Is this an Me108?

Originally posted by mike currill
The prefix changed from Bf to Me from the Me163 on.

Read the link that Kenneth posted.
It appears that despite all the historians and experts that know the official answer, the Luftwaffe and Messerschmitt never took any notice of them.

Originally posted by dhfan
I’m sure at some time during the war the official designation for the Bf109 was changed to Me109.
I don’t know if it was retrospectively applied, or whether it applied to the ‘108 and ‘110 as well.

The prefix changed from Bf to Me from the Me163 on.

Spoke to our curator today. The museum is due to open for the 2004 season on Easter Sunday, 11th April. Further details nearer the time.

Geoff.

Thanks Geoff, it’s already written in the new diary.

Tom.

Tom,

It is indeed a BoB ‘109.

BTW our museum is only open on a Sunday (Easter to end of September).

Geoff.

I like the hat Geoff 😉 very Indiana Jones 😀 I keep meaning to do a trip down to Shoreham and Tangmere when I’m allowed out on a saturday but it just didn’t happen last year, this spring/summer is a definite yes though as I have a feeling that you might have a bit more info about a certain 109 dug recently up in North Kent on one of my relative’s farms. BTW the BFW part you refer to could’ve been from an earlier 109 which had been upgraded to a D or E, assuming it’s a B of B machine that is.

Tom.

DDM,

I assume the bit of tubing we found with ‘BFW’ on it is a either a component introduced on an earlier model ‘109, or perhaps a re-used component (spares recovered?)

Tom-W,

Have you been to the museum? Over the next few months, we will be putting the fruits of last years excavations on display, changing a few things around, and generaly getting ready for the opening day of the 2004 season, which should be at Easter. More details nearer the time 🙂

The museum website is at www.shoreham-aircraft-museum.co.uk

Below, myself with the armour plate bulkhead from the ‘109 excavated this year, just after it had been recovered.

Geoff.

Here’s a very interesting article on the subject of “Bf” or “Me” (for the 109 anyway):

http://109lair.hobbyvista.com/index1024.htm

Originally posted by von Perthes
Just out of interest, during a ‘dig’ this summer on an Me109E crash site, we recovered a piece of tubing which had a plate fixed to it which had the words ‘BFW 109’ on it.

Geoff.

Hi Geoff, that’d stand for ‘Bayerische Flugzeugwerke’ as atc pal said in his last post. I assume we’ll have to pay a visit to your excellent museum to see the full story on the 109 dig?

Tom.

:confused: very curious!

Just out of interest, during a ‘dig’ this summer on an Me109E crash site, we recovered a piece of tubing which had a plate fixed to it which had the words ‘BFW 109’ on it.

Geoff.

According to Ken’s Aviation Photography page

http://www.shanaberger.com/messerschmitt.htm

the cutting point was 1938. Aircraft developed after would be designated “Me”.

Company history

1926: Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (Bavarian Aircraft Works or BFW) formed. Messerschmitt Flugzeugbau also established.
1927: Bavarian government forces Messerschmitt and BFW to merge.

1938: BFW changes its name to Messerschmitt AG. Aircraft developed afterwards use the “Me” prefix

1948: Messerschmitt is reestablished. Produces sewing machines and automobiles

1955: Company begins aircraft work rebuilding T-6 and T-33 trainers

1965: Messerschmitt purchases what remains of Junkers in West Germany.

1968: Acquires Boelkow to form Messerschmitt-Boelkow

1969: Merges with Hamburger Flugzeugbau to form Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm (MBB)

1989: MBB is taken over by Deutsche Aerospace AG (DASA). DASA became part of EADS in 2000.

Best regards
atc pal

Originally posted by atc pal
Although they were all called “Me” ‘s during the war (on the allied side) the correct name is Messerschmitt Bf 108, Bf 109 and Bf 110, the following being Me xxx.

Bf for “Bayerische Flugzeugwerke”

Merry Christmas!

I’m sure at some time during the war the official designation for the Bf109 was changed to Me109.
I don’t know if it was retrospectively applied, or whether it applied to the ‘108 and ‘110 as well.

Originally posted by Taifun
I also understand that they didn’t actually “make” any new 108’s after 1945. The Nord 1002 were instead remanufactured 108’s.

Certainly all of the part numbers for the Nord start 108-XXX-XXXX and the wings on mine are dated ’41 and ’43 even though officially its a Nord 1002 with a 1952 build date..

I think there were a lot of shot down, crashed, or damaged airframes left behind by the Germans that were rebuilt by the French in the postwar years.

Taifun, read the Pilot magazine article on the Bf108/Nord 1002 from last year – makes for interesting reading! 🙂

Lufthansa’s restored Bf 108 has a short story on:

http://www.lufthansa-ju52.de/english/bf108.htm

I saw it in August at Eggebek. Very beautiful silver bird with a slow running rumbling Argus engine. Ceiling is said to be 5.000 m/ 16.404 ft. And a record from 1939 at 9.125 m/ 29.937 ft. at the hands of the Hirth engine company chief? test pilot.

Best regards
atc pal

I also understand that they didn’t actually “make” any new 108’s after 1945. The Nord 1002 were instead remanufactured 108’s.

Certainly all of the part numbers for the Nord start 108-XXX-XXXX and the wings on mine are dated ’41 and ’43 even though officially its a Nord 1002 with a 1952 build date..

Although they were all called “Me” ‘s during the war (on the allied side) the correct name is Messerschmitt Bf 108, Bf 109 and Bf 110, the following being Me xxx.

Bf for “Bayerische Flugzeugwerke”

Merry Christmas!

Hehehe, thanks Geoff. And thanks also for the Tora! Tora! Tora! article, which I received yesterday – v. interesting! 🙂

’twas I who supplied your 1st pic DDM 🙂

Geoff.

And as it flies nowadays, as NJ-C11