Paul J. Hall
BFW M.29
The BFW M.29 was a single‑seat, low‑wing monoplane conceived in the late 1920s by the American aviator and designer Paul J. Hall, who partnered with the German manufacturer Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) to bring the project to production. Hall’s ambition was to create a fast, lightweight racer for the interwar air‑sport contests. The aircraft first flew on 12 June 1929 at the Munich airfield and demonstrated a blend of aerodynamic cleanliness and mechanical simplicity that set it apart from contemporary designs.
Key features included a wooden semi‑monocoque fuselage covered in plywood, a cantilever wing of 7.5 m span with a Göttingen 535 airfoil, and a 115 hp Hispano‑Suiza 8Mb water‑cooled V‑8 engine driving a two‑bladed wooden propeller. Retractable gear was omitted in favor of a fixed, streamlined undercarriage with aerodynamic fairings, reducing weight and maintenance. The open cockpit was equipped with a full suite of instruments for navigation.
Only three examples were built, but the M.29 reached 260 km/h and a service ceiling of 7,500 m, earning notable placements in the 1929 and 1930 Euro‑plane races. Its efficient construction influenced later BFW projects and demonstrated that small‑scale collaboration could produce competitive performance during the golden age of aviation.
Key features included a wooden semi‑monocoque fuselage covered in plywood, a cantilever wing of 7.5 m span with a Göttingen 535 airfoil, and a 115 hp Hispano‑Suiza 8Mb water‑cooled V‑8 engine driving a two‑bladed wooden propeller. Retractable gear was omitted in favor of a fixed, streamlined undercarriage with aerodynamic fairings, reducing weight and maintenance. The open cockpit was equipped with a full suite of instruments for navigation.
Only three examples were built, but the M.29 reached 260 km/h and a service ceiling of 7,500 m, earning notable placements in the 1929 and 1930 Euro‑plane races. Its efficient construction influenced later BFW projects and demonstrated that small‑scale collaboration could produce competitive performance during the golden age of aviation.
