Head Armor of Bf 109G-5 AS
 

Hello,

Did the Bf 109G-5AS have Erla Haube canopy? If yes, does anybody have a photo showing the head armor of a Bf 109G-5AS? I am wondering how much it was different from the early style pressurized cockpit head armor.

Thank you.

Batur

Re: Head Armor of Bf 109G-5 AS
 

Hi Batur,

All Me109's were designed to be pressurized as soon as the first G models arrived. All G models had a sealed cockpit tub from the firewall to the rear armour plate (which was the solid armour plate that sat flush with the back of the canopy glass on the G-3, G-5 etc.). The G was not sealed from the armour glass backwards.

The Erla Haube was not implimented until the late G6 Series, so a G-5 with an Erla Haube I think would not have existed.

Around 120 G-5/AS were ordered, but only 18 or so built, as when they went to the AS engine, some of the models lost their pressurization (not sure why).

The K series, which had the Erla Haube as the standard canopy had no change to the armour glass. The K was designed to be pressurized, and I have never seen an Erla Haube with any changes to the rear armour.

I am not sure how many K's were pressurized, if any...

:(

Mike

Re: Head Armor of Bf 109G-5 AS
 

The Erla Haube could be (and was) retrofitted to existing aircraft. I have seen evidence that replacement hoods were allocated to reconnaissance units equipped with the G-5 (and other sub-types).

Re: Head Armor of Bf 109G-5 AS
 

According to Prien, some of the AS retrofitted G-5s lost their cockpit pressurization after this modification. I do not know if it was because of the Erla Haube canopy or losing their pressurization system. Nevertheless, Iit seems to me that the Erla Haube fitted G-5s never had their pressurized cockpits. It did need a special head armor (different from regular G-5 armor) and I have never seen one.

Re: Head Armor of Bf 109G-5 AS
 

HI Nick,

Yes the Erla was retrofitted to other earlier aicraft, but there was no way to pressurize those aircraft as the Erla did not have a sealed armour section at the rear (the cockpit tub was only sealed to the rear seat area, and not to the cargo hatch) :(