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Messerschmitt Bf 110
| Bf 110 | |
|---|---|
 Bf 110 of Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 (1943) | |
| General information | |
| Type | |
| Manufacturer | |
| Primary users | Luftwaffe |
| Number built | 6,170[1] |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1937 |
| First flight | 12 May 1936 |
| Retired | 1945 (Luftwaffe) |
| Variants | |
| Developed into | Messerschmitt Me 210 |
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110,[Note 1] is a twin-engined Zerstörer (destroyer, heavy fighter), fighter-bomber (Jagdbomber or Jabo), and night fighter (Nachtjäger) designed by the German aircraft company Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) and produced by successor company Messerschmitt. It was primarily operated by the Luftwaffe and was active throughout the Second World War.
Development of the Bf 110 commenced during the first half of the 1930s; one early proponent of the type was Hermann Göring, who believed its heavy armament, speed, and range would make it the premier offensive fighter of the Luftwaffe. Early variants were armed with a pair of MG FF 20 mm cannon, four 7.92 mm (.323 in) MG 17 machine guns, and one 7.92 mm (.323 in) MG 15 machine gun for defence (later variants would replace the MG FFs with MG 151s and the rear gunner station would be armed with the twin-barreled MG 81Z). Development work on an improved type to replace the Bf 110 - the Messerschmitt Me 210 - began before the conflict started, but its shakedown troubles resulted in the Bf 110 soldiering on until the end of the war in various roles. Its intended replacements, the aforementioned Me 210 and the significantly improved Me 410 Hornisse, never fully replaced the Bf 110.[2]
The Bf 110 served with considerable success in the early campaigns in Poland, Norway, and France. The primary weakness of the Bf 110 was its lack of manoeuvrability, although this could be mitigated with better tactics. This weakness was exploited by the RAF, when Bf 110s were flown as close escort to German bombers during the Battle of Britain.[3] When British bombers began targeting German territory with nightly raids, some Bf 110-equipped units were converted to night fighters, a role to which the aircraft was well suited. 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 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF)'s Eighth Air Force, until an American change in fighter tactics rendered them increasingly vulnerable to developing American air supremacy over the Reich as 1944 began.[4]
During the Balkans and North African campaigns and on the Eastern Front, the Bf 110 rendered valuable ground support to the German Army as a potent fighter-bomber.[5] Later in the conflict, it was developed into a formidable radar-equipped night fighter, becoming the principal night-fighting aircraft of the Luftwaffe. The majority 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.[6] In addition to its use by the Luftwaffe, other operators of the type included the Hungarian Air Force, the Regia Aeronautica, and the Romanian Air Force.
- ^ Donald 1994, p. 221.
- ^ Smith and Kay 1972, pp. 527-528, 566-569.
- ^ Smith and Kay 1972, pp. 495-498.
- ^ Smith and Kay 1972, pp. 503-504.
- ^ Smith and Kay 1972, pp. 498-500.
- ^ Spick 1996, p. 242.
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