Bomber_12th
SOH-CM-2023
My personal favorite variant has always been the Bf 109G-2, simply because of "Black 6". Growing up seeing video and photos of that one flying from Duxford in the 90s, it just instantly became for me what a Bf 109 should look like, in all details.
As of right now, there are twelve active/flying Bf 109s and Buchons in the world:
- In Germany, there is the rebuilt Bf 109G-6 WkNr. 440738 D-FMGS (DB 605-powered), Buchon D-FMBB configured as a Bf 109G-6 (DB 605-powered), Buchon D-FMGV configured as a Bf 109G-14 (DB 605-powered), two-seat Buchon D-FMGZ originally restored as a Bf 109G-12 (Merlin-powered), and Buchon G-AWHM (Merlin-powered).
- In the United Kingdom, there are three Buchons - the two-seat G-AWHC, as well as G-AWHH and G-AWHK - all Merlin-powered.
- In the United States, there is the restored Bf 109G-6 WkNr. 410077 N42109 (DB 605-powered), Buchon N109GY configured as a Bf 109G-4 (DB 605-powered), Buchon N90602 configured as a Bf 109G-10 (Allison-powered), and Buchon N109TS/ex-G-AWHR (Merlin-powered).
At this time there are no flying Bf 109E variants. Bf 109E-3 WkNr. 1342 N342FH in the US hasn't flown since before the closure of the Flying Heritage Museum in 2020, and Bf 109E-7 WkNr. 3579 G-CIPB in the UK hasn't flown since 2018. In Germany, Bf 109E-7 WkNr. 1983 "Red 12" was fully completed to airworthy as of 2018 and taxi-tested, but it has not yet flown, as its DB 601 was later removed and has continued to undergo further rework/testing at Manching (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko4T7CH7DtI). MeierMotors in Germany has been busy rebuilding two Bf 109Es to fly - the Spanish Civil War Bf 109E-1 "6-88/C.5-88" and the Yugoslavian AF Bf 109E-3 WkNr. 2372 - both being accurately restored with the early curved canopy. The Virginia-based Military Aviation Museum (Jerry Yagen collection) has had Bf 109E-7 WkNr. 2023 under restoration, somewhere in eastern Europe, for well over a decade, but unfortunately there hasn't been any updates/new information about it for at least ten years now.
In Germany, as far as I know the Messerschmitt Foundation/Stiftung continues to work on returning to flight their converted Buchon/turned Bf 109G-10 D-FDME, as well as continuing to work on the complete ground-up rebuild of their converted Buchon/turned Bf 109G-4 D-FWME "Red 7", which has been taking place since its last mishap in 2017.
In the UK, there are several Bf 109s said to be under restoration. These include Bf 109E-1 WkNr. 4034, Bf 109E-7 WkNr. 0854, Bf 109F-4 WkNr.7485, Bf 109F-4 WkNr. 8347, and Bf 109G-2 WkNr. 14798.
In Canada, Don Bradshaw has been rebuilding two Bf 109s - Bf 109G-6 WkNr. 161352 for Kermit Weeks in Florida, and a Bf 109G-10 for himself.
If all of these projects fully reach fruition, as well as if some of the currently non-flyers start flying again, there are going to be quite a large number of DB engines in operation! Especially considering how at one time they were thought to have been next to impossible to find. The majority of all of these projects listed already have engines for them (DB 601s and DB 605s), and there are far more people and companies involved with rebuilding/overhauling those engines than ever before, located all over the world.
Additionally, there are a few more Buchons that we may see fly soon or in the not too distant future. This includes the Vormezeele family's Buchon in Belgium, the Planes of Fame Air Museum's Buchon in Chino, California, and Buchon G-HISP at Air Leasing in the UK (which has been rumored for some years now will be restored in its original Spanish AF markings). Additionally, there are a few more unrestored ex-Connie Edwards Buchons that remain in storage and available for sale.
As of right now, there are twelve active/flying Bf 109s and Buchons in the world:
- In Germany, there is the rebuilt Bf 109G-6 WkNr. 440738 D-FMGS (DB 605-powered), Buchon D-FMBB configured as a Bf 109G-6 (DB 605-powered), Buchon D-FMGV configured as a Bf 109G-14 (DB 605-powered), two-seat Buchon D-FMGZ originally restored as a Bf 109G-12 (Merlin-powered), and Buchon G-AWHM (Merlin-powered).
- In the United Kingdom, there are three Buchons - the two-seat G-AWHC, as well as G-AWHH and G-AWHK - all Merlin-powered.
- In the United States, there is the restored Bf 109G-6 WkNr. 410077 N42109 (DB 605-powered), Buchon N109GY configured as a Bf 109G-4 (DB 605-powered), Buchon N90602 configured as a Bf 109G-10 (Allison-powered), and Buchon N109TS/ex-G-AWHR (Merlin-powered).
At this time there are no flying Bf 109E variants. Bf 109E-3 WkNr. 1342 N342FH in the US hasn't flown since before the closure of the Flying Heritage Museum in 2020, and Bf 109E-7 WkNr. 3579 G-CIPB in the UK hasn't flown since 2018. In Germany, Bf 109E-7 WkNr. 1983 "Red 12" was fully completed to airworthy as of 2018 and taxi-tested, but it has not yet flown, as its DB 601 was later removed and has continued to undergo further rework/testing at Manching (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko4T7CH7DtI). MeierMotors in Germany has been busy rebuilding two Bf 109Es to fly - the Spanish Civil War Bf 109E-1 "6-88/C.5-88" and the Yugoslavian AF Bf 109E-3 WkNr. 2372 - both being accurately restored with the early curved canopy. The Virginia-based Military Aviation Museum (Jerry Yagen collection) has had Bf 109E-7 WkNr. 2023 under restoration, somewhere in eastern Europe, for well over a decade, but unfortunately there hasn't been any updates/new information about it for at least ten years now.
In Germany, as far as I know the Messerschmitt Foundation/Stiftung continues to work on returning to flight their converted Buchon/turned Bf 109G-10 D-FDME, as well as continuing to work on the complete ground-up rebuild of their converted Buchon/turned Bf 109G-4 D-FWME "Red 7", which has been taking place since its last mishap in 2017.
In the UK, there are several Bf 109s said to be under restoration. These include Bf 109E-1 WkNr. 4034, Bf 109E-7 WkNr. 0854, Bf 109F-4 WkNr.7485, Bf 109F-4 WkNr. 8347, and Bf 109G-2 WkNr. 14798.
In Canada, Don Bradshaw has been rebuilding two Bf 109s - Bf 109G-6 WkNr. 161352 for Kermit Weeks in Florida, and a Bf 109G-10 for himself.
If all of these projects fully reach fruition, as well as if some of the currently non-flyers start flying again, there are going to be quite a large number of DB engines in operation! Especially considering how at one time they were thought to have been next to impossible to find. The majority of all of these projects listed already have engines for them (DB 601s and DB 605s), and there are far more people and companies involved with rebuilding/overhauling those engines than ever before, located all over the world.
Additionally, there are a few more Buchons that we may see fly soon or in the not too distant future. This includes the Vormezeele family's Buchon in Belgium, the Planes of Fame Air Museum's Buchon in Chino, California, and Buchon G-HISP at Air Leasing in the UK (which has been rumored for some years now will be restored in its original Spanish AF markings). Additionally, there are a few more unrestored ex-Connie Edwards Buchons that remain in storage and available for sale.
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