Was the Bf 109's roll really as bad as it's said to be?

Short answer

Yes at high speed: between 350 and 400 mph the ailerons stiffened so much that reaching a 45° bank took four seconds. The short-travel, short-arm stick was heavy, and the cockpit was so narrow the pilot couldn't put his weight behind it. At low speed the wing slats improved its horizontal maneuverability.

Published: October 31, 2026 · Updated: October 31, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Was the Bf 109's roll really as bad as it's said to be?

F4U at 2023 Oshkosh

Roll at high speed

The ailerons became so heavy between 350 and 400 mph that banking the aircraft 45° took four seconds at those speeds. Part of the problem lay in the control geometry: the stick was short, allowing only a small lever arm, and its travel was limited, giving it little mechanical advantage. The cockpit was so small and narrow that the pilot literally could not put his full weight behind the stick. The elevators also stiffened at high speed to the point that the pilot could not pull significant g, limiting the aircraft's maneuverability.

What the wing did offer

The leading-edge slats considerably increased the wing's lift when deployed and greatly improved the aircraft's horizontal maneuverability. Up to 180 mph the ailerons are described as light. They are also credited with maintaining response up to 350 mph rather than only up to 220.

An aircraft flown by hand

The 109 was an aircraft governed mostly by hand: the propeller had to be readjusted to get the correct rpm every time the throttle was moved. The rudder had no trim, and the aircraft flew with increasing yaw the faster it went, which had to be corrected by pushing the rudder bar.