Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum - The modification from Bf109 E-3 in Bf109 E-7?

Surviving documents such as materiel loss reports unmistakably show that Bf 109E-1s, E-3s, and E-4s could be, and were, converted to Bf 109E-7s. The aircraft's original Werknummer remained the same in all instances.

The proportion of Bf 109E-7s that appears in documents as the war progresses increases steadily; at the same time, records for Bf 109E-1s, E-3s, and E-4s become less and less common. By 1944, it is relatively uncommon (but not unknown) to find any subtype other than E-7 (and, of course, the lesser "N" and "B" sub-sub-variants) entered as losses in combat units, schools, or miscellaneous establishments. This
"conversion phenomenon" is so noticeable, in fact, that it seems very likely the RLM and the Luftwaffe had an updating policy or program that extended across the entire Bf 109E inventory. In other words, conversion was not a random or piecemeal matter; rather, it seems that during late 1940-1941-1942 a consisent policy was in place to bring the entire Bf 109E fleet up to E-7 standard.

RA