Messerschmitt Bf 109 109 was steadily being supplemented by the Focke-Wulf Fw 190. It was commonly called the Me 109, most often by Allied aircrew and even among the German aces themselves, even though this was not the official German designation. It was designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser, who worked at Bayerische Flugzeugwerke during the early to mid-1930s. Whilst the 109 was conceived as an interceptor, later models were developed to fulfill multiple tasks, serving as bomber escort, fighter-bomber, day-, night-, all-weather fighter, ground-attack aircraft, and as reconnaissance aircraft. It was supplied to and operated by several states during World War
Luftwaffe unravel with the failure of the invasion of the Soviet Union. The "peripheral" strategy of the "Luftwaffe" between 1939 and 1940 had been to deploy its fighter defences at the edges of Axis occupied territory, with little protecting the inner depths. Moreover, the front line units in the West were complaining about the poor numbers and performance of aircraft. Units complained of lack of "Zerstörer" aircraft with all-weather capabilities and the "lack of climbing power of the Bf 109". The "Luftwaffe"s technical edge was slipping as the only formidable new aircraft in the German arsenal was the Focke-Wulf Fw 190.