Down In Flames

German Plane Database

Bf-109B Bertha

Germany – Unlock XP: 0

Stat OK Damaged

Airframe 0-2 3-4

Performance 5 4

Horsepower 2 1

Bursts 0 0

Special None None

Wingman Attack 1 0

Wingman Defense 1 1

Real World Data

Name Bf-109B

Nation Germany

Manufacturer Messerschmitt

Type Fighter

Number of Engines 1

Horsepower 635

Weight 11,532 lbs.

Max Speed 292 mph

Number of Guns 3

Crew 1

Year Introduced 1937

The 109B was the first of the 109s to see active service. They began service with the Condor Legion in 1937. The 109B’s main adversary in the Spanish Civil War was the Soviet I-16. The two aircraft were well matched and each enjoyed its own advantages. The 109B was faster in both level flight and dives, but the I-16 had the advantage in agility.

While the service life of the 109B was limited, vital lessons were learned that led to the development of the very successful 109E that was the main German fighter at the start of WWII.

Bf-110C Zerstorer

Germany – Unlock XP: 15

Stat OK Damaged

Airframe 0-4 5-7

Performance 4 3

Horsepower 2 1

Bursts 1 1

Special Gunner Gunner

Wingman Attack 1 1

Wingman Defense 2 1

Real World Data

Name Bf-110C

Nation Germany

Manufacturer Messerschmitt

Type Fighter

Number of Engines 2

Horsepower 2x1,050 each

Weight 13,289 lbs.

Max Speed 336 mph

Number of Guns 7

Crew 2-3

Year Introduced 1939

The BF-110 Zerstorer was brought about when the Luftwaffe brought forth a requisition for a twin engined fighter that could double as a high speed bomber Focke-wulf and Henschel brought forth designs but the Messerschmitt won out and the first of three prototypes was flown on May 12 1936. The Engines used then were found to be unreliable even though a speed of 314mph was attained while flight-testing was occurring.

An availability of new engines led to the introduction of the BF-110C initially brought forth 10 BF-110C-0 version delivered by 1939 and it was followed very closely by the C-1, and has production gained steam Focke-wulf and Gotha joined in the production. This fighter proved itself in the Polish Campaign and in December 1939 proved its worth as a bomber Destroyer shooting down 9 out of 22 Wellingtons over the Heligoland Bight.

Bf-109E Emil

Germany – Unlock XP: 39

Stat OK Damaged

Airframe 0-2 3-4

Performance 6 4

Horsepower 2 1

Bursts 1 1

Special None None

Wingman Attack 2 1

Wingman Defense 2 2

Real World Data

Name Bf-109E

Nation Germany

Manufacturer Messerschmitt

Type Fighter

Number of Engines 1

Horsepower 1,050

Weight 4,431 lbs.

Max Speed 342 mph

Number of Guns 4

Crew 1

Year Introduced 1939

First flown in Spain, it easily outclassed any opposition such as the Polish PZLs and the Russian Polikarpovs. During The Battle of Britain in 1940, the Bf 109E flew against RAF Hurricanes and early Spitfires as they tried to defend against the incoming German bombers. One of its few faults, the Bf 109 had too limited a range to be fully effective as a bomber escort. Another quirk of its design, considered its main fault, was its very narrow undercarriage. The tightness of its main landing gear made it very difficult for new pilots to take-off and land.

Bf-109 Friedrich

Germany – Unlock XP: 74

Stat OK Damaged

Airframe 0-2 3-4

Performance 7 5

Horsepower 2 1

Bursts 1 1

Special None None

Wingman Attack 2 1

Wingman Defense 2 2

Real World Data

Name Bf-109F

Nation Germany

Manufacturer Messerschmitt

Type Fighter

Number of Engines 1

Horsepower 1,200

Weight 6,173 lbs.

