The Bf 109G "Gustav" introduced a pressurized cockpit in some production numbers, with the addition of the MW-50 boost in some later variants (G-6 Late). It was powered by a more powerful engine. It was considered by many as the high-water mark of Bf 109 development. The "Friedrich" concentrated on the armament of the front fuselage, and abandoned the wing cannon. It introduced a complete fuselage, wing and cooling system redesign.
The aircraft was highly modified and had several variants, which were designated with a letter (e.g.: Bf 109E, Bf 109K), each one of those for different missions and purposes.Īs the first production series were relatively underpowered, the new "Emil" airplane featured a more powerful engine, and further modifications led to the Bf 109E-4/B and the later Bf 109 E-7/B, which introduced space for ground attack missions.
It saw service in the Eastern and Western front, the North African campaign, among others and also used by German allies, Croatia (NDH), Romania, Hungary, Italy, Finland and Slovakia. It was originally designed as an interceptor, but it proved to be efficient as a fighter-bomber, bomber escort, all-weather fighter and recon aircraft, with later variants modified for this missions. It was flown by the top-scoring German aces of the war, such as Erich Hartmann, with 352 victories, and survived the war. It first saw service at the Spanish Civil War by the side of the Nationalists, and it was used until the end of World War II by the Luftwaffe, and back then it was being partially replaced by the FW 190 since late 1941. It was powered by a liquid-cooled, inverted-V12 aero engine. It was one of the first truly modern fighters of the era, including such features as all-metal monocoque construction, a closed canopy, and retractable landing gear. The Bf 109 was a German fighter plane designed by Willy Messerschmitt and introduced in 1937. One or more editors are currently working on it. It may have errors or incomplete sections.