Messerschmitt Bf 109 operational history Messerschmitt Bf 109 operational history The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid-1930s. It was one of the first true modern fighters of the era, including such features as all-metal monocoque construction, a closed canopy, a retractable landing gear, and was powered by a liquid-cooled, inverted-V12 aero engine. The Bf 109 saw active service in many air forces and was active in several conflicts outside of World War II. Dozens of Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters, including the A, B, C, D, and E variants
Messerschmitt Bf 109 operational history "Maresciallo" (Warrant Officer) Mario Veronesi and "Maresciallo" Dino Forlani, intercepted P-47s from 57° "Fighter Squadron" over Milan and Como. Forlani claimed a P-47 damaged, but the other two Italian fighters were hit and lightly damaged. On 19 April, 1° "Gruppo" "Asso di bastoni" had its last combat, last claim and its last loss. In October 1942, the "Luftwaffe" agreed to partially re-arm Royal Hungarian Air Force fighter units with the Bf 109. Subordinated to the German "Jagdgeschwader" 52 on the Eastern Front, the first Hungarian fighter unit to convert to the Bf 109 F-4 was the RHAF's 1./1. "vadászszázad" (fighter