Bf 109 E-3 cockpit interrior question

[Basilisk]

Is this a common practice to attach the harness as seen in this picture? I never seen it like that before.

 

And another question regarding some cockpit equipment.

What are the items circled in red used for? The leaver on the left has something to do with cooling / air circulation (entlüftet).

Would be great if someone knows.
Cheers, Peter

[tango98]

Not familiar with that kind of harness arrangement as the shoulder straps in the E series were anchored to the frame below and behind the seat.

The lever circled top right is the canopy jettisoning handle common to all E variants. I don't know about the other lever though, could it be that the photos are from a B or C variant rather than an E?

 

It would be worth contacting Lynn Ritger as he may well know; he usually posts over at Hyperscale.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Cneers

Dave

[Basilisk]

Thanks Dave, I actually meant the device above the canopy jettisoning handle. Maybe a lamp? The pictures are from a Swiss Bf 109E-3 taken in 1940.

 

I may try to get in touch with  Lynn Ritger. I tried several times in the past to register at Hyperscale, but for some strange reasons I can't get any confirmation emails. I may have to try again.

 

Cheers, Peter.

[tango98]

Looks like one of the uv cockpit lights.

If you're having difficulty registering at HS try contacting Brett directly, he's a decent and helpful bloke and he'll get you sorted.

 

Cheers

Dave

[72modeler]

15 hours ago, Basilisk said:

Is this a common practice to attach the harness as seen in this picture? I never seen it like that before.

 

And another question regarding some cockpit equipment.

What are the items circled in red used for? The leaver on the left has something to do with cooling / air circulation (entlüftet).

Would be great if someone knows.
Cheers, Peter

I think the knob you circled at the rear of the photo was the control that locked/unlocked the tailwheel so it could either caster while taxying or be fixed straight ahead for landing/take-off. The large lever on the floor I believe controls the radiator outlet flaps; the lever at the top is the canopy jettison handle and the other item circled is one of the UV lamps for illuminating the instruments. The webbed strap in the first photo might serve to keep the shoulder straps from falling down onto the seat, so they would be easier for the pilot to reach and secure before flight. That's as far as my thinking takes me, I'm afraid. I'm no Emil Experten, but I'm thinking the photos might be of the C/D variant, as the cockpit details differ from the ones for E's that I was able to find, as does the windscreen.

Mike

Edited April 23, 2017 by 72modeler
added additional comment

[Basilisk]

Thanks for your reply Mike.

17 hours ago, 72modeler said:

I think the knob you circled at the rear of the photo was the control that locked/unlocked the tailwheel so it could either caster while taxying or be fixed straight ahead for landing/take-off. The large lever on the floor I believe controls the radiator outlet flaps

But it does say "entlüftet" underneath this knob, meaning something to do with air.

 

17 hours ago, 72modeler said:

the lever at the top is the canopy jettison handle and the other item circled is one of the UV lamps for illuminating the instruments.

Yes I think it is the UV lamp. How it shows in line with the canopy frame behind made it a bit confusing.

 

17 hours ago, 72modeler said:

but I'm thinking the photos might be of the C/D variant, as the cockpit details differ from the ones for E's that I was able to find, as does the windscreen.

Mike

The pictures are definitely from early production E-3. You can see the canon selection switch on the lower panel (centre right) which was only in the Swiss 109 E.

 

Cheers, Peter

[72modeler]

5 hours ago, Basilisk said:

Thanks for your reply Mike.

But it does say "entlüftet" underneath this knob, meaning something to do with air.

 

Yes I think it is the UV lamp. How it shows in line with the canopy frame behind made it a bit confusing.

 

The pictures are definitely from early production E-3. You can see the canon selection switch on the lower panel (centre right) which was only in the Swiss 109 E.

 

Cheers, Peter

Peter,

 

I did some searching and found a reference to a control knob for fuel tank pressurization, which according to an English translation of a photo of the cockpit in a factory manual, should be set to "entuftet" : or ventilate before starting the engine. Not sure if the knob in your photo is the one described, or not-  guess a contest judge might ding you if you glue it in the wrong position on your model! (You know how they are- my luck would be one of the judges  would be an ex-109 mechanic and would be all over my model!) As you can plainly see, I'm no expert on the Bf-109- that's why I come to this website daily!

Mike

[Basilisk]

Mike, thanks fol looking further into this. That this knob is for fuel tank pressurization could make sense. I actually found this picture from the preserved aircraft at the Museum in Dübendorf which has this knob in place as well and it looks it goes all the way to the rear (the interior of the aircraft at Dübendorf does look different as it contains several changes and addition compared to the picture from 1940).

 

1 hour ago, 72modeler said:

Not sure if the knob in your photo is the one described, or not-  guess a contest judge might ding you if you glue it in the wrong position on your model! (You know how they are- my luck would be one of the judges  would be an ex-109 mechanic and would be all over my model!)

 

Unfortunately I am no 109 expert either. Whenever you need them they aren't around, but they show up in droves to take a finished model apart 

 

But as I intend to make a model of a Swiss 109E in 1/32 scale, little details like that are noticeable and I would like to incorporate them.

 

Cheers, Peter