Discussion

Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10/U4
Production & Operational Service

Cover previewThe second part of special serie “Luftwaffe over Czech territory 1945”. One of the main producers of Messerschmitt 109, Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke and its branch plant Diana located in railway tunnels near Tišnov produced and delivered the famous fighter Bf 109 in G-10/U4 variant nearly until last days of WWII. The new title describes mentioned variant from technical point of view, it brings information about production system in Diana plant, about test flights in Protektorat area and about service by combat units including actions over Czech and Slovak territory. The text part is accompanied by photos and by color profiles of planes from ex-II./JG 51, II./JG 52, ex-I./JG 53, Hungarian 101.vadaszezred and Jagdstaffel ROA, 6 of them are described in detailed 4view drawings.

Discussion forumMesserschmitt Bf 109G-10/U4 Production & Operational Service

8. 11. 2008, 3:09
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Problem with new build theory...
from: Michael Fuller
I currently work for the Planes of Fame museum in Chino. As you know it has the only "un-restored" G-10/U4 in the world, W.Nr. 611984. Though the data tags were stolen off the aircraft some time ago, the information from the ORIGINAL tags was recorded...but...the info shows it as having multiple manufactures.

The first data tag had the following info:

Gerat-Nr. 8-109.G6
Werk-Nr. 611943
Hersteller mcu

There is one piece of that data tag remaining, and it shows that the style of that tag is the same as the G-10 main tag.

The second tag was a very odd one. The problem is that when the info was recored, it was TRANSLATED into English...so the original German wording is gone. It translated into the following:

Bf109G-10/U4
Augsburg 1943
W.Nr. 611943
Modified 12/44

This 2nd was was larger, and corresponds to the same size/shape as the Änderungsstufe tag.

The problem is NO ONE remembers what that tag looked like. For all we know the second tag could have been missing LONG before, and someone made up a plate to replace the 2nd one. So it may have been some sort of ID plate added by the US.

Also, the first tag was covered by the upper engine cowl as seen in the below photo.

www.me-109.com

What I do know, is that 100% the info from the first tag is 100% correct.

As I have never see photos of a G-10 with a covered data tag, it lends to believe that the first tag was in-fact a G6 tag, as the normal bulges would not have covered this area. The problem is why WNF, which was making new-build G-10's, and G-10's from stock G-14 fuselages, be upgrading a G-6 that was originally built at Erla in 1943?

I understand the G-14 fuselages being used as they were already in the process of being made...but as this werk number block was so close to the end of WNF production, something does not make sense...

Any thoughts on this?

Mike
9. 11. 2008, 18:50
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Re: Problem with new build theory...
from: Marc Deboeck   to: Michael Fuller
Dear Mike,

With this message I simply want to inform you that Tomáš currently is abroad and will not be able to reply to your question before 22 November.

In any case, thank you very much for contributing to this forum.

Best regards,

Marc
23. 11. 2008, 10:46
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Re: Problem with new build theory...
from: Tomáš Poruba   to: Michael Fuller
Dear Mike,

thank you for your interesting question. I have one note yet. What about series number we discuss - about W.Nr. 611948 or 611943?

Regards

Tomáš
10. 6. 2009, 19:21
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Re:Re: Problem with new build theory...
from: Mike Fuller   to: Tomáš Poruba
HI Thomas!

Sorry for such a late reply...

I confused the werk numbers :(. I meant 611943 (not 611984). :)

I went through all the museum records, for the past few months, and have determined that the information on the aircraft being a G6, was in-fact NOT correct. All notes suggest that someone "told" them it was a G6 that was upgraded m any, many years ago. When the data tags were stolen from the aircraft in the 70's, they wrote all this information as FACT, when it was not. All the notes on the original data tags were reconstructed BASED on this information and memory 30 years ago. So the new-build theroy is correct, and this aircraft was NOT G-6 that was upgraded...

:)

Mike

11. 6. 2009, 22:13
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Re:Re:Re: Problem with new build theory...
from: Tomáš Poruba   to: Mike Fuller
Dear Mike,

thank you very much for your explanation and information. Thanks for the clearing of W. Nr. problem too.
It is true, all verbal information are very difficult and it is needed to verify them very carrefuly.

Regards

Tomáš

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