The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
fighter aircraft that was, along with the
Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
's fighter force. The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, link ...
and was still in service at the end of World War II in 1945. It was one of the most advanced fighters when it first appeared, with an all-metal
monocoque
Monocoque ( ), also called structural skin, is a structural system in which loads are supported by an object's external skin, in a manner similar to an egg shell. The word ''monocoque'' is a French term for "single shell".
First used for boats, ...
construction, a closed canopy, and retractable landing gear. It was powered by a liquid-cooled, inverted-V12
aero engine. It was called the Me 109 by Allied aircrew and some German aces, even though this was not the official German designation.
It was designed by
Willy Messerschmitt
Wilhelm Emil "Willy" Messerschmitt (; 26 June 1898 – 15 September 1978) was a German aircraft designer and manufacturer. In 1934, in collaboration with Walter Rethel, he designed the Messerschmitt Bf 109, which became the most important ...
and
Robert Lusser Robert Lusser (19 April 1899 – 19 January 1969) was a German engineer, aircraft designer and aviator. He is remembered both for several well-known Messerschmitt and Heinkel designs during World War II, and after the war for his theoretical study o ...
who worked at Bayerische Flugzeugwerke during the early to mid-1930s. It was conceived as an
interceptor
Interceptor may refer to:
Vehicles
* Interceptor aircraft (or simply "interceptor"), a type of point defense fighter aircraft designed specifically to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft
* Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, a police car
* ...
, although later models were developed to fulfill multiple tasks, serving as
bomber escort
The escort fighter was a concept for a fighter aircraft designed to escort bombers to and from their targets. An escort fighter needed range long enough to reach the target, loiter over it for the duration of the raid to defend the bombers, and ...
,
fighter-bomber,
day-,
night-, all-weather fighter,
ground-attack aircraft, and
reconnaissance aircraft. It was supplied to several states during World War II and served with several countries for many years after the war. The Bf 109 is the most produced fighter aircraft in history, with a total of 33,984 airframes produced from 1936 to April 1945.
[U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey, Aircraft Division Industry Report, Exhibit I – German Airplane Programs vs Actual Production.] Some of the Bf 109 production took place in
Nazi concentration camps
From 1933 to 1945, Nazi Germany operated more than a thousand concentration camps, (officially) or (more commonly). The Nazi concentration camps are distinguished from other types of Nazi camps such as forced-labor camps, as well as con ...
through
slave labor
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
.
The Bf 109 was flown by the three top-scoring fighter aces of all time, who claimed 928 victories among them while flying with
''Jagdgeschwader'' 52, mainly on the
Eastern Front. The highest-scoring,
Erich Hartmann
Erich Alfred Hartmann (19 April 1922 – 20 September 1993) was a German fighter pilot during World War II and the most successful flying ace, fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. He flew 1,404 combat missions and participated in ...
, was credited with 352 victories. The aircraft was also flown by
Hans-Joachim Marseille, the highest-scoring ace in the
North African Campaign who shot down 158 enemy aircraft (in about a third of the time). It was also flown by many aces from other countries fighting with Germany, notably the Finn
Ilmari Juutilainen
Eino Ilmari "Illu" Juutilainen (21 February 1914 – 21 February 1999) was a fighter pilot of the Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), and the top scoring non-German fighter pilot of all time. The top flying ace of the Finnish Air Force, he led all Fi ...
, the highest-scoring non-German ace. Pilots from Italy, Romania, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Hungary also flew the Bf 109. Through constant development, the Bf 109 remained competitive with the latest Allied fighter aircraft until the end of the war.
Design and development
Origins
During 1933, the ''Technisches Amt'' (C-Amt), the technical department of the ''
Reichsluftfahrtministerium'' (RLM) ("Reich Aviation Ministry"), concluded a series of research projects into the future of air combat. The result of the studies was four broad outlines for future aircraft:
*''Rüstungsflugzeug I'' for a multi-seat medium bomber
*''Rüstungsflugzeug II'' for a tactical bomber
*''Rüstungsflugzeug III'' for a single-seat fighter
*''Rüstungsflugzeug IV'' for a two-seat heavy fighter
''Rüstungsflugzeug III'' was intended to be a short range interceptor, replacing the
Arado Ar 64 and
Heinkel He 51
The Heinkel He 51 was a German single-seat biplane which was produced in a number of different versions. It was initially developed as a fighter; a seaplane variant and a ground-attack version were also developed. It was a development of th ...
biplanes then in service. In late March 1933, the RLM published the tactical requirements for a single-seat fighter in the document L.A. 1432/33.
The projected fighter needed to have a top speed of at , to be maintained for 20 minutes, while having a total flight duration of 90 minutes. The
critical altitude
Critical or Critically may refer to:
*Critical, or critical but stable, medical states
**Critical, or intensive care medicine
*Critical juncture, a discontinuous change studied in the social sciences.
* Critical Software, a company specializing in ...
of 6,000 metres was to be reached in no more than 17 minutes, and the fighter was to have an operational ceiling of . Power was to be provided by the new
Junkers Jumo 210 engine of about . It was to be armed with either a single 20 mm MG C/30 engine-mounted cannon firing through the propeller hub as a ''Motorkanone'', or two
synchronized, engine cowl-mounted 7.92 mm (.312 in)
MG 17 machine guns, or one lightweight engine-mounted 20 mm
MG FF cannon
The MG FF was a drum-fed, blowback-operated, 20 mm aircraft autocannon, developed in 1936 by Ikaria Werke Berlin of Germany. It was a derivative of the Swiss Oerlikon FF F cannon (its ''FF'' suffix indicating ''Flügel Fest'', for a fixed ...
with two 7.92 mm MG 17s. The MG C/30 was an airborne adaption of the
2 cm FlaK 30
The Flak 30 (''Flugzeugabwehrkanone 30'') and improved Flak 38 were 20 mm anti-aircraft guns used by various German forces throughout World War II. It was not only the primary German light anti-aircraft gun but by far the most numerously prod ...
anti-aircraft gun, which fired very powerful
"Long Solothurn" ammunition, but was very heavy and had a low rate of fire. It was also specified that the
wing loading
In aerodynamics, wing loading is the total mass of an aircraft or flying animal divided by the area of its wing. The stalling speed of an aircraft in straight, level flight is partly determined by its wing loading. An aircraft or animal with a ...
should be kept below 100 kg/m
2. The performance was to be evaluated based on the fighter's level speed,
rate of climb
In aeronautics, the rate of climb (RoC) is an aircraft's vertical speed, that is the positive or negative rate of altitude change with respect to time. In most ICAO member countries, even in otherwise metric countries, this is usually expressed ...
, and maneuverability, in that order.
It has been suggested that
Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) was originally not invited to participate in the competition due to personal animosity between Willy Messerschmitt and RLM director
Erhard Milch
Erhard Milch (30 March 1892 – 25 January 1972) was a German general field marshal ('' Generalfeldmarschall'') of Jewish heritage who oversaw the development of the German air force (''Luftwaffe'') as part of the re-armament of Nazi Germany fo ...
; however, recent research by Willy Radinger and Walter Shick indicates that this may not have been the case, as all three competing companies—Arado, Heinkel and BFW—received the development contract for the L.A. 1432/33 requirements at the same time in February 1934. A fourth company, Focke-Wulf, received a copy of the development contract only in September 1934. The powerplant was to be the new Junkers Jumo 210, but the proviso was made that it would be interchangeable with the more powerful, but less developed
Daimler-Benz DB 600
The Daimler-Benz DB 600 was a German aircraft engine designed and built before World War II as part of a new generation of German engine technology. It was a liquid-cooled inverted V12 engine, and powered the Messerschmitt Bf 110 and Heinkel He ...
powerplant. Each was asked to deliver three prototypes for head-to-head testing in late 1934.
