Bf 109G-2
| World War II aircraft | |
| Bf 109G-2 | |
| |
| Variant of | Bf 109 |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Gustav |
| Type | Fighter/attacker |
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Manufacturer | Messerschmitt AG |
| Crew | Single-Seat |
| how to edit | |
The Bf 109G-2 in World War II[edit]
Development[edit]
Unit Deployment[edit]
Variants[edit]
- G-2 (Light fighter)
- G-2/R1 (Long-range Fighter-bomber or JaboRei- 2x 300 liter underwing drop tanks, one 500 kg bomb under fuselage, extended second tail wheel for large bombs)
- G-2/R2 (Reconnaissance fighter)
- G-2/trop (Tropicalized fighter)
Designation[edit]
Bf 109 was the official Reichsluftfahrtministerium (German Aviation Ministry, RLM) designation, since the design was submitted by the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke company, and was used exclusively in all official German documents dealing with this aircraft family. The company was renamed Messerschmitt AG after July 1938 when Erhard Milch finally allowed Willy Messerschmitt to acquire the company; from that date forward, all Messerschmitt aircraft were to carry the "Me" designation except those already assigned a Bf prefix. Wartime documents from Messerschmitt AG, RLM, and others continued to use both designations, sometimes even on the same page, but there were several RLM orders to deny acceptance of documents carrying the Me prefix for the Bf 109. Me 109 is known to have been the name used in print by Luftwaffe propaganda publications as well as by the Messerschmitt company itself after July 1938, and Luftwaffe personnel, who pronounced it may hundert-neun. The Me 109 ("emm ee one-oh-nine") designation was usually used in the English-speaking world. However, in both wartime and contemporary literature, both the "Bf" and "Me" as well as "ME" prefixes are used. All extant airframes are described as "Bf 109" on identification plates, including the final K-4 models.
Origins Of 109's Names[edit]
The nicknaming of the 109s Anton Emil Freidrich Gustav Kurfurst etc is based on the German phonetic alphabet of the day relating to the model letter of the aircraft: Anton, Berta, Caesar, Dora, Emil, Friedrich, Gustav, Heinrich, Ida, Josef ,Kurfurst, Ludwig, Martha, Nordpol, Otto, Paula, Quelle, Richard, Siegfried, Toni, Ulrich, Viktor, Wilhelm, Xantippe, Ypern, Zeppelin.
Oberst Gustav Rödel[edit]
Oberst Gustav Rödel (born 24 October 1915 in Merseburg – died 6 February 1995 in Bonn-Bad Godesberg) was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. He scored all but one of his 98 victories against the Western Allies in over 980 combat missions whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.
Gustav Rödel was born on 24 October 1915 in Merseburg, Saxony. He joined the Luftwaffe with the rank of Fahnenjunker in 1936, and underwent fighter pilot training. Rödel participated in the Spanish Civil War with the Condor Legion, serving with JG 88. He was awarded the Spanish Cross in Bronze with Swords for his achievements in Spain.
On 15 July 1939, Rödel transferred to JG 21. Leutnant Rödel was assigned to 2./JG 21. He achieved his first aerial victory on the first day of World War II, 1 September 1939, during the Invasion of Poland. His victim, a Polish P.24 fighter, was shot down near Warsaw. On 7 September, he was forced down during a ground-strafing mission. However, he managed to fly back his machine close to the border and avoided detection and returned to his unit the next day.
After transferring to the Geschwaderstab of JG 27 on 24 November 1939, he fought in the Battle of France gaining a further three victories. On May 12, 1940, Rödel flew as wingman of Adolf Galland, who claimed his first aerial victory over a Hurricane that day. The combat took place west of Liège[1]. Rödel himself also claimed a Hurricane near Tienen that day[2]. On June 8 he few a solo intercept mission attacking and shooting down a Blenheim over the English channel[3]. In July 1940, Rödel was transferred to 4./JG 27, and on September 7 was appointed Staffelkapitän of 4./JG 27. By the end of September, he had claimed 14 victories, the majority of these in the Battle of Britain. His II./JG 27 Gruppe participated in the invasion of the Balkans. Rödel achieved six more victories in the aerial battles over Greece, including three Greek fighters shot down on 15 April 1941 and three Royal Air Force (RAF) Hurricanes shot down on 20 April.
