The Fighting 109

All World War II aviation buffs will agree that the Messerschmitt Bf 109, was probably the best all-around fighter ever built anywhere. Conceived in 1934, it immediately became the standard Luftwaffe single-seat fighter for nearly a decade, and its active career in the service of other countries spanned nearly a quarter of a century. More Bf 109s were built than any other type of airplane-33,000 altogether—and they accounted for more enemy victories than any other airplane in aviation history. When all the performance records and statistics are added up, the title of "best all-around" must go to Professor Willy Messerschmitt's trim, spartan, no-nonsense brainchild, surpassing even the great British Spitfire or the North American Mustang.
This profusely illustrated volume traces the development of the Bf 109 from its combat testing in the Spanish Civil War, where it dominated the skies whenever it appeared, to the Battle of Britain, where it was poorly used by Goering and Hitler, to service in North Africa, the Mediterranean, Russia, and finally in defense of the German homeland.
Most of the nearly 300 photographs in this book were found in the files of the Bundesarchiv in Berlin and show the Bf 109 in action in all theaters of operation. Here, too, are the cockpit photos of the famous Luftwaffe fighter pilots who used the Bf 109 as a deadly weapon of war. The full-color camouflage and markings paintings were created especially for this book by one of the most respected and talented aviation artists in the world today.


by Uwe Feist, Norman Harms and Mike Dario
Published by David and Charles 1978 1st edition. 198pp profusely illustrated, index, appendices, bibliography. 19x27 slightly bowed, otherwise very good, including d/j.






Note:
"Long" descriptions, where shown, may have been taken from the book's dust jacket notes, and as such are relevant to the date of publication (e.g. any references to "new edition" "previously unpublished photographs" etc.) and not the present.

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