Prototypes
![Messerschmidt Bf109 Prototype V3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Messerschmidt_Bf109_Prototype_V3.png)
Design work on Messerschmitt Project Number P.1034 began in March 1934, just three weeks after the development contract was awarded. The basic mock-up was completed by May, and a more detailed design mock-up was ready by January 1935. The RLM designated the design as type "Bf 109," the next available from a block of numbers assigned to BFW.
The first prototype (''Versuchsflugzeug 1'' or V1), with civilian registration D-IABI, was completed by May 1935, but the new German engines were not yet ready. To get the "R III" designs into the air, the RLM acquired four
Rolls-Royce Kestrel
The Kestrel or type F is a 21 litre (1,300 in³) 700 horsepower (520 kW) class V-12 aircraft engine from Rolls-Royce, their first cast-block engine and the pattern for most of their future piston-engine designs. Used during the interwar ...
VI engines by trading Rolls-Royce a
Heinkel He 70
The Heinkel He 70 ''Blitz'' ("lightning") was a German mail plane and fast passenger monoplane aircraft of the 1930s designed by Heinkel Flugzeugwerke, which was later used as a bomber and for aerial reconnaissance. It had a brief commercial car ...
''Blitz'' for use as an engine test-bed. Messerschmitt received two of these engines and adapted the engine mounts of V1 to take the V-12 engine upright. V1 made its maiden flight at the end of May 1935 at the airfield located in the southernmost Augsburg neighborhood of
Haunstetten
Augsburg-Haunstetten, also known as Haunstetten-Siebenbrunn is one of the seventeen '' Planungsräume'' (English: Planning district, singular: Planungsraum) of Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest of the seventeen Planungsräume with an ar ...
, piloted by Hans-Dietrich "Bubi" Knoetzsch. After four months of flight testing, the aircraft was delivered in September to the Luftwaffe's central test centre at the ''Erprobungsstelle''
Rechlin
Rechlin is a municipality in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany, around 100 km (60 mi) northwest of Berlin. The town's airport has a long history and was the Luftwaffe's main testing ground for new aircraft designs in Nazi Germany. ...
to take part in the design competition.
In 1935, the first Jumo engines became available, so V2 was completed in October using the Jumo 210A engine. V3 followed, the first to be mounted with guns, but it did not fly until May 1936 due to a delay in procuring another Jumo 210 engine.
Design competition
After Luftwaffe acceptance trials were completed at their headquarters ''Erprobungsstelle'' (''E-Stelle'') military aviation test and development facility at
Rechlin
Rechlin is a municipality in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany, around 100 km (60 mi) northwest of Berlin. The town's airport has a long history and was the Luftwaffe's main testing ground for new aircraft designs in Nazi Germany. ...
, the prototypes were moved to the subordinate ''E-Stelle'' Baltic seacoast facility at
Travemünde
Travemünde () is a borough of Lübeck, Germany, located at the mouth of the river Trave in Lübeck Bay. It began life as a fortress built by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony, in the 12th century to guard the mouth of the Trave, and the Danes ...
for the head-to-head portion of the competition. The aircraft participating in the trials were the
Arado Ar 80
The Arado Ar 80 was a pre-World War II fighter aircraft, designed by Arado Flugzeugwerke to compete for the ''Luftwaffe''s first major fighter contract. The Ar 80 was uninspiring in terms of performance and also suffered a number of failures. T ...
V3, the
Focke-Wulf Fw 159 V3, the
Heinkel He 112
The Heinkel He 112 is a German fighter aircraft designed by Walter and Siegfried Günter. It was one of four aircraft designed to compete for the 1933 fighter contract of the ''Luftwaffe'', in which it came second behind the Messerschmitt Bf 1 ...
V4 and the Bf 109 V2. The He 112 arrived first, in early February 1936, followed by the rest of the prototypes by the end of the month.
Because most fighter pilots of the Luftwaffe were used to
biplanes with open
cockpits, low wing loading, light
g-forces and easy handling like the
Heinkel He 51
The Heinkel He 51 was a German single-seat biplane which was produced in a number of different versions. It was initially developed as a fighter; a seaplane variant and a ground-attack version were also developed. It was a development of th ...
, they were very critical of the Bf 109 at first. However, it soon became one of the frontrunners in the contest, as the Arado and Focke-Wulf entries, which were intended as "backup" programmes to safeguard against failure of the two favourites, proved to be completely outclassed. The Arado Ar 80, with its
gull wing
The gull wing is an aircraft wing configuration, known also as ''Pulaski wings'', with a prominent bend in the wing inner section towards the wing root. Its name is derived from the seabirds which it resembles. Numerous aircraft have incorpora ...
(replaced with a straight, tapered wing on the V3) and fixed,
spatted undercarriage was overweight and underpowered, and the design was abandoned after three prototypes had been built. The
parasol wing
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...
ed Fw 159, potentially inspired by the same firm's earlier
Focke-Wulf Fw 56
Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG () was a German manufacturer of civil and military aircraft before and during World War II. Many of the company's successful fighter aircraft designs were slight modifications of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190. It is one of the p ...
, was always considered by the ''E-Stelle'' Travemünde facility's staff to be a compromise between a biplane and an aerodynamically more efficient, low-wing monoplane. Although it had some advanced features, it used a novel, complex retractable main undercarriage which proved to be unreliable.
![Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-337-0036-02A, Im Westen, Feldflugplatz mit Me 109](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-337-0036-02A%2C_Im_Westen%2C_Feldflugplatz_mit_Me_109.jpg)
Initially, the Bf 109 was regarded with disfavour by E-Stelle test pilots because of its steep ground angle, which resulted in poor forward visibility when taxiing; the sideways-hinged cockpit canopy, which could not be opened in flight (but could be dropped by the emergency arm). They were also concerned about the high wing loading.
The
Heinkel He 112
The Heinkel He 112 is a German fighter aircraft designed by Walter and Siegfried Günter. It was one of four aircraft designed to compete for the 1933 fighter contract of the ''Luftwaffe'', in which it came second behind the Messerschmitt Bf 1 ...
, based on a scaled-down
''Blitz'', was the favourite of the Luftwaffe leaders. Compared with the Bf 109, it was also cheaper. Positive aspects of the He 112 included the wide track and robustness of the undercarriage (this opened outwards from mid wing, as opposed to the 109s which opened from the
wing root
The wing root is the part of the wing on a fixed-wing aircraft or winged-spaceship that is closest to the fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, o ...
), considerably better visibility from the cockpit and a lower wing loading that made for easier landings. In addition, the V4 had a single-piece, clear-view, sliding cockpit canopy and a more powerful Jumo 210Da engine with a modified exhaust system. However, the He 112 was also structurally complicated, being 18% heavier than the Bf 109, and it soon became clear that the thick wing, which spanned 12.6 m (41 ft 4 in) with an area of 23.2 m
2 (249.7 ft
2) on the first prototype (V1), was a disadvantage for a light fighter, decreasing the aircraft's rate of roll and manoeuvrability. As a result, the He 112 V4 which was used for the trials had new wings, spanning 11.5 m (37 ft 8.75 in) with an area of 21.6 m
2 (232.5 ft
2). However, the improvements had not been fully tested and the He 112 V4 could not be demonstrated in accordance with the rules laid down by the Acceptance Commission, placing it at a distinct disadvantage.
Because of its smaller, lighter
airframe, the Bf 109 was 30 km/h (20 mph) faster than the He 112 in level flight, and superior in climbing and diving. The Commission ultimately ruled in favour of the Bf 109 because of the Messerschmitt test pilot's demonstration of the 109's capabilities during a series of spins, dives, flick rolls and tight turns, throughout which the pilot was in complete control of the aircraft.
