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Mystery 109 Build; Revealed!


PhilB

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Well Phil, to my uneducated eye, it sounds like this is going to turn out as a splendid MTO diorama. I am very sure that Russ would have been very excited about this one, as well as being a splendid tribute to your late father as well to boot...Bring it on!

 

Derek

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You big tease!

Derek,

Thanks for the vote of confidence!

Matt,

I don't think it will be long before I have to come clean with exactly what I'll be attempting!

They're a sharp lot these LSPers.

Geedub,

I don't think you'll be able to work this one out buddy!

:lol:

Phil

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Hannak's machine, when he was lost, was Bf 109G-6 WNr. 18046 with standard factory delivery codes white GP+IZ.

Aperantly he was taken prisoner after your dad and his fellow solders captured Oblt.Hannak after emergency landing beacose of the engine damage during recon sortie, near Luqa, Malta.

Now i find two dates for em.landing, 04/05/43 and 05/05/43. I belive Your date is correct....

 

So.......can i get now that Nestle ice cream :piliot::):whistle:

 

Dejan

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Hannak's machine, when he was lost, was Bf 109G-6 WNr. 18046 with standard factory delivery codes white GP+IZ.

Aperantly he was taken prisoner after your dad and his fellow solders captured Oblt.Hannak after emergency landing beacose of the engine damage during recon sortie, near Luqa, Malta.

Now i find two dates for em.landing, 04/05/43 and 05/05/43. I belive Your date is correct....

 

So.......can i get now that Nestle ice cream :blowup::):crying:

 

Dejan

Well Done Dejan!

Yes you are absolutely correct. During my research I googled his name and records show him becoming a prisoner of war on the 5th May 1943.

The reason I already knew the time and date is that my Dad wrote it on the back of the photo!

You can have the Ice Cream but I need the wooden stick for the build.

I will post the picture and story shortly.

Phil :(

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Well I thought I could last more than 24 hours but as usual members here are pretty sharp with their research so well done Dejan.

This is what I will be attempting. The photograph is from my father's photo album.

 

Malta109.jpg

 

My father served as an RAF Engineering Officer for over 2 years on Malta from 1941 to 1943. This was throughout the blitz and the main air battle.

He was posted to 249 Squadron which was the highest scoring RAF fighter squadron of WW2.

Some of you will be aware of this incredible battle which was a turning point of the war.

He served with the likes of "Screwball" or "Buzz" Beurling (whichever nickname you choose!) who was probably IMHO one of the greatest fighter pilots of the war.

Keeping aircraft serviceable during the main air battles was as you can imagine pretty challenging. Especially as until it was superceeded by the Vietnam conflict, Malta was per tonnage of bombs per square mile the most heavily bombed place on the planet.

 

On this particular day, 5/5/43 my father was on the airfield at Luqa when an aircraft was seen coming with a dead prop.

Initially they thought it was a Spitfire but as it belly landed it was obvious that it was a 109.

When it came to a halt my father told me the pilot (Oblt Hannak) got out, drew his service pistol and emptied it into the engine!

He then put his hands up and was taken prisoner.

My research showed Hannak to be an "ace" with 47 confirmed victories. Most appeared to be on the Eastern front but as Dejan said he had shot down a couple of Spits over Sicily a few weeks earlier.

I also found that he had been awarded the Knights Cross on the 1st July 1942. Taking this into account his behaviour is pretty understandable to be taken prisoner over a busted engine!

My father said that it was claimed by anti aircraft units but being an engineer and having examined the aircraft he said it was definitley engine failure.

I have another photograph of her just after belly landing so I may post that later.

As you can see it is near one of the famous blast pens used on Malta made from petrol cans filled with sand and earth.

Before anyone says anything I am NOT going to replicate several hundred petrol cans!!!!

Interesting there was no canopy on her. Radu said on my initial research that the pilot would have ejected it prior to landing so no canopy masking there.

Its going to be fun detailing the engine then plastering the whole thing in oil!!!

 

Well thats the story

I'm looking forward to building this one!

 

Phil

Kev, if you or one of the other mods read this I suppose you had better change the title to " Mystery 109 Build! - Revealed!"

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Nice. Are you going to build it just like that?

Yes Keith, as close as I can.

First time for a diorama but shouldn't be too difficult (gulp! I hope!)

Phil

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Very nice picture Phil. If you need the lollie sticks for your trestle work, you may find thin balsa wood sheet or those smaller coffee stirring sticks (courtesy of McDonalds :() much more to scale and definately a lot easier to work with! (Just my humble suggestion here :blowup:).

 

Cheers

 

Derek

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Here is the other photo taken just after landing.

Spooky but the bloke whose head is just poking out behind the prop bears a passing resemblance to good old Pa!

 

This is not my photo so I trust you will honour the fair usage criteria which can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use

 

Bf109G-6.jpg

 

Interesting to see the screen plastered with oil. Looks like this engine gave up in a big way.

Can't find any signs of the cowlings in either photo, don't know if they were blown off or what?

 

Phil

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Very nice picture Phil. If you need the lollie sticks for your trestle work, you may find thin balsa wood sheet or those smaller coffee stirring sticks (courtesy of McDonalds :() much more to scale and definately a lot easier to work with! (Just my humble suggestion here :blowup:).

 

Cheers

 

Derek

Thanks Derek,

I was going to use it for the bit of wood on top of the trestle.

I've got the plastic "L" sections for the trestle.

Interesting thing when you zoom right in it looks a bit like an early version of a Black and Decker Workmate!

Phil

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Interesting thing when you zoom right in it looks a bit like an early version of a Black and Decker Workmate!

 

:( :blowup:

 

I have just been googling some Bf 109F pictures, and looking again very closely at your photograph, it appears that the engine covers have been removed in order to inspect the engine. The cover latches appear to be intact (not torn or damaged in any way), there is a radius shaped area on the fuselage area just aft of the cover that appears to be clean and free from oil - like there was some form of fairing or cover here. Finally, their appears to be a radial fairing that sits immeditately behind the spinner that has been removed - most pictures I have just seen show this as been a fixed fairing, so it must have been removed. I am sure that the more knowledgable Bf 109 experts amongst us will correct me if I am at all mistaken?

 

Derek

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Interesting to see the screen plastered with oil. Looks like this engine gave up in a big way.

Nah, that's normal. You should see the puddle under my DB.

 

Actually, I imagine any oil leak in an engine that size travelling at 400+Kph, will go absolutely everywhere.

 

Note the seriously feathered prop. Good luck Phil.

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