG(J) 6, JG 300 (32nd scale only)
#84
Bf 109G-10s from KG(J) 27, JG 52, JG 300 (32nd scale only)
#85
Bf 109G-10s (Erla) from JG 2 and JG 300 (32nd scale only)
#88
Bf 109G-6s from JG 300 Vol. 1 (Part I)
#90
Bf 109G-6s from JG 300 Vol. 1 (Part III)
EDUARD
A32001
A48005
A48013
Bf 109K-4, Markings for 4 a/c

Bf 109K-4, Markings for 4 a/c1/
Bf 109G-10/K-4, Markings for 3 a/c
1/32
HUNGARIAN ARMOUR DECALS

48027
Me/Bf 109G-6 (Hungarian V8+33 Puma squadron)
72031
Fw 190F-8; Bf 109G-6; Ju 87G-5
1/48
1/72
ILLIAD DESIGN
48002
JG 53 car toon Bf 109 G-6s
1/48
INSCALE72
C001
C002
C010
1/72
1/72
1/72
Finnish Bf 109G-2 Decals

Finnish Bf 109G-6 Markings
Finnish Bf 109G-2/G-6 decal
LIFELIKE DECALS
72002
Messerschmitt Me 109 Part 1. Markings for 4 Aircraf t
48002
Messerschmitt Me 109 Part 1. Markings for 4 Aircraf t.
48016
Messerschmitt Me 109 par t 2
1/72
1/48
1/48
LIFT HERE DECALS

D48E
Me 109Gs (Me 109G-2a, G-6, G-10 and UMe-109 in Y ugoslav service
D48P
108,109,110, Yugoslav Messerschmitts
D703
Gemischt, axis Bf 109 Gustavs over Balkans, P art 1
D72U
Trophies II (Ex-Luftwaffe Me 109G-6 and Fw 190F -8)
D72V
Me 109G
1/48
1/48
1/72
1/72
1/72
LUFTWAFFE IM FOCUS (LUFTVERLAG START)

LIF72001
Bf 109G-2, Fw. Hans Dbrich, 6./JG 5; Bf 109G-14, Ofw . Halstrick, 16./JG 5;
Bf 109E-4, 9./JG 3; Bf 109F -2, 8./JG 54; Bf 109G-6, Uffz. R udolf Dreesmann,
12./JG 51; Fw 190A-5, Obstlt. Grabmann, 3. Jagddivision and Jagdfhrer
Holland; Fw 190A-4, Fw. Bremer, 5./JG 1
LIF48001
Bf 110, I./ZG 26; Fw 190A-4, Fw. Bremer, 5./JG 1; Bf 109G-2, Fw. Hans Dbrich,
6./JG 5; Bf 109G-14, Ofw. Halstrick, 16./JG 5
LIF32003
Bf 109G-2, Fw. Dbrich, 6./JG 5; Bf 109G-14, Ofw. Halstrick, 16./JG 5; Bf 109E-4,
9./JG 3; Bf 109F-2, 8./JG 54; Bf 109 G-6, Uffz. R udolf Dreesmann, 12./JG 51
LIFM04
Bf 109 G-6/AS green 5 from 2./Erg. JG 2 (in 1/72, 1/48 & 1/32)
var
MINISTRY OF SMALL AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION

48-02
Messerschmitt Bf 109F (7 options)
48-06
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 (5 options)
48-19
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 of JG 53 (9 options)
48-21
Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6 (5 options)
48-23
Messerschmitt Bf-109G-10 (5 options)
48-47
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-14s (5 options)
72-15
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 (4 options)
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/72
OWL DECALS
LD144001
LD32001
LD48008
LD72008
1/144
1/32
1/48
1/72
Wilde Sau JG 300

Wilde Sau JG 300
Wilde Sau JG 300
Wilde Sau JG 300
PROPAGTEAM
72025
Bf 109G-5/R6
72029
Bf 109F-2
72032
Bf 109G-10 ROA
1/72
1/72
1/72
RB PRODUCTIONS
RB-D3201
Bf 109s of Cpt.Av.(R) Constantin Cantacuzino
RB-D4801
RB-D7201
1/32
1/48
1/72
SKY MODELS
48-011
Bf 109G/K in Italian Ser vice
32-045
Bf 109s in Italian Ser vice
1/48
1/32
TALLY HO!
32011
48030
72035
Avia S-99/Bf 109G-10

1/32
1/48
1/72
TECHMOD
48016
48017
72007
72008
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
VENTURA MODELS
32-51
Bf 109Gs: 2x Defense of the R eich
32-52
Bf 109G-10: 2x Yugoslav
32-62
Bf 109G High altitude interceptor
32-64
Bf 109G-6: Postwar Finnish
32-67
Bf 109G-2 captured by 79th FG
48-15
Bf 109G and Spitfire Vc, Yugoslav
48-63
Bf 109G-10: 2x late-war Luf twaffe
48-65
Bf 109s: JG 300
48-79
Bf 109G-6: Postwar Finnish
72-04
Bf 109G-12 and Fw 190S
72-05
Bf 109s of Marseille and Har tmann
72-60
Bf 109G-10: Yugoslav
72-70
Bf 109G High altitude defense
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/32
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/72
1/72
1/72
1/72
SUPERSCALE
720808
480761
480809
480810
480863
480864
480920
480921
1/72
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
1/48
Bf 109F-4/G-6, Markings for 3 a/c: Har tmann, Barkhorn, and Marseille

Bf 109F/Trop & Bf-109G Trop Aces: Sinner, Rdel, Schiess
Bf 109F-4, Markings for JG2 Liesendahl, JG3 Lutzow, LG77 Tech. Officer.
Bf 109F-4/G-2/G-6, Markings for JG77 Gollob, JG52 Kr upinsky & JG27 Rdel.
Bf 109G-5/6, Markings for 3 a/c: Specht, Schilling, and Langer
Bf 109F-2, Markings for 3 a/c: Sprick, Grasser, and Leesman
Bf 109K-4, Markings for 3 a/c: 9./ JG 77, III./ JG 77, 11./ JG 53
Bf 109G-6, Makrings for 3 a/c: Stab./JG 2, IV./ JG 3, III./ JG 27
1/72
1/48
1/32
An interesting composition by a Luftwaffe photographer; these Bf 109s

are seen through a gate in Syr te, Lybia
Appendix III Decals
205
22-MDF10-App-03-IV-Survivors_MDF10 03/05/2012 15:04 Page 206
Bf 109 Survivors
IV
Appendix
his list is as complete as possible as of this writing, compiled using Mikael

Olrogs survivor listing on his excellent website Preserved Axis Aircraft,
along with loss lists compiled by Jim Perry and George Morrison. The
associated pilot and his fate have been listed with these surviving airframes,
where known
TYPE
WNR
Bf 109B-0 (V10a) 1010
STATUS
Wreck recovery
Bf 109E-1
Bf 109E-1/B
Unknown
4034
Substantial remains
Awaiting restoration
Bf 109E-3
Bf 109E-3
790
1289
Static display
Static display
Bf 109E-3
1342
Airworthy
Bf 109E-3a
Bf 109E-3/B
2422
4101
Static display
Static display
Bf 109E-4/B
4853
Substantial remains
Bf 109E-4/N
1190
Static display
Bf 109E-4
1407
Static display
Bf 109E-7
1983
Under restoration
Bf 109E-7
2023
Under restoration
Bf 109E-7
3285
Substantial remains
Bf 109E-7
3523
Bf 109E-7
3579
Airworthy
Bf 109E-7
5975
Substantial remains
Bf 109F-4
7108
Substantial remains
Bf 109F-4
7485
Substantial remains
Bf 109F-4/Z
7504
Substantial remains
Bf 109F-4
8347
Substantial remains
Bf 109F-4/Trop
8461
Under restoration
HISTORY
Coded D-IAKO, crashed prewar and buried; remains recovered by Bayerische
Flugzeug Historiker for restoration
Aircraft built as E-1, ser ved with J 88 (Legion Condor) as 6-88, later C4E-88
Fw. Xavier Ray of 8./JG 53 suffered engine failure over England on 2 Nov 1940 in this aircra ft
black 6 + |. Pilot OK (POW), aircraf t recovered intact and now awaiting restoration
Aircraft built as E-1, ser ved with 2./J 88 (Legion Condor) as 6-106, later C4E-106
Uffz. Heinz Wolf of 2./JG 26 shot down 28 Nov 1940 in this aircraf t red 2; pilot OK (POW),
aircraft recovered and displayed in crashed state
Fw. Eduard Hemmerling of 6./JG 51 shot down and killed on 29 Jul 1940 in this aircraf t
yellow 10 (also given as yellow 8); aircraf t remains recovered from French beach in 1988,
extensively restored to air worthy condition
Aircraft delivered to Swiss Air F orce in 1939, retired 1949, placed on display at Dbendor f
Ltn. Wolfgang von Teumer of 2./JG 51 force-landed at Manston on 27 Nov 1940 in this
aircraft black 12. Pilot OK (POW), aircraf t recovered intact and restored for R AF Museum
Ltn. Erich Meyer of 2./JG 51 shot down in this aircraf t (code unknown) on 7 Oct 1940 by
S/L Hogan and P/O MacKenzie of 501 Sqn. Pilot OK (POW), aircraf t remains recovered
and on display
Uffz. Horst Perez of 4./JG 26 shot down 30 Nov 1940 in this aircraf t white 4 (formerly
Hptm. Ebbinghausens aircraft); pilot OK (POW), aircraf t recovered and displayed in
crashed state
Aircraft coded red 2 of 2./JG 77; shot down near P etsamo, Finland on 17 Jul 1941, pilot
status unknown. AIRCRAFT recovered and fully restored for display
Aircraft shot down, abandoned near Titowka while with 5./JG 77. Under restoration for
German owner using par ts from Bf 109E-7 WNr 0854
Ofw. Walter Sommer of 8./JG 5 shot down 27 May 1942 in this aircraf t black 9 by Lt.
Kolomietsin of 2 IAP; pilot MIA , wreck recovered and under restoration to fly
Ogefr. Gerhardt Seibt of 12./JG 5 shot down 19 F eb 1942 in this aircraf t yellow 12 + -;
pilot OK (POW), aircraf t recovered and in storage with Finnish AF Museum
Ltn. Wulf-Dietrich Widowitz, 36 victor y ace of 5./JG 5 suffered engine damage in combat
3 Apr 1942 in this aircraf t red 5; pilot made successful belly-landing and evaded capture.
Aircraft recovered in 2003 in excellent condition
Ofhr. Hans-Joachim Marseille of 1.(J)/LG 2 suffered 50% damage in crash-landing at
Calais-Marck on 2 Sep 1940 af ter combat with Spitfires; aircraf t then rebuilt from E-1 to E-7
status, issued to JG 77. AIR CRAFT lost with 4./JG 77 as white 7 in late 1942, details
unknown. Restored, fully airworthy
Uffz. Heinz Bausch of 5./JG 5 shot down 10 May 1942 in this aircraf t yellow 4 + - by
Hurricanes of 78 IAP near Urabay. Pilot POW, aircraft remains recovered; af t fuselage
on display
Uffz. Klaus Betz of 9./JG 5 suffered engine trouble (bur nt piston) on transfer flight in this
aircraft, coded NE+ML; pilot died from exposure (remains located near R ovanjemi in 1948),
aircraft remains recovered in 1972
Uffz. Hans Link of 9./JG 5 disappeared on 28 Sep 1943 in this aircraf t, coded black 1;
no further info on pilot. Aircraf t recovered and awaiting restoration with Craig Charleston.
Fw. Rudolf Berg, 17 victor y ace of 7./JG 3, shot down and killed in this aircraf t coded
white 10 + | on 28 Mar 1942; aircraf t remains recovered from bog at P erfino, Russia by
Andrey Usov in 1997, under restoration to fly
Ofw. Robert Bohr of 6./JG 54 force-landed this aircraf t coded yellow 10 + - on 13 Mar
1942 due to engine trouble. Pilot injured in landing. Aircraf t recovered in 1993, awaiting
restoration with Craig Charleston
Uffz. Horst Reuter, 21-victory ace of 5./JG 27 shot down in this aircraf t on 22 Nov 1941
near Bir-El-Gobi, Libya. Pilot OK, retur ned. Aircraft under restoration to fly with
Malcolm Laing
Two Bf 109Fs sweep low over a F rench coastal outpost in

this lovely PK (Propaganda Kompanie) photo
206
Appendix IV Sur vivors
Judging by the presence of the Geschwader badge on the

cowling, this III./JG
JG 5 Bf 109G-6 was photographed
sometime after March 1945
LOCATION
Germany
As of 12/06, for sale in England via AeroLocker (www.aerolocker.com)
Aero Ltd., Jersey, Channel Islands, UK
Deutsches Museum, Munich, Germany
South African National Museum of Militar y History, Johannesburg, SA
Flying Heritage Collection, Arlington, Washington, USA
Swiss Air Force Museum, Dbendor f, Switzerland
Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, UK
Kent Battle of Britain Museum, Hawkinge, UK
Imperial War Museum, Duxford, UK
Deutsches Technikmuseum, Berlin, Germany
Charleston Aviation Services, Colchester, Essex, UK
The Fighter Factory, Suffolk, Virginia, USA
Finnish Air Force Museum, Tikkakoski, Finland
Stored with Jim Pearce in West Sussex, UK
The Russell Group, Niagra Falls, Ontario, Canada

The Mighty Eighth AF Museum, Savannah, Georgia, USA
Andrey Usov, Russia
Malcolm Laing, Lubbock, Texas, USA
An anonymous Bf 109F is seen gracefully banking over the

