History
Late in 1940, based upon lessons learned in the Battle of Britain, Willy
Messerschmitt's Augsburg design team reworked their notorious Bf109 .
Previously, it had been the finest fighter in the world, but its supremacy was
seriously challenged by the British Spitfire. The result was the F series:
aerodynamically streamlined, making it faster, and far more maneuverable than
the previous E, or "Emil" series. The Franz variant was short lived, however,
as the need for more heavily armed bomber interceptors grew.
The Franz in Air Warrior
Like all German aircraft, the 109 is only available in Europe. The Franz
is lightly armed with a limited supply of ammunition, although its lethality
holds up over most of its ammo load. It's not a particularly durable plane, and
you will have to take a larger percentage of a full fuel load in the 109 due to
its small gas tank.
Still, the Franz has the highest climb rate of any prop fighter in Air Warrior
and it's nearly as fast as either the Focke Wulf or the Spitfire at medium
altitudes. Its water injected war emergency power boost lasts 20 minutes
compared to the 10 minutes of WEP most fighters possess. Also, the Franz is
capable of full performance on reduced octane fuel; you don't have to check the
gas quality at an airfield when you fly the 109.
The Bf109F-4 in Full Realism
No aircraft in Air Warrior has benefited from full realism more than the Bf109.
Virtues
The 109 has exceptionally manageable departure characteristics. It is reluctant
to spin, it recovers easily, and it can turn well at low speeds. Its
ammunition, while not in large supply, holds its full lethality over nearly its
entire load. This plane climbs like a rocket, particularly on WEP. Also, its
low thrust-to-weight ratio gives it the best level acceleration of any AW piston
engine fighter.
Vices
The Franz's ease in spin recovery diminishes sharply with a full fuel tank, due
to the aft shift in its center of gravity. Unfortunately, you often need a
nearly full fuel load, given the 109's tiny gas tank - the smallest of all the
AW aircraft. Also, the 109 lacks the sheer speed of a Focke Wulf or Mustang
and, like the Spitfire, it suffers progressive control stiffness above 300
knots.
The Franz in Scenarios
It's in scenario play that the deficiencies in the 109 really show. Its short
range, limited ammo load, and control problems in a dive - especially from very
high altitudes - require a lot more from the pilot than most of the AW
fighters.
Tips
As noted earlier, you have to be more tender with the 109 when she has a full
fuel tank. In arena play, don't be afraid to climb out on WEP; you've got
double the WEP of other European fighters and you can use it to gain altitude
fast. Only use the 109's maneuvering flap setting to help you get over the top
of a low speed half-loop. Far from being helpful in flat turns, it actually
performs more like an airbrake.
Munitions
Armament
Ammo Load
Payload
2-13mm Machine Guns
600 rounds
1-550 lb. bomb
1-20mm Cannon
200 shells
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Performance
| Armament | Ammo Load | Payload |
| 2-13mm Machine Guns | 600 rounds | 1-550 lb. bomb |
| 1-20mm Cannon | 200 shells | - |