Saturday, 16 December 2017

Messerschmitt Bf.109E - Various Foreign users

The Messerschmitt Bf.109E was used not just by Germany but by many other countries, even by their enemies, if not operationally.

  • United Kingdom: On 27th November 1940 a German Bf.109E belonging to 2./JG 51 crashed in Monston. After being repaired, it was sent to No.1426 Flight, the RAF unit that tested enemy aircrafts. It was tested by test pilot John H. Heyworth who had to remove the canopy because he was very tall and couldn't fit in. It was tested in Duxford, Cambrigdeshire in November 1942, when it was repaired.
  • Hungary: Although Hungary received more advanced Bf.109 types like the Bf.109F in 1942, they had some E-3 that had bought just prior to their entry into the war. As the Bf.109F weren't available in enough numbers, some squadrons had to keep their previous aircrafts. One of those squadrons was the 5/1 "Puma" fighter squadron that fought at the opening stages of the Operation Barbarossa. 
  • USSR: Apparently some Bf.109E-3 were sold to the USSR by Germany in 1940 under the terms of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. Their further fate is unknown. 
  • Italy: Apparently, after the invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941, Regia Aeronautica's personnel stationed in Tirana, Albania, belonging to the 150º Gruppo (150th Squadron) managed to rebuild an ex-German aircraft that crashed there with parts of ex-Yugoslavian Bf.109E-3a. Other sources claim that Germany supplied Italy with 12 Bf.109E-7 (under German markings) in March 1941 to be tested by the Italians, but they never shown any interest on the type as they had already many fighters covering that role.
  • France: During the invasion of France in May 1940 some Bf.109E-3 were shot down either by anti-air fire or French fighters over French soil. One of them belonged to the 1./JG 76 and was forced to land on 22nd November 1939. It was tested agains the most advanced French fighters of that year like the Dewoitine D.520 and the Bloch MB.152. Many other were captured intact at the beginning of the war and were tested at the French test centre in Bricy. Apparently, after the tests were over, at least two of them were sent, still in French markings to Boscombe Down, in Wiltshire.
  • Japan: Japan adquired five unarmed Bf.109E-7 in 1941. They were flight tested against the most modern Japanese types of the year like the Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa, Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki and Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien. They didn't show any interest for the type, however they were interested in the DB 601 engine for their Ki-61 Hien. As the Allied expected to meet some Bf.109E-7 in combat, these Bf.109 were assigned the codename of 'Mike', but none was encountered.









Sources:
1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109_operational_history
2. La Bancarella Aeronautica - Ali Straniere in Italia 1 - Messerschmitt Bf 109 Italiani.
3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

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