Messerschmitt Bf 108

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Messerschmitt Bf 108
Bf108-Rimensberger.JPG
Messerschmitt Bf 108 in the factory livery of Messerschmitt AG
Type: Light aircraft
Design country:

German Reich NSGerman Reich (Nazi era) German Empire

Manufacturer:

First flight:

1934

Production time:

1936 to 1945 (Bf 108 B)

Number of pieces:

approx. 885

The Messerschmitt Bf 108 is a four-seat, single-engine light aircraft made by the German manufacturer Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) or Messerschmitt AG and was initially designed as a competition aircraft and later developed into a luxury high -speed aircraft . When planning the aircraft, Willy Messerschmitt realized his idea of ​​an ideal aircraft, and the Reich Aviation Ministry saw this as an opportunity to win the 1934 European tour . At the same time, technical innovations were tested on the model, some of which were later incorporated into the Bf 109 fighter aircraft .

After the first Bf 108 was completed on June 13, 1934, around 885 units had been produced by 1945. Most of them were intended for the Wehrmacht Air Force and were used for retraining purposes or as courier aircraft.

Since production had been relocated to France during the Second World War, more examples of the type under French production could be completed after the war. The Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Nord (SNCAN) used the Bf 108 as a basis for the further development of the model and after 1945 still manufactured around 300 aircraft of the successor models Nord 1001 and 1002.

With the Bf 108 numerous records and sporting successes were flown between 1934 and 1971. In particular, the pattern is closely linked to the name of the German sports pilot Elly Beinhorn , who gave the aircraft the nickname "Taifun" after crossing three continents in one day in 1936.

History of creation and type designation

Willy Messerschmitt (1958) is considered the spiritual father of the Bf 108

In his position as Reich Aviation Minister instructed Hermann Goering in 1933 in a confidential letter to Theo Croneiss the Bavarian aircraft plants with the construction of a fast courier aircraft. The official occasion was the European sightseeing flight in 1934 , in the tender of which the focus was not only on the performance of the aircraft, but also on their practical value. Under the direction of Willy Messerschmitt , the engineers Robert Lusser , Richard Bauer and Hubert Bauer began working on a new model, which was internally designated BFW M37. BFW stands for Bayerische Flugzeugwerke , the M for Willy Messerschmitt as chief designer, 37 is a consecutive number of the type designation.

The engineers working with Richard Bauer from the Klemm company brought the basic concept for the new type of aircraft with them to Bayerische Flugzeugwerke. Before this concept could be implemented, however, the BFW was given the opportunity to participate unofficially in a modern hunter project. However, BFW did not have enough funds for two such demanding projects, since the plant was only barely saved from bankruptcy in 1933 by a settlement and orders from the Reich Aviation Ministry (RLM). In order not to miss the lucrative fighter contract, a compromise was required: The high technology required for a fighter was developed on the comparatively simple BFW M37 competition aircraft.

To win the European tour, the Reich Aviation Ministry relied on Willy Messerschmitt's experience with lightweight structures . The planning was completed in April 1934 and construction of the first aircraft began. This was completed on June 13, 1934. The result was a technologically sophisticated aircraft. Technologies were already being used on a "touring aircraft" that were hardly used for a high-performance fighter at that time. The newly designed aircraft was very sparsely equipped and heavily trimmed for lightweight construction, speed and initially purely sporting use. It was presented and flown on the occasion of the European sightseeing flight in 1934 under the designation Bf 108 A. The name of the pattern is confusing. The "Bf" in the name stands for Bayerische Flugzeugwerke because it was developed and initially built there. After the name change to Messerschmitt AG, the aircraft that were still being developed by BFW continued to have the Bf designation, while the new developments were given the Me designation. Colloquially, however, the Bf 108 was and is mostly referred to as the Me 108. At Messerschmitt the type Me 108 or simply Taifun was called. The historically correct name due to the official naming of the Reich Aviation Ministry is Messerschmitt Bf 108 .

production

The Bf 108 was built by Messerschmitt Regensburg and during the war in France by SNCAN. Total production for the Luftwaffe was 755 aircraft. In addition to the air force series, Messerschmitt launched a sales series for domestic private sales and exports. On August 31, 1937, this consisted of 56 aircraft, 27 of which had already been built. On March 31, 1939, 96 aircraft were planned. The last aircraft in the sales series were delivered in March 1940. A total of 119 aircraft were exported from 1936 to 1940. In addition, there were private sales domestically, which, according to the identification of the “Nachrichten für Luftfahrer”, should not have included more than 30 aircraft. Verifiable production:

