Bf 109 F-4/trop

This page is about the German fighter Bf 109 F-4/trop. For other variants, see Bf 109 (Family).

Bf 109 F-4/trop

Bf 109 F-4

Bf 109 G-2/trop

Bf 109 F-4/trop

Bf 109 F-4

Bf 109 G-2/trop

Germany

III Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
4.3	4.0	4.0

Class:

Fighter

Research:13 000

Purchase:76 000

Description

The Bf 109 F-4/trop is a rank III German fighter with a battle rating of 4.3 (AB) and 4.0 (RB/SB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

A very good energy fighter for its rank, the Bf 109 F-4 can out climb most opponents due to its high power to weight ratio. However, WEP must be limited or else the engine would overheat, although manual engine control can remedy this. Despite that, it can Boom & Zoom and Rope-a-Dope well although one must watch out for severe control stiffening around 650 km/h.

Unfortunately, the F-4's 15 mm additional gondolas do not increase the damage output much at all while reducing flight performance. However, it is recommended you at least use it at least once to see how effective it is because depending on how you play it can really boost your firepower abilities. The 15 mm cannons are a trade-off for manoeuvrability, but this additional firepower can help rip the wings off anything you face . For example, if you prefer to get into a dogfight, the additional weaponry will not be noticeably effective. However, if you fight in the vertical, where level speed and agility is not necessarily the most important, the additional MG 151s can mean the difference between downing a plane or nothing at all.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 5 800 m658 km/h

Turn time19 s

Max altitude11 600 m

EngineDaimler-Benz DB-601E

TypeInline

Cooling systemWater

Take-off weight3 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 5,800 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	634	618	11600	20.0	20.7	16.4	16.4	363
Upgraded	682	658		18.1	19.0	24.6	20.0

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
4,950 m	1,175 hp	1,321 hp

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural790 km/h

Gear360 km/h

• 8 mm Steel - Pilot's seat
• 10 mm Steel - Pilot's headrest
• 6 mm Steel - behind the fuel tank
• 60 mm Bulletproof glass

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB982 → 1 261

RB2 223 → 2 856

SB3 309 → 4 252

Total cost of modifications24 450

44 200

Talisman cost1 100

Crew training22 000

Experts76 000

Aces500

Research Aces320 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

60 / 150 / 310 %

142 / 142 / 142 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 990 Cost: 1 800 120 Radiator Research: 990 Cost: 1 800 120 Compressor Research: 1 100 Cost: 2 000 135 Wings repair Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 700 180 Engine Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 700 180 Engine injection Research: 2 000 Cost: 3 600 240	Airframe Research: 1 100 Cost: 2 000 135 Cover Research: 2 000 Cost: 3 600 240	mg_belt_pack Research: 990 Cost: 1 800 120 Flamm C 250 Research: 990 Cost: 1 800 120 SC 50 Research: 990 Cost: 1 800 120 mg17_new_gun Research: 1 100 Cost: 2 000 135 R1 modification Research: 1 100 Cost: 2 000 135 SC 250 Research: 1 100 Cost: 2 000 135 mg15120_belt_pack Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 700 180 mg15115_belt_pack Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 700 180 mg15120_new_gun Research: 2 000 Cost: 3 600 240 mg15115_new_gun Research: 2 000 Cost: 3 600 240

Energy fighters require acceleration, they live by it. Therefore most of "flight performance" upgrades are advised: Compressor, Engine and Engine injection. Meanwhile, the upgrades for the hub-firing 20 mm MG 151 should not be forgotten, especially the upgraded belts (Air targets).

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 120 mm MG 151 cannon

Ammunition200 rounds

Fire rate700 shots/min

Weapon 22 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine gun

Ammunition1 000 rounds

Fire rate1 200 shots/min

The Bf 109 F-4/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 mounted in the upper fuselage just in front of the pilot and fire through the propeller arc. Each are armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that both guns will fire with each other until empty. The 20 mm cannon is mounted in the propeller shaft and fires through the propeller hub.

