New Air Speed Record

Northern Advocate, 3 June 1939, Page 6 (Supplement)

New Air Speed Record

According to the Berlin corresponds ik of -The Times," London, the air speed record has been raised by Germany to 469.11 miles an hour, established on April 26, following the new record cf 463.39 miles an hour established by a German machine a few weeks before. The achievement was by Hen- Fritz Wendel, flying a Messerschmitt Me. 109 R fighter. The flight took place at Augsburg, near the Messerschmitt works. The record-breaking machine was powered, as was the Heinkel aeroplane which set up the previous record, by a Mercedes-Benz engine of 1175 h.p.. driving a V.L.M. all-metal air-screw of the type which has been generally Introduced in the German Air Force. So far as can be gathered from the scanty details of such matters which can be obtained in Germany, the Messerschmitt Me. 109 R is a new type of fighter. Such figures as are available indicate that hitherto the latest German model of this type has been the Messerschmitt Bf. I*o9, driven by an engine of 950 h.p., and with a maximum speed of about 315 miles an hour. This type compares roughly with the British Hawker Hurricane, with an engine cf 1030 h.p., and a speed of about 335 miles an hour.