Construction figures for the Bf 108 from 1934 to 1944
version MttR SNCAN total construction time
A. 6th 6th W. no. 695-700
B-0 7th 7th W. no. 871-877
B. 509 509 1936-1942
D. 54 192 246 1942-1944
distribution about 150 about 150 1942-1944
total circa 725 192 circa 915
Exports of the Bf 108 from 1936 to 1940
country number year
Brazil 1 1936
Bulgaria 6th 1940
Chile 1 1938
Great Britain 3 1938-1939
Italy 1 1937
Japan 3 1936-1939
Yugoslavia 35 1937-1940
Manchukuo 19th 1937-1938
Norway 1 1937
Austria 1 1937
Romania 13 1937-1940
Switzerland 21st 1938-1939
Spain 3 1939
Hungary 7th 1936-1937
United States 2 1936-1937
total 119

construction

Construction form

cockpit

The aircraft is a cantilever low wing and is made of Dural in an all-metal construction. The aircraft type is four-seated, with two adjacent seats being arranged one behind the other in a closed cabin . The driver's seat is in the front left. The aircraft has dual controls , so it can be controlled from both the left and the right seat, with a power lever, trim and flap controls and wheel brake pedals only being attached to the left . The aircraft has a retractable main landing gear and a fixed tail wheel. The strength of the aircraft complies with the German building regulations of December 1936. In the stress groups customary at the time, it was classified in category P3, where P stands for passenger transport and 3 for normal flight. Thus the aircraft is not approved for aerobatics .

Constructive features

Bf 108 B climbing with the slat partially extended
Bf 108 B seen from the front with adjustable propeller Me P7 and applied wings

Willy Messerschmitt tried to implement the characteristics of an "ideal airplane" in his design. The aircraft has good aerodynamics, was initially designed for competition purposes and later developed into a luxury high-speed aircraft. Compared to other all-metal aircraft with the same payload, the Bf 108 has a lower dead weight, which was achieved through a design that was new at the time. The fuselage did not use classic frames or its own supporting structure. Messerschmitt used profiled half-shells made of Dural , which were provided with a stiffening profile inside the fuselage and riveted, so that a completely smooth and self-supporting outer skin was created. Depending on the series, the wings were made with a half-timbered or riveted double-T-bar and ribs made of perforated profiled sheets, which were planked with smooth sheet metal made of Dural. The slats according to the Handley Page principle fold out automatically depending on speed and flight position, and only through aerodynamic action without their own drive. The surface profile, which can be varied by means of slats and flaps, allows high cruising speeds on the one hand and excellent slow flight characteristics with good maneuverability on the other. All the rivets on the Bf 108 are countersunk and filled before painting, which greatly improves the aerodynamic quality. The retractable landing gear was so unusual for the pilots at the time that an acoustic warning device had to be installed in order to avoid belly landings. The combination of many technical innovations made the Bf 108 an aircraft that was far ahead of its time. When it was in production, it was one of the fastest aircraft in its class in the world.

The aircraft types of this size that existed until then were usually tensioned biplanes (e.g. Focke-Wulf Fw 44 , De Havilland DH.87 Hornet Moth ) or could not combine all of the modern features of the Bf 108 (e.g. . Stinson Reliant ).

As a further design feature of the Bf 108 of the B versions, the three fastening bolts of the wings can be unlocked with a single lever, the wings pulled off, swiveled parallel to the fuselage and attached to the horizontal stabilizer , which facilitates space-saving parking. Since the landing gear is attached to the airframe, entire wings can be exchanged without having to jack up the aircraft, which makes maintenance and field repairs easier. The half-shell construction of the fuselage without classic frames , the principle of the undercarriage folding into the wings and the consistent lightweight construction using dural, electron and fabric-covered rudders are typical features of the Bf 108. These can be found in whole or in part in the Bf 109 .

A special feature of the Bf 108 is the maximum payload: At 500 kg, it has a very high payload in relation to its own weight . In practice, this means that you stay within the permissible weight limits even with full tanks, four people and a full luggage compartment. Nowadays it is by no means a matter of course in the light aircraft class that a four-seat aircraft can actually be flown with four people with full tanks without being overloaded. (See also: Flight performance of the Cessna 172 ).

Messerschmitt Bf 108 during assembly, take-off, landing and in flight

Weak points of the construction

A particular weak point of the Taifun is the fuel system , which consists of a total of five tanks , all of which are filled via just one tank opening. Refueling is very tedious because it takes some time for the fuel to run through the pipes from the rear container into the flat tanks. The refueling process was often ended too early without waiting for this to continue. The tanks were therefore not completely filled, and quite a few aircraft have made an emergency or crash landed due to a lack of fuel.

The aircraft that are equipped with the manually adjustable Me P7 propeller require a large number of hand movements during take-off and landing. After lift-off, the pilot must the throttle , the propeller governor , the takeoff / landing flaps, trim use and the chassis. In a solo flight, the cranking of the undercarriage may have to be interrupted in order to readjust the propeller adjustment. The less frequently used Argus L22 adjustable propeller offers an advantage here because it is self - adjusting .

