Messerschmitt Bf 109 operational history
The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a
The Bf 109 saw active service in many air forces and was active in several conflicts outside of World War II.
Combat service in the Spanish Civil War
Dozens of Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters, including the A, B, C, D, and E variants, first saw active service in the Condor Legion against Soviet-supplied aircraft in mid 1937 as a testing ground for the new German fixed-wing fighter plane. The Bf 109 quickly replaced the Heinkel He 51 biplane fighter which suffered many losses during the first 12 months of the conflict. Of the Luftwaffe's Jagdgruppen, 136 Bf 109s were sent to Spain, and 47 of these, including Bf 109Bs, Ds and Es remained behind in service with the Spanish Air Force after the conclusion of the war in 1939. The Republican fighters were no match for the Bf 109[citation needed], equipped mostly with Soviet built Polikarpov I-15 and Polikarpov I-16s the Republican forces suffered heavy losses to Nationalist and Condor Legion fighters[citation needed]. As many as 20 Bf 109s were lost in Spain to enemy action to both aerial combat and ground fire.
Combat service with the Luftwaffe
The Bf 109 was credited with more aerial kills than any other aircraft. One hundred and five (possibly 109) Bf 109 pilots were credited with the destruction of 100 or more enemy aircraft. Thirteen of these men scored more than 200 kills, while two scored more than 300. Altogether this group were credited with nearly 15,000 kills between them.[1]
Among many of the combatants, ace status was granted to a pilot who scored five or more kills. Applying this to Luftwaffe fighter pilots and their records shows more than 2,500 German pilots were aces.[2] However, the Germans did not use this benchmark; instead they awarded the title of Experte to a fighter pilot who not only demonstrated high skill in combat but also exemplified the best in personal character.[3] The majority of Bf 109 pilots scored their kills against the Soviets; however, five pilots did record over 100 claims against the Western Allies. Luftwaffe records show that during
Between January and October 1942, a further 18 German pilots joined the select group that had now reached 100 kills over the Eastern Front. During this period Bf 109 pilots claimed 12,000 Soviet aircraft destroyed.[6][7]
The Bf 109 in the Battle of Britain
Arguably, the most well known of all Bf 109 operations was the contest of air superiority between the
The
British pilots who tested a captured Bf 109 E-3 liked the engine and throttle response, the docile and responsive handling and stall characteristics at low speeds, but criticised the high-speed handling characteristics (in part due to the automatic wing slats opening), poorer turning circle (850 ft as opposed to 680 ft for the Spitfire), and greater control forces required at speed (in part because of rudder pedal position and a lack of trim tabs).[10]
In August 1940, comparative trials were held at the
During the Battle of Britain, the Bf 109's chief disadvantage was its short range: like most of the 1930s monoplane interceptors, it was designed to engage enemy bombers over friendly territory, and the range and endurance necessary for escorting long-ranged bombers over enemy territory was not required. The Bf 109E escorts used during the Battle had a limited fuel capacity resulting in only a 660 km (410 mile) maximum range solely on internal fuel,[13] and when they arrived over a British target, had only 10 minutes of flying time before turning for home, leaving the bombers undefended by fighter escorts. Its eventual stablemate, the Focke-Wulf Fw 190A, was only flying in prototype form in the summer of 1940; the first 28 Fw 190s were not delivered until November 1940. The Fw 190A-1 had a maximum range of 940 km (584 miles) on internal fuel, 40% greater than the Bf 109E.[14] The Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 corrected this deficiency by adding a ventral center-line ordnance rack to take either an SC 250 bomb or a standard 300 litre Luftwaffe drop tank to double the range to 1,325 km (820 mi). The ordnance rack was not retrofitted to earlier Bf 109Es until October 1940. The Spitfire and Hurricane, designed with similar operational requirements in mind, had a tactical advantage as they were operating virtually over their home airfields as interceptors, and thus being able to remain longer in the combat area.
Combat service with Italy
- Regia Aeronautica (1942–1943)
From November 1942 to April 1943, the
- ANR (1943–1945)
The
The unit's first operation with the Bf 109 occurred on 22 June 1944; eleven Bf 109s sortied from the airfield, although nothing was achieved.
