High bank angle turn of a Messerschmitt Bf 109F in front of a steep alpine ridge, likely on the Eastern Alps. Having a Stammkennzeichen (factory code), precisely PH+BE, the aircraft, WNr. 6631 (c/n), is perhaps a fresh factory still not operational plane. Victor Sierra



In front of a steep ridge

“Nude look” German armorers reloading the weapons of a X Flieger Korps, Flieger Führer Afrika,’s Messerschmitt Bf 109E on a Libyan airstrip, likely 1941. The photo give an idea of the sand’s effects over the airplane’s forward section. The dark paint of the propeller’s blades is scraped by the continuous high speed projection against the propeller of the microscopic sand’s grains, in addition to natural erosion of the metal propellers. Other effects are visible over the spinner, the wing’s leading edge and the engine cowling. Victor Sierra



Sand’s effects

This Messerschmitt Bf 109, with the cockpit protected by a beach umbrella against the burning Sicilian summer sun, isn’t a “normal” Bf 109, but the recce variant F-6 with cameras. The plane was in force to 1.(F)/122, a Staffel of the Aufklarungsgruppe 122, a recce unit of the Luftwaffe’s Luftflotte 2, II.Fliegerkorps (2nd Air Corps), normally equipped with Junkers Ju 88D-1, in Sicily from early 1942 and committed almost all for reconnaissance missions over Malta. On 3 June 1942 the 1(F)./122 flew separate recce sorties over Malta with two Bf 109, the first to check and photograph the airfields, the other the shipping in both Valetta and Marsaxlokk harbours. Neither aircraft was intercepted. On December 1942 in the strength of the Staffel appear also a single Bf 109E-9 on strength, while a Bf 109 crash landed, 25 December 1942, at Comiso, damaged 60%. Another “109” was damaged on 16 January 1943 on take-off from Comiso. On the March 1943 the 1.(F)/122 moved to Sardinia, Cagliari-Elmas airfield and here received, on April, six Bf 109G-4/R3, recon model with Rb50/30 and two 300lt drop tanks. The Staffel’s Bf 109s was based at Elmas, the Ju 88 was based at Decimomannu, because this were the only Sardinia’s airfield with a runway length suitable for Bf 109 photo recce variants outfitted with auxiliary fuel tanks (considering also the high temperature on the ground during the Summer time). On 12 May 1943 the Ju 88s and the “109s” of the 1(F)./122 was committed in the operations linked to the Axis forces surrender in Tunisia and, at 11.20 am, two “109” was dispatched to cover the Algerian ports and airfield of Bougie, Djidelli, Phillipeville and Bône, but only reconnaissance of Bône airfield and Les Salines was accomplished successfully. This day recorded also the first loss due enemy action when one of the Bf 109G-4/R3 was shot down by Spitfire off Cape Bougeron, Algeria, and its pilot, Oblt. Hans Kühne, POW. Another loss occurred on 18 May when the plane Wkr. No 19200, crashed in the South of Sardinia due to engine trouble, pilot Oblt. Hans Marquardt injured. On 3 June 1943 the 1(F)./122 began the activity also by another Sardinian airfield, Ottana, but on 24 June was by 3(F)./33 and transferred to Southern France, at Montpellier, for rest and outfitting with new airplanes, Me 410 included. Victor Sierra