Having utilised early variants of the Messerschmitt 109 in the Spanish Civil War, and then acquired examples from Germany, in 1942 the Spanish Government obtained a license to build the Messerschmitt Bf 109G. However, with Germany suffering from its own supply issues, the various components and specialist machinery needed to set up a production line never arrived, and it is believed just 25 tailless fuselages were delivered. It is a common misconception that Spain received complete aircraft minus the engines, this is not the case as it was always intended to have the aircraft built under license in Spain. It is also likely they were never intended to have the Daimler Benz engine and the Spanish always planned to use an alternative powerplant - something that would cause the types lengthy development over the next 10 years.
The first variant flew in March 1945 and was powered by a Hispano-Suiza 12Z-89 engine, it was known as a Hispano HA-1109-J. Unfortunately, the aircraft underperformed and only 6 entered service whilst other airframes went straight into storage. In 1951 this evolved into the HA-1112-K1L (originally designated HA-1109-K1L) fitted with a more powerful Hispano-Suiza 12Z-17 engine and given the military designation C.4J; 40 were built. The final variant, what would become the Buchon, came to be because after much protracted negotiations and the lifting of an arms embargo, the Spanish were able to purchase surplus Rolls Royce Merlin 500 engines, and 4 bladed Rotol propellers, from the British. These engines would be used by both CASA, who had been license building Heinkel He111s as CASA 2.111s, and Hispano for the HA-1112, although the propellers were solely for the HA-1112s. This of course ironically combined a wartime British engine with an aircraft design from Germany.
Taking flight in 1954, a HA-1109 was refitted with a Merlin and four blade propeller and the performance issues were solved with the aircraft finally reaching its potential. Thus, the HA-1112-M1L "Buchon" was born, a purely Spanish built aircraft, and it entered service in 1957 with the military designation C.4K. Approximately 127 were built, most from scratch but others from converting existing Hispano-Suiza equipped airframes. "Buchon" was never an official name used by Hispano or adopted by the Spanish Air Force, it was used as a nickname derived from the distinctive chin radiator as it reminded some of a large breasted pigeon known as a Buchon! Today, it has been widely adopted and is commonly used in much the same way that the Boeing 747 was never officially called a "Jumbo Jet", but it is now common vernacular . Of note, the HA-1112-K1L with its three blade propeller gained the nickname "Tripala" - meaning three blade.
The original weaponry of the Messerschmitt 109G consisted of two machine guns on top of the cowling, and a nose mounted canon firing through the propeller spinner. The first HA-11109J variants equipped with the Hispano-Suiza 12Z-89 engine allowed for a 20mm cannon to fire through the spinner, but with the engine changes on the HA1112-K1L and M1L this was no longer possible. Both the HA-1112-K1L and M1L were equipped with 2 x wing mounted 20mm Hispano Suiza cannons and hard points for 8 x 80mm Oerlikon rockets. The Buchon remained in service with the Spanish Air Force until the mid 60s and saw operational use in the Spanish colonial territories where they were used in a ground support role. The Buchons flew the significant distance from Spain to the African territories with the aid of newly designed drop tanks. The fleet was based in far from ideal conditions and faced no aerial opposition, thus the Buchon was never engaged as a fighter.
The Buchons biggest claim to fame is its use in the 1969 film "Battle of Britain" where the retired Spanish fleet was purchased by Spitfire Productions Ltd and used to portray the Luftwaffe 109s in the film. 28 were obtained which resulted in 18 airworthy, 6 taxiing and 4 for studio shots / static use. However, it should be noted that "Battle of Britain" was not the types first use representing the 109 in film, this goes to the HA-1112-K1Ls that were used in the 1957 German film "Der Stern von Afrika".
Many Buchons survive today because of the Battle of Britain film, this saved them from mass scrapping and saw them enter the warbird and preservation scene. 13 Buchons airframes and a large quantity of spares were used as payment to American pilot Wilson "Connie" Edwards who flew in the "Battle of Britain" film. He had these aircraft shipped to Texas where the majority would remain in storage, untouched for 46 years. Purchased by Boshung Global for onward sale, since 2017 we have enjoyed a resurgence of the type with 4 having returned to the air in the UK by Air Leasing.
Given how these Buchons were stored for so many years and have not been rebuilt from recovered wrecks, they are some of the most original warbirds flying today. However, since the 80s several Buchons have been converted to 109G spec, essentially switching the engine to a Daimler Benz, along with other modifications. Whilst it is wonderful to see and hear a 109G, I hope we continue to have a healthy number of Buchons remain in Merlin configuration.
