Originally posted by Vermillion
Seriously, where did that info from the K14 come from?
Everything I've seen says that only two or three K6's were made and were the last of the line. And even those sources say that the existence of the K6's were potentially just myths.
Don't have the source for this statement. But it has something about the possible K-14.
Here you go:
The last of the projeeted K variants - the Bf 109K-14 -was perceived at the turn of 1944/45. Its basis was the DB 605L powerplant with the MW device, although a decision was made in November 1944 not to produce this drive unit.
The reasons for this decision were not poor performances of the engine, but the lack ot Daimler-Benz assembly capacity. Their assembly line were fully charged with production of the DB 605A, AS, D and also DB 603 powerplants, the last one being supposed to be used in the new standard fighter of the Luftwaffe - the Ta-152C. Nevertheless, this did not obstruct the Bf 109K-14 development.
Its armament consisted ot three MK 108 cannons, two ot them wing-mounted the last one engine-mounted. and two MG 131 machine guns. The inner equipment corresponded with that of the Bf 109K-4s, but was being constantly improved, e.g. a gyrocompass was to be placed in the upper part ot the fifth section, the port wing leading edge contour was intermitted by a BSK 16 camera. It is believed that some of the proposed aerodynamic and construction improvements, demanded by the Rechlin Testing Centre already for Bt 109K-4s, might have been applied there.
The tests were condueted on DB 605L-powered Bf 109K-4s, a suitable airscrew was sought for in particular. The results favoured a four-blade realization, which was to become standard (probably the VDM 9-12199).
Serial produetion did not materialize, ot course, and an alleged assignment of two Bf 109K-14s to II/JG 52 is not confirmed by its commander Maj. W. Batz. He does not remember any four-blade propelled Bf 109Ks coming to his unit. There is a theoretieal possibility that in the end-of-war mess, prototypes came to operational units, when a testing airfield was used by such a unit. But these craft would not have been the Bf 109K-14s but DB 605L-powered Bf l09K-4s! We can find similar stories in the history ot Me 262, Fw 190D and Ta 152 as well, but we need not go so far for an example. The already mentioned Bf I09K-4. W. Nr. 330112 prototype with an atypical MG 151/20 in the engine was finally assigned to 11./JG 3 and ended its career in a belly landing on January 30, 1945, after its engine was hit north ot Friedeberg. The craft had to be condemned after the landing. At the time it carried a "Yellow 4" marking. In this context a testimony by Maj. Julio Maimberg, a II/JG 53 officer is very interesting.
At the turn ot February and March 1945 he was visited by a Daimler-Benz employee.
After an obvious chat on aircraft topics, the employee said they had a Bf 109 in Malmsheim, that had all possible improvements "from engine to cockpit". So, it was the best Bt 109 they had. Meimberg, ot course, wanted to try such a maehine. After a short talk the Daimler-Benz employee "presented" the Bf 109 to Meimberg. Ofhr. Severin, Meimberg's wingman, was to fly the aircraft from Malmsheim. He took off for the flight with the Bf 109 on March 11, 1945 but on his way he crashed into a slope near Geislingen and died.
The Bf 109 had serial number 331446, i.e. it was a Bf I09K-4. It is highly probable that the craft was a Bf 109K-14-adapted one since the improvements were said to have involved the engine as well, whieh could have ment installation of a DB 605L. One of the Bf 109K-14s seems to have crashed near Geislingen then. The Bf 109K-14 description coneludes the list ot anticipated Bf 109K variants.
Subsequently the Bf 109 did not continue to develop as a classical fighter, because Me 262s and Ta 152C,Hs were chosen as frontline fighters. The original 1935 airframe had reached the peak of development.
