Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun

Messerschmitt sport and touring aircraft introduced in 1935

Overview

Messerschmitt Germany ICAO: BF108 1935–1946

The Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun was designed by Willy Messerschmitt and manufactured by Bayerische Flugzeugwerke during the 1930s as a German single-engine sport and touring aircraft. It first flew in 1934, was introduced in 1935, and was retired in 1945. A total of 885 aircraft were built. The Bf 108 was used by the Luftwaffe, Armée de l’Air, and Manchukuo National Airways.

Live Fleet Activity (BF108)

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Specifications

Units
Engine
1 × Argus As 10C
Engine type
Piston
Power
240 hp · 179 kW
Avionics
—
Wing tips
No winglets
Seats
5
Crew
—
Cabin width
—
Cabin height
—
Cabin length
—
Exterior length
27 ft 3 in  ·  8.30 m
Tail height
7 ft 7 in  ·  2.30 m
Fuselage diameter
3 ft 7 in  ·  1.10 m
Wing span
34 ft 5 in  ·  10.50 m
Baggage volume
—
Gross weight
—
Empty weight
—
Max takeoff weight
3,000 lb  ·  1,350 kg
Max landing weight
—
Max payload
1,100 lb  ·  500 kg
Fuel capacity
Max cruise speed
165 kt  ·  190 mph  ·  306 km/h
Maximum speed
—
Cruise speed
—
Approach speed
46 kt  ·  53 mph  ·  85 km/h
Range
540 nm  ·  620 mi  ·  1,000 km
Fuel burn
—
Ceiling
20,300 ft  ·  6,200 m
Rate of climb
1,200 ft/min  ·  6 m/s
Takeoff distance
—
Landing distance
—
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Messerschmitt Me 108 ‘Taifun’ on approach.

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Operational Context

The Bf 108 was initially designated as the M 37, a four-seater sports and recreation aircraft to compete in the Challenge 1934- the fourth and last FAI International Tourist Plane Contest. In the spring of 1934, the M 37 prototype or Bf 108A took to the air for the first time. It was fitted with a Hirth HM 8U engine rated at 247 horsepower. In 1935, the Bf 108B first flew. 108B prototype was powered by a Siemens-Halske Sh 14A engine while production types were powered by Argus As 10C or  10E engine. The Me 208 model is an improved and enlarged version fitted with a retractable undercarriage.

The Bf 108B is a revised version that can carry one or two crew members and two or three passengers. It had a quadrant-shaped rear window, a tailwheel, and a reshaped empennage. It has an external length of 8.29 meters, an external height of 1.6 meters, and a fuselage diameter of 1.1 meters. It has a tail height of 2.3 meters and a wheelbase of 5.3 meters. The wingspan is 10.5 meters and the wing area is 16.4 square meters. It has an empty weight of 806 kg, a gross weight of 1,350 kg, and a maximum payload of 500 kg.

The aircraft is powered by a single Argus As 10C engine. It is an inverted V-8 air-cooled piston engine with two under-head valves per cylinder operated by pushrods and rockers, two Sun carburetors, a dry-sump oil system, and an air-cooling system. It also drives a two-bladed variable-pitch propeller. The Bf 108B has a maximum speed of 165 knots, a cruise speed of 140 knots, and a landing speed of 46 knots. The travel range is 540 nautical miles at 130 knots. It can fly up to 20,300 feet with three passengers plus 50 kg of baggage. The rate of climb is 1,200 feet per minute.