The Messerschmitt Bf 109 arrives 123
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¡JUT. Later versions of the Bf 109 B were fitted with a two blade variable pitch metal profiler of American design.The original variants with wooden propellers were retrospectively modified.This photo shows maintenance work being carried out on the aircraft's Jfumo 210 engine.
¡JUT. Later versions of the Bf 109 B were fitted with a two blade variable pitch metal profiler of American design.The original variants with wooden propellers were retrospectively modified.This photo shows maintenance work being carried out on the aircraft's Jfumo 210 engine.
RIGHT: A total of twenty-seven Bf 109 B-2s were delivered to the Legion Condor in Spain, coded 6919 to 6*45. Only five C-Is (numbered 6#46 to 6950) were sent to Spain, the type differing in being powered by a Jumo 210 Ga engine with direct fuel injcction.Thls gave it a slightly Improved performance over the B-serics.
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LEFT AND BELOW. One of the first Bf 109s being unloaded in Spain at Tablada in 1936 after delivery from Germany. All fighters were sent to Spain by ship as the fighter aircraft lacked the range to be flown in from Italy like many of the Ix-gion Condor's bombers.
- IJiFP. This Ficsclcr Fi 156 A Storch made an emergency landing on one of J/88's airfields. The type was allocated the aircraft type code "46* in Spain.
RIGHT: The first production Bf 109 »-1 sent to Spain being overhauled. As far as Is known, although four Bf 109 prototypes were tested by Versuchsverband J/88 of the Legion Condor, only the first two (the V3 and V4) were given aircraft code numbers (respectively 6-1 and 6-2)
LEFT. The same Bf 109 B-l as shown above, later on in the war after it had been converted to a B-2 variant, with a two bladed variable pitch metal propeller. At this time the aircraft had also been re-painted in medium green (62) and the code 3 re-applied in the new fatter style numbers.
RIGHT: An early Bf 109 carrying the'top hat" insignia of 2.J/88 taxies towards the runway.This aircraft, coded 6-4, was possibly the V6 which was tested in Spain. It w;is painted overall pale grey with black and white national insignia.
LUIT: Fw. Herbert Ihkfeld seen in the cockpit of his Bf 109 B-l coded 6*6 following his sixth victory* on 25 June 1938. lhlefeld.who was later promoted to Leutnant in Spain, was to bccomc one of the Jagdwafl'e's leading personalities, claiming 101 victories and ending the war as Kommodore of JG 1.
Detail of "top hat" badge on Ihlefeld's Bf 109.
Messerschmitt Bf 109 B-l
This aircraft was flown by Fw. Herbert Ihlefeld of 2./J.88, June 1938. It was one of the first Bf 109 B-ls to arrive In Spain and had its wooden propeller replaced by a Hamilton metal unit. At the same time the code "6-6" (separated by a hyphen) was modified to the later style with the numbers positioned either side of the black circle national insignia.
ABOVE: Photographed at Escraton airfield during the Aragon offensive, this group of Bf 109 B-ls carry the later style of marking system, with the aircraft type number forward of the black national insignia circle and the individual number aft. Previously Bf 109s had both numbers painted behind the circle, with a hyphen between. 6*6 in the foreground was flown by Fw. Herbert llilcfcld before being written off by UlKz. Fran/ Jacnisch in July 1938. It has had the wooden propeller replaced by a Hamilton metal unit.
RIGHT. An early production Bf 109 B-l (which liad a wooden propeller) probably photographed ac Escatron airfield during the Aragon otfensivc.Thc last B-l to he sent to Spain was 6918. later aircraft being of the B-2 sub-type with the Hamilton metal variable pitch propeller.
¡¡¡■LOW. Tliis early Bf 109 B-l. piloted by Fw. Norbert Flicgcl, crashed on takeoff from Santandcr-Wcst airfield. Santandcr was positioned on a gentle slope which often caused problems on take-off and landing.
ABOVE: Two Bf 109 B-ls with the 'Zytinder Hut" (top hat) emblem painted on the sides of their fuselages.The emblem was introduced very early on in the Spanish campaign by 4 J/8« ;uid Liter passed to the 2. Slaffct after the former was disbanded in March 1937.
