Hispano HA-1112 Buchón
Hispano Aviación · ES · first flew 1951 · fighter
The Buchón is a Spanish-built Bf 109G airframe re-engined with the Hispano-Suiza 12Z inline engine after post-war Germany could not supply DB 605s, creating a visually distinctive variant with a pronounced chin radiator.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.97 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Hispano-Suiza 12Z-89 engine gives a large, blunt chin radiator bath under the nose — absent on all authentic Bf 109 marks
- Spanish Air Force roundels and camouflage in original service; used as Bf 109 film stand-in in 'Battle of Britain' (1969)
- Longer, rounder nose profile than DB-engined 109s; wide spinner
The chin radiator is the instant giveaway — no production German Bf 109 of any mark carried a bath radiator under the nose (all used wing-root radiators). If you see a '109' with an underchin scoop, it is a Buchón.
Specifications
- The Hispano HA-1112 Buchón has a length of 8.97 m (29 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.92 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 643 km/h (400 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Spain acquired a licence for the Bf 109G-2 in 1943 and built 239 under the HA-1109 and HA-1112 designations. The crucial change was the Hispano-Suiza engine, which required a ventral chin radiator. They entered Spanish service in 1951 and flew until 1965.
Variants
HA-1109-M1L (Hispano-Suiza 12Z), HA-1112-M1L Buchón (definitive production). Some converted to two-seat trainers.
Where you'll see it
Spanish Air Force (Ejército del Aire) 1951-65. About a dozen airworthy survivors make the Buchón the most common 'flying Bf 109' in the world today, regularly appearing on the airshow circuit in Europe and North America, often in Luftwaffe film markings.
Related aircraft
- Hispano Aviación HA-1112 Buchón
- Hispano HA-220 Saeta
- Hispano Aviación HS-42
- Avia S-102
- Bell X-5
- Dassault Mystère IV
- de Havilland Sea Venom
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