Messerschmitt Bf 108

Bf 108 Taifun

D-EBFW a 1937-built Bf 108B-1 painted to represent a pre-war company demonstrator D-IBFW
Role	Sport and touring aircraft
Manufacturer	Bayerische Flugzeugwerke
Designer	Willy Messerschmitt
First flight	1934
Introduction	1935
Retired	1945
Primary users	Luftwaffe Armée de l'Air Manchukuo National Airways
Number built	885^[1]
Variants	Nord 1000 Pingouin Nord Noralpha

The Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun was a German single-engine sport and touring aircraft developed by Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (Bavarian Aircraft Works) in the 1930s. The Bf 108 was of all-metal construction.

Design and development

Originally designated the M 37, the aircraft was designed as a four-seat sports/recreation aircraft for competition in the 4th Challenge International de Tourisme (1934).^[2]^[3] The M 37 prototype flew first in spring 1934 powered by a 250 PS (247 hp, 184 kW) Hirth HM 8U inverted-V engine, which drove a three-blade propeller.

Although it was outperformed by several other aircraft in the competition, the M 37's overall performance marked it as a popular choice for record flights. Particular among these traits was its extremely low fuel consumption rate, good handling, and superb takeoff and landing characteristics.

The Bf 108A first flew in 1934, followed by the Bf 108B in 1935. The Bf 108B used the Argus As 10 air-cooled inverted V8 engine. The nickname Taifun (German for "typhoon") was given to her own aircraft by Elly Beinhorn, a well-known German pilot, and was generally adopted.^[4]

Operational history

Soon after the first production aircraft began to roll off the assembly line in Augsburg, several Bf 108s had set endurance records.

The Bf 108 was adopted into Luftwaffe service during World War II, where it was primarily used as a personnel transport and liaison aircraft. The aircraft involved in the Mechelen Incident was a Bf 108.

Production of the Bf 108 was transferred to occupied France during World War II and production continued after the war as the Nord 1000 Pingouin.

Variants

Theo Osterkamp and his wife, Fel Gudrun, with Messerschmitt 108 (1938)

Bf 108A: Initial version designed in 1934 for use in Challenge 1934. Six were built with the Hirth HM 8U, one other initially had a 220 PS (217 hp, 162 kW)Argus As17B inline engine and later a 160 PS (158 hp, 118 kW) Siemens Sh14A radial.^[4]
Bf 108B: Revised version, built from late 1935. Prototype had a Siemens Sh14A radial, but production machines used the 240 PS (237 hp, 177 kW) Argus 10C or the 270 PS (266 hp, 199 kW) Argus 10E. Quadrant-shaped rather than rectangular rear window, tailwheel replacing skid, revision of shape of empennnage and removal of tailplane upper bracing.^[4]
Bf 108C: Proposed high-speed version, powered by a 400 PS (395 hp, 294 kW) Hirth HM 512 engine. Probably not built.^[4]
Me 208: Improved and enlarged version with a retractable tricycle landing gear. Two prototypes were built by SNCAN (Nord) in France during the war. After 1945 Nord continued its production as the Nord Noralpha. A Nord Noralpha is on display at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum in Titusville, Florida, United States, which has been painted to represent an Me 208.^[5]
Nord 1000 Pingouin: Bf 108 built during and after the war by SNCAN in France; followed by the Nord 1001, that had only minor variations and the Nord 1002 which used a Renault engine.

Operators

Bf 108 B-1, Lufthansa's D-EBEI at Duxford 2009

Bf 108B Taifun, Messerschmitt-Stiftung

The Bf 108 as used by the Swiss Air Force during World War II. Aviation Museum / Flieger-Flab-Museum in Dübendorf, Switzerland.

Brazil

Varig

Bulgaria

Bulgarian Air Force Six aircraft purchased, used mainly for training.

China

Chinese Nationalist Air Force

Independent State of Croatia

Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovak Air Force operated this type postwar under designation K-70.

France

Armée de l'Air operated captured Bf 108s and postwar-built Nord 1000 aircraft.

Nazi Germany

Luftwaffe

Hungary

Royal Hungarian Air Force operated seven Bf 108s from 1937 to 1945

Italy

Regia Aeronautica

Japan

Imperial Japanese Army Air Service

Manchukuo

Manchukuo National Airways

Norway

Royal Norwegian Air Force (Postwar)

Poland

Polish Air Force operated a few captured Bf 108s postwar.

Romania

Royal Romanian Air Force

Spain

Spanish Air Force

Switzerland

Swiss Air Force

Soviet Union

Soviet Air Force operated several captured Bf 108s.

United Kingdom

Royal Air Force
RAF Aldon
impressed four Bf 108s on the outbreak of World War II and put into service, who designated them "Messerschmitt Aldon". It was the fastest light communications aircraft the RAF had then, but they were often mistaken for Bf 109s. Postwar, 15 more captured Bf 108s flew in RAF colours.^[4]

United States

United States Army Air Corps - A single Bf 108B was purchased by the U.S. Military Attaché for Air in the spring of 1939 for $14,378 and designated XC-44. It was repossessed by the Nazi government in December 1941 (after having been condemned in November).

Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Yugoslav Royal Air Force

Specifications (Bf 108B)

Data from Jane's AWA 1938^[6]

General characteristics

Crew: one
Length: 8.3 m (27 ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 10.5 m (34 ft 5 in)
Height: 2.3 m (7 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 16 m² (172 ft²)
Empty weight: 806 kg (1,775 lb)
Loaded weight: 1,350 kg (2,976 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Argus As 10C air-cooled inverted V-8, 240 PS (174 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 305 km/h (190 mph)
Range: 1,000 km (620 mi)
Service ceiling: 6,200 m (20,300 ft) with 4 people and baggage
Rate of climb: 5.21 m/s (1,194 ft/m) to 1,000 m (3,048 ft)
Wing loading: 83.4 kg/m² (17.1 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.133 kW/kg (0.081 hp/lb)

Popular culture

Bf 108s and postwar Nord 1000s played the role of Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters in war movies, including The Longest Day, The Great Escape, 633 Squadron, Mosquito Squadron, and Von Ryan's Express.

References

Notes

↑ Smith 1971, p. 142.
↑ Schulz, R. and W. Pleines. "Technical Memorandums No. 760 - Technical Aspects of the 1934 International Touring Competition (Rundflug)." National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, December 1934. Retrieved: 13 March 2010.
↑ Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun
1 2 3 4 5 Smith 1971, pp. 36–37.
↑ "Airplane Gallery: Bf 108." Valiant Air Command. Retrieved: 12 November 2012.
↑ Grey 1972, pp. 136c–137c.

Bibliography

Craig, James F. The Messerschmitt Bf.109. New York: Arco Publishing Company, 1968.
Cross, Roy and Gerald Scarborough. Messerschmitt Bf 109 Versions B-E (Classic Aircraft No. 2, Their History and How to Model Them). London: Patrick Stevens, 1972. ISBN 0-85059-106-6.
Feist, Uwe. The Fighting Me 109. London: Arms and Armour Press, 1993. ISBN 1-85409-209-X.
Grey, C.G. "Messerschmitt Bf 108." Jane's All the World's Aircraft, 1938. London: David & Charles, 1972. ISBN 0-7153-5734-4.
Hitchcock, Thomas H. Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun (Monogram Close-Up 5). Acton, Massachusetts: Monogram Aviation Publications, 1979. ISBN 0-914144-05-7.
Smith, J. Richard. Messerschmitt: An Aircraft Album. London: Ian Allan, 1971. ISBN 978-0-7110-0224-1.

External links

Messerschmitt aircraft

Company designations	M 17 M 18 M 19 M 20 M 21 M 22 M 23 M 24 M 25 M 26 M 27 M 28 M 29 M 30 M 31 M 33 M 35 M 36 M 37

RLM designations 1933–45	Bf 108 Bf 109 Bf 109TL Bf 110 Me 155 Bf 161 Bf 162 Bf 163 Me 163 Bf 165 Me 209 Me 210 Me 261 Me 262 Me 263 Me 264 Me 265 Me 309 Me 310 Me 321 Me 323 Me 328 Me 329 Me 334 Me 409 Me 410 Me 509 Me 609

Experimental designations	P 08.01 P.1070 P.1073 P.1075 P.1079 P.1092 P.1095 P.1099 P.1100 P.1101 P.1102 P.1103 P.1104 P.1106 P.1107 P.1108 P.1109 P.1110 P.1111 P.1112

USAAC designations	C-44

Reich Air Ministry aircraft designations

1 to 100	B 9 Gö 9 Do 10 Do 11 Wn 11 Do 12 Do 13 Do 14 Do 15 Wn 15 Do 16 Wn 16 Do 17 Do 18 Do 19 Do 20 Do 22 Do 23 Do 24 Kl 25 Do 26 Kl 26 M 27 Do 29 Kl 31 Kl 32 W 33 L 33 W 34 Kl 35 Kl 36 HD 37 HD 38 G 38 DFS 39 BV 40 DFS 40 A 40 Fw 42 He 42 Fw 43 HD 43 Fw 44 He 45 He 46 Ju 46 Fw 47 Ju 47 K 47 A 48 He 49 Ju 49 He 50 A 50 He 51 K 51 Ju 52 K 53 NR 54 Fw 55 NR 55 Fw 56 Fw 57 Fw 58 He 58 He 59 He 60 Ju 60 Fw 61 He 61 Fw 62 He 62 He 63 Ar 64 He 64 Ar 65 He 65 Ar 66 He 66 Ar 67 Ar 68 Ar 69 He 70 He 71 He 72 He 74 Ar 76 Ar 77 Ar 79 Ar 80 Ar 81 Ju 85 Ju 86 Ju 87 Ju 88 Ju 89 Ju 90 Ar 95 Ar 96 Fi 97 Fi 98 Fi 99 He 100

