Messerschmitt Bf-109G-12

The  is a pilot training variant of the Bf 109G-6. This was a conversion of "war-weary" or rebuilt G-4 and G-6 airframes; the space needed for the second cockpit was gained by reducing the internal fuel capacity to only 240 L (60 US gal) meaning that the 300 L (80 US gal) drop tank was employed as standard equipment. This version was rarely armed with anything more than one or two cowling machine guns. The rear cockpit canopy was bowed out to give the instructor, who sat behind the student pilot in an armoured seat, a clearer view. The rear cockpit was also equipped with a basic instrument panel and all flight controls.

A few Bf-109G-12s were used by the Pro-German (ANR) Aeronautica Nazionale Reppubblicana to covert pilots from Macchi C.205 and Fiat G.55 fighters, when the Italians started to use the Bf-109-Gs in 1944. One unit was the 3 Squadriglia 2 Gruppo Caccia based at Aviano, Italy in 1944. Veteran pilots had experience flying the Bf 109G models.

"One of my rashest ventures was to fly the Bf-109G-12 tandam two-seater from the rear cockpit, with no one in the forward cockpit. I was interested to acertain what sort of view the instructor had for landing. The answer was none!  I had to make three very frightening attempts beforeregaining terra firma.  The periscope sight in the rear cockpit was of no use whatsoever in the vital final stage of flare, touch-down and landing run.  One can only assume that Luftwaffe instructors finding themselves in a Bf-109G-12 acquired a fatalistic acceptance of an inevitable reliance on their pupils for the finale of each training flight.  I would certainly not recommend the ultimate solution that I adopted, of a split-S turning dive at the runway, and then a burst of power to avoid cratering the tarmac, and making tail-up contact on the mainwheels.  After the tail dropped, it was anybody's guess as to the direction in which the aircraft was heading. I certainly had not the vaguest idea."

- Captain Eric M. Brown