ANT-51
Messerschmitt Me 109 X prototype, 1/48 scale kit
Product Description
| Despite the excellent performance of Me Bf 109 fitted with the Daimler-Benz DB 601 in-line engine, Messerschmitt decided to test the performance of the aircraft using radial engines. On 13 June 1938 the RLM instructed the Messerschmitt team building the first prototype, for to test and obtain basic data about the first installation of a twin-row radial engine in a 109 airframe. The prototype was designated V-21. It was a plane of the E series (W.Nr.1770) which was fitted with an American Pratt & Whitney SC3-G Twin Wasp radial engine. In this case the German engineers had choose this engine, since even were not available in Germany twin-row radial engines of own production (the firm BMW was still developing the model 801). According with some sources, the engine (which was the same used in the Curtiss P-36 fighter) was taken to Germany by Hermann Wurster. After the tests did not result satisfactory, the aircraft was scrapped. Shortly after the Bf 109 V 21 project ended in a fiasco, Messerschmitt began to work in another prototype, also equipped with a radial engine. This time was chosen for testing one of the first Bf 109 F (W.Nr. 5608, D-ITXP), which was already on the production line, so all the modification work was carried out very quickly. Under the hood of the plane was one of the first BMW 801 A-0 (W. Nr. 80153) engines. Due to its size, it was necessary to modify the entire fuselage, except for the tail section. The overall span was reduced to 9.33 mts. and the cockpit was redesigned. The engine was installed in the aircraft in August, which allowed the machine to be flown on September 2, 1940. Immediately after the flight tests, the pilot wrote a report about the characteristics of the new aircraft. According to him, the Bf 109 X was better than the Bf 109 E during landing trials, because the landing gear had wider track, but also the plane had serious engine problems such as overheating and fuel leaks. The stability of the machine in flight was not too different from that found with the Bf 109 E standard. Furthermore, some flight parameters were not so different comparing those registered in the Bf 109 V 21 (for example, landing speed was only slightly higher - 200 km / h) The final report concluded that the Bf 109 X could not be used for military purposes. Despite this, we know that in June 1941 the aircraft was sent to Rechlin establishment for being tested as a competitor of the excellent Fw 190 A fighter. The Bf 109 X accumulated a total of 7 hours and 48 minutes of flying time before the program was finally closed in October 1941 |
