BFW M.22

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BFW M.22 (Messerschmitt M.22)

The BFW M.22 was a German twin‑engine medium bomber designed by Willy Messerschmitt for Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW). Only one was built, and it first flew in 1928. It did not go into production.

Background: After his M.18 airliner, Messerschmitt sought funding from the Bavarian government. The ministry pressed him to build military aircraft, and he designed two biplanes—the M.18 and the M.22. The M.22 was the second and the only biplane of his designs.

Design: The M.22 was a twin‑engine, two‑bay biplane with broad chord I‑form interplane struts and ailerons on both wings. It had a conventional tail and a long pylon raising the upper wing, separating the forward cockpit and nose gunner from the dorsal gunner. The landing gear was a wide, split‑axle setup with wheels in spats and a tailskid.

Power: It used two 500 hp Siemens-Halske Sh‑20/21 radial engines mounted between the wings in long fairings, with the cylinder heads exposed for cooling.

Conclusion: The M.22 was very different from Messerschmitt’s later high‑wing cantilever monoplanes (like the M.19 and M.20), and it failed to secure a production order. Only one unit was built.