Messerschmitt Bf109 Historical overview

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt in the early 1930s. It was one of the first true modern fighters of the era, including such features as an all-metal monocoque construction, a closed canopy, and retractable landing gear. The Bf 109 was produced in greater quantities than any other fighter aircraft in history, with a wartime production (September 1939 to May 1945) of 30,573 units. Fighter production totalled 47% of all German aircraft production, and the Bf 109 accounted for 57% of all fighter types produced. 2,193 Bf 109 A-E were built prewar, from 1936 to August 1939, with additional 1,000 or so postwar as licence built Avia S-99/S-199 and Hispano Aviación HA-1109 and HA-1112 Buchon

The Bf 109 was the backbone of the Luftwaffe fighter force in World War II, although it began to be partially replaced by the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 from 1941. The Bf 109 scored more aircraft kills in World War II than any other aircraft. At various times it served as an air superiority fighter, a bomber escort, an interceptor, a ground-attack aircraft, and a reconnaissance aircraft. Although the Bf 109 had weaknesses, including a short range, and especially a sometimes difficult to handle narrow, outward-retracting undercarriage, it stayed competitive with Allied fighter aircraft until the end of the war.

The Bf 109 was flown by the three top-scoring fighter aces of World War II: Erich Hartmann, the top scoring fighter ace of all time with 352 official victories, Gerhard Barkhorn with 301 victories, and Günther Rall with 275 victories. All of them flew with Jagdgeschwader 52, a unit which exclusively flew the Bf 109 and was credited with over 10,000 victories, chiefly on the Eastern Front. Hartmann refused to fly any other aircraft in combat throughout the war. Hans-Joachim Marseille, the highest scoring German ace in the North African Campaign, also scored all of his 158 official victories in the Bf 109, against Western Allied pilots. The Bf 109 was also used with good result by non-German pilots, like Finnish fighter ace Ilmari Juutilainen with 94 victories — the highest scoring non-German fighter ace in history, Croatian fighter ace Mato Dukovac and Romanian fighter aces Alexandru Şerbănescu and Constantin Cantacuzino.

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[texasfathead]

The 109 had more kills than all other fighters put together, it had a 7 to1 kill ratio over the P-51s and P-47s,,,,,.

[bnipmnaa]

Typical childish boastfulness from the American commentator: "... but still not as fast as the P-51 Mustang".

Fucking prick.

[sochutao]

@F1god04 no man, was inline inverted.

[F1god04]

I dont think the engine was inline. I thought it was an inverted V12

[ichmalealsobinich]

@texasfathead sorry, but I assume you meant 7 Bf-109s were downed for each P-51 or P-47 kill, isn't it :)

[Poopingbotham]

Unfortunately, the narrator starts talking about the introduction of the 109G whilst we see footage of a 109E being wheeled out of the hanger. Very bad editing!

[crpdst2003]

@geppdude German aces had a target rich enviroment but at the end of the day RAF and USAAC plus the Russian Pilots could all claim.....Mission Accomplished.... also rotated the scoring pilots purposely to expand the training of thousands more made Allied pilots a gigantic tidal wave that submerged the Luftwaffe... War is not a joust, the Air force mission was strategic to crush the War Machine the Germans mission was to stop them....they didn't..

[impossibleshot84]

Anyways...b******s to the 109 and the "Stang", the Spitfire was the thoroughbred of WW2

[impossibleshot84]

An objective point of view is lost by a lot of jingoism, mostly from an American point of view. The Mustang was a good aircraft, made better by a British engine, without that pairing it still would have been getting mauled by 109's in North Africa and on the continent. The 109 was of a sound design by mid to late 30's standard, the fact it served til '45 is a testament to Messerschmitt designers and in the hands of a skilled pilot could still out do an American pilot in a 'Stang.

[Poopingbotham]

Right at the end of the clip, you'll notice that 5/ RG+B is flying with its tail wheel up! Then again, it may be a very late model