I°Gr.C continued to use a combination of Macchi 205s and Fiat G.55s; although, for various reasons,
In November 1944, I°Gr.C was transferred to the Luftwaffe flying school at
The other ANR fighter unit, II° Gruppo, that had given at the end of May 1944 its G.55s to I° Gruppo, had been re-equipped with 46 ex I./JG 53 and II./
On 2 April 1945, II° Gruppo 29 Bf 109s, from Aviano and Osoppo bases, intercepted a large formation of B-25s over Ghedi, Brescia, escorted by P-47Ds of 347 Fighter Squadron. In the air battle that ensued, ANR pilots suffered a heavy defeat: 14 Bf 109s were shot down and six Italian pilots killed, without scoring a single air victory.[22] On 10 April, three Bf 109s, flown by Sottotenente (Flying Officer) Umberto Gallori, Maresciallo (Warrant Officer) Mario Veronesi and Maresciallo Dino Forlani, intercepted P-47s from 57° Fighter Squadron over Milan and Como. Forlani claimed a P-47 damaged, but the other two Italian fighters were hit and lightly damaged. On 19 April, 1° Gruppo "Asso di bastoni" had its last combat, last claim and its last loss.[23]
Combat service with Hungary
In October 1942, the Luftwaffe agreed to partially re-arm
By late 1943, the RHAF realized the locally produced but obsolete
The heaviest losses occurred on 7 August 1944, when 18 Bf 109s from 101 Fighter Group, escorting Luftwaffe Bf 109 G-6s, armed with additional cannons in underwing gondolas, took off to intercept 357 four-engined American bombers, escorted by 117 fighters. The Messerschmitts were intercepted by the escorting P-51 Mustangs that shot down eight Hungarians and at least nine Germans Bf 109s, losing just two of their number. Among the killed "Pumas" was Lt László Molnár Lukács, the top scoring Hungarian pilot to date, with 25 kills (including seven American aircraft).[28]
By November 1944, the 101. was re-organized into a fighter regiment, and was re-equipped with the latest Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10 and G-14 types. At the end of December, the pilots received new Bf 109s at
At the end of March 1945, the MKHL had to leave Hungary. The "Red Pumas" moved first to
Combat service with Finland
The Finnish Air Force received its first Bf 109s in 1943. A total of 162 aircraft of this type were to be purchased and the first aircraft landed in Finland on 13 March 1943. In total, 159 aircraft were taken into service, as two G-6s and one G-8 were destroyed en route to Finland. Forty-eight of these were G-2s, 109 were G-6s and two were G-8s. The Bf 109 is still the aircraft type that has served in the largest numbers in the Finnish Air Force. The aircraft was nicknamed Mersu in popular speech (the same as the nickname for Mercedes-Benz cars, whose parent company Daimler-Benz produced the Bf 109 engine) and carried the designation MT and a 3-digit identification number. With the arrival of the 109s, the Finns once again could fight on a more even basis, as they could match the latest Soviet fighters. The last of the purchased aircraft arrived in Finland on 20 August 1944, just before the armistice with the Soviet Union.[citation needed]
During the Continuation War, Bf 109s were in service with fighter squadrons 24, 28, 30 and 34:
HLeLv 24
|
HLeLv 28
|
HLeLv 30
|
HLeLv 34
| |
---|---|---|---|---|
Victories | 304 | 15 | 3 | 345 |
Losses in combat | 14 | 0 | 2 | 18 |
The Finns scored 667 confirmed victories with the type, losing 34 Bf 109s to enemy fighters or anti-aircraft fire. A further 16 were lost in accidents and eight aircraft were destroyed on the ground. Twenty-three pilots were killed.[34]
One hundred and two Bf 109s survived the war, and the aircraft remained the main fighter of the Finnish Air Force for almost a decade after the end of World War II. Despite the aircraft's expected short lifespan (it was built as a wartime aircraft and was calculated to last about 100–200 flight hours), it continued in service until spring 1954 when the FAF entered the Jet Age. The last flight was on 13 March 1954 by Major Erkki Heinilä in aircraft MT-507.
- Museum aircraft in Finland
Several Bf 109s are preserved in Finland. MT-452 is on display at the airfield in Utti,[35] and the
Combat service with Switzerland
Switzerland took delivery of the first of its 115 Bf 109s in 1938 when ten Bf 109Ds were delivered. After this, 80 109 E-3s that were purchased arrived from April 1939 until just before the German invasion of France in summer 1940. During the war, a further four 109s (two Fs and two Gs) were acquired by the Swiss Air Force through internment. The 109Es were supplemented by eight aircraft licence manufactured from spare parts by Doflug at Altenrhein, delivered in 1944.
