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You don't need to doubt that!
There are many reports that the G model didn't maintain major specs for the DB 605 which were specified from DB at the introduction of DB 605.
It is very difficult to say, if it was the aireframe or the engineers of Messerschmitt, but their were some major specs of the DB 605 which couldn't be maintained from Messerschmitt till end of the war neither with the G model nor with K model!
There are many reports that the G model didn't maintain major specs for the DB 605 which were specified from DB at the introduction of DB 605.
It is very difficult to say, if it was the aireframe or the engineers of Messerschmitt, but their were some major specs of the DB 605 which couldn't be maintained from Messerschmitt till end of the war neither with the G model nor with K model!
One of the top fighters, absolutely. The best fighter, no. In terms of flight characteristics I'd contend overall it was a bit better than the P-38J (run for cover!) at least as good as pre-paddleprop P-47s and a little somewhat inferior to the Spit IX. The German's had also trumped it themselves with the Fw190, at low to medium altitudes at least. Nonetheless, the writing was on the wall for the 109; the P38L and P-47 D were about to appear, the Spitfire kept getting better and, of course, the P51 was also on the way.
The Germans upgraded the 109 too, of course, but it was a small airframe that lacked the developmental potential of its rivals - increases in power and wieght allowed it to keep pace with alied fighters in some areas, but only at the expense of significant degradation in others.
By the end of the war it sems to have been and experts only machine - new pilots not only had to contend with allied fighters, they had to survive their own as well.
Hi,
If is not too much of a problem, perhaps you could elaborate a little about the bolded part?
Messerschmitt were always striving for aerodynamic advantages which meant they did not meet various Daimler Benz requirements for the engine installations.
In a meeting at the RLM on 9/7/43 Direktor Nallinger from Daimler Benz openly criticised Messerschmitt saying that all of Messerschmitt's airframes (Bf 109,Bf 110,Me 210 and Me 410) failed to meet the conditions outlined in the engine installation portfolio. He also went on to say that it was proving impossible to get proper oil and water systems put in (to Messerschmitt airframes) but that other companies managed to do it and that it could not therefore be claimed that the conditions of the installation portfolio could not be met.
This led to well documented problems with cooling and oil pressures to which I think DonL was referring.
Steve