Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Greetings all,

 

   For the Luftwaffe experience out there, a quick question:

 

   Would it be wrong to build an Eduard Bf 109G-2 with the underwing cannon pods and a centerline tank (or bomb?)?

 

 I haven't been able to find a picture of a bird like this and I'm not sure if it was operationally possible.  Thanks.  

 

Steve

Link to post
Share on other sites

The gondolas were a bolt-on option for any G model 109, they would not necessarily be incorrect on a G-2.

Here is a picture of a Jg 301 G-2 (White 5) with them mounted:

10059558994_b484f2379e_b.jpgBf 109 G-6 W.Nr. 20 265 "Weisse 11" "PM+SI", 1./JG 301 (?), Autumn 1943. Source: Bundesarchiv via youtube.com by Marc-André Haldimann, on Flickr

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

"Yes," and "only-sometimes."

Falcon 46:  There are plentiful examples of 109G-2 fitted with the 'gunboats'/gondolas, from the North Cape in Finland (JG 5) to southeastern-most reaches of the Russian front (detachments of the JG52, even further east than Anapa and Novorossiysk), from the west coast of Norway to Egypt and Tunisia.  There are also examples of them being used by foreign detachments (Slovak, Croat, Romanian).  These cannon were introduced to 'hammer' the armored Il2, and had first been tried on some Bf 109F-4s attached to the I/JG 52 in early 1942, and became common on the G-2.

 

Drop tanks are more-rarely seen, usually only carried for ferrying to a distant destination rather than a fighter mission.  Bf 109s could indeed be fitted with several different bomb racks, most-often toting a SC250 (550 lb.) bomb, or 4 x SC50 bombs, but again it's rare to see that fighter fitted with underwing cannon AND a bomb.  Dropping a bomb was usually 'someone else's' job.

 

Cool Hand:  I'm not sure the still image you posted are actually from JG 301.  I'd love for this to be confirmed, but even with decades of 'sifting,' the jury's not come in on this Schwarm.  These 'movie stars' appeared in a Deutsche Wochenschau, and at least one of them was filmed from both sides.  An interesting aspect of "weiße 5" RG+BL is the retractable tailwheel, which was very-soon discontinued on the 109G-2.

 

Wonderful kit, good luck with your build, GRM

Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, G.R.Morrison said:

"Yes," and "only-sometimes."

Falcon 46:  There are plentiful examples of 109G-2 fitted with the 'gunboats'/gondolas, from the North Cape in Finland (JG 5) to southeastern-most reaches of the Russian front (detachments of the JG52, even further east than Anapa and Novorossiysk), from the west coast of Norway to Egypt and Tunisia.  There are also examples of them being used by foreign detachments (Slovak, Croat, Romanian).  These cannon were introduced to 'hammer' the armored Il2, and had first been tried on some Bf 109F-4s attached to the I/JG 52 in early 1942, and became common on the G-2.

 

Drop tanks are more-rarely seen, usually only carried for ferrying to a distant destination rather than a fighter mission.  Bf 109s could indeed be fitted with several different bomb racks, most-often toting a SC250 (550 lb.) bomb, or 4 x SC50 bombs, but again it's rare to see that fighter fitted with underwing cannon AND a bomb.  Dropping a bomb was usually 'someone else's' job.

 

Cool Hand:  I'm not sure the still image you posted are actually from JG 301.  I'd love for this to be confirmed, but even with decades of 'sifting,' the jury's not come in on this Schwarm.  These 'movie stars' appeared in a Deutsche Wochenschau, and at least one of them was filmed from both sides.  An interesting aspect of "weiße 5" RG+BL is the retractable tailwheel, which was very-soon discontinued on the 109G-2.

 

Wonderful kit, good luck with your build, GRM

having read Lipfert's book about combat on the Eastern Front, he spoke of the "gondolas" quite a bit. Yet he spoke of using 30mm cannon, and how it took one well placed round to bring just about anything down. If you have not read his book, I highly recommend it!

gary

Link to post
Share on other sites

Agree, Gary, Lipfert's account is an interesting view by a survivor.  "I'm so old" I bought my first copy when it was still only 'auf Deutsch,' before Schiffer reprinted it in English.  Besides his recounting of the difficulties of his own beginning (and the luck he had on multiple occasions), his observations about beginners of either side, and meeting Soviet pilots that were better than he were also noteworthy.

 

That 30mm gun he mentioned, the MK 108, would certainly shatter anything it hit, but was installed in some of the 109G-6s (and subsequent variants) only later, of course, never in the G-2.

 

GRM

Link to post
Share on other sites
17 hours ago, G.R.Morrison said:

Agree, Gary, Lipfert's account is an interesting view by a survivor.  "I'm so old" I bought my first copy when it was still only 'auf Deutsch,' before Schiffer reprinted it in English.  Besides his recounting of the difficulties of his own beginning (and the luck he had on multiple occasions), his observations about beginners of either side, and meeting Soviet pilots that were better than he were also noteworthy.

 

That 30mm gun he mentioned, the MK 108, would certainly shatter anything it hit, but was installed in some of the 109G-6s (and subsequent variants) only later, of course, never in the G-2.

 

GRM

Have read two or three books about combat on the Eastern front, and one had a good photo of the gondola with a 30mm cannon. Looked like it was a Jaboschrek. The one thing Lipfert did in his book was to make a fool out of all the nay sayers concerning the quality of the air crews. Another item that got my attention was his opinion of the Allison engine aircraft in a dog fight. Pretty much confirms what the Russians had to say.

 

gary

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...