Motorization

Argus As 10 with a propeller in a museum exhibition

While the first aircraft of the BFW M 37 / Bf 108 A were equipped with a Hirth HM 8 U , the B versions were equipped with a more powerful Argus engine. The Argus As 10  C, which was used from then on , developed 176 kW (240 PS) take-off power (5 minutes) at 2000 rpm and 147 kW (200 PS) continuous output at 1880 rpm, which means a rate of climb of around 5 m / s at 170 km / h enables. The cruising speed with the adjustable propeller is 250 km / h, the fuel consumption (min. 78 octane) around 60 liters / hour. The Argus As 10 E, which is also used, differs in its performance data from the As 10 C in that it has a higher starting output of 198 kW (270 hp) at 2100 rpm (1 minute). The other performance data are unchanged. The increase in performance of the E version compared to the C version is achieved through a larger air passage cross-section, greater spraying in the carburettors and the higher rated speed already mentioned. The C version of the Bf 108 was equipped with a Siemens Sh 14. However, the number of pieces of this pattern remained small. (See also Bf 108 C ).

Construction time and production facilities

Between 1934 and 1945 a total of around 885 machines were built at different locations. Initially, the BFW and Messerschmitt AG produced 175 Bf 108 B units in the main factory in Augsburg . In 1938, production was relocated to the new Messerschmitt GmbH factory in Regensburg . After 529 machines had been completed by then, the type was built by the Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Nord (SNCAN) in Les Mureaux in the occupied part of France from 1942 . After the liberation of Paris by Allied associations in August 1944, from September 1944 to March 1945, SNCAN built a further 67 machines from still existing parts, which were now called Nord 1000 Pingouin. After the end of the war, 17 aircraft and parts confiscated by the Allies were brought to Les Mureaux and made airworthy again at SNCAN. Due to lack of availability, French 235 HP engines from Renault (six-cylinder in-line engine with hanging cylinders, i.e. crankshaft on top) were used from 1945 instead of the Argus As 10C engine . These subsequent versions were then called Nord 1001 Pingouin 1 (right-turning Renault 6Q-11) and Nord 1002 Pingouin 2 (left-turning Renault 6Q-10). After the end of the war, a total of 67 Nord 1001 aircraft and 152 Nord 1002 aircraft left the French factories. A total of 1182 Bf 108 and North Pingouin were built.

Development and use

Until 1945

Theo Osterkamp and his wife in front of a Bf 108 Taifun

In order to be able to make good use of the machine for private touring flights as Messerschmitt's so-called high-speed aircraft, the Bf 108 A underwent various modifications to the wings, fuselage, engine and cabin in 1936/37. Among other things, the ailerons were enlarged, which required a reduction in the size of the landing flaps, the cabin glazing changed, the grinding spur gave way to a wheel, the Hirth motor was replaced with an Argus and the airframe and wings were reinforced overall. The Bf-108-B versions were overall more luxurious than sporty. The first examples of the Bf 108 were initially used as private sport, travel and business aircraft. The complicated technology and the high cost of purchase and maintenance stood in the way of widespread use in aviation clubs. The great sales success did not really materialize until the Luftwaffe placed a major order in 1936 because they chose the Taifun as their new liaison aircraft . During the Second World War, Bf 108 D were used as military liaison aircraft. The Bf 108 was very popular with the pilots of the Luftwaffe from the beginning, for example as a retraining aircraft to the type Bf 109, because this was also equipped with take-off and landing flaps and had to be flown differently compared to aircraft without these flaps. The Bf 108 could be ordered with additional equipment for vertical aerial photography or a chute for newspapers or leaflets, but there was never any armament. In 1938/39, the Swiss aviation troops purchased a total of 15 Bf 108 aircraft together with 99 Bf 109 aircraft. Seven aircraft of the type Bf 108 and Nord Pingouin were bought and registered civilly by Swiss private individuals between 1938 and 1946, one of which in turn was recruited into the Swiss Air Force in 1942. In 1945 two more of the German Air Force were interned as loot machines in the Swiss military as courier aircraft. The Bf 108 was also exported in small numbers to other countries: Australia (1), Bulgaria (6), Chile (1), Japan (1), Yugoslavia (12), Austria (4), Romania (6), Spain (1), Hungary (6), USSR (2), USA (1), Great Britain (1). As a rule, they were purchased by the state governments in order to check and test the construction of the aircraft. Nothing is known about their whereabouts.

