Air Power Series>1:48 die-cast display model>BF-109>HA8714

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
Rate of Climb	Stock – 12.5 m/sec
	Upgraded – 25.1 m/sec
	Range – 412 miles @ 62.5% power @ 16,000 ft
	Initial Climb Rate – 3,100 ft/min
	Service ceiling – 36,000 ft
Armament:	Guns Wing Mounted – 2 X 20 mm MGFF Cannons W/60 RPG = 120 Total Guns Nose Mounted – 2 X 7.92 mm MG 17 Machine Guns W/1,000 RPG = 2,000 Total
Bombs	4 X 50 kg SC50JA 1 X 250 kg SC250JA