Bf-109s: how common are restorable examples?
Join Date: Nov 2001
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From what I have read by the people who flew behind DB 601-605's, German or Finnish, there was never any suggestion that they considered them unreliable in service. Interestingly I have seen a comment about the Spitfire which was re engineered with a DB 605A that the view over the front was much better and although there were differences in performance, they were down to the lower wing loading of the Spitfire.
I think that the difference in current operating problems compared to the Merlin is that the Merlin has had a continuous experience of operating and maintenance since WW2 which the DB has not, apart from the Saab J 21. I agree that inverted engines always seem to generate some operating problems with oiling but if you got a better sightline for deflection shooting, this was an operational advantage. Unfortunately, the 109 seemed to throw away this advantage by it's extremely restrictive cockpit.
I think that the difference in current operating problems compared to the Merlin is that the Merlin has had a continuous experience of operating and maintenance since WW2 which the DB has not, apart from the Saab J 21. I agree that inverted engines always seem to generate some operating problems with oiling but if you got a better sightline for deflection shooting, this was an operational advantage. Unfortunately, the 109 seemed to throw away this advantage by it's extremely restrictive cockpit.
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Mr FAStoat, I do understand English, which btw is written with a capital E, and did read your post with a lot of thought. There were no German Bf109s or other Luftwaffe aircraft fleeing from Russia and flown to Finland and deliberately or otherwise landed in Finnish soil. Several crashed in Lapland for various reasons, shot down or otherwise. Actually, in the autumn of 1944 Finland was obliged to declare war to Germany, and throw all German troops out of northern Finland. This period is known here as the "Lapland War".
MT-507 was restored in Rissala, and probably was potentially a flyer. The engine was run publicly during an airshow there in the early seventies. I was there, can never forget the sound. But this was not an "escaped" Luftwaffe airplane, but an example of Finnish AF Bf109s, delivered during 1943 - 44. It is still extant in the Finnish AF museum at Luonetjärvi AFB, in pristine condition, as is MT-452, preserved at Utti AFB. The story about Germans fleeing as far as they could from Russia and landing in Finland is total BS. There is a book published in Finland, which details every single airplane wreck in Lapland, and I can tell you that there is absolutely nothing worth salvaging there anymore. Everything worth anything has been taken to the appropriate museums, except for things "stolen" by souvenir hunters years ago.
Regarding the Ripon, the Finnish AF operated a total of 26 of them, one bought from Blackburn with hard cash, the rest having been built by the State Aircraft Factory (Valtion Lentokonetehdas) on licence bought from Blackburns, RI-140 being one of the latter. This example was delivered to the AF on 12.11.1931 and was struck off cahrge on 20.9.1943 with a total of 1261 hours 30 min flown.
The last flight by a Ripon in Finland was, amazingly, on 16.2.1945!
You did not strike a nerve, I just want to have the facts correct, OK? (I do understand that your visit here was a few decades ago, and memory does play tricks...)
MT-507 was restored in Rissala, and probably was potentially a flyer. The engine was run publicly during an airshow there in the early seventies. I was there, can never forget the sound. But this was not an "escaped" Luftwaffe airplane, but an example of Finnish AF Bf109s, delivered during 1943 - 44. It is still extant in the Finnish AF museum at Luonetjärvi AFB, in pristine condition, as is MT-452, preserved at Utti AFB. The story about Germans fleeing as far as they could from Russia and landing in Finland is total BS. There is a book published in Finland, which details every single airplane wreck in Lapland, and I can tell you that there is absolutely nothing worth salvaging there anymore. Everything worth anything has been taken to the appropriate museums, except for things "stolen" by souvenir hunters years ago.
Regarding the Ripon, the Finnish AF operated a total of 26 of them, one bought from Blackburn with hard cash, the rest having been built by the State Aircraft Factory (Valtion Lentokonetehdas) on licence bought from Blackburns, RI-140 being one of the latter. This example was delivered to the AF on 12.11.1931 and was struck off cahrge on 20.9.1943 with a total of 1261 hours 30 min flown.
The last flight by a Ripon in Finland was, amazingly, on 16.2.1945!
You did not strike a nerve, I just want to have the facts correct, OK? (I do understand that your visit here was a few decades ago, and memory does play tricks...)
