Messerschmitt Bf 109 - Operators

Operators

Note, this list includes operators who used Bf 109s for active service or combat. It does not include the United States, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, who all operated small numbers of captured aircraft for testing and evaluation (see: Messerschmitt Bf 109 operational history#Allied Bf 109s).

Bulgaria

• Bulgarian Air Force operated 19 E-3s and 145 G-2/-6/-10s.

Croatia

• Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske operated over 50 Bf 109s, including E-4, F-2, G-2/-6/-10 and Ks.

Czechoslovakia

• Czechoslovakian Air Force operated captured aircraft and continued building Messerschmitt Bf 109Gs after the war under the Avia S-99 name, but soon ran out of the 109's Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine after many were destroyed during an explosion at a warehouse in Krásné Březno.

Finland

• Finnish Air Force ordered 162 aircraft (48 G-2s, 111 G-6s and three G-8s) from Germany, but 3 were destroyed during transit, leaving the FAF with 159 Bf109s.

Nazi Germany

• Luftwaffe was the main operator of the Bf 109.

Hungary

• Royal Hungarian Air Force operated three D-1s, 50 E-3/-4s, 66 F-4s and ~490 G-2/-4/-6/-8/-10/-14s.

Israel

• Israeli Air Force operated the Avia S-199 derivative, bought from Czechoslovakia. Despite the type's shortcomings the Israeli scored 8 victories. Egypt and Syria claimed four S-199 kills, and one probable.

Italy

• Regia Aeronautica operated some F-4s and G-6s.

Italian Social Republic

• Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana operated 300 G-6/-10/-14s and two G-12s; three K-4s were also received.

Japan

• Imperial Japanese Army Air Force purchased five E-7s in 1941. The aircraft were used for tests and trials.

Romania

• Royal Romanian Air Force operated 50 E-3/4s, 19 E-7s, two F-2s, five F-4s and at least 235+ G-2/G-4/G-6/-8s plus 75 IAR built 109G-6a.
• Romanian Air Force - Postwar.

Slovak Republic

• Slovenské vzdušné zbrane operated 16 E-3s, 14 E-7s and 30 G-6s.
• Slovak Insurgent Air Force operated three G-6s.

Spanish State

• Spanish Air Force operated some D-1s, E-3s and 15 F-4s, and may have received several older B-types. Volunteers of Escuadrilla Azul on the Eastern Front operated E-4, E-7, E-7/B, F-2, F-4 (belonged in JG-27 under the command of Luftflotte 2,until April 1943) among G-4 and G-6 (detached in JG-51 under the command Luftflotte 4, until June 1944). A variant under license by the name Hispano Aviación HA-1112 was produced until 1958.

Switzerland

• Swiss Air Force operated 10 D-1s, 89 E-3a variants, two F-4s and 14 G-6s.

Yugoslavia

• Royal Yugoslav Air Force operated 73 E-3a variants.
• SFR Yugoslav Air Force operated several ex-NDH and Bulgarian Bf 109Gs.