"Recco" Bf 109

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Clostermann book is a fantastic reading, and probably the first piece of aviation history that most of the users of this forum read first, but it is not an accurate history book at all.

Dates and chronology are not respected, events are exagerated and so on.

This book is now really old, and much better research is possible now than at the time it was written, so no wonder it is outdated and inaccurate on today standards.

[George Hopp]

This is based on memory and on his log book. In any operational situation, it is easy to gain or lose a day or two. And, as the hero in your own life, you naturally want to apear the part. So, yes, I agree that it is a great book to read, and really makes you feel like you're in the cockput alongside him. But, if you want just the facts, go to Wood's or others claims and casualties listings.

The markings on the a/c may have been white on light blue. I don't think they would dare fly a/c without any markings at all.

Carrying those double drop tanks caused real vibration problems for the a/c according to a report of 15.5.43. So that the a/c could only be safely flown between 250 and 420 km/h. Above that speed the wing would start vibrating, getting worse with increased speed. In the end, the best solution they found was to use a 2-part fairing to streamline the entire area between the wing and the fuel tanks. This removed the vibrations from the wing, and increased the a/c speed by 29 km/h. With the unfaired drop-tank mounting the a/c lost 55 km/h, compared to the clean a/c (in this case a G-4/R3); and with the fairings it lost 26 km/h. Needless to say, and sad to say, the fairing was never produced in quantity.

[Graham Boak]

The comment about the vibration is very interesting, but it is worth remembering that the vibration would be affected by the equivalent airspeed (allowing for the reduced density), not the ground speed. At high altitude, i.e. on operations, the aircraft would be flying at comparatively low equivalent airspeed. So it is unlikely to have been operationally limiting for the Scapa mission. At lower levels, yes.

[George Hopp]

You're right, vibrating wings would be the least of his problems, knowing that he was hauling 55 kph worth of extra drag in those wing tanks and their mountings, and that he really didn't stand a chance against the Spitfires on his tail.