World War 2 saw the airplane rise to even greater importance than in the first World War. Air superiority became a crucial component of battlefield operations and air forces were massively expanded during the conflict.The Allied and Axis sides of the war developed enormous war machines, capable of developing and rolling out unprecedented numbers of advanced new military equipment in rapid response to changing conditions on the battlefield, as well keeping up with the technological advances of adversaries.
High altitude bombing raids and night fighting were hallmarks of the War for Europe, whilst aircraft carrier battles pitched the American and Japanese fleets against one another. The technology of the day was pushed to it’s limit with the use of superchargers in aircraft engines, the introduction of radar, and the rapid development of the jet engine by the war’s end.
The period ended as the Nuclear Age and subsequent Cold War were ushered in by the tremendous and tragic blows to Japan’s wearied people.
In the later stages of the Second World War, it was becoming apparent to both the Luftwaffe (English German Air Force) and the German Government that the Allied air forces were gaining air superiority. This realization saw them turn to new and fantastical ideas in a desperate attempt to turn the tide of the war. Some of these represented new improvements to existing designs, the introduction of the newly developed turbojet engine, and even more esoteric and experimental methods. In many cases, these were pure fantasies, unrealistic or desperate designs with no hope of success. Few of them reached any significant development, and among them were the works of Alexander Martin Lippisch. While Lippisch helped develop the Me 163, the first rocket-powered interceptor, his other work remained mostly theoretical. One such project was the unusual P 13a, ramjet-powered aircraft that was to use coal as its main fuel source. While some work was carried out late in the war and soon faced insurmountable technical problems, thus nothing came of the project.
Artistic presentation of how the P 13a may have looked. Source: Luftwaffe Secret Jets of the Third Reich
History
Before the start of the Second World War, aviation enthusiast and engineer Alexander Martin Lippisch, was fascinated with tailless delta wing designs. Lippisch’s early work primarily involved the development of experimental gliders. Eventually, he made a breakthrough at the Deutsche Forschungsinstitut, where he worked as an engineer. His work at DFS would lead to the creation of the rocket-powered glider known as the DFS 194. As this design was a promising experiment in a new field, it was moved to Messerschmitt’s facility at Augsburg. After some time spent refining this design, it eventually led to the development of the Me 163 rocket-powered interceptor. While it was a relatively cheap aircraft, it could never be mass-produced, mostly due to difficulties associated with its highly volatile fuel. In 1942, Lippisch left Messerschmitt and ceased work on the Me 163 project. Instead, he joined the Luftfahrtforschungsanstalt Wien (English: Aeronautic Research Institute in Vienna) where he continued working on his delta-wing aircraft designs. In May 1943 he became director of this institution, and at that time the work on a supersonic aircraft was initiated.
In the later war years, among the many issues facing the Luftwaffe, was a chronic fuel shortage. Lippisch and his team wanted to overcome this problem by introducing alternative fuels for their aircraft. Luckily for his team, DFS was testing a new ramjet engine. They were designed to compress air which would be mixed with fuel to create thrust but without a mechanical compressor. While this is, at least in theory, much simpler to build than a standard jet engine, it can not function during take-off as it requires a high airflow through it to function. Thus, an auxiliary power plant was needed. It should, however, be noted that this was not new technology and had existed since 1913, when a French engineer by the name of Rene Lorin patented such an engine. Due to a lack of necessary materials, it was not possible to build a fully operational prototype at that time, and it would take decades before a proper ramjet could be completed. In Germany, work on such engines was mostly carried out by Hellmuth Walter during the 1930s. While his initial work was promising, he eventually gave up on its development and switched to a rocket engine instead. The first working prototype was built and tested by the German Research Center for Gliding in 1942. It was later tested by mounting the engine on a Dornier Do 17 and, later, a Dornier Do 217.
The Dornier Do 217 was equipped with experimental ramjets during trials. Source: tanks45.tripod.com
In October 1943, Lippisch won a contract to develop the experimental P 11 delta-wing aircraft. While developing this aircraft, Lippisch became interested in merging his new work with a ramjet engine. This would lead to the creation of a new project named the P 12. In the early stage of the project, Lippisch and his team were not completely sure what to use as fuel for their aircraft, but ramjets could be adapted to use other types of fuel beyond aviation gasoline.
Unfortunately for them, LFW’s facilities were heavily damaged in the Allied bombing raids in June 1944. In addition to the damage to the project itself, over 45 team members died during this raid. To further complicate matters, the scarcity of gasoline meant that Lippisch’s team was forced to seek other available resources, such as different forms of coal. This led to the creation of the slightly modified project named P 13. In contrast to the P 12, the cockpit was relocated from the fuselage into a large fin. This design provided better stability but also increased the aircraft’s aerodynamic properties. The overall designs of the P 12 and P 13 would change several times and were never fully finalized.
The P 12 and 13 small-scale models, in both configurations, were successfully tested at Spitzerberg Airfield near Vienna in May 1944. The project even received a green light from the Ministry of Armaments. In the early stages of the project, there were some concerns that the radical new design would require extensive retraining of pilots. However, the wind tunnel test showed that the design was aerodynamically feasible and that the aircraft controls had no major issues. Based on these tests, work on an experimental aircraft was ordered to begin as soon as possible.
A proposed P 12 aircraft. Its designs changed greatly over time, before being finally discarded in favor of the letter P 13. Source: The Delta Wing History and Development
The DM-1 Life Saver
While working on the P 12 and P 13, Lippish was approached with a request from a group of students from Darmstadt and Munich universities. They asked Lippisch to be somehow involved in the P 12 and 13 projects. Lippisch agreed to this and dispatched one of his assistants under the excuse that for his own project, a wooden glider was to be built and tested. The previously mentioned student’s and Lippisch’s assistant moved to a small warehouse in Prier and began working on the Darmstadt 33 (D 33) project. The name would be changed to DM 1 which stands for Darmstadt and Munich.
At this point of the war, all available manpower was recruited to serve the German war effort. For young people, this often meant mobilization into the Army. One way to avoid this was to be involved in some miracle project that offered the Army a potentially war-winning weapon. It is from this, that numerous aircraft designs with futuristic, and in most cases unrealistic, features were proposed. Many young engineers would go on to avoid military service by proposing projects that on paper offered extraordinary performance in combat.
The students and Lippisch managed to nearly complete their DM1 test glider when the war ended. Source: airandspace.si.edu
While it was under construction, preparations were made to prepare for its first test flight. As it was a glider it needed a towing aircraft that was to take it to the sky. A Sibel Si 204 twin-engine aircraft was chosen for the job. However, this was not to be done like any other glider, being towed behind the larger aircraft. Instead, the DM-1 was to be placed above the Si 201 in a frame, in a similar combination as the Mistel project. The estimated theoretical speeds that were to be reached were 560 km/h (350 mph).
Allegedly, there were four different proposals for the DM’s that were to be fully operational. The DM 2 version was estimated to be able to reach a speed of 800-1,200 km/h (500 – 745 mph). The DM 3’s theoretical maximum speed was to be 2,000 km/h (1,240 mph) while the fate of the DM 4 is unknown. Here it is important to note that these figures were purely theoretical, as there were no supersonic testing facilities to trial such a design. It is unclear in the sources if these additional DM projects even existed, even if in only written form. We must remember that the whole DM 1 glider idea was made to help the students avoid military conscription and that Lippisch himself never saw the DM 1 as any vital part of the P 13.
In any case, the glider was almost completed by the time the war ended and was later captured by the Western Allies. Under the US Army’s supervision, the glider was fully completed and sent to America for future evaluation. It would then be given to the Smithsonian Institution.
A DM 1 test glider being under construction. Source: hushkit.netThe Siebel Si 204 was to be used as a carrier for the DM 1 glider for the expected first-flight tests. Due to the end of the war, this was never achieved. Source: www.silverhawkauthor.com
Work on the P 13
As the work on the P 13 went on, the name was slightly changed. This was necessary as different variations of the P 13 were proposed. The original P 13 received the prefix ‘a’ while the later project’s designation continued alphabetically for example P 13b. After a brief period of examination of the best options, the P 12 project was discarded in favor of P 13. The decision was based on the fuel that the aircraft should use. What followed was a period of testing and evaluation of the most suitable forms of coal that could be used as fuel. Initial laboratory test runs were made using solid brown Bohemian coal in combination with oxygen to increase the burn rate. The fuel coal was tube-shaped, with an estimated weight of 1 kg, and encased in a mesh container through which the granulated coal could be ejected. The testing showed serious problems with this concept. While a fuel tube could provide a thrust that on average lasted 4 to 5 minutes, its output was totally unpredictable. During the testing, it was noted that due to the mineral inconsistency of the coal fuel, it was impossible to achieve even burning. Additionally, larger pieces of the coal fuel would be torn off and ejected into the jet stream. The final results of these tests are unknown but seem to have led nowhere, with the concept being abandoned. Given that Germany in the last few months of the war was in complete chaos, not much could be done regarding the Lippish projects including the P 13a.
As more alterations to the original design were proposed its name was charged to P 13a. Here is a drawing of a P 13b that was briefly considered but quickly discarded. Source: The Delta Wing History and Development
In May 1945, Lippish and his team had to flee toward the West to avoid being captured by the advancing Soviets. They went to Strobl in Western Austria, where they encountered the Western Allies. Lippisch was later transported to Paris in late May 1945 to be questioned about his delta wing designs. He was then moved to England, and then to America in 1946. The following year, American engineers tested the DM 1 glider at the wind tunnel facility of the Langley Field Aeronautical Laboratory. The test seems promising and it was suggested to begin preparation for a real flight. A redesign of the large rudder was requested. It was to be replaced with a much smaller one, where the cockpit would be separated from the fin and placed in the fuselage. Ironically Lippish was not mentioned in this report, as technically speaking he was not involved in the DM 1 project. Nevertheless, he was invited for further testing and evaluation of this glider. If this glider and the Lippish work had any real impact on the US designs is not quite clear.
Despite no aircraft being ever completed, one full-size replica of this unusual aircraft was built after the war. It was built by Holger Bull who is known for building other such aircraft. The replica can now be seen at the American Military Aviation Museum located in Virginia Beach.
An interesting full-size replica of the P 13 located at the American Military Aviation Museum. Source: Wiki
Technical characteristics
DM 1
The DM 1 glider was built using wooden materials. Given that it was constructed by a group of young students, its overall design was quite simple. It did not have a traditional fuselage, instead, its base consisted of a delta wing. On top, a large fin was placed. The cockpit was positioned in front of the aircraft within the large vertical stabilizer. To provide a better view of the lower parts of the nose, it was glazed. The landing gear consisted of three small landing wheels which retracted up into the wing fuselage. Given that it was to be used as a test glider, no operational engine was ever to be used on it.
The DM 1 side view. In contrast to the later P 13a design, the pilot’s cockpit position was placed above the wings. This was necessary as the engine was to be added. Source: airandspace.si.eduA DM 1 was captured by the Allies after the war. Its unique shape is quite evident in this photograph. Source: WikiA good example of DM 1 (to the right) and P 13a models that showed the difference between these two. The P 13a could be easily distinguished by its engine intake and the different position of the pilot cockpit. Source: Wiki
A good example of DM 1 (to the right) and P 13a models that showed the difference between these two. The P 13a could be easily distinguished by its engine intake and the different position of the pilot cockpit. Source: Wiki https://imgur.com/a/QW7XuO5
P 13a
The P 13 is visually similar but with some differences. The most obvious was the use of a ramjet. This means that the front, with its glazed nose, was replaced with an engine intake. Here, it is important to note, that much of the P 13a’s design is generally unknown, and much of the available information is sometimes wrongly portrayed in the sources. The P 13a never reached the prototype stage where an aircraft was fully completed. Even as the war ended, much of the aircraft’s design was still theoretical. Thus all the mentioned information and photographs may not fully represent how the P 13 may have looked or its precise characteristics, should it have been finished and built.
The exact ram engine type was never specified. It was positioned in the central fuselage with the air intake to the front and the exhaust to the back. As the main fuel, it was chosen to use small pieces of brown coal which were carried inside a cylindrical wire mesh container. The total fuel load was to be around 800 kg (1,760 lbs). Combustion was to be initiated by using small quintiles of liquid fuel or gas flames. The overall engine design was changed several times during the work on the P 13 without any real solution to the issues of output consistency. Given that the ramjets could not work without an air thrust, an auxiliary engine had to be used during take-off, though a more practical use would be to tow the P 13 until it could start its engine. A rocket takeoff ran the risk of the engine failing to ignite, leaving the pilot little time to search for a landing spot for his unpowered aircraft.
An illustration of the proposed P 13a engine interior. The use of coal as fuel may seem like a cheap alternative but given that this kind of technology was never employed may be an indication of its effectiveness. Source: theaviationgeekclub.com
The wing construction was to be quite robust and provided with deflectors that would prevent any potential damage to the rudders. The wing design also incorporated a sharp metal plate similar to those used for cutting enemy balloons cables. These proposed properties of the wings are another indicator that the P 13 was to be used as an aircraft rammer. Another plausible reason for this design was the fact that given it had no landing gear the aircraft design had to be robust enough as not to be torn apart during landing. The wings were swept back at an angle of 60 degrees. The precise construction method of the wings (and the whole P 13 a on that matter) are not much specified in the sources. Given the scarcity of resources in late 1944 it is likely that it would use a combination of metal and wood.
A drawing of the P 13a interior. Its overall construction was to be more or less standard in nature. This could not be said for the aircraft’s overall shape design. Source: D. Sharp Luftwaffe Secret Jets of the Third Reich
The fin had to be enlarged to provide good flight command characteristics. In addition, given that the position of the cockpit was in the fin, it had to be large. The fin was more or less a direct copy of one of the wings. So it is assumed that it too would share the overall design. The fin was connected to the aircraft by using four fittings.
The cockpit design was to be simple and cheap to build. The pilot was to have plenty of room inside the large fin. The cockpit was provided with a large glazed canopy that provided a good view of the front and sides. The seat and the instrument panel were bolted to the cockpit floor and walls. These could be easily detached for repairs. The instrument panel was to include an artificial horizon indicator, altimeter, compass, and radio equipment, Given that it was to operate at a high altitude oxygen tanks were to be provided too. Despite being intended to fly at high altitudes the cockpit was not to be pressurized. Another unusual fact was that initially the P 13 was to have a crew of two, but this was quickly discarded.
A possible example of how the inside of the pilot cockpit may have looked. Source: D. Sharp Luftwaffe Secret Jets of the Third Reich
Here it is important to note that the version of the P 13 with the large fin is often portrayed as the final version of this aircraft. However, Lippisch never fully decided whether he should go for this version or the second that used a smaller fin with the pilot cockpit placed above the engine intake. Depending on the proposed version they are drastically different from each other. Lippisch, for unknown reasons, presented the British intelligence officer with the version that used the smaller fin and the American with the second version.
During its development phase, many different alterations of the P 13 were proposed. Isource: D. Sharp Luftwaffe Secret Jets of the Third Reich
Landing operations were a bit unusual. To save weight no standard landing gear was to be used. Instead, Lippisch reused the Me 163 landing procedure. As the P 13 was immobile on its own, a small dolly would be used to move the aircraft. Once sufficient height was reached the dolly was to be jettisoned. In theory, this was an easy process, but in practice, this operation offered a good chance of failure and was much less safe than conventional landing gear. Sometimes the dolly either failed to eject or it bounced off the ground hitting the Me 163 in the process, with often fatal consequences.
The Me 163 which did not have traditional landing gear, had to be prior to the flight, transported to the airfield before launching into the sky. Source: warbirdphotographs.com
The aircraft was to land with the nose raised up from the ground. This limited the pilot’s view of the ground. In addition due to its small size and in order to save weight, nontraditional landing gear was provided, instead, it carried a landing blade skid. To help absorb the landing impact, additional torsion springs were to be used. This bar had to be activated prior to the landing, it would emerge from beneath the aircraft fuselage, with the rotation point located at the front. Once released it was to guide the aircraft toward the ground. After that, the torsion springs were to soften the landing. This whole contraption seems like a disaster just waiting to happen and it’s questionable how practical it would be.
A drawing that showed how the P 13a was to land using a guiding landing blade skid. Source: D. Sharp Luftwaffe Secret Jets of the Third Reich
One interesting feature of the P 13 was that it could be easily disassembled into smaller parts which would enable effortless transport. Another reason was that due to the engine’s position in order to make some repairs or replacement of the engine, the remaining parts of the wing and the large fin had to be removed.
Was it an aircraft rammer?
The precise purpose of the P 13a is not quite clear, even to this day. Despite being briefly considered for mass production, no official offensive armament is mentioned in the sources. So how would the P 13a engage the enemy? A possible solution was that it would be used as a ram aircraft that was supposed to hit enemy aircraft damaging them in the process. In an after-the-war interrogation by British officers, Lippisch was asked if the P 13 was to be used as an aerial ram aircraft. Lippisch responded the following “
“.. The possibilities of using the P.13 as a ramming aircraft had been considered but Dr Lippisch did not think that athodyd propulsion was very suitable for this purpose owing to the risk of pieces of the rammed aircraft entering the intake. This would be avoided with a rocket-propelled rammer…”
This statement contradicts the building description issued by the LFW issued in late 1944. In it was stated the following about this potential use. “…Due to tactical considerations, among other things, the speed difference of fighters and bombers, preferably when attacking from behind, though the thought was given to the installation of brakes .. and although ample room for weaponry is present, the task of ram fighter has been taken into account – so that the ramming attack will not lead to the loss of the aircraft, thanks to its shape and static structure.”
This meant that this concept may have been considered by Lippisch at some point of the project’s development. The P 13 overall shape resembles closely to aircraft that was intentionally designed for this role. That said, it does not necessarily mean that the P 13 was to ram enemy aircraft. The use of such tactics was considered but their use was discarded, as it was seen as a futile and flawed concept. The project itself never got far enough to have an armament decided for it.
The precise method of how to engage the enemy aircraft is not clear as the P13a was not provided with any armament. It is sometimes referred to in the sources as it was to be used as a ram aircraft. Source: theaviationgeekclub.com
Conclusion
The Lippisch P 13 is an unusual aircraft project in nearly all aspects. Starting from its shape, which proved, at least during wind tunnel tests, that the concept was feasible. On the other hand, its engine seems to have simply been abandoned after discouraging test results. It is unlikely that such a combination would have worked to the extent that the P 13 designer hoped it would. During the testing, they could not find a proper solution to providing a constant thrust with sufficient force to reach a speed that was expected of it. So the whole concept was likely to be doomed from the start.
The DM 1 however, while it was never seriously worked on by Lippisch himself, managed to save a group of young students who used the project to avoid being sent into combat.
DM-1 Specifications
Wingspans
5.92 m / 19 ft 5 in
Length
6.6 m / 21 ft 7 in
Height
3.18 m / 10 ft 5 in
Wing Area
20 m² / 215 ft²
Engine
None
Empty Weight
300 kg / 655 lbs
Maximum Takeoff Weight
460 kg / 1,015 lbs
Maximum Speed
560 km/h / 350 mph (gliding)
Landing speed
72 km/h / 45 mph
Release altitude
8,000 m (26,240 ft)
Crew
1 pilot
Armament
None
Theoretical Estimated Lippisch P 13 Specifications
Wingspans
5.92 m / 19 ft 5 in
Length
6.7 m / 21 ft 11 in
Height
3.18 m / 10 ft 5 in
Wing Area
20 m² / 215 ft²
Engine
Unspecified ramjet
Maximum Takeoff Weight
2,300 kg / 5,070 lbs
Maximum Speed
1,650 km/h / 1,025 mph
Flight endurance
45 minutes
Fuel load
800 kg / 1,760 lb
Crew
1 pilot
Armament
None mentioned
Illustrations
The Lippisch DM-1, unnecessary to the overall project, it none the less allowed a group of students to escape military service.
A possible silhouette of the P13.
Credits
Article written by Marko P.
Edited by Henry H.
Ported by Marko P.
Illustrated By Medicman11
Source:
A. Lippisch (1981) The Delta Wing History and Development, Iowa State University Press
D. Nesić (2008) Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemačka. Beograd.
D. Monday (2006) The Hamlyn Concise Guide To Axis Aircraft OF World War II, Bounty Books.
J. R. Smith and A. L. Kay (1972) German Aircraft of the WW2, Putham
B. Rose (2010) Secret Projects Flying Wings and Tailless Aircraft, Midland
D. Sharp (2015) Luftwaffe Secret Jets of the Third Reich, Mortons
Kingdom of Hungary (1939)
Fighter Aircraft – One prototype
In their search for a new fighter, the Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő MKHL (English: Royal Hungarian Home Defence Air Force), approached the Germans for help. Initially, a deal was made with the German Heinkel company for the delivery of new He 112 fighters and a production license. However, nothing came of this deal, which led to the Hungarians attempting to develop their own fighter, partially based on the He 112.
In the late 1930s, the Hungarian Air Force was slowly in the process of rebuilding its combat strength by the acquisition of new aircraft. For a modern air force, they needed better fighter designs, which they were then seriously lacking. Luckily for them, they began to improve their relations with Germany, so it was possible to acquire new equipment from them. In June 1938, a Hungarian delegation was sent to the Heinkel company, and the pilots that accompanied this delegation had a chance to fly the He 112 fighter. This aircraft was Heinkel’s response to the Reichsluftfahrtministerium’s (English: German Ministry of Aviation) request for a new fighter. While generally a good design, it ultimately lost to Messerschmitt Bf 109. While the He 112 project was canceled by the RLM, to compensate for the huge investment in resources and time to it, Heinkel was permitted to export this aircraft to foreign buyers. Several countries such as Austria, Japan, Romania, and Finland showed interest, but only a few actually managed to procure this aircraft, and even then, only in limited numbers.
He 112 the unsuccessful competitor of the Bf 109. Source: www.luftwaffephotos.com
The Hungarians were impressed with the He 112 and placed an order for 36 such aircraft. For a number of logistical and political reasons, the decision to sell these aircraft to Hungary was delayed. A single He 112 was given to Hungary in February for evaluation but was lost on its first flight. Realizing that the Germans would not deliver the promised aircraft, the Hungarians instead decided to ask for a license. This was granted and Heinkel also delivered two more He 112 B-1s. When the license arrived in Hungary in May 1939, a production order for the 12 first aircraft was given to Weiss Manfréd aircraft manufacturer.
The first He 112 to reach Hungary, it was lost in an accident during its maiden test flight. Source: D. Bernard Heinkel He 112 in Action
A New Fighter
Despite the best Hungarian attempts to put the He 112 in production, this was prevented by the war between Poland and Germany. At the start of the Second World War, RLM officially prohibited the export of any German aircraft engines and equipment. This meant that the vital Jumo 210 and DB 601 engines would not be available. Based on this fact, all work on the Hungarian He 112 had to be canceled.
The Hungarian Air Force only operated a few He 112, which saw limited service before being reused as training aircraft. Source: www.destinationsjourney.com
As the Hungarians had the license for the He 112, some parts could still be domestically produced. In essence, this offered the Hungarians the chance to develop a new fighter, based on the He 112 blueprints. Not wanting to waste this opportunity, the Hungarian Ministry of War Affairs issued a directive to commence developing a new domestic fighter by reusing some components from the He 112. The whole project was undertaken by WM’s own chief designer Bela Samu, who began development in early 1939. To speed up development, the He 112 wing design was copied, but given the comparatively underdeveloped Hungarian aircraft industry, the wing was to be built of wooden materials instead of metal, as it was on the He 112. Other differences included using an oval-section fuselage, different armament, a new engine, and a cockpit redesign.
The first prototype was completed quickly by the end of 1939. In its prototype stage, the aircraft was painted in a light gray livery, earning it the nickname Ezüst Nyíl (English: Silver arrow) from the personnel that worked on it. Once it was issued to the Air Force for testing, it received the standard Hungarian camouflage scheme, and the designation V/501 was also allocated to it. The maiden test flight was undertaken close to Budapest on the 23rd of February 1940. The flight proved successful and a maximum speed of 530 km/h (330 mph) at a height of 5 km (16.400 ft) was achieved. Some issues were detected, the most problematic proved to be the strong vibration caused by the exhaust system. Despite this, the project development pressed on.
The WM 23, possibly at an early stage of development. It was powered by a 1,030 hp WM K-14B engine which gave it comparable power to the He 112. Source: www.destinationsjourney.com
Short Service Life
Despite the time and effort put into the project, it all went for nothing as the prototype was lost in an accident in February, or April, depending on the source, 1942. During a test flight at high speeds, one of the ailerons simply broke off. The pilot lost control of the aircraft and had to bail out. The uncontrolled plane hit the ground and was utterly destroyed, and with it, the whole project was canceled.
Beyond this major setback, another reason why this project was canceled was the start of the license production of the German Bf 109G fighter. It was much easier, and faster, to commence production of this aircraft, thanks to German technical support, than to completely develop new tooling and equipment for the WM 23.
Technical Characteristics
The WM 23 was a mixed-construction single-engine fighter heavily inspired by the German He 112. Given its somewhat obscure nature, not much is mentioned in the sources about its overall construction. Given the urgency of the project, instead of the monocoque fuselage, the Hungarian engineers decided to use a simpler oval-section fuselage which consisted of welded steel tubes and then covered with plywood. The wings, as mentioned, were taken from the He 112, but had one huge difference, being made of wood, including its control surfaces.
The landing gear was another part more or less taken directly from the He 112. They consisted of two larger landing wheels that retracted into the wings, and one semi-retractable tail wheel. But based on the photographic evidence, their overall design changed during the prototype’s development. On the prototype, possibly at an early stage, a V-shaped front landing gear strut was used. This was later replaced by a large single-leg landing gear. The cockpit was equipped with a sliding canopy that slid to the rear.
The WM 23 was powered by a 1,030 hp WM K-14B (sometimes marked as 14/B) engine. This engine was developed based on the license of the French Gnome and Rhone 14K engine, a fourteen-cylinder radial engine equipped with a single-stage, single-speed supercharger. As mentioned, during the fifth test maximum achieved speed was 530 km/h (330 mph).
While the prototype was never fitted with an offensive armament, the Hungarians had plans for a potential armament In the wing, two 8 mm (0.33 in) machine guns were to be installed. In addition, two 12.7 mm (0.5 in) heavy machine guns were to be added atop the engine compartment. Lastly it was to have a payload of two 20 kg bombs (44 lbs).
There are very few surviving photographs of the WM 23. While showing promising performance, the destruction of the only prototype and the commencement of the Bf 109G’s production in Hungary ultimately lead to the cancelation of this project. Source: D. Bernard Heinkel He 112 in Action
Conclusion
The WM 23 was an interesting Hungarian attempt to domestically develop and build a fighter aircraft that was greatly influenced by the He 112. It showed to be a promising design, with the prospect of entering serial production. However, the loss of the single prototype put an end to this project. By 1942, the Hungarians simply did not have the time to start over again with the WM 23, so they abandoned it in favor of the license production of the German Bf 109G.
WM 23 prototype Specifications
Wingspans
31 ft 5 in / 9.6 m
Length
29 ft 10 in / 9.1 m
Height
10 ft 9 in / 3.3 m
Wing Area
199 ft² / 18.5 m²
Engine
One 1,030 hp strong WM K-14B
Empty Weight
4,850 lbs / 2,200 kg
Maximum Take-off Weight
5,733 lbs / 2,600 kg
Maximum Speed
330 mph / 530 km/h
Crew
1 pilot
Proposed Armament
Two 12.7 mm (0.5 in) heavy machine guns and two machine guns 8 mm (0.33 in) machine guns plus a bomb load of 20 kg (44 lbs)
Credits
Article written by Marko P.
Edited by Henry H.
Ported by Marko P.
Illustrated By Carpaticus
Illustrations
The WM-23’s factory test colorsWM-23 with Hungarian Airforce livery
Source:
D. Monday (2006) The Hamlyn Concise Guide To Axis Aircraft OF World War II, Bounty Books
D. Bernard (1996) Heinkel He 112 in Action, Signal Publication
G. Punka, Hungarian Air Force, Signal Publication
R.S. Hirsch, U, Feist and H. J. Nowarra (1967) Heinkel 100, 112, Aero Publisher
C. Chants (2007) Aircraft of World War II, Grange Books
J. R. Smith and A. L. Kay (1990) German Aircraft of the Second World War, Putnam
Side view of the Boulton Paul P.105C. This was the single-seat fighter version of the aircraft, armed with four 20mm cannons. (Boulton Paul Archive Photos)
The Boulton Paul P.105 was a concept for a multi-purpose, single-engine aircraft that was designed to fill a number of carrier based roles. To do so, the P.105 would utilize a unique and innovative method that would use interchangeable fuselage sections and cockpit modules that would allow the aircraft to perform different missions. These modules could be changed quickly to fill a needed role aboard carriers or airbases. The aircraft would not be chosen for production, and The P.105 would be developed further into the P.107, a land-based escort version. The P.107 would have a rear-facing turret and a twin boom tail design to allow greater traverse of the gun. This design wouldn’t be adopted either, and the program would conclude before the war’s end.
History
Late in the Second World War, the Royal Naval Air Arm began seeking out a new aircraft design that would be able to fill both the fighter and bomber roles aboard their carriers. Having one aircraft perform multiple roles would eliminate the need for specialized carrier-borne aircraft to fill the fighter, dive bomber, and torpedo bomber roles that were currently in operation. No official requirements were ever put out to build such an aircraft, but several companies had begun developing aircraft that would fit this role, which had become known as the “Strike Fighter”. Westland, Blackburn, Fairey and Boulton Paul would all develop designs that correspond to the strike fighter role. Boulton Paul’s aircraft design would be known as the P.105.