English Channel in this evocative photo
22-MDF10-App-03-IV-Survivors_MDF10 03/05/2012 15:04 Page 207
An unusually dark scheme and a strangely propor tioned fuselage Balkankreuz adorn this Bf
109F-4 of JG 2. The style of the number 4 is unusual as well
TYPE
Bf 109F-4
WNR
8993
STATUS
Substantial remains
Bf 109F-4/Z
10132
Static display
Bf 109F-4
10144
Bf 109F-4
10256
Bf 109F-4/Trop
Unknown
Static display
Bf 109G-1/R2
14141
Under restoration
Bf 109G-2/R1
13470
Under restoration
Bf 109G-2
13605
Under restoration
Bf 109G-2
14743
As recovered
Bf 109G-2
14753
Static display
Bf 109G-2
14792
Static display
Bf 109G-2
14798 (?) Under restoration
Bf 109G-2
13927 (?) Substantial remains
Bf 109G-5
14343
Ongoing restoration
Bf 109G-6
15458
Substantial remains
Bf 109G-6
15678
Substantial remains
Bf 109G-4
19310
Static display
Bf 109G-6
26129
Substantial remains
Bf 109G-6
160756
Static display
Bf 109G-6
163306
Static display
Bf 109G-6/U4
163824
Static (unrestored)
Bf 109G-6/U2
Bf 109G-6/Y
165227
167271
Static display
Static display
Bf 109G-6
410077
Under restoration
Bf 109G-6
411768
Under restoration
Bf 109G-6
784993
Static display
Bf 109G-10
151591
Airworthy
Bf 109G-10/U4
610824
Static display
Bf 109G-10/U4
610937
Static display
Bf 109G-10/U4
611943
Static display
Marseille was killed in an accident on 30 September 1942, and was initially laid to rest at
Derna, then reinterred after the war at Tobruk. A pyramid still stands to this day 7 miles
south of Sidi Abd El R ahman, Egypt to mark the spot where he fell
HISTORY
Ogefr. Eugen Britz of 9./JG 5 was repor ted missing in this Aircraf t coded yellow 3
on 3 Apr 1943. Remains currently awaiting restoration in Ger many
Hptm. Horst Carganico, 60-victor y Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 5, force-landed this
aircraft black << + - behind R ussian lines on 12 Aug 1942, successfully evaded capture.
Aircraft fully restored using par ts from Bf 109G-6 WNr 26129 (Uffz. Eber hard Wollman,
11./JG 54, KIA 14 Jan 1944)
Fw. Albert Brunner, 53-victory ace of 6./JG 5, shot down in this aircraf t yellow 7 + -
by LaGG-3 of 255 IAP (Capt. Juzov) on 5 Sep 1942. Pilot OK, evaded capture. Aircraf t
under restoration to fly
Hptm. Horst Carganico, 60-victor y Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 5, force-landed near
Morowskij on 22 Jul 1942 due to engine failure. Pilot OK, Aircraf t under restoration to fly
Aircraft captured in Western Desert, currently displayed in restored state in South Africa;
WNr remains unknown at present
Aircraft suffered engine fire in flight, ditched NW of Egersund by Uffz. Wilhelm Gr tner of
2./JG 5. Coded black 6, Stkz DG+UF
Aircraft from IV./JG 5, may have been coded white 4 + ~ (Stkz CI+KS), shot down
21 Oct 1944 af ter combat with 78 IAP P-40s. Pilot OK, evaded capture
Hptm. Heinrich Ehrler, 208-victory ace with 6./JG 5, shot down in this aircraf t
yellow 12 + - east of K owdosero Sea on 21 Jun 1943. Pilot OK, retur ned to unit
Ditched by Vin Pokela of HLeLv 34 on 1 Aug 1946 when the aircraf t hit a loose tow target
which wrapped around the propeller and went into the intake. Pilot ditched OK, aircraf t now
on display in as recovered condition
Aircraft is something of a myster y- remains were recovered from Mediter ranean in 1988,
but WNr 14753 went to Finland in 1943 and ser ved as MT-212. Aircraft was known to have
served with I./JG 27 in Africa and Italy .
Aircraft originally delivered to the Bulgarian Air F orce in 1943, later taken over by Y ugoslav
Air Force, coded 9663
Aircraft belly-landed by Uffz.Emil Hein near Motovski af ter combat with Airacobras on 30 Mar
144, pilot evaded capture. Coded black 10 of 8./JG 5, aircraf t might also be 14022
Aircraft ID not positive, based on working backwards from DL+HV , WNr 13948. Carries
code of black 1, although 13927 belonged to Uffz. R udolf Fenten of 6./JG 6, coded
yellow 6 + -, taken POW on 19 F eb 1943 near Kandalschka
A very unique display owner is rebuilding this Bf 109G-5, lost with 5./JG 3 on 4 Dec 1943,
from bits and pieces of other wrecks
Aircraft ID not positive, listed as G-2 from JG 5; WNr 15458 was lost with 8./JG 1 on 9 Apr
1943 due to an engine fire, injuring Ltn. Joachim Ghre
Ofw. Eugen-Ludwig Zwiegar t, 69-victory Ritterkreuztrger of 9./JG 54, bailed out of this
aircraft coded yellow 7 + ~ af ter being shot down by bomber defensive fire near Schipol
on 27 Jul 1943. Pilot wounded but sur vived
Ltn. Wolf-Dieter Coester of 4./JG 52 MIA af ter ditching this aircraf t (coded white 3 + -,
Stkz. BH+XN) along Black Sea coastline on 20 Mar 1943. Later recovered and fully restored
by AREA in Italy
Uffz. Eberhard Wollmann of 11./JG 54 shot down and killed in this aircraf t (coded black 3 +,
Stkz RV+IS) in Russia on 14 Jan 1944.
Uffz. Ren Darbois of 3./JG 4 defected with this aircraf t yellow 4 on 25 Jul 1944, landing at
a British forward airfield at Santa Maria Capua Vetere. Later flight-tested by the US and put
into storage; currently displayed in incorrect 7./JG 27 markings as white 2 + |
Fw. Ernst Pleines of J.Gr. West force-landed and killed in this aircraf t (coded red 3 +,
Stkz RQ+DS) on frozen Lake Trzebun on 28 May 44. Aircraf t recovered from lake and restored
Aircraft captured at end of war, and is the only known Bf 109 in existence still in its or iginal
camouflage scheme. Unit assignment unknown
Aircraft flown by HLeLv 34, serial MT-452 (orig. Stkz BV+UE). Currently displayed at Utti AFB
Aircraft coded MT-507 (orig. Stkz VO+GI), last Bf 109G to be retired from Finnish ser vice
in 1954
Aircraft belonged to Tech. Offizier with Stab IV./JG 54, coded <o + ; lost to unknown
circumstances, recovered from Lake Swiblo. Aircraf t may have been recently sold to US
interests for restoration to fly
Fw. Willi Schlammer of 11./JG 5 listed as MIA in this aircraf t on 23 Aug 1944, coded
black 1 + (original Stkz. RW+ZI) in the P etsamo region. Aircraft recovered from Russia
to be restored to fly, no fur ther info available currently
Uffz. Herbert Maxis of 13./JG 53 was shot and killed by US troops af ter force-landing his
Bf 109G-14/AS white 13 + ~ during Operation Bodenplatte. The aircraf t wings survived,
and were later incorporated into this reconstr uction of a Bf 109G-6. Aircraf t painted as
white 13 as tribute to Maxis
Aircraft rebuilt as composite with elements of G-10 WNr 151591 and Hispano-Suiza
HA 1112-M1L. Currently airworthy with EADS Messerschmitt Stif tung
Aircraft captured at Neubiberg, Ger many as black 2 with 11./JG 52, later ser ved with
Yugoslav Air Force as 9663. Currently restored with incorrect parts and colors as a
faux-JG 300 aircraft
Aircraft captured at Neubiberg, Ger many, code unknown; later ser ved with Yugoslav Air
Force at 9644. Currently restored with inaccurate colors as a false interpretation of Erich
Hartmanns last G-10
Aircraft marked as yellow 13 from 11./JG 52, no fur ther history known formerly served
with 101/3 Hungarian Fighter Squadron at R affelding, Austria, surrendered at Neurberg
Germany on 8 May 1945
LOCATION
Germany, no specific location given
Canadian National Air Museum, Ottawa, Canada

Legend Flyers, Paine Field, Everett, Washington, USA
Legend Flyers, Paine Field, Everett, Washington, USA
South African National Museum of Militar y History, Johannesburg, SA
Flyvehistorisk Museum, Sola, Nor way
Norsk Luftfartmuseum, Bod, Norway
Under restoration in southern Germany
Luftfahrt Museum Hannover, Germany
Muzej Yugoslovenskog Vazduhplovsta, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Privately owned in Australia
Privately owned in US
Aviation Museum at Suppe, primarily done by Jan van Huuksloot
CRASH Stichting Recovery Team, Lisserbroek, Netherlands
Technikmuseum Speyer, Germany
Association Aeronautique Provencale Victor Tatin, France
National Air and Space Museum, W ashington DC, USA
Fundacja Polskie Orly owns the aircraft, occasionally displayed at
Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego, Krakow, Poland
Australian War Memorial Museum, Canberra, Australia
Finnish Air Force Base, Utti, Finland
Last listed with David Prewett, Heidelberg West, Victoria, Australia
Under restoration in Moscow, Russia.
Aviaticum Wiener Neustatdt, Vienna, Austria

Messerschmitt Stiftung, Manching, Germany
US Air Force Museum, Dayton, OH, USA
Michael King Smith Aviation Center, McMinnville, OR, USA
Planes of Fame, Valle, AZ
Appendix IV Sur vivors
207
23-MDF10-App-05-V-Tech_MDF10 03/05/2012 15:07 Page 208
Airframes & Production
Appendix
Bf 109F-1
The F-1 was the first major production variant of the newly redesigned Bf 109 to
enter service. The basic design details have been covered in the Type
Development chapter, but there are still some salient identification details which
appear to be specific to the F-1 variant. Photos of genuine F-1s are scarce, but
fortunately a photographer was present when Maj. Werner Mlders,
Geschwaderkommodore of JG 51, paid a visit to Dsseldorf in May, 1941. The PK
photographer captured Mlders immaculate and highly polished F-1 in
Maj. Werner Mlders, center, walks
towards his Bf 109F-1 during a visit to
Dsseldorf in late May 1941. This photo
shows two small but impor tant items
specific to the early F series (F-1 and
F-2); namely, the lack of a clear cover
over the wingtip navigation light, and the
port exhausts do not have the angled
shield to help prevent ingestion of exhaust
gases into the supercharger intake. One
additional detail specific only to the
earliest F-1s is the riveted reinforcement
strip at the top of the wingroot fairing,
much like that fitted to the earlier Emil
surprising detail, revealing the wing root fillets to be attached with a riveted strip
much like that on the earlier Bf 109E, and showing the wingtip navigation lights
to be similar to the earlier Emil as well, consisting of small colored glass covers
over the bulbs themselves instead of having the clear, conformal Plexiglas cover.
The port exhausts also lack the exhaust deflection shield. While the missing
exhaust shield is relatively easy to spot in other period photos, the reinforcement
strip has so far been seen on only one other aircraft, a JG 54 aircraft at Siwerskaja
in the winter of 1941. Complicating matters somewhat is the presence of these
same characteristics on early F-2s, particularly those built by WNF; the only
ironclad identifier of an F-1, therefore, would be a cockpit photo revealing the
MG-FF cannon, or the riveted strip seen only on the earliest aircraft.
The armament consisted of two staggered cowl-mounted MG 17s, and a
central drum-fed 20mm MG-FF cannon enclosed by a zippered canvas cover.
Over two hundred machines were built from August 1940 to February 1941, and
these saw service with JG 1, JG 2, JG 3, JG 26, JG 51, JG 52, JG 53, and JG 54.
TYPE
Bf 109F-1/B
Bf 109F-1/B
Bf 109F-1/B
WNR
5691
5686
5692
NAME
Uffz. Alfred Ludwig
Unknown
Unknown
UNIT
2./ JG 51
2./ JG 51
2./ JG 51
CODE
black 3 +
Unknown
unknown
DATE
5 Nov 41
7 Jul 41
7 Aug 41
TECHNICAL
Length:
Wingspan:
Height including propeller:
Height fuselage only:
Engine:
Propeller:
Standard armament:
Electronic equipment:
8.94 metres (29.3 feet)

DB 601N
VDM 9-12010A
1x MG-FF 20mm electrically fired cannon on aircraf t centerline;
2x MG 17 7.92mm machine guns mounted over engine
FuG 25 IFF, FuG VIIa radio
KNOWN WNr BLOCKS

Messerschmitt-Regensburg
WNF
5601 5790
6601 6650
Aug 1940 Feb 1941

Nov 1940 Jan 1941
157 total
49 total
RSTSTZE, UMBAUSTZE, AND RSTZUSTND E:

According to factor y documentation (D.(Luf t)T.2109 F-1 bis F-4, Teil 8B, Bf 109F-1 bis F-4
Abwurfwaffenanlage, July 1943 edition), all models of the Bf 109F were capable of car rying similar
external ordnance loads, including the ETC 500/IXb centerline bomb rack suitable for car rying SC
250 bombs, the ETC50/VIIId centerline rack for car riage of SC 50 bombs, and the SD 2 antipersonnel bomb dispenser. However, the manual does not assign R# designations to this
equipment, aircraft so equipped being denoted as F -1/B. Three loss listings for 2./JG 51 reveal this
to be official nomenclature:
REASON
KIA due to ground fire
Enemy fire
Tire damage
LOCATION
Rochford, England
near Rogatschew, Russia
Bobruisk-Sd, Russia
% DAMAGE
100%
90%
30%
The 300 litre drop tank was frequently fitted to all F models, but no official documentation has yet
surfaced to indicate the designation of those aircraf t so outfitted; Prien and Rodeike suggest the
designation may have been R5, but research continues on this issue. No Umbaustze are known to
have been fitted to the F -1.
208
Appendix V Air frame & Production
This well-known photo shows the

Bf 109F-2 of Maj. Hans von Hahn,
Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 3, in R ussia
sometime during July 1941. Note the
narrow supercharger intake, shared with
the Bf 109F-1, along with the open
exhausts and supplemental windscreen
armor
Bf 109F-2
Entering service at the beginning of 1941, the Bf 109F-2 was the first major
production version of the new F series. The aircraft differed very slightly from
the earlier F-1, with the main difference being the inclusion of an improved
15mm centerline cannon with a much higher rate of fire and muzzle velocity, the
MG 151/15. The F-2 retained the DB 601N, as the more powerful DB 601E was
still undergoing development, and was invariably fitted with a narrow
supercharger intake, shallow oil cooler, and a VDM 9-12010A propeller. As can
be seen in the photo above, many F-2s retained the unshielded port exhaust
configuration of the F-1, and close examination of operational photos seems to
indicate that at least the early F-2s from WNF also retained the uncovered
wingtip navigation lights (WNr block 6651 6822). This highlights the
difficulty of sorting an F-1 from an F-2 in photographs; without a Werknummer
or a view into the cockpit, it is virtually impossible to tell the two apart. The
wheel wells are also an unreliable indicator; it was originally intended to fit
wheel covers to the outer wheel well, resulting in a squared-off outboard edge
which became common on the G series, but the covers did not actually appear
on series production aircraft until the K-4. Consequently, the majority of F
models had a circular outer wheel well, but again, many examples of the
squared-off design are seen throughout the F series.
TECHNICAL
Length:
Wingspan:
Engine:
Propeller:
Standard armament:
KNOWN WNr BLOCKS

AGO
Arado-Warnemnde
Erla
WNF

DB 601N
VDM 9-12010A
1x MG151/15 15mm electrically fired cannon on aircraf t centerline;
12601 12978
5401 5558
9535 9734
8075 8266
5601 5790
8901 9001
9151 9250
6651 6822
Nov 40 Jun 41
Feb May 1941
Jun Aug 1941
Feb May 1941
Feb 1941
Mar Apr 1941
Apr May 1941
Jan Apr 1941
378 total
358 total
192 total
234 total
172 total

As noted in the F -1 description, the Bf 109F was cleared to car ry external ordnance loads, and the
F-2 utilized the same equipment as the F -1:
ETC 500/IXb for single SC 250 bombs
ETC50/VIIId for four SC 50 bombs
SD 2 anti-personnel bomb dispenser
Obstlt. Adolf Galland is seen here standing on the por t wing of his Bf
109F-2/U1. Note the distinctive cowl bulges covering the breech
mechanisms of the MG 131 heavy machine guns
When equipped with bomb deliver y racks, the aircraf t was redesignated F-2/B. The 300 litre drop
tank may have been known as Rstsatz 5, but no official documentation has yet sur faced to confirm
this. There was one known Umbausatz applied to an F -2; this was the single F -2/U1 outfitted with a
pair of 13mm MG 131 heavy machine guns in place of the rifle caliber MG 17s over the engine and
which was flown by Obstlt. Adolf Galland, Geschwaderkommodore of JG 26 Schlageter .
Airframe & Production Appendix V
209
Bf 109F-3, F-4
Once Daimler-Benz finally sorted out the development issues with the more
powerful DB 601E, the engine was cleared for operational use and was specified
as standard equipment in the Bf 109F-3 and F-4. Very few F-3s were produced
(Prien/Rodeike suggests 15 airframes from Messerschmitt-Regensburg, WNrs
4780 4799), and loss records are equally scarce; the aircraft is listed in the May
1941 edition of the Bf 109F-1 bis F-4 Handbuch, the only difference between
the F-3 and F-4 being the inclusion of the older drum-fed 20mm MG-FF/M
cannon instead of the improved MG 151 unit.
The F-4 is often referred to as the best handling variant of the Bf 109 family;
the improved DB 601E provided about 1350 horsepower, giving the combatready F-4 a verified top speed of 660 to 670 km/h (approximately 410 mph) in
level flight at a weight of 2,890 kg, or 6,371 pounds, which included a full fuel
and ammo load (source: Messerschmitt AG test document from 29 Nov 1941).
The F-4 also substituted an increased bore MG 151/20 20mm centerline cannon
for the earlier 15mm design of the F-2. Handling trials in comparison with the
Fw 190A-2 and A-3 revealed the F-4 to be equally as maneuverable as the newer
Focke-Wulf design, and the aircraft rapidly became the mount of choice for
Experten on both the Eastern and Western fronts.
A new, larger supercharger intake was introduced with the F-4 variant which
remained basically the same until the DB 605AS and D engines were placed into
service, and this new intake is one of the prime visual clues to tell an F-1 or F-2
from an F-4. However, the first production F-4s from WNF and Erla still retained
the narrow supercharger intake, which muddies the waters when attempting to
identify specific subtypes in photographs. The F-4 originally carried the same
shallow SKF 9-6130A oil cooler as the earlier Friedrich models, but the larger
SKF Fo 927 oil cooler was introduced into service with the F-4/Z model, which
was outfitted with a GM-1 nitrous oxide injection system for better performance
at high altitudes. The larger Fo 927 oil cooler on an F model is usually a good
identification point for spotting an F-4, but again, the smaller version was seen
on numerous examples, as shown by the photo of Oblt. Hans Schleefs 7./JG 3
Bf 109F-4 above. A new, wider VDM 9-12087A propeller blade design was
introduced during F-4 production as well, but the earlier 9-12010A blades are
still seen on early F-4 models. The most important thing to remember about
these various equipment modifications is that all of these could easily be
retrofitted to earlier models in the field, with the possible exception of the wider
210
The characteristics of the Bf 109F-4 can be seen in this photo of white 4/Katja, the aircraft
of Oblt. Hans Schleef of 7./JG 3. The aircraft is seen here along with other III./JG 3 aircraft
at Straubing in mid-May 1942, at the time the unit re-equipped with new Bf 109F-4s.
Schleef downed his 40th and 41st opponents on 6 April, resulting in the award of the
German Cross in Gold, and the 41 victories are marked on his rudder . Schleef went on to
achieve 99 victories before being shot down and killed in Bf 109G-10 Blue 4, WNr 490758,
on 31 Dec 1944. The enlarged supercharger intake for the DB 601E and the original,
shallower oil cooler are seen to advantage here, as are the circular wheel wells and the
supplemental windscreen armor. Note also the por t exhausts now have a shield covering
them. The aircraft is painted in an unusual scheme specific to many JG 3 aircraft, with
large, irregular patches of 70 Schwar tzgrn and 75 Grauviolett over the basic camo of 79
Sandgelb and 78 Hellblau
TECHNICAL (F-4)
Length:
Wingspan:
Engine:
Propeller:
Standard armament:
F-4 KNOWN WNr BLOCKS

