Its first engagement against the Messerschmitt Bf 109 occurred eleven days later on the 23rd May 1940 when Nos. 54 and 74 Squadron engaged Bf 109Es of I./JG 27. As the Battle of Britain (10th July 1940

However after being bounced by Messerschmitt Bf 109s they lost six of the nine aircraft, with the loss of ten aircrew killed, this would be the only Defiant day fighter sortie performed by the squadron.

September 1939 the first MS.406 was lost in action when a Messerschmitt Bf 109 of I./JG 53 shot down a 1/3 Groupe de Chasse aircraft. Over the next few months further combats took place between the Luftwaffe

Hermann Wurster reached a speed of 379.63 mph in a Messerschmitt Bf 109 V13. Although not a new record, around 60 mph slower than the speed set by Francesco Agello in 1934, it was a record for a landplane

Germany where a propeller and carburettor scoop from a Messerschmitt Bf 109G was fitted. The Bf 109G was powered by the same Daimler-Benz engine so comparison tests were done between the two aircraft.

these would primarily be used to tow the Messerschmitt Me 321 glider. In total, ten were produced. The He 111 would be the Luftwaffe's main bomber at the beginning of the Second World War (1939 –

1945) when it shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 109 on the 20th September 1939, followed on the 27th September 1939 when a Battle from No. 103 Squadron claimed another Bf 109. Three days later, on the 30th

itself instead of armament put to the test when three Messerschmitt Bf 109s were sent to intercept the Mosquito, a test it passed as they failed to do so. The prototype of the Mosquito fighter made

which led to Fieseler, Focke-Wulf, Messerschmitt and Siebel all submitting designs. Fieseler's design allowed for a three man crew, featured fixed landing gear, a high wing which incorporated Fieseler'

when four Messerschmitt Bf 109s were shot down. By the time production had ended over 7,500 Wildcats had been built. General Motors would build a number of these designated as FM-1 Wildcat and FM-2