\ said:
I intend building one when i can find a suitable kit.Do you know if he flew the 109K ?.
Hi Dave,a question which comes up frequently. It is not helped by various manufacturers producing Bf109K kits with Hartmann
decals,often based on an old profile by Karl Ries which showed a tulip nosed K complete with 352 kills on the rudder. It looks nice but is without foundation.
The last Hartmann aircraft known is an Erla built Bf109G-10. There is a well known picture of him in a camouflage jacket standing in front of it,sadly not much is visible. The picture was supposedly taken on the occasion of his 350th victory. Here is a recently discovered version of that image.
And this one showing a bit more,also 'discovered' in the last few weeks.
These were posted over on LEMB and it is only fair to say that they have generated a heated debate,some experts even feel that they may be faked. My hunch is that they are genuine. Original photographs of Hartmann or his aircraft have a significant value so foul play is often suspected!
I could go on about various possibilities,for example his unit losses (I./JG52) show two Bf109K-4 losses in March 1945. Between February and war's end the other losses were seven Bf109G-10s,thirty Bf109G-14s along with a couple of old Bf109G-6s. There were obviously a few Ks available but there is no evidence that Hartmann flew one.
The K-4 with tulip nose and 352 abschuss marked on the rudder is definitely pure fantasy.
Cheers
Steve