After the production of their Defiant turret fighter was finished, Boulton Paul began producing the Fairey Barracuda carrier bomber under license. After working extensively with a naval aircraft of this type, lead aircraft designer of Boulton Paul, John North, began to show interest in developing new aircraft to serve the Royal Navy’s carriers. The timing for this interest was beneficial too, as the Royal Air Arm began showing interest in new aircraft that were to be used in the Pacific Theater. He would first design a single engine fighter, dubbed the P.103 which would compete for the Navy’s Specification N.7/43 aircraft project. The P.103 was a heavily reworked Defiant with the turret removed and the design heavily cleaned up to make for a more effective fighter. Two designs existed for the P.103; the A and B, with the A using a Rolls Royce Griffon engine and the B using a Bristol Centaurus engine. The P.103 would utilize a number of innovative features, such as contra-rotating propellers, a low drag wing, specialized landing gear that became shorter when stowed, and elevators with automatic trim tabs. In addition, a more radical design was also submitted, the P.104, which was a twin-boom pusher. Despite both the P.103 and P.104 satisfying the specification, the Navy ultimately would find that a Hawker Tempest variant that was to be produced could easily be adapted to this role. This aircraft would become the Hawker Fury, and naval-ized into the Sea Fury.
While the P.103 wouldn’t be built, there were plans to test many of its design features on an existing aircraft. A Defiant was chosen to be extensively modified with most of the features found on the P.103, including the contra-rotating “dive-brake” propellers driven by a Centaurus engine, electric trim tabs, specialized shortening landing gear, and automatically closing landing gear doors. This aircraft, known as the Special Features Defiant, would also go unbuilt, with only a Defiant being modified with the elevator trim tabs. Boulton Paul wouldn’t yield any aircraft from this specification, but a new design would soon come from John North, who would continue working on Naval aircraft projects, looking to create an aircraft that would replace the Fairey Barracuda. Using design aspects intended for the P.103, and newer features found on the Special Features Defiant, he would design the P.105.
Static model of the standard P.105A. (British Secret Projects 1935-1950)
The P.105 was a small, high-performing aircraft that was meant to perform a number of duties aboard carriers. To achieve this the P.105 would have a unique design feature. To fill the variety of carrier-borne roles, the P.105 would have modular cockpit and bomb bay sections. Each of these modules would pertain to a particular role and would include necessary equipment to operate for the given task. The interchangeable modules included a two-seat torpedo-bomber with the necessary modifications to carry a torpedo (P.105A), a two-seat reconnaissance aircraft with an extended cockpit with changes to improve visibility (P.105B), a single-seat fighter armed with four 20mm cannons (P.105C) and a dive-bomber (P.105D). All aircraft aside from the C would be armed with four 12.7mm machine guns. With this system, it was thought more P.105 airframes could be stored inside hangars and carriers, while the unused modules could easily be stored and would take up less space, compared to having a number of different aircraft specified for specific roles, in theory, increasing the combat capacity of the carrier the P.105 would be stationed on. Boulton Paul expected the aircraft to be very high performance, and the P.105C fighter version, would be thought to serve as an excellent penetration fighter. Like its predecessors, the P.105 was originally going to utilize a Griffon 61 engine, but before performance predictions were done on the design, it would change to a Centaurus with counter-rotating propellers. The brochure on the details of the aircraft was submitted to the RNAA, but no order for production came about.While no particular reason was given for the design not being chosen, the modularity concept may have been less convenient in practice then on paper. Another reason could be that current aircraft at the time were deemed to have been performing adequately and didn’t need such an extensive replacement.
A side view plan drawing showing the layout of the Boulton Paul P.107. (Boulton Paul Archive Photos)
Although the P.105 wasn’t granted production, the design was further reworked into the Boulton Paul P.107. The P.107 was a return to basics for Boulton Paul, being a single-engine two-seat fighter with a turret. It can be assumed the P.107 began development during or shortly after the P.105 had been created. John North expressed many concerns with aircraft meant to operate in the Pacific War, with the biggest issue being the extreme range an aircraft would need in order to operate efficiently in this conflict. While details are sparse on its development, the P.107 extended range escort fighter appears to be his own attempt to create an aircraft meant to amend this issue. Overall, the P.107 shared many aspects of the P.105C, continuing to use the same overall design, Centaurus engine with contra-rotating propellers, and the same armament of four 20mm cannons. However, the P.107 wasn’t meant to operate from carriers, instead being designed as a land-based aircraft. Changes done to the design for this reason include the lack of folding wings and the removal of the torpedo blister. The aircraft would also benefit with the addition of a turret housing two 12.7mm machine guns. To improve the firing efficiency of the turret, the single fin of the P.105 was changed in favor of a twin fin design, which improved the firing range of the guns. The P.107 could also be configured for different roles, such as a dive bomber and for reconnaissance, but it is unknown if it used the same modular system the P.105 used. As was the case with his earlier designs, the P.107 wasn’t selected for production either.
Design
3-Way drawing of the P.105B. This was the reconnaissance version. (British Secret Projects 1935-1950)
The Boulton Paul P.105 had a conventional monoplane fighter layout. In the front, it would utilize a 6-bladed contra-rotating propeller that had reversible pitch. Originally, the design would have mounted a Griffon 61 V-12 inline engine but was changed in favor of the Centaurus 18-cylinder radial CE.12.SM engine instead. The wings on the P.105 were inverted gull wings, much like those on the Vought F4U Corsair or Junkers Ju 87 Stuka, which allowed the mounting of a larger propeller. To allow for easy storage aboard carriers, the wings were able to fold inwards. The fuselage had the most interesting aspect of the design overall, and that was its interchangeable cockpit and lower fuselage modules. Each variant of the P.105 would use different modules that would pertain to the intended role it served. The P.105A was a torpedo bomber and would use the torpedo blister present under the tail, and provisions for carrying another crewmember. The P.105B was a reconnaissance aircraft, and its cockpit would be lengthened to sit a pilot and observer. It would use a glass hull beneath the observer to assist in spotting. The P.105C was an escort fighter and would be a one-man aircraft. The last was a dive-bomber version, which only has very sparse details available. The dive bomber would carry up to two 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs, most likely in an internal bomb bay module. The tail of the aircraft would be a conventional single rudder and tailplane arrangement. The armament of the P.105 was a standard two to four 12.7mm machine-guns in the wings of the aircraft, with the only deviation being the P.105C, which would use four 20mm cannons instead.
3-Way view of the P.107. Notice the turret and twin tail. (British Secret Projects 1935-1950)
The P.107 borrowed many aspects of the P.105 design, but changed some details to better fit its role. The engine and front sections would stay the same, keeping the contra-rotating propellers and Centaurus engine. Reference materials refer to the aircraft as being able to convert from an escort fighter to either a fighter-bomber, or photo reconnaissance aircraft. However, whether it was a conventional conversion, or via the module system the P.105 used is unknown, the latter being most likely. The wing design would stay the same, with the inverted gull wing style. Given its land-based nature, the wings no longer needed to be folded to conserve space, and the torpedo blister under the tail was removed. Behind the pilot, a gunner would sit and remotely control two 12.7mm machine guns. The machine-guns would be housed within the aircraft, with only the ends of the barrel protruding out. To give the gunner a better firing arc, the single tailfin was switched to a double tailfin. The turret and twin tail design are the most obvious differences between the P.107 and P.105. The aircraft’s fuel would be stored in a main tank beneath the crew members and two smaller drop tanks. The fuel amount was expected to give the aircraft a 3,000 mi (4,827 km) range, with up to 30 minutes of combat. The drop tanks could be switched for 2,000 Ib (900 Kg) of bombs. For offensive armament, the P.107 would use four 20m cannons mounted in the wings.
Conclusion
While no P.105 or P.107 would be constructed, the designs do attempt to amend issues that were present at the time. The Strike Fighter designation would eventually become a standard type of aircraft aboard carriers, and aircraft meant to fulfill multiple roles would also eventually be developed, but none would ever use such a unique system as the interchangeable fuselage of the P.105. It is interesting to note that the P.105 and P.107 appear to be the last military propeller aircraft that Boulton Paul would design before their switch to trainers and jet powered research aircraft, the aircraft themselves being distantly related to their Defiant fighter that they became known for during the war.
Variants
Boulton Paul P.105A– Two-seat torpedo bomber version of the P.105.
Boulton Paul P.105B– Two-seat reconnaissance version of the P.105. This version would have a glazed hull for the observer.
Boulton Paul P.105C– Single-seat Fighter version of the P.105.
Boulton Paul P.105 Dive bomber– Dive bomber version of the P.105. No designation was given to this design. (P.105D?)
Boulton Paul P.107– Land-based escort fighter derived from the P.105. The P.107 shared many design aspects with the P.105 but would remove features that would be needed for carrier use, such as the lack of folding wings. The P.107 would also have a turret and the tailplane would be switched to a double rudder design to accommodate the turret’s firing arc. Photo reconnaissance and fighter bomber versions of the P.107 are also mentioned.
Operators
Great Britain – Had they been built, the P.105 and P.107 would have been used by the Royal Fleet Air Arm, with a focus of being used in the Pacific Theatre aboard carriers and from land.
Nazi Germany (1940)
Light Transport and Trainer – Number built: 1,175
While often seen as less exciting than their combat counterparts, transport and auxiliary aircraft provided vital services in moving cargo, and training new pilots. Light transports which could combine both duties were thus extremely desirable during the war as theaters stretched across continents and pilot attrition was high. Luckily for the Luftwaffe, the Siebel company provided them with a simple but effective aircraft that could easily fulfill both roles. This was the Si 204, which saw wide-scale use both during, and after, the conflict.
The Si 204. Source: www.airwar.ru/
Siebel company history
The story of Siebel began back in 1936 when Hans Klemm opened a new aircraft factory the, Flugzeugbau Halle GmbH. This company would go on to produce license-built aircraft, including the Focke-Wulf Fw 44, and Heinkel He 46. Between 1936 and 1937, a new project led by Hans Klemm was initiated. This was a light twin-engined transport aircraft designated as Fh 104. While the work was going on, Klemm decided to hand over the factory to well-known aircraft enthusiast Fritz W. Siebel. The same year the name was changed to Siebel Flugzeugwerke Halle GmbH. Under new management, the work on the renamed Siebel Fh 104 continued. The Siebel Fh 104 would prove to be a solid design and was pressed into Luftwaffe service as a communication and liaison aircraft. In 1942 the production of this aircraft was terminated, by which time only some 46 were built. The Siebel factory would survive the war and even produce a few new aircraft designs. It would continue to exist up to 1968 when it was merged with Messerschmitt-Bolkow GmbH.
The first aircraft to come out of the o Siebel Flugzeugwerke production was the Siebel Fh 104 Source: hwww.armedconflicts.com
The Siebel 204
Following the success of the Fh 104, Siebel received a request from the Luftwaffe officials in 1939 to design and build a new twin-engine, 8-passenger transport aircraft. So Siebel and his team of engineers began working on such a design. While they may have used the experience gained while working on the Fh 104, their next project was a completely new design. The first prototype Si 204 V1 (D-AEFR) was completed in early 1940, and was flight tested on the 25th of May the same year. Sources disagree about the year when the maiden flight was made. For example, D. Nešić and M. Fratzke mentioned that it happened in 1941 while M. Griel placed it in 1940. The test flight proceeded without any major issues, so the development of this aircraft carried on. In October 1940 the Si 204 V2 (D-IMCH) was flight tested. Both of these would serve as bases for the pre-production A-0 series which were to be operated by the German Lufthansa airline. The first prototype was scrapped in 1942 while the second remained in use up to early 1944 when it was lost in an accident.
Following its successful testing, the first production version known as Si 204A was built. It was powered by two 360 hp, or 465 hp depending on the source, Argus As 410 engines. The Si 204A-0 and A-1 were put into production in 1941, the precise numbers are not clear but were likely limited. As the war dragged on these were mainly used for crew training, a role to which they proved well suited.
The Luftwaffe was generally satisfied with the Si 204A’s performance as a trainer but requested that a new version of it be built. This version was dedicated to various crew training tasks including; radio navigation, instrument flying, bombing, and communication. Other requests were made regarding its front canopy design and stronger power units. For this reason, the engines were replaced with two 600-hp Argus As 411 12-cylinder engines. Additionally, the original stepped canopy was replaced with a fully glazed canopy.
The new version was to be designated Si 204D. The fate of the skipped B and C versions is unclear, but these were likely only paper projects. The Si 204V3 and V4 served as bases for the Si 204D aircraft. Both were flight tested in early 1941, withhe V3 being lost in an accident during mid-1942 while the fate of the V4 is not known.
Technical characteristics
The Si 204 was designed as a low-wing, twin-engine, all-metal transport, and training aircraft. Its fuselage was made of round-shaped formers each connected with a series of metal bars. These were covered with sheet metal plating. On the fuselage sides, there were four rectangular windows.
The wings and tail units were also of an all-metal construction. The wings were built using only a single spar. The dihedral tailplane was divided into two fins and rudders, which were located on their tips.
In the last months of the war, due to shortages of resources, Siebel attempted to replace some metal components using wooden materials. The end of the war prevented any of these wooden components from ever being used.
The pilot and his assistant were positioned in the front. As many German bombers had a fully glazed canopy, to help with the training and adaptation of new pilots, the Si 204 was also equipped with such a designed canopy. It largely resembled the one used on the He 111. Thanks to it the pilot had an excellent view during the flight.
As mentioned earlier, Si 204D was powered by two 600 hp Argus As 411 12-cylinder engines, these used two variable pitch blade propellers. The maximum speed achieved with these engines was around 364 km/h. With a fuel load of 1.090 liters, the maximum operational range was around 1.800 km.
The landing gear was more or less a standard design. It consisted of three wheels. The landing gear retracted back into the engine nacelles. These were not fully enclosed and part of the wheels was exposed. The tail wheel was not retractable.
While initially designed as a passenger transport aircraft, the Si 204 would be primarily used for crew training. For this reason, its interior compartment could be equipped with different training equipment depending on the need. Including radio, radar, or navigation equipment.
The Siebel 204D side view. Its overall design is quite similar to the German he 111 bombers. Source: www.airwar.ruSiebel pilot cockpit interior. The pilot and his assistant had an excellent view of the surrounding thank to the large glazed cockpit. Source: www.airwar.ruThe Siebel 204D had standard landing gear. The two front wheels retracted back into the engine nacelles. These were not fully enclosed and part of the wheels was exposed. Source: www.airwar.ru
Production
Despite being Siebel’s own design, the factory itself lacked production capabilities as it was already heavily involved in the manufacturing of other designs including the Ju 88. The actual production was redistributed to two occupied foreign factories. The first were the SNCAC factories located in Fourchambault and Bourges in France, which came under German control after the successful end of the Western Campaign in 1940. The second production center was located at the Czechoslovakian Aero factory, which was also occupied by the Germans even before the war started. Other companies like BMM and Walter were also involved in the production of this aircraft.
The production numbers were initially low, for example, the SNCAC only managed to build five aircraft per month during 1942. From 1942 to 1944 this company produced some 150 Si 204D aircraft. Czechoslovakian production capabilities proved to be better, managing to manufacture some 1007 such aircraft by the end of the war. The total production of all versions during the war is around 1.175 aircraft according to H. A. Skaarup. This number, as is the case with many German production numbers, may be different in other sources.
Service
As mentioned earlier the Si 204 was mainly used for crew training for various roles, transportation, and glider towing. While there is quite limited information on their precise service life, it appears to be quite a successful design and was praised by the Luftwaffe pilots. By the end of the war, some were even equipped with various radar equipment including FuG 217R and FuG 218V2R tail warning radars to train night fighter pilots. Interestingly the Si 204 was employed for the training of further Me 262 pilots.
It is often mentioned that the Si 204 was the last Luftwaffe aircraft to be shot down. Near Rodach in Bavaria, just a day before the Germans capitulated to the Allies. That kill is accredited to Lieutenant K. L. Smith, a pilot of a P-38 Lightning from the 474th Fighter Group. How valid this claim is difficult to know precisely due to the general chaotic state in Germany at that time.
During its service life, the Si 204 proved to be an effective aircraft, completely suited for its designated role. Source:www.airwar.ru
Combat adaptation attempts
For fighting against Partisan movements in occupied Europe, older or modified aircraft were often reused, preserving the more modern aircraft for the front line use. The Si 204 was seen as tempting for such a modification, so the Siebel engineers tried to develop a fully armed combat version of this aircraft. To fulfill this role some extensive modifications were needed.
Inside its front fuselage, two 13 mm MG 131 heavy machine guns were placed. Each was supplied with 500 rounds of ammunition, stored in a metal ammunition bin. These were to be operated by the pilot. For this reason, he was provided with a Revi 16A-type gun sight. For protection against enemy aircraft, on top of the fuselage, a fully glazed turret armed with one 13 mm MG 131 was added. The turret movement was electrically controlled. Elevation was -10 to +80 while it could achieve a full 360 rotation.
The interior of the Si 204 received a bombing bay that could carry 12 70 kg bombs. External bomb racks with a capacity ranging from 50 to 500 kg were added. The pilot seat received armor plates for his protection from enemy fire on the Si 204E. Due to its relatively slow speed, using this aircraft against a well equipped enemy was dangerous, so it was to be restricted to night bombing action only.
In 1944 two prototypes were completed and tested. Besides these two, the number of Si 204E’s built is unknown. Given its experimental nature, possibly only a few prototypes were ever completed. Allegedly these saw limited action fighting the Belarusian Partisans. The extent to which they were used in this role if used at all, remains unknown.
The Siebel 204E could be easily distinguished by its glazed turret, located on the fuselage top. This version is somewhat obscure as it is not known how many were built and if they ever saw action in combat. Source: www.silverhawkauthor.com
Carrier proposal
With the Allies slowly getting the upper hand in the air over Europe, the Luftwaffe became ever more desperate to find a solution to this problem. Mass production of cheap fighters was seen as a possible solution. One such project was proposed by Professor Alexander Lippisch, best known for designing a series of glider fly-wing designs. He was also involved in designing various bizarre aircraft projects, including the unusual P 13a aircraft.
A drawing of Professor Alexander Lippisch P 13a fighter. Source: D. Sharp Luftwaffe Secret Jets of the Third Reich
While working on the P 13, Lippish was approached with a request from a group of students from Darmstadt and Munich universities who wanted to avoid conscription to join his work. Lippisch agreed to this and dispatched one of his assistants under the excuse that for his own project, a wooden glider was to be built and tested. They together managed to build an experimental DM-1 glider.. However, this aircraft was not to be towed like any other glider. Instead, the DM-1 was to be placed above the Si 201 on brackets and carried. However, nothing came of this project, and no such attempt at deploying the glider was made as the war ended.
Professor Alexander Lippisch’s work involved designing unusual and unorthodox aircraft designs including the Li DM 1. Source: Professor Alexander Lippisch’s work involved designing unusual and unorthodox aircraft designs including the Li DM 1. Source: www.fiddlersgreen.net
After the war
When the war ended, the Si 204 would see more service in the hands of many other nations. The advancing Allies managed to capture a number of fully operational aircraft. These were immediately put to use either as transport, liaison, and evaluation purposes. At least one Si 204D was extensively used by the British pilot Captain Eric Brown, who was the chief test pilot of the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough. He was involved in a British project tasked with taking over German war research installations and interrogating technical personnel after the war.
He was generally impressed with the Si 204D’s overall performance, performing many flights on it. He later wrote about its performance. “The Si 204D was really a viceless airplane to handle, with inherently good stability about all three axes and good harmony of control. It was very well equipped for its tasks, and the later model I flew had an autopilot fitted. Like all German aircraft of that era, it was a mass of electrics, with extensive circuit breaker panels, and all very reliable. However, the one thing the Germans never got right was wheel brakes, and the Sievel was no exception..”
A group of six or more Si 204 was captured by the Allies. Source: www.asisbiz.com
The Siebels that were moved to Farnborough were extensively used during 1945 for various roles, like communication, providing navigational guidance, and transporting pilots to various captured Luftwaffe airfields. The last operational flight of the Si 204D at this base was recorded at the start of 1946.
After the war, the Si 204 saw the most common use in French and Czechoslovakia, which actually continued to produce this aircraft. In French service, these were known t as NC 700, powered with As 411 engines, NC 701 ‘Martinet’, powered by two Renault 12S engines, and NC 702, a modified version of the Si 204A. In total the French constructed over 300 aircraft of this type. Some would see service in French Asian and African colonies. The last operational flight was carried out in 1964. Two NC 702’s would be given to Maroko in 1960, but their use and fate is unknown.
After the war, the French sold 7 NC 701 to Poland. They were used mainly for mapping photography. These were operated until the mid-1950s’ before being put out of service.
By mid-1960 some 5 French-built Siebels were given to the Swedish National Geographic Institut. These were mainly used for taking meteorological photographs.
The second country that produced the Si 204 was Czechoslovakia. They were built in two versions, the C-3 for the army and C-103 for civilian use. Both were mainly operated in their original transport roles. From 1945 to 1950 some 179 would be built.
The Soviets also managed to capture an unknown number of operational Si 204. These were briefly pressed into service before being replaced by domestic-built designs.
Switzerland also operated at least one Si 204D. This aircraft and its crew escaped from Germany on the 7th of May 1945 and landed at Belp near Bern. The Si 204D would remain in Switz use under the B-3 designation.
Soviets operated an unknown number of Si 204. Their use was brief as it was replaced with new Soviet-built designs. Source: www.armedconflicts.comDuring late 1945 and early 1946 the Si 204 were used by the Western Allies for transport and evaluation. Source: www.airwar.ru
Production Versions
Si 204 – Prototype series
Si 204A – Transport and training version built in small numbers
Si 204B and C – Unknown fate, but likely paper projects only
Si 204D – Model with a new glazed cockpit and powered with a stronger engine
204E – Experimental modification for combat operational use
Flying carrier – One Si 204 was to be modified as a carrier for the Doctor Alexander Lippisch experimental all-wing fighter, but was never fully implemented
Operators
Germany – Most produced planes were used by the Luftwaffe primarily used for crew training
Czechoslovakia – Produced some 179 additional aircraft for military and civilian use
France – Over 300 modified aircraft (with French engines) were produced in France and saw wide service up to 1964.
Soviet Union –Operated some captured Si 204
Poland – Brought 7 NC.701 from France after the war
Macoro – Operated two French NC 702
Sweden – Operated five French-built Siebels
Switzerland – Used at least one Si 204 under the designation B-3
American and Great Britain – Both briefly operated a number of captured Si 204 after the war
Surviving aircraft
Today there are a number of partially or wholly survived aircraft Si 204. For example, the French Aviation Museum in Paris had one Si 204A and another located in the Escadrille du Souvenir close to Paris. One Si 204 is located at Sweden Lygvapen Museum.
Conclusion
While Germany in the Second World is better known for designing and producing a series of combat aircraft, their auxiliary aircraft are often overlooked. The Si 204 was one such case, despite its successful design, it is rather poorly documented in the sources. Its design was a success which can be seen in its after-war use, most notably by the French up to the mid-1960.
Si 204 D Specifications
Wingspans
21.33 m / 70 ft
Length
12 m / 39 ft 3 in
Height
4.25 m / 14 ft
Wing Area
46 m² / 495 ft²
Engines
Two Argus As 411 engines
Empty Weight
1.500 kg / 3.300 lbs
Maximum Takeoff Weight
3950 kg / 8,710 lbs
Climb Rate to 1 km
In 3 minute 30 seconds
Maximum Speed
364 km/h / 226 mph
Cruising speed
340 km/h / 210 mph
Range
1,800 km / 1,120 miles
Maximum Service Ceiling
7,500 m / 24,600 ft
Crew
Pilot and his assistants plus eight-passenger
Armament
None
Illustrations
Si-204DSi-204E
Credits
Article written by Marko P.
Edited by Henry H. & Stan L.
Ported by Marko P.
Illustrated By Ed Jackson
Sources
D. Nešić (2008), Naoružanje Drugog Svetskog Rata Nemačka Beograd
H. A. Skaarup (2012) Axis Warplane Survivors
D. Mondey (2006). The Hamlyn Concise Guide To Axis Aircraft OF World War II, Bounty Books.
D. Donald (1998) German Aircraft Of World War II, Blitz Publisher
J. R Smith and A. L. Kay (1972) German Aircraft of the Second World War, Putnam
Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage (2009), Aircraft Of The Luftwaffe 1935-1945, McFarland & Company Inc
Captain E. ‘Winkle’ Brown (2010) Wings of the Luftwaffe, Hikoki Publication
M. Griehl (2012) X-Planes German Luftwaffe Prototypes 1930-1945, Frontline books
T. H. Hitchcock (1998) Jet Planes Of The Reich The Secret projects, Monogram Aviation Publication
A Ta 152H undergoing compass calibration. (flugrevue)
Introduction:
Throughout the Second World War, the job of the interceptor would become ever more challenging. Their targets, mostly bombers and photo reconnaissance aircraft, would fly ever higher and faster thanks to new advancements in turbo and supercharging. With Germany under a state of permanent siege and surveillance by aircraft like the Boeing B-17 and De Havilland Mosquito, it was clear the Luftwaffe needed a specialized interceptor to effectively reach these high flying threats and the multitude of new fighters that were appearing in growing numbers. After several failed attempts to develop the Fw 190 into such an interceptor, Kurt Tank designed the Ta 152H. The short lived design incorporated all of the available developments in high altitude flight available to German aviation in an attempt to create the ultimate high altitude fighter.
High altitude threats and Interceptors
In the summer of 1941, the Mosquito was making its first reconnaissance sorties and becoming one of the gravest threats to German aerial defenses. Operating above 7km and capable of reaching speeds upwards of 560 km/h, the aircraft was almost untouchable after it had reached its destination. Once they had taken their photos, they turned for home and entered a shallow dive that allowed them to accelerate to speeds beyond those of pursuing fighters who were not already chasing them from a higher altitude. With such a small interception window, they were a chief concern to the Luftwaffe. Doubly so were the bomber variants of the aircraft, which raided targets all over North Western Europe.
The following year saw the entrance of the United States into the Second World War, their air force possessing some of the most capable high altitude aircraft at the time. Investments in engine turbocharging allowed them to field a number of bombers and fighters with exceptional high altitude performance. B-17’s were conducting regular operations above 7 km. At first, they undertook operations at significantly lower altitudes, never straying too far from their air bases in southern England, but it was becoming clear that they would soon pose a threat that the Luftwaffe was ill equipped to combat.
The De Havilland Mosquito was quickly recognized as a serious threat not long after its introduction. Photorecon versions, like this later Mk XVI here, could surveil Germany with little fear of interception. (wikimedia)
The only two fighters of consequence employed by the Luftwaffe, the Bf 109 and Fw 190, were effective low to medium altitude fighters. However, through 1942, both were operating with engine power restrictions, and supercharger related performance bottlenecks. While inferior alloys and lubricants were causing a variety of issues, that was less of a concern than the engines themselves not being designed for use at high altitudes. The Bf 109G’s DB 605A, with its variable single stage blower, provided a full throttle height of roughly 6.5 km, depending on the variant. The Fw 190’s BMW 801, with its significantly simpler, single stage, double speed supercharger, was even worse off. Its critical altitude was only roughly 6 km, leaving it, and the 109, distinctly lacking in power at the over 7.5km B-17’s often flew at. Above these altitudes, neither engine could maintain the manifold pressure needed for combat power, putting them at a distinct disadvantage in trying to catch the Mosquito, or fighting American high altitude fighters which were soon making forays into German airspace. As the USAAF began its strategic bombing campaign against Germany proper, there were deep concerns within the Luftwaffe about the battle they were soon to fight, and for which they were clearly technically unprepared for. Even more concerning was the fear that the RAF would soon be operating the Vickers Wellington V bomber, which was reportedly capable of operating at an almost untouchable altitude of 12 km. They never entered service, but were the impetus for the creation of a specialized high altitude fighter with the Höhenjäger program.
With these anxieties building, the RLM convened a conference on the development of high altitude fighters on May 20, 1942 at Messerschmitt’s plant in Augsburg. In addition to the high altitude British bomber, further concerns were spelled out over the recent study of the new Merlin 61 engine, which, with its two stage, two speed supercharger, promised to make the Spitfire and Mosquito even more challenging opponents at high altitude. Of particularly grave concern was that the German aviation industry could not simply follow the same development path as the Allies. The poor qualities of their available alloys and the inadequate supplies of high octane fuels meant that even, if they had a factory furnished with all the tools to manufacture an engine like the Merlin 61, they simply could not build or operate it with the materials at hand.
As such, they had to pursue less conventional means of improving performance. Messerchmitt proposed a redesign of a former naval fighter proposal for high altitude use. The Me 155 carrier based fighter design, with its very long wingspan, was proposed to be converted for high altitude use, the work being done mostly at the S.N.C.A.N plant in Paris. The design would later be taken up and heavily altered by Blohm & Voss, who went on to design the Bv 155, with turbochargers and GM-1 nitrous boosting. Neither design came to fruition. A secondary design, the Bf 109H, would involve stretching the wingspan of a Bf 109F, and later G, and installing the high altitude GM-1 engine boost system. Likewise, this design was not pursued. In the end, Messerschmitt would go on to design a mass production, high altitude variant of their standard Bf 109G with a pressurized cockpit and nitrous boosting. While it would prove fairly adequate for the time, it was held back by the need for GM-1, which was difficult to transport in large quantities without a pipeline.
Focke-Wulf would face an even greater challenge with their program. While their Fw 190 was proving to be among the best medium altitude fighters of the war, its short wingspan and outdated supercharger meant it would take a considerable effort to make a high altitude fighter out of it.
The Höhenflieger Fw 190
Focke-Wulf first pursued turbocharging to get their fighter to reach the adequate level of performance for the Höhenjäger project. Almost immediately, they ran into the issue that it was almost impossible to fit a suitable turbocharger into a Fw 190A, though an externally mounted, and almost completely unwieldy unit was suggested. The first serious effort came with the proposal for the Fw 190B fighter, or Höhenjäger 1, in August of 1942. The design would take the then in production Fw 190A-3, increase its wingspan from 10.5 to 12.4 meters (increasing its area from 18.3 to 20.3 m^2), and install a pressurized canopy. The engine was initially unmodified and nitrous boosting was not pursued, in the hope a suitable turbocharger would be developed. The prototype, Fw 190V-12, began testing, but was abandoned in favor of using older, pre-production Fw 190A-0 prototypes before moving on to pre-production. The Fw 190B-0 received the new BMW 801 D-2 and several other modifications going into the new A-5 fighter. It began testing in December of 1942, and despite some faults with the pressurized canopy, which were later corrected, the aircraft had considerably better high altitude handling than the original A model. All four of the A-0’s were converted, but the program showed little promise. Despite the effort, the improvements were not enough and the aircraft was still too slow at high altitude. It was clear that the aircraft needed a heavily modified, or entirely different engine, in order to attain the level of performance needed.
