Me 109 E-4, 15 Aug 1940, 3/ErpGr210

[Andy Saunders]

I have just been ploughing through the notebooks of an RAF Intelligence Officer and came up with his entry about visiting the wreck of Lt Horst Marx's Me 109 at Frant. In the wreck he found a data plate inscribed:

8.109. 12. 5301.G
3537 9

From my knowledge of similar plates I would conclude that 3537 is the W.Nr as it seems to "fit" as an E-4 and the W.Nr of this a/c does not seem to have been previously noted.

Perhaps John Vasco or Peter Cornwell can comment?

Andy Saunders

[Peter Cornwell]

Andy,

To paraphrase Dowding - 'Gosh!'. An intriguing snippet of information.

Given the impeccable source I won't discount the possibility but have some concerns. Werk Nummer 3537 was manufactured as an E-1 sub-type by Arado at Warnemunde &, as we know, MARX was reported lost flying an E-4/B. Also, a piece of wreckage recovered at the crash site is clearly stamped '1996' which was an E-4 manufactured by Erla in Leipzig.

This could set some hares running.

[Andy Saunders]

Peter

Interesting! As you know, it is not unknown for various sub-assembly plates etc to carry W.Nr's of other aircraft. I have seen and found several examples of this, and so on its own 3537 could be regarded only as a possibility, I suppose. However, 1996 does rather muddy the waters somewhat.

Do we know where the number was stamped and on what piece of wreckage?

Andy

[Peter Cornwell]

Andy,

Just a scrap of dural I believe. I will send you an email image.