After the Balkan campaign, Rödel and 4./JG 27 joined in the invasion of Russia. Rödel claimed a Russian SB-3 twin-engine bomber shot down on 25 June 1941 for his 21st victory. Shortly afterwards 4./JG 27 were transferred to North Africa. Here, Rödel claimed his 30th victory on 4 December 1941, when he shot down a South African P-40 near Bir-el-Gobi. On 20 May 1942, Rödel was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 27. He claimed his 40th victory on 23 May, when he shot down another P-40 near Ras el Tin. On 21 July, he claimed four Hurricanes shot down to record his 48th through 51st victories. Later he claimed three P-39s shot down in the El Alamein area on 9 October. However, he had mis-identified his victims, which were, in all probability, RAF P-40s. Altogether Rödel claimed 15 victories, including three RAF P-40 fighters shot down on 24 October and three fighters shot down on 27 October, in October 1942. On 1 November he claimed his 73rd victory, his last in North Africa.
Rödel was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of JG 27 on 22 April 1943. He saw further combat over Sicily and Greece in May. On 22 May he shot down three enemy aircraft bringing his total to 78. For this, Major Rödel was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 20 June 1943. He recorded his 80th victory on 4 October, and his 83rd on 10 October.
Relocated to Germany and Reichsverteidigung duties, Rödel raised his victory total to 93, including United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) four-engine bombers. In June 1944, he led JG 27 over the Invasion front. On 29 June, he claimed three USAAF Thunderbolts shot down for victories 95 to 97. On 5 July, he claimed his 98th, and last, victory, a USAAF Lightning shot down near Angleur. In December 1944, Rödel was involved in the planning of Operation Bodenplatte. From the beginning of January 1945, he was serving on the staff of the 2. Jagd-Division, becoming Kommandeur on 1 February, a position he held until the end of the war. In this role, he also attended the meeting with Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring in what became known as the "Fighter Pilots Revolt".
In 1957, Rödel joined the Bundeswehr. He retired on 30 September 1971, holding the rank of Brigadegeneral.
External Links[edit]
- English translation of Finn operation and maintainance manual for the 109G-2
- Luftwaffe and Bf109 cockpit resource(German)
- Hans-Joachim Marseille by Major Robert Tate, USAF
- An excellent read, interview of Erich Hartmann
- Possibly spurious yet highly captivating account of an American pilot's encounter with a German fighter ace beleived to be Hartmann
| Aces High II aircraft | |
| Bf 109G-2 | |
| |
| Variant of | Bf 109 |
|---|---|
| Type | Fighter/attacker |
| Crew | 1 |
| Index | 15 |
| Aces High II loadout options | |
| Package 1 | 2x 7.92mm MG 15 500 rpg 1x 20mm MG 151/20 150 rpg |
| Package 2 | 2x 7.92mm MG 15 500 rpg 1x 20mm MG 151/20 200 rpg |
| Options | 2x 20mm Gondola MG 151/20 140 rpg |
| 1x 300 liter drop tank | |
| 1x 250kg bomb | |
| Aces High II Main Arenas | |
| Earliest MA | Mid War |
| Typical perk cost | 0 (Late War) |
| ENY value | 30 (Late War) |
| Available on carrier | no |
| how to edit | |
The Bf 109G-2 in Aces High II[edit]
The Bf109-G2 is a reasonably popular aircraft though easily outshadowed by its later G14 sibling. The G2 is an aircraft of some controversy and discussion though, being the earlier G series model in AH it also resembles the F series much more than later aircraft in a number of ways. Inevitably that leads to a decision between flying the G2 and other models and it comes down to personal preference. The G2 is considered by some to be the second best 109 model in the game, as it possesses superior handling and performance than its later siblings.