Erla
164 F-4
55 F-4/Z (fitted with GM-1)
576 x F-4/Trop
WNF

DB 601E
VDM 9-12010A or VDM 9-12087
1x MG151/20 20mm electrically fired cannon on aircraf t centerline;
8267 8399
8400 8806
10001 10290
Jun Aug 1941

Dec 41 Apr 42
Jan May 1942
795 total
6999 7660
13001 13391
May Dec 1941

Dec 41 Apr 42
1046 total
252 F-4
544 F-4/Z (fitted with GM-1)
240 F-4/R1 (equipped for under wing 20mm gondolas)

The F-4 could also be equipped with exter nal ordnance loads, using the exact same equipment and loadouts as the earlier F model s:
ETC 500/IXb for single SC 250 bombs
ETC50/VIIId for four SC 50 bombs
SD 2 anti-personnel bomb dispenser
When equipped with bomb deliver y racks, the aircraf t was redesignated F-4/B, and this is reflected in loss listings:
TYPE
Bf 109F-4/B
Bf 109F-4/B
WNr
8286
7232
NAME
Ofw. Josef Fernsebner
Uffz. Oswald Fischer
UNIT
8./JG 52
10.(J)/JG 26
CODE
black 5 + ^^
white 11 +
DATE
8 Sep 41
20 May 42
Bf 109F-4/B
7626
Ltn. Josef Frschl
10.(J)/JG 2
blue 4 + <-
27 May 42
Bf 109F-4/B
Bf 109F-4/B
Bf 109F-4/B
Bf 109F-4/B
Bf 109F-4/B
Bf 109F-4/B
13005
7059
13014
7610
7372
7363
Ogefr. Franz Langhammer

Major Dr. Erich Mix
Ltn. Hans-Joachim Schulz
Uffz. Rudolf Schwarzer
Ltn. Rudolf Weinfurtner
Uffz. Fritz Zeller
10.(J)/JG 2
Stab I./JG 1
10.(J)/JG 2
10.(J)/JG 2
10.(J)/JG 27
10.(J)/JG 27
blue 12 + <white << +

blue 8 + <unk
yellow 4 + (?)
unk
21 Apr 42
7 Mar 41
16 May 42
31 May 42
18 May 42
5 Nov 42
REASON
KIA, cause unknown.
POW after emergency landing due to fire from
Motor Launches. Aircraf t later flown by R AF
POW after being shot down by Spitfires of 41 Sq.
(Allen & Wainwright)
MIA on raid to England, cause unknown
(Gruppenkommandeur) Crash-landed at base
KIA due to British flak
MIA due to ships flak in Engl. Channel
Killed in emergency landing due to engine trouble
Crash landing due to undercar riage damage
LOCATION
Kiev
% DAMAGE
100%
Beachy Head, Sussex.
100%
Yaverland Farm, Brading, Isle of Wight.

over sea (based at Beaumont-le-Roger)
Katwijk A/F
Cawsand Bay, near Plymouth.
near Bognan-Regis
El Adem
Martuba A/F
100%
100%
30%
100%
100%
100%
85%
With the introduction of the G series, the various weapon fitments received their own Rstsatz designations; however , there were a few Rstzustnde introduced into F -4 production which actually saw ser vice
and were reflected in the aircraf ts designation. As mentioned earlier, the F-4/R1 was delivered with the capability to fit MG 151/20 20mm cannons in outboard wing gondolas, but few aircraf t were actually
outfitted with these weapons; JG 52 cer tainly used them, as evidenced by photos, but the majority of aircraf t capable of car rying the outboard cannons were not fitted with them. A sample listing of loss and
damage repor ts reveals the F-4/R1 saw widespread use:
TYPE
Bf 109F-4/R1
Bf 109F-4/R1
Bf 109F-4/R1
WNr
8353
13047
13089
NAME
Uffz. Karl-Heinz Gaykow
Ltn. Alfons Schulte-Walter
Uffz. Siegfried Mller
UNIT
10.(J)/JG 26
9./JG 54
9./JG 54
CODE
white 6 + bomb
yellow 7 + ^^
yellow 4 + ^^
DATE
04 Oct 42
13 May 42
05 Jan 42
Bf 109F-4/R1
Bf 109F-4/R1
Bf 109F-4/R1
Bf 109F-4/R1
Bf 109F-4/R1
Bf 109F-4/R1
Bf 109F-4/R1
Bf 109F-4/R1
Bf 109F-4/R1
Bf 109F-4/R-1
13125
13131
13153
13162
13165
13195
13207
13311
13314
13360
Oblt. Max-Hellmuth Ostermann

Ltn. Hermann Leiste
Oblt. Paul Kranz
Fw. Franz Schulte
Oblt. Hokan von Blow
Uffz. Ludwig Berger
Hptm. Ar thur. Brutzer,
Uffz. Karl Gr ummbck
Ltn. Heinrich Graf von Einseidel
Ltn. Edmund Br ucki
8./JG 54
4./JG 54
5./JG 77
6./JG 77
9./JG 54
7./JG 77
9./JG 77
9./JG 77
Stab III./JG 3
Stab I./JG 3
black 1 + ^^
white 7 +
black 4 + yellow 16 + yellow 9 + ^^
white 8 +
yellow 1 +
black < +
black <o + |
black <- +
05 Dec 42
06 Aug 42
05 Nov 42
08 Dec 42
13 May 42
05Dec 42
05 Dec 42
21 May 42
30 Aug 42
21 Jul 42
REASON
Injured in emergency landing due to tech failure
MIA after combat
Reported lost af ter emergency landing due to
fuel shor tage. Pilot returned
Stkp. WIA in combat
MIA due to Flak
Reported missing af ter combat. Pilot retur ned
MIA after combat
MIA after combat
POW after combat. Died in POW camp 3.1.43
Stkp. MIA af ter combat
MIA after combat
POW after combat. emergency landing
KIA in combat
LOCATION
Arques A/F
Olomno area
Leningrad area
Ljuban A/F
near Krestzy
Priwalowka
Olomno area
Koplink
Koplink
SE of Isjum
Stalingrad area
8 km west of R omanowskaja
% DAMAGE
65%
100%
100%
b
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
The F-4 was also the first of the redesigned Bf 109 variants to be modified to fill the fast reconnaissance role. According to documentation listed by Prien and Rodeike, four different packages were developed.
The recon packages received individual Rstzustnde designations as follows:
F-4/R2
5 a/c built by Erla
1 Rb 20/30 camera, radios removed
F-4/R3
36 a/c confirmed built by Erla
F-4/R4
1 a/c built by Erla
F-4/R8
1 a/c confirmed built by Erla
1 Rb 50/30 or 75/30, radios in place
It should be noted that while production figures only show 2 actual aircraf t fitted with the large-for mat Rb 50/30 or 75/30 cam eras by the Erla factor y, numerous operational photos confir m that these camera
packages were fitted to many different aircraf t, including F-4/Trops. Loss listings confir m the use of the Rstzustnde nomencl ature as modifiers to the aircraf ts official identification, as shown by the two
F-4/R3 losses below:
TYPE
Bf 109F-4/R3
Bf 109F-4/R3
WNr
8765
8751
NAME
Uffz. Rolf Grassberger
Ofw. Gnter Matthes
UNIT
1.(F)/ 123
4.(H)/ 12
CODE
Unknown
black 12 + -
DATE
24 Apr 42
30 Nov 42
REASON
KIA, crashing into the sea on recon
Enemy fighters.
LOCATION
Off Southampton
Agheila
% DAMAGE
100%
20%
The 300 litre drop tank was also commonly used, although an exact Rstsatz designation has yet to be unear thed. The Umbausatz /U1 was planned but not used; this was intended for an F -4 with cowling
mounted MG 131s instead of MG 17s. One fur ther unofficial Umbausatz is wor thy of note; in a continual quest for more firepower , Obstlt. Adolf Galland of Stab/JG 26 had one of his personal F -2s, WNr 6750
(coded <-+-) outfitted with a pair of wing-mounted MG-FF/M 20mm dr um-fed cannons, and the modification was given the entirely f ake identification F-6/U by JG 26 personnel.
VDM propeller; the DB 601N had a final reduction gear ratio of 1:1.55, while the
DB 601E ratio was 1:1.685. It is not known if the lower ratio of the DB 601N
would allow the use of the wider and heavier 9-12087A prop on the F-2, but it
bears further investigation. There is one further concrete identification point to
tell an F-2 from an F-4, and that is the octane triangle on the port side beneath
the fuel fill point; the DB 601N of the F-2 required 100 octane C3 fuel, while the
DB 601E of the F-4 was able to use standard 87 octane B4 fuel.
Another major equipment provision introduced on the F-4 was the
introduction of a modification kit to allow operation in tropical climes. The /Trop
modification entailed the fitting of an external sand filter to the supercharger
intake, with the forward clamshell doors operated via a flexible Bowden cable in
the cockpit; all oleo struts were covered by leather or fabric gaiters; a desert
survival kit was fitted inside the pilots baggage compartment; a Mauser 98K rifle
was mounted inside the aft fuselage; and sturdier 650mm x 160mm Continental
mainwheel tires with a white outer wall were fitted as standard equipment on the
/Trop variant as well. And of course, the most obvious change was the
camouflage; the F-4/Trop was usually delivered in 79 Sandgelb over 78 Hellblau.
This led to some interesting camouflage variations on aircraft destined for JG 5 in
Norway and JG 3 in Russia, as can be seen in the photo opposite.
This Bf 109F-4 of 7./JG 54 coded white 6 executed a per fect belly landing and is being
investigated by German ground troops. Although similar, this is not the same aircraft flown
by Oblt. Werner Pichon Kalau vom Hofe, as that machine carried a 7 Staffel badge on the
cowling and a different style 6
Airframe & Production Appendix V
211
Bf 109G-1
The introduction of the Bf 109G-1 marked the entry of the new DB 605A engine
into service. The amount of changes incorporated in the basic F airframe
warranted an entirely new designation; these changes included a new, welded
canopy frame with an integrated 60mm thick armor glass windscreen, a
number of minor instrument and equipment rearrangements within the
cockpit, the relocation of the fuel fill point from beneath the canopy to the spine,
and other minor improvements. Conceived as a high-altitude fighter, the G-1
also introduced a rudimentary pressurized cockpit, with the small compressor
air intake above the supercharger intake and the silica gel pellets in each panel of
the windscreen and canopy providing subtle but important visual identification
clues. The pressurization system worked reasonably well, and two further
pressurized 109G variants (the Bf 109G-3 and G-5) would follow.
Among the visual cues to recognize a G-1 in photos are the following:
Heavy framed windscreen and canopy assembly with integral armor/headrest
across the rear of the canopy assembly
Two small scoops at the front of the cowling per side, for exhaust and spark
plug cooling
Small compressor scoop on port cowling
No bumps on cowling or wings
Antenna lead meets fuselage in section 5, just above Balkenkreuz
Type
Mod designation Description
Bf 109G-1/R 1
Rstsatz
Equipped with bomb rack beneath fuselage (ETC 500/IXb or
Schlo 503 A-1)
Bf 109G-1/R 2
Rstsatz
Equipped with ETC 50 VIIId rack for 4x SC 50 bombs
Bf 109G-1/R 3
Rstsatz
Equipped with 300 litre drop tank on aircraf t centerline
Bf 109G-1/R 4
Rstsatz
Equipped with SD 2 dispenser rack, containing 24x SD 2
bomblets
Bf 109G-1/R 6
Rstsatz
Equipped with two 20mm MG151/20 beneath wings
Bf 109G-1/R2
Rstzustand
Equipped with GM 1 nitrous oxide engine boost for high
altitude per formance, and racks provided in fuselage for
fitment of camera equipment
In the photo above, the Bf 109G-1 of Hptm. Heinz Knoke, Staffelkapitn of 5./JG 1 is loaded
with an SC 250 bomb as par t of an experimental air-to-air bombing project. The ETC 500/IX
b bomb rack was fitted as Rstsatz 1
TECHNICAL
Length:
Wingspan:
Engine:
Propeller:
Standard armament:

DB 605A (DB 605AM if equipped with MW 50)
VDM 9-12087
1x MG 151/20 20mm electrically fired cannon on aircraf t centerline;
KNOWN WNr BLOCKS

Erla
10299 10318
May Jun 42
14004 14070
14071 14150
Feb Jun 42
Feb Jun 42
Messerschmitt Regensburg
20 standard G-1
20 total
67 standard G-1
80 G-1/R2)
147 total
Bf 109G-2
While initial deliveries of the Bf 109G-1 took place as early as February 1942, the
production tempo increased noticeably around May 1942, when initial deliveries
of the non-pressurized G-2 variant took place. Produced concurrently with the
G-1 and similar in almost every respect save for the pressurization-specific
equipment, the G-2 saw service on every front, with a total of 1,587 machines
produced (including at least 406 G-2/trops). Among the visual cues to recognize
a G-2 in photos are the following:
Heavy framed windscreen and canopy assembly with standard steel plate
armor
Two small scoops at the front of the cowling per side, for exhaust and spark
plug cooling
No small compressor scoop on port cowling
No bumps on cowling or wings
Antenna lead meets fuselage in section 5, just above Balkenkreuz
KNOWN RSTSTZE, UMBAUSTZE, AND RST ZUSTNDE:
Type
Bf 109G-2/R 1
Rstsatz
Schlo 503 A-1)
Bf 109G-2/R 2
Rstsatz
Bf 109G-2/R 3
Rstsatz
Bf 109G-2/R 4
Rstsatz
bomblets
Bf 109G-2/R 6
Rstsatz
Bf 109G-2/U1
Umbausatz
Intended to designate use of Me P6 reversible pitch propeller
(which never entered squadron ser vice)
Bf 109G-2/R1
Rstzustand
Provision for two 300 litre fuel tanks beneath the outer
wings, just outboard of the wheel wells, as well as an ETC
500/IX b fuselage rack and a supplementar y wheel fitted to
the aft fuselage to give sufficient ground clearance for the
500kg bomb
Bf 109G-2/R2
Rstzustand
212
A Bf 109G-2 of JG 54 Grnherz coded yellow 4 or 14 warms up on the R ussian steppe

prior to another mission
TECHNICAL
Length:
Wingspan:
Engine:
Propeller:
Standard armament:
KNOWN WNr BLOCKS