In March, the RLM received news that the British
Supermarine Spitfire had been ordered into production. It was felt that a quick decision was needed to get the winning design into production as soon as possible, so on 12 March, the RLM announced the results of the competition in a document entitled ''Bf 109 Priority Procurement'', which ordered the Bf 109 into production. At the same time, Heinkel was instructed to radically redesign the He 112. The Messerschmitt 109 made its public debut during the
1936 Berlin Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: ''Olympische Sommerspiele 1936''), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad (German: ''Spiele der XI. Olympiade'') and commonly known as Berlin 1936 or the Nazi Olympics, were an international multi-sp ...
when the V1 prototype was flown.
Design features
As with the earlier Bf 108, the new design was based on Messerschmitt's "lightweight construction" principle, which aimed to minimise the number of separate parts in the aircraft. Examples of this could be found in the use of two large, complex brackets which were fitted to the firewall. These brackets incorporated the lower engine mounts and landing gear pivot point into one unit. A large forging attached to the firewall housed the main spar pick-up points and carried most of the wing loads. Contemporary design practice was usually to have these main load-bearing structures mounted on different parts of the airframe, with the loads being distributed through the structure via a series of strong-points. By concentrating the loads in the firewall, the structure of the Bf 109 could be made relatively light and uncomplicated.
An advantage of this design was that the main landing gear, which retracted through an 85-degree angle, was attached to the
fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraf ...
, making it possible to completely remove the wings for servicing without additional equipment to support the fuselage. It also allowed simplification of the wing structure, since it did not have to bear the loads imposed during takeoff or landing. The one major drawback of this landing gear arrangement was its narrow
wheel track, making the aircraft unstable while on the ground. To increase stability, the legs were splayed outward somewhat, creating another problem in that the loads imposed during takeoff and landing were transferred up through the legs at an angle.
The small rudder of the Bf 109 was relatively ineffective at controlling the strong swing created by the powerful slipstream of the propeller during the early portion of the takeoff roll, and this sideways drift created disproportionate loads on the wheel opposite to the swing. If the forces imposed were large enough, the pivot point broke and the landing gear leg would collapse outward into its bay. Experienced pilots reported that the swing was easy to control, but some of the less-experienced pilots lost fighters on takeoff.
Because of the large ground angle caused by the long legs, forward visibility while on the ground was very poor, a problem exacerbated by the sideways-opening canopy. This meant that pilots had to taxi in a sinuous fashion which also imposed stresses on the splayed undercarriage legs. Ground accidents were a problem with inexperienced pilots, especially during the later stages of the war when pilots received less training before being sent to operational units. At least 10% of all Bf 109s were lost in takeoff and landing accidents, 1,500 of which occurred between 1939 and 1941. The installation of a fixed "tall" tailwheel on some of the late G-10s and −14s and the K-series helped alleviate the problem to a large extent.
![Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1980-005-05, Flügel einer Messerschmitt Me 109](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1980-005-05%2C_Fl%C3%BCgel_einer_Messerschmitt_Me_109.jpg)
From the inception of the design, priority was given to easy access to the powerplant, fuselage weapons and other systems while the aircraft was operating from
forward airfield Advance airfield and forward airfield are military terms for a relatively primitive ad-hoc airfield used for refueling and re-arming air units as part of forward operations near the enemy. Also called advanced airfield for its advanced position, not ...
s. To this end, the entire engine
cowling
A cowling is the removable covering of a vehicle's engine, most often found on automobiles, motorcycles, airplanes, and on outboard boat motors. On airplanes, cowlings are used to reduce drag and to cool the engine. On boats, cowlings are a cove ...
was made up of large, easily removable panels which were secured by large toggle latches. A large panel under the wing centre section could be removed to gain access to the L-shaped main
fuel tank
A fuel tank (also called a petrol tank or gas tank) is a safe container for flammable fluids. Though any storage tank for fuel may be so called, the term is typically applied to part of an engine system in which the fuel is stored and propelle ...
, which was sited partly under the cockpit floor and partly behind the rear cockpit bulkhead. Other, smaller panels gave easy access to the cooling system and electrical equipment. The engine was held in two large, forged, ''
Elektron''
magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ta ...
alloy
An alloy is a mixture of chemical elements of which at least one is a metal. Unlike chemical compounds with metallic bases, an alloy will retain all the properties of a metal in the resulting material, such as electrical conductivity, ductilit ...
Y-shaped legs, one per side straddling the engine block, which were
cantilever
A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is supported at only one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a cant ...
ed from the firewall. Each of the legs was secured by two quick-release screw fittings on the firewall. All of the main pipe connections were colour-coded and grouped in one place, where possible, and electrical equipment plugged into junction boxes mounted on the firewall. The entire powerplant could be removed or replaced as a unit in a matter of minutes, a potential step to the eventual adoption of the unitized-powerplant ''
Kraftei
A power-egg is a complete "unitized" modular engine installation, consisting of engine and all ancillary equipment, which can be swapped between suitably designed equipment, with standardised quick-changing attachment points and connectors.
In a ...
'' engine mounting concept used by many German combat aircraft designs, later in the war years.
Another example of the Bf 109's advanced design was the use of a single, I-beam main
spar
SPAR, originally DESPAR, styled as DE SPAR, is a Dutch multinational that provides branding, supplies and support services for independently owned and operated food retail stores. It was founded in the Netherlands in 1932, by Adriaan van Well, ...
in the wing, positioned more aft than usual (to give enough room for the retracted wheel), thus forming a stiff D-shaped torsion box. Most aircraft of the era used two spars, near the front and rear edges of the wings, but the D-box was much stiffer
torsionally, and eliminated the need for the rear spar. The wing profile was the NACA 2R1 14.2 at the root and NACA 2R1 11.35 at the tip, with a thickness to
chord ratio of 14.2% at the root and 11.35% at the tip.
Another major difference from competing designs was the higher wing-loading. While the R-IV contract called for a wing-loading of less than 100 kg/m
2, Messerschmitt felt this was unreasonable. With a low wing-loading and the engines available, a fighter would end up being slower than the bombers it was tasked with catching.
A fighter was designed primarily for high-speed flight. A smaller wing area was optimal for achieving high speed, but low-speed flight would suffer, as the smaller wing would require more airflow to generate enough lift to maintain flight. To compensate for this, the Bf 109 included advanced
high-lift device
In aircraft design and aerospace engineering, a high-lift device is a component or mechanism on an aircraft's wing that increases the amount of lift produced by the wing. The device may be a fixed component, or a movable mechanism which is deplo ...
s on the wings, including automatically opening
leading edge slats
Slats are aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft which, when deployed, allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. A higher coefficient of lift is produced as a result of angle of attack and speed ...
, and fairly large camber-changing
flaps on the
trailing edge
The trailing edge of an aerodynamic surface such as a wing is its rear edge, where the airflow separated by the leading edge meets.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 521. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 199 ...
. The slats increased the lift of the wing considerably when deployed, greatly improving the horizontal maneuverability of the aircraft, as several Luftwaffe veterans, such as Erwin Leykauf, attest. Messerschmitt also included ailerons that "drooped" when the flaps were lowered (F series and later the lower radiator flap operated as part of the flap system), thereby increasing the effective flap area. When deployed, these devices effectively increased the wings' coefficient of lift.
Fighters with liquid-cooled engines were vulnerable to hits in the cooling system. For this reason, on later Bf 109 F, G and K models, the two coolant radiators were equipped with a cut-off system. If one radiator leaked, it was possible to fly on the second or to fly for at least five minutes with both closed. In 1943, Oberfeldwebel
Edmund Roßmann
Edmund "Paule" Roßmann (11 January 1918 – 4 April 2005) was a Nazi Germany Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II. He was credited with 93 aerial victories achieved in 640 combat missions, among the numerous ground attack missions. A flying ...
got lost and landed behind Soviet lines. He agreed to show the Soviets how to service the plane. Soviet machine gun technician Viktor M. Sinaisky recalled:
Armament and gondola cannons
![Messerschmitt Bf 109E](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Messerschmitt_Bf_109E.jpg)
Reflecting Messerschmitt's belief in low-weight, low-drag, simple monoplanes, the armament was placed in the fuselage. This kept the wings very thin and light. Two
synchronized machine guns were mounted in the cowling, firing over the top of the engine and through the propeller arc. An alternative arrangement was also designed, consisting of a single
autocannon firing through a blast tube between the cylinder banks of the engine, known as a ''Motorkanone'' mount in German. This was also the choice of armament layout on some contemporary monoplane fighters, such as the French
Dewoitine D.520, or the American
Bell P-39 Airacobra
The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by t ...
