Picture of Messerschmitt BF 109E WW2 Fighter

The two best known fighters of WW2 were the Luftwaffe's Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the RAF's Supermarine Spitfire, not only were they both superb fighter aircraft but continuously evolved to remain a "state of the art" fighter throughout the whole of the six year conflict, they are the best known adversaries of the "Battle of Britain".

Proffesor Willie Messerschmitt and Walther Rethel of Bayerische Flugzeug Werke A.G, began design work on the Bf 109 in 1934 to meet a RLM (Reichsluftfahrministerium) specification for a new monoplane fighter aircraft, their design was based on the existing Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun, the new design was a cantilever low-wing monoplane of "leading edge technology", it was the first ever all metal stressed skin fighter and incorporated a single spar wing structure with leading edge slats, trailing edge slotted flaps, a fully enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear.

The first prototype, the Bf109 V1, first flew on the 28th May 1935 powered by the most powerful engine available, the 695 hp Rolls-Royce “Kestrel” II S and piloted by Hans D. "Bubi" Knutsch. following testing at the Luftwaffe Testing Centre at Rechlin the Bf109 was chosen to equip the rapidly expanding Luftwaffe over competing designs. The first Bf 109's to see operational service did so with the Condor Legion in Spain and were the Bf 109B variant, the aircraft excelled against the inferior fighter aircraft they met in combat.

By the outbreak of WW2 the aircraft pictured above was in service, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E "Emil", this aircraft was powered by the new 1,175 hp fuel injected Daimler Benz DB 601A, this was the the Supermarine Spitfire MkIa's main adversary in the "Battle of Britain" and the Bf109 was probably the most advanced operational fighter design in the world for the first three years of the war. Although the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E is the best known variant of this superb fighter aircraft many variants were to follow incorporating technological improvements to keep the aircraft competitive with the allied fighter aircraft.

Variants of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 scored more aircraft kills in WW2 than any other aircraft in history, the most successful fighter ace ever, Erich Alfred "Bubi" Hartmann, would only fly the Messerschmitt Bf 109, refusing a transfer to Adolf Galland's new Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter squadron JV44. Hartmann flew a total of 825 combat missions in the second half of WW2 shooting down no less than 352 enemy aircraft!

When production of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 ceased in 1945, with over 31,000 aircraft having been made over a ten year period, they had achieved a record number of aircraft kills than any other fighter aircraft before or since, the design was so good that some Messerschmitt Bf 109 examples were still serving in a fighter role until the mid 1960's.

Messerschmitt Bf 109 E Specifications:

• Crew: Pilot only

• Wing span: 32 ft. 4.5 in.

• Length: 28 ft. 8 in.

• Height: 8 ft. 10 in.

• Maximum loaded weight: 5,520 lb.

• Engine: Single 1,150hp Daimler-Benz DB 601A fuel injected liquid cooled inverted V12

• Maximum Speed: 357 mph at 12,300 ft.

• Maximum Climb: 3,100 feet per minute

• Range: 412 Miles

• Service Ceiling: 36,000 ft.

Armament:

• Twin 20mm MG/FF wing mounted machine guns

• Twin 7.9mm MG 17 mounted above the engine