Messerschmitt Bf-109 E-4 D-FEML 26. August 2024 during ground runs. What a sound

The aircraft, manufactured in June 1939, was part of the 5th Squadron of Jagdgeschwader 5 when it was lost on January 24, 1942, near Murmansk (Titovka) as a Bf 109 E-7. However, its main identification plate reportedly labeled it as a Bf 109 E-4.
The wreckage was recovered in 1993 and purchased by German collector Eberhard Thiesen, who planned to restore the aircraft to airworthy condition. The extensive restoration was carried out in England by Charleston Aviation Services. During this time, the aircraft held the English registration G-EMIL. By December 2012, the fuselage, complete with all installations and the engine, was finished and ready for delivery to the customer. This rare and original ‘E’ variant of the Bf-109 fighter was meticulously restored by Dirk Bende and his team at MotoBende in Hangelar.
In the summer of 2017, ground tests with the complete aircraft were conducted in Manching, where Klaus Plasa was involved in taxi trials. According to unofficial reports, there was a significant technical issue with the DB 601 engine, requiring extensive repairs. As a result, the long-anticipated first flight of the restored aircraft was once again delayed.
On March 17, 2023, taxi trials were conducted.
The aircraft was restored to its original Bf-109 E-4 configuration, not as a Bf-109 E-7 as noted in the loss records. This is evident by the absence of features such as the mounting brackets for the auxiliary fuel tank, the additional installations for the fuel tank, and the extra oil tank for extended range, which were characteristic of the Bf-109 E-7.
The Messerschmitt Bf-109E, tail number '12 red' (D-FEML, WerkNr. 1983), took to the skies on 19 June 2023. This particular ‘Emil’ was piloted by Charlie Brown, one of the world’s most seasoned warbird pilots, departing from Bonn-Hangelar Airport, Germany.
The Messerschmitt Bf-109, alongside the Focke-Wulf Fw-190, formed the backbone of the Luftwaffe’s fighter force during World War II. This legendary German fighter aircraft first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War and continued to serve until the end of the war in 1945. At its inception, the Bf-109 was one of the most advanced fighters of its time, boasting an all-metal monocoque construction, a closed canopy, and retractable landing gear, all powered by a liquid-cooled, inverted V12 Daimler-Benz DB605 aero engine.
Designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser at Bayerische Flugzeugwerke in the early 1930s, the Bf-109 was initially conceived as an interceptor. However, its design versatility allowed it to evolve into a multi-role aircraft, serving as a bomber escort, fighter-bomber, day and night fighter, ground-attack aircraft, and aerial reconnaissance platform. Despite its official designation, it was commonly referred to as the "Me-109" by Allied aircrew and some German pilots.
The Bf -109 was the most produced fighter aircraft in history, with 34,248 units built from 1936 to April 1945. Unfortunately, some of this production took place under horrific conditions in Nazi concentration camps through forced labor.
Notably, the Bf-109 was flown by the three top-scoring fighter aces of all time, who collectively achieved 928 victories while serving with Jagdgeschwader 52 on the Eastern Front. The highest-scoring ace, Erich Hartmann, was credited with 352 aerial victories. Hans-Joachim Marseille, the leading ace in the North African campaign, shot down 158 enemy aircraft in a remarkably short period. The Bf-109 was also piloted by many aces from Germany’s allies, including the Finnish ace Ilmari Juutilainen, the highest-scoring non-German ace.
Thanks to continuous development and upgrades, the Bf 109 remained a formidable adversary against the latest Allied fighter aircraft until the war's end.
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