Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Messerschmitt 209

Armand van Ishoven, Messerschmitt, Gentry Books 1975

This was an aircraft designed for a speed record attempt and  was basically the smallest airframe that would hold a Daimler Benz DB 601 V12 and a pilot. It looked vaguely like an abbreviated BF 109 and was so named to enhance the reputation of the 109 which was already in service. On April 25 1939 pilot Fritz Wendell achieved a speed of almost 470 miles per hour. 
 Below, the fuselage in storage at the Polish National Aviation museum in the early seventies. Today it is apparently on display at the same museum.


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