The Differences Between Bf-109 and Bf-190

The Difference between Bf-190 and Bf-109 in WW2

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In World War II, before the army uses Fw-190 and Me-262 as the fighter aircraft in air battle, Bf-190 and Bf-109 were two of the most famous fighter aircraft in Nazi Germany. According to Cross said in his memoirs in 1976,“They often appeared together in the air battle of Germany. These two aircraft were all designed by Messerschmitt and they were all fighter jet. Their appearances are similar to each other, too.”,we can find out that Bf-109 and Bf-190 are similar to each other. But although Bf-109 and Bf-190 often fight against the enemy together and they are all fighter aircraft, their design has absolute differences, and on the surface at least, they seem totally opposite.

This essay just gives some differences between these two fighter aircraft. Firstly this essay will make a general over view of these two aircraft. Secondly, it will make a comparison between their flying range, their low-flying maneuverability and high altitude function and which kind of war they are expert in. Finally it will make comparison between their firepower.

2.0 A general over view of Bf-109 and Bf-190

They are renowned for their excellent performance and the total number of aircraft they destroyed. Only the Bf-109 there were 33984 planes was manufactured in WW2.(Hickman, 2013) What Bf-109 first flew in the sky was on May.29th, 1935.(Hickman, 2013) And it begins to serve in the army in 1937 and retire from Nazi Germany military service in 1945 and last retired in 1965 in Spain.(Hickman, 2-13) Bf-190 appeared later than it.(Ebert, 2000)

3.0 Flying range

Bf-109 have longer flying range than Bf-190, this makes it could escort bomber aircraft the whole journey, for example, the He-111's flying range is 2300km(Deighton, 1977), Bf-190's range is about 800km(Ebert,2000), Bf-190E with the second fuel tank could keep flying about 1090km(Hickman, 2013). In other words, in Battle of Britain, from Paris to London there is 454.20km(Neulen, 2015). Bf-190 must make a return voyage before escort He-111 arrive England or be at war with Spitfire or Hurricane even if it takes off at the airport which is the nearest one from France to England, but Bf-109 could escort He-111 from Paris to London the whole way. It is crucial that a bomber aircraft has fighter aircraft to escort it, or it will be a target of Spitfire and Hurricane.(Morgan, 2000)

4.0 Low-flying maneuverability&high altitude function

Bomber aircraft are always swarming and flying together. If hostile aircraft flies into the cluster, the fighter aircraft have to dogfight with enemy aircraft. Bf-109 did better than Bf-190 in dog fighting. It's dogfighting ability owed to its stable low-flying maneuverability, and it has shorter turning radius than average aircraft(Hickman, 2013). Therefore, when two aircraft swirl around each other, it can arrive enemy aircraft's tail earlier than an enemy and shoot it down because the rear of the aircraft has no guns to attack other aircraft and some of the aircraft even have fuel tank at the tail(Mermatt, 1999). This point of view is more benefit to the aircraft than in other direction.

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