The Messerschmitt Me 209 was a 1930s record-setting single-engine aircraft, built for speed with no consideration given for use in combat. Its main purpose was to be used as a tool for propaganda. It was powered by a 1,800 hp (1,340 kW) Daimler-Benz DB 601, which could be boosted to 2,300 (1,715 kW) for short bursts. The engine was equipped with steam cooling. On April 26, 1939, it was flown by test pilot Fritz Wendel and set a speed record of 469 mph (756 km/h) for piston-engine aircraft. The record stood until August 16, 1969, when it was broken by Darryl Greenamyer flying a highly modified Grumman F8F Bearcat.¹