Perhaps the most promising development for the next generation of the Fw 190, the C series, hoped to install a much more powerful DB 603 engine. Harsh teething issues and limited supplies for the engine doomed the project. (grafiq)
In parallel with the B-project, the decision was made to re-engine the aircraft with either the Junkers Jumo 213, or Daimler Benz’s DB 603. Both promised better high altitude performance over the BMW 801 along with a considerable overall increase in engine output. The DB 603 project would proceed with the designation Fw 190C, and the Jumo 213, Fw 190D. The first Fw 190C prototype, V13, had a DB 603 installed, with an annular radiator at the nose of the aircraft and its supercharger intake mounted between its two oil coolers, these modifications presenting a longer, but more streamlined profile. Little drag was added to the airframe with the modifications initially, but they would be forced to mount the supercharger scoop externally. The aircraft first flew in March of 1942, and overheating, along with general teething issues would be noted. Two more prototypes were converted, V15 and 16, receiving the longer wing from the B-project and GM-1 equipment. Turbocharging was also proposed, but not pursued until much later on. The program continued through May at a decent pace and they were achieving high speeds, one aircraft reaching 696 km/h at 6,950 m, but overheating and engine failure remained serious issues. Similar problems were likewise being experienced with the Jumo 213. The results, however, prompted Focke-Wulf to expand the program with six more prototypes, V13,15,16, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, and 27 carrying the DB 603, and V22 and 23 using the Jumo 213. Despite the focus on the DB 603, the company was prepared to switch to the Jumo 213, which they could obtain a much larger supply of.
The large, drag inducing turbocharger scoop earned this aircraft the moniker ‘kangaroo’. Aerodynamically unsound, it proved unsatisfactory for service. (wwiiforum)
The final design for the Fw 190C featured the DB 603A with its supercharger intake mounted on the port engine cowling, with various provisions for an armament of MG 131 machineguns, MG 151/20, and MK 108 autocannons. Its highest tested speed was an impressive 722 km/h at 9 km, without armament or armor plates. Production was strongly considered, and then canceled. The DB 603, in its fighter configuration, was still proving troublesome, and V13 was written off after an engine failure forced the pilot to crash land. The engine itself had a comparatively small production run compared to the Jumo 213, and was being shared with a number of twin engine bombers and night fighters. As the older, and massive Jumo 211 production lines were transitioning to the more powerful Jumo 213, it was by far the better choice for a new mass production fighter.
The Fw 190D or ‘Dora’ project continued, though its development path did not lead to a mass produced, high altitude fighter. Rather, it became a project to facilitate getting the Jumo 213 into a fighter as fast as possible, as it was one of the few German engines capable of competing with Western Allied models in most areas. The only mass produced variant, the D-9, is often mislabeled as a high altitude fighter, though its engine was designed for low to medium altitude use. A small number of high altitude models, with the appropriate engines, were produced, but were nothing compared to the D-9’s production run of well over a thousand aircraft by the end of the war.
Shifting programs aside, Focke-Wulf would continue with the new Höhenjäger II project, now seeking to build a truly superb high altitude fighter by taking several of the Fw 190C prototypes and equipping them with Hirth TK 11 turbo-superchargers. With the Fw 190B improvements, the 2000 hp DB 603 S, and a pressurized cockpit, it was hoped that a number of exceptional high altitude fighters could be produced, even if they could never reach the production figures of the Dora. They attempted to solve the earlier issue with the unmanageable size of the turbosupercharger by installing it partially outside of the fuselage, with an air scoop at its front. V18 received the necessary modifications and flew in December of 1942, with serious cooling problems being noted. Further modifications were made after the first several flights, most notable being that a larger oil cooler was mounted, the tail was enlarged to improve high altitude control, and the next prototype, V30, was re-equipped with a four bladed Schwarz propellor. Their extreme high altitude performance was superior to the C, with the aircraft reaching a speed of 670 km/h at 11 km, though they were proving far more temperamental. Turbine and engine issues continued to cut test flights short, though more prototypes were constructed through early 1943, V29 to V33. However, turbine issues persisted, and the entire scoop set up was found to be aerodynamically poor, and the design was proving very disappointing in comparison to the fully recessed models in service with the USAAF. Its performance too was deemed inadequate, and the project was canceled.
Falling behind
Apart from expedient designs, like the GM-1 boosted Bf 109’s, German efforts to produce a high altitude fighter had largely stagnated during 1943, and by the beginning of 1944, they were at a distinct disadvantage. For the past two years, most of the aero engine industry was working hard to modify their existing models to run at their full power using the inferior materials and fuel that were available to them. Among the clearest problems this caused was with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G, or ‘Gustav’ model, which was only finally cleared to run at its full combat power in the summer of 1943, almost two years after its introduction. Under such conditions, developing new engines was a mostly hopeless effort, and to make matters worse, Allied developments in this field were unfolding brilliantly. While Focke-Wulf and Messerschmitt had failed to deliver on their high altitude fighters, the RAF began to fully transition to the use of the two-stage Merlin in their Spitfires, while the even more powerful Griffin was in development. By the end of 1943, USAAF finally introduced the P-51B, using a licensed Packard Merlin engine, and the P-47 had seen significant performance improvements which gave it unparalleled performance above 9 km. The P-51 proved perhaps the most concerning, as it not only had the benefit of a significantly more advanced engine, but it had been designed with aerodynamic concepts that were not available to aircraft designers before the war. It was an altogether modern aircraft, whereas the German air force would remain dependent on modified versions of planes which had been flying before the war had begun. The Bf 109G had fallen behind its Western contemporaries in most areas of performance, while the Fw 190 still clung to a competitive edge in low to medium altitude engagements. At high altitudes, especially above 7.5 km, there were only a comparative handful of GM-1 boosted Bf 109G’s that could really challenge the Allies, and even then, not on equal terms.
Germany did not possess the materials needed for robust and reliable exhaust valves, bearings, or more efficient, high pressure, high temperature radiators like those on Western Allied planes. However, there were areas of hopeful improvement. Foremost was that, by the autumn of 1943, German engine manufacturers had developed nickel coatings for engine pistons to overcome corrosion problems, and had modified the DB 605’s oil scavenge system to allow it to run at its originally planned combat power. While they would not be able to produce engines as reliable as those in the service of the RAF and USAAF, it was clear that the performance disparity could be reduced. Just as crucially, improvements were being made in regards to radiator design, particularly the annular units which were being tested on the high altitude Focke-Wulf projects. The new AJA 180 on the Fw 190 series was both approaching the pressure and temperature tolerance of Allied models, and was very compact, allowing the Fw 190 to retain its aerodynamic sleekness even when it switched engines.
The Fw 190D project transitioned away from high altitude fighters when the demand for better general purpose fighters grew. Rushed into production, it had more than its fair share of blemishes but, nonetheless, was an effective successor to the earlier ‘Anton’. (worldwarphotos)
While Messerschmitt had already succeeded in producing an acceptable high altitude fighter in the GM-1 boosted Bf 109G, Focke-Wulf’s projects took a different turn. The high altitude Fw 190D project shifted focus to produce a medium altitude fighter, the Fw 190D-9, and another project would seek to build a successor to the Fw 190, the new plane being named Ta 153. The designation changed to reflect Kurt Tank’s role as the head designer at Focke-Wulf. With this new design, hopes for significant high altitude improvements were again stoked, but as had become clear by their earlier failures, such improvements could not come from any unfamiliar solutions or technically complex methods, like turbocharging.
The Successor
The Ta 153 was so designated as it was not a variant, but a successor to the original aircraft. It featured a new fuselage and wings and the occasionally troublesome electrically driven landing gear actuators were changed for hydraulically driven ones. Being almost entirely divorced from the Fw 190’s supply chain, it was thus denied for production in March of 1943, given the amount of labor and time it would take to set up tooling. A compromise model between the design and the Fw 190D was selected, designated the Ta 152.
The Ta 152C program attempted to replace the Fw 190 A&D and correct the faults of the Dora. In the end, it proved too similar to justify shifting production before the end of the war. (ta-152.de)
There were several types planned, namely Ta 152 A,B,C and H. These were standard fighters, heavy fighters for use against bombers, fighter bombers, and a high altitude interceptor. The A and B were designed to use the Jumo 213A & E, respectively, the C the DB 603, and the H, the Jumo 213E. To avoid impacting the production of the Fw 190D, the high altitude model was the first to be developed. These planes featured a hydraulic landing gear system as opposed to the electric actuators on the Fw 190, an improved vertical stabilizer from the Fw 190C program, larger wings, and a half meter fuselage extension in the rear fuselage, with the ensuing redistribution of weight helping to correct for an issue with the aircraft’s center of gravity.
While it may seem odd that they were essentially pursuing two fighter designs to succeed the Fw 190A, the Luftwaffe was desperately looking for higher performance fighters. Hopes were placed on the new Jumo 213 in the Fw 190D, and the new DB 605D in the Bf 109K, to keep pace with the Allies. The Dora was an expedient solution which could use the same supply chain as the original fighter, and the Ta 152 would be a more thoroughly improved model which would be transitioned to once the Dora’s supply chain was well established. In any case, only the high altitude Ta 152 variant was pursued with any substantial amount of resources, given it would be assigned a mission the Bf 109K and Fw 190D models were not suitable for. Jets were, of course, also quite promising, but they were still an immature technology, and it was clear that the leap from pistons to turbines could not be made in 1944.
The new fighter would be designed with both high altitude and low altitude performance in mind. To meet this challenging requirement, both the GM-1 high altitude, and MW 50 low altitude engine boost systems were to be installed aboard the aircraft. Kurt Tank selected several of the old Fw 190C prototypes to be converted for the new program, these being V18, 29, 30, 32, and 33. V33 was the first to undergo modification and was redesignated V33/U1, now featuring a three bladed VS 9 propeller, a forward fuselage lengthening of .5 meters, a rear fuselage lengthening of 0.772 m, a new high aspect wing with an area of 23.5m^2, a hydraulically actuated undercarriage, and two 20 mm MG 151/20’s mounted in the wing roots.
It first flew on July 13, 1944, and was lost after it crashed during its 36 minute test flight at Vechta. The second prototype, V30/U1, flew on August 6, and like the first, was again lost, though this time resulting in the death of its pilot, Alfted Thomas. More success was had with the third prototype, V29/U1, which flew on September 29, 1944, and the fourth, V18/U2, which flew shortly after. With pre-production beginning in November, this left them about a month to perform flight tests on their surviving prototypes. Serious trouble with the program was encountered as late as November, when test pilot Hans Sander had to crash land his aircraft after his engine seized due to fuel starvation. It was found a hydraulic valve had been installed in the fuel line, an accident most likely a result of the aircraft’s rushed development.
The losses and damages experienced at this point in testing were threatening to seriously interrupt the pace of the project, but in the end, they rushed through development with some of the stability issues unresolved. This effectively led to the aircraft entering production with only slight adjustments from the prototypes. However, the plane was achieving good high altitude performance, both in terms of speed and ceiling. Test pilot Friedrich Schnier would fly V29/U1 to an incredible height of 13.6 km on January 20th, 1945. Beyond this, the fourth and final converted aircraft was V32/U1, which was fitted with a four bladed Schwarz propeller and the new MG 213 revolver cannon. It first flew in January of 1945, though none of the equipment would be worked into any production aircraft.
The eccentric profile of the aircraft, with its high aspect ratio wings. (destination’s journey)
The H was unique among the Ta 152 series, with its long, high aspect wings designed for high altitude use, a pressurized cockpit, and the installation of both the GM-1 high altitude, and MW 50 low altitude boost systems. While together, they promised incredible performance at any height, GM-1 was never carried aboard any of the operational fighters due to its container’s adverse effects on stability. Eager to have this aircraft as soon as possible, Focke-Wulf sprinted through its development, and the Ta 152H entered pre-production in November of 1944. The extremely rapid pace of development was emblematic of the very desperate situation the German air force was in at the time. This resulted in the delivery of an aircraft that was effectively unfinished.
The Ta 152H-0 entered service without several of the key features that the plane was set to carry, lacking the outer wing fuel tanks, and the engine boost systems. As such, it was considerably lighter, and better handling than the planned production model, but without the boost systems, it was much slower. For the time being it judged necessary, as there were serious weight distribution issues with wing fuel tanks and boost systems aboard. While it was designed with wing tanks, GM-1, and MW 50, the production model of the aircraft would not be permitted to fly with all three. In the end only the MW 50 and the wing tanks were permitted to be used together, but the GM-1 system would prove more troublesome. A stop gap solution late in the war would allow for the use of GM-1, but only GM-1. By the time the war ended, there was still no solution on how all three pieces of equipment would be added to the plane without jeopardizing its flying characteristics.
It was in this rough state when it was delivered to the Luftwaffe for testing in December. Due to supply chain issues, production was slow and the aircraft were finally delivered to the Luftwaffe until January 27, 1945.
Operational History
Given their very late introduction during the war, the Ta 152H saw very little action and its combat record is extremely limited. The aircraft was only supplied to the Stab, the squadron staff group, and Gruppe III of JG 301, a dual night and day fighter squadron which transitioned to them from Fw 190A-8’s on January 27. The squadron had a good pool of experienced pilots already familiar with Focke-Wulf aircraft, though their mechanics would have a far more difficult task, as the Ta 152H-0 had been pushed into service without maintenance manuals. At the airfield at Alteno, they received 11 aircraft, with 16 others having been destroyed or damaged on the ground before they could reach the unit. Familiarization and training proceeded until the end of February and was not without incident. One aircraft (150037) was lost in a training incident, a second damaged but repaired, and serviceability fell from 75% to 30% after an incident with water contaminating fuel supplies. The squadron would go on to receive several more aircraft before rebasing to Sachau when Alteno was overrun. They would attempt to engage Allied bombers on March 2, but the 12 Ta 152H’s would fail to reach them, as they were attacked by the Bf 109s of another squadron which mistook their unfamiliar planes for the enemy. No aircraft were lost in the engagement. A second high altitude interception against a DeHavilland Mosquito was also attempted, though engine trouble forced the pilot to return to base before contact was made.
One of the only photographs of Ta 152H’s in operation with JG 301. (destination’s journey)
The unit rebased again to Stendal near Erfurt, where they joined JG 301’s Gruppe II, during which one aircraft was lost, and the pilot, Jonny Wiegeshoff, was killed on the landing approach. This was believed to be the result of the propeller reduction gear failing and becoming stuck in an almost feathered position. By March 14th, the understrength unit was supplied with several Fw 190A-9s. Outnumbered and with little security, the Ta 152H’s often flew top cover for the rest of the unit during what few operations were undertaken. On April 10, Erfurt was contested, and during the fighting, the eight serviceable Ta 152’s engaged a flight of fifteen P-47’s near Brunswick, resulting in one victory claim.
Gruppe III’s last actions were conducted from Neustadt-Glewe. On April 15th, the unit suffered its first combat loss. During operations that day, four Ta 152s sortied to attack a pair of RAF Hawker Tempests engaging in a low level sweep. According to Obfw. Willi Reschke, the Ta 152H in the number two position, flown by Obfw. Sepp Sattler, suddenly lost control and crashed before contact was made, seemingly suffering a fatal malfunction, while other accounts claim he was brought down by one of the RAF Tempests. The remaining two Ta 152’s engaged the Tempests of No. 486 Squadron. In the ensuing battle, Obfw. Willi Reschke entered an intense, low level dogfight with one of the Tempests. Near the beginning of the engagement, he fired on and struck the tail of a Hawker Tempest flown by Lt. Mitchell, his gun’s electrical circuit seemingly failing shortly after. However, when Mitchel attempted to turn away from his opponent, he lost control of his damaged aircraft and crashed. Reschke swore by the low speed maneuverability of the Ta 152, which he felt was critical in this engagement, and his survival through the last days of the war. The Ta 152H flown by the Schwarm leader, Oberstleuteneant Fritz Auffhammer, suffered an engine failure, though the pilot successfully restored power and returned to base with his supercharger broken. Sattler and Mitchel were both buried at a cemetery in Neustadt-Glewe.
The last actions of the squadron were in the last stages of the Battle for Berlin, and on April 24th, the Ta 152s and Fw 190As of the IInd and IIIrd Gruppe attacked Soviet positions and engaged Yak 9’s. The final mission was flown over Berlin in poor conditions, and during an engagement with a flight of four Yak 9’s, Hauptman Hermann Stahl was killed during the engagement, with the four Yak-9’s being claimed by the unit. After the surrender, the unit rebased to Leck in Schleswig-Holstein, where they were disbanded and one of the serviceable Ta 152H’s was transferred to England by the RAF so that it could be evaluated. A second Ta 152H was also claimed by the USAAF for evaluation purposes, the plane being another H-0 which likely belonged to a testing unit at Rechlin.
One of the only serviceable planes was taken to the UK for testing. The other was taken in hand by the US. (Alessandro Orseniga)
In all, the Ta 152H was never actually used for any high altitude combat operations and its service was restricted to a single under strength unit. With at most ten victories and four operational losses, it is difficult to give any appraisal for its performance from its brief career with JG 301. Obfw. Josel Keil, was the only pilot to qualify as an ace on the Ta 152H, and together with Willi Reschke, who had two credits in the Ta 152H, and 24 in other aircraft, held nearly all of the aircraft’s combat credits between them.
Handling and Flying Characteristics
While the Ta 152H’s combat record leaves a lot of questions left unanswered, most pilots who had the chance to get behind the controls of the aircraft can at least agree that the aircraft flew very well. Among its most famous advocates was Royal Navy Test pilot Eric Brown. He would praise its excellent climb performance, maneuverability at high altitude, stability, and good landing characteristics. His only negative remarks were that its roll rate was reduced over the older Fw 190A, that its stick forces were notably heavier, and that its wheel brakes were still awful and prone to fade after a few moments of use. He otherwise considered it an excellent aircraft and the best high altitude piston engined fighter he had flown, comparing it favorably to a Spitfire Mk IXX. It must be noted that he misidentifies the aircraft as an H-1 in his book, and not the substantially lighter H-0, which is visually identical.
Captain Brown’s remarks are matched by those of the pilots who assessed the aircraft in the Stab and III/JG 301. The Ta 152H-0 had the best evaluation received by a front line operator of a Focke-Wulf aircraft. The aircraft possessed most of the best qualities of the earlier Fw 1,0D-9 without having its poor accelerated stall characteristics. While still described as uncomfortable like the Fw 190D it was so similar to, it was much improved and less prone to the aggressive snap rolling. So, while the aircraft was less maneuverable, generally speaking, most pilots were more comfortable pulling harder turns. In tests at the unit, some new pilots in Ta 152H’s were able to turn with seasoned pilots in Fw 190A’s. Take off runs were short, and the landing approach could be conducted at low speeds. Generally speaking, it was a fairly forgiving aircraft. The only negative notes on the aircraft were from the findings of the Rechlin Test Center, which found the aircraft became seriously unstable in dives exceeding 600 km/h and that level flight required excessive trimming of the horizontal stabilizer.
The enlarged tail and redesigned wings helped give these aircraft better handling characteristics than the Fw 190D. (Grafiq)
The stick forces were notably fairly high, but they were harmonized well, and the push rod control system ensured inputs were very responsive. Stability about the vertical axis was poor, and there was a tendency to skid. This tendency grew worse at higher altitudes and motivated them to install a level flight autopilot. The aircraft possessed good visibility to the back, sides, and rear, with the view over the nose being mediocre to poor. The controls were placed conveniently, with the instrument panel layout being clean and easy to read.
Most of its good qualities were not found in the fully equipped H-1 production model of the aircraft. Numerous problems were encountered when the full set of engine boosting equipment and fuel tanks were installed and filled. The added weight of the boost systems and wing tanks was substantial, and asymmetric. The GM-1 system and the wing tanks were particularly problematic, and the aircraft was unstable if the GM-1 container and fuel tanks were filled. Stability with the GM-1 system was only possible with a ballast kit, empty wing tanks, the removal of the MW 50 system, and a set fuel limit for the rear fuselage fuel tank. These issues were not resolved by the time the war ended, and there was no way the aircraft could use any combination of these systems without seriously jeopardizing its flying characteristics. MW 50 was usable aboard only the H-1 production model, but it may not have been available to JG 301 in the field. The squadron was still mostly composed of BMW 801 equipped Fw 190A’s which did not use the system.
Mechanics generally found the aircraft easier to maintain than the Fw 190, however there were some issues. The new hydraulic system for the landing gear was experiencing teething and quality control issues. The position of the landing gear wheel well was also found to be at issue, as when launching from damp conditions, the propeller cast mud and water into the well, which made its way inside the wing. This caused issues with the hydraulic systems and the autocannons fitted in the wing root.
Comparisons with contemporary fighters
The Ta 152H represented a leap in Germany high altitude fighter design, though not necessarily one that took them beyond the competition. (flugrevue)
Aircraft (manifold pressure)
Speed at Sea Level (km/h)
Speed 3050 m (10,000 ft) (km/h)
Speed 6096 m (20,000 ft) (km/h)
Speed 9144 m (30,000 ft) (km/h)
Speed 9.5 km (31,168 ft) (km/h)
Ta 152H-1 (1.92 ata)
580
640
690
725
732
Fw 190D-9 (1.82 ata)
611
645
689
653
645
P-51B-15 (75″ Hg)
616
675
709
688
685
P-47N-5-RE (72″ Hg)
587
643
708
740
759
P-47M (72” Hg)
587
646
701
753
762
P-38L (60” Hg)
550
608
646
663
659
Spitfire Mk 21 (+21 lbs)
592
658
700
704
703
Me 262 A-1a
800
x
870
845
x
*The Ta 152H-1 could reach a maximum speed of 760 km/h at 12.5 km using the GM-1 boost system. While it was never cleared for operational use, on paper, it made the Ta 152H the fastest fighter at that altitude. The Fw 190D-9 represents a late model, having received an MW 50 boost system, as was available near the end of 1944.
The Ta 152 entered service on a battlefield where the Western Allies already had high altitude supremacy, and had a number of improved designs that had yet to make their debuts by the time the war in Europe was ending. By January of 1945, the German air force was no longer dealing just with long range escort fighters over its own soil, but virtually every fighter the Allies could throw at it, such as P-47’s, Spitfires of several marks, La-7’s, and Tempests, just to name a few.
Fw 190D-9 (Graphiq)
Against its contemporary Fw 190D-9 counterpart, it is clear that the Ta 152H did not represent a comprehensive upgrade. The Dora shared much of the same fuselage, though it retained the wings and tail sections of the older Anton series fighter, and it carried the Jumo 213A engine designed for use at lower altitudes. In regards to linear speed and acceleration below 6 km, the Dora roughly matched or exceeded the Ta 152H. This, however, was not the case at higher altitudes, where the high altitude specializations of the fighter showed their worth. The Ta 152H was known to be more maneuverable in flat turns and much more forgiving in most aggressive maneuvers, a result of its high aspect ratio wings which lacked the less than ideal tendency for snap rolling without much warning that the older Fw 190’s were known for. In a dive, the Dora was notably superior, as the aforementioned wings of the Ta 152H made it notably unstable at high speed. The H-1 carried, but was not cleared to use GM-1, nor does it seem they would have ever been supplied with the mixture. This is a discrepancy of several hundred kilograms, leaving the true climb performance of the aircraft somewhat ambiguous, with a claimed 20 m/s at sea level without MW 50.
The P-51B’s and D’s had marginal differences in performance They were among the most aerodynamically clean fighters of the war, boasting an extremely streamlined fuselage, laminar flow wings, and a radiator scoop which produced thrust that offset upwards of 90% of its own drag. To increase maneuverability in high speeds and in power dives, the control surfaces were internally sealed and used a diaphragm to reduce stick forces. The engine was a Packard Merlin V-1650-7 with an intercooled, two stage, two speed supercharger. Even though the engine was actually geared for lower altitude use than its predecessor, the combination of these features made the aircraft a very fast, maneuverable fighter which could boast of high performance at most altitude ranges.
Against the Ta 152H-1, the Mustang held to a higher top speed at low to medium altitude, better maneuverability at high speed, and far better dive performance. At extreme altitudes, the H-1 outstripped the Mustang in top speed, and across most altitudes would have had better low speed maneuverability. The high aspect ratio wings of the Ta 152 both gave it better handling at high altitude, and much improved stall characteristics over its predecessors down low. Curiously enough, both the Ta 152H and the Mustang were far more maneuverable than their wing loading would suggest, a result of high aspect ratio and laminar flow wing designs, respectively. However, in the Ta 152’s case, this came at the cost of a slower roll rate, and unstable high speed dive characteristics. While the Ta 152H could prove an exceptionally challenging high altitude opponent to all of the contemporary Allied fighters, it was a competitive, but not particularly impressive aircraft at lower altitudes. Performance wise, it could be said to fly like a more maneuverable, if slower, Fw 190D when at lower altitudes.
There is of course the story of Kurt Tank himself escaping a pair of P-51’s at low altitude in a Ta 152 prototype. Near the end of 1944, the designer himself was flying one of the prototypes to a conference in Cottbus, Germany, where he was happened upon by two P-51’s. Using the MW 50 boost system in the aircraft, Tank slipped away from his pursuers and arrived in Cottbus unscathed. Some laud this encounter a sign of the aircraft’s superiority, however, it is not a useful measure of the performance of any of the combat models of the aircraft. At Kurt Tank’s instruction, the prototype in question was unarmed and, more than likely, carrying no armor plate, which would have made the aircraft substantially lighter than any operational Ta 152H fighter.
The Spitfire Mk 21 represented the final evolution of the wartime Spitfire, by then nearing its tenth year in the air. A far echo from the Mk I, the 21 featured a vastly more powerful Griffin 61 engine. Much like its late Merlin powered predecessors, it possessed an intercooled, two stage, two speed supercharger. Unlike them, it was massive and much more powerful. After incorporating structural improvements and modifying controls for high speed, the Spitfire aged perhaps the best of any fighter of the war. Compared to the Ta 152H, it lacked the sheer distance in top speed performance of the P-51, but more than challenged the Focke-Wulf in linear speed and climb rate across most altitudes. However, at and above 7 km, the 152H had a confident advantage in speed and maneuverability.
The P-47N represented the final evolution of the Thunderbolt. Though not destined for Europe, it performed similarly to the P-47M which debuted in combat roughly the same time as the Ta 152H. (wikimedia)
Compared to the most modern Allied high altitude fighters, the Ta 152H lost most of its edge. The P-47N and M represented the final evolution of the American high altitude fighter, featuring a new 2800 hp, R-2800 turbocharged engine, and a variety of aerodynamic improvements to increase control at high speed. By the late Summer of 1944, the Western Allies had already gained air superiority over Europe, and so the new aircraft was stockpiled in the US for use in the Pacific, with the first deliveries being made in September of 1944. There was a similar performing model in Europe, the P-47M, though it was a limited production aircraft designed for chasing V-1 flying bombs and other high speed targets. Teething issues would keep it from entering service roughly until the Ta-125H did, in March of 1945. In the end though, the Luftwaffe had become so degraded that clearly no new updated models would be required and the performance increases would not justify the effort to refamiliarize pilots and maintenance personnel.
In terms of top speed, the P-47M&N handily outperformed the Ta 152H at all altitudes, the only exception being at extremely high altitudes when the Ta 152H employed GM-1. In contrast, the Focke-Wulf enjoyed a better climb rate and was likely the more maneuverable of the two, although it was certainly less capable in a dive. The late war Thunderbolts were certainly the fastest high altitude fighter which saw combat, the Ta 152H’s of JG 301 never having carried GM-1.
The P-38L was the last fighter variant of the Lightning fighter, the first model having been in service prior to the US entry to the war. With its turbo supercharged Allison engines, it was among the first fighters of the war that was designed for high altitude use. However, by the end of the war, it left something to be desired in terms of both its top speed, and like the Ta-152H, its high speed dive performance. Its low critical Mach number meant that the plane encountered compressibility at lower speeds than all of the fighters presented here. At high speeds and altitudes, the plane locked up and would remain uncontrollable until its high speed breaks were deployed, or it had descended into lower, denser air. Of all the Allied high altitude fighters, the Lightning compared fairly unfavorably with the Focke Wulf.
Most easily glossed over is the performance compared to jet fighters, which by the time the Ta 152H was introduced, could not exactly be called new. The Messerschmitt 262 had re-entered service in November of 1944 after earlier operational problems, and once training and maintenance programs were revised, the plane quickly proved itself. While it was slow to accelerate and climb, it was unapproachable in terms of top speed. Extreme high altitude use of the temperamental Jumo 004 turbojet engine was limited, though as a means of attacking high altitude formations of Allied bombers, it was by far the best equipped aircraft Germany possessed. Its slow acceleration meant that any energy-demanding maneuvers were largely off the table, but when flown by a pilot that understood its strengths, the plane was untouchable save for when it was taking off or landing. Though largely an issue post war, the Me 262 demonstrated the difficulty in justifying further piston engine fighter development at this point in aircraft development.