After 1945

Nord 1110 - the last development stage of the Bf 108 with tripod landing gear and turboprop drive

After the end of the Second World War , the Bf 108 was not allowed to be built or developed in Germany. SNCAN only continued to produce the pattern in France. The version of the Bf 108 with nose wheel commissioned in 1943 was called the Me 208 and could only be produced in two copies until the end of the war; it was designated by SNCAN as the N.1100 Noralpha . Instead of the Argus AS 10, Renault engines were then installed, as with the Nord 1001/1002, and developed into the N.1101 Ramier I (Renault 6Q 10) and N.1102 Ramier II (Renault 6Q 11). A test sample of the N.1101 with a Potez 6D0 engine was named Nord 1104. The series of Bf-108 variants ended in 1959 with a test model N.1110 with turboprop drive . For this purpose, SFERMA equipped an N.1101 with a 348 kW (473 PS) Turbomeca Astazou propeller turbine . At the same time, the Swiss air force decommissioned the last Bf 108 aircraft in 1959. The reasons for this were the no longer guaranteed supply of spare parts, broken crankshafts in aircraft with the Argus AS 10E / 3 engine and stability problems at the wing ends. In detail, ten of the Messerschmitt Taifun aircraft used by the military in Switzerland were scrapped, three were lost in accidents, and four are now used as exhibits in museums. In 1962, the French Air Force decommissioned its last Bf 108 and Nord “Pingouin” aircraft and sold them to collectors and private pilots.

In the films The Longest Day , Colonel von Ryans Express and Dunkirk, June 2, 1940 , optically modified aircraft of the type Nord 1002 Pingouin are used to represent and imitate the Bf 109 of the German Air Force.

Planned further development in the 1970s

Founded on 29 November 1973. Typhoon aircraft GmbH attempted production resuming a modernized variant as Me 108 F was called. The further development of the basic Taifun concept was carried out by Messerschmitt together with Tank and presented at a press conference on December 18, 1973. The main differences between the now six-seater design and the original Bf 108 lay mainly in the drive, for which a Lycoming IO-540 with 300 hp was intended, and in the retractable nose wheel landing gear . A factory hall with an area of ​​6000 m² and a capacity of 100 to 200 aircraft per year was to be built at Weiden airfield.

The first delivery was planned for 1976, while the first flight should take place around the turn of 1974/75. However, work on the project was canceled in 1975.

Versions

BFW M 37, Bf 108 A and Bf 108 B

The BFW M 37 and Bf 108 A models were essentially designed for lightweight construction and speed. The B-series models were more luxurious. The differences between these series are shown in the following table.

Parameter BFW M 37 / Bf 108 A Bf 108 B
crew 1 1
Passengers 1 3
length 8.60 m 8.29 m
span 10.31 m 10.62 m
height 2.02 m 2.85 m
Wing area 13.3 m² 16.40 m²
Wing extension 8th 6.4
payload 500 kg 500 kg
Empty mass 550 kg 880 kg
Max. Takeoff mass 1050 kg 1380 kg
Cruising speed 265 km / h
Top speed 290 km / h 303 km / h
Service ceiling 6000 m 5000 m
Range 700 km 1000 km
Engines Hirth HM 8 U Argus AS 10 C / E
Propeller Adjustable with three blades Two-leaf rigid or adjustable
number of pieces 5 + 1 prototype approx. 885
Bf 108 of the Messerschmitt Foundation in the livery of the Luftwaffe at take-off

The Bf 108 A was experimentally equipped with an Argus As 17 with 162 kW (220 PS) output, but these tests were discontinued in favor of the B series. The prototype of the Bf 108 B (D-IAJO) was initially equipped with the Hirth HM 8 U used in the A versions before it was decided to use the Argus AS 10 C. In the B series, a distinction is often made between B-1 and B-2, although the differences between the versions cannot be clearly defined. The B-1 is often referred to as a pure civil aircraft (touring aircraft) and the B-2 as a liaison and training aircraft for the Air Force. According to other sources, the wings of the B-1 were foldable, but not of the B-2 . The provisions of the Air Force of the Armed Forces led only the designation Bf 108 B .

Bf 108 B trop

The Bf 108 B trop corresponds to the Bf-108-B version, but is equipped with additional equipment for use in the tropics and deserts. The tropical equipment includes a sun protection installation , cabin ventilation with filter, a sand separator , an additional fuel and lubricant system, as well as various tarpaulins . Due to the additional space required and the increased weight, there is no seat on the rear bench.

Bf 108 C

The Bf 108 C is a version with a radial engine . The Bf 108 D-IELE with a Siemens-Halske-Sh-14 engine took part in the 1936 Olympic flight. The flight performance with this engine could not convince, and the project Bf 108 with radial engine was discontinued after a few test samples.

Bf 108 D

The Bf 108 D was a version for the Luftwaffe that was in production from 1941. It was a modernized Bf 108 B with various modifications. Among other things, the cabin glazing, the fuselage, the landing gear and the tail unit were slightly changed in detail. The arrangement of the petrol tanks, their piping and the level indicator for the petrol supply have been simplified for the benefit of operational safety. The voltage of the vehicle electrical system was increased from 12 V to 24 V. If available, all Bf 108 D should be equipped with the Me P7 adjustable propeller.

Sporting successes

Opening ceremony of the European sightseeing flight in 1934. On the right, the aircraft of the German participants, including aircraft of the type Bf 108 A

In the period from 1934 to 1971 the following sporting successes were achieved on a Bf 108:

Victory in the speed rating of the European sightseeing flight in 1934

In the speed rating of the European sightseeing flight of 1934 , three Bf 108 A with HM-8-U-engine won the first three places, in the overall ranking they reached places five and six. The Bf 108 A was immediately successful in this competition as a competitor to the Fieseler Fi 97 and Klemm Kl 36 aircraft . All five machines remained in Reich property and were brought to the Rechlin test site, where they were hardly ever used.

