Bf 109F-4 Trop; Hans-Joachim Marseille

[One-Oh-Four]

As I was trying to find some Dutch Courage before starting Dragon's Bf 109E-4, I got cold feet because I want to build that bird with as much engine detail as possible. Since it has been too long since I finished a model I decided to have a go at Hasegawa's Bf 109F-4/Trop in Marseille's markings. To make sure I concentrate on "clean building" and the paint finish, I decided to build it according to IPMS-UK "Standard Kit" rules. Otherwise known as "Straight From The Box". I even plan on using the kit decals. IPMS-UK rules allow the use of aftermarket decals (won't be using them), the addition of (aftermarket) seat belts and the addition of rigging and radio wires. Sooooo.....

 

Because Dave J is busy with W,Nr. 10137, I'm happy that I had already decided to build W.Nr. 8693! You know, the one with the red rudder...

 

Please feel free to chime in with tips & tricks or if you think I made an error in accuracy. I learn from constructive criticism and although it might not be feasible anymore to correct something (or I just decide not to... ) it'll sure be a heads-up for my next project. And besides, it'll add to the value of the WIP as it isn't unthinkable that in the future an innocent new modeller finds this thread through a search machine and learns some new things! So, don't hold back! Although one compliment in ten criticisms would be appreciated by me...

 

Hasegawa's box-top. Mine has Shigeo Koike's autograph... Sounds smug, I know, sorry....

 

Okay, know your subject. I have Lynn Ritger's books on the Bf 109, but since it isn't practical or legal to copy what he writes on the Bf 109, here follows what can be found on Wikipedia on the Bf 109F:

 

 

"Compared to the earlier Bf 109E, the Bf 109F was much improved aerodynamically. The engine cowling was redesigned to be smoother and more rounded. The enlarged propeller spinner, adapted from that of the new Messerschmitt Me 210, now blended smoothly into the new engine cowling. Underneath the cowling was a revised, more streamlined oil cooler radiator and fairing. A new ejector exhaust arrangement was incorporated, and on later aircraft a metal shield was fitted over the left hand banks to deflect exhaust fumes away from the supercharger air-intake. The supercharger air-intake was, from the F-1 -series onwards, a rounded, "elbow"-shaped design that protruded further out into the airstream. A new three-blade, light-alloy VDM propeller unit with a reduced diameter of 3 m (9 ft 8.5 in) was used. Propeller pitch was changed electrically, and was regulated by a constant-speed unit, though a manual override was still provided. Thanks to the improved aerodynamics, more fuel-efficient engines and the introduction of light-alloy drop tanks, the Bf 109F offered a much increased maximum range of 1,700 km (1,060 mi) compared to the Bf 109E's maximum range of ~1200 km (746 mi).

 

The canopy stayed essentially the same as that of the E-4 although the handbook for the 'F' stipulated that the forward, lower triangular panel to starboard was to be replaced by a metal panel with a port for firing signal flares. Many F-1s and F-2s kept this section glazed. A two-piece, all-metal armour plate head shield was added, as on the E-4, to the hinged portion of the canopy, although some lacked the curved top section. A bullet-resistant windscreen could be fitted as an option. The fuel tank was self-sealing, and around 1942 Bf 109Fs were retrofitted with additional armour made from layered light-alloy plate just aft of the pilot and fuel tank. The fuselage aft of the canopy remained essentially unchanged in its externals.

The tail section of the aircraft was redesigned as well. The rudder was slightly reduced in area and the symmetrical fin section changed to an airfoil shape, producing a sideways lift force that swung the tail slightly to the left. This helped increase the effectiveness of the rudder, and reduced the need for application of right rudder on takeoff to counteract torque effects from the engine and propeller. The conspicuous bracing struts were removed from the horizontal tailplanes which were relocated to slightly below and forward of their original positions. A semi-retractable tailwheel was fitted and the main undercarriage legs were raked forward by six degrees to improve the ground handling. An unexpected structural flaw of the wing and tail section was revealed when the first F-1s were rushed into service; some aircraft crashed or nearly crashed, with either the wing surface wrinkling or fracturing, or by the tail structure failing. In one such accident, the commander of JG 2 "Richthofen", Wilhelm Balthasar lost his life when he was attacked by a Spitfire during a test flight. While making an evasive manoeuvre, the wings broke away and Balthasar was killed when his aircraft hit the ground. Slightly thicker wing skins and reinforced spars dealt with the wing problems. Tests were also carried out to find out why the tails had failed, and it was found that at certain engine settings a high-frequency oscillation in the tailplane spar was overlapped by harmonic vibrations from the engine; the combined effect being enough to cause structural failure at the rear fuselage/fin attachment point. Initially two external stiffening plates were screwed onto the outer fuselage on each side, and later the entire structure was reinforced.

