The Messerschmitt BF109
- Video
- 2013
- 57m
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Admirable Documentary.
There are a few claims made in this program that others might argue with. It's generally agreed that the F model of the Bf-109 had the best flight characteristics, not the G model. And it seems something of an overstatement to claim that the Russian Sturmovik was capable of taking on the Bf-109, since the former was slow and used as a ground attack aircraft.
Still, this is an exceptional documentary and describes in just enough detail the development of the various models of the Bf-109, which was tested in the Spanish Civil War.
The earliest model in general use was the Bf-109 E ("Emil"), which had distinctive structural features such as tailplane struts, and which fought the Spitfires and Hurricanes in the Battle of Britain; the F ("Fritz") model was usually thought of as the most flyable but wasn't manufactured in such great numbers. The final G ("Gustav") model was the heaviest, least maneuverable, and fastest, and it was the model the American daylight bombers had to face.
Some of the sub-variants are described too but those used for photo reconnaissance or other niche duties aren't dealt with at any length. The strengths and weaknesses of the Bf-109 are candidly described by participants from both sides and are compared to the various Spitfire Marks.
There is no mistaking the importance of the Bf-109. It was the backbone of the Luftwaffe fighter force in World War II. More 109s were built than any other warplane, a total of about 43,000, second only to the Russian Sturmovik. It was small, speedy, and deadly. By the end of the war it had been outclassed by such Allied fighters as the Thunderbolt and Mustang, but it served its purpose. Curiously, due to the genius of Armaments Minister Albert Speer, at the end of the war there were still hundreds of German fighters lined up and ready to go, with no fuel to take them aloft and no more pilots to fly them.
Still, this is an exceptional documentary and describes in just enough detail the development of the various models of the Bf-109, which was tested in the Spanish Civil War.
The earliest model in general use was the Bf-109 E ("Emil"), which had distinctive structural features such as tailplane struts, and which fought the Spitfires and Hurricanes in the Battle of Britain; the F ("Fritz") model was usually thought of as the most flyable but wasn't manufactured in such great numbers. The final G ("Gustav") model was the heaviest, least maneuverable, and fastest, and it was the model the American daylight bombers had to face.
Some of the sub-variants are described too but those used for photo reconnaissance or other niche duties aren't dealt with at any length. The strengths and weaknesses of the Bf-109 are candidly described by participants from both sides and are compared to the various Spitfire Marks.
There is no mistaking the importance of the Bf-109. It was the backbone of the Luftwaffe fighter force in World War II. More 109s were built than any other warplane, a total of about 43,000, second only to the Russian Sturmovik. It was small, speedy, and deadly. By the end of the war it had been outclassed by such Allied fighters as the Thunderbolt and Mustang, but it served its purpose. Curiously, due to the genius of Armaments Minister Albert Speer, at the end of the war there were still hundreds of German fighters lined up and ready to go, with no fuel to take them aloft and no more pilots to fly them.
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- rmax304823
- Sep 24, 2015
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- Runtime57 minutes
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