Flying Bf 109 G-4 / Restored after Roskilde Airshow crash

[Norforce]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jenWQy4Zm-w[/youtube]

[Tug002]

Great video Norforce, thanks for sharing.

Keep smiling
Tug

[computerflyer]

It was interesting to see how slowly and cautiously the pilot opened the throttle on takeoff. If you watch the right wing leading-edge slat you can see it open automatically during the landing flare.

[Dogsbody55]

You'll see the slats popping open a couple of times during the flight. EG: check at 3.01 minutes in. Also, note how tight the cockpit is - you'd have to be fit to get into that

Great video, and thanks for posting.


Cheers,
Mike

[cflord]

Very nice video and that's one good looking BF109.

Keep the shiny side up and the dirty side down!

Ret SMSgt Cliff Lord - C-130 Flight Engineer & Mechanic

[Bomber_12th]

An aircraft with a terrible track-record for accidents:

That aircraft was of course originally Spanish-built, as a Merlin-powered Hispano HA-1112 M-1L Buchon. The aircraft was one of a large number of Spanish AF Buchons that were used in the making of the movie "Battle of Britain" in the late 60's, painted as German Bf-109's (there were no original German Bf-109's flying at the time). This particular aircraft was painted as "Yellow 11" and "Red 14" in the movie. The aircraft was then going to be used in the movie "Patton", but was heavily damaged during take-off in 1969, on what was going to be its ferry flight for the filming of that movie. The aircraft then passed through a number of owners, eventually ending up in Wyoming, where it was restored back to flying condition (stock Buchon configuration). However, in 1986, with the restoration completed, the aircraft was significantly damaged in a crash during one of its first test flights, and was later put on static display. In 1997, the project was sold to the Messerschmitt Air Company in Germany, who over the next 7-years restored the aircraft to Bf-109G-4 configuration, fitted with a DB 605 engine. The aircraft first flew following this restoration in 2004, painted as "Red 7", but the aircraft was significantly damaged less than a year later in a landing accident in 2005. By 2007, running short on cash restoring the aircraft back to flying condition, it was sold to EADS/Messerschmitt Siftung Foundation. With this restoration completed, the aircraft flew again in 2008, but on its very next test flight, the landing gear failed to extend and it was forced to make a belly landing. The repairs took almost a full year to complete before the aircraft finally took to the air again in 2009. The aircraft from that point continued to operate routinely until 2013, when it was forced to make an off-airport belly landing into a field, after the engine quit during an aerobatic performance. Following repairs, the aircraft was first flown again a year later, in mid-late 2014. So-far this year, the aircraft has been displayed at a number of airshows, including the Biggin Hill, Fairford, and Duxford Flying Legends airshows in the UK.

The pilot that has been displaying "Red 7" at airshows this year, is Klaus Plasa, one of the most experienced and professional German warbird pilots, who also has flown more of the Flugwerk Fw-190 reproductions than anyone else.



Speaking of the Bf-109 and Buchon types flying today, here is a full list of all of those which are actively flying at this time (not a very long list):

Bf-109E N342FH - Flying Heritage Collection (Washington, USA) - the only original Bf-109 currently flying. Powered by a DB 601.
Bf-109G-4 D-FWME (Buchon conversion) - EADS/Messerschmitt Stiftung - (Germany). Powered by a DB 605. (As seen in the video.)
Bf-109G-4 D-FOON (Buchon conversion) - Jerry Yagen/Military Aviation Museum - (a new restoration, just recently test-flown by Charlie Brown - currently in Germany, soon to be shipped home to the US). Powered by a DB 605.
HA-1112 Buchon G-AWHE - Spitfire Ltd (England)
HA-1112 Buchon G-AWHK - Historic Flying Ltd (England)


These, however, shall be joining/re-joining them in due-course (note many of these being original German-built 109's, and/or reconstructed original 109's). These make up the majority of the active restorations and servicing-projects currently taking place, but does not include all of them, or all of the projects currently in-store, pending future restoration.

Bf-109E - A Spanish Civil War combat-vet, under long-term restoration at MeierMotors in Germany for Robs Lamplough in the UK. To be powered by a DB 601.
Bf-109E WkNr.3579 (G-CIPB) - Currently housed at Biggin Hill, UK, waiting on its DB 601 engine to be re-fitted following overhaul. Rumor has it that it won't be remaining in the UK for long, once flying again.
Bf-109E WkNr.4034 (G-CDTI) - Under restoration to airworthy at Rare Aero, in the UK. To be powered by a DB 601.
Bf-109E WkNr.1983 - Airworthy restoration nearly complete for the Hangar 10 Collection, in Germany (possibly only waiting on its DB 601 engine - though little information known).
Bf-109E WkNr.2023 - Has been under long-term restoration to airworthy in Eastern Europe, for Jerry Yagen/Military Aviation Museum in the US. To be powered by a DB 601.
Bf-109G-6 WkNr.410077 - Under restoration to airworthy at Midwest Aero for Bruce Winter in the US. To be powered by a DB 605.
Bf-109G-6 WkNr.440738 - Nearing completion of restoration/build at MeierMotors in Germany, powered by a DB 605, for the Hangar 10 Collection in Germany (should be flying very soon!).
Bf-109G-12 (Buchon conversion) - This project, which is well underway at MeierMotors, is formed from the airframe of Buchon D-FMVS, owned by the Hangar 10 Collection, which was damaged in an accident a few years back. The aircraft is being converted to full Bf-109G-12 configuration, with the tandem trainer canopy and dual-control cockpit, and will be powered by a DB 605 engine that was manufactured by Volvo in Sweden, under license, following the end of WWII.
Bf-109G-6 (Bucon conversion) D-FMBB - Once very active, has been under in-depth airframe restoration at the EADS/Messerschmitt Stiftung facility since a landing accident several years back. Powered by a DB 605.
Bf-109G-10 (Buchon conversion) D-FDME - Once very active, has been under in-depth engine servicing at the EADS/Messerschmitt Stiftung facility. Powered by a DB 605.
Bf-109G-10 (Buchon conversion) - Under restoration/build at Pacific Fighters, this Buchon is being converted to look outwardly as an exact Bf-109G-10 (including canopy, tail, and cowlings), but will be powered by an Allison V-1710 engine, contained within the original G-10 cowlings, with the exhaust routed out the same location as if it were fitted with a DB 605. The cockpit is also being outfitted as a stock German Bf-109G.
HA-1112 Buchon (N700E) - Under restoration to airworthy (stock Buchon Merlin-powered configuration) at the Planes of Fame Air Museum, Chino, California.
HA-1112 Buchon (OO-MAF) - Rarely seen, based in Belgium, owned by the Vormezeele warbird family. Reportedly undergoing minor restoration/overhaul in areas before it is flying again. The aircraft in recent years has been fitted with a Bf-109K tail, to overcome the problematic Buchon tail.

[Lewis - A2A]

An aircraft with a terrible track-record for accidents:

I actually wouldn't expect much different for an old 109 air frame, it's war record for ground work was horrible even before the big kick off in 1939

thanks,
Lewis

[Bomber_12th]

Yes, but this one in particular has at times been a real nightmare for its operators even in recent years, with 3 different restorations/repair programs (one of them essentially ground-up) required in the course of less than 10 years, just for this one airplane.

What should amaze anyone, is the amount of DB 601 and DB 605 engines which have been coming out of the woodwork for all of these projects in recent years (and others, such as a Fiat G.55 project, which if continued, will be fitted with a DB 605 as well) - which has of course made a lot of work for the company Vintage V-12's, which is the leader when it comes to restoring/overhauling these engine types, and the other companies specializing in casting and re-manufacturing new parts for those engines.


For those not aware, as I wrote in my last post, Jerry Yagen's Bf-109G-4 (Buchon conversion) recently flew for the first time this month, following several years of restoration at MeierMotors in Germany. It is fitted with a DB 605 engine, and has the enlarged tropical radiator/lower cowl so that the engine will stay cool even in the warmth of the Virginia summers (if cooling is found to not be a problem, they may fit the aircraft with the smaller "European" radiator/lower cowl at some point in the future, which would be accurate for the paint scheme). Within the next couple months, the aircraft will be shipped to Virginia Beach, Virginia, home of Jerry Yagen's flying warbird collection, the Military Aviation Museum. As I wrote earlier, the test pilot was Charlie Brown (who also flew the Bf-109G-2 "Black 6" on many occasions in the 90's, when that aircraft was flying). In Germany, the swastika is of course outlawed from being painted on a flying aircraft (or anywhere outside of a museum/educational application), and a German flag is required to be applied in the region of the tail - once in the US, the German flag will be removed and a swastika will be applied to complete the authentic paint scheme.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUkBh7ehqCg[/youtube]




Also at MeierMotors, this Bf-109G-6 (an original/new-build data plate restoration), should also be flying by the end of the year. As I wrote in my last post, this one is owned by the Hangar 10 Collection, based in Germany, which also has a Bf-109E and the trainer-variant Bf-109G-12 under restoration to fly (as well as a static original Bf-109G on display at their facility).

[Bomber_12th]

Going back to the Bf-109 "Red 7" again, one of the airshows it participated in this year was Flying Legends at Duxford. In this report from the airshow linked-to below, there are some neat photos and written account of Red 7's pilot, Klaus Plasa, comparing notes about the Bf-109 with warbird pilot extraordinaire, Steve Hinton. The last time I recall that Steve flew a 109, was when flight-testing the Flying Heritage Collection's Bf-109E a number of years back, right before that museum opened.

http://www.warbirdsnews.com/airshow-new ... eport.html

[Lewis - A2A]

Theres one guy getting albeit slowly the bits together for a 109F I really really hope that beasty comes through and flies whilst I'm still alive as its my fav variant by a margain, such a clean design and I believe Galland also agreed with me when he spoke of the 109F variant that it was the real fighter pilots plane, very clean, very sleek a real killer. Plus in MTO colours it just looks stunning!

thanks,
Lewis