Bf 109 G-2/trop
| This page is about the German fighter Bf 109 G-2/trop. For other versions, see Bf 109 (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Bf 109 G-2/trop is a rank IV German fighter with a battle rating of 5.3 (AB) and 4.3 (RB/SB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.
The Bf 109 G-2/trop fulfils many roles in War Thunder: it can be used as a bomber interceptor and as a fighter bomber but where it really shines is the role of a pure fighter. The G-2 should be flown like every Bf 109 in an energy fighting style.
This is the tropical variant of the "Gustav Zwei". Like the Bf 109 F-4/trop it features an engine intake dust filter, a socket for sun-umbrellas and several other accommodations versus particulate matter. While these modifications allowed for prolonged service life in harsh environments like North Africa, the Russian veld and Libya's desert, they also (marginally) cost top speed and engine performance due to increased air resistance and power diversion for the filtered aspirator.
The Gustav-2, like the Bf 109 F-4, has a very accurate and a relatively capable main armament, which is mainly achieved by the engine mounted MG 151/20 cannon. The MG 151/20 cannon operates at a rate of fire of 750 rounds per minute with a muzzle velocity of 710-785 m/s and is capable to shoot one of the most effective cannon rounds against aircraft: the mighty minengeschoß (eng. Mineshell), which contains 20 g of high explosive filler. The Minengeschoß is in game shown as "HEI - High-explosive incendiary shell (minengeschoß)". It is very likely to hit viable parts of aircraft like fuel tanks and cooling systems because of the fuse delay which allows the Minengeschoß to penetrate half through wings before the shell explodes. The MG 17 machine gun operates at a rate of fire of 1,150 rpm and was used up to the Bf 109 G-4 at which point they finally upgraded with the bigger MG 131 with a calibre of 13 mm. The MG 17 was called "Luftwaffenanklopfgerät" (eng. Airforce-knock-knock-thing) derogatorily by German Luftwaffe pilots due to the small calibre and damage effect on aircraft.
General info
Flight performance
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 6,500 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 659 | 643 | 13200 | 20.0 | 20.7 | 19.6 | 19.5 | 304 |
| Upgraded | 705 | 682 | 18.0 | 19.0 | 27.6 | 23.1 | ||
Details
| Features | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 790 | 360 | 437 | 408 | 260 | ~13 | ~6 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 450 | < 390 | < 450 | > 715 |
| Compressor (RB/SB) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Setting 1 | ||
| Optimal altitude | 100% Engine power | WEP Engine power |
| 5,700 m | 1,260 hp | 1,399 hp |
Survivability and armour
- 60 mm Bulletproof glass in front of the pilot.
- 4-8 mm Steel plates on pilot seat.
- 10 mm Steel plates around the pilot's head.
- 21 mm Steel plate on the rear of the fuel tank, with 4 mm plates surrounding it on other sides.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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It is recommended to unlock all flight performance and survivability modules first, with exception of the weaponry module "Offensive 20 mm". Unlock this upgrade as soon as you can, because it gains access to the "Air Targets" ammo belt, which provides significantly larger damage effects than the default belt.
Armaments
Offensive armament
The Bf 109 G-2/trop is armed with:
- 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, nose-mounted (200 rpg)
- 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
The two machine guns are in the upper part of the fuselage just in front of the cockpit. The 20 mm cannon is mounted to fire through the propeller shaft and out the propeller hub.
Recommended Ammunition Belts
Pilots who are really experienced with the aiming and hitting of the MG 151/20, might want to use stealth belts on the MGs and cannons, to avoid being spotted by tracers. Using stealth belts on the machine guns only is also useful for aiming the cannon more easily without the distraction provided by the light machine gun tracers.
- MG 151/20
- Air Targets: Air Targets (AP-I/HEI/HEI/HEI/HEI/IT) // Consisting of 2/3 Minengeschoße, this belt is very effective against any aircraft.
- Ground Targets: Armoured Targets (APHE/APHE/APHE/IT)
- MG 17
- Air Targets: Universal (AP-T/AP/AI/AP-I)
- Ground Targets: Tracer (AP-T)
Suspended armament
The Bf 109 G-2/trop can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- Without load
- 4 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (200 kg total)
- 1 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb (250 kg total)
- 2 x 20 mm MG 151 cannons, wing-mounted (gunpods) (135 rpg = 270 total)
- 1 x Flam C 250 incendiary bomb
Usage in battles
Fighter:
The Bf 109 G-2 was designed as a fighter aircraft and thus excels in the role of it. It reaches its maximal performance with of course no secondary weapons equipped. However, if one 20 mm MG 151/20 is not sufficient, especially against bombers, utilising two extra MG 151/20 in form of gunpods will noticeably increase firepower at the expense of a slight loss in flight performance.