Max Speed 373 mph

Number of Guns 3

Crew 1

Year Introduced 1941

Considered the best dogfighter of the Bf 109 variants, it was generally armed with one 20mm and two 7.9mm guns though there were variants armed with smaller cannon. A recon version was produced with only two 7.9mm machine guns.

Bf-109G Gustav

Germany – Unlock XP: 139

Stat OK Damaged

Airframe 0-2 3-5

Performance 7 5

Horsepower 3 2

Bursts 1 1

Special None None

Wingman Attack 3 2

Wingman Defense 3 2

Real World Data

Name Bf-109G

Nation Germany

Manufacturer Messerschmitt

Type Fighter

Number of Engines 1

Horsepower 1,475

Weight 6,834 lbs.

Max Speed 406 mph

Number of Guns 3

Crew 1

Year Introduced 1942

The Bf 109G saw action starting mid year of 1942. Major Erich Hartmann reached his 352nd confirmed kill on the Eastern Front flying against the early Soviet fighters. The Gustav was armed with two 13mm or 15mm machine guns, one hub-firing 20mm cannon and could also carry two 20mm cannon in wing pods. It was better at high altitude operations than earlier variants. The Gustav was the most widely produced of the Bf-109 family.

Bf-109K Karl

Germany – Unlock XP: 295

Stat OK Damaged

Airframe 0-3 4-6

Performance 7 5

Horsepower 3 2

Bursts 1 1

Special Turbocharger Turbocharger

Wingman Attack 3 2

Wingman Defense 3 2

Real World Data

Name Bf-109K

Nation Germany

Manufacturer Messerschmitt

Type Fighter

Number of Engines 1

Horsepower 2,000

Weight 7,745 lbs.

Max Speed 452 mph

Number of Guns 3

Crew 1

Year Introduced 1944

Heavier weaponry was outfitted on the Koenig to aid in the air defense of the Fatherland as Allied bombers achieved air-superiority late in the war. It sported either one 30mm and two 15mm guns or an impressive three 30mm cannon and two 15mm machine guns. It also had excellent climb characteristics considering its heavy armament

Fw-190A Würger

Germany – Unlock XP: 341

Stat OK Damaged

Airframe 0-3 4-6

Performance 7 5

Horsepower 3 2

Bursts 2 2

Special None None

Wingman Attack 3 2

Wingman Defense 3 2

Real World Data

Name Fw-190A

Nation Germany

Manufacturer Focke Wulf

Type Fighter

Number of Engines 1

Horsepower 1,600

Weight 8,770 lbs.

Max Speed 389 mph

Number of Guns 6

Crew 1

Year Introduced 1941

The Focke-Wulf Fw-190 was the next evolutionary step to the Messerschmitt fighter Bf-109. One of the first fighters to have a clear rear canopy, it was more than a match for the Spitfire V’s it was pitted against. Prowling the skies over England, it was a sleek and heavily armed predator sporting two 13 mm machine-guns and four 20 mm cannon.

The Fw-190 prototype first flew in June 1939 with full production starting in late 1940. It was able to perform in differing roles from bomber intercept to ground attack. The heavy internal armaments could be augmented with a respectable load of bombs or rockets thanks to first, the BMW 801 engine and then later the Junkers Jumo 213, pushing the plane to a blistering 405 MPH. In an air-to-air role, the FW-190 had an astounding roll rate. This, coupled with its high speed and maneuverability, allowed the pilot to dictate terms to his adversary.

Thanks to a Luftwaffe deserter landing his fighter in England in June 1942, the Allies were able to take a close look at the scourge of the English skies. This examination greatly influenced the development of the Hawker Fury. Indeed, imitation was the sincerest form of flattery for this sleek hunter.

Ju-87B Stuka

Germany

Stat OK Damaged

Airframe 0-3 4-6

Turret Defense 1 1

Turret Support 2 0

Real World Data

Name Ju-87B

Nation Germany

Manufacturer Junkers

Type Light Bomber

Number of Engines 1

Horsepower 1,200

Weight 9,560 lbs.

