Werknummer of Doras lost on 1.09.39?
 

During the combat over Warsaw by I/JG 21, had been total lost 6 Me 109 D-1 of I/JG 21 (1., 2., 3. Staffel). The first information about losses were higher (14 Me 109 - missing and lost). Soon or later 8 missing planes+pilots had returendt to the unit again, but 6 were total lost.

I wonder, if it is know the werknummer of these 6 destroyed Doras-1, which were lost during the combat with PZL P.11 or lack of fuel, or missing orientation by the pilots in the returned flight (one belly/crashed landed in Lithuanien)?

Regards
MirekW

Re: Werknummer of Doras lost on 1.09.39?
 

Sorry to mis-appropriat your thread:)

I do not know the answer to your question knowing very little about these issues, but would like to bring another tangential issue in. I gather from your post that Bf 109D could operate over Warzaw on september 1. 1939, but many (or most?) couldn´t make it back to base. Previously I thought that only Bf 110 had the range to do it.
So a) what was the effective radius of action of the 109D?, b) was it larger than 109E?, and c) did the Luftwaffe staff misjudge the effective radius of action on the operation you mentioned?

Apologies for the intrusion

Birgir Thorisson,

Re: Werknummer of Doras lost on 1.09.39?
 

Hi,

the combat range of Bf109D was slightly larger than Bf109E:
- Dora could fly some 1 1/3 flight hours
- and Emil some 5/4 flight hours
It was for a mistake made by Luftwaffe (or Luftflotte 1) HQ.
E.g. Lt.Hans-E.Bob from the 3/JG21 (first a sole member of this flight) reached his base (Rostken) with the last drops of fuel.

Regards

Robert

Re: Werknummer of Doras lost on 1.09.39?
 

Thank you Robert.
However, if Dora had an endurance of 80 minutes, and Emil of 75, then, bearing in mind higher cruising spead of Emil, the operational radius would depend on the portion of endurance needed to form up, and reserved for combat and safety margin.
It is surprising to me that, given the difference in weight and hp, the Dora has only 5 minutes on the Emil in endurance.

Birgir Thorisson.

Re: Werknummer of Doras lost on 1.09.39?
 

AFAIK less fuel in Dora, 337l, compared to Emil with 400l of internal fuel.