One of the most valuable parts of researching historical aircraft is getting close enough to see how they were actually built. During a visit to Planes of Fame in Chino, California, I had the opportunity to spend time around a Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 while the aircraft was in the early stages of restoration.
With its Daimler-Benz DB 601 engine removed, the Bf 109 offered a very different view from the finished aircraft normally seen in museums and at airshows. Access panels, internal structure and areas normally hidden by the engine installation were exposed—exactly the kind of details that are useful when researching an aircraft for artwork.
The Bf 109E-7 at Planes of Fame with its DB 601 engine removed during restoration.
A closer look at the Bf 109E-7 during the restoration process.
Why Restoration Aircraft Matter
A completed restoration is impressive, but a disassembled aircraft can reveal considerably more about its construction. Rivet patterns, panel joints, access points, internal framing and the relationship between major components are much easier to study when the aircraft is opened up.
Those observations are especially useful for my work because details that may occupy only a small part of a finished painting can determine whether the aircraft feels convincing. Museum visits like this become part of the research library I draw on when working on future aviation subjects.
Another view of the Bf 109E-7 airframe at Planes of Fame in Chino.
The aircraft was privately owned when I photographed it, so its restoration timetable was dependent on the owner's plans. What made the visit memorable was the opportunity to see a surviving Bf 109 at a point in the process when so much of its construction was still visible.
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