Thursday 21 June 2018

Messerschmitt Bf.109G, German users, part seven

The Bf.109G-10 was popularly known as the "bastard aircraft of the Erla factory". It was a Bf.109G airframe fitted with the new DB 605 D-2 engine which was created to maintain production levels with minimal production disruption of the assembly lines until production of K-series airframes would reach sufficient levels. In spite of its name, it appeared after the Bf.109G-14 in November 1944, mainly replacing the previous G-series aircraft at the production lines of Erla, WNF and Messerschmitt Regensburg factories. Despite popular belief, the G-10 weren't rebuilt older aiframes but new production. However, some of the earlier ones may had two data plates (usually with G-14 stamped onto it) as those airframes were intended to be used in the G-14 production but were diverted into the G-10 production.
The most notorious change was the inclusion of the three-pannel Erla haube clear-view canopy which filled the entire canopy length behind the four pannel windscreen unit, eliminating this way the older rear fixed canopy section. Internally it included a new 2000 W generator and the DB 605D-2 which would also power the Bf.109K variant. It had also a more streamlined engine cowling and they had equipped the MW-50 booster system as standard and had a larger Fo 987 oil cooler housed in a deeper fairing. Also, due to engine's enlarged crankcase, and the oil return lines running in front of it, those G-10s had smaller blister fairings incorporated into the lower engine cowlings forward of and below the exhaust stacks, except for the Erla-built aircrafts which had modified cowlings without the little bulges in front of the exhaust stacks. It became a notable feature of the Erla-built G-10s and the other G-10s built in other factories. Radio antenna was removed from atop the rear fuselage turtledeck and replaced with the swept-antenna already seen at the Me.163B Komet rocket fighter, but oriented in reverse from the rocket fighter's mount.
Some variants were produced being the G-10 the standard light fighter one, the G-10/R2 a reconnaissance fighter, the G-10/R6 a bad weather fighter, equipped with a PKS 12 autopilot and the G-10/U4 which was like the standard G-10 but with a 30mm (1.18in) Mk.108 motorkanone.
From October 1944 until the end of the war, approximately 2600 Bf.109G-10 were built.
There were other miscellaneous variants of the Bf.109G which wasn't as massively produced as the previous ones. The G-8 was a dedicated recon version of the G-6, with only either the motorkanone or the cowling machine guns installed and could carry a large variety of cameras and radios to use.
The Bf.109G-12 was a two-seat trainer version which was a conversion of "war-weary" or rebuilt G-4 and G-6 airframes. In order to gain space for the second cockpit, internal fuel capacity was reduced to just 240L (60 Us Gal), meaning that the 300L (80 Us Gal) underwing drop tank had to be employed as standard equipment, albeit not always. It was rarely armed with anything apart from the cowling machine guns. The rear cockpit canopy was bowed out to give the instructor (who sat behind the student pilot in an armoured seat) a clearer view. The rear cockpit was also equipped with a basic instrument panel and all flight controls.










Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109_variants#Late_Bf_109G_models
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

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