In April 1944, 12 further G-6s were acquired in exchange for the destruction of a highly secret Messerschmitt Bf 110G night fighter which made an emergency landing in Switzerland. The new 109Gs suffered from numerous manufacturing defects and after problematic service were withdrawn from use by May 1948. The 109Es continued in service until December 1949.[37]
With the start of the Battle of France, Swiss fighters began intercepting and occasionally fighting German aircraft intruding Swiss airspace. On 10 May 1940, several Swiss Bf 109s engaged a German Dornier Do 17 near the border at Bütschwil; in the ensuing exchange of fire, the Dornier was hit and eventually forced to land near Altenrhein.
On 1 June, the Flugwaffe dispatched 12 Bf 109 E-1s to engage 36 unescorted German
On 8 June, a C-35 observation aircraft, an antiquated biplane, was attacked over the Jura Mountains by two German Bf 110s; the pilot and observer were killed. Later on the same day, Swiss Captain Lindecker led about 15 Swiss Emils to intercept a formation of German He 111s escorted by II./Zerstörergeschwader 1's Bf 110s. The engagement resulted in five Bf 110s being shot down (including the Staffelkapitän Gerhard Kadow) for the loss of one Swiss Bf 109.[38]
In the latter stages of the war, Swiss Messerschmitts were painted with red and white striped "neutrality markings" around the fuselage and main wings to avoid confusion with German 109s.
Service with Yugoslavia
During the late 1930s, Yugoslavia embarked in an ambitious modernization program of its air force. So, from 1939 to 1941, Vazduhoplovstvo Vojske Kraljevine Yugoslavije (VVKJ – Royal Yugoslav Air Force)[39] received 83 Bf 109 E-3s with the first two aircraft delivered in beginning of 1939. However, the aircraft were grounded most of the time due to a lack of spare parts, which was a German war tactic. The Yugoslav pilots were not happy with the Bf 109 after several landing accidents due to the Messerschmitt's narrow landing gear and constant mechanical failures. On 6 April 1941, first day of the
After the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was defeated and occupied by the Axis powers, the new Independent State of Croatia (Nezavisna Država Hrvatska, NDH) was created. On 27 June, the Croatian Legion (Hrvatska Legija) was formed, on order of
At the end of the conflict, 17 Luftwaffe and
Combat service with Romania
The Royal Romanian Air Force (
Between 28 March and 1 July 1943, Grupul 7, led by Lt Col Radu Gheorghe, operated with units of Luftwaffe
On 23 August 1944, after
Combat service with Francoist Spain
Already on the evening of 22 June 1941, day of German invasion of USSR, the Spanish Foreign Minister offered the German Ambassador in
The 1.ª Escuadrilla was based in Vitebsk when, on 6 January 1942, received the order to retreat to Spain. In 460 sorties, Spaniards had claimed 10 aircraft destroyed in the air plus four on the ground, but had lost five pilots. The 2.ª Escuadrilla Azul was formed by Comandante Julio Salvador y Díaz-Benjumea, a 24 kills ace in Spanish Civil War. Diaz-Benjumea would be appointed Minister of Aviation by Franco in 1969.[56]
After a training in Germany, the new Escuadrilla Azul was equipped with Bf109F-4 and listed as 15. (span.)
The Spaniards scored just two kills up to 27 January 1943 when they were credited with seven kills.[58] The Spanish pilots fought up to Spring 1944 against Soviet Union. They flew more than 3,000 operational sorties, they achieved 159 kills and suffered a loss rate or 30% (including wounded).[59]
Service with Japan
Five Bf 109 E-7s were acquired by the Japanese in 1941, without armament, for evaluation. While in Japan, they received the standard Japanese hinomarus and yellow wing leading edges, as well as white numerals on the rudder. A red band outlined in white was painted around the rear fuselage.
They were used in comparison trials by the Japanese Army Air Force with the
The Allies, expecting to encounter Japanese Bf 109s in combat, assigned a code name of “Mike” to the Messerschmitts. None were flown in combat by the Japanese.
