Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

I have recently acquired a collection of hundreds of Luftwaffe aircraft data plates. Most originate from the Med and Western desert.

Amongst these plates is one that attracted my interest when I delved further. On it is stamped:

8/109 G-2
14256

I'd welcome any comments on what I may have here.......

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

Well......Andy, I think you know what you have.....at least it seems that way. Maybe you can scan that data plate and we can check if our assumptions are correct!

Cheers,

John.

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

Hi!

Best thing to do is attach a pic. Could be a main plate, or parts plate (wing, etc.).

mike

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

Hi Andy,

Seems to be a main data plate, the markings fit. If John is wrong and you still don't know what you might have, prepare yourself for a big surprise. :grin:

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

Ah yes...Marseille... ;)...

For sure attach pics...if it is correct, you have a VERY RARE item...

mike

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

Any Henschel Hs 129 dataplate(s), Andy?

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

My guess you have obtained a cache of plates which were removed by the A.I.2.(g) personnel. It is my belief if the plates could be located, they were removed and submitted with the RAF intelligence field reports and ultimately sent to GB. This could be confirmed by someone who has copies of the A.I.2.(g) and MAAF reports. Mine is not very complete, especially for the earlier series, but probably several members of this board have better sets of copies.

Best Regards,

Artie Bob

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

From Rabe Anton:

I suspect Artie Bob is quite correct about the data plates Saunders bought. Years ago, an Englishman named Colin Prately found a trove of German data plates buried at the former site of A.I.2(g) operations in the U.K. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of them. I think this is mentioned in Cornwell, Battle of France. May very well be that Prately is selling or has sold part or all of his holdings.

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

I managed to obtain a data plate from a G6/R3, which was well documented....that came from the same hole in the ground in the UK...

:)

mike

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

Most certainly not from the Kenley "cache" which I am familiar with and, indeed, many years ago dug up more than a few from that site. This is a new discovery that formed a privately held souvenir collection. They have not been dug out of the ground but had been taken and retained during the war. Most of them originating from Med/Western Desert theatre.

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

Not found any yet.....but how about an Arado 500? Now.....THAT will get you all talking :-)

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

This plane has been transfered in Afrika in sept.42...

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

Who will be the first to tell who flew the 14256...

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

Marseille

;)

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

This item can now be seen elsewhere on the internet!

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

Does anyone know if the wreckage of H-J M's 109 was ever found/examined/reported on by Allied forces after the Germans finally left the area? If so, are any reports known about?

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

Hello,
The 8. prefix isn't for an aircraft element? (same as the 9. its for engine elements...) Too small and concise plate for a plane WNr. one, IMHO.

Reciently I saw around many of such plates including some from italian machines (Caproni, Breda, Savoia). Some had indications on litres that suggest element plates from reservoirs or so. The personel who collected these items did not make distintions.

Regards
Fran

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

Small data plates like this certainly appeared in profusion across, for example, Me 109, Me 110 airframes etc. Often, but not always, they were stamped with the airframe Werke Nummer. However, they should not alone be considered as proof of the actual airframe identity as these plates were clearly mixed and matched. I know of several Battle of Britain Me 109's wrecks where the "wrong" W.Nr has turned up on such tags. Equally, I know several wrecks where multiples of these plates have been found - all bearing the correct W.Nr for that airframe. Certainly, they should not to be considered to be the main data/constructors plate which was a much larger beast. On the 109 this was generally fixed port front side of fuselage, above wing root area. You are correct that 8 = airframe type, 9 = engine or an ancillary part thereof.

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

Hi Fran!

You are incorrect in your conclusion.

The 8-serial is for the airframe. I have found NUMEROUS main data plates with the 8-serial. All Me109G-10 main data plate (for example), had an 8- serial.

Mike

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

As one who has handled a few plates over the years, I can say that Andy got it just right. His experience and observations match mine to the letter. Main plates (i.e., on 109s) were all in that general vicinity (i.e., fuselage left side, rear of engine cowling/below cockpit sill) - several specific locations were used by subtype (i.e., E, F, G) and maker. Also, as the war wore on and later subtypes entered use, main plates decreased in size and became square- rather than rectangle-shaped.

Re: Messerschmitt 109 Data Plate
 

Am interested in learning if Junkers produced parts or assemblies used on Bf 109 airframes.