One of the greatest fighters of all time designed by Willi Messerschmitt the Bf 109 was in continuous production from 1936 to 1945 the over 33000 produced (the exact number is unknown) represented nearly 2/3rds of Germanys entire output of single seat fighters making it the most mass produced fighter aircraft ever. It first saw action in the Spanish Civil War and was unquestionably the worlds best fighter until bettered by the Spitfire in 1940