Messerschmitt
BFW M.19
The BFW M.19 was a single‑seat, low‑wing monoplane developed by Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) in the early 1930s, just before the company adopted the Messerschmitt name. Designed by Willy Messerschmitt as a lightweight competition racer, the M.19 first flew in 1932 and immediately demonstrated the aerodynamic efficiency that would define later Messerschmitt fighters. Powered by a 115 kW (155 hp) Argus As 10 inverted V‑8 engine, the aircraft featured an all‑metal, cantilever wing with a thin airfoil, a streamlined fuselage, and retractable landing gear – rare for its class. Only a handful were built, but the type set several speed records in the C‑class and proved the viability of streamlined, retractable‑gear designs for future German military aircraft. Its most lasting contribution was the validation of the low‑drag, high‑speed formula that culminated in the famed Bf 109. Although the M.19 never entered mass production, it served as a practical testbed for construction techniques, control surface balancing, and aerodynamic refinements that shaped the rapid evolution of German aviation in the pre‑World War II era. Its influence extended beyond the war, inspiring post‑war civil sport aircraft that adopted its clean lines and efficient power‑to‑weight ratio, cementing the M.19 as a pivotal stepping stone in modern aerodynamics.