The Ta 152H began production after the Me 262 jet fighter had already entered service, so it, and many other programs, had to compete with it for resources. As the turbojet was already showing to be the future of fighter design, the Ta 152 was difficult to sell to the Luftwaffe. (I.PINIMG)
Overall, the Ta 152H certainly was not a Wunderwaffe by any means. At all but the highest altitudes, the aircraft was not a particularly better performer than its preceding, and much more numerous, Fw 190D counterpart. Even at extreme altitudes, it more than had competition in the form of the Thunderbolt N and M, which not only outstripped it in performance in a number of areas, but beat it into production by several months. It’s only truly exceptional performance was achieved using a high altitude engine boost system that was never made available to the unit carrying the aircraft, and in any case, it would have required a redesign of the aircraft to be used properly. Nevertheless, it represented a stark improvement in high altitude performance over previous German fighters. It too, could boast of extreme maneuverability at high altitudes, even if it didn’t lead the pack in pure speed. Top speed aside, its wings lent it a great degree of maneuverability at high altitude, and its overall performance at and above the altitudes Allied bombers flew at was considerable. This is also to say nothing of its trio of cannons; two 20mm MG151/20’s and its single 30mm MK108, which leant it incredible striking power. While the incorporation of the Jumo 213E, MW 50, and on paper, GM-1, did not produce the pinnacle of fighter design, the result was still a capable high altitude interceptor capable of engaging the highest flying targets of its day.
Construction
The construction of the Ta 152H’s fuselage was essentially that of a modified Fw 190A-8. The fuselage was largely the same with the following modifications: the forward fuselage was lengthened by 0.772 m in order to fit in a Mk 108 autocannon, the wing connecting section was moved forward 0.420 m to correct for the center of gravity, and the rear fuselage was lengthened by 0.5 m. The leading edge of the tail was exchanged for that on the Fw 190C, being considerably larger. Given the deteriorating situation near the end of the war, the new tail surfaces were wood, rather than metal skinned. The fin and rudder were enlarged for better control, with the new surface area of the tail stabilizers measuring 1.77 m2 for the vertical and 2.82 m2 for the horizontal. The changes to the fuselage necessitated strengthening, which saw some duralumin framing elements replaced with steel. In order to reduce the number of assembly jigs they needed to produce, the forward fuselage extension was bolted through the former engine attachment points.
The Ta 152H-1 featured all the fuel tanks pictured here, the preproduction H-0 had only those in the fuselage. (Deutchesluftwaffe.de)
The Ta 152H-1 featured all the tanks pictured here, the preproduction H-0 had only those in the fuselage. (Deutchesluftwaffe.de)
The wings were entirely redesigned from the Anton and changed to a high aspect model which increased the wingspan to 14.4 m, and to an area of 23.3 m2. Structurally, it remained a monocoque structure, but its rear spar and leading edge were used to absorb transverse forces and it was structurally reinforced with additional stiffening ribs. The landing gear were the same as the Fw 190A-8’s, but they were hydraulically and not electrically operated. They mounted 740 mm by 210 mm wheels to accommodate the increased weight of the aircraft. The inboard section of the wing mounted an MG 151/20 autocannon with provisions for 175 rounds of ammunition each.
Clean instrumentation, a high level of engine automation, and good visibility made the Ta 152H a fairly straightforward aircraft to fly. (destination’s journey)
The aircraft possessed a pressurized canopy to reduce the physiological stresses of high altitude flight. It was a very rudimentary system, with the cockpit rivets being sealed with DHK 8800 paste, and the sliding hood being sealed by means of a cylindrical rubber tube liner. Pressurization was regulated by means of a 1 liter air bottle supplied by a Knorr 300/10 air compressor which was geared to the engine with no intermediate gearing. The system was engaged at 8 km and maintained a constant .36 atmospheres. To prevent windscreen fogging, it was double-paned, with silica packets installed in the gap. Quality control issues saw varying effectiveness at altitude. On the record setting flight, Friedrich Schnier reported the system leaked badly above 12 km and shortly after he suffered joint pain, impaired vision, and numbness in his extremities due to low air pressure.
The Ta 152H carried an armament of two MG 151/20 20 mm cannons in each wing root and a centerline MK 108 30 mm cannon which fired through the propeller hub. The 20 mm guns were supplied with 175 rounds per gun, and the 30 mm with 90. The gunsight was the standard Revi 16b sight, which was eventually supposed to be replaced by the new EZ 42 gyroscopic sight which, when properly used, gave the pilot an accurate gunsight lead against his target. The aircraft was well armored with two engine plates, and six to protect the pilot, with a combined weight of 150 kg. The 8 mm plate behind the pilot was judged inadequate, though plans to increase its thickness to 15 mm were not carried out. A single hardpoint could be attached to the underside of the aircraft to install a 300 liter drop tank, but there were no provisions for carrying bombs.
The engine was a 35 liter Jumo 213E inverted V-12. Originally developed from the Jumo 211, which saw heavy use in bombers much earlier in the war, the new Jumo 213 was what most of the Luftwaffe’s hopes were placed on to compete with newer, more powerful Allied engines. It featured a new AJA 180 streamlined annular radiator that supported the oil and engine coolant. Critically, it was able to operate at significantly higher temperatures and pressures than older models, though not quite at the standards of the Western Allies. However, unlike Allied models, the Jumo was heavily automated. The Bediengerat, or control device, was a hydro-mechanical computer that managed the propeller RPM, mixture, supercharger speed, and radiator based on the pilot’s throttle inputs. This helped to relieve the pilot’s workload, as the Kommandogerat did on the BMW 801 powered models.
The Jumo 213E was the high altitude model which featured an intercooled, two stage, three speed supercharger. To further improve on high altitude performance, the aircraft would use a GM-1 nitrous boosting system. The system consisted of an 85 liter tank behind the pilot, and a crescent shaped liquid nitrous tank that sat at the right front side of the cockpit. The mixture was fed into the supercharger by a pump when the system was activated. As an oxygen carrier, the job of the nitrous is to provide an oxygen rich mixture to the engine when the supercharger is operating at altitudes where it is unable to provide the compression, and thus enough oxygen, needed to maintain a high manifold pressure. For the Jumo 213E, this was above 11 km. The drawbacks of the system were its uselessness below 11 km, and the bleed off of the evaporating liquid nitrous, which prevented it from being efficiently stored aboard the aircraft beyond several hours. Unlike its use on other aircraft, like Bf 109’s and Ju 88’s, the position of the nitrous tank aboard the Ta 152H proved dangerous, as it severely impacted the plane’s stability. It is unlikely the system would have been very effective without a major redesign of the fuel and mixture tanks, as even with a ballast kit that stabilized a GM-1 carrying plane, the aircraft could not carry anywhere near its full fuel load or its MW 50 boost system. While, on paper, the system promised unparalleled performance at extreme altitudes, it was almost unusable given its unstable configuration.
The MW 50 system was the low altitude boost system. It consisted of a 70 liter tank in the port wing containing MW 50, being roughly 49% methanol and 49% water, with the remainder being an anti corrosion measure. When active, the solution was pumped into the supercharger. The system was designed to boost engine power and overcome the less than ideal quality of German aviation fuels. Poor detonation characteristics, especially of the lower octane B4 fuels, forced the Germans to run at lower manifold pressures and thus lower power to avoid damaging their engines. Methanol boosted the octane rating of the fuel-air mixture entering the manifold, and the water cooled the mixture, with both factoring to bring major improvements in engine power via their combined anti-detonation, or knock, effects. The system made its debut in the summer of 1944, and was essential in allowing the later Bf 109G and Fw 190D series aircraft to stay competitive with their Allied counterparts. However, it was not without its drawbacks. It could not be used effectively above around 6 kilometers, and it was highly corrosive, severely limiting the lifespans of corrosion prone German engines. Aboard the Ta 152, it was to be installed in either a 70 liter wing tank or a standard 115 liter tank behind the pilot.
The Jumo 213E Kraftei. The entire assembly was bolted to the front of the fuselage and streamlined engine swaps. (ta152.de)
The engine had a bore and stroke of 150 mm and 165 mm, a compression ratio of 6.5:1, and a dry weight of 1040 kg. It differed from the standard model in that it had a slightly smaller bore, and the larger supercharger assembly and the associated intercooler added some 300 kg. It used B4 fuels which had a minimum octane rating of 87. The engine drove a constant speed 3.6 m VS 9 wooden propeller with a reduction gear of 1:2.40, and produced a maximum of 1753 PS (1729 hp) at sea level and 1260 PS (1242hp) at an altitude of 10.7 km. The oil header tank sat atop the front of the engine, and the coolant tank sat at the rear. On the Jumo 213A, these had a capacity of 55 and 115 liters respectively. The entire engine assembly was a Kraftei, or power-egg, consolidated unit, allowing the engine and its associated coolant systems to be easily removed or added to the aircraft.
Its radio and navigation systems included the FuG 16ZY ground control transceiver to allow it to be tracked and directed from ground based stations, a FuG 25A erstling IFF, and a FuG 125 radio direction finder for beacon homing. Some aircraft were also fitted with a K 23 level autopilot to reduce fatigue when flying the aircraft at high altitudes and in poor weather. The autopilot was accompanied with a heated windscreen and a FuG 125 Hermine radio navigation system as part of the R11 Rüstzustand equipment package.
Production of the Ta 152H
The Ta 152H was introduced in an environment where all quality control measures had already been cut down for every aspect of production. The lack of skilled labor and poor materials meant that building a reliable aircraft engine in Germany had become almost impossible by the spring of 1944. Slave labor and foreign, drafted workers had become the base of the labor pool, as most of Germany’s factory workers had been drafted to fight, resulting in a sharp decrease in quality. This was not only a result of poor working conditions and the inexperience of the workers, but sabotage became widespread, especially among those pulled to work from concentration camps. Even more desperate measures began to be instituted in the summer of 1944, as the re-use of parts from salvaged aircraft became more commonplace, and engine test runs were ever more limited to conserve dwindling fuel supplies.
The first Ta 152H-0 was completed in November of 1944 after considerable delays due to several sets of blueprints being found to be inaccurate, and sets of jigs had been lost in France the previous summer. The first planes were sent to the Rechlin test center in December of 1944, while Focke Wulf considered how to accelerate production. While doing so, they were hobbled when the Jagerstab, which managed strategic fighter production, shifted more and more resources to jet fighters and older, established piston engined fighters. Ta 152H production standards continued to decline in the midst of the widespread economic collapse of Germany. Near the end of January 1945, it became almost impossible to build any more Ta 152H’s, as the decentralized production system began to collapse, the rail system became unusable, and the wing and fuselage production center at Pozen was overrun by the Allies.
By the war’s end, approximately 60 Ta 152H fighters had been completed at the Focke Wulf facility at Cottbus. The series suffered extreme quality control issues in service with JG 301, which included supercharger surging and the failure of a propeller reduction unit, which resulted in the death of a pilot. In April of 1945, the plans were sold and shipped to Japan, where unsurprisingly, there was no new production of the aircraft.
Conclusion
The sole remaining Ta 152H is in storage at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, where it awaits restoration. (Smithsonian)
The Ta 152H is often seen as one of the great ‘what if’s’ of the Luftwaffe, but in reality, the aircraft was a good, rather than truly exceptional fighter. While on paper, the Ta 152H was to be an incredible aircraft at high altitude, it’s rushed development, and hasty introduction into service saw it fly without the GM-1 boost system that it needed to achieve these feats, and in a rather regrettable state in terms of build quality. It stacked up well against many of the older aircraft in the theaters it fought in, like the Yak-9, Spitfire Mk IX, or the P-38L, and against its contemporary Allied rivals, it was a competitive fighter at high altitudes.
Specification:
Specification
Ta 152H-0
H-1
Engine
Junkers Jumo 213E
Junkers Jumo 213E
Engine Output
1753 PS, 2050 PS w/ MW50
1753 PS, 2050 PS w/ MW50
Empty Weight
4031 kg
Loaded Weight
4730 kg
5220 kg
Maximum Range
2000 km
Maximum Endurance
3.3 hrs
Maximum Speed [At altitude]
approximately 720 km/h [10.9 km]
760 km/h w/GM-1 [12.5 km]
Service Ceiling
15 km w/ GM-1 (estimated)
Armament
1×30 mm MK 108, 2×20 mm MG 151/20
same
Crew
1x pilot
same
Length
10.82 m
10.82 m
Wingspan
14.44 m
14.44 m
Wing Area
23.3 m^2
23.3 m^2
Height
3.38 m
3.38 m
Variants:
Ta 152H-0: Pre-production model, no wing fuel tanks, no MW 50 provisions, GM-1 capability but never cleared for operational use.
Ta 152H-0/R11: Poor weather pre-production series with level autopilot. Most pre-production aircraft were built in this configuration.
Ta 152H-1: Production model, wing fuel tanks, 85 liter GM-1 provisions but not supplied due to operational concerns. 70 liter MW 50 low pressure system installed. Fuel tankage increased from 595 liters to 995 liters with unprotected bag tanks in wings.
Ta 152H-1/R11: Poor weather model, autopilot. Most production aircraft were built in this configuration.
Ta 152H-1/R21: Equipped with Jumo 213EB intercooled engine, high pressure MW 50 system installed. Not operational.
Ta 152H-1/R31: Jumo 213EB, ballast kit to allow GM-1 use. No MW 50 and fuel capacity restricted. Not operational.
Ta 152H-2: FuG 15 radio set instead of FuG 16. Canceled in December 1944.
Ta 152H-2/R11: Bad Weather model.
Ta 152H-10: Photoreconnaissance model based on H-0.
Ta 152H-11: Photoreconnaissance model based on H-1.
Ta 152H-12: Photoreconnaissance model based on H-2.
Illustrations
The unique paint scheme of this aircraft was an identification measure, as the plane was largely unknown to German Flak and fighter crews. It was flown in this state to a conference.
Credits
Article written by Henry H.
Edited by Henry H. & Stan L.
Ported by Henry H.
Illustrated by Hansclaw
Sources:
Primary:
Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment Boscombe Down Spitfire F. Mk. 21 LA.187 (Griffon 61) Climb and Level Speed Trials. 10 October 1945.
Einmotorige Jäger: Leistungsdaten, 1.10.44
Ersatzteil-Liste TA 152. Konstruktionsgruppe 7 Triebwerksanlage. Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau G.M.B.H. Bremen.
Fighter Offensive Performance at Altitude Model P-47N-5RE Engine P&W R-2800-73 GP=45:1 Propeller-4 Blades- 13’0” DIA. (Curtis 836) War Emergency- 2800/2800 S.L. to Critical Altitude G.W.=13962 LBS. Republic Aviation Corporation. Farmingdale L.I., New York.
Horizontalgeschwindigkeit über der Flughöhe mit Sonderleistung. Leistungsvergleich Fw 190 – Ta 152. Focke-Wulfe Flugzeugbau G.M.B.H. 3.1.45
P-51B-15-NA 43-24777 (Packard Merlin V-1650-7) Performance Tests on P-38J, P-47D and P-51B Airplanes Tested with 44-1 Fuel.(GRADE 104/150). 15 May, 1944.
Smith F., M.A. and Brotherton J. Note on the performance in flight of the German jet-propelled aircraft Messerschmitt 262, Heinkel 162, and Arado 234. Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough. October 1945.
Secondary:
Brown, Eric Melrose. Wings of the Luftwaffe. Hikoki, 2010.
Douglas, Calum E. Secret Horsepower Race: Second World War Fighter Aircraft Engine Development on the Western Front. TEMPEST, 2020.
Green, William. The Warplanes of the Third Reich. Doubleday & Company. 1970.
Harmann, Dietmar. Focke-Wulf Ta 152 the Story of the Luftwaffe’s Late-war, High-Altitude Fighter. Schiffer Military History. 1999.
Smith, J. & Creek, Eddie. Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Vol. 3: 1944-1945. Specialty Pr Pub & Wholesalers. 2015.
Smith, J. & Creek, Eddie. Me 262 Volume Two. Crecy Publishing. 2007.
Weal, John. Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Western Front. Osprey Publishing. 1996.
Model 299G as it appeared in a microfilm document from a private collection on the B-17C. Note this is a recreation. (Bill Stanczak)
Introduction
There are very few planes in military and aviation history that have garnered as much attention or popularity as the Boeing B-17 “Flying Fortress”. The aircraft has been called by some “the best bomber of the Second World War”, although there are other contenders for that title. Opinions aside, one cannot dismiss the impact of the B-17 on military history and the evolution of strategic bombing. The development of the B-17 initially started with Boeing Model 299, often incorrectly called the Boeing XB-17 in various sources. Surprisingly, the B-17 was initially not selected for production, as the Model 299 prototype was destroyed in an accident and the US Army Air Corps’ limited budget did not allow for the purchase of the more expensive bomber. As this is such a popular aircraft, one would assume that quite a good portion of what there is to know about the plane and its development has already been researched, and documented. However, as is often the case, there are always discoveries waiting to be found, such as one particular obscure variant of the B-17, the Boeing Model 299G
To say that there is little to no information on this Model 299G would be quite an understatement as, aside from a few drawings, there is nothing that indicates why this aircraft was designed and what its exact purpose was. However, after studying the documents as well as consulting with several well-known aviation experts, it has become somewhat clear that what the Model 299G represents is not just an attempt to create a new and more effective variant of the B-17 based on the already in-production B-17B but, in fact, was a design concept that proved extremely influential in the design of the B-29 “Superfortress”.
Boeing: The American giant and a leader in aircraft design
The Boeing Company exemplifies the idea of rising from small beginnings. It was founded in 1916 on the shores of Lake Washington by a young timber baron by the name of William Boeing, who had an interest in aircraft. The first Boeing aircraft, a seaplane, took off from the shores of Lake Washington in January 1916. However, the company did not really take off until the 1920s and 30s, when Boeing achieved many great and public feats, including designing and building the first all-steel tube fuselage with its then-innovative arc welding process and even becoming one of the first companies to build dedicated mail aircraft. It was also during this time that Boeing would design and build some of its most legendary aircraft, such as the P-26 Peashooter, which, when introduced, was considered to be one of the fastest fighter aircraft in existence.
The company would gain even more fame and recognition with its construction of the Boeing Model 247 in the early 1930s, which allowed Boeing to dominate the early modern airliner market until the introduction of the Douglas DC-2 and the later Douglas DC-3. The Model 247 was considered to be extremely technologically advanced for the time and represented Boeing’s shift to all-metal aircraft construction. Boeing received even greater fame with its development and construction of the Boeing Model 299, which later became the B-17 Flying Fortress, an aircraft that was very well-liked by the top staff of the US Army Air Corps. The B-17 design would also later allow Boeing to create several other highly influential and popular designs based on the Model 299. These designs included civilian aircraft, such as the Boeing Model 307 Starliner and the famed Boeing Model 314 Clipper, which saw great fame while flying for Pan-American Airways in the late 1930s and even saw service as a Presidential transport aircraft for Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The Model 314, while externally quite different, used the same wing structure and design as the Model 299. The Model 299 design also brought forth various military variants which would see various uses, including transport aircraft in the case of the C-108 and VB-17. The Model 299’s development would ultimately culminate with the so-called “ultimate B-17”, the B-17G, which went on to become one of the most popular and well-known variants.
The Birth of Boeing’s big bombers
The development of the Boeing B-17 began in February of 1934, with a US Army Air Corps request for proposals for a new bomber with a range of 5000 miles (8046 kilometers) and a bomb load of at least 2000 pounds (907 kilograms). This request, designated “Project A”, was only a feasibility study for a production aircraft to these requirements. Even with it being a proposal, there was a chance the aircraft would be built, and Boeing put its best designers and engineers on the project and was clearly interested in developing the design. These designers and engineers soon found success, as they were able to successfully design and later build a very good aircraft. Initially, Boeing submitted the XBLR-1 (Experimental Bomber Long Range) for this program, which was later re-designated XB-15 upon its construction. Their competitor, Martin, also submitted a project, the XB-16, but that was later canceled before it actually left the drawing board, nor was a final design for it completed. Because of this, the XB-15 would remain the only bomber built in the XBLR program and was the largest until the Douglas XB-19 was built. The XB-15, while never serving as a bomber as intended, would eventually see service as a transport under the designation XC-105 and would serve until its retirement in 1944. Following its retirement, the aircraft would be partially dismantled and dumped in the so-called “Diabalo Dump”, where it remains to this day.
The Boeing Model 299 and the B-17
Boeing Model 299, often incorrectly called XB-17. (National Museum of the USAF)
In May of 1934, the US Army Air Corps announced a second competition, this time for a multi-engine bomber capable of carrying a ton of bombs, having a range of 2000 miles (3219 kilometers), and capable of flying at over 200 miles per hour (173 knots or 321 km/h). Unlike the previous competition, however, this aircraft would be built and brought into limited service, with a potential for full production. For this competition, Boeing decided to design and build what, in essence, was a scaled-down Model 294 (XB-15) under the designation Model B-299. The Model B-299 took many of the base features of the Model 294 and improved on them while scaling down the aircraft. In this regard, it was much like the 294, a twin-wing monoplane with four engines, but it also combined elements of Boeing’s successful Model 247 passenger aircraft. The prototype Model 299 first flew on 28 July 1935 and was very quick to impress the US Army Air Corps as well as the assembled press, with one reporter describing it as a “Flying Fortress”, and the US War Department describing it as an “Aerial Battle Cruiser”. On August 20, the Model 299 was flown to Wright Field, where it would spend the next two months being tested against the Martin 146 and the Douglas DB-1 (B-18 Bolo), where it eventually performed above and beyond the base requirements. The 299 would eventually get the US Army’s stamp of approval as well as an order for 65 YB-17s. However, on 30 October 1935, disaster struck and the Model 299 crashed and burned on takeoff. While the official cause was deemed to be a pilot error, as the pilot had forgotten, due to the lack of a checklist, to unlock the control surfaces (it was this accident that introduced checklists as standard equipment on aircraft), the US Army would cut the order to only 13 planes, designated Y1B-17, and instead ordered the production of 133 Douglas B-18 Bolos. The reason for this decision was twofold. While the destruction of the Model 299 did impact this decision, it was ultimately the US Army’s limited budget and their lack of funding that led them to ultimately choose the B-18 Bolo, as it was the only aircraft they could really afford a large number of. Despite this setback, the US Army was still enthusiastic about the design and allowed Boeing to submit another prototype for evaluation, which they did in the form of a modified Y1B-17 with more powerful engines and a crew of 6 instead of 7.
Boeing Model 299, note the distinctive nose with a small turret. (National Museum of the USAF).
The Boeing Y1B-17 did not differ too much from the original Model 299, however, some improvements were made, including switching the engines to the more powerful Pratt and Whitney R-1820s and changing the design of the landing gear arms. It was this prototype that ultimately won Boeing the contract and would go on into production as the Boeing B-17B.
The Model 299G: A modified B-17 or Something More?
When looking at the B-17’s lineage, one will notice that the very first mass-produced variant of the bomber was the Boeing B-17B or, as the Boeing Company knew it, the Model 299E (later changed to 299M). The B-17B followed a long line of prior limited or prototype variants, including the base Model 299, later Y1B-17, and Y1B-17A. The production run of the B-17B only ran for a total of 39 aircraft before it was switched to the B-17C (Model 299H). According to the documentation and the drawings found, the Model 299G was considered to be a very heavily modified B-17B which was re-engined with the Pratt and Whitney R-2180 Twin Hornets instead of the Pratt and Whitney R-1820-51 Cyclone. Beyond this, unfortunately, the drawings give very little information on this aircraft or really what exactly it was supposed to be. However, according to historians such as Mike Lavelle, this variant may be a link in the greater chain of designs that led to the Model 345, better known as the B-29 Superfortress.
The Design of the Model 299G
Boeing model 322 study, this one lacking the forward gun position but otherwise closely related to the 299G. (Lavell)
The Model 299G is unique compared to other B-17 variants and designs based on the B-17. It shares very little similarity with the Model 299 and Model 299M (B-17B) designs it is based on. Outside of the tail section and some other components, such as the general design of the wings, the rest of the aircraft is almost a completely different design from the B-17B on which it is based. Among the interesting features is the tricycle landing gear arrangement (one wheelset in the front, two on the wings). The aircraft also features a cockpit section very similar to that of the Boeing Model 307, completely eliminating the turtle deck. It shares a similar fuselage to the Stratoliner as well, as it was designed to test the feasibility of pressurization for use in bombers. Another major aspect that stands out about the aircraft is that it appears to have been both wider and longer than the B-17, with a slightly larger wingspan. Also featured were 4 defensive weapon blisters that almost seem like a cross of those on the early B-17s and those featured on the later PB4Y-2 “Privateer”. These were situated on the dorsal and ventral sections of the waist, with the ventral one just behind the wings and the dorsal one farther aft and closer to the tail.
Boeing Model 307 Stratoliner on display at the National Air and Space Museum Udvar Hazy Center. This is the sole preserved complete example. (Smithsonian)
The Model 299G also did not feature an astrodome. Rather, it featured what appears to have been a dedicated observation area above the cockpit. Perhaps the only major similarity it shared with the B-17 was that the 299G was a monoplane and, the wheels still receded into the engine nacelles. The design, as such, does not really seem to have been that of a B-17, bearing the most similarity to Boeing’s Model 307 Stratoliner, which was later adopted into US Army Air Force service as the C-75 Stratoliner. It also more clearly resembles Boeing’s later bomber designs, such as the Model 322, which eventually led to the development of the Model 345, better known as the B-29 Superfortress.
Conclusion
Boeing Model 316, a later design study possibly derived from the Model 299G. These two, and several others would go on to influence the further development of the B-17 and B-29. (Lavell)
While, ultimately, the Model 299G never left the drawing board, it certainly represents an interesting insight into the developmental history of Boeing’s large bomber projects. Based on conversations with several Aviation historians, it has been presented as a possibility that this Model 299G could also have been a very early attempt to design a sort of “Superbomber” that members of the so-called “Bomber Mafia”, including Jimmy Doolittle and General Hap Arnold, had been searching for. This conclusion would indeed make sense, as many of the features of the Model 299G do seem to correspond with later Boeing bomber designs. It has also been suggested that the Model 299G might have been a link in the greater developmental chain of the Boeing Model 345, which eventually saw service as the B-29 Superfortess. Some, however, have also suggested that this aircraft instead represented a link between Boeing Airliner development and their Military Aviation development. However, as of this writing, there is no concrete information or documentation that directly links the Model 299G to the Model 345, though it and other projects were part of the B-29 program’s design studies. Aside from general appearance, there is also really nothing concrete to link the 299G to airliner development either. What is undeniable though is that Model 299G does offer deeper insight into the continued development of the B-17 Flying Fortress and the influence, if indirect, it had on future projects.
Variants
Model 299G – The Boeing Model 299G was designed by Boeing and based on the Boeing B-17B. It never went past the design stage and was not selected for production.
Operators (Projected)
United States of America
US Army Air Corps (Presumed) – The Model 299G was designed by Boeing but never made it past the design stage.
Illustration
Credits
Article written by J. Manuel
Edited by Henry H. & Stan L.
Ported by Henry H.
Illustrated by Ed Jackson
Sources
Baugher, J. (1999, July 25). Retrieved from http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_bombers/b17_1.html
The Boeing Company (2020, December 20). Retrieved from
http://www.boeing.com/history/#/legacy
Harris, S. M., & Angelucci, E. (1983). The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of military aircraft: 1914-1980. New York: Military Press.
Model 299 Crash. (2009, June 25). Retrieved from https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/610002/model-299-crash/
Model 299 Press Release. (2009, June 25). Retrieved from https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/610003/AFmuseum/
Lavelle, Mike. War on the Home Front: Building the B-29 Superfortress. Chester River Press, 2011.
Lavelle, Mike, and Matzelle, Liz. “Fwd Boeing 299G.” Received by Jonathan Manuel, 21 Nov. 2021
Simons, Graham M. The Boeing B-29 Superfortress: The Giant Bomber of World War Two and Korea. Pen Et Sword Aviation, 2012.
An artistic drawing of what this unusual aircraft might have looked like source: www.nevingtonwarmuseum.com
The German military industries during the Second World War are often seen as highly developed, and producing highly sophisticated, superior weaponry to that used by the Allies. The reality is quite different, as they began to implement the mass use of slave labor and were chronically short of several key resources. Regardless, bright engineering minds and desperation led to the introduction of a series of new technologies, some being the first of their kind. The German aviation industry was credited with creating some advanced and innovative, but ultimately scarce aircraft designs such as the Me 262 jet fighter. With this reputation, many theories on German hyper-advanced, secretive aircraft projects began to spread after the war. Among them, was the theory that they had created a series of supersonic, flying saucers.
The Myth of German Technological Superiority
In the decades after the Second World War ended, in media and popular culture, German military technology and industry were often presented as significantly superior to the Allies. This is perhaps the most obvious when mentioning the German Wunderwaffe (Eng. wonder-weapon). These weapons ranged from flying bombs, ballistic missiles, jet engines, and super-heavy tanks. In essence, from the German perspective, the Wunderwaffe presented any weapon that would help them turn the tide of the war. Probably the best examples that were used in greater numbers were the V-2 rockets and the Me 262 jet fighter. In the case of the V-2, these were used en masse to bomb targets in Great Britain and continental Europe. Descending at a speed of nearly 6000 km/h, they could not be tracked and struck without warning. The Me 262 was able to achieve speed far superior to that of ordinary piston-powered aircraft., and with its armament of four 3 cm cannons, it could easily take down heavy Allied bombers.
Before we go any further we must discuss the history and truthfulness of these wonder weapons and their origin. It is important to point out that the German war industry prior to and during the war struggled with numerous industrial shortcomings. It was unable to produce enough quantities of weapons and materiel to satisfy the German Army’s demands. This can be best seen in the pre-war tank production when during the invasion of Poland, only a limited number of modern Panzer III and IV were available. The lack of anything better forced the German armored formation to rely on the weaker Panzer I and II tanks. The effective heavy tanks, such as Tigers, due to their complexity and price, were built in limited numbers. Even the Panther, of which some 6,000 were built, which was much cheaper and easier to build, could never be produced in such numbers to fully replace older designs. The Army itself, while generally portrayed to be highly motorized, was actually heavily dependent on horses for the transportation of artillery and supplies.
Regarding the term Wunderwaffe, it is almost entirely associated with German propaganda. The term was more actively used when the war began to turn bad for the Germans, especially after defeats like the one at Stalingrad. In theory, any weapon or vehicle could be categorized as a Wunderwaffe. Ranging from an assault rifle to a jet-powered aircraft. Some were just paper projects or simple proposals that were intended to enter production but they actually never did.
