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Re: Me 109F development
Just happened across this old thread on the Bf 109F, and found the following items in my binders on the aircraft:
On 25 April 1939, tested cockpit temperatures up to 8 km altitude in 109F V22, W.Nr. 1800, D-IRRQ.
A report on the air testing of V22, on 1 and 2 Jun 39, of a revised supercharger air intake.
So, if they were flight testing the prototype 109F in Spring 1939, it's a pretty good guess that they began work on the model in 1938.
On 20.3.40 Rechlin tested W.Nr. 5603 (Thoenes and Beauvais were the pilots). It was noted that greater force was needed to move the controls than in the 109E, and a decrease of these forces would be desirable.
At the other end of the spectrum, I have a report on flight testing the Me 109-F2 (sic) to assess the elastic properties of the wing on the rolling velocity and rolling acceleration during aileron operation. It was completed in June 1944!
Here is a page from a 1943 document that indicates changes made to Bf 109 F 1/2 aircraft, specifically the rear fuselage supporting the tail unit, and it should give a pretty good listing of W.Nrs. for these aircraft. Notice that Arado production begins with 5401. Also, it appears that they have lumped in the F-0s with the F-1s and F-2s.
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