Messerschmitt Bf 109

Messerschmitt Bf109E-3 1407 +5 LuftwaffeMesserschmitt Bf109E-3 1407/+5 Luftwaffe, Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft.

  • Role: Fighter
  • National origin: Germany
  • Manufacturer: Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) Messerschmitt AG
  • Designer: Willy Messerschmitt, Robert Lusser
  • First flight: 29 May 1935
  • Introduction: February 1937
  • Retired: 9 May 1945 Luftwaffe, 27 December 1965 Spanish Air Force
  • Number built: 33,984, +239 Spanish-built Hispano Aviación HA-1112, +603 Czechoslovak-built Avia S-199

Operators

  • Bulgarian Air Force
  • Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske (Croatia)
  • Czechoslovak Air Force
  • Finnish Air Force
  • Luftwaffe
  • Royal Hungarian Air Force
  • Israeli Air Force operated the Avia S-199
  • Regia Aeronautica (Italy)
  • Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana (Italy)
  • Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
  • Royal Romanian Air Force
  • Slovenské vzdušné zbrane
  • Slovak Insurgent Air Force
  • Spanish Air Force
  • Swiss Air Force
  • Royal Yugoslav Air Force
  • SFR Yugoslav Air Force

Messerschmitt Bf109E-3 1407/+5 Luftwaffe

Specifications (Bf 109 G-6)

General characteristics

  • Crew: One
  • Length: 8.95 m (29 ft 7 in)
  • Wingspan: 9.925 m (32 ft 6 in)
  • Height: 2.60 m (8 ft 2 in)
  • Wing area: 16.05 m² (173.3 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 2,247 kg (5,893 lb)
  • Loaded weight: 3,148 kg (6,940 lb)
  • Max. takeoff weight: 3,400 kg (7,495 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Daimler-Benz DB 605A-1 liquid-cooled inverted V12, 1,475 PS (1,455 hp, 1,085 kW)
  • Propellers: VDM 9-12087 three-bladed light-alloy propeller
    • Propeller diameter: 3 m (9 ft 10 in)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 640 km/h (398 mph) at 6,300 m (20,669 ft)
  • Cruise speed: 590 km/h (365 mph) at 6,000 m (19,680 ft)
  • Range: 850 km (528 mi) 1,000 km (621 mi) with droptank
  • Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 17.0 m/s (3,345 ft/min)
  • Wing loading: 196 kg/m² (40 lb/ft²)
  • Power/mass: 344 W/kg (0.21 hp/lb)

Armament

  • Guns:
    • 2 × 13 mm (.51 in) synchronized MG 131 machine guns with 300 rounds per gun
    • 1 × 20 mm (.78 in) MG 151/20 cannon as Motorkanone with 200 rpg.
    • 1 x 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannon as Motorkanone with 65 rpg (G-6/U4 variant)
    • 2 × 20 mm MG 151/20 underwing cannon pods with 135 rpg (optional kit—Rüstsatz VI)
  • Rockets: 2 × 21 cm (8 in) Wfr. Gr. 21 rockets (G-6 with BR21)
  • Bombs: 1 × 250 kg (551 lb) bomb or 4 × 50 kg (110 lb) bombs or 1 × 300-litre (79 US gal) drop tank

Avionics

  • FuG 16Z radio