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A German Bf 109 Fan has begun a very special Bf 109 replica. He is constructing a slightly
smaller copy of the Bf 109 V-7. Because of the weight and according to the chosen 125 hp fourcylinder
in-line engine - a converted car engine - this plane is made of wood. That is also good for the neigborhood,
because the plane is constructed in a residential area and it makes less noise to use a circular saw, than a
rivet hammer.
After four years of construction, only small works have to be completed. Also the painting has to be done.
Of course it will be painted in light grey, like the original V-7. After that the flight testing and licensing
will begin.
The designer had to make small changes at the landing gear and canopy. The propellor is silenced. Also the
instruments are not following the original. Because all instruments are round ones, the cockpit looks, like
it could be designed in the thirties. You might see, that there are no slats. This is a concession to
the Luftfahrtbundesamt. They would not allow automatically slats and the installation of mechanical slats
would have been to expendit. Therefor the cowling is designed like that of the original V-7. Because the V-7
was unarmed, the cowling had no openings for the guns on the top
The designer hopes to get his plane in the air by 2004. Then he will show his Messerschmitt on some airshows.
The Fighter World Museum in Williamtown Australia owns a 1:1 scale replica of Bf 109 F-2,
flown by Adolf Galland. The replica was made in 1987 and was bulit of fibreglas and
pine wood. The mainpart of this model was copied correctly, but in the front part of the plane
some mistakes were made. The builder only hat a spinner for a four blade propeller, so it was
necessary for him to do some changeings, to convert it into a spinner for a tree blade propeller.
This had visible effects on the shape of the whole nose area.
Unfortunately the plane stood in the burning Australian sun for about 10 years, so it weathered
a lot. Actually the replica is under restoration. It will get a complete new built front section
during this process and also the undercarriage will be changed. Then a decission has to be made,
if the plane will stay a Bf 109 F or if it will be changed to a Bf 109 G.
(See pictures of this plane in the gallery)
There is only one non-russian plane displayed at the Moscow Central Museum of the Great Fatherland War.
This honour is reserved for the Bf 109 F-4.
Unfortunately this Bf 109 is a 1:1 scale replika, without any original parts. Nevertheless this Bf 109 of
JG 3 "Udet" makes a pretty good figure.
(See a picture of this plane in the gallery)
In Leipzig actually (early 2002) a rebuilding of a Bf 109 G-14/AS is in progress. Therefore some original parts are used, for example a DB 605 engine. The work made quite good progress and you can eagerly await, if and when the replica will be airborne.