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HISTORY
the bottom section of the cowling was smooth
without the two small fairings covering the oil
pump, and the oil tank was also the same as
on the G-6. The difference from the later G-10
came in the oil filler cap on the left side of the
nose immediately above the small air intake
which was in the same location as on the
Bf 109G-6. In the G-10, the cover over the cap
was placed higher due to the increase in size
of the oil tank. The supercharger intake also
remained the same as compared to the G-6,
which was smaller than the later G-10. So that
things weren’t all that simple, some airframes
of later production, or during refurbishment,
received the larger diameter supercharger
intakes and larger Fo 987 oil cooler that
appeared on the Bf 109G-10. The oil coolers of
these aircraft, produced by Erla, had the Erla
specific Fo 987 cover developed for the later
Bf 109G-10. It wasn’t as deep as the same oil
cooler mounted in the G-10 at Mtt. Regensburg
and WNF. The cockpit canopy with a simplified
Erlahaube frame was of the older type with
sharp rear corners of the opening portion,
new-build versions being equipped with
a short antenna mast behind the cockpit. Some
of the G-6 conversions had the mast mounted
on the canopy frame. There were also versions
without a mast altogether. The tailwheel strut
was short and was with or without a dust cover,
and the fairings above the wheel wells were
as they were on the G-6. All aircraft were
equipped with a FuG 25 IFF system with a small
blade antenna on the bottom of the second
fuselage section.
The part of these aircraft that were
designated Bf 109G-6/AS/y were equipped
with a FuG 16ZY DF homing system, the whip
antenna for which was located under the wing
below the fuselage.
Most aircraft had fuselage mounted MG
151/20 cannon, but a number of converted
Bf 109 G-6/U4s were armed with a MK 108
30mm weapon firing through the propeller hub.
These were designated Bf 109 G-6/U4/AS and
according to H.H. Vogt, 153 were produced.
In the Bf 109G-6/AS, the MW50 methanol
water injection system installation was not yet
a standardized feature, and would have been
recognizable by a box shaped opening located
in the rear cockpit wall. Of course, that doesn’t
mean that the MW50 system was not installed
in the Bf 109G-6/AS. Some aircraft were so
equipped. Bf 109G-6/AS aircraft equipped with
MW50 were designated Bf 109G-6/MW50/AS
or Bf 109G-6/U3/AS, and later redesignated as
Bf 109G-14/AS.
Aircraft designated Bf 109 G-6/U2/AS, on
the other hand, were equipped with the
GM-1 injecting nitrous oxide into the engine
cylinders, which increased engine power
above 10,000m (32,800 feet), in contrast to the
MW-50 system, which increased engine power
at lower altitudes of up to 6,000m (19,700 feet).
The Bf 109 G-6/U2/AS was to be built to the
tune of 273 units. In addition to them, 23 photo
reconnaissance Bf 109 G-6/U2/R2/AS were
produced, and probably some Bf 109 G-8/AS
airframes as well, but their production number
is unknown.
As already mentioned in the introduction,
high-altitude Bf 109 G-5s were also converted
to the Bf 109 G-5/AS standard. They were
essentially the same as the G-6/U2/AS, but
there was a larger air intake on the left side
of the fuselage below the cockpit windcsreen
for cockpit ventilation. H.H.Vogt states that
the rear of the engine cowling bulges were
shallower than on the Messerschmitt-built
G-6/AS and G-14/AS. The Bf 109 G-5/AS
equipped with the Erlahaube cockpit canopy
was no longer pressurized, however, it cannot
be ruled out that the functionality of the cockpit
pressurization system was also maintained
with this type of canopy. In any case, silica
gel capsules were still installed in the glass
of the canopy to help prevent fogging of the
glass. Also documented on the Bf 109 G-5/AS is
a special cylindrical tank located on a hanger
beneath the fuselage, which was probably part
of the GM-1 system.
One Bf 109 G-6/AS was converted into a two-
seat Bf 109 G-12/AS trainer. The fuselage code
was DF+CC.
The first aircraft were delivered to units
in April and May, 1944 (III./JG1, I./JG3, I./JG5,
II./JG11), and these were followed by I./NJGr.10,
II./JG27, I./JG1 and III./JG300 in June and July,
1944.
INFO Eduard10
September 2024