, and dated back to
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
's small run of
SPAD S.XII ''moteur-canon'', 37 mm cannon-armed fighters in France.
When it was discovered in 1937 that the RAF was planning eight-gun batteries for its new
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness b ...
and
Supermarine Spitfire fighters, it was decided that the Bf 109 should be more heavily armed. The problem was that the only place available to mount additional guns was in the wings. Only one spot was available in each wing, between the wheel well and slats, with room for only one gun, either a 7.92 mm
MG 17 machine gun, or a 20 mm MG FF or MG FF/M cannon.
The first version of the Bf 109 to have wing guns was the C-1, which had one MG 17 in each wing. To avoid redesigning the wing to accommodate large ammunition boxes and access hatches, an unusual ammunition feed was devised whereby a continuous belt holding 500 rounds was fed along chutes out to the wing tip, around a roller, and then back along the wing, forward and beneath the gun breech, to the wing root, where it coursed around another roller and back to the weapon.
The gun barrel was placed in a long, large-diameter tube located between the spar and the leading edge. The tube channeled cooling air around the barrel and breech, exhausting from a slot at the rear of the wing. The installation was so cramped that parts of the MG 17's breech mechanism extended into an opening created in the flap structure.
The much longer and heavier MG FF had to be mounted farther along the wing in an outer bay. A large hole was cut through the spar allowing the cannon to be fitted with the ammunition feed forward of the spar, while the breech block projected rearward through the spar. A 60-round ammunition drum was placed in a space closer to the wing root causing a bulge in the underside. A small hatch was incorporated in the bulge to allow access for changing the drum. The entire weapon could be removed for servicing by removing a leading edge panel.
![Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-487-3066-04, Flugzeug Messerschmitt Me 109](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-487-3066-04%2C_Flugzeug_Messerschmitt_Me_109.jpg)
From the 109F-series onwards, guns were no longer carried inside the wings. Instead, the Bf 109F had a 20 mm gun firing through the propeller shaft. The change was disliked by leading fighter pilots such as
Adolf Galland and
Walter Oesau
Walter "Gulle" Oesau (28 June 1913 – 11 May 1944) was a German fighter pilot during World War II. A fighter ace, he served in the Luftwaffe from 1934 until his death in 1944. He rose to command ''Jagdgeschwader'' 1, which was named in his hon ...
, but others such as
Werner Mölders
Werner Mölders (18 March 1913 – 22 November 1941) was a World War II German Luftwaffe pilot, wing commander, and the leading German fighter ace in the Spanish Civil War. He became the first pilot in aviation history to shoot down 10 ...
considered the single nose-mounted gun to compensate well for the loss of the two wing guns. Galland had his Bf 109F-2 field-modified with a 20 mm MG FF/M autocannon, the "/M" suffix indicating the capability of firing thin-walled 20mm
mine shell
A mine shell (from the German term ''Minengeschoß'', "mine shot"), also known as High-Explosive, High-Capacity (HEHC) in British military nomenclature, is a military explosive shell type characterized by thin (usually steel) shell walls and a cor ...
s, installed internally in each wing.
In place of internal wing armament, additional firepower was provided through a pair of 20 mm
MG 151/20 cannons installed in conformal
gun pod
A gun pod is a detachable pod or pack containing machine guns, autocannons, revolver cannons, or rotary cannons and ancillaries, mounted externally on a vehicle such as a military aircraft which may or may not also have its own guns.
Descriptio ...
s under the wings. The conformal gun pods, exclusive of ammunition, weighed 135 kg (298 lb); and 135 to 145 rounds were provided per gun. The total weight, including ammunition, was 215 kg. Installation of the under-wing gun pods was a simple task that could be quickly performed by the unit's armourers, and the gun pods imposed a reduction of speed of only . By comparison, the installed weight of a similar armament of two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon inside the wings of the Fw 190A-4/U8 was 130 kg (287 lb), without ammunition.
Although the additional armament increased the fighter's potency as a bomber destroyer, it had an adverse effect on the handling qualities, reducing its performance in fighter-versus-fighter combat and accentuating the tendency of the fighter to swing pendulum-fashion in flight.
Some of the projected 109K-series models, such as the K-6, were designed to carry 30 mm (1.18 in)
MK 108 cannon
The MK 108 (German: ''Maschinenkanone''—"machine cannon") was a 30 mm caliber autocannon manufactured in Germany during World War II by Rheinmetall‑Borsig for use in aircraft.
The cannon saw widespread use as an anti-bomber weapon during the ...
s in the wings.
Designation and nicknames
Originally the aircraft was designated as Bf 109 by the RLM, since the design was submitted by the ''
Bayerische Flugzeugwerke'' (literally "Bavarian Aircraft Works", meaning "Bavarian Aircraft Factory"; sometimes abbreviated B.F.W.,
akin to
BMW) during 1935.
The company was renamed
Messerschmitt AG after
11 July 1938 when
Erhard Milch
Erhard Milch (30 March 1892 – 25 January 1972) was a German general field marshal ('' Generalfeldmarschall'') of Jewish heritage who oversaw the development of the German air force (''Luftwaffe'') as part of the re-armament of Nazi Germany fo ...
finally allowed Willy Messerschmitt to acquire the company. All Messerschmitt aircraft that originated after that date, such as the
Me 210
The Messerschmitt Me 210 was a German heavy fighter and ground-attack aircraft of World War II. Design started before the war, as a replacement for the Bf 110. The first examples were ready in 1939, but they proved to have unacceptably poor f ...
, were to carry the "Me" designation. Despite regulations by the RLM, wartime documents from Messerschmitt AG, RLM and ''Luftwaffe'' loss and strength reports continued to use both designations, sometimes even on the same page.
All extant airframes bear
the official "Bf 109" designation on their identification plates, including the final K-4 models. The aircraft was often referred to by the folk-designation, 'Me 109', particularly by the Allies.
The aircraft was often nicknamed ''Messer'' by its operators and opponents alike; the name was not only an abbreviation of the manufacturer but also the German word for "knife". In Finland, the Bf 109 was known as ''Mersu'', although this was originally (and still is) the Finnish nickname for
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...
cars.
Soviet aviators nicknamed the Bf 109 "the skinny one" (худо́й, ''khudoy''), for its sleek appearance compared, for example, to the more robust Fw 190.
The names "Anton", "Berta", "Caesar", "Dora", "Emil", "Friedrich", "Gustav", and "Kurfürst" were derived from the variant's official letter designation (e.g. Bf 109G – "Gustav"), based on the
German spelling alphabet of World War II, a practice that was also used for other German aircraft designs. The G-6 variant was nicknamed by ''Luftwaffe'' personnel as ''Die Beule'' ("the bump/bulge") because of the cowling's characteristic, bulging covers for the breeches of the 13 mm (.51 in)
MG 131 machine gun
The MG 131 (shortened from German: ''Maschinengewehr'' 131, or "Machine gun 131") was a German 13 mm caliber machine gun developed in 1938 by Rheinmetall-Borsig and produced from 1940 to 1945. The MG 131 was designed for use at fixed, flexible ...
s, with the separate ''Beule'' covers eliminated by the time of the G-10 model's introduction of a subtly reshaped upper cowling.
