Messerschmitt Bf 109: Books - History and Deployment (1/4)

Messerschmitt BF 109 - The Design and Operational History

More than 33,000 Messerchmitt Bf 109s were built between 1935 and 1945, making it the second-most produced warplane of all time. Its baptism of fire was in Spain during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39. The Bf 109 was the mainstay of Luftwaffe fighter squadrons, and the favoured choice of most of the Luftwaffe's fighter aces.

Luftwaffe Bf 109 pilots accounted for thousands of Allied aircraft, with individual scores for some pilots reached hundreds of downed aircraft. It saw service in Poland, the invasion of France and, of course, during the Battle of Britain in 1940.
Although gradually becoming obsolete, the Bf 109 remained in large-scale production until the end of the war, and was supplied to more than ten countries, including Finland, Hungary, and Romania.

After the war, development and production continued in Czechoslovakia and Spain as the Avia S-199 and Hispano Ha-1112 respectively, the latter powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine.
Incredibly, the state of Israel operated Czech-built Avia S-199s during its War of Independence in 1948-49. Today, the Bf 109 is considered one of the greatest fighters ever produced.

• This book covers development, production and service of the Bf 109 with the Luftwaffe
• Includes details of the Bf 109 in service with every arm that operated the fighter, including post-war operations
• With technical descriptions, every production variant is described
• Includes details on prototypes, unbuilt projects and survivors, static and airworthy
• Rare and unrecorded opinions of Allied pilots on the pros and cons of the Bf 109
• Handsomely illustrated with high-quality photographs spanning over 80 years

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Messerschmitt 109 - An Illustrated Guide

A fascinating history of the Messerschmitt 109, from its maiden flight in 1935 through to the redesigned versions that flew during the final months of World War II. It includes complete technical specifications detailing the Messerschmitt 109's armament, power plant, dimensions, weight and performance.

It features over 75 photographs of the Messerschmitt 109 in action, as well as a cutaway diagram showing the interior construction of this classic fighter aircraft.

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Messerschmitt Bf 109 - Vom Prototyp bis zur Bf 109 K

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was characterized by a closed cockpit, retractable landing gear and an all-metal construction of the fuselage and wings. From its first flight in 1935, it marked a new generation of low-wing fighter aircraft.
Its success was therefore inevitable. With around 33 300 aircraft built, the Bf 109 is considered the most-produced fighter aircraft in history. Find out everything about one of the most important aircraft of the Luftwaffe!

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Die 109 - Die Entwicklung eines legendären Flugzeugs

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in its various series is one of the most frequently built aircraft in the world. This is its history: not a dry list of the various versions of the "109"; rather, the aim here is to show the interaction between the development of an aircraft and its use in air warfare, with particular emphasis on the fighter weapon.
The book covers this legendary aircraft type from the first experimental aircraft to the last Spanish replicas that were still flying in 1958. This book is an authentic documentation of the Bf 109.

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Me 109 - Produktion und Einsatz

To this day, it is legendary as THE fighter aircraft of the German Air Force in World War II. The book provides an overview of the production and use of the Me 109. At the start of World War II, the Me 109 was the standard fighter of the Air Force and, with its superior flight performance, ensured air supremacy on all fronts.
As the war continued, the wear and tear on aircraft increased steadily. In order to compensate for the losses, the Reich Air Ministry decided to mass-produce the Me 109 at the Erla machine works in Leipzig, the Wiener Neustädter aircraft works and the Messerschmitt GmbH Regensburg.

The greatest cuts in production resulted from the devastating air raids by the USAAF on these three aircraft factories in 1943/44. As the war progressed, foreign and forced laborers as well as prisoners of war were used in production. Engineers report on sabotage and the problems associated with it under "Top Secret".
One dark chapter is the production by concentration camp prisoners. The production of the Me 109 in the Flossenbürg concentration camp is considered as an example. Over 3 000 concentration camp prisoners worked there in armaments production.

In the second chapter, "Use of the Me 109, " former pilots from the Second World War who survived the great death of the Luftwaffe have their say. At the time, they belonged to a young elite and suffered enormous bloody losses. Given the material superiority of the Allies on all fronts, every mission was a rendezvous with death for them.
Approximately 300 pages with 250 rare and partly previously unpublished reports, photos and documents give the reader an intensive impression of the events of that time.

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