Bf 109G-6
| World War II aircraft | |
| Bf 109G-6 | |
| |
| 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-6 in World War II[edit]
Development[edit]
Unit Deployment[edit]
Variants[edit]
- G-6/R2 (Reconnaissance fighter, with MW 50)
- G-6/R3 (Long-range Reconnaissance fighter, with 2 x 300 liter underwing droptanks)
- G-6/trop (Tropicalized fighter)
- G-6/U2 (Fitted with GM-1)
- G-6/U3 ((Reconnaissance fighter)
- G-6/U4 (MK108 Motorkanone 30 mm engine cannon)
- G-6y (Command fighter)
- G-6/AS (High altitude fighter with DB605AS)
- G-6/ASy (High altitude command fighter)
- G-6N (Night fighter, usually with R6 and FuG 350Z Naxos)
- G-6/U4 N (as G-6N but with 30 mm MK 108 Motorkanone engine cannon)
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.
Erich Hartmann[edit]
Erich Alfred "Bubi" Hartmann (19 April 1922 – 20 September 1993), also nicknamed "Bubi" by his comrades and "The Black Devil" by his Soviet enemies, was a German World War II fighter pilot and is the highest scoring flying ace fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. He claimed 352 aerial victories (of which 345 were won against the Soviet Air Forces Soviet Air Force, and 260 of which were fighters) in 1,404 combat missions. He engaged in aerial combat 825 times while serving with the Luftwaffe. During the course of his career, Hartmann was forced to crash land his damaged fighter 14 times. This was due to damage received from parts of enemy aircraft he had just shot down, or mechanical failure. Hartmann claimed never to have been shot down or forced to land due to fire from enemy aircraft.
Unlike Hans-Joachim Marseille who was a marksman and expert in the art of deflection shooting, Hartmann was a master of stalk-and-ambush tactics. By his own account he was convinced that 80% of the pilots he downed did not even realize what hit them. He relied on the powerful engine of his Bf-109 for high-power sweeps and quick approaches, occasionally diving through entire enemy formations to take advantage of the confusion that followed in order to disengage. His favourite method of attack was to hold fire until extremely close (60ft/20m or less), then unleash a short burst at point-blank range – a technique he learned while flying as wingman of his former commander, Walter Krupinski, who favoured this approach. This technique, as opposed to long-range shooting, allowed him to:
- reveal his position only at the last possible moment
- compensate for the low muzzle velocity of the slower firing 30 mm MK 108 cannon equipping some of the later Bf 109 models (though most of his victories were claimed with Messerschmitts equipped with the high velocity MG 151 cannon)
- place his shots accurately with minimum waste of ammunition
- prevent the adversary from taking evasive actions
However, firing at close range ran the risk of having to fly through the debris of a damaged or exploding aircraft, thereby damaging his own fighter in the process (much of the damage Hartmann sustained in combat was caused by collision with flying debris). If it was dangerous to dog-fight further he would break off and content himself with one victory. His careful approach was described by himself by the line "See – Decide – Attack – Break": observe the enemy, decide how to proceed with the attack, make the attack, and then disengage to re-evaluate the situation.
External Links[edit]
- English translation of Finnish 109G-6 Pilot's Manual
- 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-6 | |
| Variant of | Bf 109 |
|---|---|
| Type | Fighter/attacker |
| Crew | 1 |
| Index | 16 |
| Aces High II loadout options | |
| Package 1 | 2x 13mm MG 131 300 rpg 1x 20mm MG 151/20 150 rpg |
| Package 2 | 2x 13mm MG 131 300 rpg 1x 20mm MG 151/20 200 rpg |
| Options | 2x 20mm Gondola MG 151/20 140 rpg, or |
| 2x 210mm WGr21 rockets | |
| 1x 300 Liter DT, or | |
| 1x 250kg GP 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-6 in Aces High II[edit]
The 109G-6 is a popular alternative to the G14 and often people prefer it to the F-4 or G-2 models. There does tend to be a bit of mis-understanding though in regards to the performance of the G-6. The G-6 is actually a worse performer in almost every way than the G-2. The G-6 is slower, climbs worse, and the extra weight hurt the turn-rate the most. That said, the G-6 has one large advantage, vastly improved firepower, something that to some, more than makes up for everything else.
