10/2003

Messerschmitt Bf-109E
II Filegerregiment 3 Filegerabtateilung
7 Filegerdkompanie Filegertruppe
Swiss Air Force 1943

11A

12A

11B

12B

12C

B

C

D

E

F

G

A

6A

3c

II

3e+3d

IV

I

III

3f

10A

10

6

1

3a

2f

2d+2c

2

18

22

2e

6a

6b

7

8

20

7+8

21

2a+2b

25

25a

23

26

19

15+16

9

4

5

THREAD

3b

4a

14

14

19

2a+2b

13

11a

12

11

17

17

2f

13

11a

Span:..............................................................................9.87 meters
Length: ..........................................................................8.65 meters
Height:...........................................................................2.50 meters
Wing surface: ................................................................ 16.40 sq m.
Wing load: .....................................................................163 kg/sq m
Weight empty: ...............................................................2 125 kg
Weight loaded................................................................2 665 kg
Propulsion
Engine: Daimler-Benz DB 600Aa, power (total): 1 175 HP
Specific power: 441 HP / ton
Maximum speed: ...........................................................560 kph
Initial climb: ..................................................................1000 m/min.
Service ceiling:..............................................................0 500 meters
Range: ...........................................................................660 km
Armament: 3 20 mm MG FF guns 2 MG 17 machine guns

Production: From: at the end of 1939
Quantity: 1 868 examples

The first true prototype for the Bf 109 E series was the Bf 109 V14 which was
powered by the 810 kW (1100 HP) Daimler Benz DB 601 A engine and was
flown during the early summer of 1938. It carried an armament of two wing
mounted MG FF cannons and two MG 17 machine guns in the engine
cowling. The Bf 109 V15 differed in having an engine-mounted MG FF
cannon and no wing guns. The pre-production Bf 109 E-0 fighters appeared
late in 1938, and both these and the initial Bf 109 E-1 fighters carried an
armament of four MG 17 machine guns as the MG FF cannon was still
considered to be inadequately developed for operational use. The Bf 109 E-
1 and Bf 109 E-1/B fighter-bomber, the latter carrying four 50 kg (110 lb)
bombs or one 250 kg (551 lb) bomb, were standard equipment with the
Luftwaffe by the time Germany went to war, and by the end of 1939
production had been transfered from the Augsburg factory to the new
Regensburg plants. The Erla Plant at Leipzig, the Ago factory at
Oschersleben, the Fieseler plant at Kassel, the Arado factory at
Warnemuende and WNF factories at Drelitzsch and Wiener Neustadt were
being integrated in the mass-production programme for this fighter, and a

total of 1540 machines had been produced. By standards appertaining at
that time, the Bf 109 E was a good fighter. It handled well and possessed
excellent low speed control response and feel, although above 480 km/h
(300 mph) the controls became almost extremely heavy, and the ailerons in
particular became almost immovable at 640 km/h (400 mph), making
rolling virtually impossible. It lacked the manoeuvrability of the Supermarine
Spitfire, nor did it possess the British fighter's turning circle, but its angle of
climb was extremely good, being developed at low airspeeds. The Spitfire
enjoyed a slight margin in speed, but both the climb rate and ceiling of the
Bf 109 E were superior, and the German fighter was definitly the better
above 6100 m (20000 feet). In vertical dive the Spitfire could not stay with
the Bf 109 E; but light though the rudder was at low and medium speeds,
the absence of a cockpit-operated rudder trim was a serious fault because
the rudder became very heavy during dive, and then reversed trim, resulting
in considerable pilot fatigue. The direct fuel injection of the Db 601 engine
had an advantage over the carburetters of the Rolls Royce Merlin, and the
engine did not cut out or sputter under negative 'g'. The stall was gentle with
no tendency to spin, ample warning of its approach being given through
aileron vibration and tail buffeting. With the slotted flaps lowered to 20
degree, the take-off run was remarkably short and, the mainwheels being
positioned well forward of the center of gravity, fierce braking was permitted
inmediately on touchdown, resulting in a short landing run and fast taxiing.
However, the tendency to swing on take off and landing, that had first
manifested itself during tests with the early prototypes, continued to plague
the Bf 109 E and contributed substantially to the Luftwaffe's high accident
rate, some 1500 Bf 109 fighters being lost between the beginning of the war
and the autumn of 1941 in accidents caused by unintentional swings. Only
after the tailwheel had been fitted with a locking device which operated
when the throttle was fully opened did the tendency to swing lessen. The
main sub-type of the Bf 109 E-series, the Bf 1009 E-3, entered production
late in 1939. This model differed from its production predecessor in having
provision for one 20 mm MG FF cannon firing through the airscrew boss, in
addition to the paired gun above th engine and in the wings. However, the
engine-mounted cannon was still unreliable and was seldom used
operationally. More Bf 109 E-3 fighters were built than any other model of the

Messerschmitt Bf 109 E

A

11

1

3

4

6

6a

6b

2b

2e

3a

3b

4a

11a

13

a

a

b

b

14

15

15a

16

15

15a

16

17

18

19

a

b

20

a

b

20

21A

21A

21A

21A

21

21

22

22

a

b

c

d

d

9

24

23

PART

24

25a

25

7

8

2

PA

R

T 2

c

R

T

2

PA

c

2c

2d

10

5

2a

2f

26

10A

6A

3c

3d

3e

3f

I

II

III

IV

2x

Frequent from wire 0,5mm

12

P

A

R

T

1

5

P

A

T

1

6

R

12

P

A

R

T

1

5

P

A

R

T

1

6

3f