Me 109 (oz11191)

About this Plan

Me 109. Control line scale model WWII fighter.

Quote: "Control Line Plans For Galland's Messerschmitt. Design by WA Musciano.

Unquestionably the most famous of all German aircraft employed during World War Two was the single engine Messerschmitt Me-109, of which it is estimated over 33,000 were built. This small fighter, conceived in the summer of 1934, underwent a continuing process of refinement throughout World War Two. In that conflict sixty percent of all the German single seat fighters were Messerschmitts. In addition, the Me-109 was used by the air forces of Finland, Bulgaria, Spain, Hungary, Slovakia, Switzerland, Yugoslavia and Ru-mania.

Considerably modified versions of the Me-109 established a landplane speed record of 379 miles per hour on November 11, 1937 and a world's speed record of 469 miles per hour on April 26, 1939.

The Messerschmitt Me-109E version was developed in 1938; a year later it became the first line fighter of the Luft-waffe and was in service at the outbreak of World War Two. This version bore the brunt of the aerial fighting during the first few years of the war including the Battle of Britain. The performance of the mass produced Me-109E was very good despite the rumors to the contrary. Its maximum speed was 354 miles per hour at 12,300 feet; rate of climb was 3,100 feet per minute. Absolute ceiling of the Me-109E was 37,500 feet; maximum permissible diving speed was 446 miles per hour. But its range was only 412 miles.

The 1,100 horsepower Daimler Benz DB 601 twelve cylinder engine was designed to accommodate a 20 mm cannon firing through the propeller hub. In addition to the cannon two 79 mm machine guns were fitted in the nose and two more in the wings. The engine-mounted cannon proved so unreliable that many Me-109E versions were equipped with the two machine guns in the cowling and two 20 mm cannon in the wings. Adolf Galland preferred the use of cannon to that of machine guns.

The Messerschmitt enjoyed superiority of rate of climb and diving speed over its major wartime antagonist, the Spitfire. The Me-109 also possessed a higher ceiling and was the better aircraft above 20,000 feet. The maneuverability of the Messerschrnitt was inferior to the Spitfire, however, and when an Emil pilot found a Spitfire on his tail he dared not turn left or right but could only escape with a quick dive or a long climb.

Our one-inch-to-the-foot scale Messer-schmitt plans will give you a replica of the plane used in combat by Adolf Gal-land when he flew with JG 26, the 'Abbeville Boys'. It will be noted that the number of victory flashes on the rudder had reached forty-two by this time. The markings are exact scale - the information having been supplied to the author by General Galland. Any glow plug or diesel, engine from .19 to .35 cubic inch displacement can be installed in this model.

Flight lines from 35 to 70 feet long can be used depending upon the power-plant used and the skill of the flyer. The diameter of the flight lines can vary from .008 to .012 inch, again depending upon the power. All Messerschmitt models flown by the author have exhibited superb handling qualities due to the excellent proportions for sport flying.

The author expresses his sincere appreciation for the extensive cooperation of General Adolf Galland and Mr AE Perko which made this article possible."

Me 109, American Aircraft Modeler, August 1961.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, thanks to RFJ.

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