BF 109E and location of Werkenummers

[Lentomestari]

Messerschmitt BF 109E identification and location of Werkenummers

(Question is about planes main construction number, not part numbers etc.)

I ask some help and information about where to find all possible places BF 109E's have Werkenummers located - stamped or painted. First two places are obvious: main ID-plate and tail left side where WNr. is painted.

Except for the above - where other possible locations WNr. is marked?

Engine cover and gun cover hatches, are there WNr. painted/stamped inside those?
https://cdn2.picryl.com/photo/1940/1...e9572-1024.jpg

Landing gear doors, are there any WNr. stamped?

MG ammunition box - are WNr. painted in it?
https://external-content.duckduckgo....18863e23e79831


Then one question about main ID-plate. What material it is made of. is it possible that it survives if plane is burned down?



Somewhere found this photo about BF 109E WNr.4034. I would want to know where this stamped Werkenummer is located? wings?

[Brian Bines]

I have a radio/first aid panel from a Battle of Britain 109 and the werk nummer is stamped on the inside , I do not know if this was a common practice .

[Revi16]

The werk # could be in many places. Sometimes the werk # was painted on removable panels at the squadron level.
I've heard a story where they found the werk # stamped on the tail wheel bulkhead/frame.


Each aircraft could be in different locations.

[Chris Goss]

Dug up a Bf 110 some years ago and the Wk Nr was stencilled on the engine block

[Lentomestari]

Thanks all for providing information about BF 109 Werkenummers.

[stephen f. polyak]

The great majority of data and identification plates, including main plates, were made from sheet aluminum. Various alloys were used over time. Material availability and production quality declined in the later war years. While aluminum was foremost, there are examples of main plates made from steel and zinc.

[S Sheflin]

Dear Chris,
I want to clarify what you said.
It was the aircraft Werknummer, and not its Motornummer, that was Stenciled on the engine block?
Respectfully,
Steve Sheflin

[Chris Goss]

Aircraft Wk Nr as it matched what was on the K Report

[Stig Jarlevik]

Sorry, but that makes no sense to me

How on earth would an engine manufacturer know which aircraft their engine(s) would end up into?

Also with the number of engine changes, which must have taken place, I doubt the same engine(s)
went back into the same airframe every time.

Neither can I understand why anyone on a unit level would try and fix an aircraft WNr to the
engine.

Cheers
Stig

[Chris Goss]

Stig: Perhaps that is exactly what happened. Field change of a number of engines and roughly stencil aircraft Wk Nr assigned to. All I can say is I was there when the engine was dug up, 3201 was roughly stenciled on one of the engines which matched a list quoted in a K Report i.e. Bf 110 C-4 Wk Nr 3201 3M+LH. Should have taken a photo but it was 30 years ago