RECOVERED: Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7

 

Wrk. Nmr. 5975 was built in 1940 by Wiener-Neustadter-Flugzeugwerke at Wiener-Neustadt in Austria. Records show that this aircraft is the only example of the E-7 sub-series known to exist. The E-7 variant was the first Luftwaffe fighter aircraft to have nitrous oxide power-boosting to improve combat performance for short periods.

This particular aircraft is thought to have been a Norwegian patrol aircraft which flew the Murmansk sector of Russia. The aircraft was flown last by Uffz. Heinz Bausch of 6./JG 5 and was marked Yellow 4. It was shot down 10 May, 1942 by Russian forces and was listed MIA. It remained where it came to rest in Northern Russia until it was recovered by Warbird Recovery in the winter of 1994. It took a Jet engine on the back of a truck to melt the aircraft out of the ice of the frozen lake where the aircraft was found. All remaining pieces were shipped to the Warbird Recovery facility in Broomfield, Colorado.

Warbird Recovery has donated this aircraft to the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum in Savannah, Georgia.

Crew-One

Construction-All metal stressed-skin

Engine-One 1,475hp Daimler-Benz DB605A liquid cooled inverted V12

Armament-One 20mm MG151 engine mounted cannon with 150 rounds Two 7.9mm MG17 fuselage mounted machine guns with 500 rounds per gun

PerformanceMaximum speed 398mph (640kph) Service ceiling 39,370 (12,000m) Range 340 miles (540km)

Range-425 miles

Wingspan-32ft. 6 1/2 in.

Length-29ft. 7 1/2in.

Height-8ft. 2 1/2in.

Weight empty-5,687lb

Weight loaded-6,834lb