[Rabe Anton]

Servus, Dénes!

Concerning the Roumanian Bf 109E-3 that became an E-7, there's just no explaining the obstinancy of some folks, is there?!

I just checked an official wartime RLM document stating that the Messerschmitt Bf 109E carried by the Roumanian AF as No. 64 was an E-7 subtype, just as you have indicated. Werknummer was 704. Obviously an older E-3 that became an E-7.


My own research indicates that the Luftwaffe and the RLM pursued a universal program to convert all airworthy E-1s, E-3s, and E-4s into E-7s after 1940. I further suspect that there was not one comprehensive technical change order which included all mods necessary for conversion to an E-7 but that there might have been phases or stages of modification. Naturally, also, the conversions were not accomplished overnight, but by 1942-1943 it is unusual to find a "live" E-1, E-3, or E-4 carried in loss records or unit inventories. The preponderance of E-7s in training school reports is especially interesting.

Could still be much debate over the Emil canopy configuration. I sort of suspect that the "square" or "flat top" canopy style was prescribed as part of the conversion to an E-7, but for whatever reason was not universally carried out. Another explanation for "round head E-7s" might be that a mandated changeover to the "flat top" canopy came along later after the first E-7 mod orders were issued. On the other hand, I have never seen an E-7 assigned to either 7./JG 26 or I./JG 27 in the MTO that had a "round top" canopy, yet we know with certainty that many, if not most, of these same E-7s were updated E-1s, E-3s, and E-4s that must have originally had them. Something to chew on, perhaps.

RA