Engine Power[edit]
The G2 actually performs better than all 109s except the G14 model and has a nice gradual improvement in performance with altitude gains. Sea-level speed is only average at 320mph (340mph with WEP) but improves rapidly up to about 7K where the cruise is 358mph (375mph with WEP). That's an improvement of about 5.5mph in cruise for each 1K in altitude gain up to 7K or so. Above 7K the improvements slow down but only a little bit, up to a high cruise of 385mph at 22K. Top speed, with WEP, is about 405mph at 21K. The WEP time is also very generous, over 9 minutes of solid use, so it makes extended WEP use generally more acceptable and you tend to use WEP more often. Climb rates are excellent, over 4,400ft/minute at low levels and never drops below 3,500ft/min until you reach orbit. Fuel duration is not good at only 25 minutes on full internal, one of the shortest in AH, but there is an option to extend that range with a drop tank (+18 minutes) which is almost mandatory. Typically the drop tank can be used for the outbound climb and transit, dropped, and then internal fuel used for combat and return to base. As such, taking less then 100% internal is not unusual, typically less than 75% isn't advisable though as it simply provides very small margins for combat.
Aces High II Performance Charts[edit]
Firepower[edit]
The firepower on the G2 is a little weak though well placed in the aircraft. The spinner mounted 20mm MG151/20 cannons with either 150 or 200 rounds is complemented by paired 7.9mm cowl guns (500 rounds/gun). The placement of the guns in the cowl area makes convergence a non-issue. Twin gondolas are an option but impact maneuverability and speed, to the tune of about 10mph. The gondolas certainly aid when attacking bombers and give a more credible snapshot capability which makes them a tempting option. Typically someone with good shooting skills who is attacking fighters shouldn't need the gondolas though someone who is less confident tends to take them. At least the G2 has some handling to spare so the gondolas aren't crippling like in the G6 or G14. One of the key reasons people don't take the G2 though is that the G6, and later, have upgraded every aspect of the firepower to more capable 13mm cowl guns and a much more impressive (though more difficult to use) 30mm spinner cannon option. To be fair though, the cowl gun upgrade of the G6 and G10 is more important than the 30mm cannon option as most people can't aim just a large cannon against fighters anyway.
Maneuverability[edit]
The G2 gained ~450lbs of weight over the F-4 series 109 but it doesn't seem to have impacted the handling as much as in the later 109s (the G6 only gained 100lbs more). You can feel the extra mass but for some reason it seems much more manageable and well balanced than any other G series aircraft. That's why many like the 109G-2 - it can turn-fight or energy fight, depending on the situation and the external loadout you chose. If you went light on fuel and didn't pack gondolas then you can turn-fight as long as you can keep the speeds at reasonable levels (not over 400, not under 250). Lots of people might think you are just another G14 and not able to turn, thus you can quickly show them how wrong they are. You can also energy fight though, the climb-rate, acceleration, and good zoom performance of the G2 makes it an excellent energy fighter. Roll rate is good until you get to high (375mph+) or low speeds, where it becomes slow. As in all 109s the G2 suffers serious control problems, especially in pitch, at very high speeds over 450mph. If a 109 gets faster than about 450mph the only maneuver on the pilots mind will likely become compression recovery.
Flap speeds are 195, 185, 175, 165, and 155 IAS.
Fighting in the Bf 109G-2[edit]
Lots of people don't know what to expect of the G2 though so may discount you as just a G14 wannabe. Try and BnZ them or slash attack them if possible and only resort to a turn-fight as a last resort. Don't be afraid to use your turning abilities to give you a good shot though. Use the vertical as much as possible, the G2 is a good climber at lower altitudes and accelerates great. The WEP also lasts a long time so don't be afraid to use it as long as fuel allows. Burn as much internal fuel as you can before you enter a fight, leave just enough for combat and the return trip home. A drop tank can help keep your internal fuel load light. Don't chase people on extended dives to high speeds as the 109 becomes uncontrollable and you will lose initiative trying to recover. If you need to dive, cut power, use your rudder and roll with elevator to continuously bleed speed on the dive. You need to watch your speedo closely though and level out at the first signs of over-speed (450mph).