Record-setting flights
In July 1937, not long after the public debut of the new fighter, three Bf 109Bs took part in the Flugmeeting airshow in
Zürich
, neighboring_municipalities = Adliswil, Dübendorf, Fällanden, Kilchberg, Maur, Oberengstringen, Opfikon, Regensdorf, Rümlang, Schlieren, Stallikon, Uitikon, Urdorf, Wallisellen, Zollikon
, twintowns = Kunming, San Francisco
Zürich ...
under the command of Major Seidemann. They won in several categories: First prize in a speed race over a 202 km course, first prize in the class A category in the international ''Alpenrundflug'' for military aircraft, and victory in the international ''Patrouillenflug'' category.
On 11 November 1937, the Bf 109 V13, D-IPKY flown by Messerschmitt's chief pilot Dr. Hermann Wurster, powered by a DB 601R racing engine, set a new world air speed record for ''landplanes with piston engines'' of , winning the title for Germany for the first time. Converted from a Bf 109D, the V13 had been fitted with a special racing DB 601R engine that could deliver for short periods.
Heinkel, having had the He 112 rejected in the design competition of 1936, designed and built the
He 100. On 6 June 1938, the He 100 V3, flown by
Ernst Udet, captured the record with a speed of . On 30 March 1939, test pilot Hans Dieterle surpassed that record, reaching with the He 100 V8. Messerschmitt, however, soon regained the lead when, on 26 April 1939, ''Flugkapitän''
Fritz Wendel
Friedrich "Fritz" Wendel (February 21, 1915 – February 9, 1975) was a German test pilot during the 1930s and 1940s.
Achievements
On 26 April 1939 Fritz Wendel set the world air speed record of , flying the Messerschmitt Me 209 V1. He broke the ...
, flying the
Me 209 V1, set a new record of . For propaganda purposes, the Me 209 V1 aircraft (possibly from its post-July 1938 first flight date) was given the designation Me 109R, with
the later prefix, never used for wartime Bf 109 fighters. The Me 209 V1 was powered by the DB 601ARJ, producing 1,156 kW (1,550 hp), but capable of reaching 1,715 kW (2,300 hp). This world record for a piston-engined aircraft was to stand until 1969, when
Darryl Greenamyer
Darryl George Greenamyer (August 13, 1936 – October 4, 2018) was an American aviator. He started his flying career in the US Air Force Reserve. After leaving the Air Force, he then began to work at Lockheed where he eventually became an SR-7 ...
's modified
Grumman F8F Bearcat, ''Conquest I'', broke it with a record speed.
Variants
![Bf 109E-3 in flight (1940)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Bf_109E-3_in_flight_%281940%29.jpg)
When the Bf 109 was designed in 1934, by a team led by
Willy Messerschmitt
Wilhelm Emil "Willy" Messerschmitt (; 26 June 1898 – 15 September 1978) was a German aircraft designer and manufacturer. In 1934, in collaboration with Walter Rethel, he designed the Messerschmitt Bf 109, which became the most important ...
and
Robert Lusser Robert Lusser (19 April 1899 – 19 January 1969) was a German engineer, aircraft designer and aviator. He is remembered both for several well-known Messerschmitt and Heinkel designs during World War II, and after the war for his theoretical study o ...
, its primary role was that of a high-speed, short-range interceptor. It used the most advanced aerodynamics of the time and embodied advanced structural design which was ahead of its contemporaries. In the early years of the war, the Bf 109 was the only single-engined fighter operated by the Luftwaffe, until the appearance of the
Fw 190
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190, nicknamed ''Würger'' ("Shrike") is a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its well-known counterpart, t ...
. The Bf 109 remained in production from 1937 through 1945 in many different variants and sub-variants. The primary engines used were the Daimler-Benz
DB 601 and
DB 605
The Daimler-Benz DB 605 is a German aircraft engine built during World War II. Developed from the DB 601, the DB 605 was used from 1942 to 1945 in the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter, and the Bf 110 and Me 210C heavy fighters.
The DB 610, a p ...
, though the Junkers
Jumo 210 powered most of the pre-war variants. The most-produced Bf 109 model was the Bf 109G series (more than a third of all 109s built were the G-6 series, 12,000 units being manufactured from March 1943 until the end of the war). The initial production models of the
A, B, C and D series were powered by the relatively low-powered, Junkers
Jumo 210 series engines. A few prototypes of these early aircraft were converted to use the more powerful DB 600.
The first redesign came with the
E series E series may refer to:
* BMC E-series engine, a series of automobile engines
* Electronic E series of preferred numbers, a series of preferred values for electronic components such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, zener diodes
* Entwicklung seri ...
, including the naval variant, the Bf 109T (T standing for ''Träger'',
carrier). The Bf 109E (''Emil'') introduced structural changes to accommodate the heavier and more powerful
Daimler-Benz DB 601
The Daimler-Benz DB 601 was a German aircraft engine built during World War II. It was a liquid-cooled inverted V12, and powered the Messerschmitt Bf 109, Messerschmitt Bf 110, and many others. Approximately 19,000 601's were produced befo ...
engine, heavier armament and increased fuel capacity. Partly due to its limited combat radius on internal fuel alone, resulting from its range limit, later variants of the E series had a
fuselage ordnance rack for fighter-bomber operations or provision for a long-range, standardized drop-tank and used the DB 601N engine of higher power output. The Bf 109E first saw service with the "
Condor Legion
The Condor Legion (german: Legion Condor) was a unit composed of military personnel from the air force and army of Nazi Germany, which served with the Nationalist faction during the Spanish Civil War of July 1936 to March 1939. The Condor Legio ...
" during the last phase of the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, link ...
and was the main variant from the beginning of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
until mid-1941 when the Bf 109F replaced it in the pure fighter role. (Eight Bf 109Es were assembled in
Switzerland in 1946 by the Dornier-Werke, using licence-built airframes; a ninth airframe was assembled using spare parts.)
![Bf 109 F4 9 JG3 5582](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Bf_109_F4_9_JG3_5582.JPG)
The second big redesign during 1939–40 gave birth to the
F series. The ''Friedrich'' had new wings, cooling system and fuselage aerodynamics, with the DB 601N (F-1, F-2) or the DB 601E (F-3, F-4). Considered by many as the high-water mark of Bf 109 development, the F series abandoned the wing cannon and concentrated all armament in the forward fuselage with a pair of synchronized machine guns above and a single 15 or 20 mm ''Motorkanone''-mount cannon behind the engine, the latter firing between the cylinder banks and through the propeller hub, itself covered by a more streamlined, half-elliptical shaped spinner that better matched the streamlining of the reshaped cowling, abandoning the smaller, conical spinner of the ''Emil'' subtype. The F-type also omitted the earlier stabilizer
lift strut
In aeronautics, bracing comprises additional structural members which stiffen the functional airframe to give it rigidity and strength under load. Bracing may be applied both internally and externally, and may take the form of strut, which act in ...
on either side of the tail. The improved aerodynamics were used by all later variants. Some Bf 109Fs were used late in the
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
in 1940 but the variant came into common use only in the first half of 1941.
![Bf 109G-10 cockpit 070703-F-1234S-001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Bf_109G-10_cockpit_070703-F-1234S-001.jpg)
The
G series, or ''Gustav'', was introduced in mid-1942. Its initial variants (G-1 through G-4) differed only in minor details from the Bf 109F, most notably in the more powerful
DB 605
The Daimler-Benz DB 605 is a German aircraft engine built during World War II. Developed from the DB 601, the DB 605 was used from 1942 to 1945 in the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter, and the Bf 110 and Me 210C heavy fighters.