In 13 hours and 30 minutes from Gliwice via Istanbul to Berlin

On August 15, 1935, Elly Beinhorn's world-famous cross-country flight followed . It flew the 3470 km from Gleiwitz via Istanbul to Berlin in just under 13:30 hours. This corresponds to an average speed of 257 km / h. Thereupon the Bf 108 was given the appropriate nickname Taifun .

Victory in the international star flight at the 1936 Winter Olympics

A Bf 108 C (D-IELE) won the International Star Flight at the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Three continents in one day

D-EBEI aircraft nose with dedication to Elly Beinhorn

Elly Beinhorn flew 3750 km over three continents in one day with her Taifun (D-IGNY, serial number 825) on August 6, 1936 . She started in Damascus and flew to Berlin via Cairo and Athens.

Victory in the international oasis flight in 1937

In February 1937 occupied Air Sports chief leader Otto R. Thomsen and co Dempewolf with their Bf 108 2nd place in the international haven flight into Egypt. In the "travel comfort" rating, the two participating Bf 108 took place 1 and 2.

First and third place in the Isle of Man air race in 1937

In May 1937, flight captain Hans Seidemann took first place in the air race on the Isle of Man , when he was flying the Bf 108 with the registration D-IOSA. Second place was occupied by the pilot Ernst Gerbrecht, also on a Bf 108. In the following Tynwald Air Race , Seidemann was second ahead of Gerbrecht.

Victory in the international Queen Astrid Race in 1938

The Bf 108 won the international star flight to Hoggar, the international Queen Astrid race in Belgium and the international star flight to Dinard. at the Italian Raduno-del-Littorio , a Bf 108 took second place.

Setting a new world altitude record in 1939

In 1939, the existing world altitude record (7985 m) was far exceeded by the Bf 108 C-1 (serial number 1078, D-IAXC) with a Hirth HM-508 -C engine with 9125 m.

Fastest and oldest aircraft on the DAeC flight to Germany in 1971

In 1971, the private pilot Bodo Klein from Siersburg took the D-EDIH (work number 1660) on Germany Flight of DAeC part. His Bf 108 B1 was the oldest and fastest aircraft at the same time.

Accidents and special events

Crash of the test aircraft to obtain the aviation license

On July 27, 1934, the D-IBUM (work number 695) crashed on its return flight from the Rechlin test site near the Augsburg plant. It was precisely the Bf 108A that had previously received general aviation approval for the model. The pilot, Freiherr Wolf von Dungern, died when the plane got into an uncontrollable attitude during slow flight and crashed on the ground. The report of the four Bf 108s (D-ILIT, D-IMUT, D-IGAK and D-IJES) for the upcoming European tour in Warsaw almost had been withdrawn. It was only after the small ailerons had been extended beyond the wing's trailing edge to make them more effective that Theo Osterkamp and his team could leave for the competition. This was tricky for Messerschmitt, because in 1932 two of the BFW M29s designed for the European sightseeing flight also crashed during the slow flight and were not allowed to participate at the time.

The Mechelen incident

The emergency landing known as the Mechelen incident with a Bf 108 on January 10, 1940 near Vucht, near today's Maasmechelen in Belgium, was the reason why the German plan of attack against Belgium had to be completely redrafted. The pilot Major Erich Hoenmanns and his fellow pilot Major Helmut Reinberger were on a flight from Munster-Loddenheide to Cologne.

Soon after the Bf 108 took off from Münster-Loddenheide airfield, thin veils of fog condensed to form a closed cloud cover. Strong east wind caused a wind offset (drift) of about 30 degrees compared to the compass heading, which initially went unnoticed. The Rhine , an important orientation line, was overflown unnoticed due to poor visibility. The pilot, Major Erich Hoenmanns, finally sighted a river and realized that it couldn't be the Rhine. In the humid, ice-cold air, the wings and the carburetor of their machine froze . The engine cut out due to carburetor icing. The Hoenmanns found a small field just in time to make an emergency landing. Unharmed, the two Wehrmacht officers had to realize that they had flown over the Meuse and crash landed 80 kilometers west of Cologne near Vucht in Belgium (today: Maasmechelen ).

On board the Bf 108 they used were, among other things, top secret documents with the tasks of Luftflotte 2 and the 7th Aviation Division for the planned invasion of Belgium as part of the western campaign . In doing so, the crew violated an order by Hermann Göring not to transport secret documents by air. The two officers failed to completely destroy the documents before they were captured by Belgian soldiers, whereupon the German plan of attack was completely reworked. (See also: sickle section plan , western campaign - old and new plans )

Fatal accident with a Bf 108 registered in Switzerland

On Jan 15, 1953, the Swiss A-217 (ex-Luftwaffe L5 + AB, serial number 1691) had an engine failure about four minutes after taking off from Meiringen . The pilot, flying alone, decided to make an emergency landing , the plane brushed against a wooden pole and overturned. The pilot died in this accident.

