Airworthy 109s/Buchon's as of August 2016

[StangStung]

The FB entry on the Buchon flying for the movie Dunkirk, along with the Meier's thread on the newly airworthy 109G-12, got me thinking - just how many 109/Buchon's are there flying around today?

I did a forum search and checked the registry, but couldn't figure it out. Certainly one of you has a list!

[JohnTerrell]

The definite answer is at least six:

There are two Merlin-powered Buchons flying in England - G-AWHE (previously N109ME with the CAF) and G-AWHK (the one recently used in the "Dunkirk" filming)
There are two DB605-powered converted Buchons flying in Germany - D-FWME ("Bf-109G-4") and D-FMGZ ("Bf-109G-12")
There is one Bf-109E flying in the US - N342FH
There is one DB605-powered converted Buchon flying in the US - N109GY ("Bf-109G-4")

One question mark is the Planes of Fame Buchon, which I don't know if it has flown this year or not, or if so, how much (I have yet to see a photo or video of it operating this year, or any mention of it flying by Planes of Fame themselves). By the time of the Planes of Fame air show back in May, it was rapidly coming to completion/about to fly, and was going to be sent over to England to be used in the filming of the movie "Dunkirk", but that ended up passing by and G-AWHK, already in England, was used instead.

Beyond that, there is a long list of '109' related projects worldwide under restoration, and a number of complete examples which have been ground-bound due to major servicing and/or engine overhauls (such as two of the Messerschmitt Stiftung 109's and the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar Bf-109E (former Ed Russel collection)), and the Hangar10 Bf-109G-6 is very near ready to fly at MeierMotors (Hangar10 of course also owns the G-12 they just completed).

Last edited by JohnTerrell on Mon Aug 15, 2016 6:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[StangStung]

OK, let's start here:

Bf-109s:
Bf 109 E-3 1342 (N342FH), ex-6./JG 51 "Yellow 8" (Pilot: Eduard Hemmerling) - crashed: 29 July 1940, Yellow 8 , Flying Heritage Collection, Everett, Washington.



Spanish examples (whether converted back to -109 or not):

Recently finished -109G-12 from Meier Motors

HA-1112-M1L c/n 133 C.4K-64 (N109FF), ex-USAFM, <<+- , Military Aviation Museum, Virginia Beach, Virginia, re-engined with DB605

HA-1112-M1L c/n 67 C.4K-31 (G-AWHE), movie: Battle of Britain "Red 8", Yellow 14 , Spitfire Ltd, Jersey

HA-1112-M1L c/n 172 C.4K-102 (G-AWHK), movie: Battle of Britain "Red 7", Red 1 , Historic Flying Ltd, Duxford, Cambridgeshire.

HA-1112-M1L c/n 139 C4K-75 (D-FWME) - Messerchmitt foundation, DB conversion

HA-1112-M1L c/n 156 C.4K-87 (D-FMBB), FM+BB , EADS / Messerschmitt Foundation, rebuilt with a DB605 engine


Wiki shows the following examples, not sure which are flying:

Bf 109 E-3 3579 (CF-EML) - This is the ex-Russell bird.

HA-1112-M1L c/n 235 C.4K-172 (D-FMVS), movie: Battle of Britain, ex-Victory Air Museum, <- + - , Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison, Texas.; Hangar 10 Air Fighter Collection GmbH

HA-1112-M1L c/n 234 C.4K-169 (N109W), movie: Battle of Britain "Red 5", <<- + - , Harold Kindsvater, Castle Air Force Base, California

Bf 109 G-14 610937 (N109EV), ex-Bf 109 G-10/U-4, ex-Bulgarian AF, Ex-Yugoslavian AF 9664, 172 Group / 83rd SQ "44", Green << ; Evergreen Aviation Museum, McMinnville, Oregon. - Pretty sure this one is static now.

Last edited by StangStung on Mon Aug 15, 2016 6:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[StangStung]

Thanks John, I'll have to review the list again!

[JohnTerrell]

The only ones from that list that are flying are the same six I listed:

N342FH, N109GY (confused with N109FF), D-FWME, D-FMGZ, G-AWHK, and G-AWHE.



It perhaps should be clarified, that although D-FWME flew a lot last year, I have yet to find any instances of it flying this year at all.