Bomber interceptor:
When facing any bombers (e.g. B-25, B-17, Wellington, Yer-2) one should never simply stay behind them and spray the guns all over the bomber. To take out any bomber effectively, the best tactic is to come in with high speed out of a steep angle and focus the guns on just one wing. This will give the bombers' gunners a harder time to ward off the attacker, whilst focusing on only one wing increases greatly the chance of a critical hit, either snapping off a wing or making the bomber uncontrollable. Since it can be quite hard to snap off a wing of a bomber with "only" one MG 151/20, it is highly recommended to make use of the previously mentioned 20 mm MG 151/20 gunpods.
Fighter Bomber:
The G-2 can also be used as a fighter bomber. To fulfil this role one has the choice between either one 250 kg bomb or four 50 kg bombs, which are dropped in pairs of two. The 250 kg bomb is quite easily capable of destroying hard ground targets like pillboxes and tanks, while the 50 kg bombs can only crack such targets with a direct hit/detonation on target. Please note that only on rare occasions it is helpful to waste the G-2s fighter capabilities with ground attacking in order to achieve victory in a mission.
Arcade Battles
The G-2 in AB has a massively elevated performance. Climb rate is insane due to the lack of engine damage from overheating and performance losses from the 2 gunpods are almost nonexistent or unnoticeable. The gun pods greatly improve the damage output, important for the fast past action in Arcade. Although in a true one versus one against more agile opponents such as Spitfire Mk.V, one would wish to not have equipped the pods for better agility.
Flying the G-2 in a strict Boom and Zoom style is recommended for beginners in Arcade.
Realistic Battles/Simulator Battles
During a dive, redlining starts at 750 km/h (IAS) and your aircraft breaks apart around 820 km/h (IAS) and til you reach this speed you can not rip your wings off with pulling up. You have access to 20/30/45 minutes of fuel, for most maps 30 minutes of fuel is a good choice.
While in the offence against a fighter in the Bf 109 G-2/trop (i.e. with an energy advantage, ready to engage the enemy either by diving or zoom climbing), a swift pass landing 20 mm hits in the wing should suffice to take down the opponent. If the opponent avoids the attack by applying defensive manoeuvres, the energy the evading opponent lost in the process will put the attacking Bf 109 in an even larger advantage, so 'Gustav' pilots should face this situation as an advantage and handle it patiently, not wasting ammunition nor risking lengthy and risky horizontal turn fighting. The pilot should gain altitude (bear in mind that, without a comfortable distance from enemies, climbing can equate to giving an optimal shot to the enemy), get enough room to position for another strike and finally re-engage the enemy fighter, hopefully striking it down. All these precautions are of course much less necessary when no threats are nearby. In this case, aggressive dogfighting while still relying on the energy advantage can be the quickest way to take any opponent down. At speeds around 350-450 km/h (IAS) the horizontal turning ability of the G-2 is at its finest and can be further improved with the use of combat/take off flaps. The key is situational awareness to realize such opportunities.
As for situations when the Gustav-2 pilot is in the defence (i.e. with an energy disadvantage, prone to being fatally engaged by an enemy either by diving or zoom climbing), either due to not climbing optimally or by facing tough opponents such as the Spitfire F. Mk IX (known for its climb rate), they will likely risk head-on engagements. Head-ons are generally a bad idea because you risk your own machine to take damage. But with the armament of the G-2 which is very accurate and deadly (especially with gunpods), you have good chances to kill or at least damage an enemy at distances of 1.0 - 1.2 km just by firing a burst and then evade the head on with for example a simple downwards barrel roll without taking a single hit. This needs, of course, some experience to hit at these long ranges. Example Video
If the enemy owns the energy advantage, your best bet is to avoid his attacks with simple and energy efficient manoeuvres like the Split-S and climb every time you have the time to. But keep in mind: Slow targets are much easier to hit than fast targets, so convert your altitude early enough to speed to avoid an incoming attack successfully. Another option can be to evade an enemy Boom and Zoom attack with a simple downwards barrel roll, when the enemy overshoots you and starts climbing again you have a small time window to fire a burst at him.
Manual Engine Control
| MEC elements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixer | Pitch | Radiator | Supercharger | Turbocharger | ||
| Oil | Water | Type | ||||
| Not controllable | Controllable Auto control available |
Controllable Auto control available |
Controllable Auto control available |
Separate | Not controllable 1 gear |
Not controllable |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Good climb rate at all altitudes
- Good acceleration and roll rate
- Good energy retention
- Strongest thrust/mass ratio of all Bf 109s in War Thunder
- Not easy to rip your wings off (790 km/h)
- High agility at moderate speeds (350-450 km/h)
- Very good stall control
- Durable airframe: the only fuel tank is surrounded with armour plates
- All weaponry mounted in the nose, allowing easy aiming without having to worry about convergence
- Access to the 20 mm MG 151 gunpods for the anti-bomber duty
Cons:
- Very bad dogfighting characteristics
- Bad high speed performance (locks up early)
- Bad cockpit visibility (SB)
- Only able to trim elevator (SB)
- Weaponry can be ineffective when stock: Only two 7.92 MGs and one 20 mm cannon with low ammo count and disappointing default belts
- Engine tends to overheat quickly
- Huge engine torque causes severe turning when taking off (SB)
History
The Bf 109 is a single-seat monoplane fighter which was the back bone of the German airforce; before and during WWII. It was designed, by Wilhelm Emil Messerschmitt; in the year 1934 and was continuously improved until 1945. The German Luftwaffe used in such roles as: a fighter; interceptor; high-altitude interceptor; fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. It is also, one of the most produced fighter aircraft; with around 34,000 built from 1936 to April 1945.