Now the question would be were these weapons truly superior to the Allied ones? A simple answer is no, but every single of these Wunderwaffe had pros and cons, so making a simple conclusion about their effectiveness and use would revive extensive research and work that is beyond this article. But we can briefly consider the effectiveness of the two previously mentioned weapons systems, the V-2 and the Me 262. While the V-2 was quite advanced for its day, it was plagued with many problems. The reliability of the rockets was not guaranteed with some of them exploding during take-offs. Precision was their weakest point, and by late 1944, when they were used en mass, the Germans simply lacked the means to observe their effectiveness against targets in Great Britain and could not correct the aim of the rockets. The Me 262 was also far from perfect, given the technological novelty of many of its components, it too suffered from poor reliability. Both weapons were also introduced too late to have any real impact on the war.
The first mass-produced jet fighter in the world was the Me 262. Source: Wiki
The Germans lost the war, which obviously showed that the concept of the Wunderwaffe was just a desperate attempt to increase the morale of its people and to fight the ever-increasing fear of a possible defeat. But despite it, these weapons continued to tickle the imagination in modern-day culture. To some extent, some mysteries would emerge after the war, that were either fabricated or were to some extent real. The probably best-known, and most infamous is the German flying disc project which employed the unusual circular wing design.
A Brief History of Circular Wing Design
While the circular wing design may be seen often wrongly connected to the unidentified flying object its actual origin is more earthly in nature and goes way back to the 18th century. One of the first recorded proposals for using a circular wing design to create a flying contraption was presented by Swedish scientist and philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg. He published his work in a scientific journal in 1716, but his proposal ultimately led nowhere. Nearly two centuries later in 1871 when French inventor Alphonse Penaur tested his own flying model. Encouraged by this success in the following years he began working on a new aircraft design that was to have elliptical wings and be powered by two smaller steam engines. But he committed suicide in 1880 and never fully implemented this new project. In the 1910s a wealthy weaver, Cedric Lee and his friend George. T. Richards began working on a circular wing glider. After a series of flight tests, they noticed that the glider had a good overall flying performance. Inspired by this success, they hired an engineer, James Radley, to help them build their new propeller-driven circular-wing aircraft in 1913. This aircraft also performed well during its test flight, but during the landing, the engine stopped and the aircraft crashed. While the pilot was unharmed the aircraft was a complete loss. Both Cedric Lee and George. T. Richards continued working on improving their design, but after a few more crash landings, they gave up on their project. In the 1940s, the American Army and Navy experimented with using a few different semi-disc wing designs These were the Boeing B.390 and the XF5U-1. While boths were surely interesting aircraft, their overall design proved to be a failure and none would be accepted for service.
Cedric Lee and George. T. Richards incomplete experimental circular-wing aircraft. Source: B.Rose and T. Buttler Secret project Flying Saucer AircraftThe Boeing B.390 design, while being a much simpler design than the XF5U-1, proved to be an unsuccessful design. Source: B.Rose and T. Buttler Secret project Flying Saucer Aircraft
The Flying Disc Project
The history of German flying disc projects is rather poorly documented, and in many cases, outright fabricated. They were allegedly related to German attempts to develop a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. It is surrounded by a veil of secrecy, and quackery, and probably that is the main reason why it is often connected to mythical or even supernatural origins. It is worth mentioning that the sources regarding these developments are quite unreliable, as they are mostly based on stories told by eyewitnesses and individuals. The reliability of these eyewitnesses and individuals should be taken with a great grain of salt. We must take into account that many of the written sources were made decades after the alleged events occurred. Another vital point to consider is the reliability of the main individuals that were allegedly involved in such projects. One such person was Rudolph Schriever, who after the war, gave an account of his reputed involvement in the development of a secret flying disc aircraft.
According to his story, the German Reichsluftfahrtministerium RLM (Ministry of Aviation) appointed a young aircraft design engineer and pilot, Rudolph Schriever, to work at the Heinkel-Rostock design office. In reality, he had no verifiable claims to German military service, relating to aviation or otherwise, and his only known employment was for the US Army as a truck driver after the war. It’s also not quite clear, but in some sources there is a mention of a certain Otto Habermohl, supposedly also involved from the start. Not to be beaten out by Schriever, there is not only any evidence for his credentials, but he doesn’t seem to have existed at all.
At that time, different engineers wanted to solve the issue of reducing the space needed to launch and recover aircraft. One solution was to launch an aircraft directly, and vertically into the sky. In this case, such aircraft would not need a long runway and instead could take to the sky from a single launching point. But this concept, while tested over the years, was never successfully implemented during the war.
Schriever claims to have approached this problem with a somewhat unusual solution. He made plans using a disc-shaped aircraft powered by jet engines using the so-called Coanda effect. This effect was named after the Romanian Henri Marie Coanda, an aerodynamic engineer. He discovered that when using a jet stream that is applied tangentially against a convex surface it creates a lift force that could be further increased by circulation. Schiriever claimed to have presented his idea to Ernst Heinkel, who was said to have liked the concept. This supposedly led to the start of work on a small prototype. He claims that after some work, the prototype was completed in early 1941. This prototype received the simple V1 designation without any prefix for the aircraft type. This should not be confused with the V1 flying bomb, as the V stands for Versuchs (experimental or trial model) which was quite commonly used by the Germans especially in the aviation industry to describe experimental or pre-production models. This prototype supposedly consisted of a disc-shaped wing design powered by an electrical rotary fan, no power source is given.
In 1942, this prototype was allegedly flight tested. No precise information about its overall performance exists. The assembly of this prototype named V2 was said to have begun in nearly 1943. By that point, Schriever claimed that some design work was moved from Germany to occupied Czechoslovakia. Škoda factories near Prague are assumed to have provided assistance to this project, though he did not specify in his testimony. A few other companies were also mentioned to be to some extent involved in this project, this includes Junkers, Wilhelm Gustloff, and Kieler Leichtbau. The fate of the V2 prototype is not clear.
The testing of the Schriever flying disc was supposedly observed by a group of some 25 eyewitnesses from the Flight school which was stationed near this airfield. One of these eyewitnesses gave testimony to a German aeronautical magazine Flugzeug in 1987. The truth of these claims cannot be completely verified with certainty. If we consider the fact that more than 40 years have passed since this incident to the moment they gave the interview. They reportedly saw a strange disc-shaped aircraft. This aircraft was described as disc-shaped with an estimated diameter between 5 to 6 m with the height of an average man. They also reported that it had an aluminum color. And that while being on the ground held in position by four landing gear legs. It managed to reach a flight of around 300 m of distance at 1 m of height. In the event the witness was not being intentionally misleading, it is likely they saw a helicopter being tested, several designs of which were researched and built during the war.
This piece of equipment is often mentioned to be the Rudolph Schriever demonstrator for the whole concept.It shares a notable resemblance to a torque converter. Source: B.Rose and T. Buttler Secret project Flying Saucer Aircraft
Name of the project
Beside the names given to the prototypes, this whole project appears to not have received any official designation, which was somewhat odd. It is often simply referred to as the Heinkel-BMW or by its name of the inventor Schriever, or even as the Schriever-Habermohl flying disc. Also sometimes it is also referred to as Flugkreisel (Flying top). This article will use the Heinkel-BMW flying disc designation for the sake of simplicity only.
Further Work
By 1944, the whole team that worked on this project was supposedly moved to Czechoslovakia. The entire personnel were not stationed at one facility but instead relocated to various small cities in that occupied country. Allegedly, this was done to avoid any of them being killed in the Allied bombing raids. The main base of operation was said to be the Praha-Kbely Airfield. According to Schriever, by this time, other aircraft design engineers began joining the program. One of them was SS Lieutenant Helmut Zborowski who was then appointed commander of this base. Given his position, Helmut would be most likely directly involved in the project. Others included Dr. Richard Miethe who may have been involved in the German rocket development. He may have been involved in the Peenemunde rocket research center, but his work there was never verified and so far no connection has been proven. Lastly, there was Klaus Habermohl and surprisingly an Italian, Dr. Giuseppe Belluzzo, who specialized in the work of turbines. The involvement of these two in the supposed project is unclear. Dr. Giuseppe Belluzzo claimed after the war that he was involved in the disc-shaped aircraft project but there is no proof of this. Klaus Habermohl is another strange person that allegedly worked on this project. What is bizarre is that no actual proof was ever found that this was a real person that existed. Lastly, the role of Joseph Andreas Epp, who was an engineer, was a supposed consultant to the Heinkel-BMW flying disc program. After the war, he claimed to have greatly influenced the German disc-shaped aircraft project, but if this is true, or was just an attempt to gain fame are unknown, the latter option seems more possible.
Schierver claimed that, together this team decided to proceed and built a third,even larger aircraft. The necessary component for the aircraft was to be supplied by Heinkel while Bayerische Motoren Werke AG – BMW was to have been responsible for providing the necessary engines. During the construction of the V3 prototype, one member of the team proposed using an experimental radial flow gas turbine engine which was adopted. The V3 was said to have been completed in the autumn of 1944. It was said to be almost double the size of the previous prototype with a diameter ranging from 12.2 to 15.1 m. No specific model of jet engine was mentioned. Supposedly, this aircraft was capable of achieving subsonic speed and could take off vertically.
Alleged drawing of the V3 prototype, note there are a few slightly different drawings of this alleged prototype. Source: www.nevingtonwarmuseum.com
As the war was by this point obviously lost, the Germans tried to delay the inevitable, and out of desperation, the SS became more involved in Wunderwaffe projects. This flying disc was said to be one of them, with their supposed involvement helping to add another layer of esotericism. Supposedly, soon the new V7 prototype was under construction. The fate of the V4, V5, and V6 prototypes is unknown. The last prototype, the V7 was reportedly designed to be larger than its predecessor by having a diameter of 18.3 to 21.3 m. This prototype was to be powered by gas turbine engines, from the start. At some point the work on the prototype was supposedly taken over by Richard Miethe.
Technical characteristics
Given the general obscurity and poor source materials, the precise construction of this bizarre aircraft is unknown. The available information should be regarded as illegitimate as it is technically incorrect, extremely inconsistent, and often fantastical.
The aircraft itself was envisioned as a circular-rotary wing design likely made of metal and powered by several smaller jet engines. It consisted of a centrally positioned crew cabin, which was surrounded by a large rotary wing assembly, resembling a huge fan. These were surrounded by a huge likely metal ring. What holds this ring in place is not clear according to a few drawings of it that exist.
The V7 had a diameter of 18.3 to 21.3 m. To provide stability it is often suggested that this aircraft received a stabilizing fin added close to the central cockpit. The central cockpit appears to be hemispherical and was fully glazed, providing the crew with a good upper all-around view. The lower view would be greatly restricted by the large rotary wing and present extreme difficulty in landing. How they would resolve this issue is not clear. It is possible that at the bottom of the cockpit, additional windows were to have been added. The crew consisted of two to three crew members whose roles were not specified.
Beneath the large rotary wings, at least four jet engines were to be used to power the whole assembly. These provided lift during take-off and landing. Allegedly, horizontal flight could be achieved by adding additional engines possibly connected to the lower part of the cockpit unit. Several different possibilities could have been used for this project. Ranging from Jumo 004, Jumo 211/b, BMW 003 engines, Walter HWK109 rocket engine, or the Argus pulsejet. Its alleged maximum speed achieved was 1,200 km/h or up to 2,000 km/h at a height of 12,400 m. Given its nature, and that none of the engines would have sufficient performance for supersonic flight, both numbers seem unrealistic, to say the least. Even in Rudolph Schriever’s own testimony after the war, he claimed that the prototype only managed to achieve some basic flights. There is no record that any kind of armament was tested on this aircraft.
The Fate of the Project
Like most parts of this aircraft, its final fate is unknown. Hard to verify, and often absurd claims, mention that it climbed to heights of 12.200 m or managed to reach supersonic speed. Given that it was supposedly in its early development phase when the previously mentioned test flight was made, it is dubious that such a flight was possible even with all of the other issues.
The V7 was said to have been destroyed by the Germans to prevent its capture. Or the Germans failed in this and the Soviets managed to capture it, with no evidence existing in either case. There was also said to be a V8 prototype that was under construction by the war’s end. Another interesting but unconfirmed information is that some members of the team who worked on this flying disc including Richard Miethe actually managed to surrender to the Western Allies. This seems unlikely and was possibly fabricated by Miethe, who was known to have been involved in some different conspiracy theories, so his background is also not verifiable.
The alleged photograph was taken by Joseph Andreas Epp while he was driving toward the Prag airport in (possibly August) 1944. The part of the picture to the right is the same photograph that just increased in size and focused on the aircraft itself. Source: H. Stevens, Hitler Flying Saucers
Ironically, the Germans actually managed to develop and built in small series a rocket-propelled VTOL aircraft, the Ba 349. While quite an unusual design, it was a real, and more practical aircraft in contrast to fictitious flying disc projects. By the time it was flight tested in March 1945, it proved to be a failure.
The experimental and unusual rocked-powered Ba 349 Source: Wiki
Production
After the war, Joseph Andreas Epp claimed that at least 15 various prototypes were built and tested by the Germans. This number also includes another similar project that runs parallel to the alleged Heinkel-BMW project.
V1 – Small prototype model
V2 – Second prototype whose fate is unknown
V3 – Tested in late 1944
V4-6 – Possibly paper projects
V7 – Larger fully operational prototype
V8 – Alleged improved V7 prototype
Is the whole story actually True?
Not surprisingly the entire story about Rudolph Schriever’s work is in all likelihood, a complete fabrication. Author, G. Rendall (UFOs Before Roswell) gives a quite detailed account of the Schriever’s involvement, or better said, lack thereof in the German flying disc program.
The connection between Schriever and the Luftwaffe is not clear. While he is often described as having the title Flugkapitan (Flight Captain) this was not an official military rank but instead an honorary title given to civilian test pilots for their service. This usually includes testing a prototype aircraft and testing newly built planes. Schriever, allegedly thanks to his idea of a flying disc, and pilot skill was said to be summoned to Heinkel. In reality, there is no evidence to support this, neither him being an engineer nor a test pilot. His first public appearance and general mention of his flying disc project occurred when he gave an interview to the Der Spiegel news magazine on the 30th of March 1950.
Schriever may have been influenced to come up with his story by the Italian post-war flying disc stories. In the late 1940s Italian engineers showed great interest in designing similar aircraft. One engineer Francesco de Beaumont proposed a disk-shaped aircraft design powered by four jet engines. Another engineer Giuseppe Belluzzo in his own story given to the magazine Il Giornale d’Italia, was he mentioned Italian and German flying disc development.
Francesco de Beaumont proposed a disk-shaped aircraft proposal. Source: B.Rose and T. Buttler Secret project Flying Saucer AircraftA drawing of the Rudolph Schriever flying disc was published in the German newspaper Der Spiegel in March 1950 Source: H. Stevens, Hitler Flying Saucers
In any case, according to Schriever’s interview, he allegedly became involved in the flying disc program in 1942. Quite interesting is the fact that according to Schriever’s own words, this aircraft was successfully flight-tested. He continued to work on this project up to the end of the war when he had to flee with the whole documentation and plans. He set up a small workshop and the documents were stored there. In 1948 he claimed that they had been stolen by an unspecified foreign agency and never found. Despite claiming to be involved in the secret flying disc program as an engineer, Schriever after the war worked as a simple truck driver. As there is no proof of the Heinkel-BMW flying disc, the whole story seems like a fabrication invented by Schriever. As in his later interview, he claimed to be involved in other projects; it is likely that he was seeking attention possibly from the Allies or simply just bored during a time when Germany was undergoing a slow, painful recovery. To add to the likelihood of the latter, at that time German engineers were highly in demand by the Allies and the Soviets. The US army even organized special operations to bring many German scientists to America, yet Schriver’s claims of the disc aircraft were completely ignored. If being recruited was Schriever’s intention, he failed in that regard. In the end, Schriever’s story ended with his death in 1953, as reported by the German Newspaper, Deutsche Illustrierte
The Real German Circular-wing aircraft
As it is often the case, the reality is often quite disappointing for those who believe in the extraterrestrial and esoteric origins of German flying source projects. Likely the only circular-wing design that reached some operational level was the Arthur Sack Sack AS-6. While even this aircraft had a rather obscure history, it is known that one prototype was completed and tested. Given that this was mostly a one-man project built using salvaged components, it should not come as a surprise that it led nowhere. During testing, the aircraft failed to take off and after a number of improvements, attempts to fly the aircraft were eventually discarded. The only prototype would be destroyed in an Allied bombing raid. The Horten Ho 229 could technically also be classified as a flying disc aircraft, though by any technical definition, it is a flying wing. Despite some effort put into its development, it remained at the prototype stage. There were many other projects but few went beyond a mock-up stage.
While Arthur Sack’s work was never implemented in mass production, his unusual design was often mistakenly taken as some advanced and secret German World War II project, which ironically, it never was. Source: all-aero.comThe unusual Sack AS-6 circular-wing aircraft. Source: alkeeins.blogspot.comFew prototypes of the unusual Horten Ho 229 were built and tested during the end of the war. Source: www.ww2-weapons.comFocke-Wulf wooden mock-up of a VTOL aircraft that has some resemblance with a flying disc. Source: B.Rose and T. Buttler Secret project Flying Saucer Aircraft
Conclusion
Based on the few available information what conclusion could be made regarding this unusual design? Given its supposed secrecy and some element of Wunderwaffe allure, there is no doubt that the project is by all indications, fictional. Given the fact that the Germans allegedly spent years developing such aircraft but did not advance beyond the prototype stage, probably an indicator that the whole concept was likely flawed if it existed in the first place.
In the case of Rudolph Schriever’s work, it is quite certain that his entire involvement in such design was purely made-up after the war. Why he would do so is unclear. It is possible that he tried to get the attention of the Allies. In this regard, he failed, as the Allies probably saw,if they ever bothered in the first place, that the whole story was fake and invented from the start. It is much more likely that Rudolph Schriever simply wanted to do a publicity stunt, as he was probably extremely bored being a truck driver in post-war Germany. In the end, it’s likely that Rudolph Schriever never suspected that his story would have gone so far, being propelled by the flying saucer craze of the 1950s.
Alleged Heinkel-BMW V7 Specifications
Wingspans
18.3 to 21.3 m
Engine
Multiple unspecified jet engines
Maximum Speed
1.200 to 2.000 km/h / 745 to 1240 mph
Maximum Service Ceiling
12.400 m
Crew
2 to 3
Armament
None
Illustration
Artist impersonation of the Heinkel-BMW Flying disc
Credits
Article written by Marko P.
Edited by Henry H.
Ported by Henry H.
Illustrated by Medicman 11
Source:
D. Nesić (2008) Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemačka. Beograd.
R. Ford (2000) German Secret Weapons of WWII, MBI
B.Rose and T. Buttler (2006) Secret project Flying Saucer Aircraft, Midland
J. R. Smith and A. L. Kay (1972) German Aircraft of the WW2, Putnam
H. Stevens, Hitler Flying Saucers. Adventures Unlimited Press
M. Fitzgerald (2018) Hitler Secret Weapons Of Mass Destruction, Arcturus
G. Rendall (2021) UfOs Before Roswell, Graeme Rendall
In the years prior to the Second World War, in Europe, there was significant interest in the development of aircraft intended to be used for breaking various world records. International competitions and exhibitions of new aircraft technology were quite common in this period. While at first glance this may seem like a hobby or sports event, in reality, these were often used for propaganda purposes to glorify a nation’s own aviation industry as superior to those of other countries. Achieving the greatest possible speed was often regarded as a clear measure of engineering supremacy over other countries. Germany was one of these, which took up the task in the late 1930s to achieve the greatest possible speed. They successfully achieved with the Me 209, an excellent record-setter, but completely unsuited for military use.
History of the Me 209
Due to restrictions imposed by the Western Allies, the Germans were partially limited from researching certain aircraft technologies. This did not stop them, however, as German aviation enthusiasts and aircraft manufacturers found numerous ways to bypass these restrictions. In the early 1930s the German aircraft industry worked at full capacity in order to increase the production of ever-needed new aircraft designs, but also introduced a series of new technologies. When the Nazis came to power in 1933, huge investments were made in order to build one of the most modern air forces in the world. Thanks to these resources, the Germans introduced a series of excellent aircraft designs that would dominate the skies over Europe in the first years of the war.
Some of these aircraft were specially modified so that they could be reused as propaganda tools. Their purpose was to achieve as many world records as possible. On the other hand, these were never actually accepted for service. One aircraft developed by Heinkel, the He 100, managed to achieve great success by reaching a speed of 764 km/h. However, this was not enough in the minds of the leading officials of the Reichsluftfahrtministerium – RLM ( German Air Ministry) who wanted something more imposing to show to the world. Adolf Hitler himself wanted to show off the superiority of the German aviation industry. So to win worldwide prestige in aviation, in 1937 Messerschmitt was instructed by the RLM to begin developing an experimental aircraft that set the world speed record. Given its specialized nature as a high-speed record-breaker, Messerschmitt received production orders for three prototype aircraft.
Willy Messerschmitt and his team of engineers began working on such a project, codenamed P.1059 in the early stage of development, soon after the requisite was made and the first working prototype was now under the designation Me 209 V1 (D-INJR).
The Me 209 mock-up in its early development stage. Most evident is the unusually rear-positioned pilot cockpit. Source: ww2fighters.e-monsite.com
The Prototype Development
The Me 209V1 prototype made its maiden flight at the start of August 1938. This flight was rather short at only 7 minutes. It was flown by the Messerschmitt chief engineer J. H. Wurster who was also a pilot. It was initially planned to use the experimental DB 601ARJ engine. As it was not yet available, a more orthodox 1,100 hp DB 601A engine was used instead. Almost from the start, the Me 209V1 was shown to be a troublesome design. Numerous issues were detected during flight testing. Some of these included the aircraft’s tendency to abruptly dive in mid-flight, the controls being heavy and hard to work with either in the air or on the ground, cockpit ventilation was poor, engine overheating problems were evident due to insufficient cooling, and cockpit visibility was quite limited. During landings, the Me 209 showed that it had a high sinking rate which usually led to a harsh landing, potentially causing damage to the landing gear. Despite all of this, which would in other circumstances lead to a sure cancellation of the project, the RLM officials urged that the Me 209 development should go on.
The side view of the Me 209V1 prototype. Interestingly the Messerschmitt workers did not even border apply any paint job to it. The natural aluminum color is quite evident in this photograph.
The second prototype Me 209 V2 (D-IWAH) was completed in early 1939. It was flight-tested for the first time on the 8th of February 1939. At that time Wurster gave up his position as the Messerschmitt test pilot to Fritz Wendel. On the 4th of April, there was an accident where this aircraft would be lost. After a short flight, the pilot Fritz Wendel was preparing for a landing approach on Haunstetten airfield. Suddenly, and without warning, the engine stopped working and the aircraft rapidly lost altitude. In another version of this event, the engine stopped working shortly after take-off. Regardless of which event was true, the aircraft was lost but surprisingly the pilot Fritz Wendel survived the forced landing without injury.
The Me 209V2 aircraft during its construction. While it was to be used for breaking the world record, its early demise meant the V1 had to be used instead. Source: ww2fighters.e-monsite.com
In the meantime, with the loss of the V2 aircraft, the testing continued using the first prototype which was finally equipped with the DB 601ARJ engine. This engine was rated for 1800 PS on take-off, with its emergency power setting reaching 2,465 PS.
A New World Record
As the V2 was lost and the other two prototypes were still under construction, it was devised to use the V1 aircraft for the anticipated world record flight. On the 26th of April 1939, while piloted by Fritz Wendel, the Me 209V1 reached a phenomenal speed of 755 km/h. It would take nearly 30 years before the record was beaten by a modified American Grumman F8F-2 in 1969.
German Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels was quick to exploit this successful flight. Goebbels propaganda machine soon published this news as a great success of the German aviation industry. To hide the experimental nature of the Me 209, in propaganda news it was renamed Bf 109R. This was also done to deceive the general foreign public that this was an actual operational fighter. Shortly after that, all further work on beating the speed record was strictly forbidden. Following this success, Me 209 V3 (D-IVFP) was completed and flight-tested in May 1939. Its flight career would end shortly as its frame was mostly used for various testing and experimentation duties.
Technical Characteristics
The Me 209 was a low-wing, all-metal, single-seat, experimental record-breaking aircraft. Unfortunately due to its experimental nature, not much is mentioned about its precise construction in the sources.
The fuselage and the wings were made of a metal frame covered in aluminum sheets. The rear tail unit had an unusual design with the rudder being greatly enlarged. This was done to help the aircraft design cope with propeller torque.
The Me 209 landing gear consisted of two landing gear units that retracted outward towards the wings. The Me 209 used a more common type of landing gear that retracted inward to the wings. To the rear, a sliding skid was placed at the bottom part of the large tail fin. The skid was connected with a spring to the tail unit and could be completely retracted to reduce the drag.
The cockpit was placed quite to the rear of the aircraft fuselage. This design had a huge flaw, as it severely restricted the pilot’s front view. The canopy of this cockpit opens outwards to the right. It was likely taken directly from Messerschmitt’s early design of the Bf 109. In an emergency, the canopy could be jettisoned.
The Me 209 was to be powered by the DB 601ARJ engine, a twelve-cylinder, liquid-cooled V-12 engine. This engine used a Messerschmitt P8 three-bladed propeller. The engine cooling system was rather unusual. As the Messerschmitt engineer wanted to avoid using a standard radiator to avoid unnecessary drag, they came up with a new design. The engine was cooled with water, which was nothing unusual, but the way the water itself was cooled was quite a new and complicated process. The hot water steam from the engine was redistributed to the wings through pipes. Once in the wings, through a series of specially designed openings, the hot water stream would be condensed back to a liquid state. The cooled water would then be brought back to the engine, where the process would be repeated again and again. The negative side of this system was the constant loss of water due to evaporation, which depending on the conditions like speed may differ widely from 4 to 7 liters per minute. Due to this huge loss in a short amount of time, the aircraft had to be equipped with a 200 (or 450) liter water container. With this water load capacity, the Me 209 had an endurance time of only 35 minutes.
The Me 209 cockpit canopy opens outwards to the right. This design had a flaw as it could not be left open during takeoff or landing. In an emergency, the canopy could be jettisoned. Source: ww2fighters.e-monsite.comThe Me 209 was to be powered DB 601ARJ engine which used a Messerschmitt P8 three-bladed propeller Source: aviadejavu.ruThe rear view of the Me 209V1, where the enlarged vertical stabilizer could be seen. Its purpose was to help the aircraft cope with propeller torque. Source: ww2fighters.e-monsite.com
Attempt To Develop a Combat Version of Me 209
In May 1939 the Me 209 V4 (D-IRND) was flight tested. While the previous prototypes were to be used for beating international world records, the V4 was an attempt to adopt the Me 209 for potential military use. It was not requested by the RLM but instead a Messerschmitt private venture.
This prototype would receive a military code CE-BW in 1940. Its design was modified to include new and enlarged wings. The racing engine was replaced with a military model, the 1,100 hp DB 601. Due to the limitations of the wing-mounted cooling system, it had to be replaced with conventional radiators, which were changed several times in the Me209 V4’s development. The wing design was also changed as it was somewhat larger and longer than that used on the original Me 209. These were also provided with an automatic leading-edge slat.
In addition to its new purpose, it was to be equipped with offensive armament. The sources disagree on its precise armament. According to, D. Myhra (Messerschmitt Me 209V1) it consisted of two 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns placed above the engine, a 2 cm cannon that would fire through the propeller shaft, and two 3 cm Mk 108 cannons to be installed in the wings. The potential use of this wing-mounted armament is quite questionable for a few reasons. The installation of such a cannon would not be possible given the limited room inside the wings. In addition, the MK 108 would be introduced to service in the later stages of the war, years after the Me 209 V4 was tested.
Authors J. R. Smith and A. L. Kay (German Aircraft of the WW2) on the other hand mentioned that the wing armament was to consist of two MG 17 machine guns, but this had to be abandoned as there was no room in the wings for them.
During testing of the much modified Me 209V4 it was shown to have weaker general flight performance than the already produced Bf 109. Attempts to further improve it by installing a stronger engine failed, as the Me 209 was still underpowered as its airframe was designed around a phenomenally powerful engine. Despite all this work the Me 209V4 was simply not suited for use as a fighter and thus the project had to be abandoned.
The Me 209V4 was a failed attempt to introduce to service a new and improved fighter aircraft that would potentially replace the Bf 109. It was not requested by the RLM but was instead Messerschmitt’s own private venture. Source: www.luftwaffephotos.com
The Fate of the Me 209 prototypes
Following the completion of its original goal, the Me 209V1 aircraft was given to the Berlin Air Museum in April 1940. While initially the Messerschmitt workers simply kept the natural aluminum color for the Me 209. This was not appropriate for an exhibit; it would be repainted in dark blue with its code painted to its fuselage sides. Interestingly during its brief service, the Me 209 was often nicknamed by its crew as Fliegend Eber (Eng. flight boar).
The Me 209V1 just prior to being allocated to the Berlin Air Museum in April 1940. The pilot is Fritz Wendler, and next to him it is Willy Messerschmitt. Source: ww2fighters.e-monsite.coml
In 1943 the Berlin Air Museum was hit during an Allied bombing raid and many aircraft were lost. The Me 209V1 was damaged but its fuselage was left relatively intact. It and other exhibits were moved to Poland for safekeeping, where it was simply forgotten. It was not until 1967 that Norman Wiltshire from the International Association of Aviation Historians actually discovered its remains during his visit to the Polish Air Museum in Krakow. The preserved Me 209V1 fuselage is still located at the Polish Museum, despite many attempts by the Germans to buy it back. The Me 209V3 was completely destroyed in one of many Allied bombing raids of Germany, while the V4 was scrapped at the end of 1943.