The DB 610, a p ...
engine. Odd-numbered variants were built as high-altitude fighters with a pressurized cockpit and
GM-1
{{unreferenced, date=September 2008
GM-1 (''Göring Mischung'' 1) was a system for injecting nitrous oxide (laughing gas) into aircraft engines that was used by the ''Luftwaffe'' in World War II. This increased the amount of oxygen in the fuel mi ...
boost, while even-numbered variants were un-pressurized, air superiority fighters and fighter-bombers. Long-range
photo-reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance for a military or strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft. The role of reconnaissance can fulfil a variety of requirements including artillery spotting, the collection of imagery ...
variants also existed. The later G series (G-5 through G-14) was produced in a multitude of variants, with uprated armament and provision for kits of packaged, generally factory-installed parts known as ''Umrüst-Bausätze'' (usually contracted to ''Umbau'') and adding a "/U" suffix to the aircraft designation when installed. Field kits known as
''Rüstsätze'' were also available for the G-series but those did not change the aircraft title. By early 1944, tactical requirements resulted in the addition of
MW-50
MW 50 (Methanol-''Wasser'' 50) was a 50-50 mixture of methanol and water (German: ''Wasser'') that was often sprayed into the supercharger of World War II aircraft engines primarily for its anti-detonation effect, allowing the use of increased ...
water injection boost and high-performance
superchargers
In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement.
The current categorisation is that a supercharger is a form of forced ind ...
, boosting engine output to . From early 1944, some G-2s, G-3s, G-4s and G-6s were converted to two-seat trainers, known as G-12s. An instructor's cockpit was added behind the original cockpit and both were covered by an elongated, glazed canopy.
The final production version of the Bf 109 was the
K series or ''Kurfürst'', introduced in late 1944, powered by the DB 605D engine with up to . Though externally akin to the late production Bf 109G series, a large number of internal changes and aerodynamic improvements were incorporated that improved its effectiveness and remedied flaws, keeping it competitive with the latest Allied and Soviet fighters. The Bf 109's outstanding rate of climb was superior to many Allied adversaries including the P-51D Mustang, Spitfire Mk. XIV and Hawker Tempest Mk. V.
After the war, the 109 was built in
Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
, as the Avia S-99 and
Avia S-199 (with twenty-five S-199s serving with
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
in 1948) and in
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
as the Hispano Aviación Ha 1109 and
Ha 1112.
Production
![Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-638-4221-06, Produktion von Messerschmitt Bf 109](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-638-4221-06%2C_Produktion_von_Messerschmitt_Bf_109.jpg)
Total Bf 109 production was 33,984 units;
wartime production (September 1939 to May 1945) was 30,573 units. Fighter production totalled 47% of all German aircraft production, and the Bf 109 accounted for 57% of all German fighter types produced. A total of 2,193 Bf 109 A–E was built prewar, from 1936 to August 1939.
In January 1943, as part of an effort to increase fighter production, Messerschmitt licensed an SS-owned company,
DEST
German Earth and Stone Works (german: Deutsche Erd- und Steinwerke GmbH, ) was an SS-owned company created to procure and manufacture building materials for state construction projects in Nazi Germany. DEST was a subsidiary company of ''Amtsgru ...
, to manufacture Bf 109 parts at
Flossenbürg concentration camp
Flossenbürg was a Nazi concentration camp built in May 1938 by the SS Main Economic and Administrative Office. Unlike other concentration camps, it was located in a remote area, in the Fichtel Mountains of Bavaria, adjacent to the town of Flo ...
. Messerschmitt provided skilled technicians, raw materials, and tools and the SS provided prisoners, in a deal that proved highly profitable for both parties. Production at Flossenbürg started in February. The number of prisoners working for Messerschmitt increased greatly after the
bombing of Messerschmitt's Regensburg plant on 17 August 1943.
Erla
Erla is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This ...
, a subcontractor of Messerschmitt, established Flossenbürg
subcamp
Subcamps (german: KZ-Außenlager), also translated as satellite camps, were outlying detention centres (''Haftstätten'') that came under the command of a main concentration camp run by the SS in Nazi Germany and German-occupied Europe. The Nazi ...
s to support its production: a subcamp at
Johanngeorgenstadt
Johanngeorgenstadt () is a mining town in Saxony’s Ore Mountains, 17 km south of Aue, and 27 km northwest of Karlovy Vary. It lies in the district of Erzgebirgskreis, on the border with the Czech Republic, is a state-recognized heal ...
, established in December 1943, to produce
tailplane
A tailplane, also known as a horizontal stabiliser, is a small lifting surface located on the tail (empennage) behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed-wing aircraft such as helicopters and gyropla ...
s for the Bf 109, and another subcamp at
Mülsen-St. Micheln which produced Bf 109 wings, in January 1944. The Flossenbürg camp system had become a key supplier of Bf 109 parts by February 1944, when Messerschmitt's Regensburg plant was bombed again during "
Big Week". Increased production at Flossenbürg was essential to restoring production in the aftermath of the attacks.
The Austrian resistance group, led by
Heinrich Maier
Heinrich Maier (; 16 February 1908 – 22 March 1945) was an Austrian Roman Catholic priest, pedagogue, philosopher and a member of the Austrian resistance, who was executed as the last victim of Hitler's régime in Vienna.
The resistance gr ...
, very successfully passed on plans and production facilities in the Austrian area for Messerschmitt Bf 109 to the Allies from 1943. With the location of the production sites, the Allied bombers were able to attempt "
precise" air strikes.
After the August 1943 Regensburg raid, some Bf 109 production was relocated to
Gusen concentration camp
Gusen was a subcamp of Mauthausen concentration camp operated by the SS () between the villages of Sankt Georgen an der Gusen and Langestein in the Reichsgau Ostmark (currently Perg District, Upper Austria). Primarily populated by Polish pris ...
in Austria,
where the average prisoner's life expectancy was six months. In order to make the new production facilities bomb-proof, other prisoners were forced to build tunnels so that production could be relocated underground. Many died while performing this hazardous duty. By mid-1944, more than a third of the production at the Regensburg factory originated in Flossenbürg and Gusen alone; only the final assembly was done in Regensburg.
Separately, Erla employed thousands of concentration camp prisoners at Buchenwald on 109 production. Forced labor at
Buchenwald
Buchenwald (; literally 'beech forest') was a Nazi concentration camp established on hill near Weimar, Germany, in July 1937. It was one of the first and the largest of the concentration camps within Germany's 1937 borders. Many actual or sus ...
produced approximately 300 Bf 109 fuselages, tail sections, and wings before the end of the war.
Some 865 Bf 109G derivatives were manufactured postwar under licence as Czechoslovak-built Avia S-99 and S-199s, with the production ending in 1948. Production of the Spanish-built
Hispano Aviación HA-1109 and HA-1112 ''Buchon''s ended in 1958.
* Production up to end of March 1945 only.
Operational history
![Bf 109A from the Condor Legion with Nationalist Spain markings](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Bf_109A_from_the_Condor_Legion_with_Nationalist_Spain_markings.jpg)
The first Bf 109As served in the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, link ...
. By September 1939, the Bf 109 had become the main fighter of the Luftwaffe, replacing the biplane fighters, and was instrumental in gaining air superiority for the
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
during the early stages of the war. During the
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
, it was pressed into the role of escort fighter, a role for which it was not originally designed, and it was widely employed as a
fighter-bomber, as well as a
photo-reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance for a military or strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft. The role of reconnaissance can fulfil a variety of requirements including artillery spotting, the collection of imagery ...
platform. Despite mixed results over Britain, with the introduction of the improved Bf 109F in early 1941, the type again proved to be an effective fighter during the
Invasion of Yugoslavia (where it was used by both sides), the
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete (german: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta, el, Μάχη της Κρήτης), codenamed Operation Mercury (german: Unternehmen Merkur), was a major Axis airborne and amphibious operation during World War II to capture the island ...
,
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named after ...
(the invasion of the
USSR
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
) and the
Siege of Malta.
