Eberhardt Gzik´s machine

[FalkeEins]

..are you aware that Mr Sundin illustrated the French edition of the JG 300 history? The authors' supervised his work so that a number of the JG 300 artworks he had rendered previously - and which can be found on the net - underwent considerable improvement. In my view these are some of the best Luftwaffe fighter side views yet created ...

[John Beaman]

FalkeEins is correct about GZik's machine. Early production G-14/AS machines did not have the "bumps" under the lower cowling as was typical of MTT machines. As with so many other things "109", Erla took their own path.

[Angantyr]

Yes, I have heard that the first production G-14/AS did not have the under-cowling "bump", and Gziks machine shows no sign of these. However, for some reason I completely forgot the picture of him in the cockpit, where the "box" brought about by the MW50 system is clearly showing, thereby identifying it as a G-14, maybe it´s old age setting in?

Thank you for your information!

All the best!

Angantyr

[veltro]

Originally Posted by John Beaman

FalkeEins is correct about GZik's machine. Early production G-14/AS machines did not have the "bumps" under the lower cowling as was typical of MTT machines. As with so many other things "109", Erla took their own path.

Well, John, this is a case where (strangely) it was MTT to take its own path...

In fact, there was absolutely no need for a DB 605 AS engine of the two "chin" bulges, which were requested only by the DB 605 D, as they were associated to a new (enlarged) water tubing running just below the engine in that point and requesting more "depth"...

The Erla G-14/ASs (identified as "early" because their production ceased rather soon) correctly had the standard lower cowl (their own path was resumed when the production of their G-10s was planned, since they redesigned a completely new lower cowl rather than adopt the "chin" bulges....)

MTT instead, apparently with no technical reason, adopted for the G-14/ASs of their production, the lower "twin-chin bulged" cowl which for so many years was associated to the so-called "standard" G-10 and to the K-4. I repeat, with no technical reason, as it is proved by several photographs of abandoned/captured G-14/ASs (identified also by the lower oil filler point which meant the old "horseshoe" oil tank associated with the AS engine) with the lower "chin-bulged" cowl open and absolutely no trace of the protuding tubing which was to be associated with it...

The only reason for this choice seems to have been the wide availability of those types of lower cowls already used in the production of the K-4 which was by late 1944 the only other version produced by MTT.

A few years ago I posted a thread with photographs in another forum, but I guess it is all gone by now...

[Angantyr]

Oh yes, Sundins profiles is among the best in the buissness, no argument there, however, among the latest updates on his homepage, there was the "G-10/AS" again, complete with Wnr 490642, I assume that was an oversight on his behalf.

Thank you for taking the time to answer,

All the best!

Angantyr