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

[Sergio Luis dos Santos]

I also have another doubt or mistake. I have D-IONO as being W.Nr. 988 and Rivas list it as being W.Nr. 1914.



D-IONO arrived in Brasil by airship on 29/05/1936 but if W.Nr. 1914 is correct the data shows it was delivered in 1938. In my files I have it listed as being 988 so being delivered in 1937(or 1936 of course).

[INM@RLM]

Thank you for those clarifications, Sergio. Yes, you're entirely right in your observations on the sequencing of Bf 108 W.Nr. through time.

D-IONO delivered on the Hindenburg as W.Nr. 988 makes perfect sense and fits neatly alongside W.Nr. 987 delivered to Varig in 1936 from the same batch of seven (W.Nr. 987 to 993). All other sources I've seen through the years never identify a W.Nr. for D-IONO. So this - and for those of my particular mindset - is pretty brilliant and exciting stuff.

Grateful please for whatever details you can lay out regarding the source reference(s) linking the Hindenburg D-IONO to W.Nr. 988.

As you highlighted, the linking in Tincopa+Rivas of W.Nr. 1914 with D-IONO and the Dec-36 arrival of this aircraft on LZ-Hindenburg is an error by Tincopa+Rivas.

To be clear, the D-IONO code could indeed have been assigned twice and the second assignment could have been to this Regensburg Bf 108 with W.Nr. 1914. However, that was not the W.Nr. of the D-IONO that arrived on the Hindenburg, which was built in the early days of Bf 108 production, all still concentrated at Augsburg.

I've also recently tripped over the point that W.Nr. 990 from this same batch was D-IRNU and in 1937 became the Messerschmitt company development aircraft for the MeP 7 two-blade variable pitch propeller [Schwarz blades, 2,350 mm diameter). First flight with the new propeller was 8 July 1937. [text Radinger+Schick: Bf 109 A-E (Schiffer) p.128]

With your W.Nr. 988 and J-BACC confirmed as W.Nr 993 that now means we have five out of seven aircraft identified from this mini-batch. Marvellous stuff, considering we are looking back more than 80 years. :-)

[Sergio Luis dos Santos]

Hi. I found that the info for the W.Nr. 988 to D-IONO comes from researcher Günther Ott that lists it as being a B-0... Unfortunately the images I have (from eBay) from this machine being stored on Hindenburg do not shows its W.Nr.

[INM@RLM]

Thank you for that, Sergio. Günther Ott's research is first rate, indeed ultra-reliable.

I guess this came from a magzine article then? If you have an exact reference please PM it to me (or post it here for all). Many thanks.

[Sergio Luis dos Santos]

Originally Posted by INM@RLM

Thank you for that, Sergio. Günther Ott's research is first rate, indeed ultra-reliable.

I guess this came from a magzine article then? If you have an exact reference please PM it to me (or post it here for all). Many thanks.

I just have a text where Günther sent me various corrections and additional information to help my research and to update my first book manuscript.

[INM@RLM]

Thank you again, Sergio. All clear now. Unfortunately Günther does not seem to publish much. So be it. :-)