The entire wing was redesigned, the most obvious change being the new quasi-elliptical wingtips, and the slight reduction of the aerodynamic area to 16.05 m² (172.76 ft²). Other features of the redesigned wings included new leading edge slats, which were slightly shorter but had a slightly increased chord; and new rounded, removable wingtips which changed the planview of the wings and increased the span slightly over that of the E-series. Frise-type ailerons replaced the plain ailerons of the previous models. The 2R₁ profile was used with a thickness-to-chord ratio of 14.2% at the root reducing to 11.35% at the last rib. As before, dihedral was 6.53°.

The wing radiators were shallower and set farther back on the wing. A new cooling system was introduced which was automatically regulated by a thermostat with interconnected variable position inlet and outlet flaps that would balance the lowest drag possible with the most efficient cooling. A new radiator, shallower but wider than that fitted to the E was developed. A boundary layer duct allowed continual airflow to pass through the airfoil above the radiator ducting and exit from the trailing edge of the upper split flap. The lower split flap was mechanically linked to the central "main" flap, while the upper split flap and forward bath lip position were regulated via a thermostatic valve which automatically positioned the flaps for maximum cooling effectiveness. In 1941 "cutoff" valves were introduced which allowed the pilot to shut down either wing radiator in the event of one being damaged; this allowed the remaining coolant to be preserved and the damaged aircraft returned to base. However, these valves were delivered to frontline units as kits, the number of which, for unknown reasons, was limited. These cutoff valves were later factory standard fitting for Bf 109G and K series.

 Armament

The armament of the Bf 109F was revised and now consisted of the two synchronized 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s with 500 rpg above the engine plus a Motorkanone cannon firing through the propeller hub. The pilot's opinion on the new armament was mixed: Oberst Adolf Galland criticised the light armament as inadequate for the average pilot, while Major Walter Oesau preferred to fly a Bf 109E, and Oberst Werner Mölders saw the single centreline Motorkanone gun as an improvement.

With the early tail unit problems out of the way, pilots generally agreed that the F series was the best-handling of all the Bf 109 series. Mölders flew one of the first operational Bf 109 F-1s over England from early October 1940; he may well have been credited with shooting down eight Hurricanes and four Spitfires while flying W.No 5628, Stammkennzeichen SG+GW between 11 and 29 October 1940.

 Bf 109F sub-variants  F-0, F-1, F-2

Bf 109 F-2/Trop.

As the DB 601E was not yet available in numbers, the pre-production F-0 (the only F variant to have a rectangular supercharger intake) and the first production series F-1/F-2 received the 1,175 PS (1,159 hp, 864 kW) DB 601N engine driving a VDM 9-11207 propeller. The F-0/F-1 and F-2 only differed in their armament; the F-1 being fitted with one 20 mm MG FF/M Motorkanone firing through the engine hub, with 60 rounds. The F-1 first saw action in the Battle of Britain in October 1940 with JG 51. The most experienced fighter aces like Werner Mölders were the first ones to fly the first Bf 109 F-1s in combat in October 1940. A total of 208 F-1s were built between August 1940 and February 1941 by Messerschmitt Regensburg and the Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke.

The F-2 introduced the 15 mm Mauser MG 151 cannon with 200 rounds. The Motorkanone was supplemented by two synchronized 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns mounted under the engine cowl, with 500 rpg. As the harder-hitting 20 mm version of the same gun become available, a number of F-2s were retrofitted with it in the field. About 1,380 F-2s were built between October 1940 and August 1941 by AGO, Arado, Erla, Messerschmitt Regensburg and WNF. No tropicalized version was built, although individual F-2s were retrofitted with sand filters in the field. The maximum speed of the F-1 and F-2 was 615 km/h (382 mph) at rated altitude.

