C.4K-75

C.4K-75 as Yellow 11

## History

Probably built in 1950, this aircraft was allocated to the 71st squadron on 16 October 1958, arriving on 24 October. C.4K-75 was transferred to the 471st on 1 April 1965. Acquired by Maestranza Aerea de Sevilla on 18 October, it was decommissioned after 216 hours, 50 minutes of pure flying time at Tablada AFB on 12 December.

Purchased by Battle of Britain movie production during July 1966, the aircraft was transported to England (T.G.Mahaddie / Spitfire Productions Ltd) with the registration **G-AWHG**, and modified to look like a Bf 109 E-4.

By July 1970, the aircraft was owned by Paul Jameson, Betchworth, UK, in disassembled condition. Passed to Fairoaks Aviation, Blackbushe, UK on 21 February 1973, G-AWHG was sold in the USA, to Meryl D. Schulke, Orlando, FL, with the registration **N3109G**, during August 1974, Passing to David C. Tallichet, Chino on 25 November.

In May 1986, the aircraft was acquired by MARC (MILITARY AIRC REST CORP, ANAHEIM, CA), Chino, CA, as N3109, and restored in Casper, WY, only to crash during a test flight in Casper on 25 May. The airframe was restored to resemble a Bf 109 for static display.

During the mid 1990s, the aircraft was sold to buyers in La Ferté Alais / France. Some time later, the fuselage was taken to the company Bitz Flugzeugbau in Augsburg, Germany. The wing areas remain in France

In November 1997 the aircraft is purchased by MAC (Messerschmitt Air Company) in Albstadt. Over the following years the plane is restored from scratch and made airworthy by Dieter Beck, Werner Grammel, Wilhelm Heinz and Siegfried Knoll, and is modified to use a DB 605 engine, making another maiden flight as Bf 109 G-4, flown by Walter Eichhorn, on 23 August 2004.

On 16 July 2005, the aircraft suffers serious damage while landing at Albstadt-Degerfeld airfield. The pilot Siegfried Knoll is unhurt. MAC carries out a total of 103 flights with an overall flight time of 32 hours. The owners at the time decide to sell the aircraft and contact what was then EADS. Negotiations run smoothly and EADS becomes the new owner of the Rote Sieben. Following successful restoration by MAC, the aircraft returns to the skies on 13 April 2008, only to suffers a belly landing in Manching after problems with the landing gear, during the second flight after restoration on 15 April.

On 19 February 2009, another maiden flight took place after repairs in Manching. The aircraft suffered another belly landing in Roskilde / Denmark after engine problems on 18 August 2013.

## Notes

1. ↑ Messerschmitt Bf 109 aircraft, which were licence built by Spanish Hispano Aviaçion in the 40’ and 50’s, using Rolls-Royce Merlin engines.
2. ↑ One of three aircraft modified to resemble North American P-51B Mustangs for the film Patton, C.4K-75 suffered a take-off accident at La Harve in February 1969, resulting in all three aircraft eventually being dropped from the production, reportedly due to pilot licensing issues.
3. ↑ The list of surviving Bf 109s incorrectly identifies this aircraft as the aircraft flown as Red 7

## Sources

1. ↑ http://www.sonsofdamien.co.uk/BoBPG4.htm
2. ↑ http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-AWHG.html
3. ↑ Aeroplane (Database) - November 2020. Page 67
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.sonsofdamien.co.uk/BoBPG3.htm
5. ↑ Wikipedia
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 https://www.flyinglegends.com/aircraft/bf-109-g-4-red-seven-d-fwme.html