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October 8, 2010 8:23 PM Subscribe
Who would have a Messerschmidt BF-109 in flying shape in the United States?
Because I saw one flying over Louisville, Kentucky, today, and I'm interested to know who it might belong to.
Because I saw one flying over Louisville, Kentucky, today, and I'm interested to know who it might belong to.
Check here, inline-search for (A) for airworthy.
Looks like there's one airworthy one based in Oregon, one in Washington, and another in Canada. And several in Europe.
(It could also be a replica, or a reduced-scale replica (there are 3/4 scale P-51s out there), or another aircraft modified to appear more like a Bf-109.)
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 8:40 PM on October 8, 2010
Looks like there's one airworthy one based in Oregon, one in Washington, and another in Canada. And several in Europe.
(It could also be a replica, or a reduced-scale replica (there are 3/4 scale P-51s out there), or another aircraft modified to appear more like a Bf-109.)
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 8:40 PM on October 8, 2010
looks like, according to wikipedia, that there are currently 13 in airworthy shape in t he world. see the list here. out of those, there are 5 based in North America. might it have been this one out of texas?
posted by Bohemia Mountain at 8:45 PM on October 8, 2010
posted by Bohemia Mountain at 8:45 PM on October 8, 2010
Response by poster: (It could also be a replica, or a reduced-scale replica (there are 3/4 scale P-51s out there), or another aircraft modified to appear more like a Bf-109.)
I was wondering about that. I'm not sure what I saw could place it as a real Bf-109 or not, and I'm not enough of an aviation expert to tell the difference at a glance.
I saw a single-engine plane banking pretty low over Bardstown Road (near Bowman Field), and it leveled out and flew my direction. As it passed overhead, I looked up and saw an Iron Cross under each wing. The wings, at the ends, were more flat than rounded.
It was painted in gray camouflage, but didn't have any yellow paint on it like the one out of Texas.
posted by edguardo at 9:10 PM on October 8, 2010
I was wondering about that. I'm not sure what I saw could place it as a real Bf-109 or not, and I'm not enough of an aviation expert to tell the difference at a glance.
I saw a single-engine plane banking pretty low over Bardstown Road (near Bowman Field), and it leveled out and flew my direction. As it passed overhead, I looked up and saw an Iron Cross under each wing. The wings, at the ends, were more flat than rounded.
It was painted in gray camouflage, but didn't have any yellow paint on it like the one out of Texas.
posted by edguardo at 9:10 PM on October 8, 2010
If it had square wingtips it was a 109E (assuming it actually was a 109). The later models had rounded wingtips. According to that Wikipedia list there are only 2 airworthy 109Es in North America, one in WA and one in Canada. I'd vote for it having been a replica. Note that there was another Messerschmitt aircraft (the Bf108) that was similar in outline to a 109 and has been used in films as a 109 stand-in. A less likely possibility is that one of the ones shown as stored has been made airworthy.
posted by Logophiliac at 12:34 AM on October 9, 2010
posted by Logophiliac at 12:34 AM on October 9, 2010
Could have been a Spanish HA-1112 - from the Wikipedia article on surviving 109's:
"In 1967 with the planned filming of the movie The Battle of Britain the producer wanted an accurate large screen presence. Fortunately, the Spanish Air Force was starting to retire its HA-1112s and an agreement was reached to use these aircraft. The Confederate Air Force had also just purchased numerous examples of the HA-1112. These aircraft were also leased for the production of this movie. For the next 35 years, these Spanish Bf 109s were the mainstay for numerous WWII aviation movies and television work, including Hanover Street, Memphis Belle, The Tuskegee Airmen and Piece of Cake just to name a few".
If I recall the only real difference was the air intake under the nose, and even that's not too bad.
posted by timpollard at 2:16 AM on October 9, 2010
"In 1967 with the planned filming of the movie The Battle of Britain the producer wanted an accurate large screen presence. Fortunately, the Spanish Air Force was starting to retire its HA-1112s and an agreement was reached to use these aircraft. The Confederate Air Force had also just purchased numerous examples of the HA-1112. These aircraft were also leased for the production of this movie. For the next 35 years, these Spanish Bf 109s were the mainstay for numerous WWII aviation movies and television work, including Hanover Street, Memphis Belle, The Tuskegee Airmen and Piece of Cake just to name a few".
If I recall the only real difference was the air intake under the nose, and even that's not too bad.
posted by timpollard at 2:16 AM on October 9, 2010
There's a very small community of people flying planes like that; if you ask your question in one of them you'll get an answer of what the plane is if you can describe it well. I'd start with the assumption it's a replica or some modern plane that happened to have a cool paint scheme. Try asking on FlightAware, or maybe AvWeb. Both have active planespotter communities. EAA and CAF are both organizations of people building and operating interesting planes like you saw.
In the future try to note the tail number!
posted by Nelson at 8:21 AM on October 9, 2010
In the future try to note the tail number!
posted by Nelson at 8:21 AM on October 9, 2010
I've seen the one near Niagara Falls, Ontario on the ground and flying overhead. It's only ~500 miles from you and it does travel to airshows. It has (had?) a yellow nose, though.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 2:23 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by kuujjuarapik at 2:23 PM on October 9, 2010
You might also be looking at a Bf 108 Taifun. They're used as 109s in movies all the time and are much more common to find in flying condition.
posted by bookdragoness at 5:54 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by bookdragoness at 5:54 PM on October 9, 2010
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posted by BobbyVan at 8:28 PM on October 8, 2010