[kglass]

Hello Franck,

Presently there are 16 known Bf-109V and A airframes that were delivered to Spain. All were originally marked similarly soon after arrival, as far as is currently known from photos. I do not believe one can identify with any certainty the matricule of the plane shown in the new photo from eBay that you posted the URL for above. At least not using the limited data available in that and other Bf-109V/A photos I am aware of. Hopefully another image of this plane from a more advantageous viewing angle will come forward one day.


One small detail in the new photo is the gray scale of the metal spinner cap fitted onto the front of the wooden prop. It appears in the new photo as a darker shade of gray than the bare wood color visible on the conical wooden base of the spinner. It may perhaps be only the play of reflected light off the curved surfaces, but note the metal spinner cap appears the same gray scale as the unpainted prop blade root in view. This is an unusual combination that does not appear in other photos available to me of the Bf-109V/As in Spain. Most photos showing this detail well also present a metal spinner cap in a distinctly lighter shade of gray than the wooden base of the spinner.


If one assumes those servicing these planes did not often repaint their metal spinner caps, one can (using photos now available) rule out the following nine matricules, all pictured with their metal spinner caps finished in a color having a lighter gray scale than the bare wood color of their prop hub base. o6-1, o6-2, o6-3, o6-7, o6-8, o6-9, o6-10, o6-12 and o6-14. But then Ltn. H. Trautloft had the spinner cap of o6-1 painted in a bright appearing color, or perhaps it was polished aluminum. From that we know Bf-109 spinners were getting personal adornments as early as the winter of 1936/'37. So my assumption above does not apply in every case. I have not seen sufficiently advantageous photos (from a favorable viewing angle) for any of the following Bf-109A matricules, in order to rule them out as possible contenders for the identity of the plane in this new photo. o6-4, o6-5, o6-6, o6-11, o6-13, o6-15 or o6-16. I have not seen any photos showing matricules o6-5 or o6-13 carrying the 2.J/88 unit insignia. Available photos of both show only their right sides in view, and that for o6-5 only after it was re-assigned to 1.J/88 and refitted with a metal prop.


The next point of interest to me concerns the matricule assigned to the Bf-109V-4. I assume it was given o6-1, based on what I have read in the literature on the subject. If one reviews past literature you find a lot of apparent confusion on which matricules were assigned to the currently known three Bf-109V airframes sent to Spain. Hopefully the experts on such have by now and ‘for certain’ determined the correct allocation of matricules to the prototype airframes. I understand them to be as follows: Bf-109V-1 was o6-1, Bf-109V-3 was o6-2 and Bf-109V-6 was o6-3. The early literature has frequent citing’s of four prototypes being sent to Spain and a jumble of differing matricule assignments to the various prototypes. It is now known there was at least one ‘off the ledger’ prototype held by the Augsburg or Regensburg assembly plants, the Bf-109V-10a. Is it possible the early confusion in the literature as to the number of prototypes delivered to Spain arose from similar shenanigans or perhaps a ‘bonus’ airframe was built up in Spain out of spare parts?


I posted a query at the pre WWII message board on Sept. 5, 2012 asking if any new photos of the Bf-109V-3, V-4 and V-6 prototypes were known, seen while still carrying their civil registrations. No replies have yet been posted. Does anyone know if more such photos have become available, since Radinger & Schick’s book: Messerschmitt Bf 109 A-E, The World’s most Produced Fighter From Bf 109 A to E that was published in 1999?


Regards,
Ken Glass