Messerschmitt Bf 109G – Summer of Flight

Experience Warbirds in flight this summer!

From May through September, join the Military Aviation Museum every Saturday at 1 PM for narrated flying demonstrations showcasing historical aircraft and commemorating significant wartime events. Experience the rumble of the engines up close as pilots share what it’s like to fly these incredible machines. Learn about the battles they fought in and the men and women who built, flew, and maintained them during the war! Summer of Flight is included with general admission to the museum and free for members. Events begin at 1:00 PM unless stated otherwise.

Perhaps the most well-known German fighter of the war, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 would be the primary adversary faced by American pilots in the skies over Europe.

Although more than 33,900 Bf 109s would be built during WWII, ours is one of just a handful of original aircraft that remain airworthy. With many Spanish-built licensed versions often serving as stand-ins at airshows and in movies , the Museum’s Bf 109 gives visitors a rare opportunity to see a restored, German-built aircraft up close.

The Museum’s aircraft is a 109G-4, WkNr 19257, and it was lost on May 5, 1943. It was being flown by Feldwebel Viktor Peterman, a pilot with JG 52. The airplane was forced to the ground when his coolant system was damaged by Russian fighters over the Eastern Front. Although he would have to walk for four days to return to his airfield, he scored his 30th, 31st and 32nd victory in this aircraft before being forced down.