ABOVE: The Bf 109 B-l flown by Obit. Günther Lüttow, Staffelkapitän of 2 J/88, the first unit to be equipped with the aircraft in Spain. When they arrived, in March 1937, the aircraft proved at least equal to the best Republican fighters, but suffered continuous problems with their Junto 210 engines.
RIGHT. Making an interesting comparison with the photo above, this picture shows Günther Lützow's Bf 109 B after being fitted with a metal variable pitch propeller. Note that the marking style has been changed and the top hat badge added.
Bli/.OW: Uffz. Hermann Stange s aircraft, coded 6-12. after suffering a crash landing at Santander-Wcst airfield. Stangc was to shoot down three Republican aircraft in Spain, hut probably received a dressing down for the mishap shown here!
RIGHT: When the Bf 109 B-l entered scrvi Spain still with its Sell war/ fixed-pitch wooden propeller, it was seriously under-gunned. It carried an armament of only two 7.9 mm MG 17 machine-guns above the engine cov and these had to be manually cocked after each burst.
Messerschmitt Bf 109 B-l of 2.J/88
Based at Vitoria, late March 1937. As 2 J/88 was re-equipped with the Bf 109, the 4.Staffel of J/88 was disbanded, its top hat insignia passing to the former unit. Like all early Bf 109s in Spain, the aircraf was painted pale grey (63) overall.
BELOW-. A variety of aircraft photographed in Leon airfield in Spain. Nearest the camera is a Bf 109 B-l coded 6*16 with a Jfu 86, a captured Vultcc V-1A transport and a Do 17 behind. Codes 6-1 to 62 were allocated to the Bf 109 VJ and Vi prototypes, 6-3 to 6-18 to Bf 109 B-l production aircraft, codes 619 to 645 to Bf 109 B-2s, codes 646 to 650 to Bf 109 C-ls,651 to 686 to Bf 109 D-ls and 687 to 6131 to Bf 109 E-l and E-3s.
RIGHT: Illustrated above in colour, this Bf 109 B-l shows the typical smoke blackening from the Jumo 210 engine which often extended from the exhaust along the fuselage sides as far as the wing trailing edge.The top hat emblem was later also adopted by sevcr.il Luftwaffe Staffeln during World War Two.
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Uflz.Wilhelm Staege begins his takeoff run in his Bf 109 B-2 at Alar del Rev during the summer of 1937.
Messerschmitt Bf 109 B-2
Flown by Uffz. Wilhelm Staege of 2.J/88, Alar d'el Rey, July 1937. This aircraft cartwheeled on landing and ended up on its back, but Staege was pulled from the wreckage with only minor Injuries. By this time, Bf 109s in Spain had adopted a camouflage pattern of pale grey (RLM colour 63) and medium green (62) uppersurfaces with pale blue (65) beneath.
Tliis Bf 109 B-2, coded <>•30, crashed on landing and flipped
Alar d" el Rey airfield in July 1937.Thc aircraft was piloted by Uffz. Wilhclm Staege of 2 J/88 who was pulled from the wreckage with minor injuries. Sucgc claimed three victories in Spain.
ABOVE: Three German pilots greet each other in Spain. From left to right: Lt. Lommel. unknown. Obit. Hans Schmoller-Hakiy, I.t. Josef Fözö.-Joschko" Fözö, with 3 J/88, scored three victories in Spain. He was later to command 1I./JG 51 and was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 2 July 1941.
ABOVE: In July 1937 Lt. Peter Boddem of the 2.Staflel of J/88 shot down two 1-16 and later reached a total of 10 aircraft, putting him fourth in the list of German ac Spain. He was awarded the Spanienkrcuz in Gold mlt Brillanten (Spanish Cross in Gold with Diamonds), but was killed as a passenger in a Ju 52 crash on his way b: from Spain after his second "tour" of operations. At the time of his death he was ii fact listed as one of the first losses of JG 26, as he had been posted to tliis Gesch wader. This aircraft carried the top hat badge below the rear part of the coc
RIGHT. A Bf 109 B-2 coded 6*32. of J/88 undergoing machine-gun calibration tests.
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