Allied Bf 109s
Royal Air Force and Commonwealth
Several Bf 109s models and marks came into the RAF's hands in various ways throughout the war, including captures by Allied ground troops, forced or mistaken landings by German pilots, and defections. They were then passed to the
Other Bf 109s captured and operated by the RAF and Commonwealth air forces included the following:
- In December 1941, a Bf 109 was captured at Gazala airfield and tested by the RAF.
- In May 1942, a Bf 109F–4/B of 10.(Jabo)/JG 26 was damaged by anti-aircraft fire and belly–landed at Beachy Head. It was flown by the RAF until the end of the war.
- Several Bf 109s were captured and tested by the SAAF: Bf 109 G-4 “Black 13” was captured in Tunisia. Another G-4 was captured in Sicily. A Croat G-14 “Black 10” deserted to Italy and landed in Jessi, and taken over by 3 Wing SAAF. Another G-14 “Black 4” was handed over to the USAAF, who gave it to the Italians, and then turned over to the Polish Air Force. A Bf 109 F-2 trop was captured at Maple Arch in 1942. The most famous one is the Bf 109 F-4/Trop of JG27 captured at Derna in December 1941, known as coded "Yellow 2". It was repaired and flown out just before the Germans recaptured the airfield in January 1942.
- In November 1942, a Bf 109 G-2(trop) was abandoned by JG27 and captured by the RAAF near Tobruk. It was repaired by 3rd Squadron and repainted in a RAF scheme, given the squadron code "CV-V" and evaluated in North Africa. Then, in late 1943, it was transferred to the UK.
- Another Bf 109 F-4/Trop was captured on Martuba airfield by RAAF 3rd Squadron during Operation Crusader in 1941.
- A Bf 109 G-6(trop) was captured in North Africa in 1943 and returned to the UK for evaluation by the AFDU, coded VX101. The 109 was written off after forced landing at RAF Thorney Island on 19 May 1944.[60]
- A Bf 109 G-14 was captured by the British in the end of 1944 at Gilze-Rijen, Netherlands.
France
- In September 1939 a Bf 109D was captured by the French.
- A Bf 109 E-3, WNr. 1340, was captured in France and was tested versus the Dewoitine D.520 and Bloch 152. It was an aircraft of 1./JG 76 flown by Fw. Karl Hier, forced to land near Woerth on 22 November 1939. It was transferred to the RAF on 2 May 1940, and later sent to the US in April 1942.
Several Bf 109Es were captured intact by the French shortly after the outbreak of war. They were taken to the flight test center at Bricy and were the subject of thorough descriptive performance trials by the French Aeronautical Service. At the conclusion of the French trials at least two Bf 109Es, still in French markings, were sent to
Soviet Union
- On 4 December 1937, during the Spanish Civil war, a Bf 109 A-0, marked 6–15, made an emergency landing behind Republican lines. The aircraft was recovered and tested. In January 1938 the aircraft was also evaluated by a French delegation. This aircraft was later sent to the Soviet Union and also tested. During the war, this aircraft served with a special Soviet reconnaissance unit equipped with captured German aircraft, before it was captured back by JG 27.
- On 22 February 1942, Oberleutnant A. Niss, of 8./JG 51got lost and was fired on from a machine gun near Tushino Airfield. His radiator and fuel tank were damaged and he was forced to land his Bf 109 F-2, WNr. 9209, within Soviet positions. It was handed over to the Air Forces Scientific Research Institute for comprehensive testing.
- On May 29, 1942, a pair of German Bf 109 F-4 of III./JG3 ran out of fuel and made a forced landing behind the front lines. They were prepared for flight tests at the Red Army Air Force Research Institute. Later one transferred to the US, where it became EB 1 (Evaluation Branch).
- Bf 109 G-2, WNr. 13903 from I./JG 3, was captured near Stalingrad in late autumn 1942. It was used to compare its performance with Soviet experimental and series-produced fighters.
United States
- Bf 109 F-4, “Yellow 9”, WNr. 7640, was captured in the Soviet Union and at the request of the U.S. they handed it over to them in March 1943, where it became EB 1 (Evaluation Branch).
