Bf 109Z

The Messerschmitt Bf 109Z, often nicknamed “Zwilling” (Twin), was an experimental German heavy fighter project developed during the later years of World War II. Instead of designing an entirely new aircraft, Messerschmitt proposed combining two standard Bf 109F/G fuselages with a newly designed central wing section and horizontal tailplane. Each fuselage retained its own engine, cockpit, and vertical tail, resulting in a twin-engine, twin-boom configuration derived directly from the famous Bf 109.
The primary goal of the Bf 109Z was to create a high-performance long-range interceptor and heavy fighter capable of carrying heavier armament than a single-engine fighter. The central wing section was intended to house additional fuel tanks and concentrated weaponry, including heavy cannon for bomber interception. Powered by two Daimler-Benz DB 605 engines driving large three-bladed constant-speed propellers, the aircraft was expected to achieve excellent climb performance and a maximum speed exceeding 700 km/h under optimal conditions.
Only one prototype airframe was under construction, converted from damaged Bf 109s, but it was destroyed in an Allied bombing raid before flight testing could be completed. As a result, the Bf 109Z never flew, remaining one of the more unusual and intriguing “what-if” designs of late-war German aviation.