Konstantin Prinz von Bayern has an accident after entering bad weather

On July 30, 1969, the pilot of a Bf 108 (D-EFFI) flew in bad weather on a flight from Offenburg to Munich over the Swabian Alb in bad weather with heavy cloud cover. In addition to the Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm company pilot Baumann , Konstantin Prince of Bavaria and another passenger were on board . At 4:24 p.m., the plane crashed on the 956 meter high Raichberg near Hohenzollern Castle . All three inmates died. The aircraft was not equipped for instrument flight, and the Federal Aviation Office in Braunschweig (LBA) commented the attempt to cross the Swabian Alb in this weather condition as reckless.

Reinhard Furrer had an accident in a Bf 108

On September 9, 1995, Reinhard Furrer , a German science astronaut, died in a plane crash with a Bf 108 (D-EFPT, W. No. 5138) during an air show at the Johannisthal airfield in Berlin , where he was the guest of honor. After the end of the official program, he took part in a sightseeing flight with a Bf 108. It was initially suspected that a slat had broken off after take-off, which would have suddenly reduced the lift on a wing. Later evaluations of a video recording by the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt suggest that the pilot was trying to fly a role . The Bf 108 is not approved for aerobatics , and according to the Federal Aviation Office (LBA) the maneuver was carried out incorrectly and at too low a height. Pilot Gerd Kahdemann and Reinhard Furrer died immediately. The actual cause of the crash and who had flown the machine with double steering could not be conclusively clarified.

Significance today, reception and copies preserved

Bf 108 B Typhoon of the Messerschmitt Foundation
Messerschmitt Bf 108 B-2 of the Lufthansa Berlin Foundation
Messerschmitt Bf 108 B-1 in the colors of the Swiss Air Force
Postage stamp from 1979

By today's standards, the Bf 108 can be seen as the ancestor of entire generations of aircraft. Originally designed as a touring aircraft, it had a mainly military use and many of its features were found in the most built fighter in the world - the Bf 109. The travel comfort in connection with the speed performance and the practical value are still remarkable today.

Today a Bf 108 Taifun is a popular attraction on flight days. The number of aircraft of this type in museums and enthusiasts' hands is understandable, but how many are in flightless condition in private hangars is not known.

Currently, only three airworthy copies of this aircraft in Germany are registered :

The D-EBFW was built in Augsburg in 1937 and is the oldest flying Bf 108 and at the same time the oldest airworthy Messerschmitt aircraft in the world. The "BFW" in the aircraft license plate refers to the manufacturer Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG.

In Switzerland, the HB-HEB (serial number 1988) was made airworthy again by a Swiss foundation after its decommissioning in 1959 and several years of restoration. The Bf 108 with the historical registration number A-201 hung from the ceiling of the Zurich-Kloten airport hall for more than 30 years and had its maiden flight in May 2011 after the restoration of airworthiness .

Apprentices from Premium Aerotec refurbished the aircraft with the serial number 2064. The aircraft, which was built in Regensburg, was delivered to Switzerland in 1939 and flew there with the registration number A-208 until it was retired at the beginning of the 1960s. After the sale in 1963, there were exhibitions in changing museums in Germany and Great Britain. The last stop was the Schleissheim airfield . The reconditioned aircraft is placed in the company's entrance in Augsburg.

In 1937, the acquisition costs for a Messerschmitt Bf 108 were around 35,000 Reichsmarks , which today, adjusted for inflation, corresponds to a monetary value of 152,000 euros. How high the price for a Bf 108 would actually be today cannot be clarified because of the limited number of aircraft available.

On April 5, 1979, the Deutsche Bundespost issued a series of special postage stamps called “For the Young”, on which a HAWA Vampyr , a Junkers Ju 52 / 3m and a Douglas DC-3 also included a Bf 108 (D-IOIO ) is shown. In the accompanying text printed on the back, which was written by the Deutsches Museum in Munich in 1979, it is described that the Bf 108 has an exemplary overall concept and can be regarded as the basic model of all modern touring aircraft.

Comparable aircraft types

Retractable landing gear, landing flaps, closed cabin. The Mooney M20 is similar to the Bf 108 in many ways

With the Bf 108, the Mooney M20 and the Beechcraft Bonanza, developed after the Second World War, can be compared in terms of overall design . They are also made of all-metal construction and designed for cruising flights. In terms of travel comfort and travel speed, the Jak-18T and the Piaggio P.149 can also be used as a comparison. The last-mentioned aircraft, however, are aerobatic models that were primarily developed for military and civil training purposes.

