The Messerschmitt Bf 109 (also known as the Messerschmitt Me 109) was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser. The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was used by the Luftwaffe but first saw operation during the Spanish Civil War. The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was originally designed as an interceptor, though later models were developed for bomber escort, fighter bomber, day night all weather fighter, bomber destroyer, ground attack aircraft and as reconnaissance aircraft. The Bf 109 was the most produced warplane during World War II with 30,573 examples built during the war and the most produced fighter aircraft in history with a total of 33,984 units produced up to April 1945. The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was flown by the 3 top scoring German fighter aces of World War II who claimed 928 victories among them while flying with Jagdgeschwader 52 chiefly on the Eastern Front.