- Luftwaffe Bf 109 G-6 trop, WNr.16416, was captured by the USAAF in May 1943 at Soliman airfield, originally belonging to JG 77. Subsequently, it was disassembled, shipped and re-assembled in the United States at Wright Airfield for testing. On 25 December, after simple repairs, it was flown to the Air Forces Scientific Research Institute.
- A Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 with the name “Irmgard” painted on the side was captured in March 1943 in North Africa by the 79th Fighter Group.
- On 28 August 1944, Romanian pilot Cpt. Cantacuzino flew a Bf 109 G-6, WNr. 66130, with American prisoner Lt.Col. James A. Gunn III to Foggia, Italy. The aircraft was tested and after some flights was destroyed.
Aces flying the Bf 109
The Bf 109 was flown by the three top-scoring fighter aces of World War II:
The Bf 109 was also used with good results by non-German pilots, such as the
Notes
References
- ^ Feist 1993, p. 50.
- ^ Feist 1993, p. 51.
- ISBN 1890988553.
- ^ a b Bergström 2007, p. 116.
- ^ "Sonderkommando Elbe." Archived 2011-08-12 at the Wayback Machine A traveler's guide to remnants from World War II in Europe, battlefieldsww2.com. Retrieved: 13 June 2011.
- ^ a b Bergström and Pegg 2003, p. 370.
- overclaiming of nearly 2:1, and put the figure at nearer 6,000.[6]
- ^ Mason 1973, p. 9.
- ^ Mankau and Petrick 2001, p. 24.
- ^ Green 1980, p. 70.
- ^ Price 1996, p. 61.
- ^ Morgan and Shacklady 2000, pp. 53–55.
- ^ Wagner, Ray; Nowarra, Heinz (1971). German Combat Planes: A Comprehensive Survey and History of the Development of German Military Aircraft from 1914 to 1945. New York City: Doubleday & Company. p. 229.
- ^ Wagner, Ray; Nowarra, Heinz (1971). German Combat Planes: A Comprehensive Survey and History of the Development of German Military Aircraft from 1914 to 1945. New York City: Doubleday & Company. p. 235.
- ^ Dimensione Cielo: Caccia Assalto 3, Aerei Italiani nella 2a Guerra Mondiale 1972, pp. 59–60.
- ^ Beale et al. 1996, pp. 25–26.
- ^ Jackson 2003, p. 76.
- ^ Beale et al. 1996, pp. 26, 36.
- ^ a b c Neulen 2000, p. 86.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 81.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 84.
- ^ Massimello and Apostolo 2000, p. 28.
- ^ Pesce and Massimello 1997, pp. 122–124, 131–132.
- ^ Punka 1995, pp. 18–36.
- ^ Punka 1995, pp. 37–47.
- ^ Punka 1995, p. 59.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 142.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 141.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 146.
- ^ Punka 1995, p. 63.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 147.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 148.
- ^ Punka 1995, p. 92.
- ^ a b Stenman and Keskinen 1998, pp. 86–88.
- ^ MT-452, photo from the airfield in Utti
- ^ MT-507, photo, from airliners.com
- ^ Osché, Philippe (translated by Laureau, Patrick) 1996.
- ^ a b Hooton 2007, p. 82.
- ^ Savic & Ciglic 2002, p. 9.
- ^ Savic & Ciglic 2002, pp. 7–8.
- ^ Memoires of Kap. Ulcar V., Por.Lajh O., Por.Presecnik B. All defenders of Belgrade, 1941.
- ^ Savic & Ciglic 2002, p. 14.
- ^ a b Savic & Ciglic 2002, p. 15.
- ^ Savic & Ciglic 2002, p. 16.
- ^ Savic & Ciglic 2002, p. 88.
- ^ Savic & Ciglic 2002, p. 49.
- ^ Ciglić 2024, pp. 43–44.
- ^ Ciglić 2024, pp. 44–45.
- ^ Ciglić 2024, p. 48.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 93.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 100.
- ^ Neulen 2000, pp. 104–105.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 117.
- ^ Neulen 2000, pp. 276–277.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 278.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 279.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 280.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 281.
- ^ Neulen 2000, p. 284.
- ^ "FalkeEins - the Luftwaffe blog: Captured Luftwaffe Fw 190 - 1426 flight in colour". 7 September 2010.
- ^ Luftwaffe Aces of the Western Front
- ^ Ilmari Juutilainen Archived 2012-02-04 at the Wayback Machine
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