BFW M.27

BFW M.27
Role	two seat sports plane
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW)
Designer	Willy Messerschmitt
First flight	1930
Developed from	BFW M.23

The BFW M.27, sometimes known as the Messerschmitt M.27, was a German two-seat sports plane with a low, cantilever wing, open cockpits and a fixed undercarriage sold in small numbers at the start of the 1930s.

Development

In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Willy Messerschmitt, working at Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) produced a series of low-wing sports monoplanes with either one or two seats.^[1] These were the M.19, M.23, M.27, M.31 and M.35 with the M.23, the only one with sales of much over double figures. The M, of course, stood for Messerschmitt.

The M.27^[1] was a two-seater, very similar to the M.23b but with a more rounded fin and rudder assembly, a fuselage stretched by about 1,400 mm (55 in) to accommodate luggage and a new, spatted undercarriage. Pilot and passenger sat in tandem in separate open cockpits.

It was successfully raced, winning the Deutschland Competition in 1932 and coming second in the Zugspitz Circuit in 1933.^[1] Nonetheless, it was not sold in large numbers.

Variants

• M.27a: 82 kW (110 hp) Siemens Sh 12 radial engine
• M.27b: 90 kW (120 hp) Argus As 8 four-cylinder air-cooled inverted inline engine

Specifications (M.27b)

Data from Smith 1971, p. 29

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 7.90 m (25 ft 11 in)
• Wingspan: 12.00 m (39 ft 8½ in)
• Height: 2.40 m (7 ft 10½ in)
• Empty weight: 420 kg (926 lb)
• Gross weight: 720 kg (1,588 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Argus As 8 four cylinder inverted inline air cooled, 90 kW (120 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 200 km/h (124 mph)
• Range: 700 km (435 miles)

References

Citations

1. ^ ^{a b c} Smith 1971, p. 29

Cited sources

• Smith, J Richard (1971). Messerschmitt an aircraft album. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0 7110 0224 X.