Erla
WNF

Daimler-Benz DB 605A
VDM 9-12087
2x MG17 7.92mm machine guns mounted over engine
10319 10479 (160 standard G-2)

10480 10863 (384 G-2/trop)
Produced from June December 42
13401 14000 (590 standard G-2, 10 G-2/R1)
14501 14850 (350 standard G-2)
Produced from May to December 42
14151 14268 (96 standard G-2, 22 G-2/trop)
Produced from June to August 42
Bf 109G-3, G-4
The G-4 was introduced in late 1942, with a number of small changes to address
operational requirements. The changes are relatively easy to identify externally,
although it should be borne in mind that parts were relatively easy to
interchange, so a G-2 might wind up with G-4 wings, etc. When in doubt,
Occams Razor should come into play that is, the simplest explanation is
usually the correct one. 50 pressurized variants were built by MesserschmittRegensburg with the designation G-3 as well; aside from the pressurization gear
(noted in the G-1 description), the aircraft were otherwise identical to the G-4.
Two of the more significant changes concerned the radio equipment and the
landing gear; the new, more powerful Telefunken FuG 16z radio set was fitted to
the G-4 and all subsequent Bf 109 models, and the antenna lead was moved aft
to just in front of the tail fillet. The landing gear underwent a subtle change as
well; the angle of the main wheels in relation to the strut was changed to give the
wheels a more vertical stance. This, coupled with a 10mm increase in tire size
from 650 x 160mm to 660 x 160mm, meant that a small bulge had to be placed
in the upper wing surface to allow sufficient clearance for the tire in the wheel
well. The tailwheel was increased in size as well, from 290 x 110mm to 350 x
135mm. These changes were made to help clear up some of the awful ground
handling characteristics of the Bf 109.
Approximately 435 Trop variants were produced, out of a total currently
known production run of 1,242 airframes.
External clues to identify a G-4 are as follows:
Heavy framed windscreen and canopy assembly with standard steel plate
armor
Radio antenna lead moved from section 5 (midway down fuselage) to section 8
(just in front of tail fin)
A small bump was added atop each wing over the outer wheel well to clear the
larger 660 x 160mm tires
The aircraft carries a larger tailwheel, and the tailwheel well is often plated over
II./JG 3 spent much of the spring of 1943 in the Crimea and Caucasus, where this 6.Staffel
Bf 109G-4 was photographed
This close up of a Bf 109G-4 shows one of the main identification points for the type; the
addition of a small bump over the mainwheel well to allow clearance for a larger tire,
mounted at a different angle than previous models
TECHNICAL
Length:
Wingspan:
Engine:
Propeller:
Standard armament:

Daimler-Benz DB 605A
VDM 9-12087
2x MG17 7.92mm machine guns mounted over engine
FuG 25a IFF, FuG 16z radio
KNOWN WNr BLOCKS BF 109G-3

16251 16300 JanFeb 1943
50 G-3

Erla
10864 10921 Jan 43
15001 15204 FebMar 43
WNF
14851 15000 Dec 42F eb 43
19093 19999 Feb 43-May 43
16001 16250 SepNov 42
16301 16312 Feb 43
Gor (Hungary)
16651 16653 JulSep 43
58 G-4/trop
204 G-4/trop
70 G-4, 80 G-4/R3
565 G-4
173 G-4/trop, 77 G-4)
12 G-4
3 Ga-4

Type
Bf 109G-4/R 1
Rstsatz
Equipped with bomb rack beneath fuselage (ETC 500/IXb
or Schlo 503 A-1)
Bf 109G-4/R 2
Rstsatz
Bf 109G-4/R 3
Rstsatz
Bf 109G-4/R 6
Rstsatz
Bf 109G-4/U1
Umbausatz
Intended to designate use of Me P6 reversible pitch
propeller (which never entered squadron ser vice)
Bf 109G-4/R1
Rstzustand
Provision for two 300 litre fuel tanks beneath the outer
wings, just outboard of the wheel wells, as well as an ETC
500/IX b fuselage rack and a supplementar y wheel fitted to
the aft fuselage to give sufficient ground clearance for the
500kg bomb
Bf 109G-4/R2
Rstzustand
Bf 109G-4/R3
Rstzustand
Outfitted as fast reconnaissance platfor m, equipped for two
300 litre drop tank racks outboard of wheel wells, camera
equipment could include Rb 75/30 or Rb 50/30 camera.
Central cannon was retained, cowling ar mament was
removed
The Bf 109G-3 Flugzeug-Handbuch from August 1943 indicates that the aircraf t could be outfitted
with many of the same Rststze as the G-4; R1, R2, R3, and R6 are all listed in the pamphlet. One
Umbausatz was listed for the aircraf t as well:
Bf 109G-4/U2
Umbausatz
Aircraft equipped with GM-1 nitrous oxide boost for
additional power at high altitude
This Bf 109G-4 serving with Gr.7 van. on the Eastern Front carried the name Don Pedro on
the cowling
213
Bf 109G-5, G-6
Developed in response to pleas for greater firepower from front-line Luftwaffe
pilots, the Bf 109G-6 began life as a modified G-4, with the rifle-caliber MG 17s
in the cowling replaced by significantly more powerful 13mm MG 131 machine
guns. The increased hitting power came with a substantial weight and drag
penalty, however, as the guns and their associated hardware were substantially
heavier than the MG 17s which they replaced. In addition, due to the tight fit
within the cowling, the feed chutes for the cowling guns had to be routed outside
of the upper engine bearer mount and back towards the belt feed mechanism on
the sides of the MG 131s this resulted in a pair of enormous, round bulges
being riveted to the cowling to offer some rudimentary streamlining. And
despite the increase in overall weight, the same basic DB 605A that entered
service with the much lighter G-1 and G-2 still powered the G-6 model, and
development was stymied on the more powerful DB 605D engine. The G-6 was
destined to become the most widely produced Bf 109 variant, with somewhere
in the neighborhood of 12,000 airframes being built. During the production of
the aircraft, there were a bewildering number of small variations between
production batches; tall and short antenna masts, early and late head armor,
framed and clear-vision canopies, tall and short vertical fin and rudder
assemblies, additional radio equipment, and so forth.
The Bf 109G-5 was the pressurized variant of the G-6; aside from the
provision for cockpit pressurization (equipment listed in the G-1 description),
the airframe was otherwise virtually identical. Initially, the G-5s were mixed into
the G-6 production batches, but there was at least one dedicated production run
of G-5s from Erla as noted in the production tables below, based on information
originally compiled by Prien and Rodeike.
Most of the equipment descriptions are mir rored on the G-5, with the /R5 Rstzustand being the
major exception:
Type
Bf 109G-6/R 1
Rstsatz
Equipped with bomb rack beneath fuselage (ETC 500/IXb
or Schlo 503 A-1); can not be fitted to G-5, G-5/R2,
or G-5/U2 aircraf t
Bf 109G-6/R 2
Rstsatz
Bf 109G-6/R 3
Rstsatz
Bf 109G-6/R 4
Rstsatz
bomblets
Bf 109G-6/R 6
Rstsatz
Bf 109G-6/R 7
Rstsatz
Equipped with PR 16 direction finding loop and associated
equipment (designation not used in practice)
Bf 109G-6/U2
Umbausatz
Factory equipped with GM 1 nitrous oxide system
Bf 109G-6/U3
Umbausatz
Factory equipped with MW-50 methanol-water injection
Bf 109G-6/U4
Umbausatz
30mm MK108 cannon replaced central MG 151/20 cannon
Bf 109G-6/U5
Umbausatz
Centerline 20mm MG151/20 and two 30mm MK108 cannon
beneath wings (proposed)
Bf 109G-6/U6
Umbausatz
Centerline 30mm MK108and two 30mm MK108 cannon
Bf 109G-6/R2
Rstzustand
Aircraft fitted with Rb 50/30 camera in af t fuselage
Bf 109G-6/R3
Rstzustand
Aircraft fitted with Rb 75/30 camera in af t fuselage*
(see G-6/R5)
Bf 109G-6/R4
Rstzustand
Aircraft fitted with GM 1 nitrous oxide system, listed in
D.(Luft)T.2109 G-AS; no other details given
Bf 109G-6/R5
Rstzustand
Listed in Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen as well
as loss listings; may indicate presence of large Rb 75/30
camera in af t fuselage, as with G-8
This Bf 109G-6, WNr 411960, was flown by the Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 5, Hptm.
Franz Drr, from Gossen, Nor way in early 1945
214
The basic characteristics of the standard mid-war G-6 (possibly built by Erla) are seen
here, namely the small bumps on the upper wing, the large bumps on the fuselage, the tall
antenna mast, and the standard steel head armor. The presence of the additional small
bulge on the engine cowling suggests either the cowling or the aircraft may be from the
Erla production line; this bump was to cover the pressurization compressor on the G-5,
which was only built by Erla. This should not be taken as a prime identifying characteristic,
however, as cowlings were easily interchangeable
TECHNICAL
Length: 8.94
Wingspan:
Engine:
Propeller:
Standard armament:
meters
9.924 meters
3.4 meters
2.6 meters
VDM 9-12087
2x MG 131 13mm machine guns mounted over engine
FuG 25a IFF, FuG 16z radio, provision for PR 16 direction finding
antenna on spine

Examples mixed in the following G-6 batches (All known G-5s were produced by Erla):
Erla
15205 16000
26000 26135
27000 27185
One dedicated G-5 batch was produced:
110001 110576 Nov 43 Jun 44
16313 16675 Feb Apr 1943
17000 17057 Aug 1943
18000 18899 Apr Jul 1943
160000 161800
162000 164000
164900 166400
167200 167400
170000 170050
WNF
19093 19999 Feb-Jun 1943
20000 20800 Jun-Aug 1943
14000 140400
230000 230900
440000 441000
441000 442100
510200 510300
510600 511000
15205 16000 Mar Aug 43
Erla
26000 26135 Aug Sep 43
27000 27185 Sep Oct 43
32000 37000*
410000 413000
413400 413900
418700 418800
* According to Prien, most a/c in these blocks were later renumbered
Gyr (Hungary)
96000 97000
760000 760400
(possibly)
G-6/R2 batch
G-6/U4 batch
mixed with G-14

incl G-5
incl G-5
incl G-5
(possibly)
(possibly)
Bf 109G-6/AS, G-14/AS
The G-6/AS and G-14/AS aircraft were developed as a stopgap measure to
provide increased performance to help combat the increasingly effective Allied
fighters and bombers, with de Havilland Mosquitoes being high on the priority
list. As discussed in the Type Development chapter, the DB 605AS engine
resulted from bolting the larger supercharger of the DB 603 engine onto the
engine block of the DB 605A. The performance improvement was immediately
evident, and it was decided to rebuild as many damaged airframes as DB
605AS-powered machines as possible. The increased supercharger diameter
required the design and construction of an entirely new and far more
streamlined engine cowling assembly; the taller fin cap and rudder were also
added to the airframe at the time it was rebuilt, as was the improved Erla
Haube canopy and mixed-construction head armor with armored glass.
Identifying an AS machine when compared to a G-10 can be tricky, but there are
a few visual clues which will help make things easier;
TECHNICAL
Length: 8.94
Wingspan:
Engine:
Propeller:
Standard armament:
meters
9.924 meters
3.4 meters
2.6 meters
DB 605AS
VDM 9-12159A (to be fitted when possible, as per the G-AS
manual)
antenna on spine; many aircraf t outfitted with FuG 16zy fighterspecific radio sets, denoted with a small y suffix in aircraf ts
designation (e.g. Bf 109G-6/ASy)
The men of IV./JG 5 are seen at readiness in April 1945 at Kjevik-Kristansand, Nor way. In
the background is the Bf 109G-14/AS believed to belong to the Staffelkapitn of 14./JG 5,
Ltn. Helmut Neumann. Note that the swastika is aligned with the leading edge of the fin, and
the IV. Gruppe welle is applied at an odd angle as well
A total of 686 G-6/AS machines are known to have been built, although only
one new production batch of G-6/AS airframes was constructed, as indicated by
the production chart (overleaf) taken from data compiled by Prien and Rodeike.
The G-14/AS was likewise a conversion of the allegedly standardized
Bf 109G-14, with most external details being exactly the same as the G-6/AS.
Some airframes did receive the deeper oil cooler (Fo 987) usually seen on Bf
109G-10s and K-4s, but this was apparently the exception rather than the rule.
The DB 605AS utilized the same F o 870 oil cooler as the standard DB 605A , meaning the radiator bath is not as deep as that on a G-10 and K-4, which used the Fo 987 cooler. The AS engine
used the same 38.7 litre oil tank as the standard DB 605A , while the DB 605D required a 50 litre oil tank the filler neck of t he 50 litre tank is mounted higher than the earlier model. The DB
605D introduced larger rocker covers, which in tur n required additional bulges to be added to the for ward edge of the lower cow ling; the majority of DB 605AS-engined aircraf t did not have
these bulges, although they have been seen on some G-14/AS aircraf t. The cowlings could be replaced in a matter of minutes, so this is not a concrete identifier.
The hatch for the cold weather star t device is located in the nor mal lower position on AS-engined aircraf t, while on those airc raft fitted with the DB 605D, the hatch is located higher . Also note
that many of the aircraf t with the higher hatch position have had the original hatch welded shut, as indicated by the dashed li ne on the G-10/K-4 nose drawing above.
215
As the war situation deteriorated for Germany, record keeping took a back seat
to production expediency; as a result, we believe around 1,000 G-14/AS
airframes were built, but production data such as that listed for the G-6/AS
above is virtually non-existent. The AS airframes were scattered throughout
standard G-14 production series from two of the three major Bf 109
manufacturers, Messerschmitt Regensburg and Erla, as listed (data based on
research by Prien and Rodeike).
As given in Bf 109G-AS Flugzeug Handbuch, Dec 1944 edition); note that Rstsatz kits were not
considered par t of the aircraf ts official designation (R6 for 20mm cannons, etc).
Type
Bf 109G-6/R 1/AS Rstsatz
Schlo 503 A-1)
equipment (designation not used anywhere but the manual)
Bf 109G-6/U2/AS Umbausatz
Bf 109G-6/U4/AS Umbausatz
Bf 109G-6/R2/AS Rstzustand
Aircraft fitted with Rb 50/30 camera in af t fuselage
KNOWN WNr BLOCKS BF 109G-6/AS

165000 ?
Erla (Antwerp)
G-6/AS
G-6/U2/AS
G-6/U2/R2/AS
G-6/U4/AS
Mimetall (Er furt)
G-6/U2/AS
G-6/U4/AS
Blohm u. Voss (Hamburg)
G-6/U2/AS
G-6/U4/AS
226 aircraft
11 a/c conver ted
95 a/c conver ted
23 a/c conver ted
1 a/c conver ted
98 a/c conver ted
132 a/c conver ted
80 a/c conver ted
20 a/c conver ted
New production
KNOWN WNr BLOCKS BF 109G-14/AS

165000 166000
166000 166400
780000 781000
781001 781400
782000 783000
783800 784000
785000 786000
786001 786500
787000 787600
788300 788500
Erla
460000 460700
461000 462000
464000 465000
Bf 109G-8
Originally listed as a separate Umbausatz for the G-6, the airframe modifications
necessary to carry the two Rb 12.5/7x9 or Rb 32/7x9 cameras in the aft fuselage
were considered sufficiently complex to warrant an entirely separate type
designation. The camera mounts were located behind the fuel tank, with a
separate Robot II camera in the front of the left wing. The aircraft was armed as
per normal G-6 standards with a central MG 151/20 cannon and a pair of 13mm
MG 131 machine guns in the cowling. All normal Rststze for the G series
applied to the G-8 as well, although the list of Umbaustze and Rstzustnde are
rather reduced from other models, as the G-8 was permanently outfitted with
camera equipment.
TECHNICAL
Length: 8.94
Wingspan:
Engine:
Propeller:
Standard armament:
meters
9.924 meters
3.4 meters
2.6 meters
VDM 9-12087
FuG 25a IFF, FuG 16 radio
KNOWN WNr BLOCKS

