Messerschmitt Bf 109

"Christl", the Bf 109G-5 of Hauptman Gerhard Barkhorn, Germany's second-ranked ace (301 victories)

Role: single-seat fighter
Conception: Willy Messerchmitt and Walter Rethel
Production: Built by Messerchmitt AG, Dornier-Werke (Switzerland), Hispano-Aviacion (Spain) and after the war by Avia (Czechoslovakia)
Probably more than 35,000 Bf 109 and derived planes have been built.
First flight of prototype: September 1935

The plane was designed in 1934 by Willy Messerchmitt, at the head of the Messerchmitt FlugzeugBau. But the plane was built by Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW), Messerchmitt's production sister company. The plane code therefore started with "Bf", like all planes conceived by Messerchmitt at this period (like the Bf 108 Taifun or Bf 110 Zerstörer for example).
In 1938, to acknowledge the success of Messerchmitt's designs, the whole company was renamed Messerchmitt AG. The plane can therefore either be called "Bf 109" or "Me 109".
The Messerchmitt Bf 109 line is the World War 2 fighter with the greatest production numbers and lifespan; it was in production from 1937 to the fifties.

Development

As the Me109 line was very long and complex, this "development" section will only describe the main evolutions. However, you can click here to learn everything about all Bf 109 versions and prototypes.

It all started when the Bf 109a, officially designated the Bf 109V-1, took to the air on September 1935, powered by a British engine, a 695 hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel liquid-cooled V12.
Powered by a 720 hp Jumo 210Da engine, the Bf 109B "Bruno" was armed by two 7.9mm guns and was delivered to the Legion Condor in Spain in April 1937.
Powered by a 700 hp Jumo 210Ga engine, the Bf 109C "Caesar" was armed by four 7.9mm guns, and was available in 1938.
The Bf 109D "Dora" was planned to use the Daimler-Benz DB 600; however problems with this engine's availability (it also powered the He111 bomber) and reliability (it had never been used on a single-engined fighter) decided Messerchmitt to revert to the 720 hp Jumo 210Da engine instead. Not many Bf 109Ds were built.
The Bf 109E "Emil" was at last powered by a Daimler-Benz engine: the new DB 601. Delivered early in 1939, it was operational for the invasion of Poland, which marked the beginning of World War 2. It was also the main Luftwaffe fighter for the invasion of Northern Europe, France, and for the Battle of Britain.
The Bf 109E-3 introduced cannon-armed wings, and the Bf 109E-4 a new armored canopy, providing a better view around.

Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4
Engine	Daimler-Benz DB 601Aa liquid-cooled V12	1,000 hp (WEP: 1,175 hp)
Weight	empty: 1,900 kg (4,189 lb) - with full load: 2,665 kg (5,875 lb)
Armament	Two cowl-mounted 7.9mm guns, two wing-mounted MG FF 20mm cannons.
Performance	Max speed: 560 km/h (348 mph)	Ceiling: 10,500 m (34,450 ft)

The Bf 109F "Fritz" family had optimized aerodynamics with a new streamlined cowling, and the wing-mounted weapons were replaced by a single cannon firing through the propeller hub.
The Bf 109F-1 used the same 1,200 hp DB 601N engine as the last Bf 109Es; its nose weapon was a MG FF/M 20 mm cannon; on the Bf 109F-2, it was the faster MG 151/15 15 mm cannon.
The Bf 109F-4 introduced the uprated DB 601E engine, and the MG 151/20 20 mm cannon.

Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4
Engine	Daimler-Benz DB 601E liquid-cooled V12	Power: 1,300 hp (WEP: 1,350 hp)
Weight	with normal load: 2,900 kg (6,396 lb)
Armament	Two cowl-mounted 7.9mm guns, one nose-mounted MG 151/20 20 mm cannon.
Performance	Max speed: 625 km/h (388 mph)

The Bf 109G "Gustav" line was based on the more powerful Daimler-Benz DB 605 engines. However the plane was now much heavier, and its maneuverability suffered from the weight.
During the Bf 109G production was introduced the "Galland" hood, a frameless canopy.
A change of armament occured on the pressurized Bf 109G-5 and unpressurized Bf 109G-6: the cowl-mounted guns were now 13 mm.

Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6
Engine	Daimler-Benz DB 605A liquid-cooled V12	Power: 1,300 hp (WEP: 1,475 hp)
Weight	with normal load: 3,148 kg (6,940 lb)
Armament	Two cowl-mounted 13 mm guns, one nose-mounted MG 151/20 20 mm cannon.
Performance	Max speed: 621 km/h (386 mph)

Depending on availability of this bigger weapon, some Bf 109Gs had a nose-mounted 30 mm Mk 108 cannon instead of the 20 mm type. Also, some planes were fitted with Rustsatze (add-ons), like the R-6 modification kit adding two more MG151/20 20mm guns in under wing gondolas, for a better efficiency against allied bombers.

Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6/R-6

The 30 mm Mk 108 cannon was now standard on the Bf 109K, as was the DB 605D engine that had been introduced on the Bf 109G-10.
Delivery of this last wartime version of the Bf 109 started in October of 1944.

Messerschmitt Bf 109K-4
Engine	Daimler-Benz DB 605D liquid-cooled V12	Power: 1,800 hp (WEP: 2,000 hp)
Armament	Two cowl-mounted 13 mm guns, one nose-mounted Mk 108 30 mm cannon.
Performance	Max speed: 727 km/h (452 mph)

Stof's notes about this plane in iMOL's WarBirds

The opinions expressed below are only my own, and nothing more...

We now have five different Bf 109s ! However, a 1939 version (like a Bf 109E-1, which had no cannons) and an early Bf 109G (like a Bf 109G-2, lighter than the Bf 109G-6) would be nice additions.
If you want to know how to beat the Spitfire, read the excellent Flying the Bf 109 in WarBirds article from --ik--.

Strong points:

The Bf 109E-4 is a good compromise between maneuverability and firepower.
The Bf 109F-4 is faster and climbs better, but at the expense of firepower.
Late-war Bf 109s have the best climb rate of all WB planes, but maybe the Nakajima Ki-84.

Weak points:

The Me109-F4 is a bit light on the firepower side compared to other WB planes.
The Me109-G6 and K4 don't turn too good; don't try to turn flat, use their powerful engine to go vertical.
All Me 109s suffer from stiff aileron response at high speed.

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