Messerschmitt ME 109 restoration

M

Marcus

For those of you who are interested in all that aircraft stuff,
have a closer look at this site, where you can also find a detailled
restoration diary with pics of restoration and wreckage and all:

Me 109 - D-FWME - eine fliegende Legende

It took that group of enthusiasts around 30.000 labour hours to restore that particular ME 109, but then it crashed when landing after a routine flight in 2005.
Now they start it all over again...

Site is also in English, just click one of the orange words "Fan-Shop" and go to the right bottom, then you find the "Photoalbum"-menu on the far left.

Best,

Marcus
 
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K

Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks

Me-109 is a legend.
It is absolutely the bestseller model in my shop, in every scale.
There are also tons of books about it.
I have 2 customers that are real bibles about the one-o-nine,since they model they just make 109 kits (I sold theme about 300 models and all the decal versions avaliable since 30yrs,including all the italian versions).
A claimed original part of tail was sold here in Milano for 5000 euros, last year.

Unless some years ago u can found near Reggio Emilia the DB605 used for the italian Reggiane 2005 and G55 fighters.(for lack of cares in assembly..the italian clone named Alfa RA1050 lost about 100hp versus his german original)

Right now I am searching the G12 conversion somewhere here.....

Too nice airplane surely...as too nice was his opponent,the immortal Spit.
 
M

Marcus

Howdy Scott,

yes, I´m a big fan of the 109´, many thanks for the weblinks.

Did my first attempts with riveting (bucket rivets) but then decided I need some tuition
by a professional. So here he is:

http://www.lenzair.de/ -> some interesting further links given on his website

Mathias is a professional metal aircraft builder ("Metallflugzeugbauer") and has set up a business of giving professional support to all those brave ones taking up the build of their own aircrafts (mostly RV4s coming in kit form from the US).
He gives me a private weekend course at the beginning of December. Since there shouldn´t be further waste of time I´ll take the chance and build the rad-housing under his supervision.

Best,

Marcus
 
Scott Calabro

Scott Calabro

Marcus,

That is a great opportunity. Learn all you can!!! It is a dying art.

Also collect as many tools you can, as the old timers who really know the craft usually have "special tools" they have made, and ways of doing things that just are not taught in any aviation school.

A friend of mine just purchased an 8 foot brake and shear for pennies on the dollar. I think he paid $500 dollars for both. They were a bitch to move though! You would be suprised what tools you can find out there on the cheap.

Keep up the good work!

Cheers,
Scott
 
woodz428

Dave Wood

Lifetime Supporter
While I enjoy planes( used to be a tech/crew chief), as a kid in Ca. during 50s I used to see small Messerschmidt cars on the freeway periodically. They looked a lot like land locked aircraft, pretty neat, probably an idea that could be used again with gas prices. I think they had 500-1000ccc engines. Slide back cockpit...man those really stood out amongst the lumbering American cars. It was also a clever way to move into consumer products from weaponry after the war.
 
Ron Earp

Ron Earp

Admin
You might like this then:

YouTube - ME-109 Black 6

It has some in cockpit footage as well. I think the restoration on Black 6 was lengthy and there is probably a website on that somewhere. I'm a big WWII aircraft fan as well, in particular the German aircraft.
 
M

Marcus

woodz428 said:
While I enjoy planes( used to be a tech/crew chief), as a kid in Ca. during 50s I used to see small Messerschmidt cars on the freeway periodically. They looked a lot like land locked aircraft, pretty neat, probably an idea that could be used again with gas prices. I think they had 500-1000ccc engines. Slide back cockpit...man those really stood out amongst the lumbering American cars. It was also a clever way to move into consumer products from weaponry after the war.
Click to expand...


Yes, they looked quite funny, but back in the 50s many Germans even crossed the alps in a Messerschmitt (bubble-car this time...) to get to Italy:

Messerschmitt KR200 - White - Front Angle


BTW, the place where I´m living also was home of Erich Hartmann, highest scoring fighter ace, who is buried next to his wife on the nearby local churchyard.

Erich Hartmann - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

At local pubs and clubs Hartmann was well known for strictly refusing to talk about his past and he also stayed away from all the old comrads and their self-gloryfying rituals. On the very rare occasions when he gave interviews he was always quite down to earth.
 
woodz428

Dave Wood

Lifetime Supporter
marcus said:
Yes, they looked quite funny, but back in the 50s many Germans even crossed the alps in a Messerschmitt (bubble-car this time...) to get to Italy:

Messerschmitt KR200 - White - Front Angle

While I am familiar with that example, the one I remember looked like a fuselage without wings, although smaller, and had wide set front wheels like that and 1, or maybe 2 close placed, rear wheels. I am pretty certain it was a Messerschmitt, and it was the early to mid 50s, not long after the war. I think 1951 was the first year the Beetle was imported....maybe 3 total.
If I locate a pic of the vehicle I'll post in a new thread so as not to further dillute this one.
Click to expand...
 
M

Marcus

Just out of interest:
Does anybody know a company offering an airworthy 109´replica?
(...no, not a radio controlled one.)
 
S

speed220mph

I had the pleasure of talking with Robert Rankin about the ME109s. It's always interesting to hear stories told by WWII pilots. Just wish I'd had a tape recorder. Anyway, Robert said ME109s were formidable oponents, but were overwhelmed by the P47s, especially when encountered by Hub Zemke's Wolfpack. When on a mission with Zemke, they were jumped by Gunther Rall's JG11 flight of ME109s. It was a case of grabbing a wildcat by the tail . . . who had who? Robert, along with Pappy Boyington and two others in wolfpack style, isolated Gunther and shot him down. Fortunately for Rall his only injury was to his left thumb, which was shot off. He went on to command the German Air Force in 1974.
 
M

Marcus

freeman95, what an interesting site, will put this to my favourites, thanks for sharing.

Yes, very hard to believe, but even many German pilots described that fat-looking P-47 (wasn´t it nicknamed the "jug") as superior to the 109´.
I think Günther Rall became 85ish and led a nice live after retirement nearby at the sunny shores of Lake Constance.

A good flying replica would be quite something. Perhaps not 1:1 but 1:0,9 would do.
Here´s one crappy and one better example, both ultralights:
 

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M

Marcus

The 109´was first offered for 1,2 Mio. $ but price has now been significantly reduced.

And don´t forget: ME 109s are much rarer than P 51s, even those build under licence in post-war Spain.
Doesn´t change the fact that (arguably) the P 51 was the most advanced piston-engined fighter of its time.
 
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