WNF
200000 200800
201000 201900
202000 202200
710000 710300
(All known G-8 aircraf t were built by WNF)

Known Rststze (given with R oman numerals), Umbaustze, and Rstzustnde (using standard
numbers): information based on data from D.(Luf t).T.2109 G-8, Bf 109G-8 Flugzeug Handbuch
(6/44), loss listings, and strength retur n listings.
Type
Bf 109G-8/R 1
Bf 109G-8/R 2
Bf 109G-8/R 3
Bf 109G-8/R 6
Bf 109G-8/R 7
Bf 109G-8/U2
Bf 109G-8/U3
Bf 109G-8/R5
216

Rstsatz
Schlo 503 A-1)
Rstsatz
Rstsatz
Rstsatz
Rstsatz
equipment
Umbausatz
Umbausatz
Factory equipped with MW-50 methanol-water injection
system
Rstzustand
Listed in Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen as well
as loss listings; inter view with former Luftwaffe
reconnaissance squadron personnel suggests this
designation was for aircraf t equipped with the Rb 75/30
camera
Bf 109G-10
Of all the Bf 109 variants, the G-10s still remain the most enigmatic versions due
to the wide disparity in appearance between airframes produced by different
manufacturers. Rather than an actual progressive development type, the G-10
designation was originally applied to a remanufactured earlier Gustav airframe
brought up to K-4 status at a repair center with the addition of the DB 605D
engine and other airframe modifications. However, at least one production
batch of new-build G-10s was produced by the WNF satellite facility at Diana,
according to recent research by Janda and Poruba. Over the past few years, the
body of knowledge on the G-10 has increased substantially, with configuration
and performance research being driven by both historical researchers and flight
simulation game developers seeking to mirror exactly the characteristics of the
highest performance member of the Bf 109G family. In their recent work
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10/U4 Production and Operational Service, Czech
The following three drawings illustrating the por t side fairing differences of the three G-10 manufacturers are based on the wo rk of Janda and Poruba, and are not to scale.
Bf 109G-10 WNF/Diana production

G-10s from WNF and Diana can be identified by the cur ved
windscreen fairing panel which does not quite cover the
entire aft portion of the lower windscreen fairing.
Bf 109G-10 Messerschmitt-Regensburg production

G-10s built in Regensburg have the riveted bulge mounted
further aft, terminating nearly in line with the windscreen af t
edge. They also carried the standard 660 x 160mm wheels
with small wing bumps, and usually featured the extended
tailwheel oleo as well.
researchers Ales Janda and Toms Poruba presented a comprehensive and

thoroughly researched overview focused primarily on those G-10s fitted with
the 30mm Mk 108 centerline cannon. Their efforts have helped bring to light a
few subtle but important visual clues when attempting to discern the origin of a
given Bf 109G-10. The most important visual clues come from the cowling area.
As discussed earlier in the Type Development chapter, there were three
manufacturers involved in the remanufacture of earlier Gustavs into the highperformance G-10 model: Wiener-Neustdter Flugzeugwerke, MesserschmittRegensburg, and Erla-Leipzig. The majority of G-10s came from WNF
production lines, but there were several hundred Messerschmitt produced
airframes, and of course Erla charted their own course with regards to the
cowling design.
TECHNICAL
Length: 9.02
Wingspan:
Engine:
Propeller:
Standard armament:
KNOWN WNr BLOCKS

WNF/Diana
Erla-Leipzig
meters
9.92 meters
3.4 meters
2.3 meters
DB 605DB/DC with MW 50 or GM-1 (see T ype Development
chapter for fur ther details)
VDM 9-12159
1x centrally mounted MG151/20 electrically fired 20mm cannon;
610300 613999 (G-10/U4 with MK 108)

770155 771129 (G-10/R2 recon variant)
130107 130500
150174 152395
490129 490771
491146 491356
491530 491600
Bf 109G-10 Erla-Leipzig production

At one time called the Bf 109G10/AS, aircraf t built by Erla
had a completely different cowling design, with the fuselage
fairing terminating at a ver tical panel line beneath the
windscreen. The air intake scoop for the cockpit was also
concave rather than protr uding above the sur face, and the
gun access cover has a straighter lower edge than those
produced by MTT or WNF.

Type
Bf 109G-10/R 1
Rstsatz
Schlo 503 A-1)
Bf 109G-10/R 2
Rstsatz
Equipped with ETC 50/VIIId rack for 4x SC 50 bombs
Bf 109G-10/R 3
Rstsatz
Bf 109G-10/R 4
Rstsatz
bomblets
Bf 109G-10/R 6
Rstsatz
Bf 109G-10/R 7
Rstsatz
Equipped with 2x WGr 21 rockets beneath wings (to date,
not seen in ser vice)
Bf 109G-10/U1
Umbausatz
Factory equipped with Me P6 reversible pitch airscrew and
steerable tailwheel (only tested on a few aircraf t, did not
enter serial production)
Bf 109G-10/U2
Umbausatz
Originally factory equipped with GM 1 nitrous oxide system;
designation remained when system was conver ted to MW 50
use
Bf 109G-10/U3
Umbausatz
Umbausatz U3 has not been documented on the Bf 109G-10.
Bf 109G-10/U4
Umbausatz
Factory equipped with centerline 30mm MK 108 cannon
Bf 109G-10/U5
Umbausatz
Factory equipped with 2x MK 108 30mm cannon in outer
wing gondolas, with centerline MG 151/20 cannon
Bf 109G-10/U6
Umbausatz
Factory equipped with 2x MK 108 30mm cannon in outer
wing gondolas, with centerline MK 108 30 mm cannon
Bf 109G-10/R1
Rstzustand
Outfitted as a Jabo R ei (shor t for Jagdbomber R eichweite,
an extended range fighter-bomber) variant
Bf 109G-10/R2
Rstzustand
Close reconnaissance version with a single Rb 50/30 camera
aft of the fuel tank; F uG 25a IFF antenna moved af t one
fuselage section
Bf 109G-10/R3
Rstzustand
fuselage section
Bf 109G-10/R4
Rstzustand
fuselage section
Bf 109G-10/R6
Rstzustand
All weather fighter equipped with a PKS 12 autopilot, F uG
125 Lorenz VHF signal beacon receiver, and heating
elements in the windscreen panels
217
Bf 109G-12
The Bf 109 was never an easy aircraft to operate, as evidenced by the large
number of aircraft damaged or written off in takeoff, landing, and taxi
accidents. To aid in training young pilots in the intricacies of Bf 109 operations,
the two-seat G-12 was developed. This was simply a conversion of an existing
Gustav airframe which added a second cockpit behind the otherwise unchanged
primary cockpit. The aft position featured basic instrumentation and controls,
and was usually occupied by the instructor. The framed canopy was extended
aft, and the hood over the forward position was modified so that the starboard
panel was fixed in place. Visibility forward, never a strong point for Bf 109s, was
essentially nonexistent from the aft cockpit which was a source of some concern
for the instructor pilots attempting to teach students how to fly the aircraft.
G-12s were converted from almost every Gustav variant, and the aircraft
retained its Werknummer when finished. The armament was usually removed
completely, but there are examples of G-12s which retained their cowling
armament. The aircraft also lost almost half of its already limited onboard fuel
tankage, having the main 400 litre fuel tank cut down to 240 litres; as a result, it
was common to see an external fuel tank fitted to the aircraft. There was a new
style of external fuel tank developed primarily for the trainer, being a
straightforward cylindrical design with a 200 litre capacity, although the
standard 300 litre style was seen as well.
There were no Rststze, Umbaustze, or Rstzustnde listed for the G-12.
A pair of Bf 109G-12s of JG 101 are seen at Pau in 1944 in this photo taken by Georg Genth
TECHNICAL
Length:
Wingspan:
Engine:
Propeller:
Standard armament:

DB 605A
VDM 9-12087
Not usually fitted, although some conver ted aircraft retained their
cowling armament
FuG 16z radio
KNOWN WNr BLOCKS

All aircraft were conver ted from existing aircraf t, with a good number of known examples originally constr ucted as G-4s. The following list of G-12s demonstrates the wide variety of Bf 109G models which were
converted:
W.NR
BUILT FACTORY PILOT/STUDENT
UNIT
CODE
DATE
CAUSE
LOCATION
% DAMAGE
10346
G-2
Erla
JG 101
25/7/44
Belly-landing due to engine trouble
near Schongau
45%
10891
G-4
WNF
Flzg.berfhr.G. 1 GH+ZM
25/8/44
Groenbrode A/F
20%
10892
G-4
WNF
P: Ltn. Gustav Schadewitz
NAG 102
GH+ZN
25/7/44
Both injured in crash due to engine trouble
Kreisewitz Krs. Brieg
80%
S: Fw. Albrecht Weber
13439
G-2
WNF
Uffz. Otto Walter
JG 103
CC+ZN
21/7/44
Killed in take-off accident. Crashed into hangar
Stolp-Reitz A/F
100%
14035
G-2
unk
I./JG 104
2/5/44
Rammed Bf 109 WNr 6631 while landing.
Frth A/F
25%
14131
G-2
unk
I./KG(J) 27
DN+CK* 9/3/45
Collision during take-off with Bf 109G-8 WNr 2635
Hrsching A/F
25%
14888
G-4
WNF
JG 106
6/9/44
Taxiing accident
Reichenbach A/F
15%
14947
G-4
WNF
JG 112
22/9/44
Rammed by Bf 109F-4 WNr 12744 which was taking off
Landau A/F
30%
15433
I./JG 1
5/2/45
Landing accident
Neuruppin A/F
25%
16162
G-4
MTT
Flzg.berfhr.G. 1
18/8/44
near Rasdorfen
40%
16169
G-4
MTT
JG 106
26/7/44
Reichenbach A/F
55%
16226
G-4
MTT
JG 106
CL+EZ
6/9/44
Pilot error
Reichenbach A/F
25%
16263
G-3
MTT
JG 104
19/8/44
Pilot error
Buchschwabach A/F
20%
16266
G-3
MTT
JG 103
27/8/44
Collision while landing with Bf 109E-7 WNr 6453
Stolp-Reitz A/F
15%
16296
G-3
MTT
JG 108
SP+EQ
12/4/44
Destroyed in bombing raid
Bad Vslau A/F
100%
19315
G-4
WNF
Flzg.berfhr.G. 1
10/5/44
Crash-landed due to technical failure
Stolp-Reitz A/F
20%
19316
G-4
WNF
NAG 102
15/7/44
Maintenance failure
Brieg A/F
50%
19317
G-4
WNF
NAG 102
29/7/44
Landing accident due to pilot er ror
Jterbog-Damm A/F
20%
19325
G-4
WNF
Flzg.berfhr.G. 1
30/8/44
Technical failure
Malacky
15%
19330
G-4
WNF
JG 104
20/9/44
Pilot error during landing
Roth A/F
30%
19333
G-4
WNF
P: Ofw. Paul Meir
JG 112
29/8/44
Both injured in crash due to technical failure
near Landau
100%
S: Gefr. Franz Federbusch
19389
G-4
WNF
II./EJG 1
2/2/45
Landing accident
20%
19499
G-4
WNF
NAG 102
7/8/44
Pilot error
Jterbog-Damm
20%
19532
G-4
WNF
P: Kullik, Uffz. Heinz Kullik
JG 110
22/7/44
Both killed in crash due to technical failure
Kraschnitz
100%
S: Uffz. Albrecht Bohlmann
19534
G-4
WNF
Uffz. Kurt Blumenberg
JG 104
28/8/44
Engine trouble during take-off
Bonn-Hangelar A/F
90%
19548
G-4
WNF
FhjFw. Gerck
1./Erg.NJGr.
red 51 + 15/9/44
Killed in crash
near Ludwigslust
100%
19551
G-4
WNF
JG 104
6/9/44
Landing accident
Roth A/F
40%
19552
G-4
WNF
NAG 102
20/7/44
Pilot error
Jterbog-Damm
15%
19558
G-4
WNF
JG 110
22/1/44
near Brandenburg
100%
19734
G-4
WNF
JG 101
31/8/44
Belly-landing due to engine trouble
Hohenpeienberg
10%
19784
G-4
WNF
Uffz. Huber t Desel
JG 110
24/4/44
Rudorf
100%
19802
G-4
WNF
JG 112
20/9/44
Pilot error
Landau A/F
10%
110034
G-5
Erla
Uffz. Heinz Rzepka
Flzg.berfhr.G. 1
23/8/44
Overturned on landing due to pilot er ror
Bayreuth A/F
15%
160162
G-6
MTT
Flzg.berfhr.G. 1
20/8/44
Belly-landing due to engine fire
Rastorf
45%
160631
G-6
MTT
Flzg.berfhr.G. 1 BO+IV
30/8/44
Crash-landed due to tire damage.
Burg
20%
161129
G-6
MTT
Ogefr. Josef Zukal
I./EJG 1
SS+MY
8/2/45
Killed, hitting an obstr uction.
near Wurzen
60%
162331
G-6
MTT
Serg. Taberna
I Gr.C.
white 20
7/3/45
Take-off accident
Aviano A/F
50%
218
Bf 109G-14
As production of the G-6 gained momentum amidst the increasingly heavy
aerial bombardment through 1943 and 1944, a large number of configuration
differences were introduced into the type which began to cause compatibility
and supply issues with operational units, as well as causing production
bottlenecks with certain versions requiring more equipment than others.. The
G-14 was conceived as a universal type, with the idea being that all components
would be standardized across all production facilities in order to streamline the
production process and operational use. This worked about as well as one might
expect, as the factories and suppliers were not required to make any major
changes in their processes. As such, the initial batches of G-14s were virtually
indistinguishable from the G-6s they were intended to replace, and the profusion
of different G-14 variants would remain in production for the remainder of the
war. Many G-14s were outfitted with the DB 605AS engine which introduced a
number of different configuration changes as noted in the separate Tech Data
sheet on the AS-engined aircraft. The G-14 entered service in the summer of
1944, and a relatively intact example (WNr 413601, coded black 7) flown by
Uffz. Jakob Vogel of 8./JG 1 was captured on the invasion front on 22 July 1944.
The subsequent Captured Enemy Aircraft Report makes for very interesting
reading, and is transcribed here in its entirety; note in particular the
commentary concerning the fuel tank and the mainwheels, as well as the
increased use of wooden components in the cockpit to preserve aluminum.
KNOWN RSTSTZE, UMBAUSTZE, AND RSTZU STNDE:
Type
Bf 109G-14/R 1
Rstsatz
Schlo 503 A-1); can not be fitted to G-5, G-5/R2, or G5/U2 aircraft.
Bf 109G-14/R 3
Rstsatz
Bf 109G-14/R 4
Rstsatz
bomblets
Bf 109G-14/R 6
Rstsatz
Bf 109G-14/R 7
Rstsatz
equipment (designation not used in practice)
Bf 109G-14/U4
Umbausatz
Bf 109G-14/U5
Umbausatz
Centerline 20mm MG151/20 and two 30mm MK108 cannons
Bf 109G-14/U6
Umbausatz
Centerline 30mm MK108and two 30mm MK108 cannons
Bf 109G-14/R3
Rstzustand
Aircraft fitted with Rb 75/30 camera in af t fuselage* (see G6/R5)
Bf 109G-14/R4
Rstzustand
Aircraft fitted with GM 1 nitrous oxide system, listed in
D.(Luft)T.2109 G-AS; no other details given
Bf 109G-14/R6
Rstzustand
All weather fighter equipped with a PKS 12 autopilot; some
aircraft also fitted with a F uG 125 Lorenz VHF signal beacon
receiver
WNr 460520, an Erla-built G-14 coded red 11 of the III. Gruppe of an unknown
Jagdgeschwader demonstrates the overall similarity to a late-build Bf 109G-6, including the
taller tail and the Erla Haube canopy
TECHNICAL
Length: 8.94
Wingspan:
Engine:
Propeller:
Standard armament:
meters
9.924 meters
3.4 meters
2.6 meters
DB 605AM (equipped with MW 50)
VDM 9-12087
antenna on spine; some aircraf t fitted with FuG 16zy radios
KNOWN WNr BLOCKS