101 to 200	Al 101 Al 102 Al 103 Fi 103 Fh 104 Kl 105 Kl 106 Kl 107 Bf 108 Bf 109 Bf 110 He 111 He 112 He 113 He 114 He 115 He 116 Hs 117 He 118 He 119 He 120 Hs 121 Hs 122 Hs 123 Hs 124 Hs 125 Hs 126 Hs 127 Hs 128 Hs 129 Hs 130 Bü 131 Hs 132 Bü 133 Bü 134 Ha 135 Ha 136 Hü 136 Ha 137 BV 138 Ha 139 Ha 140 BV 141 BV 142 BV 143 BV 144 Go 145 Go 146 Go 147 Ju 147 Go 149 Go 150 Kl 151 Ta 152 Kl 152 Ta 153 Ta 154 BV 155 Fi 156 Fi 157 Fi 158 Fw 159 Ju 160 Bf 161 He 162 Bf 162 Bf 163 Me 163 Me 164 Fi 166 FK 166 Fi 167 Fi 168 He 170 He 172 He 176 He 177 He 178 Bü 180 Bü 181 Bü 182 Ta 183 Fl 184 Fl 185 Fw 186 Ju 186 Fw 187 Ju 187 Ju 188 Fw 189 Fw 190 Fw 191 Ao 192 DFS 193 DFS 194 Ar 195 Ar 196 Ar 197 Ar 198 Ar 199 Fw 200

201 to 300	Si 201 Si 202 DFS 203 Si 204 Fw 206 Me 208 Me 209 Me 209 (1943) Me 210 Hü 211 Do 212 Do 214 Do 215 Do 216 Do 217 Hs 217 He 219 He 220 BV 222 Fa 223 Fa 224 Ao 225 Fa 225 BV 226 Ho 226 FGP 227 DFS 228 Ho 229 DFS 230 Ar 231 Ar 232 Ar 233 Ar 234 Do 235 BV 237 BV 238 Fw 238 Ar 239 Ar 240 Go 241 Go 242 Go 244 BV 246 Ju 248 BV 250 Fw 250 Ho 250 Ho 251 Ho 252 Ju 252 Fi 253 Ho 253 Ta 254 Ho 254 Fi 256 Sk 257 Fw 261 Me 261 Me 262 Me 263 Me 264 Fl 265 Me 265 Fa 266 Ho 267 Ju 268 Fa 269 He 270 We 271 Fw 272 He 274 He 275 He 277 He 278 He 280 Fl 282 Fa 283 Ta 283 Fa 284 Fl 285 Ju 286 Ju 287 Ju 288 Ju 290 Me 290 As 292 Hs 293 Hs 294 Hs 295 Ar 296 Hs 296 Hs 297 Hs 298 Fw 300

301-	Me 309 Me 310 Do 317 Do 318 He 319 Me 321 Ju 322 Me 323 Me 328 Me 329 Fa 330 DFS 331 DFS 332 Fi 333 Me 334 Do 335 Fa 336 Fl 339 E.340 WNF 342 He 343 Rk 344 So 344 Go 345 DFS 346 Rk 347 Ba 349 Ju 352 Me 362 Me 364 Ju 388 Ju 390 Fw 391 Ar 396 Ta 400 Me 409 Me 410 Do 417 He 419 ZMe 423 Ar 430 Ka 430 Ar 432 Do 435 Ar 440 Ju 452 Me 462 Ju 488 Fw 491 Me 509 Me 510 He 519 ZSO 523 Ar 532 Do 535 E.555 Me 609 Ar 632 Do 635

United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems

Army/Air Force sequence (1925-1962)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41/A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47/T C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-55 C-56 C-57 C-58 C-59 C-60 C-61 C-62 C-63 C-64 C-65 C-66 C-67 C-68 C-69 C-70/A/B/C/D C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77/B-D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 C-84 C-85 C-86 C-87 C-88 C-89 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-94 C-95 C-96 C-97/KC-97 C-98 C-99 C-100 C-101 C-102 C-103 C-104 C-105 C-106 C-107 C-108 C-109 C-110 C-111 C-112 C-113 C-114 C-115 C-116 C-117 C-118 C-119 C-120 C-121/F C-122 C-123/A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127 (I) C-127 (II) C-128 C-129 C-130/J C-131 C-132 C-133 C-134 C-135/KC-135 C-136 C-137 C-138¹ C-139¹ C-140 C-141 C-142

Tri-service sequence (1962-present)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7/B C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16¹ C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20A-D/F-H C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27/J C-28 C-29 C-30¹ C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34¹ C-35 C-36 C-37A/B C-38 C-39¹ C-40 C-41 C-42¹ C-43¹ C-44¹ C-45 C-46

Revived original sequence (2005-present)	C-143 C-144 C-145 C-146

Non-sequential designations	C-767 C-880

¹ Not assigned See also: AC-47 • AC-119 • AC-130 • DC-130 • EC-130 • HC-130 • KC-130 • LC-130 • MC-130 • WC-130 • CT-39 • CT-43

Authority control	GND: 4195948-6

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