HA-1112-M1L Buchon

HA-1112-M1L Buchon
Country	Spain
Type	Licence Messerschmitt AG
First flight	29 March 1954
Built	239

Photo gallery of a HA-1112-M1L Buchon, The Hispano Aviación HA-1109 and HA-1112 were license-built versions of the Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 developed in Spain during and after WWII.

Source: Hispano Aviación HA-1112 on Wikipedia

HA-1112-M1L Buchon
Photographer	Unknow
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	47

HA-1112-M1L Buchon 01

HA-1112-M1L Buchon 02

HA-1112-M1L Buchon 03

HA-1112-M1L Buchon 04

HA-1112-M1L Buchon 05

HA-1112-M1L Buchon 06

HA-1112-M1L Buchon 07

HA-1112-M1L Buchon 08

HA-1112-M1L Buchon 09

Click on a photo and use the mouse scroll to view all photos

Wait, Searching HA-1112-M1L Buchon for you…

Hispano Aviacion HA-1112 Buchon Walk Around
Photographer	Unknow
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	25

Hispano Aviacion HA-1112 Buchon 02

Hispano Aviacion HA-1112 Buchon 01

Hispano Aviacion HA-1112 Buchon 03

Hispano Aviacion HA-1112 Buchon 04

Hispano Aviacion HA-1112 Buchon 05

Hispano Aviacion HA-1112 Buchon 06

Hispano Aviacion HA-1112 Buchon 07

Hispano Aviacion HA-1112 Buchon 08

Hispano Aviacion HA-1112 Buchon 09

Click on a photo and use the mouse scroll to view all photos

The Hybrid Survivor of Seville

The HA-1112-M1L Buchón is one of the most curious “what-if” machines of aviation history. Born from a 1942 license agreement to build the Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 in Spain, the project stalled when Germany could no longer supply the Daimler-Benz engines. Spain’s solution was to fit the airframes with the British Rolls-Royce Merlin—the very engine that powered its arch-rivals, the Spitfire and Mustang. The resulting “chin” radiator gave the plane a puffed-out look, earning it the nickname Buchón (a male pouter pigeon). It served the Spanish Air Force into the jet age and became the “face” of the Luftwaffe in nearly every major WWII film made in the 20th century.

Attribute	Technical Specification (HA-1112-M1L)
Role	Fighter / Ground Attack
Crew	1 (Pilot)
Engine	Rolls-Royce Merlin 500-45 V12 (1,600 hp)
Maximum Speed	665 km/h (413 mph)
Armament	2 × 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannons
External Payload	8 × 80 mm Oerlikon rockets (optional)
Propeller	4-blade Rotol constant-speed
Operational Life	1954 – 1965

Design Engineering: An Inverted Challenge

The “Upright” Problem: The original German DB 605 was an inverted V12, meaning the cylinders pointed down. The Merlin was an upright V12. To fit it, Hispano engineers had to completely redesign the cowling, moving the exhaust stacks to the top of the nose and adding the massive lower intake. This reversed the classic sleek lines of the Bf 109.
Torque Trouble: The Daimler-Benz engine spun counter-clockwise, and the Bf 109’s tail was offset to compensate. However, the Merlin spun clockwise. This meant the tail offset and the engine torque now worked in the same direction, making the Buchón notoriously difficult to handle during the takeoff roll—it had a violent tendency to swing to the right.
Wing Fences: Unlike the original Messerschmitts, many Buchóns were fitted with prominent wing fences on the upper surfaces. These were added to improve stall characteristics and stabilize airflow over the wings at low speeds.
The “Tripala” Predecessor: Before the Merlin version, Spain tried using the Hispano-Suiza 12Z engine (the HA-1112-K1L). It used a three-blade propeller and was nicknamed “Tripala,” but it lacked the performance and reliability that the Merlin later provided.

Operational History: Movie Star of the Skies

The Ifni War (1957–1958): The Buchón actually saw combat in Spanish West Africa (the Sahara), flying ground-attack missions against insurgents. Armed with rockets and cannons, it was a potent tool for “colonial policing” long after it was obsolete as a fighter.
1969 “Battle of Britain”: When the film Battle of Britain was being produced, there were almost no flyable German Bf 109s. The producers bought dozens of recently retired Spanish Buchóns. These planes were modified with mock tail-struts and “squared-off” wingtips to masquerade as 1940-era 109Es.
Film Legacy: Because they were available and reliable, Buchóns appeared in Dunkirk (2017), Memphis Belle, The Tuskegee Airmen, and even played the role of Hawker Hurricanes in a few distant shots where not enough real Hurricanes were available.
The “Re-Germanized” Warbirds: Today, many Buchóns in private collections have been “re-engined” with original Daimler-Benz DB 605s. This returns them to the original Bf 109 profile, making the few remaining “pure” Merlin-powered Buchóns increasingly rare historical specimens.