According to Radinger & Schick (Messerschmitt Bf109A-E Development Testing Production, by Schiffer publishing) on page 97 "In mid- 1940 the units (meaning Jagdgeschwader, note by myself) rejected the E-1 because it was inferior in action, Consequently the remaining E-1s in service were converted into E-4 or E-7s, while the last 175 E-1s were completed as E-7N's"
This, in addition to other sources (like Prien and Prien/Stemmer) on JG3 and JG53 shows that the E-1 was replaced, especially later in the BoB, by E-4’s and E-7’s and that the majority of 109’s were cannon armed.
|