Me 109 H-1 “Nachthohenjager”

[NARSES2]

Finally got something finished 

Me 109 H-1 "Nachthohenjager"

The facts (Various sources) :-

The Bf 109H was an attempt to design a high-altitude fighter to fill a gap in the Luftwaffe inventory left by the failure of the Me 155 and Me 209 projects. Developed from the F-series. The wingspan was increased through the addition of new, constant-chord inner wing panels to 11.92 m (39.11 ft), and the stabilizers were also widened.

Maximum speed was 750 km/h (470 mph) at 10,100 m (33,140 ft). A small number of Bf 109 H-1s were built, flying several sorties over Britain and France. Bf 109 H-2 and H-5 developments were also planned, but the entire H-series was scrapped because of wing flutter problems.


•    H-0 (Pre-production aircraft, rebuilt from F-4/Z, powered by a DB 601E engine with GM-1 boost)
•    H-1 (Production version, based on G-5 airframes, powered by a DB 605A engine with GM-1 boost)
•   
There is a record of one particular Bf 109H-1, Werknummer 110073, being converted to a photo reconnaissance aircraft by Luftwaffe long-range reconnaissance group,  Fernaufklärungsgruppe 123, in May 1944, and then  being flown on dates immediately following the Invasion the D-Day landings, with one particular mission meant to scan the entire French coastline from Cherbourg to Ouistreham, from an altitude of some 15 km (49,200 ft), which proved to be just beyond the achievable ceiling of the selected aircraft.

The Model

AZ's kit builds exceptionally well, as do all their other 109's (and indeed Spitfires) and I must admit I find them relaxing builds.
You are offered three alternative markings options, and I chose to build – Bf 109H-1, "Red2", Stab/NJG 300, flown by Fw. Ullrich Kegel, Brunn airfield 1944. Unfortunately, this aircraft was lost after a pilot mistake near Blansko. Why ? Simply because I liked the scheme, and don't do mottles or similar.

I must admit I admire the way that AZ/KP are not frightened by the thought of boxing What If options of their kits, and indeed it obviously shows that there is a larger market out there for them than the JMN's would have us believe.

Not my greatest by a long way, but if I'm honest it's probably the best I can achieve nowadays given the sight issues and "shakes". Now I've accepted that I should be able to make some progress...fingers crossed.

[PR19_Kit]

That looks pretty darned good to me Chris, nice one! 

Did they use a tricked up engine on those H variants, with Nitro injection and stuff, or was it just the standard unit?

[Dizzyfugu]

Neat. 

[perttime]

... and longer wings 

[chrisonord]

Very nice Chris, I think I need to get some more AZ/KP kits, as I struggle with my fingers now too.

[frank2056]

It looks good! The longer wings and wider U/C definitely give it a different look.

[PR19_Kit]

... and longer wings 

Naturally.............. 

[Gondor]

That looks pretty darned good to me Chris, nice one! 

Did they use a tricked up engine on those H variants, with Nitro injection and stuff, or was it just the standard unit?

As Chris said, GM-1 boost was fitted. I think off the top of my head that was Nitrous Oxide.

EDIT: after checking and finding that I was right    I added a link where the GM-1 is above.

Gondor

[NARSES2]

Thanks gents 

It looks good! The longer wings and wider U/C definitely give it a different look.

The wider undercarriage definately does. I was thinking of an E variant with a wider undercarriage that retracts inwards being used as the basis of a carrier fighter for the Graf Zepplin ?

[Gondor]

Thanks gents 

It looks good! The longer wings and wider U/C definitely give it a different look.

The wider undercarriage definately does. I was thinking of an E variant with a wider undercarriage that retracts inwards being used as the basis of a carrier fighter for the Graf Zepplin ?

The version that was made for carrier ops was the T version. This is whiff world, so you can always do it differently.

[Captain Canada]

Nice one Chris. She does look very smart in that Red 2 scheme. Always a pleasure to build a relaxing kit ! Cheers.