In 1942, it began to be partially replaced in Western Europe by a new German fighter, the
Focke-Wulf Fw 190, but it continued to serve in a multitude of roles on the
Eastern Front and in the
Defense of the Reich
The Defence of the Reich (german: Reichsverteidigung) is the name given to the strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany over German-occupied Europe and Germany during World War II. Its aim was to prevent the d ...
, as well as in the
Mediterranean Theatre of Operations
The Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre was a major theatre of operations during the Second World War. The vast size of the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre saw interconnected naval, land, and air campaigns fought for control of the Medi ...
and with
Erwin Rommel's
Afrikakorps
The Afrika Korps or German Africa Corps (, }; DAK) was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African Campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of its African colonies, the ...
. It was also supplied to several of Germany's allies, including Italy, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovakia.
More aerial kills were made with the Bf 109 than any other aircraft of World War II. Many of the aerial victories were accomplished against poorly trained and badly organized Soviet forces in 1941 during
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named after ...
. The Soviets lost 21,200 aircraft at this time, about half to combat. If shot down, the Luftwaffe pilots might land or parachute to friendly territory and return to fight again. Later in the war, when Allied victories began to bring the fight closer, and then in German territory, bombing raids supplied plenty of targets for the Luftwaffe. This unique combination of events — until
a major change in American fighter tactics occurred very early in 1944, that steadily gave the Allies daylight
air supremacy
Aerial supremacy (also air superiority) is the degree to which a side in a conflict holds control of air power over opposing forces. There are levels of control of the air in aerial warfare. Control of the air is the aerial equivalent of comm ...
over the Reich — led to the highest-ever individual pilot victory scores. One hundred and five Bf 109 pilots were each credited with the destruction of 100 or more enemy aircraft. Thirteen of these men scored more than 200 kills, while two scored more than 300. Altogether, this group of pilots was credited with a total of nearly 15,000 kills. Though no official
"ace" status existed in the Luftwaffe - the term ''Experte'' (expert) was used for an experienced pilot irrespective of his number of kills - using the Allied definition of pilots who scored five or more kills, more than 2,500 ''Luftwaffe'' fighter pilots were considered aces in World War II. Against the Soviets, Finnish-flown Bf 109Gs claimed a victory ratio of 25:1.
Bf 109s remained in foreign service for many years after World War II. The Swiss used their Bf 109Gs well into the 1950s. The Finnish Air Force did not retire their Bf 109Gs until March 1954. Romania used its Bf 109s until 1955. The Spanish Hispanos flew even longer. Some were still in service in the late 1960s. They appeared in films (notably ''
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
'') playing the role of Bf 109Es. Some Hispano airframes were sold to museums, which rebuilt them as Bf 109s.
Operators
Note, this list includes operators who used Bf 109s for active service or combat. It does not include France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States, which all operated small numbers of captured aircraft for testing and evaluation (''see:
Messerschmitt Bf 109 operational history#Allied Bf 109s'').
![Japanese-109-front](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Japanese-109-front.jpg)
;
*The
Bulgarian Air Force operated 19 E-3s and 145 G-2/-6/-10s.
;
*''
Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske'' operated over 50 Bf 109s, including E-4, F-2, G-2/-6/-10 and Ks.
; – (''captured'')
*
Czechoslovak Air Force
The Czechoslovak Air Force (''Československé letectvo'') or the Czechoslovak Army Air Force (''Československé vojenské letectvo'') was the air force branch of the Czechoslovak Army formed in October 1918. The armed forces of Czechoslovakia ce ...
operated captured aircraft and continued building Messerschmitt Bf 109Gs after the war under the Avia S-99 name, but soon ran out of the 109's Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine after many were destroyed during an explosion at a warehouse in Krásné Březno.
;
*
Finnish Air Force
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ordered 162 aircraft (48 G-2s, 111 G-6s and three G-8s) from Germany, but 3 were destroyed during transit, leaving the FAF with 159 Bf 109s. FAF pilots had 663 air victories during 1943–44 with Bf 109 G's and lost 34 in combat (20 shot down by enemy aircraft). 23 were non-combat losses and other write-offs. 102 Bf 109 G survived the war.
; – (''captured'')
*
Royal Hellenic Air Force
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operated a number of captured G-6 109s which had been left during the German withdrawal in October 1944
;
*''
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
'' was the main operator of the Bf 109.
;
*
Royal Hungarian Air Force
The Hungarian Air Force ( hu, Magyar Légierő), is the air force branch of the Hungarian Defence Forces.
The task of the current Hungarian Air Force is primarily defensive purposes. The flying units of the air force are organised into a single ...
operated 3 D-1s, 50 E-3/-4s, 66 F-4s and ~490 G-2/-4/-6/-8/-10/-14s.
;
*
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defens ...
operated the
Avia S-199 derivative, bought from Czechoslovakia. Despite the type's shortcomings the Israelis scored 8 victories. Egypt and Syria claimed 4 S-199 kills, and 1 probable.
;
*''
Regia Aeronautica'' operated several tens of Bf 109s in the first half of 1943.
;
*''
Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana
The National Republican Air Force ( it, Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, ANR) was the air force of the Italian Social Republic, a World War II German puppet state in Italy.
Description
This air force was tasked with defending the industri ...
'' operated 300 G-6/-10/-14s and two G-12s; three K-4s were also received.
;
*
Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
The Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAS) or Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (IJAAF; ja, 大日本帝國陸軍航空部隊, Dainippon Teikoku Rikugun Kōkūbutai, lit=Greater Japan Empire Army Air Corps) was the aviation force of the Im ...
purchased 5 E-7s in 1941. The aircraft were used for tests and trials.
;
*
Royal Romanian Air Force
The Air Force branch of the Royal Romanian forces in World War II was officially named the (ARR), or the Romanian Royal Aeronautics, though it is more commonly referred to in English histories as the (Royal Romanian Air Force, FARR), or simply ...
operated 50 E-3/4s, 19 E-7s, 2 F-2s, 5 F-4s and at least 200+ G-2/G-4/G-6/-8s plus 124 IAR assembled Ga-2/Ga-4/Ga-6.
*
Romanian Air Force
The Romanian Air Force (RoAF) ( ro, Forțele Aeriene Române) is the air force branch of the Romanian Armed Forces. It has an air force headquarters, an operational command, five airbases and an air defense brigade. Reserve forces include one ai ...
– Postwar.
;
Slovak Republic
*
Slovak Air Force
The Slovak Air Force, known since 2002 as the Air Force of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic ( sk, Vzdušné sily Ozbrojených síl Slovenskej republiky), is the aviation and air defense branch of the Slovak Armed Forces. Operating 23 airc ...
operated 16 E-3s, 14 E-7s and 30 G-6s.
*
Slovak Insurgent Air Force
The Slovak Resistance Air Force (in Slovak language, Slovak: ''Slovenské povstalecké letectvo'') was an Allies of World War II, Allied air unit which fought against Axis powers, Axis forces in Slovak State, Slovakia and participated in the Sl ...
operated 3 G-6s during the
Slovak National Uprising
The Slovak National Uprising ( sk, Slovenské národné povstanie, abbreviated SNP) was a military uprising organized by the Slovak resistance movement during World War II. This resistance movement was represented mainly by the members of the ...
.
;
*
Spanish Air Force operated some D-1s, E-3s and 15 F-4s, and may have received several older B-types. Volunteers of Escuadrilla Azul on the Eastern Front operated E-4, E-7, E-7/B, F-2, F-4 (belonged in JG-27 under the command of ''
Luftflotte 2
__NOTOC__
''Luftflotte'' 2For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organisation (Air Fleet 2) was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed 1 February 1939 in Braunsch ...
'', until April 1943) among G-4 and G-6 (detached in JG-51 under the command ''
Luftflotte 4
''Luftflotte'' 4For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organisation (Air Fleet 4) was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on March 18, 1939, from Luftwaffenkomm ...
