Galland's Bf 109E-4/N, late 1940

[CJE]

On some photographs, it seems to have the MG 17s reinstalled inboard of the MG FFs. Same for Müncheberg in Sicily.
Can someone confirm this fact?
Were some great JG 26 aces disappointed by the fire power of the 109?

[Kuba Plewka]

No no, it's a blinded MG 17 blast tube you see. MG 17 and MG-FF wasn't installed in the same place. While the wing was standarized for both kind of weapon, two fitting points in main wing spar were prepared. If MG-FF was installed, the hole where normally the blast tube for MG 17 was blinded. It seems, that sometimes it was patched with a soft material (fabric?).

[CJE]

Sure?

Can you see the attached file? It's the first time I try to attach one and I don't know if I did it right.

[SMF144]

I can see the attachment.

Stephen

[olefebvre]

The Emil wing could not accomodate both weapons at the same time.
Usualy E-1 later converted to E-3/E-4/E-7 standards had their MG-17 holes covered by a metal sheet, it's visible on several pictures.
Wknr 5819 is odd since it was produced as an E-4/B but with the MG-17 holes still opened, they are just taped over. It might be specific to this small WNF batch.

[Kuba Plewka]

I'd rather say, that in every wing this hole for MG 17 was cut and the "Verschlussdeckel" is listed in Ersatzteil-Liste from Januar 1941. Possibly, even when MG 17 were not installed in new built machines, the wing leading edge covering didn't change.
Maybe this soft patch is a remainder of coversion?

[olefebvre]

Yes sorry of course the E-1 conversion used the same "patch" as the a/c produced as E-3/E-4... My point was that E-1 MG-17 holes were usualy faired over when conversion occured, but that was not very clear.
This a/c was no conversion, it was built from scratch as an E-4/B as underlined by its Wknr, there are other pictures of this a/c wings' leading edge showing the MG-17s holes just taped over.

[CJE]

Soft patch? You must be kidding.
It's kind of a fairing over the edges of the trough hole!
What for if there is no machine-gun inside?

[CJE]

Galland.
Same installation.
If the bays were empty why has he not faired them over?
How come a Kommodore can fly with drag-inducing holes on his aircraft leading edges?

[olefebvre]

According to Mtt test the fairing did not make much change if any in the performance department.
It was impossible to fit both weapons at the same time, the 60 rounds MG-FF Drum took over the space occupied by the MG-17, moreover the belt for the MG-17 would not have fit as well.

Btw do you have Müncheberg's a/c Wknr at hands ?