• F-0 (Pre-production aircraft built from E series airframes, Adolf Galland was one of the few to fly one operationally)
• F-1 (Armed with 1 × 20 mm MG FF/M Motorkanone cannon and 2 × 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17 machine guns)
• F-2 (Armed with 1 × 15 mm (.59 in) MG 151 cannon and 2 × 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17)
  • F-2 trop (tropicalized version, only as field conversion)
  • F-2/Z (high-altitude fighter with GM-1 boost, cancelled in favour of the F-4/Z)

F-3, F-4, F-5, F-6

 

Bf 109 F-4.

The 1,350 PS (1,332 hp, 993 kW) DB 601E was used in the F-3 and F-4 model together with a VDM 9-12010 propeller with broader blades for improved altitude performance. The DB 601E was initially restricted to 1,200 PS (1,184 hp, 883 kW) at 2,500 rpm; however, the full rating of 1,350 PS at 2,500 rpm was cleared for service use by February 1942. The DB 601E ran on standard 87 octane "B-4" aviation fuel, despite its increased performance; while the earlier DB 601N required 100 octane "C-3" fuel.

Only 15 examples of the F-3 are believed to have been produced by Messerschmitt Regensburg between October 1940 and January 1941. Like the F-1, the F-3 was armed with the 20 mm MG-FF/M and two 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s.

From the F-4 onward, the new 20 mm Mauser MG 151/20 with 200 rounds was used as the Motorkanone. The first F-4s reached frontline units in June 1941. Production lasted exactly a year between May 1941 and May 1942, with 1,841 of all F-4 variants produced. Some of the later models were capable of mounting two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons under the wing in faired gondolas with 135 rpg. These were designated F-4/R1 and 240 of them were produced by WNF in the first quarter of 1942. This optional additional armament was standardized as field kit for later G and K series. A special high-altitude variant, the F-4/Z featuring GM-1 boost, was also built with a production run of 544 in the first quarter of 1942 and saw extensive use. Finally, the Erla factory produced 576 tropicalized F-4 trop in the first half of 1942.

 

Bf 109 F-6.

With its initial engine rating of 1,200 PS, the maximum speed of the F-4 (and F-3) was 635 km/h (394 mph) at rated altitude; and with the clearance of the full rating of 1,350 PS, maximum speed increased to 670 km/h (420 mph).

• F-3 (As F-1 but with 1350 PS DB 601E engine, produced in limited numbers)
• F-4 (As F-2 but with DB 601E engine, 20 mm MG 151/20 "Motorkanone" cannon replacing the 15 mm MG 151)
  • F-4/R1 (As F-4, but capable of mounting two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons in underwing gondolas)
  • F-4/Z (As F-4, high-altitude fighter with GM-1 boost)
• F-5 (Recon version of F-4, only one prototype known)
• F-6 (planned but not built)"

So, this ends tonight's history lesson. Now I'll have a cup of coffee after which I'll continue with Jochen's office... Tomorrow I'll post some pics of "Gelbe 14" under Fair Use policy ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use) that I found on the internet and share my ideas on the pilot's seat of the Bf 109F-4....

 

         S

 

[JeroenPeters]

Aaaahhh!!!! My eyes!! all these letters...

 

Cool subject. And i know it's a cool kit too.

 

Godspeed!

[One-Oh-Four]

Cant wait to see this! Just so you know you will love the Dragon kit, just be careful of the tricky instructions! One big thing is he instructions tell you to glue two blister on the inside portion of the lower fuselage, but those are the wing root blisters.

 

I saw you mention it in your build, thanks for the heads-up! Dependant of the speed that the -F will be built I'll start the E-4. Josef Eberle's mount as depicted in Eduard's decals looks REALLY good!

[Dave J]

Fantastic! Looking forward to this Erik! I really need to pull finger on mine now!

[Grant]

Just dont leave the glue and other supplies in the same room unattended with the kit, it has a tendency to build itself!

 

Oh, that's funny KoJo !!  

[Mikester]

Good call, really a nice kit.

[Grant]

Welcome to the GB Erik, my abject apologies for not saying so earlier. I'm really looking forward to this - according to all I've read and seen, you won't be disappointed with this kit.

