The formula served him well through a series of sport and business aircraft despite the vicissitudes of the German aviation business climate. Messerschmitt became a fairly astute businessman, surviving bankruptcies, forced mergers and other government-inflicted indignities. It was a happy coincidence for Messerschmitt that the evolution of his designs reached a peak with the Bf-108 Taifun just as the Nazis were beginning the swift expansion of the German aviation industry. The Taifun won prizes all over Europe and set the stage for Messerschmitt's most famous design, the Bf-109 fighter. The authors enhance their presentation with much anecdotal detail, such as the story of how Elly Beinhorn, Hanna Reitsch's great rival, gave the Bf-108 its Taifun name.
Similar accounts illuminate each aircraft's design, development and production.
Many advanced projects are also analyzed, often with the addition of Messerschmitt's handwritten and drawn instructions. Messerschmitt was a genius, and aviation owes him much. It must be noted that this book would probably not have been published with all its text and photos by any firm but Schiffer Publishing. The book is well designed, the paper is excellent and the photos are well reproduced. All rights reserved.