Description

More than 33,000 Messerschmitt Bf 109s were built between 1935 and 1945, making it the second-most produced warplane of all time. Apart from the Luftwaffe, Bf 109s were supplied to more than ten countries, including Finland, Hungary and Rumania. 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 1948-1949.

This book includes: Development, production and service of the Bf 109 with the Luftwaffe; Details of the Bf 109 in service with every arm that operated the fighter, including post-war operations; Technical descriptions, every production variant is described; 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.