Messerschmitt Bf 109

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a German fighter aircraft that served in the Luftwaffe from 1937 to 1945, and was one of the most famous planes of World War II. Over its development and deployment it pioneered monocoque wing construction, methanol injection directly into the cylinder head, and probed the limits of inline piston aircraft engines.

At the outbreak of the war it was easily the best purpose-built fighter in the world. The type received plenty of competition from both domestic and Allied competition, especially as the war waned. Some of these capable competitors from the Allies included aircraft such as the P-51 Mustang and the P-39 Airacobra . Popular with with both pilots and crews the Bf 109 served with distinction until the end of hostilities.

Foreign Users

Finland

Finland was a co-belligerent with Germany against the Soviet Union (see: Continuation War), and acquired its first Bf-109s in March 1943 The first batch of thirty, all G (“Gustav”) models, equipped a new squadron (Lentolaivue) of the best pilots in the Finnish air force, and the first victory for the type came on March 24 when two Messerschmitts shot down a Pe-2 bomber. The Bf-109 was Finland’s most modern fighter during the war, equal to the Yaks and LaGGs flown by the Soviets. Finland’s top ranked ace, Ilmari Juutilainen, flew the Gustav for the last year of the war, and scored 58 victories in the aircraft. Me-109s eventually equipped four squadrons, and most Finnish aces in the war scored at least one kill with this fighter.