Stung by reports of the Spitfire’s effectiveness over Dunkirk, Willy Messerschmitt had worked hard to find a response. The Spitfire’s agility had to be matched. In late 1940, the Bavaria factories rolled out the Me109 ‘F’, which, with wings and rudder adjustments, was by far the most aerodynamically efficient of the 109 models, potentially out-turning the Spitfire. It was also more fuel-efficient; with light-alloy 300-litre drop tanks, it more than doubled the 109 ‘E’ variant’s range from 410 miles to 1,060 miles. It also came with a bullet-resistant windscreen and light-alloy armour fitted
...more
