History of the BF-109

[BoeingKing77]

Im a fan(I dont know if you would call me a historian since Im 12) and know a lot about,WW2. With that,I know most mainline guns,aircraft,and battles of America and German(and a little about the USSR,the brits,and Japan.I know almost nothing about the Italians)And so im gonna list some of the features of the main BF-109 versions,starting with the BF-109E-4.(just listing armament,engine,and bomb load)

BF-109E4:
Armament:2 7.92 mm machine guns above the engine and 2 20mm MG-FF/M wing cannons.
Engine:1,159 HP DB601N high-altitude engine
Bombs: 1x 250kg(550 lb) bomb

BF-109F-4
Armament:2 7.92 mm machine guns above nose and one 20mm MG151/20 in nose. Option for 1 20 mm MG151/20 in gunpods under each wing with 135 rpg
Engine:1,332 hp DB 601E engine
Bombs:1x 250kg(550lb) bomb

BF-109G-6 "Gustav"
Armament:2 13 mm MG131 above nose and 1 MK-108 30 mm Motorkanone firing through propeller hub.Option for 1 20mm MG-151/20 under each wing
EngineB 605A engine
Bombs:4 SC50 bombs or 1 250kg(550lbs) or 1 500kg(1,100lb) bomb

BF-109K-4 "Kurfurst"
Armament:2 13 mm MG131 above nose and 1 MK-108 30mm Motorkanone firing through propeller hub.(sometimes with MG151/20 in engine)Option for 1x MK-108 30mm or 1 MG-151/20 in gunpods under each wing.
EngineB 605D
Bombs:Same as G-6 or 1 Wfr.Gr. 21 rocket under each wing to break up allied bomber streams.


The BF-109 was one of,if not,the best fighter in WW2,and the highest scoring ace ever, Erich Hartmann, with 352 confirmed kills,and the other two highest scoring aces makes up over 900 confirmed kills between the 3.Ace status applied to over 2,500 german pilots during the war.The BF-109 served in every front of the war,from Poland to Berlin.

[Curtis Malone]

The 109 didn't start with the E4. Also, might you share with us what BF stands for?

[P3_Super_Bee]

The 109 didn't start with the E4. Also, might you share with us what BF stands for?

Bayerische Flugzeugwerke

[BoeingKing77]

The 109 didn't start with the E4. Also, might you share with us what BF stands for?

I know it didnt start with the E4.I never said I was starting with the first version.I just listed some of the main varients.One some more info??Here it isesigned by Willy Messerschmitt in the early 30s. And the bf-109 was a Rüstungsflugzeug III,designated by the RLM in 1933 calling for a new intercepter to replace the aging AR-64 and HE-51 biplanes in service then.What else would you like to know??

Bayerische Flugzeugwerke

I think he meant for me to answer that one.

[Curtis Malone]

I know it didnt start with the E4.I never said I was starting with the first version.I just listed some of the main varients.One some more info??Here it isesigned by Willy Messerschmitt in the early 30s. And the bf-109 was a Rüstungsflugzeug III,designated by the RLM in 1933 calling for a new intercepter to replace the aging AR-64 and HE-51 biplanes in service then.What else would you like to know??

Define "main variant". Why is G-6 more "main" than G-14? Also, what does RLM stand for?

[BoeingKing77]

Define "main variant". Why is G-6 more "main" than G-14? Also, what does RLM stand for?

RLM-Reich Air Ministry in english and Reichsluftfahrtministerium in German. And by main varient I mean by the one that was produced more and people have heard more about it. Wow, im 12 and your trying to trip me up. I just made this so people could learn a little bit about a fighter.Its not like im publishing this to a company.

[Curtis Malone]

RLM-Reich Air Ministry in english and Reichsluftfahrtministerium in German. And by main varient I mean by the one that was produced more and people have heard more about it. Wow, im 12 and your trying to trip me up. I just made this so people could learn a little bit about a fighter.Its not like im publishing this to a company.

I'm not trying to do any such thing, I was simply wondering why you specifically went with E4 and G6 versions over others. Also, I would have thought the B model would have gotten at least some mention, seeing as it saw considerable combat in Spain.

