Messerschmitt Bf 109E4

Plane: Messerschmitt Bf 109E4

Mass: 2620kg

Engine: Dailmer Benz DB 601A inline

Horsepower:  1175 crankshaft / 970hp max brake horsepower

Wing Area: 16.2 meters^2

Weapons:

Ammo Belting:

MG17: ap,ap,ap,ap,ap,tracer

MG FF: hei (tracer), mine, hei (tracer), mine, ap

Stall Speed: 135kph clean/122kph dirty

Best Climb Speed IAS: 266kph IAS

Maximum Reasonable AoA: 14.0 degrees

Top Speed Chart:

WEP Top Speed: 495kph

Climb Rate chart:

Roll Rate:

Turn Rate: (sustained) Flaps Up:   195kph, 128m radius, 24 deg/sec

Turn Rate: (sustained) Flaps Down: 155kph, 102m radius, 25 deg/sec

Visibility:  Decent all around except for behind.

Control Feel vs Speed:  Good control feel, elevator trim needed at times to get maximum AoA, at high speed roll is poor (but better than Spit1)

WEP power boost percent: 5%

Safe WEP time: About 5 minutes

General Comments:

The Messerschmitt Bf 109E4 is the plane that Germany went to war with.  It dominated the opposition, with the exception of the Supermarine Spitfire Mk 1 that it found in limited numbers over France and in larger numbers over Britian during the Battle of Britain.  The Bf109E is the dominant Axis warplane in the sky until the Bf109F is available in sufficient numbers.

The Messerschmitt Bf109 is the current record-holder for number of fighters of a particular type built, a feat highly unlikely to be beat for a long time.  Only the Russian IL-2 ground attack plane was built in more numbers.  Over 30,000 Bf109's were built during the years before, during, and after the war.

It is a good basic airplane, although there is significant room for improvement, especially with regards to drag.  The powerful rudder requires special handling, as it's easy to inadvertantly throw this plane into a spin if uncoordinated during high AoA maneuvers.  Handling is good, takeoff and landing require much attention due to the narrow landing gear and tendancy to veer off to one side.

One of the more interesting attributes of the Messerschmitt series of aircraft is the leading edge wing slats.  These are devices that pop open at high angles of attack to provide the outboard wing section additional lift, at the cost of additional drag.  It is due to these devices that the Bf109E4 has a stall speed close to the Spitfire despite having significantly less wing area.  And it is these devices that allow you to come close to turning with Spitfires and allows you to turnfight D520s.

In combat, you have to remember that you cannot beat British airplanes in a stallfight, even with flaps down.  Stick to energy fighting, starting with an altitude or speed advantage, and Booming and Zooming.  You have over a minute of machinegun fire, so take every shapshot you can get.  The cannon are deadly, but are low velocity, and have a very short clip.  Don't use these unless you're sure you're going to hit, otherwise you'll blow your supply and be forced to fight with just the machineguns.

The Bf109E4 outrolls early British fighters at all speed ranges.  Roll rate is competitive at lower speeds vs the French Fighters, but they significantly outroll you beyond 350kph.  The Hawk75 and D520 can follow you in a dive, so be very careful when diving away.  The Bf109E4 is the fastest plane in the early planeset, until the H81/Spit9 comes out, but to use that speed advantage you have to be able to get sufficient separation, otherwise you will be shot as you pull away.  The Bf109E4 also outclimbs the opposition in the early planeset, but it is not sufficient to keep you from being shot in a co-energy situation.  However, if you have some altitude, you can pull a spiral-climb maneuver on an enemy aircraft that can be used to accumulate a significant energy advantage (or better yet, sucker him into a Rope-a-Dope maneuver)

One note about radiator damage on the Bf109 series of planes.  These planes have two independant radiators that can each cool the engine.  Thus if one leaks, the other can take over.  You will still lose capacity, because one radiator is half the cooling of two, but you will not be fatally wounded with a single radiator out.  If you finish a fight, aren't already overheating, and see that you are only leaking from one side, you can take more time to return to base (use lower power), since you still have one radiator system to help cool the engine.

