General info for Bf 109 F-4

• Country USA
• Vehicle role Fighter
• Rank 3

• Battle rating in
  • arcade battles 4
  • realistic battles 4
  • simulator battles 4

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Wiki info about Bf 109 F-4

Official War Thunder wiki

Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 "Friedrich" single-engine front-line fighter On May 29, 1942, a pair of German Bf 109 F-4 fighters from the 9th Squadron of the III./JG 3 Fighter Wing, piloted by Petty Officer E. Volkmann as the leader and Corporal A. Kuhn as the wingman, lost their bearings, ran out of fuel, and made a forced landing on a plot of arable land behind the front lines in the Chuguyev area. The Red Army thus obtained two Friedrichs in quite a good condition. The fighter, with a serial number of 7690 and a yellow tail number reading "12" on the fuselage, was photographed from different angles and prepared for flight tests at the Red Army Air Force Research Institute. However, it soon became known that the captured Messerschmitt located in the USA had been damaged during flight, and the Allies requested that one of the two planes be transferred to them. General А. А. Novikov, Commander-in-Chief of the Red Army Air Force, gave permission to send the new Messerschmitt over the ocean. In the USA, the Bf 109 F-4 (serial number 7690) successfully passed a complete set of flight tests. The aircraft received the USAAF's standard combat pattern and markings. Its tactical number at first was EB-1 and then EB-100. The test results showed that the Bf 109 F-4 was 70 km/h quicker than the Bf 109E when near land; about one half of the velocity gain was obtained due to the more powerful DB 601E engine, while the other half was a result of better aerodynamics. The fighter's excellent controllability and good manoeuvrability were also noted. Favourable comments included those praising the plane's easily accessible engine components, especially its plugs, and its well-suited engine cowling. The fighter had various automatic devices, including those regulating water and oil temperature in the engine, which made the aircraft's piloting significantly easier. A thorough examination of the Bf 109 F-4 showed that the most vulnerable point of the fighter's power unit was the bottom of the engine. Even one shell or incendiary bullet hitting that area was enough to cause a fire. In addition, the Messerschmitt's water and oil coolers were not protected by armor, which turned them into a good target due to these units' large surface area. Two reserve cooling system tanks, mounted in the bottom of the engine, were also good targets.