The period covered in this volume was considered to be the 'glory years' for the Jagdwaffe fresh from the experience gained in the Spanish Civil War and for the Bf 109 in particular. Many famous pilots scored their first kills in the classic dogfights staged over Poland, Western Europe, the Channel and finally southern England. Some 40 Knight's Crosses were awarded in 1940 alone. However, after sweeping all before them in support of the Blitzkrieg across continental Europe, the Bf 109E pilots were to suffer badly during the Battle of Britain, the result of poor tactics inflicted upon them by the Luftwaffe High Command, and their mount's less then generous range.

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a German World War II fighter aircraft, and was flown by the three top-scoring German fighter aces, claiming 928 victories between them. This text presents a full chronology and photo history of development and operational use.

Using first-hand accounts and brand-new artwork, this book brings to life the realities of flying the Bf 109 in combat during the very first battles of World War II. The Bf 109 was one of the principal fighter aircraft types in the Luftwaffe's inventory during the opening months of World War II and it was central to many of Germany's early victories, before coming up against the unbeatable RAF during the Battle of Britain. This book presents first-hand experiences of the pilots who flew the Bf 109E, the aircraft which first featured a Daimler-Benz DB 601 powerplant, and which was in the front line in the skies over Poland, the Low Countries and France, and the older Bf 109D, still in use in the Polish campaign. The early variants of the Messerschmitt fighter, the Bf 109E-1, Bf 109E-2 and Bf 109E-3, swept all before them during the opening wartime campaigns, their successes only fading at the Battle of France, when the Bf 109's seasoned pilots encountered modern and well-flown RAF and Armée de l'Air fighters. In a rigorous and engaging new analysis, Luftwaffe aviation expert Malcolm V. Lowe examines and assesses the Bf 109 as a fighting machine from the perspective of the Luftwaffe at the forefront of the German blitzkrieg. Contemporary photographs and specially commissioned artwork, including a dramatic battlescene, armament views, technical diagrams and ribbon diagrams illustrating step-by-step each battle tactic of the main dogfights explored in the book, bring the experiences of the Bf 109 pilots vividly to life.

The latest addition to the 'Monographs Special Edition' series is devoted to the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E. This new book gives not only a thorough insight into the development, variants, technical features and camouflage of the 'Emil', but also an excellent overview of the aircraft's service with the Luftwaffe. Packed with period photos, color profiles and scale drawings, this title is a perfect guide for aviation modelers.

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was the most prominent German fighter type of World War II – over 35,000 were built and it served in many different variants and roles throughout the course of the war. It was the true workhorse of the German Luftwaffe throughout the war and continued in front-line service with some European countries for many years afterwards. This title details the early and pre-war variants, including the Bf 109s that flew in the Spanish Civil War, Poland, France and the Battle of Britain, in a series of increasingly complex construction projects. It also details the numerous kits available of this famous fighter.

With around 32000 aircraft produced, continuous improvement to performance and modification for differing combat requirements meant that identifying a particular variant or sub-type often meant hours of research. This study sets out to describe and portray the differences of all known production variants, revealing myths and anomalies in the process.

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was the most prominent German fighter type of World War II – over 35,000 were built and it served in many different variants and roles throughout the course of the war. It was the true workhorse of the German Luftwaffe throughout the war and continued in front-line service with some European countries for many years afterwards. This title details the early and pre-war variants, including the Bf 109s that flew in the Spanish Civil War, Poland, France and the Battle of Britain, in a series of increasingly complex construction projects. It also details the numerous kits available of this famous fighter.