Book Review (with corrections and expansions) of Jan Forsgren: Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun (Mushroom Yellow Series No. 6132)

[Sergio Luis dos Santos]

Just a question. W.Nr. 1139 is a B-1 too?

[INM@RLM]

Sergio, my apologies, I should have pointed out in the earlier post that W.Nr. 987, PP-VAJ was indeed a Bf 108 B-1. Basically after the seven B-0 Nullserie, W.Nr. 871 to 877 (each also assigned a B Versuchsnummer ID) every other Bf 108 B-series aircraft was built to the Bf 108 B-1 standard current at the time of manufacture.
A handful are reported in service as Bf 108 B-2s. As yet I've found no definitive documentation to account for the change in sub-type. However, I have a suspicion that the B-2 designation could be associated with the fitting of a Messerschmitt MeP 7 variable pitch propeller. (Forsgren makes this link on p.56 but restricts it to just the B-2/trop variant, whilst the explanation given for the B-2 on p.53 there is indubitably incorrect.)
Peter Schmoll makes no reference to any Bf 108 B-models being completed at Regensburg in a trop variant. So likely all these were post-delivery modifications applied 'randomly' to individual examples simply on the basis that these were available for issue when tropicalised aircraft were required.
The MeP 7 seems to have been offered as an optional 'extra' to non-RLM customers. (So people willing to pay more for extra performance.) This propeller is the most likely explanation for the pre-1945 photographs, frequently of Bf 108s retained for company use by Messerschmitt, showing examples with a smoothly contoured spinner. This design of spinner is markedly different to the stepped shape of the fixed-blade Heine prop standard on most Bf 108 Bs. To complicate matters further, the spinners shown in the side view paintings of the Forsgren title are almost always portrayed inaccurately, and are best ignored for this aspect.

Your reference to W.Nr. 1139 intrigues. I have this as the first W.Nr. in an order for 50 Ju 87s placed with BFW but cancelled before construction began. Of these 50 I currently have only the last four being back-filled, W.Nr. 1185 - 1188 being later assigned to the four Me 209 Versuchs, V-1 to V-4. Grateful for whatever details you can add on W.Nr. 1139.

[Sergio Luis dos Santos]

It was clear to me from the earlier post that W.Nr. 987 was a B-1 and was registerd in Brazil as a B-0. No problem!


I asked about the W.Nr. 1139 but after reading you info about the Stuka I have just checked Rivas book and indeed its listed there as being 1129 is its clear the data I had about the D-IBFW had a wrong W.Nr.!