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It depends on whom you ask (and when). Prior to W. Messerschmitt‘s buy of Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (and / or RLM) of course Bf 109. Afterwards it gets murky at least. Though the official (and correct) designation given by RLM stays / should be kept was Bf 109, Willy Messerschmitt - not the least powered by his own ego - ordered and pushed the use of Me instead of Bf, first in internal company papers, later externally as well. To get his name connected to his former (successful) designs the name Messerschmitt (and Me) was used for his planes universally.,To answer the original question I would say actually both. Though I think of it as the Me 109 (as all former Luftwaffe personell I happened to know called them) I actually prefer to call it in conversation or in writing Bf 109. It is interchangeable, but Bf 109 feels a bit more authentical / correct. In fact one can do as one likes it, no harm done. Original correct RLM designation is Bf 109.

Fascinating video and very well done - I have been VERY interested in this raid("ramrod 564") for some time now(many years) and have heard rumblings elsewhere about purported imminent executions not being the reality of why the raid was carried out. While I suppose the "Fortitude" theory is somewhat plausible to me, I still am having a hard time wholly accepting that this was entirely causal, especially considering this was so many months before the invasion and this seems like the kind of thing that would be done just a few weeks before an invasion(even if diversionary). I suppose there could have been some other deeper, more abstract and vague secretive intelligence motivations too that likely went to the graves with those involved. Whatever the case, I find this to be from an aviation standpoint to be one of the most amazing raids of the war and quite a dramatic/poignant story with the loss of the very popular leader Pickard and Broadley. To me, this raid has always shown clearly and loudly the outstanding performance and capabilities of one of my all time favorite aircraft, The F.B. DH Mosquito and a real testament to the daring, skill and bravery of those who flew them.

This is what I have read about the aircraft: The Bf 109 is the proper designation, the Me 109 is the Allied designation.

Also, is it the Bf110 or the Me110. Ive always called the 109 the Bf and 110 the Me.

Nice little presentation, with brilliant footage and impressive CGI - and/or a subtle(ish) advert for the excellent Wingleader Luftwaffe Crash Archive '...oh, look what we found on page...' :) ;)

RIP the 55,000

Outstanding research and very well put together.

Unseen? Was it just newly found in wreckage or storage? Seems so for a change, thankfully. Other popular titles I like to question are those with words lost or fogotten in them when what is supposedly lost or forgotten has clearly been found or remembered by someone

... a COUNTRY OWES SO MUCH, TO SUCH A FEW !!

Great to see some genuine footage from a genuine channel, unlike all the other click bait regurgitated garbage currently swirling around. Well done. Keep up the great work.

Thankyou

🇬🇧⚘️🙏Rip Sir 🙏⚘️🇬🇧

My Grandmother was a meteorologist for the RAF stationed at (I think) Barton airport, Manchester. She used to weep while telling me about all of the young men that you would see leaving knowing the chance of them not returning home was greater than making it back alive. Hundreds of them.

British civil wars dogfight

The Luftwaffe personnel seem to be quite enthralled with the pilot, chatting in a friendly manner with him. Shared comradery among fellow pilots even enemy ones.

The Germans looked honourable men in those scenes.

Interesting and dramatic, but to me the rudder doesn’t look like a Spitfire’s rudder (nor a Blenheim’s). No sign at all of the trim tab and I don’t see the counter-balance portion at the top. And did anybody check whether the clear photo of the downed pilot looks like that downed Spit pilot? Needs more research, less dramatic music…

Very interesting. Rest in Peace, Gone but not forgotten.

It is interesting how the British Pilot chats away with his German Captors. If you did not know history you would think them all friends.

Seeing him chatting to enemy pilots shows the common humanity amongst fellow warriors.

My husbands uncle was a pilot during WW2. We didn’t even know until after he passed away that he twice flew in combat over the Netherlands.

My father in law flew Spits in WWII. I remember him telling me about losses in training, and when I expressed surprise that so many promising young pilots were lost in what I would have considered "controlled" conditions, he pointed out what terrific pressure they were under to get new pilots into the line.

If I didn't know better, I'd say the German officer to the right at 4:50 is Galland himself.

@Chrisgoss. There is a yt series that features the diary of a Luftwaffe pilot at one point stationed outside Calais in 1940. He had a movie camera and shot many movies,many the only footage from the cockpit of his 109. The footage you show was probably his. The series is called " Spitfire on my tail". He was shot down over England and said his movies were lost. He was a pow.

That's a nice piece of history. Did he not fly again because he escaped and that might have been problematic?

Great video sir, thanks!!

Has that blenhimn got a chin turret?

WTF IS WRONG WITH YT? I HAVENT EVEN COMMENTED AND YT TELLS ME THAT MY COMMENT HAS BEEN REMOVED???????

Excellent research chaps!

Wow, what an incredible vignette of history. Thanks to all of you who researched this and for making this story known.

20/20, thought you said they were stinkers! 🤣🤣

There was a kind of friendship and respect among the pilots,whatever side they were belonging The British airman was downed but seems to be in a good mood discussing with the germans

He was having a jolly old time with those Luftwaffe pilots lol

Brilliant piece of investigative journalism. Well done.

24 years old? Seems hard to believe these days - in the era of the Eternal Teenager - doesn't it? I rather suspect that many of these young men were Old Souls - come to rescue us (and the Germans) from a monstrous Evil.

The young fighter pilots and crews, British, German, Polish, American were all heroic - a different breed.

For me, BoB is a true deed of chivalry. Hats off and uncompomising respect from France to these men.

We lost many brave young fighter pilots in the battle of Britain, and many other Lancaster bomber crews during the attack on the German city of Drezden, Gone from sight, but never gone from our thought.

Thank you for this excellent post. 👌

GREAT!!! Thank you! Amazing find, history, and aircraft. ~ Be Safe out there folks ~ Peace & Health to Us All.

What freedom.

My old neighbour was one of the pilots in that, we never knew until he died. He didnt say a word, he was a nice man too. RIP Sir.

I can't help but notice how friendly the conversation appears between him and the German pilots. Both parties seemed to realize that the other is just a guy like him. My dad was in the Army during WWII and once said, "Most of the Germans soldiers were just scared kids like us."

on the thumbnail, I thuught it was Eichmann

Good detective work.

New subscriber here. Thank you for a very interesting video. All the best from Sydney Australia 🇦🇺

All those deaths of very fine men and women.fo what? Look arund you andjustify the mess ancaosin which we live our daily lives!😮

At least his Spitfire would never fly again. A remarkable story.

At 2:28 I note 5 victory roundels. 1 X French (?) 2 x British and 2 X Czechoslovak. Does anyone know anything about those? They seem to have dates below them. 🤔EDIT: The 2 Czechs were probably flying with the French with Czech markings at the time indicated (May 1940) (source: Hunt, J. 2004 "Czechs in the RAF" p.7).

War what is it good for absolutely nothing.