messerschmitt bf 110 weapons

But the Bf-110 suffered greatly in "close escort," where they were forced to lumber alongside the slow bombers, taking away their tactical edge and forcing them to always respond to the attacking fighters, which were never taken by surprise and could easily avoid the attacks of the Zerstrer, and even turn the tables. Just three weeks later, on 18 December 1939, the Bf 110 participated in the first German victory over British arms in World War II. By March 1945 a total of 6050 Bf 110s had been built. Radar-equipped versions became the main enemy weapon against the British night bombers. [7] The D-1 was also set up to accept a pair of fin-equipped 900-litre (238 U.S. gallon) drop tanks, one under each wing, increasing the total fuel capacity to 4,120 litres (1,088 U.S. gallons). the twin-barreled MG 81Z. 87 Squadron RAF. bf 110 bf 110 a-0 messerschmitt wwii air forces tier i By Zombificus, April 24, 2019 in Germany Share Followers 1 Would You Like This Plane In-Game? 33 and No. The defensive armament initially consisted of a single, flexibly mounted 7.92mm (.312in) MG 15 machine gun. Its intended replacements, the aforementioned Me 210 and the significantly improved Me 410 Hornisse, never fully replaced the Bf 110. Make sure you like and subscribe to the Imperial War Museum's Youtube channel and we'll see you for the next one! They were usually inferior to smaller and more agile hunters in a dogfight. The night fighter arm claimed the destruction of 123 out of some 1,179 bombers over Hamburg on one night; a 7.2% loss rate. The Bf 110 G-4 was the last operational variant. [3] Two Zerstrergeschwader, (1 and 76), were committed, with 64 aircraft. One of the Bf 110 units assigned to air defence in this sector was Lehrgeschwader 1. The Bf 110 won the approval of Herman Gring. But while in Poland and France the Luftwaffe had had air superiority, the skies over Britain were a different story. The infamous Stuka achieved notoriety during theBlitzkriegtriumphs of 1939-1940. During the war, the aircraft landed on the frozen lake after being damaged by Swedish anti-aircraft fire. On 23 November 1939, the Bf 110 claimed its first Allied victim when LG 1 Bf 110s engaged and shot down a Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 of the Arme de l'Air over Verdun. The German defences had won a victory which prevented deep penetration raids for a time. A huge number of ground kills were achieved by Bf 110 pilots in the east. However, it was better suited as a long-range bomber escort than most other aircraft of the time, and did not have the problems of restricted range that hampered the Bf 109E. Messerschmitt Bf 110 A-0: The First Zerstorer - War Thunder As the DB 600 engines continued to have problems, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke was forced to keep on using Jumo motors, the 210G, which supplied 515kW (700PS) each (versus the 471kW/640PS supplied by the 210B). But whereas the Ju 87 had to be withdrawn because it simply could not survive in the hostile environment over southern England in the late summer of 1940, the reason for the decrease in Bf 110 activity was much more mundane. Me 110 > WW2 Weapons However, the promising new design was compromised by Ernst Udet, deputy to the Luftwaffes Commander-in-Chief Hermann Gring. Even without delivery of the DB 600 engines, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke began assembly of the Bf 110 in mid-1937. "Destroyers in Second World War". The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often (erroneously) called Me 110,[1] was a twin-engine heavy fighter (Zerstrer German for "Destroyer" a concept that in German service involved a long-ranged, powerful fighter able to range about friendly or even enemy territory destroying enemy bombers and even fighters when located[2]) in the service of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Despite test flights in which it stalled and proved unstable, the Me210 was put into production-only for this to be halted after 200 were built and more Bf110s being made instead. . A G-series night fighter, it was likely built in 1944. No further losses of the type occurred for the remainder of the campaign. However, while crews found the Me 410 faster in "raw speed", they found it even less agile than the Bf 110 and very difficult to bail out of. The Bf 110D was a long range version of the C series aircraft, and will be dealt with separately. The aircraft was already virtually obsolete. [54] Reichsmarschall Hermann Gring