What a Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun costs, how far it flies, and what it costs to keep
PlaneFox tracks 1 Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun aircraft for sale and re-reads every one of them from the broker and dealer sites it watches, so the figures below move when the market moves. Every number on this page is measured from those live listings, not taken from a published price guide.
How far can a Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun fly?
A Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun flies about 540 nm, roughly 1,000 km, which is about 3 h 51 min in still air at typical cruise.
What does a Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun cost to own?
A Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun costs about EUR 2,571 a month to run, or about EUR 276 for every flight hour when it is flown 150 hours a year.
More questions about the Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun
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About the Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun
Aircraft overview
The Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun is a German four seat touring and liaison aircraft developed by Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, later Messerschmitt. It first flew in 1934 and was produced before and during the Second World War, with related postwar production in France as the Nord Pingouin series. The Bf 108 matters because it combined features that were advanced for a light aircraft of its era: all metal stressed skin construction, retractable landing gear, wing leading edge slats and refined handling. It is often discussed alongside later Messerschmitt designs, but it is a distinct civil and military utility aircraft, not a fighter.
Performance & specifications
Most buyer comparisons focus on the Bf 108B, the best known Taifun variant. Typical cruise speed is about 140 to 145 knots, with a range commonly cited around 540 nautical miles depending on fuel, engine condition and operating profile. Service ceiling is about 20,000 feet. The usual powerplant is the Argus As 10C, an air cooled inverted V8 producing about 240 hp. Maximum takeoff weight is roughly 3,000 lb, with useful load often around 1,000 lb in published specifications. Actual payload must be checked aircraft by aircraft, especially after restoration, added radios or non original equipment.
Cabin & avionics
The cabin seats four in a compact touring layout, with the pilot and front passenger ahead of a two place rear bench. Visibility is good for a 1930s retractable gear aircraft, and the side by side front seating makes it more practical for touring than tandem military trainers of the same period. There is no factory modern avionics suite comparable to Garmin Perspective or G1000. Surviving aircraft typically have a period style instrument panel with selected modern additions such as VHF com, transponder, ADS-B, intercom and panel mounted or portable GPS. Buyers should assess usability, certification status and how sympathetically avionics were integrated.
Buying & value
The Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun sits in the collector aircraft market rather than the mainstream used piston market. Value is driven by originality, provenance, documentation, restoration quality, engine status and parts support. Important inspection areas include the airframe structure, retractable landing gear system, slats, control runs, corrosion protection and the Argus engine installation. Common points of comparison include early Bf 108A aircraft, later Bf 108B models and French built Nord derivatives, which can differ in engine fit, details and documentation. A well restored Bf 108 offers historic significance with usable touring performance, but ownership requires specialist maintenance planning.