[Guest styrenedemon]

Cant wait! But, youve got to build this in the next two weeks so I can see what this kit has to offer!

[One-Oh-Four]

Thanks everyone! Luckily, no pressure at all....

 

A quickie-posting on the seat as I promised yesterday. Have to rush off to work in a few minutes...

 

It's known that the Bf 109F was equipped with either a bucket-with-a-flat-backrest or a "proper" seat somewhat similar to the "Emil"-seat. But which one to use for Jochen Marseille's mount? Disregarding for a moment that he flew 4 Bf 109F-4/Trops, I've chosen to use the bucket. Why?

 

Let's take a look for a moment at the "proper" seat:

 

 

 

As you can see, the top of the seat sticks out above the rear cockpit deck. Whereas the simplified bucket doesn't:

 

 

 

If we take a look at Marseille in and around his cockpit(s):

 

 

 

 

For me it's clear; I see no backrest, indicating that his aircraft was fitted with the bucket.

"But what about the pics of the "Schwarzmanner" that are maintaining his aircraft? Isn't there a seat visible?"

 

 

 

Well, yes, there is, and yes, they might be the crew that usually maintained Marseilles mount. But I take photos too and if I want to take a good pic of maintenance men doing their job on the Staffel's flightline; what better backdrop could I find than the aircraft of the leading ace in theatre? So the guns and seat aren't necesarrily from "Gelbe 14". There are other pictures where one can see a Bf 109 with two DB-601's in front of it being serviced... Doesn't mean it was being converted to a Bf 110....

 

In any case, that's the reason I choose to use the bucket-seat. Of course, it doesn't mean I'm right! It's just my train of thought....

 

Cheers,

Erik.

[Wingco57]

Great choice Erik,

The F is easily the best looking 109 in my view.

I will be following this one.

Cheers

Cees

[Mikester]

The seat issue has always been a conundrum for me.  On the Hasegawa F-2, the instructions have you build it with the simplified bucket, on the F-4 they have you use the "E" style seat.  This seems strange since the simplified bucket was used on all subsequent models.

[One-Oh-Four]

Yes, strange indeed... You'd think it would be the other way around. Maybe it wasn't different per sub-type but per factory. And since it was interchangeable, who knows what aircraft had what seat... In any case, I don't see too many Emil-type seats on Bf 109F's in the books that I have.

 

As for progress of the project: At the moment I'm at work, returning home at around 23:30 local. Tomorrow I'm packing for the 4-day motorbike trip to the Mosel-valley in Germany that I'll take from Friday till Monday. So if all goes well, Tuesday will be the first day I can get some modelling done...

[ArnieC]

Any progress?!

 

Cheers,

 

Arnold

[One-Oh-Four]

Hey Arnold! Welcome here! There is some progress and I should take some pics to show it, but I keep putting it off....

Sometimes it seems I'm just too lazy to scratch my arse...

[One-Oh-Four]

Although I got quite far with the cockpit I still haven't made photos I can share. Totally my fault. However, since I'm not going to be able to finish this kit before the deadline of the GB, I'll suspend the build for the moment. Át the moment I'm more interested in the Pacific and Korea. So I'll switch over onto building the Trumpeter AD-4 Skyraider and the Spitfire LF Mk.VIII. When work on this model resumes I'll relocate the thread to the regular WIP-forum if that's okay with Grant. I feel it's better to work on a subject that you are motivated for than keep chomping away at a model "because it has to be finished"... Everything is packed up neatly so I can pick up where I left at any moment I feel like it.

 

Sorry to come up empty-handed Grant!

[Grant]

No apologies necessary Sir! I agree, better to be motivated than feel pressured into finishing something just for a "paper" deadline. Great effort though and thanks for entering.

 

I could recommend a Zoukei-Mura P-51 that can be re-marked for the Pacific theatre or even Korea

[One-Oh-Four]

Not an upate, really. I just "moderated" my own WIP from Arrow Wolf's Messerschmitt GB to the general Aircraft WIP-forum. I didn't finish the model in time and as such I feel that this WIP shouldn't stand between those magnificent WIP's from the others that were finished in time... At this moment, the build is still on hold since I'm busy with a score of other projects as I've posted in post #18. But as Arnie Schwarzenegger and MacArthur said: "I'll be back!"