Max Speed 238 mph

Number of Guns 3

Crew 2

Year Introduced 1938

The Ju-87 Stuka was Germany’s most used dive bomber throughout the war. Short for “Sturzkampfflugzeug”, the Stuka’s reputation as a highly accurate bomb delivery system was well earned. Its main limitation was that it needed local air superiority to be used effectively as it was sluggish and under-armed in the air. This was acceptable since its job was to destroy vehicles, ships and buildings. Once the bomb was released, an automatic system engaged to bring the plane out of its dive. This was to ensure the pilot’s survivability in case he blacked out from the high g forces of the JU-87’s 80-degree dive.

Image was half of what the Stuka was famous for. Its inverted gull-wings and fixed landing gear made it instantly recognizable. The German flight crews fitted sirens on the landing gear so that its distinctive shriek would start as the planes went into a dive. This was a major blow to the morale of enemy ground troops.

Nearly 6000 Stukas were built. They flew with a crew of 2, a pilot and a rear-gunner. Its armament was two forward firing 7.9mm machine guns and one rear firing 7.9mm machine gun as well as its payload of bombs. Later in the war, a variant was produced with two 30mm cannons in pods under the wings and a 7.92mm machine gun in the back for the gunner. This saw action on the Eastern Front as an anti-armor aircraft.

He-111 Heinkel

Germany

Stat OK Damaged

Airframe 0-5 6-8

Turret Defense 2 2

Turret Support 3 0

Real World Data

Name He-111

Nation Germany

Manufacturer Ernest Heinkel

Type Medium Bomber

Number of Engines 2

Horsepower 1,100

Weight 30,860 lbs.

Max Speed 252 mph

Number of Guns 6

Crew 5

Year Introduced 1939

The He-111 was the workhorse for the Luftwaffe during World War 2. Its prototype flew in February 1935 and was first operational in 1936 as a medium bomber as well as civil transport. He-111s flew in the Spanish Civil War as part of the Condor Legion, a unit of Nazi volunteer supporting the Franco’s Nationalists.

Its main flaw was more due to use rather than design. The He-111s were sent over England during the Battle of Britain and had insufficient defensive armament. Coupled with a lack of long-range fighter support, losses were quite high. Still, production continued through the end of the war with a run of nearly 7500 aircraft.

It was considered under gunned when compared with Allied bombers. The early He-111 was armed with only three 7.9mm machine guns with a 3,300 lb payload. The later models were much more robust sporting one 20mm cannon, one 13mm heavy machine gun and five 7.9mm machine guns in addition to its upgraded 7,150 lbs. Initial versions of the He-111 had its bombs stored nose-up in it’s bomb bay. When released, the bombs would rotate 180-degrees during their drop. This had the effect of higher accuracy at the cost of heavier payloads.

He-177 Greif

Germany

Stat OK Damaged

Airframe 0-8 9-12

Turret Defense 3 3

Turret Support 3 0

Real World Data

Name He-177

Nation Germany

Manufacturer Ernest Heinkel

Type Heavy Bomber

Number of Engines 2

Horsepower 2,700

Weight 66,139 lbs.

Max Speed 317 mph

Number of Guns 6

Crew 5

Year Introduced 1942

The Greif came about in 1939 when it was developed from a diffrent prototype. At that time with no 2,000 hp engines available. They close-coupled two older models to create a hybrid 2,600 hp newer engine and two of them were used to power the Grief. There were many teething problems, of which at least 3 prototypes were lost due to wing weakness or fires. The weaknesses were soon fixed but the fire problem whas never quite ironed out. The first versions were delivered in June '42 and it was not until late 1942 that more reliable versions were available. By the end of 1944 most had been withdrawn due to fighter production to fight against allied bombers. Its maximum speed was 304 mph, max ceiling was 26,245 feet. and its range was 3,417 mi. The Armament was three .51 caliber MGs, and two 20-mm cannons plus 2,205 pounds of bombs and two Henschel Missles under the wings.