Answer here:
A common question asked regarding the 109 is "Should the slats be in or out when the aircraft is parked?" The answer is "yes". The slats are free-moving devices, and are commonly seen extended in many wartime and contemporary photos; however, if manually pushed back into the wing, the slats would remain there until the aircraft moved, at which time they would extend of their own volition. This action was confirmed by Günther Rall when questioned by Lair visitor Erik Whipple some time back; according to Gen. Rall, it was common practice at their field to push the slats in once the aircraft were secured so that no dust or debris would accumulate in the traveling tracks. Evidently at least one new pilot was lost due to faulty operation of the slats when taking off, which led to this practice. However, as with almost everything else 109-related, if the position of the slats is of serious concern to you when building a static model, consult your references to determine the best configuration.
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