Me 109G-14 9 /JG54, Home Defence, Germany, March 1945
Me 109G 2 / Trop I / J G 77 Summer 1942
Me 109G-5 Gruppen Kommadeur JG52. Hptm G Barkhorn
Me 109G-6 / Trop 7 th / JG27. December 1943
Me 109G 6 III / JG77 Leningrad September 1942
Me 109K 2 Il / JG27 May 1945
Just as the Zero fighter plane is representative of Japanese planes during World War 2,
the Messerschmitt Me109 was the primary representative for Germany. As the mainstay combat
plane of the German Air Force, the Me109 rendered distinguished service on each fighting front.
Various models, ranging from the V 1 to K model were test-manufactured or mass produced
and the number produced reached as high as 30,500 or approximately 60% of the total number of
single-seated fighters Germany produced during World War 2. By comparison, the most aircraft
of any one make built by the United States was the CURTISS P-40 of which some 14.000 were manufactured.
The E model was the first to be mass produced. Further developments produced the F and
G models. The G-model, given the nickname "Gustav" includes series numbers G-0 to G-16.
The production of the Me109G began in early 1942 with the Me109G-0 which was powered by
the 1.475 H. P. Daimler -Benz DB605A engine and equipped with a pressurized cockpit which
was especially suited for high altitude action.
The Me109G-1 Trop was especially built for desert operations. Some G-5 airplanes were equipped with a wooden tail assembly in
a metal conservation effort. The G-6 mounted a 30mm MK108 cannon firing through the prop-hub, two 13mm MG machine guns above the engine and two 20mm MG151 cannon mounted in
pods under each wing. Powered by the DB-605D engine the Me109G-10 was the fastest of the "Gustavs" with a maximum speed of 428 mph at 24.000 feet.
The G-16 was the last of the "Gustavs" but never went into combat.
The suffix letter "I" was not allocated and "J" was applied to the version to be manufactured
under license in Spain by Hispano Aviacion. The final German production model was the Me109K, which was essentially similar to the
Me109G but incorporated minor structural differences.
Today there are just six original Mel09G's left. Two in the United States, and one held by
the RAF in England, Finland, Australia, and South Africa each have one.
