Warplanes of Germany: Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun

Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun

(USAAF Photos)

Messerschmitt Bf 108B-1 Taifun, (Wk. Nr. 8378), trainer and light transport, USA FE-4610, later T2-4610 in the USA post war.  This aircraft is now with the Planes of Fame Museum, Chino, California.

The Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun (Typhoon) is a single-engine sport and touring aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Bayerische Flugzeugwerke. It featured all-metal construction. Originally designated the M 37, the aircraft was designed as a four-seatsports/recreation aircraft for competition in the 4th Challenge Internationalde Tourisme (1934). The M 37 prototype flew first during spring 1934, poweredby a 250 PS (247 hp, 184 kW) Hirth HM 8U 8.0 litre displacement, air-cooledinverted-V8 engine, which drove a three-blade propeller. Although it was outperformed by several other aircraft in the competition, theM 37's overall performance marked it as a popular choice for record flights.Particular among these traits was its 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 108Bused the substantially larger, 12.67 litre displacement Argus As 10 air-cooledinverted V8 engine. The nickname Taifun (German for "typhoon") wasgiven to her own aircraft by Elly Beinhorn, a well-known German pilot, and was generally adopted. Soon after the first production aircraft began to roll off the assembly line inAugsburg, several Bf 108s had set endurance records.

The Bf 108 was adopted into Luftwaffe service during the Second World War. Thetype was primarily used as a personnel transport and liaison aircraft. Theaircraft involved in the Mechelen Incident was a Bf 108. Furthermore, a Bf 108 served with the small long-range bombing group Sonderkommando Blaich based in Africa.
Production of the Bf 108 was transferred to occupied France during the SecondWorld War; production continued after the conflict as the Nord 1000 Pingouin.

Variants
Bf 108A
Initial version designed in 1934 for use in Challenge 1934. Six were built withthe Hirth HM 8U, one other initially had a 220 PS (217 hp, 162 kW) Argus As 17Binline engine and later a 160 PS (158 hp, 118 kW) Siemens-Halske Sh 14radial.
Bf 108B
Revised version, built from late 1935. The prototype had a Siemens-Halske Sh14A radial, but production machines used the 240 PS (237 hp, 177 kW) Argus As10C or the 270 PS (266 hp, 199 kW) Argus As 10E. A quadrant-shaped rather thanrectangular rear window, tailwheel replacing skid, revision of shape ofempennage and removal of tailplane upper bracing.
Bf 108C
Proposed high-speed version, powered by a 400 PS (395 hp, 294 kW) Hirth HM 512engine. Probably not built.
Me 208
Improved and enlarged version with a retractable tricycle landing gear. Twoprototypes were built by SNCAN (Nord) in France during the war. After 1945 Nordcontinued its production as the Nord Noralpha.
Nord 1000 Pingouin
Bf 108 built during and after the war by SNCAN in France; followed by the Nord1001, that had only minor variations and the Nord 1002, which used a Renaultengine.
Nord 1100 Noralpha
Bf 108 derivative built after the war by SNCAN in France with tricycle landinggear and a Renault engine.

The Soviet Air Force operated several captured Bf 108s.

(RAF Photo)

The Royal Air Force operated four Bf 108s, under the designation"Messerschmitt Aldon", which were impressed from private owners onthe outbreak of the war. Reportedly they were the fastest light communicationsaircraft the RAF had, but they were also sometimes mistaken for Bf 109salthough there is no record of any fatal encounters. Postwar, 15 more capturedBf 108s flew in RAF colours until the mid 1950s.

The United States Army Air Corps purchased a single Bf 108B in 1939 for $14,378 and designated it as the XC-44. It was used only by the US air attaché inBerlin. In November 1941, the aircraft was assessed as unserviceable. Theairframe was seized by the Nazi government, following the commencement ofhostilities, in December. (Wikipedia)

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Messerschmitt Bf 109 Taifun.

(Kogo Photo)

(Andre Gerwing Photo)

Messerschmitt Bf 108B1 Taifun,  C/N 3701-14, D-ESBH, coded ES+BH.