Messerschmitt Bf 109

In 1934, the German Air Ministry issued a requirement for a single-seat, interceptor fighter monoplane. Professor Willy Messerschmitt headed a design team that strove to achieve optimum performance by designing the smallest possible airframe, and yet still accommodating the most powerful engine. The BF109 evolved through various stages of development, and soon it replaced all previous models in first-line service with the Luftwaffe.