By SWAGER, X.O.- I./JG2

Development of the Me109F

The success of the 109E led the Messerschmitt design team to produce a more advanced version, employing the newly-developed and more powerful 1,300-hp. DB 601 E engine to better advantage. This was to be the Me 109F or Franz as it was known in the Jagdwaffe. During the spring of 1940, an Emil was fitted with the new engine, a larger, well-rounded propeller spinner, and a new symmetrical engine cowling. The supercharger intake scoop was also redesigned to create less turbulance. This cleaned up the entire nose and gave the craft a smooth and more stream-lined appearance. The underwing radiators were shallower to further reduce resistance and featured boundary-layer bypasses, which like many Messerschmitt features was a novel development. Some models featured a semi-retractabe tail wheel to improve streamlining.

This craft was first flown on July 10, 1940, and although the results were gratifying, the engineers decided to go back to the drawing board. An entirely new wing was designed with beautifully rounded tips replacing the squared-off tips of the Emil. This was fitted on the next two test models as was an unbraced horizontal tail. A major point of controversy was the armament. Werner Molders favored light armament because it meant less weight and a more agile aircraft, while Adolf Galland felt that the light armament was useless against contemporary aircraft and that cannons would be more effective for the novice. The result was one 15-mm. MG 151 engine cannon firing through the propeller shaft, and two 7.9-mm. MG 17 machine guns in the upper cowling. It was, at best, a compromise, but by contemporary standards inadequate. Walter Osau was violently opposed to this armament, yet other Experten thought it sufficient. In fact, some only used the rapid-fire MG 151 cannon and hardly ever used the two fuselage machine guns. The first Me 109F-1 aircraft were supplied to the Jagdwaffe in early 1941. After only a few weeks of service, several "F" variants crashed mysteriously when their tails tore off in flight. Investigation re-vealed that at specific engine revolutions, sympathetic vibrations caused the tail bolts to shear and the rivets to loosen. The unbraced tail was then redesigned and the fault corrected. Several wing failures were also reported, such as in Balthasar's last flight. This was remedied by reinforcing the fuselage bottom to prevent the skin from wrinkling under stress.

The Franz appeared in six versions, F-l through F-6. The F-3 of 1942 was powered by the DB 601E engine, which gave the craft a top speed of 390 mph at 22,000 ft. Service ceiling was 37,000 ft. and range 440 miles. The cruising speed was 310 mph at 16.500 ft. Loaded weight went up to 6,054 Ibs. and empty weight was 4,330 Ibs. It carried 200 cannon rounds and rounds for each machine gun. The Franz was the favorite of many of the Experten, the most outstanding being Hans-Joachim Marseille. The Jagdwaffe pilots enjoyed exceptional success on all fronts when flying the Me 109F, and flew this thoroughbred of fighter planes with great enthusiasm.

The Franz was a beautiful airplane, truly the high point of Me 109 development, and the last pure fighter in the ein-hundert-neun series. This most beautiful and agile of the Messerschmitts comprised only 7% of the total production or about 2,300 planes, a victim ultimately of the long-time argument between armament and performance. The demand for heavier armament produced a kit to retrofit a 15-mm. MG 151 cannon under each wing, housed in a streamlined enclosure. This increased the Franz's effectiveness against bombers, but destroyed the speed and agility so necessary in fighter-to-fighter combat.From this point onward the variants became encumbered with bigger and better guns, which were required to effectively destroy the increasingly destructive Fortress and Liberator bombers. The Me 109 F had virtually disappeared from the skies of Europe and Africa by the end of 1942, giving way to the next variant, developed as a bomber killer, the Gustav Me 109G.

15th Panzer Division formed

JG2's ground support unit created

April 15th, 2000, Aces High first Tank squad was created to add a ground unit to JG2 Richthofen. The tank squadron, known as the historical 15th Panzer Division that saw extensive action in Northern Africa in mid August of 1941 and on, is lead by Ripsnort, CO of JG2 "Richthofen" with 20 members. Members include flyers from squadrons such the The Wrecking Crew, The 332nd, The Buccaneers, Baby Harp Seals, and others. Anyone is eligible to enroll in the tank division, it does not require 'joining' a squad while one line, simple emailing Ripsnort will do. You will be added to a distribution list, and breifed on meeting times.

