Surviving Bf109E-3 Condor Legion 6-88 (+photos)

[markjsheppard]

Hi all

Trying to find out more on this aircraft. Hopefully a Condor Legion expert frequents this board or even a Spanish Historian.

Bf109E-3 coded 6-88 and (later C4K-66) served with the Spanish Air Force from 1938 until 1957 so must be the longest operational Bf109!

It was also the first of forty-four E models to join the Spanish Air Force.

In total (From Peter DuPont) lists - Anyone know who is is?

A short resume of the early Bf 109s in Spain:
Prototypes: 6-1 -6-3
Series: B1 6-4 -6-18
B2 6-19 to 6-58
C1 6-59 to 6-78
D1 6-79 to 6-87

My assumtions for the 44 E Models.
E1/3 6-88 to 6-132

Rob Lamplough brought a load of scrap metal from an airfield in Spain in 1983 and in the middle of pots and pans etc was this Bf109. He outbid a scrapman but went on to sell the pot and pans to the loser!

Clearly on the tail can be seen 6-88.

I am trying to establish when this E-3 was built (essumed to be end of 1938 or early 1939), who manufactured it and the W.Nr. Is it the oldest surviving Bf109?

There is a photo out there of Hitler in Spain at a parade with Franco? and in the background is rows of Bf109's including 6-88. Anyone seen this photo?

Anyway, looking over the airframe next week to find out more. Any snippets of information anyone might have would be a great help.

regards

Mark

[markjsheppard]

Photos did not upload for some reason. Will try again later.

[Falcon]

Hi Mark,

do you know this website?
http://www.zi.ku.dk/personal/drnash/...ain/bf109.html

There is a good view on the sources about the spanish Bf 109's. There is no source writing about a Bf 109 E with 6-132. Whats your source for that?

I hope you will be able to post the pictures of that scrapped Bf 109 E from Rob Lamplough.

A known Werknummer of a Spanish/Legion Condor Bf 109 is the WNr. 790, I think you know this plane:
http://www.bf-109.de/web.php?lang=en...abe&flugzeug=4

I have read a report of the museum, but I don't got it. I remember that this plane was rebuild by the use of different parts from other Bf 109 E's. And there are other Werknummern on the wings. But there is no way to set the WNr. to a 6-xxx code.

I hope in the future, the archive of the Hispano Aviacion company will be open. Possible that there are more informations?! But then we need a Spanish historian. There are many mystics about the LC and the later Buchons.

Regards,
David

[ChrisS]

Originally Posted by markjsheppard

Hi all

Is it the oldest surviving Bf109?

There is a photo out there of Hitler in Spain at a parade with Franco? and in the background is rows of Bf109's including 6-88. Anyone seen this photo?

Mark

Hi Mark

The following is the oldest but is very poor shape but under restoration:

Bf 109B/V10a Wknr. 1010 (D-IAKO) at Obserschleisseim near Munich, Germany

I have no period photo of 6-88 in Spain and this remains a gap in my photo collection, although I do have most of the others. But I did inspected 6-88 when displayed at Shoreham in the 1980s and the whole airframe was very badly corroded, much of the skin was paper thin. Robs, at one time, was considering scraping her because there was no hope of restoration. Still now you can make replica Bf 109's so restoring a real example to fly isn't important.

Regards

Chris

[Falcon]

Here is a picture of the 6-88, the source is given...
http://www.me109.info/display.php?a=e&fid=1545

Btw, is it sure that the 6-88 was an E-3? The photo show no MG FF from this angle of view. Got Rob Lamplough also parts of the wings with the bulges for the MG FF drums? But this will be not clue, that this plane was build as E-3. Possible it was later equipped with MG FF and got so the E-3 status.

V10a...
http://www.bf-109.de/web.php?lang=en...abe&flugzeug=8

[Andy Saunders]

My recall may be incorrect, but the engine pick-up points on this aircraft seemed all wrong for a DB and I wondered if it may have been a Jumo version? Also, there was (is) a very large steel balance weight in the rear fuselage that I have not previously seen on 109 E's.

[markjsheppard]

Guys

Thanks for all the feedback.

Nice photo of 6-88.

I suppose after 20 years of service a lot of changes might occur, least not replacement of the wings?

I suppose I should have said the oldest Emil or lowest W.Nr?

Going down to see her on Wednesday so will have a good look over.

regards

Mark

Still can't upload even though below the size limit and have space available?

[markjsheppard]

Some photos on another site.

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=99006

regards

Mark

[Andy Saunders]

Here is the 109 in question.....


Well.....it would be....except that uploading images to the forum no longer seems possible. Has anyone else encountered this problem??

[Clint Mitchell]

Yep most of the day!

Clint