Air Power Series>1:48 die-cast display model>BF-109>HA8705
BF 109E-3 BF 109E-3 1./JG 2 "Richthofen", Luftwaffe Oblt. Otto Bertram May 1940
General Background
The first German mass produced 109 fighter was the Bf-109E that has been mistakenly referred
to as the Me-109. The Bf is the designator for the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) (Bavarian
Aircraft Works) that produced the original aircraft. In 1938 Messerschmitt took over BFW but
throughout WWII German handbooks and documents referred to the aircraft as the Bf-109. By the
end of 1939 the Bf-109E (Emil) had replaced all other 109 variants and equipped 13 Gruppens
with 40 aircraft each. The Bf-109 was the main single-engine aircraft until the Fw-190 came along.
The Aircraft
Bf-209E-3 “White 1” was flown by Oblt. Otto Bertram with 1./JG 2 “Richtofen” claiming his first
victory on April 20, 1940. Three of his four victories in the Battle of France came in May 1940. By
October 1940 Bertram had thirteen victories plus nine victories he scored earlier in Spain gave
him a total of twenty two. In October 1940 Bertram was appointed Hauptmann for III./JG 2 and
awarded the Knight’s Cross. He was removed from active duty because his two brothers had died
in action and he was considered “Last Son” status.
Specifications :
| Role: | Fighter/Interceptor |
| Weight: | Empty – 2,025 kg |
| Empty With Fuel – 2,328 kg | |
| Maximum Take-Off – 2,610 kg | |
| Performance: | |
| Powerplant: | 1 X Daimler-Benz DB-601A 12-Cylinder Inline |
| Maximum Power: | 924 hp Upgraded 1,070 hp |
| Speed Maximum: | Stock – 545 km/h @ 5,000 m |
| Upgraded – 594 km/h @ 5.000 m | |
| Service Ceiling: | 11,000 m |
| Rate of Climb: | Stock – 12.5 m/sec |
| Upgraded – 25.1 m/sec | |
| Armament: | Guns Wing Mounted – 2 X 20 mm MGFF Cannons W/60 RPG = 120 Total |
| 2 X 20 mm MG FF cannons, 60 rpg mounted in wings | |
| Bombs: | 4 X 50 kg SC50JA |
| 4 X 50 kg SC50JA |