Matched in the early stages of World War II only by the spitfire, the Messerschmitt Bf109 was undoubtedly one of the greatest combat aircraft of all time. It first flew in 1935 then followed the familiar pattern of civil war prototype, record breaker, Spanish civil war combat train of development common to so many other German aircraft of the period. It was the dominant fighter in the Luftewaffe until 1941 and served on all fronts, and with the air forces of Bulgaria, Hungary and Rumania among others.
A retired RAF Wing Commander examines the history of Germany’s favored fighter plane during the latter years of World War II. The most iconic German aircraft of the Second World War, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was the Luftwaffe’s principal fighter from 1939 until 1942 when the superior Focke-Wulf Fw 190 came into greater prominence. The Bf 109 served in every theatre of the war, though in this book the author examines the Tip and Run era, D-Day, and the Eastern Front. In the later years of the war, the Bf 109 fought with some success in the defense of Germany against Allied bombers. The Bf 109 was the most produced fighter aircraft in history and more aerial kills were made with this fighter than any other aircraft. Indeed, A total of 105 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. The Bf 109 was flown by the three top-scoring fighter aces of the war: Erich Hartmann, Gerhard Barkhorn, and Günther Rall. All of them flew with JG 52, a unit which exclusively flew the Bf 109 and was credited with over 10,000 victories, chiefly on the Eastern Front. The Bf 109 was also supplied to several of Germany’s allies, including Finland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Slovakia. In this selection of unrivalled images collected over many years, the operations of this famous aircraft in the latter part of the Second World War are portrayed and brought to life
The most iconic German aircraft of the Second World War, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was the Luftwaffes principal fighter from 1939 until 1942 when the superior Focke-Wulf Fw 190 came into greater prominence. The Bf 109 served in every theater of the war, particularly in the invasion of France and the Low Countries, the Battle of Britain and the invasion of the Soviet Union, the Mediterranean and with Rommel in North Africa. In the later years of the war, the Bf 109 fought with success in the defense of Germany against the Allied bombers. The Bf 109 was the most produced fighter aircraft in history and more aerial kills were made with this fighter than any other aircraft. In this selection of unrivaled images collected over many years, and now part of Frontline's new War in the Air series, the operations of this famous aircraft in the early part of the Second World War are portrayed and brought to life.
The monograph devoted to the early versions of the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the most famous WW2 German fighter, discusses its origins and development with coverage of changes made in its first prototypes, A-D variants and their sub-variants. The combat use of the aircraft in the Spanish Civil War, Polish campaign and Phony War is thoroughly described with many first-hand accounts included. The book also features short chapters on Bf 109 Ds in Swiss service and camouflage and markings of early Bf 109s.
From the nascent days of the Spanish Civil War to the desperate, final defence of the stricken Reich, the Messerchmitt Bf 109 was the Luftwaffe's signature fighter. From the very beginning of its combat career it came to symbolize what could be achieved with a modern monoplane fighter aircraft, instilling fear and respect into Allied pilots wherever it was encountered. 35,000 of the ubiquitous Messerschmitts were eventually built, making it the most-produced fighter in history. This is the first Air Vanguard volume to cover the Bf 109, detailing models A–D. Featuring stunning aerial photos the title explores in depth the technical characteristics and combat performance of the early Bf 109s, including their combat debut in the Spanish Civil War, their employment in the invasion of Poland and showing how the type became one of the most famous names in aviation history.
The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was one of the truly world class piston-engined fighters of World War II. This reputation rests largely with the E and F variants, which bore the brunt of the Luftwaffe's most important operations in World War II and shot down tens of thousands of Allied aircraft in the Battle of Britain, the Blitzkriegs across Europe and on the Eastern Front. This volume looks at the design and development history of these formidable warplanes, with a meticulous technical focus to reveal why the types were so effective. It explores the long process of tweaks to the E variant, and solutions to the many initial technical problems with the F, and how this development helped Willy Messerschmitt's promising Bf 109 design mature and fulfil its potential.
The Bf 109 E "Emil" entered service in 1938. The aircraft's DB 601 engine transformed its performance, making the Messerschmitt fighter one of the most capable anywhere in the world at the time. After seeing action late in the Spanish Civil War, the Emil was Germany's premier fighter aircraft during the early years of World War II, seeing action over Poland, France and the Low Countries, Great Britain, the Balkans, and North Africa. By the time of "Operation Barbarossa" in June 1941, the Emil had been largely replaced as the Luftwaffe's main fighter aircraft by the new Bf 109 F; however, it continued in service in the fighter-bomber, reconnaissance, and fighter-training roles. The Bf 109 E was flown by all of Germany's famed early-war fighter aces, men such as Adolf Galland, Werner MÖlders, Helmut Wick, Wilhelm Balthasar, Walther Oesau, and countless others.
Innumerable books have been published on the two most famous fighter aircraft of all time, the Supermarine Spitfire and the Messerschmitt Bf109. But books setting out to tell the story of both aircraft are very much rarer - probably fewer than the fingers of one hand. Yet their joint story is one which bears retelling since both were essential to the air campaigns of World War Two.Incredibly, the men who designed them lacked any experience of designing a modern fighter. R J Mitchell had begun his career working on industrial steam locomotives, Willy Messerschmitt had cut his aeronautical teeth on light and fragile gliders and sporting planes. Yet both men not only managed to devise aircraft which could hold their own in a world where other designs went from state-of-the-art to obsolete in a staggeringly short time, but their fighters remained competitive over six years of front-line combat. Despite the different ways their creators approached their daunting tasks and the obstacles each faced in acceptance by the services for which they were designed, they proved to be so closely matched that neither side gained a decisive advantage in a titanic struggle. Had either of them not matched up to its opponent so well, then the air war would have been a one-sided catastrophe ending in a quick defeat for the Allies or the Axis powers, and the course of twentieth century history would have been changed beyond recognition.