Engine Power[edit]
The engine on the 109G-6 imparts pretty good performance and has many of the characteristics of the late 109 variants. Speeds at most levels are pretty average, 317mph (336mph WEP) at sea-level is a little sub-average to what you can expect of most planes. Increases in altitude add to the speed fairly linearly with a good low cruise around 6.5K (~350mph) and a high altitude speed around 22.5K (383mph). WEP adds up to 20mph at low altitudes, but only 8mph at high altitudes. The WEP is really important to the G6 since even with it engaged you are still typically in the lower half of aircraft speed at lower altitudes. WEP burn time before overheating is a generous 9+ minutes, meaning it's easy to abuse the WEP and still have some left over. Climb rate is excellent, as seems typical in most 109s, at 4,300ft/min at low level and holding strong up to 20K (3,400ft/minute). These climb numbers are only a few 100ft off the best in the game and likely rank the G6 in the top 5 for non-perked fighters from 0K-15K. Fuel range is not great on internal fuel, 25 minutes, but the option does exist to add 18 minutes with a drop tank. Typically a drop tank is carried whenever available and used for all WEP climbing and transit to the area of the fight. Do try and take only what internal fuel you really need though since the G6 is already a heavy plane and is noticeably more nimble with light fuel loads (50% or less). Be wary though, use of WEP can burn through 50% internal fuel in only 7 or so minutes. Interestingly, the 109G-2 offers better performance in speed and climb than the G6, though this is most likely because of the former's lighter weight
Aces High II Performance Charts[edit]
Firepower[edit]
Firepower on the G6 is vastly improved over earlier 109s and is the main reason people will move up from the G2 model. The spinner mounts the same 20mm cannon (MG151/20 with 150 or 200 rounds) as in the G2 and F4. The cowl now mounts a pair of 13mm Mg 131 with 300 rounds/gun, a vast improvement over earlier 109 models and providing a credible backup. Given that they are all mounted so close to the centerline, convergence is not usually that much of an issue and can be set out to longer ranges. That said though, be careful because the ballistic properties of the guns, are such that the effective range still tends to be rather short. For those who want even more firepower, twin wing mounted 20mm MG 151/20 gondolas are an option, each containing 140 rounds. Adding the gondolas leads to a number of problems and too often people forget that when they take them. While adding a better snapshot and anti-bomber firepower, they also adversely affect the handling and performance of the aircraft. Head-Ons are not typically a good idea in 109s.
Maneuverability[edit]
The G6 has some maneuverability problems, and these are usually exaggerated by the way people overload it even more with heavy options. The G6 is less maneuverable than the G2, significantly. Looking at the 109s in AH, in historical lineage, we see a design that went from the E-4 at 5,875lbs, up to the G-14 at 7,400lbs. The G-6 finds itself at 6,940lbs, certainly on the heavy side and unsurprisingly the plane feels like it is a worse turner than anything other than a G14. The G-6 still has the pointability to get the job done though, and flown well it can still give a respectable turn display, though it could not be considered strong. All too often pilots overload their aircraft though, and the G6 is probably one of the worst offenders. Too many people almost automatically throw on the gondolas, losing 10mph and adding several hundred pounds more weight in the process. This gives a rather bloated feel to the G6 and makes for a far less maneuverable plane overall. The G6 also doesn't feel quite as stable, possibly because of the repositioning of a lot of weight in new firepower more towards the nose. Roll rate is acceptable at most speeds, though at high speeds it suffers the same as all 109s with very early compression and loss of control. Turn-fighting is not a good idea against even average opponents.
Flap speeds are 195, 185, 175, 165, and 155 IAS.
Fighting in the Bf 109G-6[edit]
The Bf109G-6 is probably the second most popular 109 variant in any given month. It fits somewhere between the top of the line G14 model and earlier G2 model and offers an interesting decision to 109 pilots. While the G14 has the ultimate in engine and firepower, the G6 offers performance worse than the G2, but with the same firepower as the G14. Thus, pilots need to decide whether they want to more firepower, or performance, and thus choose either the G6 or G2.
Offensively, the G6 is quite a good plane, and has the weapons to get the job done if you can get yourself into position for a relatively good shot. BnZing is preferred as the G6 doesn't have the straight-line speed to really slash attack, and doesn't have the turn-rate to get into extended turning engagements and almost any speed. Energy fighting is also typically very good. Excellent climb rates also help you regain lost altitude from repeated BnZ attacks. Typically people will load the gondolas for this sort of attack since it enables you to get quick kills. Try to get into good position and spend extra time setting up your attack to lead to easier shooting solutions. The cowl weapons also give good service though since there are only a pair of them you may find that you need to spend too much time tracking targets in turns while trying to keep them on target. Consider using the cowl weapons in snapshots to add firepower, hoping for damaging hits that will help you later, or in longer ranged situations where the likelihood of a cannon hit (not an issue if gondolas are not equipped) is remote but you still want to shoot something at the enemy. Don't get suckered into diving for extended periods as the 109G-6 has terrible compression problems. Once in compression you have basically lost all initiative and may be lucky to even escape with your hide.