insisted that all aircraft, including the night fighter force, would be put into the air to resist these attacks against Germany. Later in the war, it was developed into a formidable radar-equipped night fighter, becoming the main night-fighting aircraft of the Luftwaffe. It took longer to build than the Hurricane and was less sturdy, but it was faster and had a responsiveness which impressed all who flew it. I and II./ZG 26 were deployed to the theatre. Based in Cairo, Egypt, it was to be deployed to South Africa as part of a program to train pilots on enemy equipment, but it did not make it, crashing in the Sudan. Furthermore, although it had a higher top speed than contemporary RAF Hurricanes, it had poor acceleration. By July 1942, the Bf 110F-4 was the first version to be designed specifically as a night fighter. We flew these missions at no greater than Schwarm strength, and were ourselves never escorted. Once again, the Bf 110 encountered foreign flown Messerschmitt Bf 109s, this time belonging to the Yugoslav Air Force. Later D-2 and D-3 versions retained the twin underwing 900-litre drop tank capability, using multipurpose ordnance racks capable of holding either drop tanks or carrying bombs. The Bf 110 served the Luftwaffe extensively in various roles, though no longer in its intended role as a heavy fighter. Once Bomber Command increased its nocturnal raids over Germany, most Bf 110s were sent to new night fighter units. The Australian War Memorial acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia. [56] Several attacks from the beam were made, and eventually a break in the formation opened a gap which Hans-Joachim Jabs and his wingman took advantage of. After the Battle of Britain, the Bf 110 enjoyed a successful period as an air superiority fighter and strike aircraft in other theatres and defended Germany from strategic air attack by day against the USAAF's 8th Air Force, until an American change in fighter tactics rendered them increasingly vulnerable to developing American air supremacy over the Reich as 1944 began. The final version, similar to the G, was cancelled before any prototypes were ready after important documents were lost in an air raid on the Waggonbau Gotha factory, which was leading the H-development. In its favour was a structural strength that could soak up punishment many aircraft managed to return to base with hundreds of bullet holes in their fuselage and flying surfaces. Messerschmitt Bf 109 - Wikipedia The losses had "marked the beginning of the end of the Bf 110 Zerstrer as a first-line weapon in the RLV". The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110, [Note 1] is a twin-engined Zerstrer (destroyer, heavy fighter ), fighter-bomber ( Jagdbomber or Jabo ), and night fighter ( Nachtjger) developed in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and used by the Luftwaffe during World War II. "Timber" Woods of No. [4], Hermann Gring reportedly ordered the Zerstrerwaffe to make all the Luftwaffe's Bf 110s available for operations. Learn more about some of the pilots who participated in the Battle of Britain in 1940. Such heavy losses then meant the Stuka was gradually withdrawn over the course of the battle. The Bf 110s flew alone against this formation and destroyed four B-17s, before having the misfortune of running into 56th Fighter Group P-47 Thunderbolts. Messerschmitt Bf 110 F On 9 July 1940, seven out of a force of 12 Bristol Blenheims bombing Stavanger were shot down by a mixed force of Bf 110s and Bf 109s from ZG 76 and JG 77 respectively.[17]. [23] This represented 32 percent of the Zerstrerwaffe's initial strength. Together, the Hurricane and the Spitfire were the twin bastions of RAF fighter command's defense in 1940. The Bf 110 had a hand in the destruction of some 2,751 RAF bombers in 1943, along with German flak and other night fighters. Messerschmitt Bf 110E 5 Messerschmitt Fighter Planes of WWII | War History Online The Battle of Britain is on Gring is pouring his air force across in waves to try and break our spirit. Most machines were withdrawn to Nazi Germany for the Defense of the Reich operations. The Do 17Z became the main production version, equipping three Luftwaffe bomber wings at the height of the Battle of Britain. The Hurricane was the most numerous of RAF Fighter Commands aircraft during the Battle of Britain, equipping 33 squadrons by September 1940. Some of the most successful were Leutnant Eduard Meyer, who received the Knight's Cross on 20 December 1941 for 18 aerial victories and 