A few days ago, organization team of Aviation Fair (Aviatická pouť), the biggest civilian aviation event in the Czech Republic, disclosed two more participants of the upcoming, the 32nd edition of the show. Both of them are the combat aircraft from the World War II years, as well as both were branded by Messerschmitt company, one of the most known German aviation manufacturers from the era.
The first of the aforementioned aircraft is Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe, the aeroplane that was already performing in Pardubice back in 2016. The aeroplane, owned by Messerschmitt Stiftung in Manching (Germany), is in fact a replica of Me-262A-1C and the fourth Schwalbe built in the 2000s within the Me 262 Project – an idea to build airworthy replicas of the first combat fighter jet. More information about the project and the aircraft itself can be found in one of our articles from the Photo of the Week series, issued in March of 2020.
An interesting fact is that all replicas made within the abovementioned project are following consecutive numbering of the original Schwalbe jets. The first aeroplane, finished in 2005, had the serial number 501241, the consecutive one after the last Me 262 built in 1945. Consistently, the aircraft to perform in Pardubice this June, is numbered 501244. That newly built Me 262 is powered by two General Electric CJ160 turbojet engines.
The second aircraft to participate in the upcoming edition of the Aviation Fair air show, and related to German aviation development, is Messerschmitt Bf 109, one of the iconic fighter aircraft from the World War II years. The aircraft that will visit Pardubice represents a G-14 variant, being one of the last versions of the Bf 109, powered by Daimler Benz DB605A engine.
The aeroplane was manufactured in 1944 with serial number 462707 and was operated by JG 300 as ´Black 2´. In November of 1944, the fighter was shot down over Hanover. The remains of the aircraft were discovered, and then recovered, in 1997.
In 2016, Hangar 10/Air Fighter Academy based in Zirchow, on Usedom island in Germany, launched a project of bringing the ´Black 2´ into the airworthy condition. The aircraft was created by merging the original remains of the ´462707´ and Spanish-made Hispano HA-1112 Buchón. The Bf 109G-14, registered as D-FMGV, performed its first flight in July of 2018.
That restored German fighter aircraft received its original markings from the World War II, based on photographs from the era and remains of paint found on the original wreckage. Currently, it is the sole airworthy example of ´Gustav´ variant, powered by the original DB605A engine.
The upcoming edition of Aviation Fair will take place on 1st and 2nd June 2024, in Pardubice, the Czech Republic. Please refer to our Aviaticka Pout tag for more information about participants, as well as static and dynamic displays of the show.
Update:
As per information released by the Aviation Fair organization committee on 23rd May 2024, participation of the Bf 109G-14 in the show was cancelled by its owner, due to operational reasons.
Cover photo: Messerschmitt Me-262A-1C ´Schwalbe´ (replica) D-IMTT, at Aviation Fair 2016.
Photo of Bf 109G-14 – courtesy of Aviation Fair/Aviatická pouť
