con-pilot

A restored ME-109 is flying around the pattern today here in Oklahoma City at Wiley Post (KPWA) airport.

I'm not sure but I believe it is the first, if not one the first flights since the aircraft has been restored. sounds like it has a Rolls Royce Merlin engine installed.

It took off and made a couple of high speed passes; watched it from my office, look really great.

Batchy

It could be the CAF Buchon N109ME which has been under rebuild for the last few years. Was the aircraft in North Africa markings.

Just checked FAA web site and N109ME was issued a temporary certificate on the 19/5/04 , that lasts until the 18/6/04.

This is great news if it is N109ME.

Batchy.



Photo credit Air Venture 18/5/04

Woomera

Merlin engine - would that not make it a post war Spanish Hispano Aviación HA-1112, or would it be a re-engined German Bf 109/Me 109?

I also Googled this intrigueing fact: Designed by Willie Messerschmitt in 1934, the Bf 109 was first flown in September 1935. This prototype was powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel in-line engine because the engine that the Bf 109 was designed for, the Junkers Jumo 210, was not yet available.

RabbitLeader

Yay! Another Buchon flying! Great stuff! Would be great to see a formation:

Harold Kindsvater's N109W;
CAF's N109ME;
Cavanaugh Museum's N109GU; and
Planes of Fame's N700E

(Maybe the makers of "The Few" are eyeing these up?! )

con-pilot

Batchy, that certainly looks like the airplane, in fact that picture you posted looks like it was taken on the terminal ramp here at Wiley Post (KPWA). This ME-109 has been around here for quite a while with no rudder. Guess what, it just took off again as I was writing this post and looking again I am sure it is the same airplane as in the picture.

Woomera, I really can’t tell you which engine modification it has, only that when it first took off I heard it before I saw it and I thought it was one of the P-51s. It might be one of the former Spanish Air Force ME-109s that was used in the making of the “Battle of Britain”, I believe they had Rolls Royce Merlin engines.

RabbitLeader

Yes it is a former Spanish AF Buchon, fitted with a Merlin engine.

The CAF bought four Buchons prior to filming and leased them to the film company.

Three of the aircraft were (latest/last registrations shown):

N109W (now with Harold Kindsvater)
NX8575 (crashed 1988)
N109ME (now flying)

Woomera

Now I'm even more mystified.

Is the aircraft a Hispano HA-1112 Buchón?

treadigraph

Yep, definitely a Buchon (assuming it is the one in Batchy's pic). However I believe that some had Messerschmitt built airframes, assembled in Spain?

And if I remember correctly, the early HA-1112s also had the DB engine, but spares become something of a problem (!) - hence the change to the Merlin! Anyone confirm that and elaborate on the story?

Batchy

Following on from Treadigraph,

In 1943 Hispano Aviacion acquired a licence from Messerschmitt to build the Me 109 G2, as part of the deal Messerschmitt stipulated that the first 25 aircraft were to be built in Germany.

Unfortunately when the aircraft arrived in Spain, they were missing their engines as well as other significant parts. Hispano decided that the best way forward was to modify the aircraft so that an indigenous engine could be fitted. Originally the 1,300 hp Hispano Suiza engine was installed, these aircraft were designated HA-1112 K1L.

It was later decided that the airframe could take the more powerful 1,602 hp Merlin 500/45. Over 170 Buchons were eventually fitted with the Merlin, these were designated HA-1112 M1L.

Batchy


This photo depicts one of three Buchons converted to Messerstang's for the 1970 film Patton.
Photo Chris Pointon.

[IMG]

treadigraph

What he said!

Batchy - by your location, we inhabit the same square mm of the world - fancy a beer?

Onan the Clumsy

But but...

Why on earth would you have to 'convert' a 109 into a P51 - especially in 1970?

I would have thought there would have been many more of the latter available.

RabbitLeader

To make it look like a P-51B?