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SecretsoftheMe109
WiththesamepowerintheMe109andanemptyweight
of1,700lbs.less,theclimbrateoftheMe109was
substantiallyhigherthanthatoftheP51.Itstakeoff
distancewashalf.TheheavygunontheMe109shot
throughtheengineandothergunsweremountedinboard
onthewingandshotthroughtheprop.TheP51andthe
Spitfiregunsweremountedonthewingoutboardofthe
proptips.AssuchtherollinertiaoftheMe109waslower
allowingittorollfaster.Becauseofthefantastichandling
characteristicsoftheMe109,theP51wasnotmatchfor
theMe109.

TheP51MustangandtheSpitfireareoftenthoughtofasthemightiest
fightersofWWII.Theywerenot.TheMe109wasandherearesomeof
itssecrets!TheSECREToftheMesserschmittMe109G!
Question:DuringWWII,theaveragekillratioincombatwas1to7for
theMe109.ForeveryGermanshotdown,7Alliedfighterswereshot
down.SomeGermanacessuchasHansJoachimMarseilleshotdown
17EnglishSpitfiresinoneday(8werein10minutes)inhisBf109.What
wasthereasonforthesestatistics?Answer:BelowisSkipHolmin
HaroldKindsvatersMe109.HaroldoftenfliesaP51Mustangbuthe
alsoflieshisMe109.ThevideoisaninterviewwithHaroldinwhichhe
answersthebigquestion.

InterviewwithHaroldKindsvater

TheperformanceoftheMe109andtheSpitfireisalmost
thesame.However,theSpitfirehadanaverage25%C
plainaileronwhich,despitedifferentialcontrol,gaveita
veryheavystickforceinrollcomparedtothelightstick
forceoftheMe109.Witha50%spanandnarrowchord,
Frise,aileron,theMe109stickforceswereverylowinroll
anditcouldrollquickerandwasmoreevasivethanthe
Spitfirewhichwasslowinroll.Thecontrolharmonyofthe
Me109couldnotbematchedbyanyAlliedaircraftin
WWII.Furthermore,theMerlinusedintheSpitfirewas
naturallycarburetedandcouldnotoperateinanegativeg
maneuver.Thisanomalywasnotcorrecteduntilafterthe
BattleofBritainin1940.TheMe109sDaimlerBenz
enginewasfuelinjectedfromitsfirstinceptionin1936.
AssuchtheMe109couldeasilydoapullover(negativeg
maneuver)andescapeanattackingSpitfire.

OneofthesecretsoftheMe109isitswing.Auniquedesignlikeno
other.TheMe109usedflapsandleadingedgeslatswithaNACA2R1
14.2airfoilattherootsothatamaxliftcoefficientof2.0couldbe
achieved.TheP51andtheSpitfirealsousedasimpleflapbutnoslats
forwhichthemaxliftcoefficientis1.6.TheMe109alsousedaforgiving
airfoil.TheP51usedaNACA/NAA45100laminarflowairfoilwhich
hadnotbeenwelltestedandcouldnotachievelaminarflowbecauseof
therivetedskin.WithitssharpLE,ithadasharpstall.Assuch,the
Me109coulduseasmallerwing.TheMe109hadalongtailmoment
armandtherudderwas50%C.Assuchitcouldbeyawedfromrightto
leftby45degreestospraybullets.TheP51couldnotbeyawedand
hadtobeflownatthetargetforitsbulletstohitthetarget.TheP51also
hadabadstallspincharacteristicfromwhichitwouldoftennotrecover.
Itwouldloose10,000ftofaltitudeinapoweronstall.SeePOH
warning.

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