Branch: Civilian
Born: 26 June 1898 in Frankfurt, Germany.
Died: 15 September 1978 in Munich, Germany.
Appointment's:
Messerschmitt Flugzeugbau GmbH
Technical University of Munich
Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG
Messerschmitt
AG
Decorations:
Other: Personnel
Articles:
Wilhelm Emil Messerschmitt was born in Frankfurt, Germany
on 26 June 1898 and was a famous aircraft designer during
World War II. Willy Messerschmitt was the son Ferdinand Messerschmitt
and his second wife Anna Maria, who operated a large wine
store in Bamberg. Willy as a young child growing up, persistently
built model aeroplanes, as he got older, he designed and built
gliders, which he tried out with his friends.
As a 13 year old student Willy Messerschmitt met Friedrich
Harth who was a German sailplane pioneer who had a major influence
on Willy. In 1917, Willy Messerschmitt joined the German imperial
army.
From 1918 to 1923, Willy Messerschmitt studied at the Technical
University of Munich, while studying Willy founded Messerschmitt
Flugzeugbau GmbH in Bamberg, M 17 was the first powered aircraft,
built and designed by Willy, the second aircraft, built was
M 18 there were a total of 26 different variants. Built of
this model.
In 1927 Messerschmitt Flugzeugbau GmbH moved from Bamberg
to Augsburg, and the nearby airfield off Gersthofen Gablingen
was where many Messerschmitt Flugzeugbau GmbH designs were
test flown.
During 1926. Willy company Messerschmitt Flugzeugbau GmbH
worked in close association with
Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG in which he was given the position
of chief designer which led to the development of the M 20
which was a 12 seat commercial aircraft used by Lufthansa.
Unfortunately the M 20 was flawed, and was involved in several
serious crashes. In one crash killing Hans Hackman who was
an extremely close friend of
Erhard
Milch who at that time, was head of Lufthansa, Which started
a lifelong hatred of Willy Messerschmitt.
Because of the crashes
Erhard
Milch cancelled the Lufthansa contract with Bayerische
Flugzeugwerke AG for M 20 which in turn led to the bankruptcy
of Messerschmitt Flugzeugbau GmbH and Bayerische Flugzeugwerke
AG.
However, in 1933 because of the German re-armament program
Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG was resurrected. However, because
of
Erhard
Milch intervention Willy Messerschmitt was unable to take
over the company until 1938, and that is why early designs
of Messerschmitt were designated Bf.
In 1933, Willy along with
Robert
Lusser designed the M 37 which was a four seat single-engine
light aircraft designed totally for sporting purposes however
this plane was later redesignated
Bf
108 Taifun.
The M 37 was successfully sold to Romania, along with M 36
which was a six seat single-engine passenger airliner, however
this success led to further conflict with
Erhard
Milch who openly called Willy, a national traitor. The
Gestapo became involved and questioned Willy and several high-ranking
employees of Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG, in any event, no
further action was taken.
In 1934 Willy along with
Walter
Rethel designed the
Bf
109 which was to become one the most important fighter
planes of the Luftwaffe, it was also produced in vast quantities
reaching 35,000 plus in 1936 the
Bf
109 won the RLM single seat fighter contest, to add to
this
Bf
110 also won the multipurpose fighter contest which as
a point of interest
Robert
Lusser was in charge of the
Bf
110 heavy fighter project.
On 11 July 1938 Willy Messerschmitt was appointed chairman
and managing director of Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG on the
company was later renamed after him to
Messerschmitt
AG.
During 1938. Work began on
Me
262 it would become the first operational jet fighter
during World War II.
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