Messerschmitt Me 209
Messerschmitt Me 209 is a name for two different aircraft Messerschmitt AG. The first Me 209 was a pure racing aircraft in 1938 and was renamed for propaganda purposes in Me 109 R. The second version was an unsuccessful development of the Bf 109 from the year 1943.
Record aircraft Me 209
The Me 209 was designed and constructed specifically for the conquest of the absolute speed world record. Design manager was Robert Lussier. The project name was P 1059th
The machine was a single-seat low -wing monoplane with retractable landing gear and unusually far back lying cabin. The aircraft competed with the designed as a fighter and converted for record purposes Heinkel He 100 First flight of the Me 209 V1 took place on 1 August 1938 in Augsburg- Haunstetten by Dr. -Ing. Hermann Wurster instead, which revealed that the machine was very difficult to fly.
The record Motors, Daimler -Benz DB 601 had a power of 1325 kW ( about 1800 HP), however, had only a few minutes at full power life. For a minute even stood up to 2,300 hp. For engine cooling was a novel evaporation cooler is used to turn off the air resistance of conventional coolers. However, this cooling system used up to nine liters of cooling water per minute. There were 450 liters of cooling liquid on board. A planed surface cooling over the outer skin could not make reliable.
On April 26, 1939, works pilot Fritz Wendel with the prepared Me 209 V1 ( D- INJR ) to a new absolute world speed record of 755.138 km / h. In order to give the public the impression that the machine is a variant of the standard fighter of the Luftwaffe, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Ministry of Propaganda, the record machine with respect to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI ) " Me 109 R " decided under the direction of Joseph Goebbels to mention. It was not until 30 years later, on 16 August 1969, a new record speed of 777 km / h was achieved with a significantly modified F8F -2 Bearcat. The record now stands at 850.24 km / h, placed on August 21, 1989 also with a modified Grumman Bearcat.
Parts of this first prototype Me 209 V1 are now in Narodowe Muzeum Lotnictwa in Krakow.
Originally it was actually intended to develop on the basis of the type a fighter; due to the cooling system used to the surface cooling, and the resultant problems such as leakage and distortion of the panel but this was discarded. The use of conventional coolers and installation of on-board weapons controlled the type again in the speed range of existing fighter aircraft. Subsequently, the project was discontinued.
Me 209 as a further development of the Bf 109
In 1943, Messerschmitt presented an evolution of the Bf 109: You should connect the cell of the Bf 109G with enlarged tail fin and wings, a widened chassis and a more powerful engine. The first prototype, the Me 209 V5, was with a 1900 hp payable Daimler- Benz DB 603G equipped and first flew on November 3, 1943. This Me 209 V5 has nothing to do with the Me 209 V1 to V4, the previously Messerschmitt emerged. The number " 209 " was chosen in order to make it appear over the RLM that it was just another Me 209, not a little more approved complete rewrite, but which was the Me 209 V5. It is precisely this need Messerschmitt but to after the failed Me 309 and the uncertain outcome of the engine question the Me 262 to be able to offer a powerful hunter as successor to the Bf 109. With the FW 190 D is a very serious competitor apparent. The Me 209 V6 got Junkers Jumo 213E with a different motor, since the DB 603 was not in sufficient numbers available.
The aim of the development was the replacement of not more performance- Bf 109 and Focke -Wulf Fw 190 competing product to the Me 209 was briefly the design Focke-Wulf Ta 153 and especially the Focke -Wulf Fw 190D. Essential criteria were performance, armament and especially a problem as possible conversion of manufacturing facilities. After a decision to the detriment of the Me 209, was on 17 August 1943 the highest priority for the Messerschmitt Me 262 was placed on the 29 October 1943. After further interventions of both sides, the project was finally finally stopped on 14 December 1943. Only with the V5 and V6 were allowed some experiments are carried out.