Me 209 fuselage at the Polish Aviation museum in Krakow, Poland Source: www.wikiwand.com
Japanese Interest
Despite being obvious from the start that the Me 209 would not enter production, a Japanese attaché showed interest in the project. In 1943 he approached the RLM officials with a request for technical data and that one aircraft to be shipped to Japan. In the end, it appears that nothing came of this and no Me 209 was ever sent to Japan.
An Me 209 but not a Me 209
As the war progressed, Messerschmitt engineers were trying to design a new piston-powered aircraft that would replace the Bf 109. That would initially lead to the creation of the Me 309 which proved to be a failure, and in 1943 a new project was initiated named Me 209. This project, besides having the same name, had nothing to do with the original Me 209 record holding aircraft. The first prototype of this new design was designated Me 209V5 in order to avoid confusion with the previous Me 209 aircraft design. It used many components of the already existing Bf 109G and had a fairly sound design. The few prototypes built would receive the designation Me 209A (sometimes referred to as Me 209II) designation. Despite their improved performance over the Bf 109G, the Luftwaffe opted for the Fw 190D instead, which proved to be a better use of the Junkers Jumo 213 engine.
The Me 209A, besides the name, had nothing in common with the first Me 209 aircraft. Source: www.luftwaffephotos.com
Production
Production of the Me 209 was carried out by Messerschmitt at Ausburg. The RLM ordered three prototypes to be built which were completed by 1938. The fourth prototype was Messerschmitt’s own project which ultimately proved to be a failure.
Production Versions
Me 209 V1 – First prototype was successfully managed to break the world speed record.
Me 209 V2 – Lost in a landing accident
Me 209 V3 – Third prototype that did see limited use
Me 209 V4 – This prototype was intended to serve as a base for a new fighter, but due to its poor performance, this project was canceled.
Conclusion
Despite its problematic design, it managed to reach an extraordinary speed of 755 km/h and thus set a record that would take decades to be beaten. For this alone, the Me 209 held a great place in aviation development and achievement history. That same could not be said for its attempt to be modified and used as a fighter aircraft. Despite a series of modifications and improvements, it was simply unfit to be used in this role.
Me 209V1 Specifications
Wingspans
7.8 m / 25 ft 6 in
Length
7.3 m / 23 ft 8 in
Wing Area
10.6 m² / 115 ft²
Engine (early rating)
1,800 hp DB 601ARJ
Maximum Takeoff Weight
2,512 kg / 5,545 lbs
Maximum Speed
755 km/h / 470 mph
Flight duration
35 minutes
Crew
1 pilot
Armament
None
Me 209V4 Specifications
Wingspans
10 m / 32 ft 11 in
Length
7.24 m / 23 ft 9 in
Wing Area
11.14 m² / 120 ft²
Engine
1,100 hp DB 601A
Maximum Takeoff Weight
2,800 kg / 6.174 lbs
Maximum Speed
600km/h / 373 mph
Cruising speed
500 km/h / 311 mph
Climb rate per minute
1,125 m / 3,690 ft
Maximum Service Ceiling
11,000 m / 36.080 ft
Crew
1 pilot
Armament
One 2 cm cannon and two 7.92 mm MG17 machine guns with additional weapons that were to be installed in the wing
Gallery
Me 209 v1Me 209 v4
Credits
Article written by Marko P.
Edited by Henry H. and Ed
Ported by Henry H.
Illustrated by Ed
Source:
D. Nesić (2008) Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemačka. Beograd.
R. Jackson (2015) Messerschmitt Bf 109 A-D series, Osprey Publishing
J. R. Smith and A. L. Kay (1972) German Aircraft of the WW2, Putham
D. Myhra (2000) Messerschmitt Me 209V1, Schiffer Military History
M. Griehl () X-planes German Luftwaffe prototypes 1930-1940, Frontline Book
E. M. Dyer (2009) Japanese Secret Projects Experimental Aircraft of the IJA and IJN 1939-1945, Midland
The small compressor scoop behind the inertial starter is among the only features to differentiate this G-5 from its unpressurized counterpart. (asisbiz)
Introduction:
The end of the battle of Britain was the beginning of an escalating air war which would claim nearly all of Europe as its theater. While neither air force could be said to claim the Channel in its entirety, low level fighter sweeps, tactical bombing raids, and high level photoreconnisance efforts would be conducted with ever more sophisticated methods and technology over the coming years. High flying recon planes, in particular, would prove the most challenging to combat, as specialized aircraft, like the Ju 86p, began to appear alongside ever faster fighter planes equipped with cameras. With the air war quite literally being taken to new heights, it would take a considerable effort to modify existing fighter planes to enable them to deal with an enemy operating at extreme altitude. In Germany, such efforts would produce the high altitude, ‘odd numbered’ variants of the Bf 109G, which would incorporate nitrous boosting systems and pressurized cockpits to enable them to chase targets far above their unmodified counterparts.
No laughing matter
Prior to the Second World War, high altitude fighter development was a largely secondary issue, in comparison to the build up of aircraft geared for combat at low and medium altitude. The premier fighters of the battle of Britain, the Spitfire Mk I and the Bf 109E, both exemplified this, the latter possessing a single stage, two speed supercharger, and the former a single stage mechanically driven variable speed type. The performance of both aircraft declined considerably as the planes rose above six kilometers. After the battle of Britain, the once highly active theater of Western Europe became secondary to the battles waged in the Mediterranean and the East. The primary activities there soon became focused on intelligence gathering and nuisance raids; there was an escalating nightly strategic air war, however, it was largely dislocated from the efforts of both the RAF’s and Luftwaffe’s daylight forces.
The Ju 86p, with its turbocharged engines and pressurized cabin, caused great alarm among the RAF in 1940, as the peculiar looking recon plane flew at altitudes that made it nearly untouchable. (Rods warbirds)
In 1941, both sides would introduce two aircraft which would largely shape the high altitude mission, namely the Ju 86P and the DeHavilland Mosquito. Neither aircraft could be caught by the conventional models of either the Bf 109 or the Spitfire, and thus a race to design high altitude models of the fighters began. For the Germans, the process would be far more complicated, as the reduced supply of certain critical materials meant that the traditional methods of increasing performance were off the table. There was insufficient nickel for corrosion resistant exhaust valves, no tin for heavy duty bearings, and eventually, less cobalt and chromium for heat resistant alloys. On top of this, a transition to synthetic fuels would further complicate matters. While the Battle of Britain-era Bf 109E could boast of both good performance and reliability, its succeeding F model would be plagued by a number of issues, and its increased performance was accompanied with horrible mechanical reliability. In short, nickel poor exhaust valves corroded and failed and the untested C3 synthetic fuel degraded in rubber fuel tanks and escaped into the oil system. Fuel escaping into the oil system was common on most aircraft, but it often happened in small quantities that were subsequently boiled off. The droplets which failed to aerosolize in the DB 601N tended to be of a larger than normal volume, and combined with Daimler Benz engines running cooler than most, they often failed to boil off.
With the new model of Bf 109 in such a sorry state, any new major modification of the engine was forgone, and boosting high altitude performance would fall on some external system. However, the Germans already possessed and employed such a system the year before. GM-1, or Goering Mixture-1, was a nitrous oxide injection system which was used to boost the high altitude performance of a late and uncommon model of the previous aircraft, the Bf 109E-7NZ. The mixture worked as a means of delivering oxygen into the engine’s combustion cycle at altitudes where the supercharger’s boost could not supply the boost pressure to run the engine at emergency power. Additionally, the mixture had the added benefit of cooling the engine when the mixture was injected at a low temperature. Carried in bottles behind the pilot’s seat, the mixture would be pumped into the compressed air circulating in the supercharger, after which it entered the manifold. Even when the supercharger was failing to produce the compression needed, any decrease in the volume of oxygen would be offset by that which was being delivered by GM-1. However, the system was not without its disadvantages. Namely, it increased the weight of the aircraft and provided only a marginal increase in power at low to medium altitudes, where a supercharger had no difficulties in providing sufficient boost to the engine. In short, GM-1 was dead weight below an engine’s full throttle height and, thus, the system had no real place on board a general use fighter plane. Transporting the mixture was also an issue, as GM-1 had to be transported either by pipeline or refrigerated trucks, after which it was transferred to smaller bottles. As it was kept cool, it could not be kept aboard a grounded aircraft and was usually loaded aboard as part of its pre-flight preparations.
Its limitations aside, it was clear that GM-1 was the only means by which the Bf 109 could achieve the much needed high altitude performance.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
The trouble with the Bf 109 F’s DB 601N engine would be solved mostly by the introduction of the DB 601E. The new engine switched the fuel source to the lower octane B4, its direct injection pumps were adjusted to prevent fuel drops from entering the oil system, and some of the more fragile components of the engine were redesigned. Prior to this, the Bf 109F ran at a reduced maximum output prior to the Spring of 1942. With the restriction rescinded, it was allowed for the maximum rated manifold pressure to rise from 1.3 ata to 1.42, and it could finally run at its intended, full emergency power.
The new engines were installed aboard the Bf 109F-3 and F-4, and were largely satisfactory, but the delay in achieving their full performance was considerable. The success of the new model DB 601E meant that high altitude developments could continue, and the first new model, after over a year, was the Bf 109F-4/Z. The engine was similar to the early DB 601N aboard the high altitude E-7Z, and delivered roughly the same level of performance, however, the structural and aerodynamic improvements of the F model allowed for better handling and maneuverability. Like the earlier E-7Z series high altitude fighter, there were no standardized provisions for photoreconnisance equipment. The GM-1 system too was improved and expanded on. The tanks were moved from behind the pilot into the wings, which increased the total to 100 kg. The mixture too was stored in a chilled, liquid state which increased its potential horsepower increase from +3 bhp per gram to +4.
A Bf 109E-7Z being prepared at a frontline airfield (asisbiz)
It is difficult to ascertain the success these aircraft had, as no distinction was made between F-4 subtypes for kill claims. However, an F-4 of JG 1, a unit which did possess the high altitude variant, brought down a Mosquito at high altitude on August 19, 1942. Lieutenant Gerd Scheiger engaged Mosquito W4065 on a bombing raid to Bremen, at a height of 8.8 km. Given the extreme altitude of the engagement, it is very likely the aforementioned Bf 109 was a high altitude model.
The few Bf 109F-4Zs would serve on every front with considerable success, though access to GM-1 could be problematic across the Mediterranean and on the Eastern Front. However, these troubles were nothing compared to the issues soon to arise with the aircraft’s successor. The Bf 109G series hoped to bring a much desired increase in performance with its DB 605A engine. Effectively developed by boring out the cylinders of the preceding DB 601E, its volume and compression ratios were increased considerably. Along with improvements to its supercharger, and built with a crankshaft able to handle higher RPMs, great hopes were placed on the engine. They were soon shattered. Almost as troublesome as the DB 601N, the engine faced a variety of harsh teething issues. Worst of all were its fragile, corrosion prone exhaust valves and an insufficient oil scavenge system made worse by a switch from ball to sleeve bearings. The series would not reach its potential for almost two years, as Daimler Benz worked through these issues. However, in perhaps the clearest example of the confusing and disjointed relationship between the Luftwaffe and its contractors, they failed to ensure a continuity in materials between the engines in its development branch and those being produced for the Luftwaffe. At an RLM meeting on May 19, 1942, it was revealed that the valves on the test engines had a nickel content of 14%, while those shipped to the Luftwaffe possessed only 8%. This, and similar discrepancies delayed effective testing for some time.
Ground crew performing maintenance on a Bf 109E-7Z. (Asisbiz)
Regardless of the disasters brought on by the lower quality economy alloys, and the misadventures between the Luftwaffe and its contractors, development of the high altitude Bf 109 continued apace.
Under Pressure
The new supercharger on the Bf 109G was extremely promising, and was one of the only things that really worked when the aircraft was introduced. With it, a new high altitude model and standard fighter were produced. The G-1 and 2 were largely built along the same lines as the late F-4 series, with a series of improvements to its armor and instrumentation. The G series also incorporated a series of standardized, modular Rustsatz kits, which could represent anything from bomb racks to photographic equipment. However, these initial models brough little improvement, as they were soon prohibited from running above 1.3 ata in manifold pressure, or in other words, without an emergency power setting. However, the G-1 would prove fairly innovative thanks to a number of new features.
Of the two, the G-1 was the specialized high altitude model, which would include both the ability to carry the GM-1 system, and was equipped with a pressurized cockpit. The cockpit pressurization allowed for a pilot to remain at extremely high altitudes without encountering any of the discomfort one would otherwise experience. Without these aches, pains, and numbness, a pilot was far less likely to become fatigued after long flights at extreme altitudes. The cockpit pressurization system was rudimentary, and was kept pressurized by a compressor which drew from a small scoop left and forward of the pilot. Silica pellets were also installed in the canopy and windscreen to prevent fogging. The GM-1 system too was improved, being made modular and paired with a set of fuselage racks which allowed for the fitting of a reconnaissance camera. GM-1 would also be made available to all subsequent models of the Gustav, regardless of pressurization gear.
The compressor scoop above the supercharger intake is the only major external difference between this aircraft and the non-pressurized G-2. (asisbiz)
The first of these aircraft were built in May of 1942 at the Erla plant and were subsequently handed off for testing and familiarization with Luftwaffe crews. These planes were then used by the 11th staffel of JG 2, noted as their high altitude unit, and began operations on July 17. The unit was first based in St. Pol in the Netherlands and would be assigned to the area before later being redeployed to Germany, and then to the Mediterranean in November, and then transferred to JG 53 before the end of the year. JG 5 also received a number of the planes some weeks after JG 2, the unit being assigned to various bases in Western Europe until the end of the war. Beyond these combat units, the aircraft was operated by the training units Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe West and JG 105.
In service, the aircraft performed well. In particular, the pressurized canopy was well regarded, and performed well enough to see its inclusion in several succeeding models of the aircraft. Curiously enough, the aircraft were not reserved exclusively for high altitude use and was instead used much like the standard version of the fighter. Their use as high altitude interceptors was more typical of the European squadrons, which had the benefit of better access to GM-1. Even then, G-1’s were still sortied to engage targets at all altitudes. Among the earliest victories came on July 11,1942, when Unterofficier Herbert Biermann engaged and downed a low level Mosquito which had attacked rail traffic near the Danish town of Tonder, after a raid on the U-boat pens in Flensburg. The plane had been damaged during the raid, which undoubtedly helped the pursuing Messerschmitt.
The Up Swing
In spite of the debacle that was getting the DB 605A into service, improvements were slowly being made. Experiments with face hardened, chrome plated exhaust valves would give way to a workable solution to corrosion, and combined with added oil throwers and a new oil centrifuge, would eventually allow the plane to run at its highest power setting. The restrictions would finally be released by August 1943, over a year after the aircraft first entered service.
At the beginning of the year, the Bf 109G-3 had superseded its predecessor. The aircraft’s largest difference, apart from its engine improvements, were its larger tires. Small bulges were added to the top of the wing to accommodate the enlarged landing gear, and the larger tail wheel was now non-retractable, adding a not inconsiderable amount of drag. These changes were made to give the aircraft better ground handling and allow it to better operate out of rough airfields in the Eastern Front and the Mediterranean.
Unlike the previous model, the G-3 saw increasing use against USAAF daylight bombing raids. The raids had started small in late 1942, often against targets nearest England. By the Summer and Autumn of 1943, the raids had escalated continuously and were increasingly focused on targets within Germany. By then, the major focus was on the so called ‘panacea’ targets, which numerous war planners thought could bring an early end to the fighting. Ball bearing and aircraft assembly plants received particular attention.
Bf 109G-3s parked among non-pressurized models. (asisbiz)
The bombers of the 8th Air Force often flew at extreme heights, with B-24’s averaging about 22,000 ft, and the lighter loaded B-17 at or above 25,000. Despite being above the altitude where most Luftwaffe fighters could not sustain emergency power, this advantage, and the heavy defensive armament of these bombers, did not translate into a sufficient defense against fighters. While the high altitude Bf 109G-3’s did have the edge, it was largely unnecessary, as the Luftwaffe only made massed attacks against the formations until after the bombers had passed over the Low Countries, where their fighter cover could not follow them. Thereafter, they were harassed by all manner of fighters, from light single-engined types, to night fighters pressed into daylight use.
In the case of the Bf 109, they followed Generalmajor Adolf Galland’s recommendation. The method involved attacking bomber formations at frontal angles in massed attacks using formations no smaller than the four plane schwarm. These attacks were conducted to help cope with the somewhat inadequate armament of the Bf 109, and to reduce the likelihood of being hit by the defensive gunners of the bomber. During a frontal attack, a bomber’s pilots and engines are the most vulnerable, which is quite important considering the single 20 mm aboard the Bf 109 was regarded as inadequate for bringing down a heavy bomber and thus needed to be directed toward these critical areas. Underwing gunpods were somewhat commonly fitted, though their impact on flight performance was considerable. The real breakthrough in anti-bomber weaponry came with the 30 mm Mk 108 autocannon, though its late introduction meant supplies were tight until mid 1944. The frontal attack also ensured the highest possible closure rate with the formation, making the small fighter a much more difficult target for any defensive gunner, and allowed the fighter to strike at the bomber’s engines and cockpit.
Large scale anti-bomber tactics employed early warning radar to track bombers during their ingress into German held airspace, and after they had passed the range limitations of their escorts, the Luftwaffe tracked the formation using trailing Ju 88’s and other long range aircraft. Fighter units would be massed over radio beacons until they received the order to attack and were vectored on to the bomber formations, where they could meet them in numbers. The height of their success was seen in Autumn of 1943, when USAAF planners were hoping to accelerate their progress on Operation Pointblank, seeking to cripple the German aviation industry. On August the 17th, the 8th Air Force prepared for its largest raid yet, with 376 B-17’s dispatched to attack the ball bearing works at Schweinfurt and a Messerschmitt factory at Regensburg. Both of these facilities were located deep within Germany and most of the journey would see the B-17’s outside the area where they could be escorted. To compensate for this, the flight over Regensburg would continue over the Alps and into Allied controlled Tunisia. It was hoped that flight over the Alps would prove easy, and in the case of the Schweinfurt force, they believed that the German fighter squadrons would still be on the ground refueling after their first attacks while the bombers made their return. Both waves would be met with disaster, as the Luftwaffe would hit both forces after their escort fighters turned for home, and the Luftwaffe fighters had taken to the air again as the Schweinfurt raiders made the return trip.
Of the 376 bombers to leave England, 60 would be shot down, 176 were damaged, and 30 remained in North Africa, where they awaited repairs at the overburdened facilities in Tunisia. Losses in combat and written off airframes amounted to 31% of the dispatched force; in contrast, the Germans lost only 28 fighters. In effect, the Luftwaffe was able to effectively deny large portions of their airspace to the raiders. A stalemate in the air ensued in the following months, with new challengers further shifting the balance of power next spring.
Wilde Sau
In addition to the typical daylight squadrons, several Bf 109G-3’s and 5’s were passed on to the single engine night fighter unit JG 300, its sister squadrons 301 and 302, NJG 11, and the first staffel of the 10th Night Combat division. The new G-5 was much the same as the 3, save for its 7.92 mm guns being swapped for 13 mm ones. Originally formed as an experimental unit in the spring of 1943, JG 300 was meant to test the suitability of single engine fighters for night interception use. The initial premise of the unit was to engage RAF bombers over their targets, where the light of the fires and searchlights would make the planes more visible against the ground and cloud cover, and thus enable interception without the use of ground control and onboard radar systems. The squadron saw mixed success and was expanded upon after the bombing of Hamburg, when the RAF succeeded in spoofing the shared frequency of Wurzburg ground based and Fug 202 airborne radar systems with chaff. The Luftwaffe would recover in the span of several weeks, though the attack made the idea of radar-less night fighting alluring.
A Bf 109G-5 nightfighter of JG 300 under inspection. The reinforced canopy hood is easily discernible here, as are the window silica cartridges. (asisbiz).
The group was expanded upon with the 301st and 302nd squadrons being established. While the hope of transitioning daytime fighter squadrons to night use was deemed infeasible due to the amount of training required, the combined unit would continue its task, being joined by a staffel of the 10th Night Combat Division. The task of carrying out the interceptions over raided cities was an exceptionally dangerous one, as they shared the space with flak units, and by the end of the year, enemy night fighters.
There was also a transition away from the unguided wild boar tactics to ground directed interception in order to deal with high flying Mosquito pathfinders and bombers, which no Luftwaffe aircraft could effectively catch until the Me 262B provisional night fighter was introduced. In this role, the single engine night fighter would be directed into a fixed ‘Himmelbett’ intercept zone which covered either the approach, or departure path of the detected enemy aircraft. There, the target would be tracked by the Himmelbett zone’s dedicated radar and searchlight units while the fighter would be guided on to the target. This was an exceptionally difficult task owing to the speed of the Mosquito, and could prove exceptionally dangerous if the aircraft being chased turned out to be a night fighter. As RAF night fighters began to escalate their intruder missions, transiting to and from interception areas became much more dangerous. While the Mosquito night fighters were larger and less nimble than the Bf 109, their radar systems allowed them to catch the otherwise “blind” daylight fighter.
This matte pale gray paint scheme was intended to reduce visibility against clouds at night, it was also standard for heavier, twin engined nightfighters. (asisbiz)
The success of these units was mixed, though some extraordinarily capable pilots achieved some very impressive results. The best of them was Lt. Kurt Welter, who by the end of the war was in command of the only night fighter unit equipped with Me 262’s. On the night of August 30th, 1944, Lt. Welter flew a Bf 109 which had been vectored over the Stettin raid area. In the span of ten minutes, he attacked four Lancaster heavy bombers, two of which were later confirmed destroyed, these being 115 Squadron’s PB131 and 12 Squadrons’s PD 273, representing his 14 and 15th confirmed victories. Most pilots, however, achieved considerably less success owing to the extremely high level of flying and combat proficiency their missions demanded. Mosquito interception duties were the most difficult owing to the speed and altitude of the light bomber, which could often exceed 8 km. To aid these pilots, a number of rare Bf 109G-5’s with high altitude DB-605 AS engines were made available to these squadrons. Nonetheless, Mosquito interception remained a gamble depending on the distance at which the bomber was detected, whether a fighter could be launched fast enough to climb, and still have enough time to be vectored into its flight path.
Crowded Skies
By the end of 1943, the newest and last iteration of the high altitude series was in service. The new Bf 109G-5 now carried a pair of 13 mm MG 131’s in the place of its 7.92 mm MG 17s, this increase being installed after long standing complaints regarding the inadequacy of the machine guns in the upper cowling of the plane. The heavier guns and the enlarged cowling meant the aircraft was slower than the one it replaced. This proved fairly concerning, as no major improvements in engine output were expected for the foreseeable future. These aircraft were distributed to units on all fronts and used much like their standard, non-pressurized counterparts. Most were deployed in the strategic air defense of Germany, where they soon faced a new, and very dangerous opponent.
The P-51B Mustang appeared to be the solution to bomber offensive’s ills, being a fast, maneuverable fighter with incredible range and high altitude performance. The danger of this new threat was quickly recognized by one Generalmajor Joseph Schmidtt, who began to advocate for the need for GM-1 equipped Bf 109s to act as top cover for the previously secure massed fighter formations. In this, the aircraft proved a mostly adequate stop gap, performing much better than other models, but it still lagged behind the American P-51B and the P-47D at altitude. In short, the Bf 109 was an old airframe, operating with an engine which had become fairly outdated after significant delays in getting it to reach its highest power ratings. Even worse, many of the airframe’s changes over the years had negatively impacted its performance, especially the addition of the non-retractable tail wheel, and the enlarged upper cowling to accommodate the larger machineguns.
A pair of Bf 109G-5’s depart. (asisbiz)
However, there were still some areas of improvement. In particular, the supercharger was swapped for an enlarged version which came from the DB 603 engine. Switching the engine entirely was completely unfeasible. The Luftwaffe’s research and development could be chaotic at the best of times, and 1944 certainly was not the ideal environment for such a big risk. The bombing raids too were making their mark as, while they had failed to curtail the German aviation industry entirely, they had forced a consolidation of existing designs. In effect, German bomber production plummeted in order to bolster production of a series of fighter designs which saw very slow modification rates. The vastly expanded use of slave labor in the following months also created no shortage of trouble, with quality slipping sharply as skilled workers were increasingly drafted into the Wehrmacht, and slaves increasingly sabotaged components.
The final models of the G-5 used the DB 605AS engine, with the much larger supercharger designed to improve high altitude performance. The effort was largely successful, though only a few Bf 109G-5’s would ever be equipped with the engine. As much as pilots enjoyed the comfort of the pressurized canopy, it was an expense that Messerschmitt and their directors at the Jagerstab were no longer willing to accept. The G-5 would be the last model to carry it. The Luftwaffe’s fortunes too declined sharply, as P-51 fighter sweeps periodically attacked airfields once considered safe, and the brutal war of attrition had eroded the number of remaining experienced pilots further. Attacks on Germany’s synthetic fuel production in the summer of 1944 introduced a final, and catastrophic crisis which largely left the Luftwaffe crippled for the remainder of the war.
G-5 production was phased out entirely in June of 1944, as Messerschmitt moved to consolidate Bf 109 production with the G-14. The supply chain would however remain disjointed, as they produced models using the standard DB605A, and the high altitude DB605AS. The G-14, with its standardized, low altitude MW50 boost system, did help reduce the performance disparity at low altitudes, with the aircraft possessing an excellent rate of climb and acceleration, but high altitude performance equivalent to the best Allied fighters would elude the Bf 109 for the rest of the war.
Handling and Flight Characteristics
With a service life beyond all other fighters of the Second World War, the Bf 109 didn’t age gracefully, but in many ways it was able to keep pace with newer models. (asisbiz)
The Gustav, as with nearly all Bf 109 models, was maneuverable, but its increased weight had made it somewhat more cumbersome than its predecessors. Initially developed to be as light as possible while carrying with it a powerful engine, the continued added weight with a comparatively little increase in horsepower resulted in control harmony compared to earlier models. Test pilots noted that while aileron and rudder forces were light, while the elevator was fairly heavy, an issue which was exacerbated at high speed. While the aircraft was exceptionally nimble at low speeds, which was well aided by the wing’s leading edge slats, heavy rudder forces and stiff elevator controls severely impacted handling at high speed. At lower altitudes, the rudder forces became excessive at around 500km/h IAS, at higher altitudes, upwards of 7 km, the controls remained lighter at higher speeds and permitted better control. Dive performance was respectable, though given that the controls were nearly seized in a high speed dive, it could prove very dangerous at lower altitudes. Maximum level speed was decidedly mediocre, though the aircraft boasted a high climb rate and good acceleration thanks to its high thrust to weight ratio.The plane was otherwise stable and, by most accounts, with good level flight performance.
This Bf 109G-6/R3 cockpit is largely identical to the pressurized model. The centerline cannon has been removed. (Smithsonian)
The cockpit was both cramped and provided exceptionally poor visibility. The deep set seat, with its heavy cockpit framing, greatly restricted the pilot’s view, especially towards the forward and rear aspects. A few late production Bf 109G-5s were equipped with the improved Erla canopy, as became standard on late war 109’s, and provided much better visibility to the sides and rear of the aircraft. The cockpit was among the smallest on any fighter during the time period. Pilots often felt it claustrophobic, which is understandable considering the centerline cannon for the aircraft rested between the pilot’s shins.
Operation of the Gustav was extremely straightforward, given the high level of automation the DB 605A possessed. The engine was controlled through a series of linkages between components which adjusted one another as the pilot adjusted the throttle lever. The supercharger, radiator, propeller RPM, and mixture were all managed automatically, though manual control was also possible. The core of these linkages was the propeller RPM, which was preset to an accompanying manifold pressure. The rest of the engine largely adjusted itself around this setting. In stark contrast to this truly modern feature, the plane still had manually operated flaps, which were retained through the end of the war. The aircraft lacked traditional trim tabs. Instead, the aircraft’s trim was set on the ground to match its cruise speed. The pilot could however correct for pitch by adjusting the angle of the horizontal stabilizer. Flying the aircraft was otherwise very convenient.
The takeoff run was fairly simple and the aircraft could easily be corrected for the torque produced by the engine. Visibility was poor on the initial run up, but given the relatively controllable nature of the aircraft, it was something pilots easily adjusted to. The same cannot be said of late war versions of the 109, which possessed engine outputs upwards of +1800 PS. Landings under ideal conditions were notably very easy, though were much more difficult in poor weather or when operating from hastily constructed frontline airfields. There was some improvement after the G-1, when the tire tread was increased, but landings and ground handling required a pilot to ensure solid directional control, as the narrow landing gear base could cause trouble.
Comparison with other single engine high altitude fighters, up to the Summer of 1944
Aircraft
Speed at Sea level (km/h)
Maximum speed at critical altitude, unboosted (km/h)
Speed at 10 km (km/h)
Maximum Output (hp)
Bf 109G-1 -Mid 1942-
506
630 at 6.6 km
640 (with GM-1)
1213
Bf 109G-5 -Late 1943-
510
620 at 6.5 km
635 (with GM-1)
1454
Bf 109G-6AS -Early 1944-
506
653 at 8.3 km
630
1415
Bf 109G-5AS w/GM-1 (estimated) -Mid 1944-
“
“
660*
1415
MiG-3 (AM 35) -Early 1941-
472
621 at 7.8 km
<550
1350
Spitfire HF Mk IX -Late 1943-
529
668 at 8.5 km
651
1710
Spitfire Mk XIV -End of 1943-
583
717 at 7.6 km
706
2050
P 47D-10 -Late 1943-
535
700 at 9.4 km
692
2300
P-51B-15 w/wing pylons -Early 1944-
586
685 at 7.2 km
667
1720
*It should be noted that the Spitfire Mk XIV saw service in low numbers, and was a very rare sight until almost a year after its introduction at the end of 1943. The rest of these planes were otherwise quite common.