48 aircraft destroyed on the ground, as well as two tank kills. The remaining Bf 110s strafed the airfield and helped the ground troops take it; the air support provided by the Zerstrer was instrumental, and it was to perform well as a fighter-bomber in the coming campaigns. RAF Fighter Command rashly sent its two Defiant squadrons - Nos. Messerschmitt Bf 110H - HistoryOfWar.org made the Spitfire light and strong, it was fast too and responsive. Messerschmitt Bf110 C, D & E: An Illustrated Study - Variants, Weapons However, its nose-mounted armament, or the upward-firing cannon fitted to some versions, made it a deadly night-fighter. The E models also had upgraded armour and some fuselage upgrades to support the added weight. The strain of combat shows on Lanes face as he consults with his pilots after a sortie. Airborne radar was used experimentally during 1941, effective up to a maximum distance of 3.5km/ 2.2 miles and capable of bringing the Bf 110 to within 200m/655ft of a target. The initial raid was against Wilhelmshaven. ), This aircraft is made from a wide range of original spare parts found all over the world. and many G-series aircraft, especially those which served in the bomber-destroyer role, had two 30 mm JG 1 again responded, but this time they were joined by 8 Bf 110s of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1. [68] Later on, as the specialist Bf 110G-4s were received by night fighter wings, the mid-cockpit mount was replaced by one at the extreme rear of the cabin. [39] Lastly, in February 1945, two Bf 110G-4s were supplied to the Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia (ZNDH). Later, the RAF developed a radar countermeasure; Window, to blind German radar and introduced de Havilland Mosquitos to fly feints and divert the Bf 110s and other night fighter forces from their true target, which worked, initially. As a consequence the aircraft played no further part as a day fighter in the Battle. [32] Jeffrey Page was one of the few pilots to fly both aircraft, so who better to sum up the difference between them? Later in the war, it was developed into a formidable night fighter, becoming the major night-fighting aircraft of the Luftwaffe. II./ZG dispatched several Hawker Furys, but managed to lose two of their own against the biplanes. It proved just as vulnerable to RAF fighters as other Luftwaffe bombers during the Battle of Britain, but later matured into one of the most versatile and important of the Luftwaffes aircraft. All visitors require a free timed ticket to enter the Memorial Galleries and attend the Last Post Ceremony. It was in the role as a night fighter, often armed with the surprisingly effective Schrge Musik upward-firing twin autocannon offensive armament installation, that the Bf 110 and its pilots achieved their greatest successes. However, on 4 and 27 September, 15 Bf 110s were lost on each day. A single hit from this weapon was usually enough to destroy any Allied bomber. 19 Squadron at Duxford in August 1938. Striking by Night - Messerschmitt Bf 110 It was one of five Bf 110s taken by the British for technical evaluation. When encumbered with a total of four 21cm (8in) Werfer-Granate 21 (Wfr.Gr. It is currently owned and displayed by a private foundation in Denmark. Messerschmitt Bf 109 variants - Wikipedia With later night versions -G and -H, in 1944 the Bf 110 represented 60 per cent of the strength of the Luftwaffe night-fighter units. The Messerschmitt Bf 110C and Es were committed to the invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece in April 1941. In September 1944 development work on the Bf 110 was curtails, and in November 1944 the aircraft was not included in the Emergency Fighter Program. For example, during Operation Blau, on 3 July 1942 the Gruppenkommandeur of I./ZG 1, Hauptmann Wolfgang Schenk and his three wingmen repeatedly attacked a column of 50 Soviet vehicles, destroying 30 of them. Radar-equipped versions became the main enemy weapon against the British night bombers. Dornier Do 17 production was terminated in the summer of 1940. . The twin-engine Bf 110 had mixed results as a heavy fighter-bomber. A number of Bf 110 aces were lost in aerial combat during this period, and other losses were considerable. Most of the German night fighter aces flew the Bf 110 at some point during their combat careers, and the top night fighter ace of all time, Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, flew it exclusively and claimed 121 victories in 164 combat missions. The Germans were