Bf109 Neubau 1/44 to 3/45

[ArtieBob]

First, please note the caveats included in my reply on 12 Sept .”The bold numbers represent data that was not specific as to location. In some cases this seems pretty clear as no plant other than WNF built G 8 /R5s. Others are possibly split between more than one location. The overall subtype totals should not change.” “….. the split by plant could be off for Dec 44 , Feb and Mar 45. I had to make a choice of how to present the data, this was my compromise.” In particular, the K-4 production split for Feb and Mar could be off. However, please note the following comments. The first mention of Erla K-4 production block 570000 to 5701000 that I am aware of is Prien and Rodeike’s book. They indicate they were only able to confirm one specific W.Nr., 570362, in that block with BAL acceptance on Feb 16,1945. Because of the “staggered” sequencing of RLM W.Nrs. late in the war, this could be the first K-4 accepted in that block (or not). More documentation is needed, knowing the Stammkennzeichen is helpful, as these generally follow in sequence.



If anyone can confirm any additional W.Nr.s in the 570xxx block, I would be interested.



Best regards,



Artie Bob

[Dmitry Volodin]

Artie,
as I discovered the month totals don't correspond with numbers in table for july 44 through feb 45. Is it mistake?

BR
Dmitry

[ArtieBob]

I will never again post a spreadsheet done in Excel converted to Word. As you are probably aware in excel the totals change automatically with updating of numeric data. When I could not get the Excel table to upload, I converted it to Word and there is where most of my problems started. After correcting the misalignment problem , I manually corrected (I hope) all the subtype totals, but forgot to correct the monthly totals. I did have a crossfoot check field and this actually read OK, so no bells rang. right now, I am not inclined to post a third version of the table, unless there are any futher errors in data. Thanks for pointing out the problem.

Best regards,

Artie Bob

[Ruy Horta]

Artie,

I was wondering why you hadn't posted an Excel sheet in the first place, now I know. I'll make sure that that is solved so you can post the original.

By the time my colleagues at work are done I have at least half a dozen revisions in my mailbox, I am sure this happens to most of us!

Thanks for all your hard work Artie Bob.

EDIT:
I have changed the allowed file extension setup you can now upload an Excel (or Word) file upward to 500k size. Larger files cannot be accepted since this server limits its users to 512k packages for MySQL upload (the silly bxxxxxs).

Sorry that the previous setup caused you so much extra work. We keep learning on the go.

[John P Cooper]

Imformative thread - thanks ArtieBob. If somene kind sole can clairify the following for me I have another peice of the puzzle fall into place!

AB said:

1) Neubau = aircraft accepted immediately off the production line
2) Umbau = aircraft was modified
3) Reparatuer = ?

1) accepted by BAL? If so what is\was BAL
2) modified - does this mean that a factory conversion was completed (Umrust-Bausatze? Additionally is it not considered accepted until the modification was completed and then inspected?)
3) google translation = ???

Regards and sorry for what some of you will consider basic questions.

John

[Falcon]

Originally Posted by John P Cooper

3) Reparatuer = ?

Typing error -> Reparatur

Originally Posted by John P Cooper

3) google translation = ???

It means in english -> fixing

[Kurfürst]

BAL = Luftwaffe`s quality control group. Basically, they rejected planes that did not meet specs.

[ArtieBob]

BAL is the acronym for Bauaufsicht Luft, which means air construction supervision. This was an RLM organization which had personnel stationed at the manufacturer’s plants and in addition to the inspection and approval for delivery of aircraft, might also be involved in obtaining the supply of critical materials or even becoming directly involved in the company’s production methods. IIRC, all the main serial plates I have seen for RLM aircraft had a BAL stamp indicating acceptance.

Umbau translates literally as conversion or reconstruction. The use by the RLM during WWII production refers specifically to conversions not done on the Neubau (new build) production line. The aircraft could actually have a designation indicating “Umbau”, such as a Bf 109 G-6/U4, and be listed as a neubau aircraft if the work was done as part of the new construction process. It appears that if the conversion was done after leaving the assembly plant, then the aircraft would be considered “Umbau”. A good example is the Bf 109 G-5/R2 referred to by Rasmussen in his message of on 12 Sep 05 . These Bf 109 G-5 aircraft were apparently converted to the Bf 109 G5/R2 subtype at the Erla Antwerp repair and modification facility (no new build final assembly was done at this facility during 1944) and 34 Bf 109 Aufklarer from Erla A (Antwerp) appear in the monthly reports for Umbau aircraft for July 1944. These may have been “new” aircraft, with only test flight and ferry time from the Erla final assembly plant at Leipzig to Antwerp, but Umbau is how they were identified by the RLM.

Reparatur is pretty simple ( Yes, I misspelled it earlier), meaning repairs. The RLM meaning was apparently for repair done after acceptance, away from the final assembly point. The basic concept was that production lines should be focused purely on getting new aircraft out the door and modification and repair would be done at facilities which specialized in those activities. Another term used by the RLM was, Instandsetzung, which means repair but also can mean renovate or in USA terms, overhaul.

If you want to get serious about Luftwaffe history, you really must learn to read German and have a good German-English dictionary close at hand. It helps to have a person born in Germany living across the street. Otherwise, you will only be able to read what is available in English and you will be missing a great amount of the best material that is available. Also some of the English versions leave out some of the appendices, etc. that were in the original language editions.

Best regards

Artie Bob

[John P Cooper]

WOW

Thanks for the rapid answers - and a special thanks to ArtieBob for the full explanation. I will take your advice about the good German - English dictionary since Google only seems to give you a very general idea or gets it wrong.

@ ArtieBob - Can you provide more detail on the organizational structure of the BAL and the inspectors. Were the inspectors Luftwaffe personal (engineers) assigned to the BAL? Additionally is there more information available on the stamp or codes used by the inspectors that may provide additional information about and AC or any ancillary details?

Thanks in advance

[Kutscha]

ArtieBob,

you show only 1 G-6/AS listed. I have seen that 226 were new built at Mttr in the block 165000 and this at the end of what was suppose to be the time span the G-6/AS were being built/converted.

Are Prien and Rodeike mistaken?