Specific Matchup Comments

Bf109E4 vs Hurricane Mk 1:  You are significantly faster than this plane.  Watch out for his guns, as he has a tightly-packed set of wing guns that might not kill you, but will probably punch a hole in a radiator.  Keep fast, and make passes on these planes.  It is best if they are distracted by something so you can set up a good pass on them.  Do *not* get low and slow with Hurricanes around, as they are the best turning fighter in the game.  Diving away from these planes is generally safe unless he's already close to a firing solution or has a significant energy advantage.  Also, the Hurricane Mk I's engine loses power under negative G operation, so pushing the nose down to initate a dive is often a good tactic, as the Hurricane is forced to roll over before diving, or lose power when trying to follow.

Bf109E4 vs Spit Mk 1:  This is going to be your most problematic plane.  One of the reasons the Germans were unable to attain air superiority over England during the Battle of Britain was due to this plane.  Where the Bf109F4 with its higher power output and less draggy airframe can keep up (barely) with a Spitfire in a turnfight (flaps down), the Bf109E4 cannot.  Do not turn with a Spit1.  Use anti-Hurricane tactics, and keep in mind that this plane is almost as fast as you, so don't expect to run away if you screw up.  You outroll the Spitfire, so if you get in a bad position, go into flat or rolling scissors and try to force him out in front of you.  Get slow, drop flaps (if you feel you can handle the plane flaps down), and scissor him.  If you don't get shot, he will probably fly out in front of you allowing you a window to take a shot, or get away.   You can dive away from this plane if you have an energy advantage to begin with, though keep in mind it could take quite some time to extend out of .303 range if he's close.  Like the Hurricane Mk 1, the Spitfire loses power under negative G operation.  When you have one on your six and wish to escape, pushing the nose over to start a dive can often be a good idea, as the Spitfire will be forced to roll 180 degrees to follow you down, or lose power while he tries to follow your maneuver.

Bf109E4 vs Spit Mk V:  The Spitfire Mk V acquired two deadly cannon and more power.  Your climb advantage is gone with this plane, and it turns as good as the Mk 1 variant.  In addition, the V acquired Spring Tabs, eliminating most of your rolling advantage.  This plane is going to be a challenge in a fight due to its numerous advantages.  My recommendation is to avoid fighting them unless you have an advantage, and if you lose that advantage, start scissoring and hope those 20's don't hit.

Bf109E4 vs H75:  You are faster than this plane, and the H75 isn't protected by pilot armor to the rear (meaning you can get pilot kills with the machineguns from a direct-6 shot).  The H75 will outroll you, and can follow you down in a dive.  Treat this plane like a Hurricane, but don't try diving away unless you know he won't be in guns range if he follows.

Bf109E4 vs D520:  D520s used to be looked down upon by some LW pilots due to the inferior speed and turning ability.  Then new data on the plane's performance was found and the plane's flight model revised to closer match reality.  It turns out that the D520 was a much better plane than originally thought, and is superior to the Bf109E4 in everything but speed and climb.  Be very careful with this plane, as one above you means a lot of trouble real quick.  The D520 outturns the Bf109E4 in a sustained turnfight, and handles much much better at higher speeds.  This means that the one advantage you have, higher speed, is rather tricky to use.  Ideally, you want to be with friends and/or higher than any D520s. 

Bf109E4 vs H81:  Finally a Hawk that you can (barely) turn with.  A Hawk81 flaps up turns about as good as a 109E4, flaps down the 109 beats it in a sustained fight (smaller turn radius and faster turn rate).  However, the margin is small, and usually a Friend shows up to ruin your day.  Like the H75, don't dive from this plane, esp. since it's top-speed on the deck is the same as the 109E4 with WEP on.  It's better protected (pilot armor), and has two .50cals replacing the nose .30cals, meaning his guns can (and will) punch through your pilot armor.