engaged by several Gloster Gladiators and machine guns manned by troops on the ground; in the ensuing battle, both sides lost two aircraft. In August 1942, a stalemate between the Allied and Axis forces in North Africa permitted the withdrawal of III./ZG 26 to Crete for convoy protection. The Phoney War and the "Battle of German Bight", North Africa, the Mediterranean and Middle East. With experience fighting in Norway, efforts were made to extend the combat range of the Bf 110C; these became the Bf 110D Long Range (Langstrecken) Zerstrer. Cosford, TF11 8UP. USAAF P-51 Mustangs had now appeared, and were able to escort the Allied bombers to and from the target. One of his deputies, Leutnant Rudolf Scheffel, was awarded the Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross) a day earlier for scoring five aerial victories and destroying 50 Soviet tanks during Operation Blau.[45]. Ernst Udet, deputy to the Luftwaffe head Hermann Gring, demanded that the JU 88 be capable of dive-bombing. Bf 110 part 1 | World War Photos The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often (erroneously) called Me 110, was a twin-engine heavy fighter (Zerstrer - German for "Destroyer" - a concept that in German service involved a long-ranged, powerful fighter able to range about friendly or even enemy territory destroying enemy bombers and even fighters when located) in the service of the . Messerschmitt Bf 110 - Price, Specs, Photo Gallery, History I. and III./ZG 76 were based in Austria, and II./ZG 76 was based in France. In the ensuing dogfight the Zerstorer pilots not only wildly overclaimed 13 victories (when their opponents were only nine) but also misidentified them as "MiG-3", including five claims by experte Theodor Weissenberger. [72] These losses were primarily a result of fighter defences, at the heart of which was the Bf 110. Outmanoeuvred by the British fighters during the Battle of Britain it was converted into a night fighter and proved to be one of the most successful put into service during World War Two. On 10 May, ZG 1 claimed 26 Dutch aircraft destroyed on the ground on Haamstede airfield. The Bf 110 rendered valuable support to the German Army by carrying out strike missions in the face of very heavy anti-aircraft artillery defences. Messerschmitt Bf 110; Crash Sites Messerschmitt Bf 110. (Z)/JG 5, achieved an important victory on 10 May 1942 when six of its Bf 110s, which were escorting Ju 88s of the KG 30, ran into a formation of six Soviet SB-2 bombers escorted by nine Hurricanes of the 2 GSAP. Although mounting losses should have resulted in its withdrawal because of the limited range and endurance of the single engined Messerschmitt Bf 109Es the Germans were forced to continue using the type as a fighter escort on its daylight raids. The Bf 110 G-2/R1 was also capable of employing armament such as the Bordkanone-series 37mm (1.46in) BK 3,7 autofed cannon, mounted in a conformal ventral gun pod under the fuselage. Landing their cargoes, many transports were destroyed. The Ministry of Aviation (RLM, for Reichsluftfahrtministerium), pushed by Hermann Gring, issued a request for a new multipurpose fighter called the Kampfzerstrer (battle destroyer) with long range and an internal bomb bay. The E series was powered by the DB 601N engine. But its range was limited, it couldn't get much further than London and it had only about seven seconds worth of cannon ammunition. Grahame Park Way, The Bf 110s lost nine machines, with 11 killed and seven wounded. Messerschmitt Bf 110 C Csar The Bf 109 G-1 was conceived as a single-seat high-altitude fighter with a pressurized cabin. IWM collections. [18] Designed as an ambush predator to attack from height, the BF 109 had even the spitfire for diving and altitude. At the start of the Battle of Britain the Luftwaffe had 1,100 109s, by the end, some 650 had been lost. This had a massive impact on the aircraft's performance. At first, the three main crew members had no special equipment for night operations and relied on their eyes alone to find enemy aircraft in the dark. The armament of the A-0 units was also limited to four nose-mounted 7.92mm (.312in) MG 17 machine guns. Designed by Reginald Mitchell, it had an advanced all-metal airframe, making it light and strong. The Bf 110 served with success in the early campaigns in Poland, Norway and France. The Defiant was a two-seat fighter with a four-gun power-operated turret. But the mid to fall of 1942 meant the end of that era, and the losses began to mount very quickly. Rome: IBN editore, 1996. de Zeng, H. L., D. G. Stanket and E. J. Creek. When they arrived at the designated contact point there was nothing left to meet. BF 109 or Hurricane? One offensive weapons upgrade in 1943 for the Bf 109G - and also used for the Fw 190A - was one that mounted the Werfer-Granate 21 heavy calibre rocket weapon system with one launching tube under each wing panel. Public entrance via Fairbairn Avenue, Campbell ACT 2612, Book your ticket to visit: awm.gov.au/visit, Copyright Messerschmitt Bf 110 Messerschmitt Bf 110D The Bf 110 was considered to be obsolete and phased out of production accordingly. However, the Messerschmitt did not have the range to fly beyond London and carried only seven seconds worth of cannon ammunition, which limited its operational usefulness. The campaign in the desert would last for ten days. [8] RAF Bomber Command sent 22 Vickers Wellington bombers to attack the German naval base at Wilhelmshaven. to a 7.92 mm MG 81 machine gun with a higher rate of fire, and the G-series was equipped with At 12:13 pm on February 20, 13 Bf 110s scrambled after approaching formations. Pilots typically felt the Bf 110F to be the best of the 110 line, being fully aerobatic and in some respects smoother to fly than the Bf 109, though not as fast. And once they get to know the Bf 110's weaknesses, you could be in for a very nasty surprise. The Messerschmitt Bf 110 (often referred to as the Me 110) was a heavy fighter that was used by Germany during World War II. The Schrge Musik weapons were typically mounted immediately in front of the rear cockpit. It was designed in the mid-1930s, but it was obsolescent by the time of the Battle of Britain. Their seeming absence has often been equated with the simultaneous disappearance from the Battle of the Ju 87. Messerschmitt omitted the internal bomb load requirement from the RLM directive to increase the armament element of the RLM's specification. Pilots sat at the controls of aircraft that would become legends of aviation history on both sides. [19], Data from The warplanes of the Third Reich,[20] Die Deutsche Luftrstung 19331945 Vol.3 Flugzeugtypen Henschel-Messerschmitt[21], Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era, Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia. The Bf 110 G-2/R1 was also capable of accepting armament such as the Bordkanone series 37 mm (1.46 in) BK 3,7 autofed cannon, mounted in a conformal ventral gun pod under the fuselage. On 13 June 1940, a squadron of Skua dive bombers was intercepted trying to reach and bomb the German battleship Scharnhorst. On 12 May 1936, Rudolf Opitz flew the first Bf 110 out of Augsburg. [34] Over Greece, on 20 April, II./ZG 26 claimed five Hurricanes of No. [60], In autumn 1943, the Zerstrergruppen were recalled from their Eastern or Mediterranean bases, and formed into RLV units. The Zerstrer (Destroyer) entered service with the Luftwaffe in 1937. Bergstrom, Dikov & Antipov 2006, p.48 and p. 59. invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece in April 1941, Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia, Aces of the Luftwaffe - Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, Aces of the Luftwaffe; Heinz-Wolfgang Schnauffer, "VIII Bomber Command 33: 4 February 1943", Aces of the Luftwaffe: Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_110_operational_history&oldid=1154666498, On 11 March 1942 the 6. Messerschmitt Bf 110 operational history On 17 September 1942 the Bf 110Es of the 5./ZG 1 ran into four. the Bf 110 (particularly the version F-4) was lethal. One of the most notable actions of the Bf 110 occurred on the night of the 17/18 August 1943. April 1940", Manual: (1944) A.M. Pamphlet 114C - Instructions for Flying the Messerschmitt 110, Aces of the Luftwaffe by Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, World War 2 Aircraft Performance - Me 110, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_110&oldid=1154686431. In July and August 1940, fighter command rashly sent two Defiant squadrons into action. [6] But, as many prewar designs found, the engine technologies promised were not up to acceptable reliability standards. 