See also

literature

  • Aviation archive Hafner: Messerschmitt Bf 108 B and D, technical compendium with 930 pages. Airplane manual, spare parts list, operating instructions, engine manual. ISBN 978-3-939847-05-2 .
  • Messerschmitt AG Augsburg: Operating and setup instructions for the aircraft type Me 108 B "Messerschmitt Taifun". Issue August 1939.
  • Messerschmitt AG Augsburg: Compilation of the deviations of the type Bf 108 D-1 from the aircraft type Bf 108 B-1. July 22, 1942.
  • Messerschmitt AG Augsburg: Messerschmitt "Taifun" high-speed aircraft. Works brochure, Erich Zander printing and publishing house, 1939.
  • Messerschmitt AG Augsburg: works brochure, French, 36 pages, printed in Germany in 1939.
  • Helmut Schneider: Airplane type book - manual of the German aviation and accessories industry. Reprint of the original edition from 1939/40, Gondrom Verlag, ISBN 3-8112-0627-3 .
  • Bf 108 B aircraft manual LDv 568 (320 pages, reprint from 1938, Aviation Archive Hafner).
  • Bf 108 B spare parts list (235 pages, reprint from 1939, Aviation Archive Hafner).
  • Peter Schmoll: The Messerschmitt Works in World War II. 2004, ISBN 3-931904-38-5 .
  • Wolfgang Mühlbauer: Le Bf 108 Taifun précurseur d'une illustrious lignée. In: Planet AeroSpace. Issue 3, July-August-September 2004, pp. 66-69 ( ISSN  1616-7872 ).
  • Peter W. Cohausz: A Dream in Blue - Oldest Messerschmitt Bf 108 restored. In: Flugzeug Classic. October 2006 edition, pp. 14–21.
  • Manfred Griehl: Typenkompass Messerschmitt - Airplanes since 1925. 1st edition. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2008, 127 pages.
  • Heinz-Dieter Schneider, Jörg Mückler: German sports and travel planes. In: Fliegerrevue , 08/2010.
  • CM Poulsen: Aircraft Types and Their Characteristics. Messerschmitt Me 108 B Typhoon. In: Flight and The Aircraft Engineer. Issue 1805, July 29, 1943, p. 118A.

