Messerschmitt Bf109G at the Wanaka Warbirds Airshow
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After
World War 2, German Messerschmitt Bf109s were built under license in Spain;
this type of aircraft is called a Hispano HA-112 Buchon. In an incredible
irony, these aircraft were powered by Rolls Royce Merlin engines, the same
type of engine which the Spitfire used; in a further irony, the first prototype
Bf 109 was also powered by a Rolls Royce engine, the Kestrel!
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This plane is a
Buchon called Black 2 which was restored in Germany and re-engined with
a genuine Daimler Benz DB-605 engine found in Italy.
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It was outfitted
with various parts to give it the external appearance of a Bf109G-10, a
variant of the "Gustav" line of Bf109s, which was the definitive type used
by the Germans during world war two.
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I guess this must
be what an Bf109 looked like to a Spitfire pilot!
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It was
then taken to the UK to the Old Flying Machine company and flown by the
father and son team of Ray and Mark Hanna, who were good enough to bring
it to the other side of the world for the show at Wanaka!
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The
Hannas had rather mixed experiences with this aircraft, Mark had to make
three dead-stick landings without benefit of engine power, and they also
had problems with exhaust fumes in the cockpit.
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