[BoeingKing77]

ok,but the point is,not very many people know about the Condor Leagion,let alone the aircraft that were in it.

[Curtis Malone]

ok,but the point is,not very many people know about the Condor Leagion,let alone the aircraft that were in it.

I would strongly disagree with you there.

[BoeingKing77]

I would strongly disagree with you there.

Ok, history buffs would know,but your average person who likes planes but doesnt know a lot wouldnt

[Luka]

Just my two bobs worth in response to "the best ever fighter". The Messerschmitt didn't even win the fighter competition. The Heinkel 100 did, but due to political reasons the 109 was chosen and Heinklel told to concentrate on bombers. Russia took the design and created the MIG 3? from memory, the Japanese took the design and created the Hein. Both struggling with an "inline" design.
Secondly the 109 was always too over burdened by too much fuel, bombs, ammo, the design was too old to cope with the extra weight and expectations placed upon it, unlike the Spitfire which was so over engineered that it could easily take the upgrades.
Finally, the 109 was easliy eclipsed by such aircraft as the FW-190 (and variants Ta-52 for example). The corsair, mustang, spitfire were all superior to the 109 (overall) - just ask Goering!
It is difficult to single out any one type of 109, however the G-2 is generally considred the best variant. Thankyou.

[Luka]

Luftwaffe...

PS...Its great the younger generation is getting into THE most exciting period in aviation BoeingKing, lets face it, in history!
I think your on the right track leaning towards the Germans when it comes to aircraft...even a rush job is a beauty in the hands of a German engineer.

[BoeingKing77]

PS...Its great the younger generation is getting into THE most exciting period in aviation BoeingKing, lets face it, in history!
I think your on the right track leaning towards the Germans when it comes to aircraft...even a rush job is a beauty in the hands of a German engineer.

Thank you!! Yeah,I do think if the Germans wern't outnumbered like 10-1 in the air war towards the end,with some of the last designs they were coming up with,like if they got more K-4s into the air or Me-262s and then put into service the better aircraft,like the Do-335,the flying wing(I think ho-229)I think another one was called the Ta-183 or stuff like X-4 wire guided missles,they would have dominated the skies,and that would let then probably win the ground war depending on how many men they had

[Luka]

Too true! Not surprisingly, if you check out the designs to come out of Russia and the US post war looked remarkably similar to what ws on the drawing board in Germany...might have something to do with the amount of blueprints, aircraft and engineers both countries "commandeered" at the end.
Its a pity that Hitler had so much say. time and again he made poor choices that cost Germany...Two examples: To reduce FW190 production because the 109 was quicker to build and required less "war materials". And Secondly: to put back the production and introduction of the Me-262 sothat it could be developed as a fighter bomber instead of just a fighter. I could go on and on about the descisions that cost Germany the war...if only one or two of them had been different, the war would have been different. I've always said (controversially) that the Aliies didn't win the war against the Germans, the Germans lost it instead.

[BoeingKing77]

Too true! Not surprisingly, if you check out the designs to come out of Russia and the US post war looked remarkably similar to what ws on the drawing board in Germany...might have something to do with the amount of blueprints, aircraft and engineers both countries "commandeered" at the end.
Its a pity that Hitler had so much say. time and again he made poor choices that cost Germany...Two examples: To reduce FW190 production because the 109 was quicker to build and required less "war materials". And Secondly: to put back the production and introduction of the Me-262 sothat it could be developed as a fighter bomber instead of just a fighter. I could go on and on about the descisions that cost Germany the war...if only one or two of them had been different, the war would have been different. I've always said (controversially) that the Aliies didn't win the war against the Germans, the Germans lost it instead.

Yeah!!I could name a few too:
1:If Herman Goering didnt come in when Hitler and his generals where talking about,oh,what was him name,I think Palus was asking to withdraw from Stalingrad,Hitler,I THINK that hitler would have let him retreat instead of getting resupplied by air,they wouldnt have lost 200,000 something soliders.
2:Using all that ammuntion,fuel,time and reichmarks on transporting and killing Jews.
3:Not letting any troops retreat at all costs.
4: Declaring war on America,where most likely the American public would make FDR just wage war against Japan,and invading Russia.If they stuck with just fighting the British,they could have won against Britain and then built up their forces.