The Messerschmitt Bf-109 was a German all-metal fighter with a single engine and a low-wing configuration with a classic tail fin. It was the basic and most produced fighter of the Luftwaffe during World War II. The prototype flew on 29 May 1935, and serial production continued from 1936 to 1945. In total, it is estimated that about 35,000 Messerschmitt Bf-109 fighters of all modifications were produced, many of which ended up in the Czech and Israeli air forces after the war. The roots of the Bf-109 go back to a competition announced in 1933 by the Luftwaffe for a new fighter. In competition with the He-112, the Bf-109 project initially lost, but thanks to the intrigues of Willy Messerschmitt, the project was able to continue, and in the end it became the winner of the competition, becoming the main fighter of the Luftwaffe. Several main variants of the Bf-109 were developed during the production process. The first pre-production series was the Bf-109B (Berta) with different versions of the Junkers Jumo 210 engine (A or Da). They were tested in Spain from 1937 during the Civil War. The next version was the Bf-109C (Caesar). It had a different engine than the B version and an expanded armament consisting of two 20 mm cannons and two 7.92 mm cannons with a power of 2 hp. These machines also fought in the skies of Spain. The third version was the Bf-109D (Dora) with a Junkers Jumo 210 Da or Daimler-Benz DB 600 engine. It took part in the September campaign, but at the turn of 1939/1940 it was replaced by the E version. The most famous model was the Bf-109E (Emil) with a Daimler-Benz 601A or N engine. It was the first aircraft to use a three-bladed, rather than a two-bladed, propeller. The Bf-109E fought in the French campaign, over England, as well as in North Africa and on the Eastern Front. The ace who began his career on the Bf-109E was the famous Adolf Galland. The next version is the Bf-109F (Friedrich), which, according to German pilots, was the most aerodynamically perfect. It had a modified fuselage, wings, and cockpit fairings, but the new engine was not used. It was adopted for service at the turn of 1940/1941.