The MiG-3 was among the most advanced Soviet fighters, though the high altitude fighter performed poorly in a theater defined by its low altitude skirmishes. (WWII photos)
Along with the Bf 109E-7Z, Mikoyan Gurevich’s MiG-3 debuted as one of the earliest high altitude fighters of the Second World War. The MiG-3’s AM-35A engine had high compression ratios and possessed a single speed supercharger which had been geared for high altitude performance. This allowed the aircraft to achieve a respectable level of performance above 7 km. It did, however, come at the steep cost of having mediocre low altitude performance, and above 8 km, its top speed fell dramatically. The aircraft also earned a reputation of being challenging to fly, a chief issue being its minimum landing speed, which was considerably higher than other Soviet fighters. Due to the lack of action at high altitudes over the Eastern Front, the aircraft was subsequently re-equipped with the AM-38 engine, for low altitude use. Production ceased early in the war, and its assembly lines were turned over to produce IL-2s.
The British followed the Germans in developing high altitude fighters with specialized boost systems. They would go on to produce a series of pressurized, liquid oxygen boosted Spitfires, operating on a very similar set of principles as the GM-1 boosted 109s. These however, did not see as widespread a use, as they were not quite as versatile or reliable, though this is not to say they were unimpressive. The Spitfire Mk VII with a Merlin 71 and LO could reach a speed of 618 km/h at an altitude of 12 kilometers. However, owing to a lack of available information, it will not be discussed in depth here.
A spitfire Mk IX and a Spitfire Mk XIV prototype. The Spitfire’s career was nearly as long as the Bf 109’s and generally speaking, aged better, thanks to access to better engines. (wwiiphotos, asisbiz)
A more versatile high altitude Spitfire also existed in the form of the HF Mk IX, which was powered by the Rolls Royce Merlin 71. This aircraft featured an intercooled engine with a two stage two speed supercharger, which provided it phenomenal high altitude performance, along with its broad elliptical wings. The addition of the second stage allows for further compression once the first stage alone reached its limit, and the use of the intercooler increases the upper limit of compression by reducing the temperature of the air entering the manifold. This allowed the engine to be run at a higher boost and was able to maintain combat power at altitudes far higher than the previous single stage 40 and 50 series Merlin engines. In comparison to the Bf 109, the engine can be could at combat power at high altitudes without needing to worry about depleting the supply of nitrous, which at most could last 22 minutes. In comparison, the Bf 109’s DB 605A, which operated using a variable speed supercharger which, while less powerful than the intercooled two stage type, lacked the performance gaps that came with the fixed gearing of the Merlin’s supercharger. In the case of the GM-1 powered series, however, there would have been a similar gap between roughly 7 and 8 km, between the aircraft’s critical altitude and the minimum height for GM-1 use. The use of GM-1 on the later DB 605AS powered Bf 109’s would have likely allowed them to exceed these high altitude Spitfires in respect to linear speed at extreme altitude. The performance figures for the Spitfire Mk XIV, equipped with the significantly more powerful Rolls Royce Griffon, speak for themselves.
The P-47 series of fighters achieved their tremendous high altitude performance through a different method entirely, turbocharging. Much of the interior space below and aft of the cockpit was taken up by a turbo supercharging system which managed to prevent any significant loss in horsepower up to 25,000 ft. The exhaust driven turbine proved a phenomenal means of attaining high altitude performance. Like the variable speed supercharger on the DB605A, the turbo-supercharger was not dependent on mechanically geared stages and thus lacked the associated performance gaps. However, a clear drawback to the system was its complexity, as in addition to the throttle and RPM levers, there was also a turbine lever. While it was possible to link the supercharger and throttle levers together on all but the early models, this was advisable only at certain altitudes. Running the turbine at higher speeds than necessary resulted in some horsepower loss. Regardless of this, many US pilots considered the P-47 far and away the best fighter above 30,000 ft. At high altitudes, where drag was minimal, and with over 2000 hp driving it, the P-47 possessed a speed and maneuverability far greater than its size might suggest possible. Further refinements to the design saw the aircraft exceed 720 km/h above 32,000 ft (~10 km).
A P-47D and P-51B. These were the USAAF’s premier fighters over Europe and boasted tremendous high altitude performance. (Wikimedia, National Archives)
The P-51B was driven by largely the same engine as the Spitfire Mk IX and it was eventually geared with usage at medium altitude in mind. In addition to its powerful Packard Merlin, which gave good high altitude performance, what set the P-51 above most was its extremely low drag airframe and wings. Having been designed later than most of the aircraft discussed here, it had the benefit of being able to incorporate the most recent breakthroughs in aerodynamics. Most notably, the use of laminar flow theories in its wing design, its drag eliminating radiator scoop, and its superbly streamlined fuselage, made it among the most exceptional fighters of the Second World War. Its high speed maneuverability too was largely unparalleled, as the laminar flow wing gave it an exceptionally high critical mach number, and its internally sealed control surfaces ensured effective control at very high speed. While its Packard V-1650-7 engine was geared for medium altitude use, it still outpaced both the standard high altitude models of the Bf 109 and Merlin powered Spitfire. When run on 150 octane fuel, as was more or less standard by mid-summer 1944, its performance largely matched that of the Spitfire Mk XIV, though the Griffon engine gave the Spitfire an incredible edge above 30,000 ft. Only the Bf 109G’s equipped with the DB 605AM high altitude engine could give comparable high altitude performance with the Mustang. They could both keep pace with one another above around 9km, though few of the pressurized high altitude model were built.
Production
Production of the Bf 109G began with centralizing supply chains around the Messerschmitt factory in Regensburg, and the subcontracted Erla machine factory. The escalating bombing campaign in 1943 forced a dispersion of the industry, and many components were built at dispersal sites before final assembly took place at either the Regensburg plant, the one at Erla, and later, the Wiener Neustadt aircraft factory. The Bf 109 was fairly well suited to this scheme, but nowhere near as suited as the Fw 190, which made use of much more convenient sub-assemblies. By the start of 1944, the Jagerstab was established to boost fighter production further, in order to compensate for potential losses incurred by bombing raids. They were very successful in this regard; production surged, and the average construction time of a Bf 109G declined from around 5000 hours to approximately 2500. The cost, however ,was substantial. Bomber production was cut to the bone, fighter designs were frozen over long periods, and the long standing use of slave labor skyrocketed. Bf 109G production became more complex as the war went on and the number of subtypes expanded. These would grow to G-1 through 6 and a separate high altitude series of Bf 109G-5/G6-AS aircraft. There was some consolidation between the disparate models with the G-14, though the still separate standard and high altitude models continued to complicate production and supply chains.
Messerschmitt was among the first to mass implement slave labor in late 1942, when they requested and received 2,299 inmates who were forced to work at the aircraft plant at Augsburg. They subsequently requested the construction of co-location camps for the rest of their factories. This marked a transition from skilled paid workers, who were of a dwindling number due to conscription, to a largely unskilled base of prisoners who sought opportunities for sabotage. Brutal retaliation from the SS, who managed security, and a severely declining standard of living saw rates of sabotage climb heavily as the war went on. By the Autumn of mid 1944, it was fairly common to see aircraft losses attributed specifically to sabotaged components. Other unsafe corner cutting practices became more common as well, and even saw the re-use of components scavenged from downed aircraft.
Bf 109G-1 Production
Werknummer
Factory
Period
10299-10318 (20)
Erla
May to June 1942
14004-14150 (147)
Regensburg
February to June 1942
Bf 109G-3 Production
Werknummer
Factory
Period
16251-16300 (50)
Regensburg
January to February 1943
Bf109G-5 Production
Werknummer
Factory
Period
15200-16000 ( with G-6)
WNF
March to August 1943
26000-26400 (mixed with G-6)
Erla
August to September 1943
27000-27200 (mixed with G-6)
Erla
September to October 1943
110001-110576 (dedicated production)
Erla
November 1943 to June 1944
*a total of 475 G-5s were built, at least 16 converted to G-5AS/R2 recon planes at the Erla plant in Antwerp
Construction
Much like its predecessors, the Bf 109G was a fairly conventional late 1930s fighter design, which sought to install the most powerful engine in a small, lightweight airframe. At its fore was the engine section, mounted on a steel mount with rubber vibration isolation. The engine oil cooler was mounted to the lower engine cowling, in order to give better access to the Bosch PZ 12 fuel injectors, with the section otherwise containing all of the motor associated systems save for the coolant radiators and GM-1 boost system. Above the engine and on the port side was the compressor scoop for the cockpit pressure system, where it remained until the Bf 109G-5, whereafter it was moved to the starboard side and slightly ahead of the MG 131 fairing. The system consisted of the compressor equipped with a relief valve, an air filter, a three way cock, a pressurizing valve, a negative pressure relief valve, a compensating valve, a pressure line, and removable silica gel cartridges. These components were distributed around the engine and canopy. The system proved fairly robust and was a much welcomed addition to the aircraft. The rest of the fuselage followed a largely conventional semi-monocoque construction, aside from the landing gear, which was mounted to the fuselage and swung inward when deployed. On the G-3, the tires were increased by a width of roughly a centimeter, such that they possessed a tread of 16 cm and a diameter of 66 cm. The associated bumps on the wing tops are the only external feature that allow differentiation between it and G-1. The control surfaces at the rear of the fuselage were operated through a standard cable linkage and were fabric skinned. The incidence of the horizontal stabilizer was adjustable in flight to set the pitch of the aircraft.
Control surface and flap rigging on the Bf 109G. (Bf 109 G-2 (mit Motor DB 605) [Bedienungsvorschrift] (1942))The cockpit was seated deep within the fuselage, in order to reduce the frontal windscreen area, though this choice drastically decreased the pilot’s visibility. The thick canopy framing made this issue worse, especially on the pressurized aircraft, which possessed reinforced beams and a non-removable armored seatback formed the rear of the pressurized canopy hood. The cockpit itself was noted as quite cramped by virtually all who flew it, offering little in the way of headspace and shoulder room, and made all the more claustrophobic by the lack of adjustable rudder pedals. At the front of the canopy was an integral 60 mm armor glass windscreen. As with the rest of the canopy frame, it contained silica to prevent condensation at low altitudes, which could then cause icing higher up. Several Bf 109G-5AS aircraft received higher visibility Erla canopies, though they lost their pressurized features. The layout of the instrumentation was clean if dense, though the pilot was aided by a high level of automation, which meant he could largely fly the plane through just the throttle lever. Raising or lowering the flaps and adjusting the stabilizer was done manually through a pair of wheels at the pilot’s left.
The plane’s elliptical wings were attached to the fuselage through a main, centerline bracket and possessed only a single mid wing spar. Connections for the hydraulic lines, which drove the flaps and landing gear, and radiator coolant lines, connected automatically when the wings were bolted to the fuselage. Each wing possessed a radiator located inboard, with airflow controlled by two outlet covers at the rear of the radiator matrix. These covers moved along with the outboard section of flaps when the plane was adjusted for takeoff and landing. The outermost rear section contained the fabric skinned ailerons. The leading edge of the wing had a slat which would extend during hard maneuvers and improve the turning abilities of the aircraft. These could prove troublesome on earlier models in regards to unwarranted deployment and jamming in place, but had been worked out by the G model.
The GM-1 system consisted of the nitrous bottles, compressed air, and the control system. On the Bf 109G, the system existed as part of a Rustzustand or Umbausatz kit which could be installed at a Luftwaffe field workshop or maintenance center, in the latter’s case. The pressurized models shared this with the standardized models, however, they differed in that the glass-wool insulated nitrous bottles were installed in the port wing, instead of in the fuselage, behind the pilot. Later models could have the tanks stored in either position. The GM-1 was kept in a chilled liquid state, which was found to provide a higher boost effect, providing +4 bhp per second per gram over the gaseous +3 bhp. The total volume of the bottles was 115 L, not counting the compressed air which was used to force the mixture through the system. The chilled nature of the nitrous did, however, bring a drawback in that it was released as it warmed and evaporated. An aircraft would need to have its tanks filled immediately before take off in order to have the longest duration. The boost could be maintained up to 22 minutes if the tanks were filled immediately before flight, falling to 19 minutes in the winter and 16 in the summer if the aircraft departed twelve hours later. In the summer, all of the GM-1 could be expended if the aircraft was left parked for two days. The weight of the entire system was considerable, at roughly 100 kg.
Use of GM-1 on the DB605A was prohibited below 8 km, where it provided little benefit, and below which the system was mostly dead weight. With the larger supercharger on the DB 605 AS, this height increased to 10 km. In the cockpit, the pilot possessed a pressure gauge and an on and off switch to control the system. Once activated, it took up to five minutes to have the greatest effect, whereafter the pilot could turn the system on or off as they pleased. At the initial activation height, the mixture could boost the top speed of an equipped Bf 109 by approximately 30 km/h and recover as much as 300 PS at high altitude.
A DB 605A mounted in a preserved Bf 109G-6. (wikimedia)
The Bf 109G-3 through G-5 carried either the DB 605A or high altitude DB 605AS, both being an inverted, 35.7 liter, V-12. The reason for it being inverted was to ensure the propeller shaft was as low as possible. This would enable the low mounted, centerline cannon to fire through the eye of the engine without its recoil seriously jeopardizing the aircraft’s stability. This was achieved through the use of direct fuel injection, which was fairly common practice in German aviation by the start of the war, though rare elsewhere. The engine also possessed a high level of automation, which let the pilot manage the engine and most of its associated systems just through the throttle lever. These were essentially a series of linkages between components that adjusted one another as the pilot increased or decreased engine power. It did not possess a true engine control unit, as was used in the BMW 801. Additionally, the engine used a single stage, variable speed, centrifugal supercharger which was mechanically driven by the engine and used a hydraulic coupling for variable transmission. The fluid coupling supercharger automatically adjusted itself via barometric control and was easily the most impressive feature of the engine, allowing it to smoothly adjust its boost as it climbed or descended. This allowed the aircraft to avoid the performance gaps otherwise encountered with engines using fixed speed settings. The engine used B4, which was originally 87 octane, as most of the C3 high performance stocks were dedicated to squadrons flying Fw 190s.
In spite of these innovative features, the engine’s performance was fairly modest for its day. It produced up to 1475 PS, though this was only possible after several major modifications which saw the replacement of the original exhaust valves for chrome plated sets, among other major modifications. The system also had its oil system improved through the use of additional oil throwers to improve flow, and an oil centrifuge to address issues with foaming. Between 1942 and late ‘43, the high power settings on almost all of these engines were disabled in order to keep failure rates manageable. The supercharger too would eventually lag behind its contemporaries, as despite its smoothness, its volume became a bottleneck. This was most apparent in any comparison to the two-stage, intercooled models of the Merlin engine. Some later models would mount an enlarged supercharger with 30% greater volume, derived from the larger DB 603. Nearly all would be equipped with an anti-knock boost system in the form of MW50 by the summer of 1944, which would boost output up to 1800 PS, though the corrosive mixture of methanol and water decreased the engine’s lifespan. Engines with the larger supercharger were designated DB 605AS, those with the boost system 605M, and those with both were 605ASMs. Several Bf 109G-5’s were fitted with the high altitude engine, though none received the low altitude boost system, for obvious reasons.
The engine measured 101.1 × 71.9 × 174 cm, had a bore and stroke of 154 mm (6.1 in.) x 160 mm (6.3 in.), and weighed 745 kg (1,642 lb). Two coolant header tanks were set to either side of the engine, while the oil tank was placed at the front. Compression ratios were 7.5/7.3:1 (left and right blocks) with B4 aviation gasoline, ratios were different using C3 fuel, though this was not used aboard this series of fighters.
Armament profile for the Bf 109G-5. Unlike the standard Bf 109G-6, it could not mount a 30 mm Mk108 cannon. (Bf 109 G-5,6 D(Luft)T 2109 G-5,6 Wa, Bedienvorschrift Wa(1943))
Early models were equipped with a pair of MG17 7.92 mm machine guns and a single, centerline MG151/20 autocannon. On the G-5, the MG17s were swapped for 13 mm MG131 heavy machine guns, which both provided a heavier armor piercing bullet, and a round with a small explosive core. While the standard G-6 could carry a centerline 30 mm autocannon, the modification was not available for any of the high altitude fighters. This was likely due to the necessary changes in the canopy required for mounting the larger weapon, which may have been incompatible with the pressurized model. As a firing platform, the 109G was excellent, especially in that all its weapons were placed at the center of the aircraft and thus required minimal adjustments for weapon convergence. However, the aircraft was very lightly armed, especially on the MG17 equipped models. Many pilots considered the armament inadequate, and the addition of supplementary underwing guns severely hampered the aircraft’s performance. These sentiments went as high as the General of Fighters, Lt. General Adolf Galland.
Conclusion
A surviving Bf 109G-1 at the Norwegian Air Museum at Sola. The other remaining aircraft is a G-5 at the Dutch Air Museum at Steppe. (Flyhistorisk Museum Sola)
The pressurized models of the Bf 109G proved to be an expedient means of boosting the performance of high altitude squadrons. The pressurized canopy, while later seen as an expensive luxury, was well appreciated by pilots who often flew at great heights on interception and photorecononniance missions. As with their standard counterparts, the series was handicapped considerably by the limitations and troublesome DB 605A. While the aircraft offered good performance for 1943, without any substantive increase in power, the pressurized Gustav series fighters began to lag considerably behind their Allied opponents the following year.
Bf 109G-1 configuration (shared with G-2)
Modification type
Specification
Bf 109G-1/R 1
Rüstsatz
Mid fuselage bomb rack. ETC 500 or Schloss 503 A-1.
PR 16 radio direction finding gear, designation not usually applied
Bf 109G-5/U2
Umbausatz
GM-1 boost system
Bf 109G-5/R2
Rüstzustand
Rb 50/30 camera fitted
*Rüstsatz kits are removable on a mission basis, Rüstzustand are installed at workshops, Umbausatz are kits that are built into an aircraft at the factory or a maintenance and recovery center.
Aircraft with FuG 16y radio sets, for command aircraft, received a -y suffix. For example, Bf 109G-5y/U2/R 3 would be a fighter equipped with a radio set for ground control, GM-1, and an external fuel rack.
Bf 109G-1
Specification
Engine
DB 605A
Output
1475 PS
Gross Weight
3050 kg
empty weight
–
Combat Range (internal fuel only)
668 km
Maximum speed (prior to downrating)
660 km/h at 7 km
Armament
2x 7.92 mm MG 17, 1x 20 mm MG 151/20
Crew
Pilot
Length m
8.84
Height (without propeller) m
2.6
Wingspan m
9.924
Wing Area m2
21.6
Bf 109G-5
Specification
Engine
DB 605A, DB 605 AS
Output (DB 605 AS)
1475 PS (1415 PS)
Gross Weight
3350 kg
Empty weight
2543 kg
Combat Range (internal fuel only)
625 km
Maximum speed (DB 605 AS)
630 km/h at 6.5 km (650 km/h at 8.5 km)
Armament
2x 13 mm MG 131, 1x 20 mm MG 151/20
Crew
Pilot
Length m
8.84
Height (without propeller) m
2.6
Wingspan m
9.924
Wing Area m2
21.6
Plane
In use with
Bf 109G-1
I/JG2, 11./JG2, 11./JG26, II./JG51, JG 53,
Bf 109G-3
11./JG 2, 11./JG26, I./JG1 (later II./JG11)
Bf 109G-5
III./JG 1, II./JG 2, I.& II./JG3, II./JG11, III./JG 26, II./JG27, I./JG300, I.&II./JG302, II./JG 11, II.&III./EJG 1, NAG 2, NAG 12, NAG 13, (F)/123
Credits
Article written by Henry H.
Edited by Henry H. and Stan L.
Ported by Henry H.
Illustrated by Hansclaw
Illustration:
Bf 109G-1 of JG2 flown by Julius Meimberg, WNr-14063 Poix, France November 1942. The G-1 was beset with serious teething issues, but even with engine restrictions, its high altitude performance was exceptional for its day. The G-3 saw these limitations removed, though its tail wheel was non-retractable. It should be noted that the tail wheel on this G-1 was semi-retractable.Bf 109G-5, 1944. The G-5 was better armed than its predecessors with its 13mm machineguns, but this came at the cost of added weight and drag.Bf 109G-5, JG 300, 1944. A number of G-5’s were turned over to night fighter squadrons using both Wilde Sau free roaming tactics, and Himmelbett directed interception against high altitude Mosquitos. The non-reflective, gray camouflage was also standard on twin engine night fighters.Bf 109G-5AS of JG 5, flown by Hauptmann Theodore Weissenberger, June, 1944. The Bf 109G-5AS incorporated a larger supercharger that required an enlarged engine cowling. Further modifications included the much improved Erla factory canopy, and a larger horizontal stabilizer and rudder. These were very rare aircraft and used mostly for reconnaissance and high altitude Mosquito interception.
Sources:
Primary:
Bf 109G-2 Flugzeug Handbuch (Stand Juni 1942).Der Reichsminister der Luftfahrt und Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe, Berlin. November 1942.
Bf 109G-4 Flugzeug Handbuch (Stand August 1943). Der Reichsminister der Luftfahrt und Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe, Berlin. September 1943.
Bf 109G-2 Flugzeug Handbuch (Stand August 1943). Der Reichsminister der Luftfahrt und Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe, Berlin. October 1943.
Flugzeug Flugleistungen Me 109G-Baureihen. Messerschmitt AG Augsburg. August 1943.
Daimler-Benz DB 605 Inverted V-12 Engine. National Air and Space Museum Collection. Inventory number: A19670086000.
Flugzeugmuster Bf 109 G-1 mit Motor DB 605A. Rechlin E`Stelle Erprobungsnummer 1586. 1943.
Memorandum Report on P-47D-10 Airplane, AAF No. 43-75035. Army Air Forces Material Command. Wright Field Dayton, Ohio. 11, October 1943.
The performance of Spitfire IX aircraft fitted with high and low altitude versions of the intercooled Merlin engine. Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment Boscombe Down. 4 March 1943
Leistungszusammenstellung Me 109G. Messerschmitt AG. Augsburg. 1 January, 1944.
Leistungen Me 109G mit DB 605 AS. Messerschmitt AG. Augsburg. 22, January 1944.
Leistungsmessung Me 109 G mit GM 1 – Zusatzeinspritzung. Messerschmitt AG. Augsburg. 21, September 1943.
Me 109 G-1. Ausführung. Messerschmitt AG. Augsburg. 21 May, 1942.
Speed vs Altitude P-51B-15 43-24777. Flight Test Engineering Branch Memo Report No. Eng-47-1749-A. 20 May 1944.
Kurz-Betriebsanleitung für Flugzeugführer und Bodenpersonal für GM 1-Anlagen in Bf 109 G. E-Stelle Rechlin R 3 a 1.
Me 109 G DIMENSIONS, WEIGHTS AND PERFORMANCE. A.I.2(g) Report No. 2142. 31, December 1942.
Spitfire F. Mk. VIII(Conv) (Prototype Mk.XIV) JF.319 (Griffon RG5SM). Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment Boscombe Down. 27 October 1943.
Power Boosting By Liquid Oxygen and Nitrous Oxide Injection On Spitfire & Mosquito Aircraft Respectively. Engineering Report. Eng. 8723.
Secondary:
Douglas, Calum E. Secret Horsepower Race: Second World War Fighter Aircraft Engine Development on the Western Front. TEMPEST, 2020.
THE EFFECTS OF POOR QUALITY ASSURANCE DURING GERMAN AVIATION MANUFACTURING ON THE LUFTWAFFE DURING WORLD WAR II. MICHAEL J. GALLANT, MAJOR, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
B.A Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 2006.
Radinger, W. & Otto W. Messerschmitt Bf 109F-K Development Testing Production. Schiffer Publishing. 1999.
Prien J. & Rodeike P. Messerschmitt Bf 109 F,G, &K Series An Illustrated Study. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. 1997.
Mosquito Fates, based on AirBritain files. Donated files, Mossie.org.
Nazi Germany (1935)
Fighter Aircraft– 20 to 22 Bf 109A and 341 Bf 109B Built
When the Nazis came to power in Germany during the early 1930’s they sought to modernize their armed forces with more modern military equipment. The founding of a new air force, the Luftwaffe as it was known in Germany, was one of the main priorities of the new regime. Massive resources were channeled into the construction of a great number of airfields and other forms of infrastructure necessary for the air force. In addition, many new and thoroughly developed military aircraft designs were requested. Among these new designs was the Bf 109, which would go on to later become the most widely produced fighter aircraft in the world.
The Bf 109B (R. Jackson Messerschmitt Bf 109 A-D series)
Rise of the Luftwaffe
After the collapse of the German Empire following their defeat in the First World War, the Allies prohibited the development of many new military technologies, including aircraft. The Germans bypassed this prohibition by focusing on developing gliders which provided necessary initial work in aircraft development and crew training. Another solution was to develop civil aircraft that could be relatively quickly rebuilt and modified for military use. The efforts to hide these developments were finally discarded when the Nazis came to power in 1933. One of the first steps that they undertook was to openly reject the terms of the Treaty of Versailles that prohibited the Germans to expand their army and develop new military technologies.
The founding of the Luftwaffe was seen as a huge military priority among Nazi officials. The Luftwaffe would then begin a massive reorganization and expansion project that would see it expand into a formidable fighting force. Much of the Luftwaffe’s attention and energy during this period was focused on developing a new fighter aircraft to replace the then obsolescent Ar 68 and He 51 biplanes. For this reason, in 1934 the Reichsluftfahrtministerium RLM (German Air Ministry) issued a competition for a new and modern fighter plane that could reach speeds of 400 km/h. For this competition, four companies were initially contacted including Arado, Focke-Wulf, and Heinkel. Besides them was a rather small and less-known manufacturer, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke BFW (Bavarian Aircraft Works,) which was under the leadership of Willy Messerschmitt. Despite lacking the experience of their contemporaries in military aviation designs, this small company despite its inexperience would go on to win the contract and build what would become Germany’s then-most modern combat aircraft
The man behind the design
Wilhelm Emil ‘Willy’ Messerschmitt was from his early years interested in aviation. When he was 13, he met Friedrich Harth who was an enthusiast and a pioneering glider designer. He would become a mentor and help Messerschmitt develop his passion for building gliders, together designing and building several gliders. When the First World War broke out in 1914, Harth was drafted into the Army, and in 1917 Messerschmitt would follow. Fortunately for both of them, however, they were stationed at the same flight training school near Munich and were thus able to continue their work. Both of them survived the war and went back to doing what they both loved: designing and building gliders. As gliding was something that became highly popular in Germany after the war, Messerschmitt undertook further education by enrolling in Munich Technical College. With this knowledge, Messerschmitt managed to design and build his first glider in 1921, which he designated simply as S9. After gathering sufficient financial resources, Messerschmitt and Harth together opened a flying school in 1922. This did not last long, however, and the following year disagreements between Messerschmitt and Harth arose.
Messerschmitt then decided to work on his own and opened a small aviation company which he named Flugzeugbau Messerschmitt. His first proper aircraft design was the M17. It was a small all-wood, high-wing, sport aircraft powered by a British Bristol 29 hp engine. This aircraft was quite successful and even managed a 14-hour flight from Bamberg to Rome in 1926. The pilot was a World War One veteran Theodor Croneiss. A little-known fact, this was actually the first flight of such a small aircraft over the Alps ever attempted successfully. The M17 would later be lost in an accident when Messerschmitt himself was learning how to fly an aircraft. He crashed, losing the aircraft but surviving the hard landing, after which Messerschmitt spent some time in hospital. This did not greatly affect Messerschmitt’s new company as his next design M18 also proved to have good overall performance. Now in partnership with Croneiss, they managed to make a deal with Lufthansa, a German civil airline, to use the M18 for passenger transport.
The high wing, sport aircraft M17, was the first Messerschmitt aircraft design. (www.histaviation.com)
Messerschmitt’s company received a number of production orders for their M18 aircraft. However, Messerschmitt lacked the money, resources, and production capabilities to actually deliver these aircraft. At some point, he came in contact with the Bavarian government in hope of finding a solution to his problem. He got an answer, that the Bavarian government was willing to help with one condition, Messerschmitt would have to merge his own company with the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke BFW. This company itself was in the midst of a huge financial crisis but possessed a great number of skilled workers and equipment that could greatly help Messerschmitt in his future work. While both companies would be technically independent, Messerschmitt was to give first production rights for any of his new designs to BFW. BFW on the other hand would provide the necessary manpower and equipment. Messerschmitt agreed to this condition and was positioned as chief designer of both companies. Representation of the company was relocated from Bamberg to Ausburg.
In 1928 Messerschmitt focused his work on a civil design intended for transporting passengers. His next design was the 10-passenger transport aircraft designated M20. During a flight test, part of the wing fabric cover peeled away, and pilot Hans Hackman possibly in a panic decided to bail out at a height of 76 m. His parachute failed to open properly and he died. This led to the cancellation of production orders for the M20 by Lufthansa. Messerschmitt developed an improved second M20 prototype which was presented to, and tested by Lufthansa officials. After an evaluation, the aircraft was deemed safe and a production order for 12 improved M20. However, tragedy would strike in two serious accidents involving the M20 aircraft, in which 10 people were killed. The first accident happened near Dresden in October 1930, where two pilots and six crew members were killed. The second occurred in April of the next year, with the death of both pilots. To make matters even worse, German Army officers were among the casualties. This affected Messerschmitt’s further work, who despite developing more aircraft designs failed to gain many production orders for them. While his own company did not suffer much, BFW was not so lucky and was forced into bankruptcy in 1931. In the next few years, Messerschmitt’s work was relatively stable as he saw some success selling his aircraft aboard. With better financing, he managed to acquire sufficient funds to reinstate BFW in May of 1933. The name was changed to BFW AG, a publicly-traded company. Unfortunately for Messerschmitt, a newly appointed Secretary of State for Air, Erhard Milch, opposed the idea of BFW operating under Messerschmitt. Erhard Milch’s hatred for Messerschmitt was personal, as the test pilot who flew on the doomed M20 prototype was his friend. He never forgave Messerschmitt who he deemed responsible for the accident. He forced BFW AG to accept production orders for Heinkel aircraft designs. This was also partly done to provide adequate financial resources so that the company could operate successfully.
