Hobby Master HA8756 | Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6 Luftwaffe "Heinrich Bartels" Red 13, W. Nr. 27169, 11./JG 27, Greece, November 1943

General Background:

The first Bf-109G “Gustav” entered service in March 1942. New features were a pressurized cockpit with three larger guns mounted on the nose and none on the wings but could be field mounted. The Bf-109G could overheat causing oil leaks; starting a fire forcing the pilot to bail out. The Gustav was produced in many variants including long-range fighters, recon fighters and bomber destroyers. The Bf-109G-6 lacked a pressurized cockpit but was the most numerous Bf-109 produced and the first to carry 13mm machine guns; equivalent to the American 50 caliber Browning.

The Aircraft:

In the summer of 1941 Heinrich Bartels joined JG 26 on the Western Front. On August 19 he scored his first victory. On January 27, 1942 Bartels transferred to 11./JG 1 which soon became 8./JGF 5 and where he scored 47 victories. In the spring of 1943 Bartels transferred to 11./JG 27 in the Mediterranean theater. On November 17, 1943 while in Greece he displayed his 70th victory bar on the rudder of Red 13 WNr. 27 169. Bartels final victory total was 99 when on December 23, 1944 he didn’t return.

Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6 specifications
Production timeline – February 1943 – October 1943
Number produced – 5,000+
Dimensions
Length – 9.04m (29ft (8in)
Wingspan – 9.92m (32ft 6.5in)
Height – 2.5m (8ft 2.25in)
Weight
Empty – 2,700kg (5,900lb)
Operational – 3,400kg (7,500lb)
Performance
Powerplant – Daimler-Benz DB605A-1, 12 cylinder inverted vee, liquid cooled, 1,475hp
Maximum speed – 640km/h (398mph)
Range – 850km (528miles)
Service ceiling – 12,000m (39,370ft)
Armament
2 X 13mm (.51in) synchronized MG 131 machine guns with 300 rounds each
1 X 20mm (.78in) MG 151/20 cannon as centerline Motorkanone firing through propeller hub with 200 rounds
Or
1 X 30mm (1.18in) MK 108 cannon as centerline Motorkanone with 65 round per gun (G-6/U4 variant)
2 X 20mm MG 151/20 under-wing cannon pods with 135 round per gun (Rustsatz V option)
Rockets - 2 X 21 cm (8 in) Wfr. Gr. 21 rockets (G-6 with BR21)
Bombs
1 X 250 kg (551 lb) bomb
Or
4 X 50 kg (110 lb) bombs
Or
1 X 300 litre (79 US gal) drop tank