Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10/U-4, WNr. 611943, "Gelbe 13"
History
The Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10/U4 with Werknummer (WNr.) 611943 is a significant example of late-war German aviation engineering. This aircraft was produced in December 1944 at the Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke (WNF) in Austria. It was a variant of the Bf 109G-10, distinguished by the installation of a 30mm MK 108 Motorkanone engine-mounted cannon, firing through the propeller spinner. This modification was designated as the "/U4" and was intended to enhance the aircraft's firepower.
WNr. 611943 was assigned to the Hungarian Royal Air Force's 101st Fighter Wing, specifically the 101/III Group.Records indicate its service between April 13 and May 2, 1945, during the final stages of World War II . Following the collapse of Nazi Germany, the aircraft was surrendered to U.S. forces at Neubiberg Airfield near Munich in early May 1945. It was subsequently transported to the United States for evaluation and was assigned the Foreign Equipment (FE) number FE-122, later changed to T2-122 .
In 1947, the aircraft was donated to the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. By 1958, it was acquired by Ed Maloney, founder of the Planes of Fame Air Museum. The museum moved to Chino, California, in 1970, and later to Valle, Arizona, where the aircraft is currently displayed.
Today, the Bf 109G-10/U4 WNr. 611943 is preserved at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Valle, Arizona. It serves as a testament to the technological advancements and the complex history of the aircraft during the final months of World War II. The aircraft is displayed in the markings of II./JG 52, featuring the distinctive "Yellow 13" code, reflecting its operational history .