| Type |
Single seat fighter |
| Engine |
1 Daimler-Benz DB 603G |
| Dimensions |
Length 9,46 m , height 3,9 m , span 11,04 m, wing area 16,6 m2 , |
| Weights |
Empty 3530 kg, loaded 4250 kg , take off weight 3620 kg |
| Performance |
Max.. speed 733 km/h , cruising speed 665 km/h , range 1100 km, endurance , service ceiling 12000 m , climb |
| Armament |
2 20 mm MG 151 cannon , 4 13 mm MG 131 machine guns , 1 30 mm MK 108 cannon |
The Messerschmitt Me 309 was a prototype German fighter, designed in the early years of World War II to replace the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Although the Me 309 incorporated a number of advanced features, its performance fell short of expectations, and numerous technical problems led to the cancellation of the project after only four prototypes had been built. The Me 309 was one of two failed Messerschmitt projects intended to replace the Bf 109, the other being the 1943 Me 209 project.
Messerschmitt's failure to resolve the stability and other problems of the Me 209 project during 1940 caused Willy Messerschmitt to scrap much of the earlier design work when he commissioned wind tunnel testing of new wing designs and the cockpit canopy in January 1941. Other changes included dropping the Daimler-Benz DB 601 engine and substituting tricycle landing gear for the previous tail-dragger landing gear. The revised design was formally redesignated as the Me 309 in May.
The new fighter included a pressurized cockpit, which would have given it more comfortable and effective high-altitude performance. Each of the new features was first tested on a number of Bf 109F airframes, the V23 having a ventral radiator, the V31 with a radiator and tricycle landing gear, and the V30 having a pressurized cockpit.
Low government interest in the project delayed completion of the first prototype until spring 1942, and trouble with the nosewheel pushed back the 309's first flight to July. When it did fly, the Me 309's performance was satisfactory – about 50 km/h (30 mph) faster than a standard Bf 109G – but not exemplary. In fact, the Bf 109G could out-turn its intended replacement. With the addition of armament, the aircraft's speed decreased to an unacceptable level. In light of its poor performance and the much more promising development of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190D, the Me 309 was canceled.
| Type |
Werk.Nr |
Registration |
History |
| V1 |
|
GE+CU |
Daimler Benz DB 603 later replaced with a DB 605. June 27, 1942 made taxing trials. First flight took place on the 18th of July and within a few minutes of lifting off the Me 309’s coolant temperature shot up to dangerous levels, causing the flight to be aborted. |
| V2 |
|
GE+CV |
This had the DB 605 engine and, weighing less than the DB 603 of the original V1 prototype it was hoped that performance might be improved, despite the lower horsepower. But on its first flight at the end of November the nose wheel collapsed on landing and the aircraft was written off. |
| V3 |
|
|
In March of 1943 the third prototype got into the air and was used for high-speed testing, |
| V4 |
|
|
July 1943. This was fitted with weapons and was to trial how the aircraft would handle in service. |
