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Me Bf 109E Variants |
In late 1938, the Bf 109E entered production. To improve on the performance afforded by the 441–515 kW (600–700 PS) Jumo 210, the larger, longer Daimler-Benz DB 601A engine was used, yielding an extra 223 kW (300 PS) at the cost of an additional 181 kg (400 lb). A much bigger cooling area was needed to disperse the extra heat generated by the DB 601 and this led to the first major redesign of the basic airframe. Enlarging the existing nose mounted radiator sufficiently to cool the engine would have created extra weight and drag, negating some of the performance gains afforded by the increased power, so it was decided to move the main radiators to the wings, leaving the oil cooler under the nose in a small, streamlined duct. The new radiator position also had the effect of counterbalancing the extra weight and length of the DB 601, which drove a heavier three-bladed VDM propeller. To incorporate the new radiators the wings were almost completely redesigned and reinforced, with several inboard ribs behind the spar being cut down to make room for the radiator ducting. Because the radiators were now mounted near the trailing edge of the wing, coinciding with the increased speed of the airflow accelerating around the wing's camber, the overall cooling installation was more efficient than that of the Jumo engined 109s, albeit at the cost of extra ducting and piping, which could be vulnerable to battle damage. In addition the lowered undercarriage could throw up mud and debris on wet airfields, potentially clogging the radiators.
To test the new 1,100 PS (1,085 hp, 809 kW) DB601A engine, two more prototypes (V14 and V15) were built, each differing in their armament. While the V14 was armed with two 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s above the engine and one 20 mm MG FF in each wing, the V15 was fitted with the two MG 17s mounted above the engine only. After test fights the V14 was considered more promising and a pre-production batch of 10 E-0 was ordered. Batches of both E-1 and E-3 variants were shipped to Spain for evaluation, and first saw combat during the final phases of the Spanish Civil War.
To test the new 1,100 PS (1,085 hp, 809 kW) DB601A engine, two more prototypes (V14 and V15) were built, each differing in their armament. While the V14 was armed with two 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s above the engine and one 20 mm MG FF in each wing, the V15 was fitted with the two MG 17s mounted above the engine only. After test fights the V14 was considered more promising and a pre-production batch of 10 E-0 was ordered. Batches of both E-1 and E-3 variants were shipped to Spain for evaluation, and first saw combat during the final phases of the Spanish Civil War.
- E-0 (Pre-production aircraft with 4 × 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17 machine guns)
- E-1 (Similar to E-0)
- E-1/B (Fighter-bomber version of E-1, usually with DB 601Aa)
- E-2 (Limited production, additional Motorkanone engine mounted MG FF cannon, otherwise as E-3)
- E-3 (Similar to E-1 but 2 × 20 mm MG FFs in the wings instead of the MG 17)
- E-4 (Armour and structural improvements, change of MG FF cannons to MG FF/M. "Square" canopy)
- E-4/B (Fighter-bomber version of E-4, 1 × 250 kg/550 lb bomb, usually with DB 601Aa)
- E-4 trop (Version of E-4 modified to serve in tropical regions)
- E-4/N (E-4 with DB601N engine)
- E-4/BN (Fighter-bomber version of E-4/N, 1 × 250 kg/550 lb bomb)
- E-4 mit Peil Gerat IV
- E-4 with Personnel Pods
- E-5 (Recon version of E-3, camera equipment, 2 × 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17)
- E-6 (Recon version of E-4/N, camera equipment, 2 × 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17)
- E-7 (Similar to E-4 but with optional 300 L drop tank)
- E-7/N (Similar to E-4/N but with optional 300 L tank)
- E-7/NZ (also known as E-7/Z, an E-7/N with additional GM-1 nitrous oxide injection system)
- E-7/U2 (Ground attack variant of E-7 with additional armour)
- E-8 (Long-range version of E-1 using drop tank installation of E-7, 4 × 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17)
- E-9 (Recon version of E-7/N, drop tank, camera equipment, 2 × 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17)