Despite the large number of W erknummer blocks, production is not thought to have exceeded
5500 aircraft, with production blocks broken down as follows (based on infor mation from Prien
and Rodeike).
165000 166400 (incl. AS)
780000 781400 (incl. AS)
781900 783800 (incl. AS)
784000 786500 (incl. AS)
787000 787600 (incl. AS)
788300 788500 (incl. AS
WNF
510800 512700
Erla
413000 413900
415600 415700
460000 460700 (incl. AS)
461000 463300 (incl. AS)
464000 465400 (incl. AS)
The subsequent Captured Enemy Aircraft Report (provided by George Hopp) makes for very interesting reading, and is transcribed here in its entirety.
A New Sub-Type of the Me. 109G

At 09:30 hours on 22nd July, a Me.109G-14 was shot down by light A.A. fire
near Fontenay-le-Poesnel, making a good belly-landing in a grass field, only
800 yards away from the enemy lines. An obstruction post was hit before the
aircraft came to rest, and severe damage was done to the starboard
mainplane.
This aircraft is the first of its sub-type to be identified, and presents a
number of interesting features. At the present stage of the war the most
interesting are, perhaps, those which point to the very short time elapsing
between its leaving the factory and its destruction. Technically the aircraft is
of interest as it was carrying a special tank containing a fluid known to the
Germans as MW50. The power boosting qualities of this fluid will be
described under the heading of Engine below.
Apart from the fitting of this tank and the installation of FuG 16 ZY, this
aircraft is almost identical with the Me.109 G-6/U2.
Identification Markings
+ 7 (black outlined yellow)
Call sign: VW+HO
Works No.: 413601
Maker: Mcu. (ed.note: code for Erla- Leipzig)
Camouflage
Light and dark grey upper surfaces, light blue lower surfaces. The lower half
of the fuselage sides mottled with patches of grey and green. The spinner is
black with a white spiral.
Engine
DB605 A-1 Tp
Maker: hsr. (ed.note: code for Henschel- Kassel)
No. 01104968
Painted on the crankcase cover is: 605 A/m
continued...
219
This engine has the normal small supercharger and both engine bearers
are of light alloy. C-3 (100 octane) fuel is used but additional power for short
periods is obtained from an apparatus known as the MW 50, in conjunction
with a boost pressure of 1.7 ata (equals British boost of +9.5). This is a system
of delivering methanol and water to the eye of the supercharger from a light
alloy tank (probably of 35 gallon capacity) situated behind the normal fuel
tank. The methanol tank is built in during manufacture and cannot be
removed for servicing. The pressure side of the supercharger is tapped by a
pipe which leads via a relief valve to the top of the light alloy tank, so
supplying the pressure for feeding the mixture to the engine. A supply pipeline
from the tank to the eye of the supercharger carries the methanol and water
mixture. In this pipeline there is a solenoid operated valve and a pressure
gauge connection. A switch on the port side of the cockpit beading, marked
MW 50 operates the solenoid valve and is a simple On/Off switch. The
pressure gauge, reading from 0 to 3 kgs./sq. cm. (0 to 42 lb./sq. in.) is located
lower down on the port side of the cockpit. The actual pressure used is
between 1.2 and 1.8 kgs./sq. cm. (17 lb/sq. in. -25.6).
It is estimated that the power at sea level, when using MW 50 with a 1.7
ata boost (equals British boost of +9.5) and 2,800 r.p.m. is 1,770 h.p. The D.B.
605A without the MW 50 develops 1,450 h.p. at 1.42 ata boost (equals British
boost of +5.5) and 2,800 r.p.m. at sea level.
The boost gauge is marked with a series of red lines on the glass, as follows:
d opposite 1.02 ata. = British -0.2
30 opposite 1.3 ata = British +3.8
3 opposite 1.42 ata = British + 5.5
MW 50 opposite 1.7 ata = British +9.5
The figures on the glass refer to the time in minutes for the use of the
respective boost pressures, the d8 meaning maximum continuous. The rev.
counter is also marked opposite the respective r.p.m.
The sparking plugs are of a type not previously fitted to D.B. 605 engines
but they were found recently in the Jumo 213. They are Bosch D.W. 250 E.T.
(10/1) and are stamped 5Z (this is the manufacturers date code and indicates
May, 1944).
The magneto is marked 9/4040E, Serial No. 453864. Manufacturer cxo
under license from L.Z.U.
The flange bears the following markings: BA 13402 cxo 4Z.
Armament
1 x MG151 20 mm. calibre, firing through propeller hub.
2 x MG131 over the engine.
Loading order 20 mm. gun- 1 AP/I, 1 HE/I/T (S.D.)(M. Geschoss)
repeating. This order changed later in the belt to- 1 AP/I, 1 I/T, 2 HE/I/T
(S.D.)(M. Geschoss) repeating.
Loading order for 13 mm. guns- 1 AP/T, 1 HE/T repeating. Nearly all tracer
rounds were night trace, although the aircraft was on a daylight operation.
None of the guns had been fired and it was found that the ammunition
tanks had not been completely filled.
Tank capacity
Rounds carried
20 mm 200 per gun
150
13 mm 300 per gun
275
The Revi 16B gunsight was used.
Armour
Pilots bullet-resisting glass screen. The cockpit cover was jettisoned before
the crash and could not be recovered. No other armour is fitted to this aircraft.
Internal equipment
Radio: FuG 16 ZY fitted. Y aerial mounted on underside of the port wing, 7
ft. 2 in. from wing root and 9 in. back from the leading edge. The aerial itself,
which consists of a tapering streamlined light alloy tube 24 1/2 in. long with a
semi-flexible stranded wire tip 12 1/2 in. long projects through a Plexiglass
220
disc set in the wing surface. The aerial matching unit, A.A.G. 16 E-3, Gerat No.
124-1508 E-1. Anfz. Ln. 27185-6 Manufacturer dmr., was mounted
immediately above the aerial inside the wing. A single concentric aerial feeder,
marked F.143, connected the matching unit to the set via a small box,
mounted on the base panel, immediately above it. It was not possible to
examine this box without removing it, but it is believed to contain a relay. The
FuG 16 ZY itself has no aerial ammeter fitted, a blanking plate covering the
vacant spot. Four spot frequency selectors were fitted on both receiver and
transmitter. The click stop settings were:
Receiver:
- I- blank II- 41.85 39.7 40.9
Transmitter: - I- blank II- 41.85 39 40.9
When found both units were on 40.9 mc/s.
No Z.V.G.16, navigational unit, was installed. Bracket for FuG 25, but no
units fitted. The four-spot frequency switch in the cockpit was mounted on
the lower right of the instrument panel.
The layout of the instruments has not changed, but they were mounted in a
wooden panel. Compared with the Me.109 G-6/U2 the following items had
been moved:
Battery 24 V. 7.5 amp from the rear of the fuselage to a point immediately
behind the pilots head. (From the servicing point of view, the battery is badly
placed, as it is wedged between the top of the petrol tank and the top of the
fuselage, and is extremely difficult to take out.)
The master compass has been moved from the position immediately
behind the petrol tank to its original place at the rear of the fuselage.
Oxygen bottles These are now in the port wing instead of in the rear of
the fuselage.
Tankage The petrol tank was non-self=sealing, being made of light alloy.
It appeared to be protected only by a box of 7-ply wood. On the other hand,
the small priming fuel tank which is fitted in the upper part of the fuselage on
the starboard side, some 4 ft. forward of the base of the fin, is self-sealing.
Points of Interest
The two hand wheels controlling the landing flaps and the tail incidence, as
well as the FuG 25 mounting panel, were made of ply-wood.
It is usual for both sides of the landing wheels and oleo leg fairing to have
coats of finished paint, but on this aircraft the inner sides were finished in a
red primer coat only.
There was wiring for wing guns and also the mountings for ammunition
tanks, so that the two wing M.G. 151/20s could rapidly be fitted to this subtype.
The wiring in this aircraft is almost entirely unscreened.
In previous Me.109s examined, the breech of the gun firing through the
propeller hub has projected into the cockpit, but has not been covered. In this
machine, however, there is a neat fairing round the breech, and on it are
painted instructions concerning engine revs. for delivery flights or test flights
after an engine change. These state: (1) On deliver flights or test flights after an engine change, after take-off do
not exceed 2,100 r.p.m. and 1.05 ata of boost. If possible duration of
flight should not exceed one hour. Watch oil pressure.
(2) For the first five hours, if possible do not exceed 2.300 r.p.m. and 1.15
ata boost.
(3) For the second five hours, if possible do not exceed 2.600 r.p.m. and
1.30 ata boost
(4) After ten hours, the aircraft may be flown if necessary without
limitations other than those laid down in current instructions.
In conclusion, tribute must be paid to the excellent co-operation of the
salvage party, the Army, and the Royal Navy, which enabled this aircraft to be
delivered to R.A.F. Farnborough in less than three days after it was shot down
in Normandy.
Bf 109K-4
Produced from August 1944 onwards, the Bf 109K-4 represented the apogee of
dedicated airframe development on the Messerschmitt 109. Most design work
was carried out by the Wiener Neustdter Flugzeugwerke, with the bulk of K-4
production coming from the Messerschmitt-Regensburg facility as WNF was
fully occupied with the remanufacture of older Bf 109G airframes into
Bf 109G-10s, which would approximate the performance and armament
enhancements of the K-4.
Unlike the G-10, however, the K-4 was an entirely new subtype, and featured a
number of improvements and refinements over previous models, all of which
make the K-4 a completely unique model within the Bf 109 family tree. The
main differences are as follows:
DB 605DB/DC equipped for MW 50 was fitted as standard
The cockpit layout was substantially changed for the first time since the
introduction of the Bf 109F in late 1940;
the central blind flying panel now featured six instruments (instead of
four)
there was a full fuse panel on the starboard cockpit wall
the engine primer was relocated to port once again
wood was used for the instrument panel and seat pan in many instances, as
well as for other airframe components such as the rudder, vertical and
horizontal stabilizers, and fuselage access panels.
A fully retractable, extended length tailwheel assembly was mounted, to be
covered by clamshell doors; however, the tailwheel was often fixed in the down
position, and the tailwheel doors were wired shut.
Outer wheel well covers were introduced into production; these had been
intended for use with the first G-1s, but the original design proved unwieldy in
practice. A simplified version, actuated by the mainwheel retracting onto a
lever, was fitted to the K-4.
Larger 660 x 190mm wheels were fitted as standard, necessitating large wing
bulges which extended almost the full length of the wing chord
Landing gear position indicators, consisting of small poles projecting from the
inboard upper wing surface, were fitted for the first time.
The MK 108 pneumatically operated 30mm cannon was fitted to the aircraft
centerline as standard.
Externally, the K-4 can be readily identified by the relocated fuel filler hatch to
port (moved forward one station), the relocated Peil PR16 D/F loop (relocated
aft one station), the relocated fuselage access hatch (moved forward one station
and slightly higher), the retractable extended tailwheel, and the presence of
outer wheel well doors, although these were occasionally removed in service.
The diagrams (not to scale) indicate the major internal equipment changes
between the MK108-armed G-6/U4 and the K-4.
TECHNICAL
Length: 9.02
Wingspan:
Engine:
Propeller:
Standard armament:
KNOWN WNr BLOCKS

Erla-Leipzig
meters
9.92 meters
3.4 meters
2.3 meters
DB 605DB/DC with MW 50 or GM-1 (see T ype Development chapter
for fur ther details)
VDM 9-12159
1x MK 108 30mm pneumatic cannon on aircraf t centerline;
330000 331000
331300 331500
332000 333000
333800 334000
335000 335300
570000 571000

Available Rststze (using Roman numerals) and Rstzustnde (using standard numbers):
Type
Bf 109K-4/R I
Rstzustand or Rstsatz
Rstsatz
Bf 109K-4/R2
Rstzustand
Bf 109K-4/R III
Rstsatz
Bf 109K-4/R V
Rstsatz
Bf 109K-4/R6
Rstzustand
Description
Equipped with bomb rack beneath fuselage (ETC
500/IXb or Schlo 503 A-1) listed in L.Dv .T.2109
K-4/Fl Teil 2, Bf 109 K-4 Bedienungsvorschrift
Close reconnaissance version with a single Rb
50/30 camera af t of the fuel tank; F uG 25a IFF
antenna moved af t one fuselage section (listed, but
no records indicate ser vice use)
Equipped with 300 litre drop tank on aircraf t
centerline listed in L.Dv.T.2109 K-4/Fl Teil 2, Bf
109 K-4 Bedienungsvorschrift
Equipped with two 20mm MG151/20 beneath
wings listed in L.Dv.T.2109 K-4/Fl Teil 2, Bf 109 K4 Bedienungsvorschrift
All weather fighter equipped with a PKS 12
autopilot, FuG 125 Lorenz VHF signal beacon
receiver, and heating elements in the windscreen
panels
There are two additional Rststze listed in some sources, /R VII (listed as R7) denoting the fitment
of a pair of WGr. 21 210 mm rockets beneath the wings, and /R VIII indicating the presence of a
BSK gun camera in the leading edge of the lef t wing.
221
24-MDF10-App-06-VI-Bib_MDF10 03/05/2012 15:08 Page 222
Bf 109 Bibliography
Factory documentation:
Bf 109 F-1 bis F-4 Flugzeug-Handbuch
D.(Luft) T.2109 F-1 bis F-4, 1 March 1943
Bf 109 F-1 Bedienung und Wartung der
Schuwaffe
L. Dv. T.2400/4, March 1941
Bf 109 F-2 und F-4 Bedienungsvorschrift W a
L. Dv. T. 2109 F-2 und F-4/Wa, June 1941
Kurzbetriebsanleitung Bf 109F mit Motor DB
601N
Reg. Nr. 197, January 1941 (2. edition)
Bf 109 F 1,2,3 Bordfunkanlage
D. (Luft) T.2401/2, November 1940
Ersatzteil-Liste, Bf 109F, Messerschmitt A.G.
25 March 1941
Ersatzteil-Liste, Bf 109G, Messerschmitt A .G.
January 1944
Bf 109G-1 Flugzeug-HandbuchSchuwaffenanlage/Flgelgondelbewaffnung
D. (Luft) T.2109 G-1 Teil 8A, Heft 2, July 1943
Bf 109G-2/G-4/G-6 Bedienungsvorschrift-Fl
L. Dv. T. 2109 G-2, G-4, G-6/Fl, June 1943
Bf 109G-2 Flugzeug-Handbuch
D. (Luft) T.2109 G-2, November 1942
D. (Luft) T.2109 G-3, September 1943
Bf 109G-4 Bedienungsvorschrift-Fl
L. Dv. T.2109 G-4, September 1943
D. (Luft) T.2109 G-4, September 1943
Bf 109 G-5 Flugzeug-HandbuchSchuwaffenanlage
D. (Luft) T.2109 G-5 Teil 8A, December 1944
Bf 109G-6/U 4 Flugzeug-Handbuch
D. (Luft) T.2109 G-6/U 4 Teil 0, February 1944
D. (Luft) T.2109 G-8 Teil 0 through 9H, June 1944
Bf 109G-12 Bedienungsvorschrift-Fl
L. Dv. T.2109 G-12/Fl, December 1944
Celis, Peter
Runways To Victory
MARHAV s.a., 2003
Crandall, Jerry
Major Hans Assi Hahn The Man And His
Machines
Eagle Editions, 2002
Fernndez-Sommerau, Marco
Messerschmitt Bf 109 Recognition Manual A
Guide to Variants, Weapons, and Equipment
Classic Publications, 2004
Foreman, John with Matthews, Johannes and
Parry, Simon
Luftwaffe Night Fighter Combat Claims 193945
Red Kite, 2004
Franks, Norman
The Greatest Air Battle- Dieppe, 19th August
1942
Grub Street, 1993
Girbig, Werner
Six Months To Oblivion
Schiffer Military History, 1991
Green, Brett
Augsburgs Last Eagles Colors, Markings and
Variants
Haberfellner, Wernfried and Schroeder, Walter
Wiener Neustdter Flugzeugwerke
Weishaupt Verlag, Graz, 1999
Hinchliffe, Peter
The Other Battle
Airlife Publishing, 1996
Hitchcock, Thomas H
Monogram Close-Up 9 Bf 109F
Monogram Aviation Publications, 1990
Janda, Ales and Poruba, Toms
Messerschmitt Bf 109K Camouflage and Marking
JaPo Publishing, 2000
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10/U4 Production &
Operational Service
Bf 109 G-AS Flugzeug-Handbuch