D-FMBB and D-FDME have been down for some years now for major servicing/restoration/engine work.

The Bf-109E, formerly CF-EML, is now G-CIPB in England, but it has yet to fly in England (widely reported as waiting on engine) - the last time it flew was in 2010.

N109W and D-FMVS are actually the same aircraft (owned by Harold Kindsvater, and then Hangar10), which is now flying as D-FMGZ (still with Hangar10).

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum still has their static Buchon, which is actually N109GU.

N109EV would need a lot of work to be a flyable aircraft.

[hurricane_yank]

Really surprised that the Dunkirk crew didn't pony up the cash to get the ex-Russell Group one flying as it was around at that time and was an authentic piece.

[Mark Allen M]

Neat thread ...

Pick the current flyers ....

Is it?


A


B


C


D


E


F


G


H


I


J


K


L


M


N


O


P


Q

[DoraNineFan]

D-FDME before repainting:


I believe that it is down for major work now. D-FMBB in the background also having major work.

[C VEICH]

Here is the PoF bird as it appeared during the annual airshow back in May. According to museum staff it was due to be test flown a day or two after the show and then packed up for shipment to France. That was the last I heard. Did the test flights not go well or did something break once it got overseas? Would love to know the details.

[Lon Moer]

Planes of Fame lists their;
- Hispano Buchon HA-1112-M1L as Restoring to Flight at Chino, CA


- Messerschmitt Gustav Bf 109G as Static Display at Valle, AZ

[T J Johansen]

I seem to remember that the Vormezeele Buchon OO-MAF was rebuilt to flying condition several years ago, but not flown. Whether it remains flyable or not I have no idea.

From Photobucket:


Which one is the four bladed Buchon in photo F?

T J

[JohnTerrell]

Which one is the four bladed Buchon in photo F?

It's the EAA Museum's static example, N109BF. The compressed oleos of the landing gear, together with the white paint, really makes the nose of that one look huge (more so than usual).

[JohnTerrell]

Here is the PoF bird as it appeared during the annual airshow back in May. According to museum staff it was due to be test flown a day or two after the show and then packed up for shipment to France. That was the last I heard. Did the test flights not go well or did something break once it got overseas? Would love to know the details.

Considering the rarity of seeing the type in operational form, one would expect that it would have been a well photographed event if it had flown, especially by those closest to PoF and the project. This is how it looked a month ago, still in the PoF restoration hangar: https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevepinnick/28290532180/

[JohnTerrell]

Just for the heck of it, going through Mark's photos:

A - Richard Lake's Buchon G-AWHE (previously N109ME with the CAF) - Currently Flying
B - CAF Buchon N8575 - Destroyed in 1987 (remains reportedly buried)
C - Cavanuagh Flight Museum's Buchon N109GU (circa early-mid 90's) - Not flown
D - Jerry Yagen's Bf-109G-4 (Buchon conversion) N109GY - Currently Flying
E - RAF Museum's Bf-109G-2 G-USTV - Not Flown (since 1997/accident/rebuild)
F - EAA Museum's Buchon N109BF - Not Flown
G - (Same as E, seen in temporary paint for a film role)
H - The USAF Museum's Bf-109G-10 - Not Flown
I - Hangar10's Bf-109G-6 - Nearing Completion to Fly at MeierMotors
J - Computer Rendering/Photoshop
K - EAD's Bf-109G-4 (Buchon conversion) D-FWME - Currently Flying
L - Flying Heritage Collection's Bf-109E N342FH - Currently Flying
M - Historic Flying Ltd.'s Buchon G-AWHK - Currently Flying
N - Biggin Hill Heritage Collection's Bf-109E G-CIPB - Not Flying (waiting on rebuilt/overhauled engine/prop)
O - EAD's Bf-109G-10 (Buchon/Messerschmitt mix) D-FDME - Not Flying (down for engine work)
P - Hangar10's Bf-109G-12 (Buchon conversion) D-FMGZ - Currently Flying
Q - A great period photo of a Bf-109G-10/R-2 from 2./NAG 14, photographed in Italy (a 325th FG Mustang seen behind it)

[Mark Allen M]

Thanks John, good stuff ....