'', until June 1944). A variant under license by the name
Hispano Aviación HA-1112
The Hispano Aviación HA-1109 and HA-1112 are licence-built versions of the Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 developed in Spain during and after World War II.
Design and development
In 1942, the Spanish government arranged a manufacturing licence with ...
was produced until 1958.
;
*
Swiss Air Force operated 10 D-1s, 89 E-3a variants, 2 F-4s and 14 G-6s.
;
*
Royal Yugoslav Air Force operated 73 E-3a variants.
*
SFR Yugoslav Air Force
The Air Force and Air Defence ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Ратно ваздухопловство и противваздушна одбрана, Ratno vazduhoplovstvo i protivvazdušna odbrana ; abbr. sh-Cyrl-Latn, label=none, separator=/, РВ и ПВ ...
operated several ex-
NDH and Bulgarian Bf 109Gs.
Surviving aircraft
Specifications (Bf 109G-6)
See also
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
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* Ebert, Hans A., Johann B. Kaiser and Klaus Peters. ''Willy Messerschmitt: Pioneer of Aviation'' (The History of German Aviation Design). Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Books, 2000. .
*
*
* Fernández-Sommerau, Marco. ''Messerschmitt Bf 109 Recognition Manual''. Hersham, Surrey, UK: Classic Publications, 2004. .
*
* Glancey, Jonathan. ''Spitfire: The Illustrated Biography''. London: Atlantic Books, 2006. .
*
*
* Griehl, Manfred. ''Das geheime Typenbuch der deutschen Luftwaffe: Geheime Kommandosache 8531/44 gKdos'' (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas Verlag, 2004. .
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*
*
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* Morgan, Eric B. and Edward Shacklady. ''Spitfire: The History.'' Stamford, UK: Key Books Ltd, 2000. .
*
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*
*
*
* Savic, D. and B. Ciglic. ''Croatian Aces of World War II (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 49)''. Oxford, UK: Oxford, 2002. .
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Further reading
*
* Avila Cruz, Gonzalo. ''Bipalas, Tripalas and Knapsacks: Messerschmitt Bf 109s in Spanish Service''.
Air Enthusiast
''Air Enthusiast'' was a British, bi-monthly, aviation magazine, published by the Key Publishing group. Initially begun in 1974 as ''Air Enthusiast Quarterly'', the magazine was conceived as a historical adjunct to ''Air International'' maga ...
87, May–June 2000, pp. 62–71.
* Beale, Nick, Ferdinando D'Amico and Gabriele Valentini. ''Air War Italy: Axis Air Forces from Liberation of Rome to the Surrender''. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife, 1996. .
* Bergström, Christer and Martin Pegg. ''Jagdwaffe: The War in Russia, January–October 1942.'' Luftwaffe Colours, Volume 3 Section 4. London: Classic Colours Publications, 2003. .
* Burke, Stephen. ''Without Wings: The Story of Hitler's Aircraft Carrier''. Oxford, UK: Trafford Publishing, 2007. .
* Caldwell, Donald L. ''JG 26: Top Guns of the Luftwaffe''. New York: Ballantine Books, 1991. .
* Craig, James F. ''The Messerschmitt Bf.109''. New York: Arco Publishing Company, 1968.
*
* Hitchcock, Thomas H. ''Messerschmitt 'O-Nine' Gallery''. Chicago: Monogram Aviation Publications, 1973. .
* Holmes, Tony. ''Spitfire vs Bf 109: Battle of Britain''. Oxford, UK/ New York: Osprey, 2007. .
* Hooton, Edward R. ''Blitzkrieg in the West, 1939–1940 (Luftwaffe at War: 2)''. Hersham, Surrey, UK: Midland Publishing, 2007. .
* Jackson, Robert. ''Aircraft of World War II: Development, Weaponry, Specifications''. Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell Books, 2003. .
*
*
* Mankau, Heinz and Peter Petrick.'' Messerschmitt Bf 110, Me 210, Me 410''. Raumfahrt, Germany: Aviatic Verlag, 2001. .
* Marshall, Francis L. ''Messerschmitt Bf 109T "Die Jäger der Graf Zeppelin"''. Gilching, Germany: Marshall-Verlag, 2002. .
* Marshall, Francis L. ''Sea Eagles: The Messerschmitt Bf 109T''. Walton on Thames, Surrey, UK: Air Research Publications, 1994. .
* Mason, Francis K. ''Messerschmitt Bf 109B, C, D, E in Luftwaffe & Foreign service.'' London: Osprey Publishing Limited, 1973. .
* Massimello, Giovanni and Giorgio Apostolo. ''Italian Aces of World War Two''. Oxford/New York, Osprey Publishing, 2000. .
* Osché, Philippe (translated by Patrick Laureau). ''The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Swiss Service''. Boulogne sur Mer, France: Lela Presse, 1996. .
* Price, Alfred. ''Spitfire Mk. I/II Aces (Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces)''. London: Osprey, 1996. .
* Punka, György. ''"Messer" : the Messerschmitt 109 in the Royal Hungarian "Honvéd" Air Force''. Budapest, Hungary: OMIKK, 1995. .
* Radinger, Willy and Walter Schick. ''Messerschmitt Me 109 (Alle Varianten: vion Bf (Me) 109A bis Me 109E)''. Oberhaching, Germany: Aviatic Verlag GmbH, 1997. .
* Rimmell, Ray. ''ME 109: Messerschmitt Bf 109E''. Chipping Ongar, Essex, UK: Linewrights Ltd., 1986. .
* Scutts, Jerry. ''Bf 109 Aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean''. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1994. .
* Shores, C., B. Cull and N. Malizia. ''Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece & Crete – 1940–41''. London: Grub Street, 1987. .
* Starr, Chris. "Developing Power: Daimler-Benz and the Messerschmitt Bf 109." ''Aeroplane'' magazine, Volume 33, No. 5, Issue No 385, May 2005. London: IPC Media Ltd.
* Stenman, Kari and Kalevi Keskinen. ''Finnish Aces of World War 2'' (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 23). London: Osprey Publishing Limited, 1998. .
* Taylor, John W.R. "Messerschmitt Bf 109". ''Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the present''. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. .
* Thompson, J. Steve with Peter. C Smith. ''Air Combat Manoeuvres''. Hersham, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Publishing, 2008. .
* U.S. Army Air Force. ''German Aircraft and Armament: Informational Intelligence, Summary No. 44–32, October 1944 (Informational Intelligence Summary)''. New York: Brassey's Inc., 2000 (first edition 1944). .
* Vogt, Harald. ''Messerschmitt Bf 109 G/K Rüstsatze. Flugzeug Profile 21''. Illertissen, Flugzeug Publikations GmbH.
* Weal, John. ''Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front''. Oxford, UK: Osprey, 2001. .
* Weal, John. ''BF 109D/E Aces 1939–41''. Oxford, UK: Osprey, 1996. .
* Weal, John. ''Bf 109F/G/K Aces of the Western Front''. Oxford, UK: Osprey, 2000. .
* Winchester, Jim. "Messerschmitt Bf 109." ''Aircraft of World War II: The Aviation Factfile''. Kent, UK: Grange Books plc, 2004. .
External links
Nazi fighter: The Messerschmitt Me 109: A German Design Which Just Missed Being a Success Flight
Flight or flying is the process by which an object moves through a space without contacting any planetary surface, either within an atmosphere (i.e. air flight or aviation) or through the vacuum of outer space (i.e. spaceflight). This can be a ...
, 24 October 1940
Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10–
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...
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Bf 109
1930s German fighter aircraft
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Low-wing aircraft
World War II fighter aircraft of Germany
Articles containing video clips
Aircraft first flown in 1935
Retractable conventional landing gear
Mauthausen concentration camp
Flossenbürg concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp
War crimes of the Wehrmacht
World War II aircraft of Finland
World War II aircraft of Switzerland