To date, the squad has had 2 missions under its belt. In the first mission, JG2 put forth an effort to give air cover to the tankers, but unfortunately, attendance was short, and the mission was a partial success. The 2nd mission was deemed a failure due to the lack of air support to check the F4U-1C that popped up to attack the formation.

Future missions of the 15th Panzer division will hopefully include a dominent air support role from those who volunteer within JG2 and other squads, such as TWC, the 332nd, and the Buccs. This will create a multi-faceted battle where JU88's (B26's) and fighter cover (109's, 190's) will take out field targets to prevent enemy A/C from launching, whereas the 15th Panzers will move in to finish the job. This is planned for Friday night June 2nd, JG2's normal mission night for U.S. players, at 10:00pm EST. If you would like to be part of this, try to make it online June 2nd. It should be a good time! Rangerbob and CavemanJ(from TWC) will lead the Panzers, we will need volunteers from JG2 to lead up the pre-emptive strike on the target which will be identified once everyone is online. To see more about the 15th Panzer division, please check out the website!

15th Panzer division: https://members.tripod.com/deutcheafrikakorps/

by "Ripsnort I./JG2

This months interview is with DADDOG, Commanding Officer of the 332nd, a squad with which JG2 has particpated in many combined operations.

I started the 332nd Flying Mongrels with Al "docdog" Arline back in the fall of 1997. I had been flying in the Warbirds Arena's for a few months and doc suggested we start a squad. He insisted that I be the C.O. because he was happy just pulling the trigger. After a few phone calls and e-mails we started one. At first we were just "The Mongrels", then "The Flying Mongrels", but we had an association with another new squadron called "The Black Aces" that changed things over time. Their C.O. was a fellow named "kieren" and X.O. was "ghosth", both are well known in Aces High. :-) In time the Mongrels and the Black Aces became sister squadrons primarily due to a friendship ghosth and I had prior to starting our squadrons. The Black Aces were a head to head ladder squadron that had the hottest sticks around (IMHO). You would always find their members in the top 10 of Defts Red Falcon ladder. The Mongrels on the other hand were not so competitive, in fact I tended to shy away from such events, but we did work well as a team. Consequently our squadrons complemented each other. They would teach us some ACM and improve our skills, and the few Black Aces who had Warbird accounts would fly with the Mongrels and learn some team work and wingman flying. It was a good relationship.

During this time "ghosth" or "kieren" suggested we add on the 332nd and both squadrons fall under that umbrella. Thus was born the 332nd Flying Mongrels and the 332nd Black Aces. Over time the pull of arena flying brought many of the 332nd Black Aces to the 332nd Flying Mongrels. I always had an open door policy with the Black Aces. In other words any that wanted to join our squad could with out a vote taking place. All other members have been voted on and it has to had been unanimous. One "no" vote and their membership is declined. Skill is not a factor and never will be. Membership is based on personality only, nothing else.

In Warbirds our squad grew from 2 to nearly 40 members strong in about 2 years. Attendance would fluctuate from 50% to 90% on any given Sunday Just a few months ago we began to debate the pros and cons of moving to Aces High. Ghosth lead the charge and we moved the squad to Aces High early this year. The move was costly as far as membership. We have about 1/3 the numbers we had, but I have no worries about the squad growing again.

C.O. daddog X.O. ghosth Flight Leaders harppa wumtt vaderr Pilots woodog wilbus kildog ozark ibreh rockster b-town gunthr gospel tbones teeerex ammomn

Yes, Warbirds. Though we all have tried most if not all the other flight sims out there.

None. We fly them all and don't favor any one plane. Sure we all have our favorites but as a squad we don't focus on anyone fighter or bomber.

That is a doggie bag of opinions. Coming from Warbirds it was difficult for many. Certainly different, but not necessarily a better or worse flight model. Some prefer it, others like the Warbirds flight model more.

Every Sunday at 3 PM Eastern time or 12 Noon Pacific time.

No, usually we have a mission laid out and just try to accomplish the goals. We have talked about training and tactics, but never set aside time for that during squad time. We tend to be pretty relaxed about that sort of thing.

That is another doggie bag. Each one of us will give you a different answer. What I can say with confidence is the squad as a whole miss the "early war plane set".