The production of the Bf 109 Gustav-2 started in spring 1942 and was the first Bf 109 to arrive combat units with the new DB 605 A engine. The suffix /trop means that this 109 has a special filter mounted to prevent damaging the engine from sand and other particles, which allowed combat use in tropical areas like deserts. The German Luftwaffe used this version in Africa. The famous German fighter ace Hans-Joachim Marseille died due to a technical defect in his Bf 109 G-2/trop "Yellow 14".
| Archive of the in-game description | |
|---|---|
|
The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a single-seat monoplane fighter used by the Luftwaffe before and during WWII. It was used as a fighter, interceptor, high-altitude interceptor, fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. The Bf 109 G "Gustav" was the most mass-produced variant of the 109, powered by the Daimler-Benz DB 605. The 605 was basically a DB 601 with the cylinder block redesigned to increase displacement from 33.9, to 35.7 liters - which resulted in 175 extra HP with no significant change in size. The Gustav also received improved armament. Instead of the previously standard 7.62 mm MG 17 machine guns, 13 mm MG 131 heavy machine guns were used. The heavier guns lead to distinct cowling bulges, needed to cover the breechblocks on the new guns. However, the increased equipment led to heavier weight on the Gustav, in fact 10% heavier than the Friedrich. Compared to the much earlier Bf 109B, the Gustav was almost 46% heavier. The new aircraft had begun to reach front-line units by May 1942. In essence, the Bf 109 design had reached its peak, and would ideally need to be replaced with newer, more modern designs. However, the troubled Me 209 replacement was still in development and things at the front were beginning to look ominous for Germany. Consequently, the RLM decided to continue to further refine the 109. | |
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- North American P-51 Mustang
- Kawasaki Ki-61-I hei / Ki-61-II Otsu Kai
- Macchi C.205
- Fiat G.55
External links
- Official data sheet - more details about the performance
- [Wikipedia] Messerschmitt Bf 109 variants - Early Bf 109G models
- [WWII Aircraft Performance] Me 109G2/trop
| Germany fighters | |
|---|---|
| Heinkel | |
| He 51 | He 51 A-1 · He 51 B-1 · He 51 B-2/H · He 51 C-1 · He 51 C-1/L |
| He 100 | He 100 D-1 |
| He 112 | He 112 A-0 · He 112 B-0 · He 112 B-1/U2 · He 112 B-2/U2 · He 112 V-5 |
| Messerschmitt | |
| Bf 109 (Jumo) | Flegel's Bf 109 A · Bf 109 B-1 · Bf 109 C-1 |
| Bf 109 (DB-601) | Bf 109 E-1 · Bf 109 E-3 · Bf 109 E-4 · Bf 109 E-7/U2 · Bf 109 F-1 · Bf 109 F-2 · Bf 109 F-4 · Bf 109 F-4/trop |
| Bf 109 (DB-605) | Bf 109 G-2/trop · Bf 109 G-2 · Bf 109 G-6 · Bf 109 G-10 · Bf 109 G-14 · Bf 109 K-4 |
| Focke-Wulf | |
| Fw 190 (early) | Fw 190 A-1 · Fw 190 A-4 · Fw 190 A-5 · Fw 190 A-5 · Fw 190 A-5/U2 · Fw 190 A-5/U14 · Fw 190 A-8 · Fw 190 C |
| Fw 190 (late) | Fw 190 D-9 · Fw 190 D-12 · Fw 190 D-13 |
| Ta 152 | Ta 152 C-3 · Ta 152 H-1 |
| Blohm & Voss | |
| BV 155 | BV 155 B-1 |
| Captured: | |
| USA | ▀P-47D-16-RE · ▀P-47D |
| USSR | ▀La-5FN · ▀Yak-1B |
| Britain | ▀Tempest Mk V |
| Italy | |
| CR.42 | ▀CR.42 · ▀Marcolin's C.R.42 CN |
| G.50 | ▀G.50 serie 2 · ▀G.50 AS serie 7 |
| C.200 | ▀C. 200 serie 3 · ▀C. 200 serie 7 |
| C.202 | ▀C. 202 |
| Finland | ▀Hawk H-75A-2 |
