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For an experiment and to get the first basically datas about installing a twin radial engine in the "Bf 109", the RLM instructed the Messerschmitt construction team, to fit the american Pratt&Whitney "Twin Wasp" twin radial engine to a "Bf 109 E". This engine was chosen, because there was still no german twin radial engine. The plane with the serial number 1770 was called "V-21" and got the marking "D-IFKQ". Later, after transfered to DSF, it got the military marking KB + II. It was only used for test and measure flights.
Similar to "Bf 109 V-21"
the "Bf 109 X" was an experimental plane, to test the installation of the
"BMW 801" twin radial engine. As experimental plane was used a "Bf 109
F", which got the mark "D-ITXP". For the installation of the big engine
some changeings were necessary. So the canopy and the cross section of
the fuselage were increased, the wingspan was reduced from 9,92 m to 9,33
m. Also the wing tips were angulary, like them of "Bf 109 E".
At September, 2´nd
1940, this plane started for the first flight. Until end of 1941 some more
test flights were made. The test pilots made the experience, that the handling
for nosediving was better than wthat with the in-line engine. But the BMW
engine had some problems and lost very much oil.
After the Focke-Wulf "Fw
190" entered duty with the "BMW 801 A" engine the project "Bf 109 X" was
cancelled. The plane was laid up at beginning of 1942.
If someone talks about "Me
209" he has to differ between the, record planes "V-1" to "V-3" and later models.
The "Me 209" was constructed
as record plane in 1937. It looked quite different from the "Bf 109". The
fuselage was more sturdy, the pilots seat was positioned directly in front
of the vertical fin, which continued below the fuselage as tail spur. Also
the undercarriage was not fitted to the fuselage, like the "Bf 109", but
fitted broad-gauged under the wings. To reduce the airresistance, the whole
wing was constructed to contain the liquid-cooling of the engine. "V-1"
to "V-3" were total identicaly.
On April, 26´th 1939
chief-testpilot Fritz Wendel sat a new world speed record with 755,138
km/h. Because of propaganda, the entry into FIA recordlist was made under
the name "Bf 109 R".
In 1940, when it became
obvious, that the "Bf 109" was not as superior to the "Spitfire" as thought
by the RLM, it was decided to reconstruct the "Me 209" to a fighterplane.
It showed, that there was no place to mount heavy armament, because the
wings were required for cooling. Also the plane was difficult to fly. When
it was tried to solve this problems, it became obvious, that this "Me 209"
wouldn´t be better than the actual "Bf 109". So the project was stopped.
In 1943, when Kurt Tank
worked on his "Ta 152", Messerschmitt facilities remembered again
the "Me 209" and it was planned to construct a competition design to the
"Ta 152". So the "Me 209 V-4" was completly reconstructed. The only parts
remembering to the predesessors of the developing "V-5" were the wings.
The fuselage on the other side was a total new construction. As engine
then used the Daimler-Benz "DB 603" in-line engine with ring cooling. In
April 1944 the prototype started testing. Because the "Ta 152" already
was in serial production, further tests were canceled.
1941/42 Messerschmitt started
the construction of a single-seat dayfighter, as competition for the Focke-Wulf
"Fw 190 D-9". The most obvious change was the useage of a nose wheel. When
they started testing on July the 18´th 1942, the prototype "Me 309
V-1" was powered with a "DB 603" engine with 1720 hp and was armed with
two MG 131 above the engine and one further MG 131 and one MG 151/20 in
each wing.
Later it was planned to
use this design as well as fighter, fighter-bomber and destroyer.
As "Me 609" it was also planned
to combine two "Me 309" to one twin plane, like "Bf 109 Z". This would
have meant the same changeings, described at "Bf 109 Z".
To reduce the number of different
plane basic models, the RLM ordered to have as less planes as possible
for as many roles as possible. So (equal to the "Heinkel He 111 Z") the
Messerschmitt facilities developed a twin plane. This plane should be used
as well as fast bomber, as fighter-bomber and as heavy fighter. Because
many existing parts were used, the producing and constructing was not so
expensive, as constructing a totaly new plane.
From two "Bf 109 G", which
were used as base for this plane, both fuselages, a left and a right wing,
both engines and the undercarriage would be used. The center wing and the
elevators had to be new constructed or changed and one of the cockpits
has to be changed in a fuel tank. The pilot was sitting in
left fuselage. Two "DB 605 A" engines would have powered the plane.
Two versions were planned.
One was the "Bf 109 Z-1", a heavy fighter and fighter-bomber, was armed
with 5 MK 108, three in the wings and one in each spinner. It was able
to carry a bombload up to 500 kg.
The second version was the
so called fast bomber "Bf 109 Z-2". It should only be armed with two MK
108 canons in the engines. For that, the fuel capacity was increased and
one 1000 kg bomb was carried below each fuselage.
The "Bf 109 Z" only existed
on the drawing-boards of the constructors. The plane never was built.
Because some leaders in RLM
feared, that the new developed jetfighter "Me 262" would at first have
some difficulties, it was planned to install the new jet-engines in a plane,
as fast as possible. So it was also examined
to reconstruct the "Bf 109" in a way, that it could get two of this jet-engines,
and so would make an interim solution, until the expected problems of "Me
262" would be solved. This idea came up first
in January 1943. It was planned to take the fuselage of the "Me 155" (a
figther-bomber, based on "Bf 109"), the undercarriage of the projected
"Me 309" and the wings of the also planned "Me 409".
Already two months later
it was recognized, that it was not so easy, to combine this components
to get an useful plane. This difficulties were so hard to solve, that this
project soon was canceled.
An interesting project sure
was project number "P. 1091". Here a "Bf 109 G-5" was taken as base for
a high-performance, high-altitute fighter. It should get a "DB 605 A" engine
and an additional "DB 603" engine to power the charger of the "DB 605".
As armament were designated one MK 108 in the nose and one MG 151/20 in
each wing.
The first further developement
got a wider wingspan, the last planings got a changed fuselage and two
contrarotating (!) propellers.