Suspended armament

List of setups (4)

Setup 14 x 50 kg SC50JA bomb

Setup 21 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb

Setup 31 x Flam C 250 incendiary bomb

Setup 42 x 15 mm MG 151 cannon (secondary) (ammunition: 250 rounds)

The Bf 109 F-4/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 15 mm MG 151 cannons, wing-mounted (125 rpg = 250 total)
• 1 x Flam C 250 incendiary bomb

Usage in battles

The tropical version is much like the standard F-4 variant. New features are 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 the Russian veld and Libya's desert, it also (marginally) costs top speed and engine performance due to increased air resistance and power diversion for the filtered aspirator, although these are hardly noticeable in combat.

The Bf 109 F-4 is not a great plane when you compare it to the other rank III planes, but it is effective nonetheless. Do not try to down a plane by coming behind it and giving them all you got, instead, try to scare your prey into a turn by peppering it with your 7.92 mm MG 17's, and then blow its wing off with the cannon. The cannon, unfortunately, fires relatively fast and runs out of ammo pretty quickly, so hitting a plane from the tail-end is hard to achieve.

Word to the wise: the F-4 is a fairly good turner for its class; if you are chased by an F4U, P-51, P-47D, or Typhoon, turn and destroy. The forward wing slats give the F-4 an exceptionally short turning radius. However, to survive a tangle with a Spitfire is an ordeal. The best strategy would be to scissor until the Spitfire either runs out of ammo or overshoots you, and then try to dive and outrun the Spitfire. Then, repeat. Do not try to out-climb the Spitfire (community nickname is a Spacefire for a reason), but try to outrun it in a dive. The Spitfire Mk Vc is superior to the F-4, avoid it.

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:

• Nimble aircraft
• Relatively good armament
• Relatively good climb rate, though not as good as a Spitfire or a maxed out P-39 Airacobra
• Good sustained turn
• Faster than most opponents, such as the Spitfire Mk Vc, Yak-3, and La-5, especially at altitude
• Additional armament is good for destroying medium and light tanks with armoured targets belt
• Both 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons can be loaded with the feared Minengeschoß round (Air targets belt)
• All weaponry mounted in the nose, allowing easy aiming without having to worry about convergence

Cons:

• Controls stiffen easily
• Overheats quickly
• Additional armament can reduce performance critically
• Poor cockpit visibility
• Prone to catching fire in a chase with a bomber
• Gunpods can't load stealth belts, thus giving the attacker's position away during a surprise attack
• For Sim, the numerous canopy frames and razorback greatly limit the all-round view, and huge engine torque causes severe turning when taking off

History

Archive of the in-game description

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was the Luftwaffe's most widely-used fighter at the beginning of World War II. When the advanced English Spitfire Mk.V arrived, the Messerschmitt Bf 109F Friedrich was developed in response. The new model featured a more powerful engine and much-improved aerodynamics, but as a result became even more difficult to control. The Bf 109 F-4/trop variant was built for use in tropical regions. It was unique due to its air intake filter, hydraulic seals and protective covers. In addition, an umbrella was extendable over the cockpit to help keep the pilot from overheating when on the ground. The plane was equipped with a special emergency kit including a gun for self-defense and a supply of food and water. Almost all of the Bf 109 F variants had tropical versions produced, but the Bf 109 F-4/trop was the most popular. Despite its name, the tropical variants were used not only in Africa but also on the southern steppe, where dust clouds were a significant threat to aircraft engines, as well as in the far north, where the filters protected the plane's engines from falling snow. A total of approximately 2,200 Bf 109 Fs were constructed.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Bf 109 F-4/trop from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Macchi C. 205 serie 3
• Fiat G.55 sottoserie 0
• Kawasaki Ki-61-I tei
• Kawasaki Ki-100

External links

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance