Messerschmitt
German aircraft manufacturer best known for the Bf 109 and Me 262, which later entered post-war microcar production and became part of the aerospace group that preceded Airbus.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Messerschmitt was a German aircraft-manufacturing company associated with some of the most recognizable military aircraft of the twentieth century. Its corporate history began with Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG, founded in 1916 in Bavaria during the First World War. The original company produced aircraft under license and expanded rapidly, but suffered from quality problems and then from the collapse of military demand after the war. It temporarily diversified into furniture, fitted kitchens, and motorcycles before being re-established in Augsburg in 1926. Willy Messerschmitt joined the re-established Bayerische Flugzeugwerke in 1927 as chief designer. His design philosophy emphasized light construction, integrating structural elements to reduce weight while retaining strength. The Bf 108 Taifun touring aircraft demonstrated the potential of this approach and helped the company secure an important position in German aviation. The same design principles contributed to the Bf 109, which won the Luftwaffe's 1935 fighter competition and became one of the most widely produced fighter aircraft of the Second World War. The company's relationship with the German state and the Nazi regime was central to its expansion. In July 1938 Bayerische Flugzeugwerke was reorganized as Messerschmitt AG, with Willy Messerschmitt as chairman and managing director. Aircraft already in development generally retained the Bf designation, while later designs adopted the Me prefix. During the war the company supplied major fighter and transport designs, including the Bf 109, Bf 110, Me 210, Me 410, Me 321, and Me 323. Its most technically significant wartime projects were the Me 262 Schwalbe, widely recognized as the first operational jet fighter, and the Me 163 Komet, the first rocket-powered aircraft to enter service. Messerschmitt's wartime production was also inseparable from the coercive labor system of Nazi Germany. Components and aircraft were produced with the extensive use of concentration-camp prisoners, particularly in underground facilities near Sankt Georgen an der Gusen and the Gusen and Mauthausen camp complexes. This production system is a central and grievous part of the company's historical record and is regarded as a serious wartime scandal and human-rights crime. After Germany's defeat in 1945, the company was prohibited from producing aircraft for about ten years. It sought alternative markets, most famously through the Kabinenroller, a small enclosed three-wheeled vehicle designed by aircraft engineer Fritz Fend. The KR175 and KR200 combined lightweight bodywork, tandem seating, and an aircraft-inspired bubble canopy. Production continued into the early 1960s, with the KR200 ending production in 1964. The factories also produced prefabricated houses during the post-war diversification period. As West German restrictions eased, Messerschmitt returned to aviation. On 6 June 1968 it merged with Bölkow to form Messerschmitt-Bölkow, and in 1969 the merged company acquired Hamburger Flugzeugbau. The resulting company became Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm, commonly known as MBB, and developed into West Germany's leading aerospace and defense group. In 1989 MBB was acquired by Deutsche Aerospace, later associated with EADS and Airbus. The Messerschmitt corporate identity therefore no longer exists as an independent operating company, although the name remains closely associated with German aviation history, the Bf 109, the Me 262, and the post-war Kabinenroller.
History
The Messerschmitt corporate lineage began in February 1916, when MAN AG and several banks acquired the struggling Otto-Flugzeugwerke and created Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG. The new company was organized rapidly to meet wartime demand and initially manufactured aircraft designed by other firms under license. Early production suffered from serious quality problems, but stronger supervision and organizational changes enabled the factory to expand to more than 200 aircraft per month and become one of Bavaria's largest aviation employers. The end of the First World War removed the company's principal market. BFW used its aircraft-related machinery and materials for furniture and fitted kitchens, and from 1921 also produced motorcycles under the Flink and Helios names. Financial and ownership changes followed. In 1922, after negotiations involving Camillo Castiglioni and BMW interests, BFW became linked to BMW's engine business, although the corporate history remained distinct from the later Messerschmitt identity. Bayerische Flugzeugwerke was re-established in Augsburg in 1926 after Udet Flugzeugbau GmbH was converted into a joint-stock company. Willy Messerschmitt joined as chief designer in 1927. His early M20 transport design experienced serious accidents, including a crash that killed Hans Hackmack, and the resulting conflict with aviation official Erhard Milch contributed to BFW's 1931 bankruptcy. Messerschmitt's industry relationships, including support associated with Hugo Junkers, helped revive the company in 1933. Messerschmitt's lightweight-construction methods proved decisive in the Bf 108 Taifun. The aircraft's performance helped BFW win the Luftwaffe fighter competition of 1935 with the Bf 109. This aircraft became the company's defining product and one of the principal fighters used by Germany and its allies during the Second World War. On 11 July 1938, BFW was reorganized as Messerschmitt AG, with Willy Messerschmitt as chairman and managing director. Aircraft designs accepted after the change generally received the Me prefix, while earlier types retained Bf designations. During the Second World War, the company was a major supplier of German military aviation. Its output and designs included the Bf 109 and Bf 110 fighters, the Me 210 and Me 410, the Me 321 transport glider, and the six-engined Me 323. It also pursued advanced propulsion. The Me 262 became the first operational jet fighter, while the Me 163 Komet became the first rocket-powered aircraft to enter service. Other projects, such as the Me 264 long-range bomber, were too late or incomplete to influence the war. The company's wartime history includes extensive exploitation of forced labor. Aircraft components were manufactured in underground facilities near Sankt Georgen an der Gusen, using prisoners from Gusen I, Gusen II, and the nearby Mauthausen concentration camp. Tens of thousands of prisoners from many European countries were subjected to brutal conditions, and many were killed. Messerschmitt personnel maintained a presence connected with production oversight. This legacy must be considered alongside the company's engineering achievements rather than treated as a peripheral episode. After 1945, Allied restrictions prevented Messerschmitt from making aircraft for roughly ten years. The company diversified into prefabricated housing and collaborated with aircraft engineer Fritz Fend on the Kabinenroller. The KR175 and KR200 were compact enclosed three-wheeled vehicles with tandem seating and a transparent canopy, reflecting the company's ability to apply lightweight engineering to civilian transport. The KR200 remained in production until 1964. Messerschmitt's return to aviation was consolidated through corporate combination. The company merged with Bölkow on 6 June 1968, acquired Hamburger Flugzeugbau the following year, and became Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm. MBB was a major West German aerospace and defense group until its acquisition by Deutsche Aerospace in 1989. Deutsche Aerospace later operated within the EADS structure, now associated with Airbus. Messerschmitt therefore survives primarily as a historical brand and engineering lineage rather than as an independent company.
- 1989
MBB is acquired by Deutsche Aerospace
[1]The independent Messerschmitt corporate lineage is absorbed into Deutsche Aerospace.
- 1969
Hamburger Flugzeugbau joins the group
[1]The merged company acquires Hamburger Flugzeugbau and becomes Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm.
- 1968
Merger with Bölkow
[1]Messerschmitt AG merges with Bölkow to form Messerschmitt-Bölkow.
- 1964
KR200 production ends
[1]Production of the Messerschmitt KR200 microcar ceases.
- 1953
KR175 production begins
[1]The company enters microcar production with the enclosed three-wheeled Kabinenroller.
- 1945
Aircraft production is prohibited after the war
[1]Post-war restrictions force the company to seek non-aviation products.
- 1944
Underground wartime production expands
[1]Aircraft production is undertaken in underground facilities near Sankt Georgen an der Gusen with concentration-camp labor.
- 1938
The company becomes Messerschmitt AG
[1]Bayerische Flugzeugwerke is reorganized as Messerschmitt AG on 11 July.
- 1935
BFW wins the Luftwaffe fighter competition
[1]The Bf 109 is selected in the German fighter competition and becomes the company's signature aircraft.
- 1927
Willy Messerschmitt becomes chief designer
[1]Messerschmitt joins BFW and develops the lightweight-construction approach that defines the company's later aircraft.
Products and positioning
Historically positioned as a technologically ambitious German aircraft manufacturer serving military, civil, and later aerospace markets. Its reputation rests on lightweight aircraft engineering, high-performance fighter design, and pioneering propulsion, but is inseparable from its wartime relationship with the Nazi state and the use of forced labor.
Civil touring aircraft
Bf 108 Taifun
A four-seat touring monoplane that served as an important demonstration of Willy Messerschmitt's lightweight-construction methods. Its performance helped establish the technical credibility of the BFW design team and influenced the aerodynamic and structural concepts later used in the Bf 109.
Fighter aircraft · 1937
Bf 109
Messerschmitt's best-known piston-engine fighter and one of the principal German fighters of the Second World War. It won the Luftwaffe's 1935 fighter competition and remained in production and service through numerous variants. Because the design predated the 1938 corporate renaming, it retained the Bf designation.
Twin-engine fighter aircraft
Bf 110
A twin-engine heavy fighter used by Germany during the early and middle phases of the Second World War. It was among the company's major wartime aircraft programs and retained the Bf designation associated with the earlier Bayerische Flugzeugwerke period.
Jet fighter aircraft · 1944
Me 262 Schwalbe
The Me 262 was the world's first operational jet fighter. Its swept-wing configuration and turbojet propulsion made it substantially faster than contemporary piston-engine fighters, although production, engine reliability, fuel shortages, and late wartime deployment limited its strategic impact.
Rocket-powered interceptor · 1944
Me 163 Komet
A rocket-powered interceptor based on a design originating with DFS and produced by Messerschmitt. It was the first rocket-powered aircraft to enter operational service. Its exceptional speed was offset by short endurance, difficult handling, and hazardous propulsion and landing characteristics.
Transport glider and transport aircraft
Me 321 Gigant and Me 323
The Me 321 was a large transport glider developed for military logistics, followed by the six-engined Me 323 powered transport aircraft. Together they represented Messerschmitt's effort to address the German military's need to move heavy equipment and personnel over operational distances.
Twin-engine combat aircraft · 1943
Me 410 Hornisse
A revised development intended to address the serious aerodynamic and operational shortcomings of the Me 210. The Me 410 entered service in limited numbers, but the deteriorating wartime situation and the increasing priority given to jet aircraft restricted its production and influence.
Microcar · 1953
KR175 Kabinenroller
An enclosed three-wheeled post-war vehicle designed by aircraft engineer Fritz Fend and manufactured at Messerschmitt facilities. Its tandem seating, narrow body, lightweight construction, and transparent canopy reflected aircraft-derived engineering adapted to inexpensive personal transportation.
Microcar · 1955
KR200 Kabinenroller
The larger and more developed successor to the KR175. The KR200 retained the distinctive enclosed tandem-seat layout and bubble canopy while offering improved performance and usability. Production continued until 1964, making it the best-known civilian vehicle associated with the Messerschmitt name.
Controversies
Use of concentration-camp prisoners in wartime production
During the Second World War, Messerschmitt relied extensively on forced labor, including prisoners from the Gusen and Mauthausen concentration-camp system. Underground aircraft production near Sankt Georgen an der Gusen was conducted under brutal conditions, and many prisoners died. The company's wartime factories and managerial presence at production sites form a central and grievous part of its historical record.
Brand decisions
1989
Transfer into Deutsche AerospaceM&ABackground
MBB had become part of a broader German aerospace-industry consolidation.
Action taken
Deutsche Aerospace acquired Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm.
Aftermath
The Messerschmitt name ceased to represent an independent corporate operating group and continued through the successor structure associated with DASA, EADS, and Airbus.
1968
Merge with BölkowM&ABackground
The German aerospace sector was consolidating, and Messerschmitt sought a broader civil engineering and aviation base.
Action taken
Messerschmitt AG merged with Bölkow on 6 June 1968.
Aftermath
The enlarged organization acquired Hamburger Flugzeugbau the following year and became Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm.
1945
Diversify into civilian products after the warStrategyBackground
Post-war restrictions prevented the company from producing aircraft for approximately ten years, while military demand had disappeared.
Action taken
Messerschmitt pursued prefabricated housing and supported production of Fritz Fend's KR175 and KR200 enclosed three-wheeled vehicles.
Aftermath
The Kabinenroller became the company's most visible post-war civilian product line, with KR200 production ending in 1964.
1938
Reorganize Bayerische Flugzeugwerke as Messerschmitt AGStrategyBackground
Willy Messerschmitt had become the company's leading designer, and the business had secured an important position through military aircraft such as the Bf 109.
Action taken
The company was reorganized as Messerschmitt AG on 11 July 1938, with Messerschmitt as chairman and managing director. Later aircraft generally received the Me designation, while earlier Bf designs retained their original prefix.
Aftermath
The new identity became associated with the company's rapid wartime expansion and its best-known aircraft programs.
Recent events
- 1989
MBB is acquired by Deutsche Aerospace[1]
M&A
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm was taken over by Deutsche Aerospace, beginning the corporate succession that later connected the business to Airbus.
- 1969
Messerschmitt-Bölkow acquires Hamburger Flugzeugbau[1]
M&A
The enlarged company acquired Hamburger Flugzeugbau and subsequently adopted the Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm name.
- 1968
Messerschmitt merges with Bölkow[1]
M&A
Messerschmitt AG merged with the civil engineering and aviation company Bölkow, creating Messerschmitt-Bölkow.
- 1938
Bayerische Flugzeugwerke is reorganized as Messerschmitt AG[1]
Leadership change · Other
The company adopted the Messerschmitt AG name, with Willy Messerschmitt serving as chairman and managing director.
- 1927
Willy Messerschmitt joins Bayerische Flugzeugwerke[1]
Leadership change · Other
Willy Messerschmitt became the company's chief designer and formed the design team that later developed the Bf 108 and Bf 109.
- 1916
Bayerische Flugzeugwerke is established during the First World War[1]
Other
MAN AG and financial institutions established Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG in Bavaria to manufacture aircraft, initially under license.
Messerschmitt develops the Me 262[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The company produced the Me 262 Schwalbe, widely regarded as the first operational jet fighter.
Messerschmitt enters microcar production with the Kabinenroller[1]
Product launch · Other
After the war, the company supported production of Fritz Fend's enclosed three-wheeled KR175 and KR200 microcars while aircraft manufacturing was prohibited.
Sources1 sources
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