Messerschmitt Bf 108

Messerschmitt Bf 108 - version overview

Manufacturer: Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG (BFW)
since 1938 change to Messerschmitt AG
Licensed building: Societé Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Nord, Les Mureaux

Version:

BFW M 38/ Messerschmitt Bf 108 A
- Sport two-seater aircraft built in 1934, Hirth HM 8 U engine and three-bladed propeller

Messerschmitt Bf 108 B
- the most numerous version produced since 1935, four-seater, Argus As 10 C or Argus As 10 E engine with a two-bladed propeller

Messerschmitt Bf 108 B Trop
- modifications for service in the tropics, improved cabin ventilation, fire barrier and instrumentation

Messerschmitt Bf 108 C
- only one aircraft from 1936, Siemens Sh 14 A-4 engine, the aircraft was underpowered and was soon rebuilt to version B-1

Messerschmitt Bf 108 D
- 234 aircraft were produced, it was a modernized version of the Bf 108 B, the changes concerned the propeller, fuel installation, cabin ventilation, transmission of the landing gear brake system and instrumentation

After the war, the Bf 108 was produced in France under the name

Nord 1000 Pingouin
- assembly from already manufactured original parts

Nord 1001 Pingouin I
- kites were assembled from the original parts, but the Argus engine was replaced by a six-cylinder Renault 6Q 10A with an output of 240 horsepower, three-seater

Nord 1002 Pingouin II
- this was a completely new production with a Renault 6Q 11 engine with an output of 240 hp, four-seater

the Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun

History:
German sports pilots in 1934 participated in the race Challenge de Tourisme International in a completely new two-seat aircraft designated the Messerschmitt Bf 108 And. Aircraft. though they were built specifically for this competition, completely disappointed and have failed. The squad leader sports pilot Theo Osterkamp did best when placed on the fifth place. On the other hand, we must say that the competition to the advantage of the small and lightweight machines, which is the Bf 108 And definitely nadalo said.
Design work on the new sports airplane had to be the most possible speed, therefore, was the basis used already finished dragon sport aircraft for Romania. This previously built aircraft was designated BFW M 37. Project and design work led by Willy Messerschmitt with the assistance of engineer Walter Rethela.
The resulting work of designers and engineers was an all-metal low-wing with retractable landing gear, a propulsion unit was chosen inline engine Hirth HM 8U, which spinning trojlistou variable pitch propeller VDM. The machine was after page of the aerodynamics of the carefully constructed, the rivets were recessed and zaleštěné to nevystupovaly above the surface.

The failure of the German squad in the race Challenge de Tourisme International did not deter the ministry of aviation from the order on the additional 32 aircraft, the contract was negotiated in 1935. From November 1935 was in Regensburg produced a civilian four-seater version of Bf 108 B-1, the first three pre-series machines were still marked as the Bf 108 B-0, and were powered by engines Hirth, serial B-1 had engines Argus As-10C-3, and the wooden propeller Schwarz, later, these propellers in the production of the replaced adjustable propellers Me P 7. Version of the Bf 108 B-1 was produced for civilian use and the German pilots it demonstrated on many occasions, and held with her a lot of promotional flights. If we restrict ourselves only to the most famous promotional flyover And (Otto Bindlinger) and Hans Seidemann took a perfect flight demonstration at the olympic games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (1936). In 1937, she was the second German sports aviatrix Elly Beinhornová on the egyptian race of the International Circuit of the Oases and the same year yet has taken a long promotional flight from Berlin to Cape town and back.
In 1938 he was tested aircraft Bf 108 B-1s, that could fly in any weather thanks to the widespread instrumentation of the institute enable.

Bf 108 B-2 was designed for the performance of the courier's tasks in the army air force, and for these tasks was widely used. Because the parent factory of the Messerschmitt were, in 1942, completely used to their maximum capacity, was the production of the Bf 108 B-2 transferred to occupied France, the factory Societé Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Nord in Les Mureaux is so involved in the production of the Bf 108 B-2 and later also the Bf 108 D-1.

In a single copy was made by Bf 108 C-1 (D-IELE) Siemens Sh 14 a-4, during the tests it was found that this engine has too little power and so was the Bf 108 C-1 rebuilt to standard B-1.

The last German version was Bf 108 D-1, engine Argus As 10C spinning variable pitch propeller Argus, improvements to see the fuel system, which was in the older versions of the rather unfortunate design and implementation was complicated and lengthy. The new version had a central fuel filling. Further changes affected the cooling of the engine, the ventilation of the cabin and has increased fuel and oil supply of the engine.

A special record version Taifunu got the engine Hirth 508 C, which was přeplňován engines and this aircraft was the holder of the unofficial altitude record in its category, this record had a value of 9 075 meters (VII. 1939).

The Luftwaffe used Taifuny even on the african battlefield, these aircraft had the more perfect ventilation of the cabin, the modified engine cooling and dust air purifiers, designation changed to the Bf 108 B-2/Trop or Bf 108 D1/Trop.

Further production was carried out in the already liberated France, but it is already on another separate chapter, which was later refilled.

sources:
Marek Murawski, Aircraft of the Luftwaffe, part 2, 1. edition, Intermodel, 1997, ISBN 80-901976-3-9
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_108
www.preservedaxisaircraft.com
http://www.nzwarbirds.org.nz/108a.html
author archive.