// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the Messerschmitt Bf 109 say? "I'm plane tired.
(Redirected from ME-109)
| Bf 109 | |
|---|---|
 A Bf 109G-6 of JG 27 "Afrika" in flight, 1943 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) |
| Designer | |
| Primary users | Luftwaffe |
| Number built | 34,248[1] +603 Avia S-199 +239 HA-1112 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | February 1937 |
| First flight | 29 May 1935[2] |
| Retired | 9 May 1945, Luftwaffe 27 December 1965, Spanish Air Force |
| Variants | Avia S-99/S-199 Hispano Aviación HA-1112 |
The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a monoplane fighter aircraft that was designed and initially produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW). Together with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the Bf 109 formed the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force during the Second World War.[3] It was commonly called the Me 109 by Allied aircrew and some German aces/pilots, even though this was not the official model designation.[4]
The Bf 109 was designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser, who worked at BFW during the early to mid-1930s.[5] It was conceived as an interceptor. However, later models were developed to fulfill multiple tasks, serving as bomber escort, fighter-bomber,