The German Aviation Industry wanted to get any world records, if possible, for Germany.
So the Messerschmitt Bf 109 had to improve the record for the fastest land-based plane on the
3-km-track. It was held by the American multi-millionaire and aviation enthusiast Howard Hughes
with his self designed "H-1", who placed the mark on 567,115 km/h on January the 19īth 1937.
Because the International Aviation Association F.A.I. acknowledged a record only, if it was 8
km/h faster, than the predecessor, the Bf 109 had to reach 575,115 km/h at least.
For this attempt, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 V-13 was chosen. It returned from the flight meeting in Zurich on July 29īth 1937 and was transferred to the "Versuchsbau"-department at Messerschmitt in Augsburg. There it was prepared for this flight.
The V-13 stayed in serial shape, was only optimized, not basically changed. It got an aerodynamically improved canopy, a closed spinner and also the resistance of the oil and water radiators were reduced. Below the smothered coiling was the Daimler-Benz DB 601 racing engine III, reaching a maximum power of 1660 hp. Last but not least, all openings were covered, smothered and polished. After that, the plane got a light-grey colour, that was typical for Messerschmitt experimental planes, and the nationality marking on the tail.
A track of 3000 m had to be flown in a height of maximal 75 m. It had to be dead straight and
was to be flown for four times (two times in each direction). After the passing, a wide turn had
to be flown, because it was not allowed to pull up the plane during the turn, because that would
have allowed getting some extra speed.
Also an extremely exact measuring of time by "photographic chronographs" was stipulated. For
this purpose, the finishing line cameras from the Olympic Games 1936 were used.
As venue, an extremely straight railway track at Bobingen, close to Augsburg was chosen.
Messerschmitt-pilot Dipl.Ing. Dr. Hermann Wurster planned to fly at 35 m altitude, because the
special engine was reaching its highest power near ground level.
Certainly, some further requirements had to be complied, to guarantee an optimal run for an
attempt on the record: It was necessary to be familiar with the plane, to control it - at this
high speed - with very small, precise movements of the rudder. Also it was essential to get out
the optimal trim and setting for the adjustable propeller.
Then you only needed good weather, clear sight, a favourable sun angle and calm, to start.
At November 11īth 1937, the conditions seemed good and Dr. Wurster took a Bf 108 to fly the
track. Although the suns angle was not optimal, he decided to start the attempt on the record.
The official witnesses got into three Bf 108 and flew to their positions at the venue.
Dr. Wurster took of at Augsburg at 2:09 pm and headed for the record track. For every four
flybys, he needed about 17 seconds, followed by the long stretched turns. Even once he got into
a shower during the turn, nevertheless he made it.
When he had landed at 2:31 pm, he had sat a new world speed record for land based planes:
The world speed record was won and the reputation of the German aviation industries again was
improved, after the successful flight meeting at Zurich.
Nevertheless, the Germans did not want to provide too much information about their fighter plane,
but to deceive possible opponents about its true capabilities. Therefore in the official F.A.I.
record table and the record certificate, two deliberately false facts can be found:
First the plane was named as "Bf 109 R", to give the impression, that this record was achieved
by a normal, serial produced Bf 109, not a special record plane.
Also with the information about the engine was cheated, because, following the F.A.I. list, the
"Bf 109 R" was powered by a "normal" DB 600 with 950 hp, not a kind of racing engine.
So the goal was reached, but there was no satisfaction at all. Dr. Wurster made - again with the Bf 109 V-13 - another eight attempts to increase the record (12/11/37 - 02/19/38). It was not possible to beat the record again. So it stood until 1939, when it was broken by the Me 209 V-1.