Trim in a 109 is an important consideration and becoming familiar with the full range of trim available and knowing when to use it largely removes the 109's weakness of poor control response at high speed. Whenever your speed falls to a controllable level you can quickly restore normal trim settings using CTRL+X. Trim can be used as a supplement to stick input and with a bit of practice can be used instinctively to accurately aim the 109 or stay on a cons 6 at high speed. The trim keys are:
Elevator up = K Elevator down = I Rudder left = J Rudder right = L Aileron left = M Aileron right = , (comma key)
Note: trimming does not add extra turning ability, trimming is done in Aces High by moving your existing control surfaces not by adjusting trim tabs. Trim only overcomes the simulated heavy control surfaces at high speeds.
Defensively, use your sprint speed, climb, and turning to extend whenever possible. You should, if light, be able to turn with any plane faster than you and outrun any of the better turners. Don't dive excessively as most other planes will be better divers with more controllability. If you are diving make it a dive to extend towards friendlies so you can get help. Sustained turning is good but if you can set up a good spiral climb you should be able to pull away from worse climbers, and a downward spiral can help you keep you airspeed within best range to maximize turn rate. The 109 is not very tough so try and avoid any hits. The radiator and fuel supply is quite vulnerable, both of which are a serious problem if punctured.
Fighting against the Bf 109G-2[edit]
All 109s have the same weakness to high speeds. Over 450mph they all suffer terrible compression problems that can lead to almost total loss of control in a terminal dive. The G2 with the higher cruise speeds and more power tends to get into trouble faster than some of the other 109s and picks up speed quickly in a dive.
Try and identify the 109G-2 early in a fight, which isn't usually too difficult. Look for the wing markings (Finnish) and yellow nose as easy identifiers. Some can identify the 109G-2 at longer ranges than many planes as it appears to look slightly different as a dot (kind of like the P-51D). In close though even a brief view of the wings and nose will allow you to notice a G-2. If you can, see if he has gondolas also, as they can mean a lot to this aircraft.
Offensively, the G2 is a good turner, but only when light. If he is obviously carrying gondolas he will be much less maneuverable and have less speed to use against you. The gondolas tend to cost in upwards of 10mph under most conditions, speed which the G2 can't really afford to give away. The 109s are all pretty small targets so can be tough to hit, but try and get in hits at whatever angles you can to damage items like the fuel, radiator or engine. Views to the rear of the 109 are only fair so if you can sit low on his 6 he may not even see you. Don't give the 109 snapshots on you if you don't know that he isn't packing gondolas, three cannons can make quick work of any fighter while 1 cannon is unlikely to cause immediate damage. Keep your speed up if you are in a faster plane and extend whenever you can, be watch out since the 109 can accelerate and climb quickly and will likely build up energy faster than you can. If you can fight at very high speeds, in excess of 400mph, then you can start to erode the performance of the 109. If you get in trouble, dive away to 500mph or more and any 109 foolish enough to follow you will be in deep trouble.
Defensively, the G2 can be tough to shake since it can turn pretty well when light and has the acceleration and climb to stop any easy escapes if he can get speed parity. There are some areas where the 109 is a little vulnerable though, and the G2 is no different. 109s don't have great views from the cockpit with lots of window frames obstructing almost every angle, so it can be possible to slip into blind spots or at least make tracking from the cockpit difficult. The 109s all tend to pack too many, or too few guns too. The standard spinner cannon is barely enough while loading the gondolas is almost too much. If he isn't packing gondolas then the snapshot capabilities are fairly low, but with them he is heavy and has a lot more drag. One great tactic, if you have altitude, is to dive away if you have even a fair diver. The 109 is a crappy diver when speeds increase over 450mph. It becomes more like a brick than an aircraft and can over-speed to the point where recovery is impossible. Even experienced 109 pilots can find themselves plummeting helplessly while they try and use trim to regain control.
