Willy Messerschmitt

Messerschmitt designed a number of successful motor gliders and airliners in the early 1920s until the BFW M.20 damaged his reputation, put his company into bankruptcy, and earned the hate of future Reich Aviation Ministry chief Erhard Milch. Messerschmitt rebuilt his company and produced a number of successful military aircraft for the Luftwaffe during World War II, until he was blacklisted from government contracts by Milch in 1941 and the Me 210 damaged his reputation again in 1942, forcing him to resign as director and into a research and development role. Messerschmitt was accused of using forced labor for aircraft production and convicted of collaborating with the Nazi regime in 1948. Messerschmitt worked in Spain until returning to Germany in 1955, serving as director of Messerschmitt AG until his retirement in 1970.

Messerschmitt designed the Messerschmitt Bf 109 in collaboration with Walter Rethel, which became the most important fighter aircraft in the Luftwaffe and remains the second most-produced warplane in history, with some 34,000 built. Messerschmitt's Bf 109R, later redesignated Messerschmitt Me 209, broke the absolute world airspeed record and held the world speed record for propeller-driven aircraft until 1969. Messerschmitt's firm also produced the first jet-powered fighter to enter service – the Messerschmitt Me 262.