Mitch K Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 I'm hoping somebody can set me straight on a subject that is perplexing me: Royal Hungarian Air Force use of Bf-109E's. Several references cite the RHAF using a number of Bf-109D's, then going to Bf-109F's and G's later on. Some of these sources suggest the RHAF wanted to buy Bf-109E's but were unable/not permitted to. Other sources say the RHAF operated 50-60 Bf-109E's,variously E-3, E-4 and E-7 models. I'm aware of pictures of one particular 109E with black upper parts and red trims which appears to be a demonstrator, but also of some pictures which purport to show "operational" schemes - either RLM 70 over 65 like the Romanian examples or RLM74/75/76 like those used by the Slovakians. Are these a total "red herring"? Both George Punka's Squadron-Signal Hungarian Air Force and Sarhidai, Punka and Kozlik's Hungarian Eagles contain nothing about 109-E's. I'm aware that (sadly) the records are very incomplete, so perhaps ti isn't possible to be unequivocal about this. Can anyone help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Lutz Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 Yes they did. The majority were finished in standard Luftwaffe camo and markings. However, there were at least two machines sporting Hungarian markings, as they were used in a wartime film. One of them looked like this:Cheers Randy 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted July 23, 2017 Author Share Posted July 23, 2017 That's some build! What's the source for this? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303sqn Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 (edited) Hungarian Fighter Colours 1930 - 45 Vol 1 would be a good start: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hungarian-Fighter-Colours-1930-1945-Rainbow/dp/8361421718/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500846228&sr=1-1&keywords=hungarian+fighter+colours Edited July 23, 2017 by 303sqn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 the MMP sites has a flick through of the book on yotube the movie stills which are the basis for the info Randy's very neat 109 are at 2.42 Apart from these no other bf 109E wore Hungarian markings, IIRC the book says quite a few E models were used for training but retained their German markings. There are old profiles of Hungarian E models, which inspired this Errormaster decal sheet... but I think the Hungarian Fighter Colours book is the most up to date book on the subject. HTH T 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 "...Remember ..never trust a profile without a photo.. ..." That's what started this thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Hi, all, Yep, both profiles in "Errormaster" is bogus. Even the operational looking "V506". Well, that sheet is almost entirely bogus. Spanish "126" is an E-3 (only in the pictures it lacks the cannons! but the bulges are there); the insignia in Bulgarian 109Es was markedly different; and I dare say the same of the Rumanian example. Regarding Hungarian ones, it is exactly as Mr. Lutz says. Fernando 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, Fernando said: Hi, all, Yep, both profiles in "Errormaster" is bogus. Even the operational looking "V506". Well, that sheet is almost entirely bogus. Spanish "126" is an E-3 (only in the pictures it lacks the cannons! but the bulges are there); the insignia in Bulgarian 109Es was markedly different; and I dare say the same of the Rumanian example. Regarding Hungarian ones, it is exactly as Mr. Lutz says. Fernando TBH I was more uneasy about V506 than the H7. V506 is altogether too plausible, using a scheme like that seen on He 112's and Bf-109F's. The fact that I could not find a single picture of this scheme, or indeed any reference to RHAF code numbers for 109E's in service made me uneasy, so I felt I was wise to ask the collective wisdom of BM before I disappeared down a rabbit hole! Thanks to everyone for confirming this - it crossed my mind that there could be some newer reference material than what I have, that might have shed light on this. Edited July 24, 2017 by Mitch K Spellchucking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Hi, Mitch K, There is no operational 109F in "Hungarian three-tone scheme". The photo series that exists is believed to be German propaganda pictures from the times when license production in Hungary of the F was being considered. See that it has no codes (which are serial numbers, no tactical codes) All 109Fs in Hungarian service were provided by German depots in the Eastern Front and wore normal German camouflage with their insignia painted out in various styles; the first batch even remained German property and retained German markings with the addition of the Hungarian tricolor on the fin/rudder (no codes either, but a simple tactical number). Fernando 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now