Numerically the most abundant fighter produced by either side during WWII, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 formed the backbone of the Jagdwaffe on both the eastern and western fronts, as well as in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Of the eight distinct sub-types within the huge Bf 109 family, the most populous was the G-model, of which over 30,000 were built between 1941-45. Despite its production run, only a handful of genuine German Bf 109s have survived into the 1990s, and with the serious damaging of the RAFs G-2 at Duxford in October 1997, only the German-based MBB G-6 and Hans Ditte's G-10 (both composites) are currently airworthy.

In late 1938, the Bf 109E entered production. To improve on the performance afforded by the 441-515 kW (600-700 PS) Jumo 210, the larger, longer Daimler-Benz DB 601A engine was used, yielding an extra 223 kW (300 PS) at the cost of an additional 181 kg (400 lb). A much bigger cooling area was needed to disperse the extra heat generated by the DB 601, and this led to the first major redesign of the basic airframe. Enlarging the existing nose-mounted radiator sufficiently to cool the engine would have created extra weight and drag, negating some of the performance gains afforded by the increased power, so it was decided to move the main radiators to the under surfaces of the wings immediately outboard of the junction of the wing root and wing panel, just forward of the trailing edges' inner ends, leaving the oil cooler under the nose in a small, streamlined duct. The new radiator position also had the effect of counterbalancing the extra weight and length of the DB 601, which drove a heavier three-bladed Vereinigte Deutsche Metallwerke (VDM)-made propeller.

To incorporate the new radiators, the wings were almost completely redesigned and reinforced, with several inboard ribs behind the spar being cut down to make room for the radiator ducting. Because the radiators were mounted near the trailing edge of the wing, coinciding with the increased speed of the airflow accelerating around the wing camber, cooling was more effective than that of the Jumo-engined 109s, albeit at the cost of extra ducting and piping, which was vulnerable to damage. The lowered undercarriage could throw up mud and debris on wet airfields, potentially clogging the radiators. To test the new 1,100 PS (1,085 hp, 809 kW) DB 601A engine, two more prototypes (V14 and V15) were built, each differing in their armament. While the V14 was armed with two 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s above the engine and one 20 mm MG FF in each wing, the V15 was just fitted with the two MG 17s mounted above the engine. After test fights, the V14 was considered more promising and a pre-production batch of 10 E-0 was ordered. Batches of both E-1 and E-3 variants were shipped to Spain for evaluation, and first saw combat during the final phases of the Spanish Civil War.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a German Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 "Emil" fighter that was piloted by Hans-Joachim Marseille, who was attached to I.Jagd/Lehrgeschwader 2, then deployed to Calais-Marck, France, during 1940. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 5-1/2-inches
Length: 5-inches

Release Date: February 2018

Historical Account: "The Star of Africa" - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 W,Nr.3579 'White 14' is thought to have been the aircraft in which Marseille scored his first aerial victory - an RAF Spitfire.Although he was able to shoot down the British fighter, 'White 14' sustained damage during the dogfight - Marseille was able to nurse the fighter back to Calais-Marck airfield, where he made a successful crash landing. Initially thought to be beyond repair, the Messerschmitt was later sent back to Germany for rebuild and upgrade, before going on to serve for a further two years with a number of Luftwaffe pilots on the Eastern Front. In August 1942, the aircraft was shot down by a pair of Soviet Air Force Hurricanes, crashing on marshland in the vast, unforgiving landscape of rural Russia.

Remarkably, the wreckage of the aircraft was discovered in the early 1990s and salvaged for a US Warbird collector. Following an extensive period of restoration in the UK, this genuine combat veteran Bf 109 made its first post restoration flight in California in September 1999, in the hands of experienced Warbird pilot Charlie Brown. Finished in the famous 'White 14' scheme worn by the aircraft as flown by Hans Joachim Marseille during the Battle of Britain, this historic fighter is one of only two genuine Daimler-Benz powered airworthy Bf 109Es in the world. After spending many years on the North American Airshow circuit, 'White 14' currently resides with the aircraft collection at the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar - UK enthusiasts will definitely be hoping to see this rare and historic aircraft flying in 2017.