Planes

Germany

Bf 109 G-10

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a single-seat monoplane fighter used by the Luftwaffe before and during WWII. It was used as a fighter, interceptor, high-altitude interceptor, fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.
By early Spring 1944, the Bf 109 G-10 variant had replaced the Bf 109 G-6 in mass-production, being powered by the DB 605D engine with an improved supercharger. Without external pylons, and powered by the DB 605DC, the G-10 was the fastest Bf-109G variant, with a weight of 3,100 kg and top speeds of 550 km/h at sea level and 680 km/h at 7,400 m. It could reach 6,000 m in 5.8 minutes.
Unfortunately, the Bf 109 G-10 would usually reach the front line with factory-installed Ruestsatz armament kits. For example, the Bf 109 G-10/R1 had an ETC fuselage bomb rack for one 250-kg or 4x50-kg bombs, a bomb selector switch and a 5mm armour plating under the oil tank. The Bf 109 G-10/R2 with DB 605DB was a reconnaissance variant with the 13mm guns removed and with one Rb 50/30 or 75/30 camera. With a take-off weight of 3,300 kg (including a 300-litre drop tank) the recon variant could reach 645 km/h at 9,000 m; it had a range of 840 km at a speed of 620 km/h and at an altitude of 8,300 m. The Bf 109 G-10/R14 with DB 605D had a pair of 30mm MK 108 cannon in underwing gondolas. The Bf 109 G-10/R6 was similar to the R14, but with the gondolas housing 20mm MG 151s.