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Bf 109 G-6/trop:
Some sources state that the Bf 109 G-6, like the
Bf 109 G-4, was exclusively produced with trop-
ical equipment. This is most likely a speculative
error, possibly caused by the fact that all G-6s
produced could be fitted with a dust filter on the
supercharger air intake. But only part of Bf 109
G-6 production was produced with full tropical
equipment. There were 277 aircraft with pro-
duction numbers 15290 to 15 499 built between
March and May, 1943 at Erla, and 338 machines
with production numbers
16 313 and 16 650 built be-
tween February and April,
1943 at Messerschmittt.
Also, 903 aircraft in the
18 000 production block
were produced between
April and July, 1943, again
by Messerschmittt. At WNF,
262 machines in production block 140 000 were
produced between September and December,
1943 with tropical equipment, as well as most of
the 1,419 Bf 109 G-6/U4s in production blocks 440
000 to 442 000, produced from September 1943 to
August, 1944. Conversely, the Bf 109 G-6/U4 from
production block 510 000 apparently did not have
the tropical equipment fitted. Machines built as
the Bf 109 G-6/trop are externally recognizable
by the two sunshade mounting brackets on the
right side of the fuselage below the windscreen
(23) and dust filter on the supercharger air intake
(24). And take note, a number of these were not
equipped with a dust filter in service!
Example: Bf 109G-6/R6/trop, Oblt. Emil Josef Clade,
7./ JG 27, Kalamaki, Greece, January 1944
Bf 109G-6 Nightfighter:
Schlechtwetter-Nachtjäger
A number of Bf 109 G-6s from various produc-
tion blocks and various production variations
were modified for blind and poor weather flying.
They were deployed by Wilde Sau units, carrying
out target of opportunity night intercepts. They
fought mainly against squadrons of four-engine
bombers and RAF Mosquitoes flying at night.
These aircraft received special equipment:
• FuG 16 ZY radio equipment, enabling the Pegasus Y
guidance system to be used. These machines had
a Morane-type whip antenna (Moranmast) either under
the fuselage or under the left wing (25).
• Some of the aircraft were equipped with the FuBl 2
(Funk Blindanlage 2) system with a dipole antenna
under the rear fuselage (26), commonly associated
from twin-engined heavy fighters and bombers.
• On the lower surface of the wing, downward aimed
lights were placed to help determine the height of the
aircraft during landing. Shining at an obtuse angle to
the plane’s axis below the plane, the beams’ conver-
gence on the airfield surface gave the pilot his height.
• Some aircraft had infrared lamps.
• The exhausts had sheet metal anti-glare shields (27),
and the first exhaust pipe was fitted with Ebersprächer
whistles (28), which produced a screeching sound to
alert anti-aircraft gun operators around the home
airfield that an approaching aircraft was a friendly.
HISTORY
INFO Eduard
19
January 2024