Despite this distrust by Nazi officials, Messerschmitt was contacted in the summer of 1933 by the RLM to design a sports aircraft to represent Germany on the Challenge de Tourisme Internationale. Seeing a new opportunity Messerschmitt took great care in fulfilling this order. His ultimate design would be the highly successful Bf 108 (initially designated M37.) This aircraft would be crucial in the later stages of Bf 109 development. With the success of the Bf 108, Messerschmitt managed to gain support from some top Luftwaffe officials. One of these was the newly appointed Hermann Goring who replaced Erhard Milch in the position of commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe. While there were still some who wanted the Bf 108 to be canceled, with the support of Hermann Goring they could do little about it.
The highly successful Bf 108. (www.luftwaffephotos.com)
A new fighter
In March of 1933 RLM issued a document (designated L.A. 1432/33) that laid the foundations for the development of the future German fighter aircraft. In it a shortlist of general characteristics that this aircraft should meet was given. It was to be designed as a single-seat fighter that must be able to reach speeds of at least 400 km/h at a height of 6 km. In addition, that height had to be reached in no more than 17 minutes. The maximum service ceiling was set at 10 km. Armament was to consist of either two machine guns each supplied with 1,000 rounds of ammunition or one cannon with 100 rounds of ammunition.
In February 1934 this document was given to three aircraft manufacturers, with these being Arado Heinkel and BFW AG. The last to enter the competition was Focke-Wulf who received this document in September of 1934. While not completely clear as some sources suggest, Messerschmitt and the BFW AG were not initially contacted but were later included in this competition. Realizing this competition as a great opportunity, Messerschmitt gathered the best team he could find. Some of these included the former Arado fighter designer Walther Rethal, who became Messerschmitt’s deputy. Another prominent figure was Robert Lusser who took a great part in the Bf 108 development. He would also later play a great part in the future Bf 110 aircraft design.
According to RLM conditions, all interested companies were to provide a working prototype that was to be tested before a final decision was to be made. Arado and Focke-Wulf completed their prototypes, the Ar 80 and Fw 159, by the end of 1934. Heinkel and Messerschmitt’s prototypes took a bit longer to complete. Messerschmitt and his team set a simple but ambitious plan. Their aircraft would be simple, cheap, and possess lightweight overall construction. It was to be powered by the strongest engine they could get their hands on. Work on this new fighter began in March 1934, at this early stage, the project was designated as P.1034 (while sometimes in the sources it is also mentioned as Bf 109a). A simple airframe mock-up was completed shortly in May the same year, but the work on a more complex and detailed mock-up took some time. By January 1935 it was finally ready. The engine chosen for it was the Jumo 210A. As this engine was not yet available, the license-built 583 hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine was used temporarily instead. Ironically this engine was available thanks to the good business relationship between Heinkel and the British Rolls Royce motor company. Thanks to this cooperation the Germans managed to purchase a number of these engines.
The first prototype named Bf 109 V1 (registered as D-IABI) was flight tested by Hans Dietrich Knoetzsch at the end of May 1935. The first flight was successful as no problems were identified with the design. While later prototypes would be tested with a weapon installation, the V1 was not outfitted with any armament.
The Bf 109 V1 (registered as D-IABI). (www.asisbiz.com)
Messerschmitt designation
Before we continue, it is important to clarify the precise designation of this aircraft. Sometimes it is referred to as Me 109 (or as Me-109). While technically speaking this is not completely incorrect given that it was designed by Messerschmitt and his team. The Bf stands for Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, the company which constructed the aircraft. While the 109 has no specific meaning, it was just next in the line after the 108 design.
In 1938 this company would be renamed Messerschmitt AG and all future designs from this point on would receive the prefix ‘Me’. The older designs including the 108 and 109 would retain the Bf prefix during the war. It is worth pointing out that both the Bf and Me designation was used in Messerschmitt’s own archives. In German service prior to and during the war, it was not uncommon to see both designations being used. So using either of these two designations would be historically accurate, this article would use the Bf 109 designation for sake of simplicity but also due to the fact that in most sources this designation was used.
The Bf 109 trials
As no major issue was noted in its design, the Bf 109 V1 was to be transported to the test centers located at Rechlin and Travemunde starting in October 1935. Here, together with all competitor designs, they would be subjected to a series of evaluations and tests. The Ar 80 and Fw 159 proved inadequate almost from the start after many mechanical breakdowns and even crashes, which ultimately led to both being rejected. The He 112 and Bf 109 on the other hand proved to be more promising designs. The Bf 109 had a somewhat bumpy start as the Rechlin airfield was unfinished and had a rough runway. During a landing, one of the Bf 109’s landing gear collapsed. Despite what appeared at first glance to be catastrophic damage, turned out to be only minor.
The He 112 V1, was used for the trials held at Rechlin and Travemunde. (www.luftwaffephotos.com)The Bf 109V1 was damaged during a failed landing. (R. Jackson Messerschmitt Bf 109 A-D series)
The second prototype was completed and tested by the end of 1935. The V2 (D-IILU or D-IUDE according to some sources) was powered by a domestically developed 680 hp Jumo 210A engine. It was moved to Travemunde for evaluation and testing in February 1936. The V2 was put into a series of test flights where it showed superb flying performance, in contrast to the other competitors. Unfortunately, during one test flight undertaken in April, part of the pilot’s canopy peeled away, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing. A decision was made to not repair this prototype but instead to use its fuselage for ground testing and experimentation.
That same month that the V2 was damaged, the V3 (D-IQQY) was flight tested. This prototype served as the test aircraft for the installation of offensive armament. There is a disagreement between sources, as J. R. Beaman and J. L. Campbell mentioned that the armament was actually tested on the V2 aircraft. Regardless of which prototype was first armed, it possessed two 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns. These were placed above the engine, close to the cockpit. The engine was once again changed, this time with the installation of the even more powerful 700 hp Jumo 210C. Another experimental feature was the installation of a FuG 7 radio unit. This necessitated adding a triple wire antenna, which was connected to the top of the fin, and the edges of the stabilizers to the cockpit. This aircraft would be extensively used for testing, and would later serve as the basis for the first production version. Later prototypes were used to test various additional equipment and weapon installations. For example, prototypes V4 to V7 were used to test various different armament arrangements. The V5 was used to test the installation of an automatic reload and firing system, among other features.
The V3 in a flight. (en.topwar.ru)
During the initial evaluation flights carried out on both the Bf 109 and He 112, the latter was favored by many test pilots. Heinkel at that time was among the largest and most well-known German aviation manufacturers. It supplied the new Luftwaffe with a series of aircraft, and thus was well connected to RLM top officials. Further examination of the Bf 109 showed that the aircraft had several persistent issues. The most serious problems were the Bf 109’s tendency to widely swing to the left during landing and take-off. Another major issue was the design of landing gear, which was too narrow and generally weak. This in turn would often lead to crash landings. In retrospect, these two problems would never be fully resolved, but with sufficient training and experience, these problems could be overcome by the pilots. Other complaints included the limited visibility due to the canopy’s small design. The cockpit interior was also regarded as too cramped. The Bf 109 was also notorious for its high wing loading, which was pointed out by the test pilots.
Most of these complaints do not necessarily indicate a flawed design. We must take into account that the test pilots were mostly experienced in older biplanes. This new single-wing fighter concept was completely strange to them. For example, the biplanes had a simple and open cockpit, so complaints regarding the Bf 109 cockpit design represented a refusal to adapt to newer technologies rather than a bad design.
During the series of test flights, the performance of the two competitors was quite similar, with some minor advantages between them. In the case of the Bf 109, it was slightly faster, while the He 112 had lower wing loading. In addition, the He 112 had a better-designed and safer landing gear assembly. As the He 112 had to be constantly modified in order to keep pace with the Bf 109, the RLM commission was getting somewhat frustrated. Despite Heinkel’s connections and experience in designing aircraft, the Bf 109 was simply more appealing to the RLM commission, given that it was simpler, faster, and could be put into production relatively quickly. At that time the Germans were informed by the Abwehr intelligence service that the British were developing and preparing for the production of the new Spitfire. RLM officials were simply not willing to risk taking a chance on an aircraft design that could not quickly be put into production. Thus the Bf 109 was seen as the better choice under the circumstances.
Technical characteristics
The Bf 109 was a low-wing, all-metal construction, single-seat fighter. In order to keep the production of this aircraft as simple as possible, Messerschmitt engineers decided to develop a monocoque fuselage that was divided into two halves. These halves would be placed together and connected using simple flush rivets, thus creating a simple base on which remaining components, like the engine, wings, and instruments would be installed.
The central part of the fuselage was designed to be especially robust and strong. Thanks to this, it offered the aircraft exceptional structural integrity. It also provided additional protection during emergency crash landings. The fuselage itself and the remainder of the aircraft were covered with standard duralumin skin.
Its wings also had an unusual overall design. In order to provide room for the retracting landing gear, Messerschmitt intentionally used only a single wing spar which was positioned quite to the rear of the wing. This spar had to be sufficiently strong to withstand the load forces that acted on the wings during flight. The wings were connected to the fuselage by four strong bolts. This design enables the wings to have a rather simple overall construction with the added benefit of being cheap to produce. During the Bf 109 later service life, the damaged wings could be simply replaced with others on hand. The wings were also very thin, which provided the aircraft with better overall control at lower speeds but also reduced drag which in turn increased the overall maximum speed. At the wing’s leading edge were slats that automatically opened to provide better handling during maneuvers at lower speeds. This had a secondary purpose to greatly help the pilot during landing. The tail unit of the Bf 109 was a conventional design and was also built using metal components. It consists of a fin with a rudder, and two vertical stabilizers each equipped with an elevator.
The cockpit was placed in the center of the fuselage. It was a fully enclosed compartment that was riveted to the fuselage. The Bf 109 cockpit itself was quite cramped. Most of the available space was allocated to the control stick. Left and right of the pilot were two smaller control panels with the main instrumental panel being placed in front of him. While the side control panels were a bit small, their overall design was more or less the standard arrangement used on other aircraft. The front instrumental panel contained various equipment such as the compass, and an artificial horizon indicator. Messerschmitt engineers also added an ammunition counter, which was somewhat unusual on German fighters. Another innovative feature was the installation of a FuG 7 radio unit. In front of the cockpit, a firewall was positioned to shield the pilot in case of an engine fire.
The overall framework for the canopy was fairly small, but despite this provided decent all-around visibility for the pilot. Its main drawback was limited forward visibility during take-off. The canopy opened outwards to the right. This was a major issue as it could not be open during the flight. To overcome this, it was designed to be relatively easily jettisoned. In case of emergency, the pilot would actuate a lever positioned in the rear. It was connected to two high-tension springs. When activated, the lever would release the two springs, which in turn released the canopy, which would then simply fly away due to airflow.
The Bf 109 canopy opens outwards to the right, this causes problems as it was unable to be open during the ground drive or in flight. (R. Jackson Messerschmitt Bf 109 A-D series)
When designing the Bf 109 great care was taken for it to have a simple design. This is especially true for the engine compartment. The engine was easily accessible by simply removing a series of panels. The engine was mounted on two long ‘Y’ shaped metal bars and held in place by two quick-release screws. The necessary electrical wires were connected to a junction box which was placed to the rear of the engine. All parts inside the engine compartment were easily accessible and thus could be replaced in a short period of time. The Bf 109 “L” shaped fuel tank was located aft of the pilot’s seat and slightly underneath it. It too had easy access by simply removing a cover located inside the center of the wing. The total fuel capacity was 250 liters.
Once the Bf 109 was accepted for service, a small production run of the Bf 109B-0 was completed. It was powered by a 610 hp Jumo 210B, and served mainly to finalize the later production version. The Bf 109B-1 was powered by a 635 hp Jumo 210D engine and had a fixed-pitch two-blade wooden propeller. Later during the production, it would be replaced with a new all-metal two-bladed variable pitch propeller. This engine was equipped with a two-stage supercharger. The maximum speed achieved with this engine at the height of 3,350 meters (11,000 ft) was 450 km/h (280 mph). The engine oil cooler, which was initially placed close to the radiator assembly, would be repositioned under the right wing.
The Bf 109 had a simple engine housing that could be easily removed if the engine needed to be removed. (R. Cross, G. Scarborough, and H. J. Ebert (Messerschmitt Bf 109 Versions B-E)
The Bf 109 possessed quite an unusual landing gear arrangement. The landing gear was mainly connected to the lower center base of the fuselage, which meant that the majority of the weight of the aircraft would be centered at this point. The two landing gear struts retracted outward towards the wings. The negative side of this design was that the Bf 109, due to its rather narrow wheel track, could be quite difficult to control during taxiing. Messerschmitt engineers tried to resolve this issue by increasing the span of the two wheels. This actually complicated the matter as it necessitated that the two wheels be put at an angle. In turn, this created a weak point where the wheels were connected to the gear strut, which could easily break during a harsh landing. This also caused problems with the Bf 109 tendency to swing to the side prior to take-off. When the pilot was making corrections to keep the aircraft headed straight, excessive force could be applied to the pivot point of the landing gear leg, which sometimes cracked.
The Bf 109 possessed a quite unusual landing gear that retracted outward towards the wings. (www.worldwarphotos.info)
The first series of the Bf 109 were only lightly armed, with two 7.92 mm electrically primed MG 17 machine guns. While this may seem like underpowered armament, we must not forget that in the period between the wars, mounting larger caliber guns in fighters was rare. Larger calibers at this time used were usually 12.7 mm. The two machine guns were placed in the upper fuselage, just forward of the cockpit. The port-side machine gun was slightly more forward than the starboard. This was done to provide more space for ammunition magazines. These were fully synchronized to be able to fire through the propellers without damaging them. In the early stages, the ammunition load consisted of 500 rounds for each machine gun, but this was later increased to 1,000 rounds.
The MG 17 was used as the main armament of the early Bf 109’s. (airpages.ru)
However, the double MG 17 layout was eventually deemed somewhat weak, so Messerschmitt was instructed to increase the offensive firepower. As Messerschmitt initially did not want to add any armament in the wings, another solution was needed. The installation of a third machine gun inside the centerline of the engine block was tested. While this would be initially adopted, this installation proved to be problematic mostly due to overheating and jamming problems. So this machine gun was often not installed and removed on those aircraft that had it. A possible installation of a 20 mm cannon in its place was also tested. This was the 20 mm MG FF cannon, which was in fact a license-built version of the Swiss Oerlikon cannon. While it was tested on a few prototypes, it too proved unusable due to excessive vibration. On the other hand, the installation of two non-synchronized machine guns in the wings proved to be more promising, and this was implemented and installed on the later Bf 109E. For the reflector gunsight, a Revi C/12C type was used.
Main armament side view. (Bf 109B LDv.228-1 Document)The left machine gun was slightly moved forward in order to avoid problems with ammunition supply. (Bf 109B LDv.228-1 Document)
The Bf 109A and B versions
The Bf 109 A version is somewhat of a mystery in the sources. Usually this version, besides a few mentions, is rarely described in the sources. According to Messerschmitt’s own documents, a small series of 20 to at least 22 aircraft of this version were built. It appears that in every aspect, it was the same as the later B version. The only major difference between these two versions was that the A was solely equipped with the two machine guns in the upper engine cowling.
This is probably why most sources barely mentioned the A version, likely lumping them in with the B version. To further complicate matters author D. Nesić mentioned that while version A was planned to enter production, it was abandoned due to its weak armament.
Once the Bf 109 was accepted for service, a small pre-production run of 10 Bf 109B-0 was completed. It was powered by a 610 hp Jumo 210B, and served mainly to finalize the later production version. The Bf 109B-1 was powered by a 635hp Jumo 210D engine. This engine was fitted with a fixed-pitch two-blade wooden propeller. It was armed with three machine guns, with two placed above the engine compartment, and the third fired through the centerline of the engine and propeller hub. During the production run of the B-1, some minor changes were introduced. The three-wire radio antennas were replaced with a single one. To provide better cooling of the machine guns, several vent ports were added. The Bf 109B-1 was then replaced with the Bf 109B-2. The 109B-2 was initially powered by a 640 hp Jumo 210E but was replaced with a stronger 670 hp Jumo 210G. The wooden propeller was upgraded to a new completely metal, variable-pitch, two-bladed propeller.
During early production, three-wire radio antennas were used. These would be replaced with a single one. (www.luftwaffephotos.com)
While at first glance, the infamous Bf 109 seems to be a well-documented aircraft, this is not quite the case. Namely, there are significant differences in the sources regarding the precise designation of the B series. For example sources like R. Jackson (Messerschmitt Bf 109 A-D series) and J. R. Smith and A. L. Kay (German Aircraft of the WW2) divided the B series into three sub-series: the B-0, B-1, and B-2.
On the other hand sources like R. Cross, G. Scarborough and H. J. Ebert (Messerschmitt Bf 109 Versions B-E) mentioned that in the Messerschmitt archives, no evidence for the existence of a B-2 series was found. In addition, while the Jumo 210G may have been tested on the Bf 109B series, there is also little evidence that it was actually installed in them. This is also supported by sources like Lynn R. (Messerschmitt Bf 109 Part-1: Prototype). This particular source indicated that all alleged modifications to the B-2 were actually implemented on the B-1 aircraft.
Early Bf 109 operational use
The Bf 109 was shown to the general public for the first time during the 1936 Olympic Games held in Germany. The following year several Bf 109’s (including the V10, V13, two B-1, and one B-2) participated in the international flying competition held in Zurich, Switzerland, easily winning several awards including fastest dive, climbing, and flew a circuit of the Alps, etc. The event was not without incident, as the Bf 109 V10 had an engine problem, and its pilot Ernst Udet, was forced to crash land it.
In Spain
When the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936, Francisco Franco, who was the leader of the Nationalists, sent a plea to Adolf Hitler for German aid in providing military equipment including aircraft. At the early stages of the war, nearly all of Spain’s mostly outdated aircraft were in the hands of the Republicans. To make matters worse for Franco nearly all forces loyal to him were stationed in Africa. As the Republicans controlled the Spanish navy, Franco could not move his troops back to Spain safely. Franco was therefore forced to seek foreign aid. Hitler, seeing Spain as a potential ally, was keen on helping Franco and agreed to provide assistance. At the end of July 1936, some 86 aircrew personnel, together with 6 He 51 and 20 Ju 57 were secretly transported to Spain. This air unit would serve as the basis of the so-called German Condor Legion which operated in Spain during the war. The Ju 52 transport aircraft proved instrumental in transporting the Francoist forces to Spain. The operation was a success, but the enemy was quite busy with their own preparations.
On the other side, the Republicans were greatly supported by the Soviets, providing them with some 30 I-15 fighters in late 1936. Additionally, the Republicans operated a number of Soviet SB-2 bombers. The few He 51 fighters of the Condor Legion were outdated and outnumbered by the enemy air force, so a request was made to send additional and more modern aircraft. Seeing an opportunity to test the performance of the Bf 109 in real combat situations, it was agreed to send a few to Spain. One of the first Bf 109 V4 to be sent to Spain was unfortunately damaged in an accident. Several delays later on the 14th of December, the Bf 109 V3 arrived in Spain. These arriving aircraft were initially used for a few weeks for testing and training. Initial evaluation of these early aircraft proved to be more than satisfactory, and additional aircraft of this type was requested. Besides the V3 and V4, the V6 was also sent to Spain. The fate of the V5 is not clear; some sources mentioned (like R. Jackson) that it was also used in the Spanish Theater. Lynn R. (Messerschmitt Bf 109 Part-1: Prototype) on the other hand informs us that the V5 was used during 1937 for weapon trials and thus not sent to Spain.
In early 1937 the first of the Bf 109s began to arrive. It is unclear which exact version was first issued for service, these were either version A or B. Author Lynn R. ( Messerschmitt Bf 109 Part-1: Prototype) mentioned that the first aircraft used were of the A version. He indicated that this was the case for several reasons, one of which was the use of only two machine guns. In addition, these were not equipped with the later-developed automatic cycling gun mechanism, which alleviated ammunition jam and misfeed issues. In total, at least 16 aircraft of the early Bf 109 would be sent in this shipment. Sources like R. Jackson (Messerschmitt Bf 109 A-D series) mentioned that only the B version was used in Spain.
During the Spanish Civil war, initially only smaller quantities of Bf 109A and B were available for service. (me109.airwar1946.nl)
In March 1937, with the arrival of the first group of the new Bf 109, two fighter groups were formed. These were the I and II/Jagdgruppe J.88 under the command of Lieutenant Günther Lützow. Interestingly, these aircraft were initially to be given to JG 132 stationed at Döberitz-Elsgrund. Due to the urgent need to reinforce the Condor Legion, JG 132 pilots with the Bf 109 were transported to Spain instead. Besides markings, they also received numerical designations beginning with 6-1, 6-2, and so on. The precise method which was used to determine the numbering designation is not clear. For example, the V3, which arrived second, received the 6-2, and later 6-1 designation. The Bf 109 that served with the Condor Legion received a large black circle on the fuselage for identification. Two additional black circles with a large white “X” were painted on the wings. An additional black X was painted on the rear tail.
The Bf 109 that saw service during the Spanish Civil War could be easily distinguished by their unique markings. Those received a large black circle marking on the fuselage. Two additional black circles with a large white “X” were painted on the wings. An additional black X was painted on the rear tail. ( www.luftwaffephotos.com)
Initially, it was planned that the Germans would act as instructors for their Spanish allies. As the Spanish had problems piloting the newly supplied aircraft, many German instructors would themselves see extensive combat action during the war.
Lützow was also the one who achieved the first kill of the Bf 109B that was used in Spain. He managed to shoot down a Republican I-15 on the 6th of April 1937. Three more victories were achieved during that month. At the end of April, the II.J/88 provided protection for bombers that raided the small town of Guernica. Initially, the few Bf 109 that were available did not have much effect on the war efforts of the Nationalists. The Republicans had nearly 150 modern Soviet fighters and thus had a clear advantage. During the heavy fighting at Madrid in July 1937, the Bf 109 engaged the enemy I-16’s for the first time in the conflict.
In July of 1937, a Bf 109 from the II.J/88, managed to shoot down three SB-2 bombers, one Aero A.101 light bomber, and three I-16. But the J.88 also suffered its first casualty of the war, a Bf 109B which was piloted by Guido Honess was shot down by an I-16 on the 12th of July. On the 17th, another Bf 109 was shot down but the pilot Gotthard Handrick managed to survive. The next day, another Bf 109 was lost but the pilot was only lightly wounded.
In August 1937, the Nationalists launched an offensive toward Republican-held positions around Santander. The heavy fighting that lasted up to October saw extensive use of air forces on both sides. The Nationalists were reinforced with the I.J/88 under the command of Harro Harder. By late October this commander managed to bring down 7 enemy aircraft. At the end of 1937, an incident of note occurred where a Bf 109A piloted by Otto Polenz was forced to land on Republican-held territory. His aircraft was captured almost intact and shipped to the Soviet Union for examination. During the German Invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, this particular aircraft would be recaptured.
The captured Bf 109A was shipped to the Soviet Union for examination. Ironically it would be recaptured by the Germans in 1941. (Lynn R. (1980) Messerschmitt Bf 109 Part-1: Prototype to ‘E’ Variants, SAM Publication)
On the 16th of December, the Republicans launched an offensive toward the city of Teruel. Given the severe winter, the J.88 was unable to provide air support and the city fell to the Republicans. From late January and early February on, thanks to better weather, the German Bf 109s were once again active. On the 7th of February 1938, Wilhelm Balthasar managed to alone shoot down four SB-2 bombers alone during one flight. He too was forced to a harsh landing having received numerous hits by the bomber’s defensive fire, but Balthasar survived the landing.
By April 1938 the Nationalists realized that a direct attack on Madrid would be almost impossible without heavy casualties, and decided on another approach. They instead focused on the southern parts of Spain. The J.88 too was repositioned there and took on the enemy aircraft. Several Bf 109s were lost during this time, but most of these were either to mechanical breakdowns or pilot errors. For example, on one occasion two Bf 109s collided in midair on the 4th of April. While one pilot was killed, the second managed to escape by using a parachute. The following month saw extensive fighting on the ground and in the air. The Bf 109 pilots, thanks to their better machines and experience, achieved a series of victories over their opponents. On one occasion in late July 1938, three squadrons of Bf 109 took on a group of 40 I-15 and I-16. After a long engagement, the enemy lost six planes, while the Nationalists lost none. The Germans pilots were achieving so many victories that they had to invent excuses in order to not be sent back to Germany. According to official regulations, once a pilot had achieved 5 kills, he was to be replaced by another pilot. This regulation was clearly ignored as pilots like Werner Molders achieved some 14 victories. Other pilots were also very successful, Otto Bertram achieved four victories during August. While Werner Molders scored 8 victories through this period. During 1938, an additional 26 Bf 109B-1 with coded numbers, ranging from 6-19 to 6-45 arrived in Spain.
By early 1939, the Nationalists managed to gain almost complete air supremacy, thus air to air combat became a rare event. The J.88 aircraft were from this point on mostly used for ground attack operations. The last J.88 air victory of the war was achieved on the 5th of March when an I-15 was shot down. Out of some 130 Bf 109s that saw service in Spain, between 20 to 40 aircraft were lost (depending on the source). Not all were lost in air combat, most were lost due to mechanical breakdowns, pilot errors, or hard landings.
While the Republicans would fly in loose formations with any proper tactics, the Germans would employ a so-called Schwarm (swarm) tactic. This basically consisted of using a group of four aircraft, which would fly in a reverse ‘V’ shaped formation, with some 200 meters separating each aircraft. When attacking, these would be divided into two groups of two aircraft. Which were intended to provide each other with cover in the event enemy fighters gave chase.
In German Service
While the Bf 109 was initially used for various tests and participated in sporting events, these aircraft were soon allocated to Luftwaffe units. The first such unit to receive the Bf 109 B-1 was the Jagdgeschwader (fighter squadron) JG 132 in February of 1937, being supplied with 25 aircraft. Due to some delays in production, the second unit equipped with the Bf 109, II./JG 234, was formed nearly nine months later. In early 1938, the production of the Bf 109 was greatly increased which provided a sufficient number of aircraft to equip additional units.
The early Bf 109s were prepared to see potential action during the political crisis regarding the German relationship with Austria and later Czechoslovakia. Even by the end of 1937, the pressure on Austrian politicians was great as the Germans wanted to install a more friendly government. All these political machinations ended in March 1938 when German troops entered Austria without any resistance.
The German request for territories belonging to Czechoslovakia was initially met with fierce resistance from the Western Allies, France, and the United Kingdom. These tensions could have easily cascaded into open war. This particularly caused huge concern in the RLM, as the German Air Force was not yet ready for a war. The situation was so desperate that even some He 112 were accepted for service. In the end, the Western Allies backed down, not willing to go to war, and allowed the Germans to take disputed Czechoslovakian territory.
As the new and improved models of the C and D versions began to be available, the Bf 109B were slowly being allocated to secondary roles, such as training. In this role, some would survive up to 1943. By the time of the invasion of Poland in September, the majority of Bf 109 in use were the D version, with ever-increasing numbers of the new E version. While some Bf 109B were still present in frontline units, their fighting days were over.
Production
For the upcoming Bf 109 production, initially BFW AG was responsible. As it lacked production capabilities given that it was already under contract (made earlier with RLM) to build several other aircraft types, another solution was needed. When BFW AG completed all previously ordered aircraft, it was to focus its production capabilities on the Bf 109.
To increase overall Bf 109 production, other manufacturers were also contracted. Some 175 were built at Erla Maschinenwerk from Leipzig, with 90 more by Fieseler, and only 76 aircraft by BFW. The production run of the Bf 109A lasted from December 1936 to February 1937. In 1937 some 341 Bf 109B would be built.
Production Versions
Bf 109 V – Prototypes series aircraft
Bf 109 A – Proposed production version built in small numbers
Bf 109 B-0 – A small pre-production series
Bf 109 B-1 – Production version
Bf 109 B-2 – Slightly improved B-1 version incorporating a new propeller. Note that the existence of this particular version is disputed in sources.
Surviving Aircraft
Today only one Bf 109B-0 V-10 is known to have survived. Given its rather low production numbers, this is not surprising. It is in a private collection of the “Bayerische Flugzeug Historiker” Oberschleissheim in Munich, Germany.
Conclusion
Despite focusing mainly on civilian aircraft, Messerchmitt and his team of engineers managed to design a fighter that bested all the other well-established manufacturers for Luftwaffe’s new fighter program. The Bf 109 was inexpensive to build and possessed good overall flight capabilities. While a good design, there was plenty of room for improvement, mainly regarding its armament and engine, which would be greatly improved in subsequent iterations.
Me 109B-1 Specifications
Wingspans
9.9 m / 32 ft 4 in
Length
8.7 m / 28 ft 6 in
Height
2.45 m / 8 ft
Wing Area
16.4 m² / 174 ft²
Engine
Jumo 210D
Empty Weight
1,580 kg / 3,483 lbs
Maximum Takeoff Weight
1,955 kg / 4,310 lbs
Maximum Speed
450 km/h / 280 mph
Cruising speed
350 km/h / 220 mph
Range
690 km / 430 miles
Maximum Service Ceiling
8,200 m
Crew
1 pilot
Armament
Initially three 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, later changed to four same type machine guns
Illustrations
Credits
Written by Marko P.
Edited by Stan L. Henry H.
Illustrations by Hansclaw
Source
D. Nesić (2008) Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemačka. Beograd.
D. Monday (2006) The Hamlyn Concise Guide To Axis Aircraft OF World War II, Bounty Books.
R. Jackson (2015) Messerschmitt Bf 109 A-D series, Osprey Publishing
J. R. Smith and A. L. Kay (1972) German Aircraft of the WW2, Putham
R. Cross, G. Scarborough and H. J. Ebert (1972) Messerschmitt Bf 109 Versions B-E Airfix Products LTD.
J. R. Beaman and J. L. Campbell (1980) Messerschmitt Bf 109 in action Part-1, Squadron publication
Lynn R. (1980) Messerschmitt Bf 109 Part-1: Prototype to ‘E’ Variants, SAM Publication
Nazi Germany 
Kingdom of Hungary (1939)