Web links

Commons : Messerschmitt Bf 108  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Constantin Parvulesco: Messerschmitt - The life's work of an ingenious aircraft designer. Heel Verlag, 2006, p. 62.
  2. Constantin Parvulesco: Messerschmitt - The life's work of an ingenious aircraft designer. Heel Verlag, 2006, p. 64.
  3. ^ Zeitschrift Flugsport - Illustrated technical journal and indicator for the entire aviation industry. Issue 9 from September 19, 1934, Verlag Flugsport Frankfurt am Main
  4. ^ BA / MA Freiburg, inventory RL 3, production programs; Export documents 1936–1940
  5. Brochure: Learn to Fly! Published with the participation of the RLM 1939, p. 55 f.
  6. The Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force (commissioned by Udet): LDv. 568 Bf 108 B and D, draft of an aircraft manual. Issue of July 9, 1938, Aviation Archive Hafner, first part p. 1.
  7. ^ Messerschmitt AG Augsburg: Messerschmitt "Taifun" high-speed aircraft. Works brochure, Erich Zander printing and publishing house, Berlin 1939, p. 1
  8. Karl R. Pawlas: Aviation International No. 17. (Aviation Lexicon 3021-100-1), Nuremberg 1976, p. 2564 f.
  9. Constantin Parvulesco: Messerschmitt - The life's work of an ingenious aircraft designer. Heel Verlag, 2006, p. 67.
  10. Evelyn Zegenhagen: Dashing German girls. Aviators between 1918 and 1945. p. 151.
  11. The Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force (commissioned by Udet): LDv. 568 Bf 108 B and D, draft of an aircraft manual. Issue of July 9, 1938, Aviation Archive Hafner, First Part, pp. 6–21.
  12. The Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force (commissioned by Udet): LDv. 568 Bf 108 B and D, draft of an aircraft manual. Edition of July 9, 1938, Aviation Archive Hafner, Second Part, p. 1.
  13. Argus Motoren Gesellschaft mbH: Two-winged Argus propeller system. Preliminary operating and maintenance instructions, 1940
  14. ^ Karl R. Pawlas: Aviation International No. 17. (Aviation Lexicon 3021-100-1), Nuremberg 1976, p. 2566 f.
  15. Handbook ARGUS aircraft engine AS 10 C series 3. 2nd edition with supplementary sheets added later to compare the changes AS 10 C to AS 10 E, Berlin 1937
  16. ^ Helmut Schneider: Airplane type book - manual of the German aviation and accessories industry. Reprint of the original edition from 1939/40, Gondrom Verlag, ISBN 3-8112-0627-3 , p. 164 f.
  17. Wolfgang Mühlbauer: Le Bf 108 Taifun précurseur d'une illustrious lignée. In: Planet AeroSpace , edition 3, July – August – September 2004, GeraMond Verlag Munich, pp. 66–69 ( ISSN  1616-7872 )
  18. Textbook: Takeoff and landing technology with landing flaps. Messerschmitt AG Augsburg, 1939, p. 3.
  19. Sales catalog Messerschmitt "Taifun". Messerschmitt AG, Augsburg, 1937
  20. Ulrich Haller: Swiss military aircraft from 1914 to today. In: cockpit. Issue 5, 6 and 7, 1974, Ziegler Druck- und Verlags-AG, Winterthur.
  21. Erich Gandet: The Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun in Switzerland (Part 1) Military use until 1959. In: Sky News. Edition July, 2006, Aviation Media AG Teufen-Zurich, p. 43.
  22. Erich Gandet, Joe Rimensberger: The Messerschmitt Taifun in Switzerland (Part 2) Me 108 flies again in 2007. In: Sky News. Edition August, 2006, Aviation Media AG Teufen-Zurich, p. 39.
  23. Current aviation. In: Flug Revue February 1974, p. 4
  24. The New Typhoon. In: Flug Revue April 1974, p. 53 f.
  25. Bruno Lange: Type manual of German aviation technology. (Die deutsche Luftfahrt Volume 9), Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Koblenz 1986, ISBN 3-7637-5284-6 .
  26. ^ Karl R. Pawlas: Luftfahrt International No. 17. (Luftfahrt-Lexikon 3021-100-1), Nuremberg 1976, p. 2567.
  27. ^ Karl R. Pawlas: Aviation International No. 17. (Aviation Lexicon 3021-100-1), Nuremberg 1976, pp. 2597-2605.
  28. ^ Karl R. Pawlas: Aviation International No. 17. (Aviation Lexicon 3021-100-1), Nuremberg 1976, p. 2571.
  29. Messerschmitt AG: Compilation of the deviations of the type Bf 108 D-1 from the aircraft type Bf 108 B-1. July 22, 1942, pp. 1-3.
  30. ^ Karl R. Pawlas: Luftfahrt International No. 17. (Aviation Lexicon 3021-100-1), Nuremberg 1976, p. 2606 f.
  31. a b c d Karl R. Pawlas: Luftfahrt International No. 17. (Luftfahrt-Lexikon 3021-100-1), Nuremberg 1976, p. 2565.
  32. Elly Beinhorn: Solo Flight - My Life. 4th edition December 2007 ISBN 978-3-7766-2522-6 , p. 212 ff.
  33. ^ Journal: Der Deutsche Sportflieger. Issue 4, April 1937.
  34. ^ Airplane and Commercial Aviation News . July 1937, p. 543 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
  35. Manx Air Races - 1937 ( Memento from February 1, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) (As of April 1, 2011)
  36. Newspaper article: Weltspiegel (1971).
  37. ^ Official program booklet: Deutschlandflug 1971. Publisher: DAeC Wirtschaftsdienst GmbH.
  38. powerglidertaifun.de ( Memento from September 6, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
  39. Roger Soupart: The attack on Belgium. In: Flugzeug Classic. Issue 5, May 2010, Geramond, Munich, p. 48.
  40. Wikibase entry in the Aviation Safety Network (English)
  41. Elly Beinhorn: Solo Flight - My Life. 4th edition, December 2007, ISBN 978-3-7766-2522-6 , pp. 353 f.
  42. So down . In: Der Spiegel . No. 33 , 1969, p. 106 ( online ).
  43. In: Berliner Zeitung . September 12, 1995.
  44. In: Berliner Zeitung . September 13, 1995.
  45. ^ Report of the Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) dated November 9, 1995 with the file number 3 X 445-0 / 95
  46. Wolfgang Mühlbauer: Bf 108 Taifun - forefather of entire generations of aircraft. In: Planet AeroSpace. Issue 3, July – August – September 2006, Residence Verlag, Möhnesee, p. 66.
  47. Wolfgang Mühlbauer: Bf 108 Taifun - forefather of entire generations of aircraft. In: Planet AeroSpace. Edition 3, July – August – September 2006, Residence Verlag, Möhnesee, p. 69.
  48. List of world-famous Bf 108s , accessed on May 9, 2010
  49. Martin Schulz: Homecoming into the Blue - The oldest flying Messerschmitt in the world. In: aerokurier. November 2006 edition, pp. 6–13.
  50. ^ Website of the AMPA, operator of A-201 (HB-HEB) , accessed on July 14, 2011.
  51. Flieger Revue , No. 44, p. 6
  52. Messerschmitt "Taifun" high-speed aircraft. Messerschmitt AG Augsburg, factory prospectus with offer letter, Messerschmitt AG Berlin branch, Tirpitzufer 86–90, 1937
  53. This figure was based on the template: Inflation was determined, has been rounded to the nearest thousand euros and relates to last January.
  54. Bundesdruckerei 826 119 1.79
This article was added to the list of excellent articles on April 9, 2012 in this version .