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Me. vs Bf. as in 109

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  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Middle Tennessee
Me. vs Bf. as in 109
Posted by Dick McC2 on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 4:34 PM

Over the years I've been confused as to the identification of WW II German aircraft, specifically with regard to seeing the -109 and -110 referred to as both Bf. and Me. Finally, this week, after reading Michael Korda's "With Wings Like Eagles - A History of the Battle of Britain" I finally have put my consternation to rest.

"In the early 1920s, Messerschmitt had founded his own aircraft firm in Bavaria, and received a subsidy from the Bavarian state government (as well as clandestine funding from the defense ministery in Berlin). His reval was another Bavarian aircraft manufacturer, Bayerische Flugzeugweke, but in 1927, in bad economic times and under severe financial pressure, the Bavarian government, unable to subsidize both firms, forced them to merge - a shotgun marriage that pleased nobody." (pg 66)

Then on page 72:

"....(Messershmitt would eventually get all this right in 1941, with the Me 109G)*

*By then Messershmitt's name was considered a propaganda asset, and his aircraft began to be named after him (Me) instead of after the Bayerishe Flugzeugweke (Bf)."

Mystery solved; and its only been 20 + years I've wondered about this... Just had to share... By the way, the aforementioned book is excellent for you WW II buffs; really brings out just how close the Battle of Britain was and how both sides were really fortunate to have the aircraft designers they had...

Dick McC

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: South Central Wisconsin
Posted by Daywalker on Friday, February 13, 2009 8:00 AM
Thank you for sharing that!  I have often wondered why the different prefixes as well. Thumbs Up [tup]

Frank 

 

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Brunswick, Ohio
Posted by Buckeye on Friday, February 13, 2009 11:39 AM

Very interesting, thanks for the info!

  • Member since
    July 2013
Posted by DURR on Saturday, February 14, 2009 9:35 PM
that bugged me for yrs to thanks
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