5800 kgWeight. It was revealed in September 1935, when the first of 13 . Later on, there were dedicated ground attack versions which proved reasonably successful. The Bf 110G also had upgraded nose armament, and underwent some changes which improved the aerodynamics of the aircraft. The first Spitfires were delivered to no. Jeffrey Page: "I tend to give an example of the bulldog and the greyhound, the Hurricane being the bulldog and the greyhound being the Spitfire. It was faster than the Spitfire at high altitude, could dive more rapidly and carried a more effective armament of two cannon and two machine guns. Also killed in this battle was the ace F/Lt W.J. Due to these changes, the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke design better fit the Ministry's requests. In a famous action on18 Augusteight Dorniers were shot down and nine damaged in attacks on RAF Kenley, to the south of London. 80 Squadron RAF for two losses. Let us know your ranking or if we missed any aircraft that you love in the comments below. Small-scale production with two Jumo 210 engines. American fighters had jumped the 13 Bf 110s from the sun and shot down 11. [66] The Zerstrer was only to fly as a day fighter against unescorted formations. Where the spitfire was pace and elegance the hurricane was rugged, tough and steady. The Heinkel could soak up huge amounts of punishment dished out by RAF fighters and would often return to base riddled with hundreds of bullet holes. E-1. typically mounted immediately in front of the rear cockpit. Official Luftwaffe doctrine was to attack bombers from the rear and above. The Bf 110 was conceived as a Zerstrer, a long range escort fighter equally able to undertake defensive or offensive tasks. As stated, it was originally designed as a three seat aircraft, but throughout the war was only to accommodate a crew of two and used as a fighter escort for bomber formations and also used as a light bomber that could also handle missions that required deep penetration into enemy . (Z)/JG 5 lost three Bf 110 at the hands of Soviet. One is a tough, working animal and the other one's a sleek fast dog, but I think their characteristics were comparable to the dog world.". Raumfahrt, Germany: Aviatic Verlag, 2001. . However the fortunes for the mostly Bf 110 equipped force turned during late August/September 1943. After a few initial successes, the Stuka suffered heavily against RAF fighters. This engagement saw the death of 50-victory ace Marmaduke Pattle of No 33 Squadron. In late 1938, the DB 601 B-1 engines became available. Would You Like This Plane In-Game? On 9 April, ZG 76 committed 77 to an USAAF raid on Berlin. [69] [23][24] Virtual Lecture Why did the West overestimate Russian military capabilities and why does this matter? When these units returned to the Reich, they were depleted and required reforming, retraining and re-equipping. Introduced in 1937, the Bf 110 saw consistent service over all of the fronts involving German forces and its allies. Most of the German night fighter aces flew the Bf 110 at some point during their combat careers and the top night fighter ace, Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, flew it exclusively and claimed 121 victories in 164 sorties. The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110. was a twin-engine "Zerstrer" (Destroyer, heavy fighter) and fighter-bomber developed in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and used by the Luftwaffe during World War II. All rights reserved. "German Aircraft of World War II Blog Mid-Series Messerschmitt Bf 110". The Bf 110F was introduced to take advantage of the powerful new DB 601F engine, and as the F-4 night-fighter got early Lichtenstein radar equipment. Me 262 Volume 3 continues J. Richard Smith's and Eddie J. Creek's detailed analysis of the world's first operational jet fighter and fighter-bomber. During the Balkans Campaign, North African Campaign and on the Eastern Front, it rendered valuable ground support to the German Army as a potent fighter-bomber (Jagdbomber-Jabo). The V2 used the BMW 132Dc radial engines generating 870PS compared with the 640PS Jumo. Luftwaffe night fighter ace Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer was the highest scorer in the Defence of the Reich campaign and ended the war with 121 aerial victories, virtually all of them achieved while flying examples of the Bf 110. But Luftwaffe losses were high; 15% of crews were killed in the first three months of 1944.[73]. jubrick.05 on Instagram: "Messerschmitt Bf 110+Kettenkrad "The [59] On such missions USAAF bombers were afforded limited protection by American fighters, which did not yet have sufficient range to escort the bombers all the way to and from the target on deeper raids. The 110 units also escorted He 111, Ju 88 & Do 17 units during the Battle.

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