Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm
| Company type | Aerospace manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Predecessor | Messerschmitt AG, Bölkow, Hamburger Flugzeugbau |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | Willy Messerschmitt, Ludwig Bölkow, Blohm family |
| Defunct | 1989 |
| Fate | Absorbed by Deutsche Aerospace AG (DASA) |
| Successor | Deutsche Aerospace AG (DASA), later part of Airbus |
| Headquarters | West Germany , West Germany |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Ludwig Bölkow (leader in helicopter development) |
| Products | Aircraft, Helicopters (MBB Bo 105, MBB/Kawasaki BK 117), Airbus A300 (collaboration), missiles, space hardware |
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) was a prominent aerospace company based in West Germany, established in the late 1960s through consolidation within the country's aerospace industry. Its formation stemmed from the 1968 union of aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt AG with the civil engineering and aviation firm Bölkow, followed by the 1969 acquisition of competitor Hamburger Flugzeugbau.
MBB was responsible for designing and manufacturing several aircraft, most notably the MBB Bo 105, a light twin-engine helicopter, along with its larger successor, the MBB/Kawasaki BK 117. The company played a vital role as an early collaborator in the creation of the Airbus A300, a wide-body twin-jet airliner, establishing MBB as an essential participant in the multinational Airbus consortium. Additionally, MBB was involved in experimental aviation projects such as the cancelled stealth aircraft MBB Lampyridae.
Over its approximately twenty years of operation, MBB underwent considerable changes in ownership and asset structure. It was absorbed by Deutsche Aerospace AG (DASA) in 1989; following further mergers and reorganizations, MBB's assets are now integrated into Airbus.
History
On 6 June 1968, Messerschmitt combined with the civil engineering and aviation company Bölkow to create Messerschmitt-Bölkow. In May 1969, it expanded by acquiring Hamburger Flugzeugbau (HFB), originally part of Blohm+Voss, which led to renaming the firm Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB). Initial shareholders included the Blohm family, Willy Messerschmitt, Ludwig Bölkow, alongside various German states and industrial enterprises.
The Bo 105 helicopter, developed under Ludwig Bölkow’s leadership, became MBB's most acclaimed product. It featured an innovative fiberglass hingeless main rotor and received German certification in October 1970. Early adopters included ADAC Air Rescue and the Bavarian State Police. The enhanced Bo 105C model was introduced in 1972. Production persisted until 2001, with a total of 1,406 units delivered to customers in 55 countries. This helicopter also served as a foundation for derivatives such as the MBB/Kawasaki BK 117.
During the 1970s, MBB collaborated with Boeing Vertol to explore producing a larger version of the Bo 105; after Boeing withdrew from the project, MBB partnered with Kawasaki Heavy Industries. In February 1977, both companies agreed to jointly develop a twin-engine multipurpose helicopter by merging MBB's Bo 107 and Kawasaki's KH-7 projects. The division of responsibilities allocated rotor development (based on Bo 105’s rigid rotor system), tailboom, flight controls, and hydraulics to MBB; Kawasaki managed landing gear, airframe structure, transmission systems, electrical components, and smaller parts. Both firms set up production lines to serve their respective domestic markets.
An advanced iteration of the Bo 105 initially designated as Bo 108 was co-developed with France’s Aérospatiale during the 1970s as a technology demonstrator incorporating features such as full-authority digital engine controls (FADEC), hingeless main rotor technology, and an updated transmission system. Its maiden flight occurred in October 1988; it entered commercial production as the Eurocopter EC135 in the early 1990s and achieved market success comparable to its predecessor.
One of MBB's most notable collaborations was its involvement in the Airbus A300 program. In September 1967, governments from Britain, France, and West Germany agreed to develop the A300—the first twin-engine widebody airliner globally—aiming to produce a smaller, lighter, and more fuel-efficient alternative to American tri-jet models like McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar. Germany held a 25% share of work alongside France (37.5%) and Britain (37.5%). Sud Aviation led French efforts while Hawker Siddeley represented British interests.
After formal agreements at the Paris Air Show in 1969 launched Airbus A300 development, Airbus Industrie was established in December 1970 by French company Aérospatiale and German aerospace predecessors equally sharing ownership. Certification for entry into service was granted in March 1974. Within ten years, Airbus secured approximately a quarter of the widebody airliner market by revenue and proceeded to develop its subsequent model, the Airbus A310.
In 1981, MBB acquired Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke (VFW), itself created from mergers involving Focke-Wulf, Focke-Achgelis, and Weserflug. The following year saw acquisition of astronautics company Entwicklungsring Nord (ERNO), which was rebranded as MBB-ERNO. In 1989 Deutsche Aerospace AG (DASA) took over MBB; DASA was renamed Daimler-Benz Aerospace in 1995. After Daimler-Benz merged with Chrysler in 1998 forming DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG, DASA combined forces with France’s Aerospatiale-Matra and Spain’s CASA in 2000 to create European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS). Most former DaimlerChrysler Aerospace operations now function under Airbus Germany.
Subsidiaries
- MBB-Liftsystems AG – specializes in the production of lifting equipment for trucks and vans
- MBB-Sondertechnik (currently FHS Förder– und Hebesysteme GmbH) – was responsible for developing wind turbine rotors during the 1980s and 1990s, as well as military-grade lifting solutions
- MBB Gelma GmbH – manufactures timekeeping devices and machine control systems (now a part of DORMA KG)
- MBB Group AG
Aircraft
- MBB Lampyridae
- MBB Bo 102
- MBB Bo 103
- MBB Bo 105
- MBB Bo 106
- MBB Bo 108 – precursor to the Eurocopter EC 135
- MBB Bo 115
- MBB Bo 209
- MBB/Kawasaki BK 117
- MBB 223 Flamingo
- MBB/Hamburger Flugzeugbau HFB-320 Hansa Jet
- MBB F-104G/CCV (CCV Program)
Collaborations
- Airbus A300
- Airbus A310
- Airbus A320 family
- Eurofighter Typhoon
- Panavia Tornado
- Rockwell-MBB X-31
- Transall C-160
- MPC 75
Missiles
- AS.34 Kormoran
- Cobra missile
Collaborations
- HOT missile
- MILAN missile
- Roland missile
Unmanned spacecraft
- Helios spacecraft
- Symphonie satellite
- European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA)
- Shuttle pallet satellite
Manned spacecraft
- Spacelab
- Saenger spacecraft
Other
- MBTA Commuter Rail BTC-3 and CTC-3 rail vehicles
- DB Class 420 commuter trains
- DB ICE 1 high-speed trainsets
- Alpenflug suspended roller coaster