D. (Luft) T.2109 G-AS, December 1944

Messerschmitt Bf 109K
Bf 109K-4 Flugzeug-Handbuch
Werkschrift 2109 K-4 Teil 0 through 9, November
1944
Ketley, Barry and Rolfe, Mark

Luftwaffe Fledglings 19351945
Hikoki Publications, 1996
Bf 109K-4 Bedienungsvorschrift-Fl
L. Dv. T. 2109 K-4/Fl, January 1945
Manrho, John and Ptz, Ron

Bodenplatte- The Luftwaffes Last Hope
Hikoki Publications, 2005
DB 605A-B Baureihe 0 u. 1 Motoren-Handbuch

D.(Luft) T.3605 A-B, 0 u. 1, November 1942
Technical documentation:
Leistungen 8-109 K4 und K6 mit DB 605
ASCM/DCM
Obb. Forschungsanstalt Oberammergau,
A/IV/294/44 5026/17
Leistungmessung 109G mit DB 605 A und DB
601 E
Messerschmitt AG. Augsburg, Versuchs-Bericht
Nr. 109 19 L 42
Leistungen Me 109G mit DB 605 AS
Messerschmitt AG. Augsburg, Versuchs-Bericht
Nr. 109 20 L 43
General topic books:

Bergstrm, Christer and Pegg, Martin
The War In Russia 1942
The War In Russia 19421943
War In The East 19441945
Bergstrm, Christer and Mikhailov, Andrey
Black Cross Red Star Volume 2
Pacifica Military History, 2001
222
Appendix VI Bibliography
Mermet, Jean-Claude
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-1 through K-4 Engines
and Fittings
Self-published by J.C. Mermet, 1999
Merrick, Kenneth A
German Aircraft Interiors 19351945, Vol. 1
Monogram Aviation Publications, 1996
Merrick, Kenneth A. with Kiroff, Jrgen
Luftwaffe Camouflage and Markings, Vol. 1 and
Vol 2
Classic Publications, 2005/2006
Michulec, Robert
Messerschmitt Me 109 cz.6
AJ Press, 2000
Mombeek, Eric with David Wadman and Mar tin
Pegg
Jagdwaffe The Battle of Britain, vols 34
Classic Publications
Mombeek, Eric with Christer Bergstrm and Mar tin
Pegg
Jagdwaffe Barbarossa, The Invasion of R ussia
Morgan, Eric B. and Shacklady, Edward
Spitfire The History
Key Books, 2000
Prien, Jochen and Rodeike, Peter
Messerschmitt Bf 109F,G,K series An
Illustrated Study
Schiffer Publishing, 1995
Prien, Jochen et al
Die Jagdfliegerverbnde der Deutschen
Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945, teil 4/II
Struve-Druck Publishing
Ries, Karl and Obermaier, Ernst

Bilanz am Seitenleitwerk Er folgsmarkierungen
der Deutschen Luftwaffe, 19361945
Verlag Dieter Hoffman, 1970
Roba, Jean-Louis with Pegg, Martin
Jagdwaffe- The Mediterranean 19421943
Roba, Jean-Louis with Pegg, Martin
Jagdwaffe The Mediterranean 19431945
Rosch, Barry
Luftwaffe Codes, Markings, and Units
19351945
Schiffer Publishing, 1996
Shores, Christopher and Ring, Hans
Fighters Over The Desert
Arco Publishing, 1968
Smith, J. Richard and Pegg, Martin
Jagdwaffe War Over The Desert, North Africa
June 1940June 1942
Van Ishoven, Armand
The Messerschmitt Bf 109 At War
The Promotional Reprint Company Limited For
Book Sales Inc, 1993
Wadman, David and Pegg, Martin
Holding The West 19411943
Weir, Adrian
The Last Flight Of The Luftwaffe The Suicide
Attack on the Eighth Air F orce, 7 April 1945
Cassell & Co, 1997
Unit histories
Mombeek, Eric
Defenders of the Reich JG 1, vols 13

Janowicz, Krzysztof
JG 2 Richthofen 19361941
Oficyna Wydawnicza KAGERO, 2002
Murawski, Marek J
JG 11
Oficyna Wydawnicza KAGERO, 2004
Caldwell, Donald
The JG 26 War Diary, Part 1: 19391942 and
Part 2: 19421945
Grub Street, 1996
Aders, Gebhard and Held, Werner
Jagdgeschwader 51 Mlders Eine Chronik
Motorbuch Verlag, 1999
Messerschmitt Bf 109s of JG 52 in Deutsch Brod
Prien, Jochen
Chronik des Jagdgeschwaders 53, teil 2
Flugzeug Publishing, 1990
Prien, Jochen
Chronik des Jagdgeschwaders 53, teil 3
Flugzeug Publishing, 1990
Lorant, Jean-Yves
Jagdgeschwader 300 Wilde Sau A Chronicle
of a Fighter Geschwader in the Battle for
Germany
Reschke, Willi
Jagdgeschwader 301/302 Wilde Sau
Motorbuch Verlag, 1998
Foreign users:
Alegi, Gregory
Messerschmitt Bf 109 Italiani
La Bancarella Aeronautica, 2002
Andal, Jozef with Hochmuth, Vclav and
Sumichrast, Peter
HT Model Specil Messerschmitt Bf 109F, G-2
a G-4 slovenskych pilotov 1942-1943
HT Model magazin, 2002
Beale, Nick with DAmico, Ferdinando and
Valentini, Gabriele
Air War Italy 1944-45 The Axis Air F orces from
the Liberation of Rome to the Surrender
VI
Appendix
Bernd, Dnes
Rumanian Aces of World War 2
Osprey Publishing, 2003
Fernandez, Jos et al
Les Messerschmitt Bf 109 roumains
AirMag HORS SERIE no.1
Geust, Carl-Fredrik
Under The Red Star
Hoch, Georg
Die Messerschmitt Me 109 in der Schweizer
Flugwaffe ein Stck Zeitgeschichte
Dietschi AG, 1999
Michulec, Robert
Messerschmitt Me 109 cz.6
AJ Press, 2000
Neulen, Hans Werner
In The Skies Of Europe Air forces allied to the
Luftwaffe 1939-1945
The Crowood Press, 2000
Punka, Gyrgy
Hungarian Aces of World War 2
Punka, Gyrgy
Messer
Gyrgy Punka, 1991
Stenman, Kri and Keskinen, Kalevi
Finnish Aces of World War 2
Helpful websites:
Butler, Les
Tony Woods Combat Claims and Casualties Lists
www.lesbutler.ip3.co.uk/tony/tonywood.htm
Holm, Michael
The Luftwaffe in World War 2
www.ww2.dk
Horta, Ruy (editor)
Twelve OClock High!
Luftwaffe Message Board
forum.12oclockhigh.net
Kacha, Petr
Aces of the Luf twaffe
www.luftwaffe.cz/
Olrog, Mikael. Preserved Axis Aircraft
www.preservedaxisaircraft.com/
Radusch, Michael
The performance of the Bf 109 F -4
beimzeugmeister.de/zeugmeister/index.php?id=21&L
=1
Safarik, Jan
Air Aces
math.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/index.html
Virtualpilots.fi
Messerschmitt 109 myths, facts, and the view
from the cockpit
www.virtualpilots.fi/feature/articles/109myths
Weiss, David
Falcons Messerschmitt Bf 109 Hangar
www.messerschmitt-bf109.de
Air Force Historical Research Agency
Numbered USAF Historical Studies, 150196:
German Monographs
www.au.af.mil/au/afhra/numbered_studies/studi
es4.asp
Air Force Historical Studies Office
U.S. Army Air Forces in WWII Combat Chronology
19411945
www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/PopTopics/chron/ti
tle.htm
Royal Air Force, Ministry of Defence:
Bomber Command Campaign Diar y
www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/diary.html
25-MDF10-Index_MDF10 03/05/2012 15:09 Page 223
Index
Please note: this index does not reference
appendices, walkarounds or tables.
Albrecht, Hptm. Egon: 78

Amon, Uffz. Georg: 30, 200
Asmus, Hptm. Hans: 15
Baciu, Lt av Dumitr u: 128

Baldi, Serg.Magg.: 119
Balthasar, Maj. Wilhelm: 20
Br, Hptm. Heinz: 28, 30,
3839
Barkhorn, Maj. Gerhard: 14,
48, 49
Bartels, Ofw. Heinrich: 31, 80
Bartulovic, Fw. Bozidar: 106
Bauer, Viktor: 195
Baumann, Hptm. Lothar: 80
Beckh, Maj. I. G. Friederich: 38
Beiwenger, Lt. Hans: 41
Beise, Hptm. Gnther: 83
Bellagambi, Cap. Mario: 119
Bencetic, Hptm. Ljudetit: 106
Bennemann, Hptm. Helmut: 45
Berthold, Oberfhnrich Herbert:
190
Betti, Ten.: 125
Beyer, Hptm. Franz: 72
Blaut, Uffz. Heinrich: 135, 136
Bob, Maj. Hans-Ekkehard: 47
Bochev, Podporuchyk Petar:
105
Bonev, Podporuchyk Ivan: 105
Boremski, Hptm. Eberhard von:
75, 125
Brngen, Hptm. Ernst: 76
Brackhagen, Ofw. Hermann:
69
Brndle, Maj. Kurt: 69, 92
Brinkmann, Uffz.: 52
Brning, Ltn. Otto: 5556
Brunner, Ofw. Albert: 42
Buchwaldt, Maj. Hans-Joachim
von: 53
Burkert, Oblt. Erich: 71
Cantacuzino, Cpt.av.rez.
Constantin: 92, 125, 128
Carganico, Hptm. Horst: 34,
43, 77, 153
Cekovic, Fw. Josip: 108
Chiale, Ten. Giovanni: 118
Ciutac, Slt.av. Stefan: 126
Claar, Ofw. Karl-Heinz: 69
Cster, Ltn. von: 156
Cohrs, Uffz. Werner: 49
Covre, M.Illo: 125
Crinius, Lt. Wilhelm: 28
Darbois, Uffz. Ren: 33, 162,

187
Drjan, Adj. stag. av. Traian:
128
Debrdy, Lt. Gyrgy: 113
Derksen, Hans: 7, 8
Diaz-Benjumea, Comandante
Julio Salvador: 130
Dieterle, Oblt. Manfred: 51, 55
Dietz, Uffz. Sigismund: 61
Dobrich, Fw. Hans: 42, 47
Dllefeld, Uffz.: 43
Dring, Ofw. Arnold: 52
Drr, Oblt. Franz: 48, 199, 214
Drago, Ten. Ugo: 118, 122,
193
Dukovac, Hptm. Mato:
106107
Dumbala, Maj. Ondrej: 128
Dzal, Ltn. Zivko: 107
Dzal, Oberst Franjo: 106107
Eberle, Hptm. Friederich: 71

Eckerle, Hptm Franz: 36, 89
Ehrler, Hptm. Heinrich: 34, 43,
45, 48
Einsiedel, Hptm. von: 90
EJG 1: 70
EJG 2: 86, 88
Emler, Ofw. Kurt: 55
Emmerstorfer, Oblt. Heimo:
31, 93
Emmerstorfer: 31
Erbskorn, Obfw. Hans: 72
Espenlaub, Ofw. Albert: 23
Ewald, Ltn. Heinz Esau: 49,
179
Ferencina, Maj. Vladimir: 106

Fischer, Uffz. Oswald: 185
Franzisket, Hptm. Ludwig: 92
FuG 16Z: 190
FuG 16ZY: 183, 195196
FuG 202: 51
FuG 212: 51
FuG 217: 55, 56
FuG 217: 93
FuG 350: 57
Gabler, Lt. Kurt: 56, 57

Galic, Hptm. Cvitan: 106
Galland, Adolf: 9, 11, 1516,
19, 21, 2930, 82, 90
Gaviln, Sen.Lt.: 131
Geletko, Uffz. Karol: 130
Glaas, Ltn.: 57
Goethe, Ofw. Otto: 26
Gring, Reichsmarschall:
2930, 56, 118
Gtz, Lt. Franz: 174
Graf, Hptm. Hermann: 39, 45,
66, 75, 80, 87, 200
Grislawski, Hptm. Alfred: 38,
46, 74, 92
Gzik, Fw. Eberhard: 57, 81
Hackl, Oblt. Anton: 200

Hackler, Lt. Heinrich: 198
Hafner, Hptm. Anton: 50
Hahn, Hptm. Hans von: 89,
184, 209
Handrick, Obstlt. Gotthard: 43
Hardt, Oblt. Friederich: 63
Harjes, Ltn. Walter: 53
Hartl, Fw. Andreas: 55, 56
Hartmann, Oblt. Erich: 14, 49,
183, 193, 170
Hausotter, Uffz. Hugo: 192
Hein, Uffz. Hans: 71
Helebrant, Hptm. Josip: 106
Henning, Fw. Siegfried: 132
Hermann, Maj. Hajo: 7,
5152, 56, 82
Herre, Fw. Herbert: 55
Hielm, SSgt. Bjre: 93
Hirtes, Ofhr. Lothar: 132
Hirzmann, Fw. Izodor: 70
HLeLv 23: 111112
HLeLv 24: 109112
HLeLv 30: 110, 112
HLeLv 31: 93
HLeLv 34: 108112
Hofe, Hptm. Werner Pichon
Kalau vom: 89, 103, 211
Hnle, Ltn. Paul: 71
Hrabak, Hptm. Dietrich: 42
Huber, Uffz. Richard: 181
Hl, Ofw. Richard: 71
Huy, Hptm. Wolf-Dieter: 28
I
Ihlefeld, Obstlt. Herber t: 42, 76
Jergovic, Oblt. Ivan: 107

JFS 4: 7
JG 1: 2021, 6181, 104,
192, 212
JG 2: 1517, 1921, 28, 32,
36, 48, 5961, 66, 6973,
75, 80, 90, 132, 184, 191,
195, 207
JG 3: 18, 24, 3031, 3641,
4347, 50, 6377, 79,
8182, 8990, 92, 125,
130, 132133, 135137,
176, 189, 195, 209210,
213
JG 4: 3032, 50, 77, 79, 81,
118, 126, 133134, 187
JG 5: 34, 4243, 45, 4749,
153, 199, 203, 206,
214215
JG 7: 193
JG 11: 7, 6279, 8182, 181,
200
JG 26: 11, 1622, 28, 36, 43,
5961, 6364, 66, 6974,
7779, 8182, 90, 132,
135, 137, 185
JG 27: 2233, 3637, 40, 48,
61, 6668, 70, 73, 7577,
7980, 82, 9192, 95, 104,
114, 130, 134135, 162,
174, 186, 190, 196
JG 50: 65
JG 51: 11, 1516, 1819,
2833, 3641, 43, 4550,
60, 66, 68, 7990, 94, 104,
113, 130131, 134135
JG 52: 15, 19, 20, 29, 3542,
4450, 6162, 71, 91, 94,
102103, 106107,
112113, 115, 117,
126130, 133, 135, 156,
170, 179, 183, 200
JG 53: 12, 14, 17, 1933,
3640, 4445, 49, 50,
5960, 65, 6869, 72,
7680, 82, 90, 102104,
108, 118, 120121, 128,
134136, 174, 193194,
196197, 200
JG 54: 1213, 3537, 3948,
50, 6168, 70, 7275, 89,
102104, 131, 195, 200,
208, 211212
JG 76: 78
JG 77: 2633, 3645, 49, 50,
77, 7981, 182, 188, 198
JG 101: 218
JG 103: 72
JG 104: 7, 8
JG 106: 76
JG 300: 7, 5157, 65, 6971,
7375, 7982, 170, 177,
179
JG 301: 5357, 70, 73, 76,
80, 82, 134, 135, 197
JG 302: 78, 53, 5557,
7071, 73, 7577, 79
JGr 25: 6970
JGr 50: 92
JGr 50: 200
John, Fw. Horst: 5254, 56
Johnen, Oblt. Wilhelm: 131
Joppien, Oblt. HermannFriedrich: 18
Juutilanen, Warrant Officer
Ilmari: 109
Kageneck, Oblt. Erbo Graf von:

23
Kammhuber, Oberst Josef: 51
Kelez, Fw.: 107
Kempf, Ltn. Karl-Heinz: 70
Kenyeres, Lt. Mikls: 113
Kesselring, Feldmarschall
Albert: 31
Kind, Hptm. Alber t: 71
Kley, Stfw. Erwin: 21
Klinkauf, Gefr. Klaus: 70
Klpper, Oblt. Heinrich: 69
Klpper, Oblt. Heinz: 69

Knoke, Oblt. Heinz: 6667, 70,
212
Koch, Uffz. Gerhard: 57
Kolbe, Oblt. Georg: 41
Krner, Lt. Friedrich: 24
Kotthaus, Uffz. Heinz: 8
Krastev, Poruchyk Hristo: 105
Kruter, Uffz. Wilhelm: 75
Krebsbach, Ofhr. Josef: 75
Kucharsowsky, Oblt.: 56
Kuhlmey, Oberst Kurt: 109
Lang, Uffz. Gustav: 130

Lange, Oblt. Heinz: 42
Langer, Hptm. Max: 53
Larrazbal, Comandante Angel
Salas: 130
Leesmann, Maj. Karl-Heinz:
15, 19, 40, 62, 64, 69
Lehtovaara, MSgt Urho: 109
Leie, Maj. Erich: 49
Leykauf, Oblt. Erwin: 42
LG 2: 23, 36, 39
Lienich, Gefr. Heinz: 73
Liesendahl, Hptm. Frank: 90,
195
Lipfert, Hptm. Helmut: 127,
128
Lipp, Uffz. Theobald: 75
Lhr, Oblt. Ernst-Heinz: 73
Lonnecker, Ofw. Heinrich: 57
Lnnecker, Ofw. Heinz: 55
Loos, Oblt. Gerhard: 74
Lucas, Hptm. Werner: 68
Lcke, Oblt. Hermann: 47
Ltzow, Gnther: 34
Ltzow, Oberst Gnther: 93
Luukkanen, Maj. Ilmari: 109
Mackens, Ofw. Walter: 55

Maltzahn, Obstlt. Gnther
Freiherr von: 33
Marseille, Hptm. Hans
Joachim: 1213, 2227,
3233, 91, 103, 174175,
186, 207
Mayer, Lt. Egon: 20
Meier, Uffz. Friedrich: 26
Meimberg, Maj. Julius: 28, 80
Mermet, Jean-Claude: 14
Merz, Lt. German: 57
Messerschmitt, Willy: 11, 14
Meurer, Hptm. Manfred: 56
MG 17: 9, 16, 60, 174, 176,
189, 195196
MG 131: 12, 13, 21, 62, 90,
132, 178, 188189,
195196, 198199
MG 151: 184, 197, 198
MG 151/15: 11
MG 151/20: 12, 60, 62, 97,
132, 184, 197, 198
MG-FF: 11, 16
Michalski, Maj. Gerhard: 102
Mietusch, Maj. Klaus: 74, 77,
79, 81
Migge, Ofw. Gnther: 55
Mihelcic, Ofw. Viktor: 106
Miksch, Ofw. Alfred: 70
Milu, Of ech av Ioan: 128
Mlders, Maj. Werner: 11,
1517, 1921, 3738,
4041, 50, 8990, 175,
203, 208
Molnr, Lt. Lszl: 114
Mller, Fw. Rudolf: 43
Mller, Hptm. Friederich- Karl:
56, 77, 191
Mller, Maj. Alfred: 83
Mncheberg, Maj. Joachim:
22, 229, 33
Muresan, Slt. Av. Liviu: 126
Mtherich, Oblt. Huber t Hubs:
39
NAG 11: 33
NAG 12: 93
NAG 14: 72
Nebel, Ltn. Karlheinz: 50
Neumann, Edu: 23
Neumann, Ltn. Helmut: 215
Nie, Oblt. Anton: 134, 135

Nissinen, Lt. Lauri: 109110
NJG 2: 22
NJG 5: 131
NJG 11: 55, 56, 93
Nunuff, Ofw.: 53
Oeckel, Fw. Hans: 71

Oesau, Maj. Walter: 20, 76
Olejnik, Hptm. Robert: 64
Olejnik, Oblt. Robert: 176
Osswald, Fw. Alfred: 68
Osterkamp, Genmaj. Theo: 19
Ostermann, Max-Hellmuth:
195
Plenek, podplukovnk Jozef:

129
Pnczl, Lt. Imre: 113
Patton, Serg. Renato: 125
Patzak, Oblt. Rudolf: 72
Petzschler, Uffz. Horst: 94,
189
Philipp, Maj. Hans: 62, 67,
104
Pilz, Oblt. Gerhard: 57
Pimmingstorfer, Uffz. Erich: 47
Pingel, Hptm. Rolf: 20
Pleines, Fw. Ernst: 77
Plewa, Ltn. Robert: 54
Popa, Slt.av. Andrei: 126
Prenzel, Ltn. Horst: 134, 135
Priller, Oblt. Josef Pips: 18,
60
Pritzel, Ofw. Otto: 55
Puhakka, Capt. Risko: 109
Puro, Lt. Olavi: 5, 109, 111
Puskar, Oblt. Juraj: 129
Qut-Faslem, Hptm. Klaus: 64,

71
Raimann, Uffz. Gerhard: 43

Rall, Maj. Gnther: 14, 39, 47,
48, 76, 200
Rammelt, Maj. Karl: 29, 104
Reinhardt, Ltn. Klaus: 71
Reissle, Uffz. Andreas: 72
Reuter, Uffz. Horst: 23
Reznak, Uffz. Jan: 128
Riedmayer, Fw. Georg: 135,
137
Rommel, Gen. Erwin: 23
Roth, Maj. Jrgen: 83
Rowher, Oblt. Detlev: 68
Rbsam, Ltn. Franz: 52
Rllkotter, Fw. Willi: 52
Ruppert, Hptm. Kurt: 63
Saalasti, Lt.: 108

Sahl, Uffz.: 75, 200
Salewski, Uffz. Otto: 72
Sandtner, Fw. Vladimir: 94,
108, 135
Sandtner, Fw.: 136
Sarjamo, Lt. Urho: 109, 110
Sawallisch, Ofw. Erwin: 26
Sayn-Wittgenstein, Maj.
Heinrich zu: 56
Scharf, Ogef. Heinz: 132
Schattner, Uffz. Dagober t: 71
Schellmann, Maj. Wolfgang:
37
Schick, Lt. Walter: 36
Schie, Oblt. Franz: 196
Schilling, Oblt. Wilhelm: 102
Schleef, Oblt. Hans: 210
Schmidt, Oblt. Erich: 39
Schmidt, Oblt. Johannes: 21,
60
Schneider, Uffz. Bernd: 25, 76
Schnell, Maj. Siegfried: 20, 48
Schnitzler, Uffz. Karl: 76
Scholz, Hptm. Gnther: 43
Schpfel, Maj. Gerhard: 21, 90
Schramm, Oblt. Herber t: 70
Schrr, Oblt. Werner: 32
Schuck, Fhj.Fw. Walter: 48
Schulz, Fhr. Ernst: 50
Schulz, Ofw. Otto Stotto: 22,

2425
Schwamb, Ltn. Otto: 57
Seeger, Oblt. Gnther: 7677
Seegert, Maj. Joachim: 43
Seeler, Oblt. Karl-Heinz: 57
Seifert, Hptm. Johannes: 20
Seifert, Ofw. Herbert: 56
Seiler, Hptm. Reinhard: 61
Serg.Magg. Giampiero Svanini:
95
Simmank, Uffz. Rolf: 72
Sinner, Hptm. Rudolf: 29, 48
Sitvinikov, Lt.: 108
Specht, Maj. Gnther: 82
Spoljar, Vladimir: 107
Sprk, Ohfr. Manfred: 69
Stahlberg, Gefr. Martin: 75
Stahlschmidt, Lt. Hans-Arnold:
25, 27
Stange, Oblt. Willi: 37
Stefanini, S.Ten.: 125
Steinhausen, Ofw. Gnther: 27
Steinhauser, Ltn. Karl: 71
Steinhoff,, Maj. Johannes: 29
Stigler, Franz: 186
Stipcic, Hptm. Zladko:
106107
Stoik, Uffz. Eduard: 50
Stoyanov, Poruchyk Stoyan:
105
Strmpell, Hptm. Hennig: 43
Stumpe, Ltn. Hermann: 53
Swoboda, Uffz.Hubert: 70
Tammen, Uffz. Heinrich:

126127
Tarnay, Sgt.: 113
Tautscher, Uffz. Thomas: 81
Teicke, Ltn. Hans-Joachim: 77
Tervo, Lt. Kalevi: 108
Teubner, Fw. Erich: 53
Toma, Cpt. Av. Lucian: 126
Trautloft, Hannes:
Trautloft, Maj. Hannes: 34, 36,
41, 93, 104, 195
Tuominen, Lt. Oiva: 109
Twietmeyer, Uffz. Johann: 182
Udet, Ernst: 11, 16, 20, 40
Vice, Lt. Nikolai: 106

Villing, Fw. Martin: 132
Visconti, Magg.: 125
Volkmann, Uffz. Erich: 133,
137
Weber, Uffz. Gnther: 69

Weinreich, Maj. Helmut: 54
Welter, Ltn. Kurt: 5657
Wernicke, Oblt. Gerhard: 133,
136
Werra, Oblt. Franz von: 20
Weling, Oblt. Otto: 76
Westphal, Oblt. Hans-Jrgen:
19
Wick, Maj. Helmut: 16, 90
Wick, Ofw. Ernst: 53
Wilcke, Maj. Wolf-Dietrich: 23,
75
Williams, Major Al: 16
Willy Messerschmitt: 9
Wind, Capt. Hans Hasse: 109
Winter, Lt. Rudi: 79
Wischnewski, Fw. Hermann:
5253, 5557
Witzler, Gefr. Horst: 75
Wohlecke, Ofw. Heinz: 52
Woitke, Hptm. Erich: 80
Wolfrum, Lt. Walter: 49
Zanardi, Serg.Magg.: 125

Zelenak, Sgt. Maj. Pavol: 130
ZG 26: 22
Zweiacker, Oblt.: 132
Index
223
25-MDF10-Index_MDF10 03/05/2012 15:09 Page 224
The Bf 109F-4/Trop of Oblt. Franz Stigler from 4./JG 27 is seen here at readiness in Egypt during the deser t campaign of 1942. Stigler was one
of the lucky ones he sur vived the war and emigrated to Canada, where he still lives today . His gallant escort of a crippled B -17 in 1943
would be remembered decades later, when the pilot of that Flying F ortress, Charles Brown, tracked down Herr Stigler to thank him .
The two men now make occasional appearances together, where Mr. Brown refers to Herr Stigler with great affection as his brother
10
MDF10-Cover_MDF10-Cover.qxd 03/05/2012 15:43 Page 1
Modellers Datafile 10
THE MESSERSCHMITT
Bf 109
by Lynn Ritger
10
9 78095 5 1 85 81 6
SAM Publications
Printed in UK
SAM Publications
ISBN 0-9551858-1-5
10
SAM Publications
MDF10-Plans-01_MDF10-Plans-01.qxd 03/05/2012 15:45 Page 1
10
Bf 109F-2
Bf 109G-6
Production Standard
Production Standard Autumn

1943
Tropical Air Intake
1/48 SCALE
2007 Jacek Jackiewicz
1m
2m
3m
1/48 SCALE
1m
2m
3m
MDF10-Plans-01_MDF10-Plans-01.qxd 03/05/2012 15:45 Page 2
10
Standard Modifications
Bf 109F-4/Z
Rack ETC-500 IX
Camera Rb 75/30 or Rb 50/30
Rack ETC-50 VIII
Bf 109G-2/R3
D/F Loop
Underwing Gondola
with MG151/20 Cannon
Fuel Tank 300 I
Rocket Launcher W.Gr 21
Bf 109G-10
Bf 109K-4
Production Standard
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-12
Aircraft converted from G-2 and G-4 airframes
1/48 SCALE
1m
2m
3m
1/48 SCALE
1m
2m
3m

SAM Modellers Datafile 10 - The Messerschmitt BF 109 Part 2 F To K Variants

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SAM Modellers Datafile 10 - The Messerschmitt BF 109 Part 2 F To K Variants

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MDF10-Cover_MDF10-Cover.

qxd 03/05/2012 15:43 Page 1

The Bf 109 Part 2: F to K Variants

01-MDF10-Intro_MDF10 02/05/2012 13:39 Page 1

01-MDF10-Intro_MDF10 02/05/2012 13:39 Page 2

Modellers Datafile No.9

About the Author

Lynn Ritger is a lifelong Luf twaffe

01-MDF10-Intro_MDF10 02/05/2012 13:39 Page 3

The Channel Front 15

African Stars, Mediterranean Sun 22

One Steppe Beyond 34

The Boars War 51

Defence and Defeat 58

Foreign Users 105

01-MDF10-Intro_MDF10 02/05/2012 13:39 Page 4

Modelling the Bf 109

Armament Development 147

Bf 109F-4 Walkaround 153

Bf 109G-4 Walkaround 156

Bf 109G-6 Walkaround 162

Bf 109G-10 Walkaround 170

Modelling the Bf 109 174

I Kit Listing 201

II Accessories & Conversions 202

A listing of accessories produced for Bf 109 kits

III Decals 204

IV Bf 109 Survivors 206

V Bf 109 Airframes & Production 208

VI Bf 109 Bibliography 222

01-MDF10-Intro_MDF10 02/05/2012 13:39 Page 5

his book on the Bf 109 is not intended as the be-all and

Lastly, I have been very fortunate to have the cooperation of

He might be happy in this

WNr 164950 became MT-449

01-MDF10-Intro_MDF10 02/05/2012 13:39 Page 6

Luftwaffe . . . . . . . . . . . . Air Force

02-MDF10-Chap-00_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:22 Page 7

he pictures and papers are fraying and yellowed. The

Hans Derksen (1923 1943)

Hans Derksen senior and his

The shocking effect of this raid reverberated across all of

Derksen, like many other

A four month cruise to

02-MDF10-Chap-00_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:22 Page 8

Transferring to the fighter

series of heavy raids throughout November. On the evening of

rest of III. Gruppe roared aloft in pursuit of the British bombers.

Operation Gomorrah, four nights of maximum effor t raids on Hamburg,

Even the subways offered no

Very few places were

commander. Derksens death was no different, although the

03-MDF10-Chap-01_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:32 Page 9

y the summer of 1940, German forces had swept across

The characteristic square

being developed into the M 29 for the 1932 Challenge de Tourisme

As one of the most successful

03-MDF10-Chap-01_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:32 Page 10

Instead of a single, unwieldy

After a series of fatal

immediately forward of the windscreen.

03-MDF10-Chap-01_MDF10 03/05/2012 13:32 Page 11

The V23 (WNr 5603, CE+BP)