Defensively is where people tend to have problems in the 109G-6. They get into trouble and then can't find a way out or even a way to prolong the fight long enough to receive help from someone else. The G-6 can't dive away because of high speed compression problems, it can't run away since most planes can catch it reasonably easily, and it can't out-turn even the average turners. Fancy flying can always get the job done, but against an experienced opponent you may find even the best maneuvers countered and exposing you to even more danger. Stay fast, but not too fast, and give yourself some speed and options to maneuver. See if you can extend enough to use your climb rate to gain back advantage in an energy fight, or spiral climb while staying just out of enemy guns as you grab altitude. Eventually you want to make yourself a sour target for someone who is trying to get in close to you and who will break off. Don't pursue, leave and grab back some energy before returning to the fight. If you can, drag enemies to more friendly forces and see if you can't entice the enemy to break off for his own safety.
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.
A couple of last notes about the G6, the gondolas are great weapons but they reduce performance drastically. Consider leaving the gondolas in the hangar, despite the better snapshot they give. You will need every ounce of speed and maneuvering you have, and it's arguable whether they are worth the extra weight. Too many people get into the habit of overloading the G6 with max fuel and gondolas and turn it into a cement truck.
Fighting against the Bf 109G-6[edit]
The 109G-6 is pretty much the same story as the other 109s but this is probably the one that is easiest to beat most of the time. This 109 is prone to poor maneuverability because it gets overloaded. You'll find many pilots adding the gondolas which moves a lot of weight into the wings. This gets them into a plane that weighs significantly more than a light version and is easily out-turned and out-maneuvered in almost every way. Without the extra power of the G14 you can also find yourself hampered by lack of power to sustained continued maneuvers.
Identify the G6 as quickly as you can because it looks a lot like a G14. The G6 has black-nose art and no spiral painted spinner. Look to see if he has gondolas if you can. Always assume a G6 is packing them. 3 20mm cannons is almost always fatal to a fighter so you can't afford to give even a single good opportunity for the G6 to hit you. A heavy G6 is going to have a top sea-level speed in the low 320mph range, not good.
Offensively, if you suspect he is flying heavy, which is often the case, then try and sucker him into a slow turn-fight. Spiral climb to draw out his speed and then pull maximum turn in order to get around on him. Against most opponents the G6 should have troubles in following a fair turn-rate for long at lower speeds. Don't use pure vertical and zooms as the 109 should still be pretty deadly at that, but looping is fine. BnZing is also very effective since the G6 doesn't turn all that well in evasion and likely can't reverse quickly to force a Head-On situation. If faced with a Head-On, don't push it unless you have no other options. Even so, take your shot and break off to avoid at D600 or so, that will lessen the likelihood of taking extra 20mm hits at close range. If he has gondolas, hits to the front of your aircraft will likely send you immediately back to the tower. Any 109G6 trying to HO you is likely packing gondolas. While you may damage his engine and make it unlikely for him to return to base, you won't either if you push the HO to finale.
Defensively, never give him a chance to get a decent shot so don't try for close over-shoots since in most cases these will require you to accept at least 1-2 pings from close range. You can be sure that a few 20mm pings at that range is all it takes. Scissors tend to work well at low and high speeds although at medium speeds the G6 can roll reasonably well. This 109 is prone to uncontrolled over-speed dives like all the 109s so if you have room to dive it is unlikely he will even attempt to follow you. If he does and speed reach 500mph then you can be sure that he is basically out of control and struggling to recover. Roll gently to keep him out of aim and then simply turn out of his way. You may even choose to circle and then follow him down and shoot him as he is trying to recover. Don't give up snapshots or even deflection shots if you can help it. The 30mm is not usually a big problem against most pilots in these situations but the twin 13mms are enough to cause damage in brief shots if you are unlucky.
A final thought or two, the G6 needs to be handled carefully. The moment you don't respect the gondola firepower potential is the time it bites you. Fighting a G6 just takes some patience and depending on what you are flying you will usually have either a potential speed advantage, a turn-rate advantage, or maybe even both. Most people so overload the G6 that it becomes like a dumptruck and not a fighter but you can't count on that. The G6 tends to be a plane where the pilot trades all his assets for 1 kill, only to get shot down himself a couple of seconds later.
