The Messerschmitt BF 109, sometimes called ME 109 was one of the first true fighters of its time. Incorporating such advances as all metal construction, closed canopy, retractable landing gear, and powered by a liquid cooled inverted 12 cylinder engine. It also had two separate cooling systems for the engine. If one system was damaged in battle, it could be shut down. The engine was mounted in two large castings that were attached to the main bulkhead with quick release screws. The plumbing and electrical connections were color coded and grouped in one location, when possible. The entire engine could be removed and replaced in a matter of minutes. The wings could be removed without the need of equipment to support the fuselage. The landing gear had a very narrow track, making it unstable on the ground. Approximately 10% of all BF 109’s were lost in takeoff and landing accidents.
The BF 109 first saw service during the Spanish Civil War with the German Condor Legion, and was still in service at the end of WWII. The BF 109 was the most produced single seat warplane during WWII. It was credited with more aerial victories than any other aircraft. Over one hundred BF 109 pilots were credited with the destruction of 100 or more each, enemy aircraft, some as high as 300.
During 1942, the Germans started to replace the BF 109 with the Focke-Wulf 190 fighter. The BF 109 continued fighting in a multitude of roles on multiple fronts. The aircraft was also supplied to Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.
After the war, the BF 109 was produced in Czechoslovakia and Spain, which ended production in 1958.
TYPE: Day Fighter CREW:
One FIRST FLIGHT: May 1935
PRODUCTION: 33,984
WING SPAN: 9.95 M (32 FT 6 IN)
LENGTH: 8.98 M (29 FT 7 IN)
HEIGHT: 2.60 M (8 FT 2 IN)
EMPTY WEIGHT: 2,247 KG (5,893 LB)
MAX TAKE-OFF: 3,400 KG (7,495 LB)
MAX SPEED: 640 KM/H (398 MPH)
SERVICE CEILING: 12,000M (39,370 FT)
RANGE: 850 KM (528 MI)
ENGINE: Daimler-Benz 605
ENGINE TYPE: Inverted 12 Cylinder
HORSEPOWER: 1,455 HP
ARMAMENT: 2-13mm Machine Guns 1-20mm Cannon 2-20mm Cannon Pods
On loan from the Illinois Signal Corps Military History Museum, Burbank, IL.