BF 109, ME 109... whats the difference?

[Raptor]

In AH the 109's are all Bf 109. But when I hear about 109's on any historic program (discovery wings or anything like that) they refer to the 109 as the Me 109. Whats the difference?

[J_A_B]

You can use the terms interchangeably--they mean the exact same thing.

Bf-109 is what the airplane was technically called, because it was built at a place called "BFW" (Bavarian Flying Works, or some such name)

Me-109 is what 99.9% of the world knows it as    This includes most of the people who flew it, and most of those who flew against it.

J_A_B

[Chortle]

Pretty good link here about the designer Willy Messerschmitt, and elaborates on what JAB said. I always thought the Me bit was in referrence to him. Made sewing machines after the war, who would have thunk it?

[HoHun]

Hi Raptor,

>In AH the 109's are all Bf 109. But when I hear about 109's on any historic program (discovery wings or anything like that) they refer to the 109 as the Me 109. Whats the difference?

"Bf 109 was the official Reichsluftfahrtministerium designation, though some late-war aircraft actually carried the Me 109 designation stamped onto their aircraft type plates. Me 109 was the name used officially by the Luftwaffe propaganda publications as well as by the Luftwaffe personnel, who pronouced it 'may hundred-nine'. ME 109 - pronounced 'emm ee one-oh-nine' - was the contemporary English interpretation of the designation."

From:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bf_109

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

[GScholz]

1926: Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (Bavarian Aircraft Works or BFW) formed.  Messerschmitt Flugzeugbau also established.
1927: Bavarian government forces Messerschmitt and BFW to merge.

1938: BFW changes its name to Messerschmitt AG.  Aircraft developed afterwards use the "Me" prefix

1948: Messerschmitt is reestablished.  Produces sewing machines and automobiles

1955: Company begins aircraft work rebuilding T-6 and T-33 trainers

1965: Messerschmitt purchases what remains of Junkers in West Germany.

1968: Acquires Boelkow to form Messerschmitt-Boelkow

1969: Merges with Hamburger Flugzeugbau to form Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm (MBB)

1989: MBB is taken over by Deutsche Aerospace AG (DASA).  DASA became part of EADS in 2000.

[joeblogs]

If I remember William Greene correctly, the confusion is due to a corporate restructuring of the company before the war. Until about 1936 most German aircraft companies were in perilous financial straits.

-blogs

Originally posted by Raptor01
In AH the 109's are all Bf 109. But when I hear about 109's on any historic program (discovery wings or anything like that) they refer to the 109 as the Me 109. Whats the difference?

[Puck]

Originally posted by joeblogs
If I remember William Greene correctly, the confusion is due to a corporate restructuring of the company before the war. Until about 1936 most German aircraft companies were in perilous financial straits.

-blogs

...as opposed to the entire country?  Four digit inflation, carry your lunch money in a bushel basket kind of financial trouble?  To put it in terms more comprehensable to the current crop, think "Would you like to supersize that?  It's only six hundred and thirty five million dollars extra!"

[HoHun]

Hi Puck,

>Four digit inflation, carry your lunch money in a bushel basket kind of financial trouble?

You're thinking of the 1923 Hyper Inflation which was caused by the German attempt to stop reparation payments. The 1930s' problems were the result of the Great Depression and resulted from excessive industrial capacity, with the situation in Germany made worse by inappropriate gouvernment measures.

I'm not quite sure about the aviation industry as it was almost completely state-financed (considering that the Deutsche Luft Hansa was state-owned, too), often based on cost-plus contracts (with the Reichswehr constantly complaining about cost). The situation had been like that from the 1920s on, so it might be that the problems of the aviation industry were specific and not rooted in the general economic developments.

But I'm not an expert in these things!

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)