[Rick Lowe]

Came out well, Chris. 

[NARSES2]

Thanks gents 

The version that was made for carrier ops was the T version. This is whiff world, so you can always do it differently.

Yes, and as AZ do a T I may well use that as a starting point. If and when I "start" that is 

[mat]

Quit an amazing what-if build. But if you want to build a real-world Bf 109H-1, you might find this usefull:

The first time the allied got information about the Bf 109H-1, was when oberfähnrich Meyer was taken prisoner, after the Me 410 from 1.(F)/122, in which he was bordfunker, was shot down off the british coast on 26th april 1944. On 6th may at the Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre (CSDIC) at Trent Park Meyer told a fellow POW - a pilot from from 5./KG 2 - about things he had seen in France. He also told it to the hundreds of microphones MI19 had concealed at the place. Meyer descripes a version of the Bf 109, that have extended wings and could reach an altiude of 13500 meters.

Next time the Bf109H-1 is mentioned is in "ULTRA" telegrams (ULTRA were german Enigma signals encrypted by Bletchly Park).

On 10th May, the Technical Officer of FAG 123 signalled Oblt. Kaiser of the 5. Staffel to collect a Bf 109 G-5 "with H installation" ("H-Einbau") from the workshops at Guyancourt, south west of Paris.

By the 16th may, the 5.(F)/123 was able to report the taking over a Bf 109 H-1 W.Nr. 110073, "converted from G-5." The signal gives a desciption of the airplane: Powered by a DB605-GS engine (later known as DB605 ASM), MW 50 methanol installation, GM-1 nitrous oxide installation, Rb 50/30 camera, FuG 16Z radio with ZVG 16 homing attachement and FA 16E and FA 16S tuning, pressure cabin and one MG 151/20 gun.

The conversion was based on a Bf 109G-5, which had been converted to a G-5/AS at Erla-Werk Werk VII: Frontreparaturwerk Antwerpen-Mortsel (Belgium). Another G-5/AS conversion from Antwerpen-Mortsel was the Bf 109G-5/AS, W.Nr. 110064 flown by Hauptmann Gûnther Specht of II/JG11

In july 1944 the microphones in Trent Park catch another POW - Leutnant Walter Warthol from 5.(F)/123 - talking about the Bf 109H. According to him, the Bf 109H-1 is almost useless. It can reach 15000 meters. But when it reach that altitude, it have used so much fuel, that it will soon have to return to the base.

To build a real-world Bf 109H-1 you have to junk the AZ kit fuselage as the Bf 109H-1 was converted from Bf 109G-5/AS. So you could take the wings of AZ Models Bf 109H-1 and the fuselage of AZ Models Messerschmitt Bf 109G-5/AS (AZ7832) as it also have the right late G/K fin/rudder.
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 Then fill in the guns on the engine cowling leaving only the gunport in the propeller hub. As W.Nr. 100073 was equiped with a Rb 50/30 camera it needs a cameraport under the fuselage, as in the R-2 Rüstsatz.
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And finally a droptank to at least give it a chance to reach 15.000 meters altitude.

W.Nr. 100073 was probably painted all-over RLM 76, as Günter Spechts G-5/AS W.Nr. 110064 was (until it a unit level received some RLM 74/RLM 75 patches) and Bf 109G-5/AS W.Nr. 110087 of hptm Horst Carganico, I/JG5. You can see the same over-all RLM 76 paintjob on the Bf 109G-6/R2 W.Nr. 162080 with ASM engine, that the allied in september 1944 found abandoned by 4.(F)/123 at Reims, France.
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[Wardukw]

I really like this..those colours really work and combine very nicely indeed ...great stuff Chris 😁

Is it just me or is there a BV-155 vibe going on with this 🤔
Or have I not had enough coffee yet for the brain to start clicking in its proper firing order 😳 😊