One of the Bf 110 pilots killed during the battle was Herman Göring’s nephew, Hans-Joachim Göring. He obtained his first ‘kill’ with this machine on the night of 1-2 June 1942. ZG 26 claimed 13 RAF fighters shot down, which "was not far off the mark", for three losses and five damaged. Around 12 Bf 110s were lost over Crete. Shown above is a Bf 110G-4. Aug 18, 2020 - Explore David Michalski's board "Bf-110 Nightfighter", followed by 223 people on Pinterest. [3] Development work on an improved type to replace the Bf 110, the Messerschmitt Me 210 began before the war started, but its teething troubles resulted in the Bf 110 soldiering on until the end of the war in various roles, alongside its replacements, the Me 210 and the Me 410. in the Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4, C9 + EN night fighter. The Bf 110s destroyed 25 Danish military aircraft stationed on the Værløse airbase on 9 April through ground strafing. 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) Zerstörer. They just sit on the ground, GLARING at eachother, possibly barking. [5] Some Bf 110 units had been equipped with the experimental Schräge Musik system, an emplacement of two upward-firing cannon, which for its initial installations placed the twin-cannon fitment almost midway down the cockpit canopy behind the pilot, which could attack the blind spot of RAF Bomber Command's Lancaster and Halifax bombers, which lacked a ventral turret. I(Z)./LG 1 also contributed. On 10 May, ZG 1 claimed 26 Dutch aircraft destroyed on the ground on Haamstede airfield. JGr 2 also claimed 28 aerial and 50 ground victories.[6]. Positive capabilities of this aircraft include an outstanding turn time, menacing offensive armament, amazing acceleration and all-out straight-line speed. Its weight (almost four tons) meant that it lacked maneuverability and acceleration compared to British Spitfire and Hurricane fighters. It was also used as a ground attack aircraft, starting with the C-4/B model, and as a day bomber interceptor, where its heavy firepower was particularly useful. It never flew another mission in this capacity. [63] Creek. 21) rocket tubes, with two of these under each outer wing panel, and additional armament, the 110 was vulnerable to Allied escort fighters, partly from the development of a major change in American fighter tactics at the end of 1943, rendering them increasingly vulnerable to developing American air supremacy over the Reich. [18], During the Phoney War, a number of French aircraft were shot down by Bf 110s. Many RAF crews witnessed a sudden explosion of a friendly aircraft, but assumed, in some cases, it was very accurate flak. The handling characteristics were also affected; the Bf 110 was not manoeuvrable to begin with and the added weight made it worse. Most predominantly the BF-110/Me-110 Zerstörer – German for "Destroyer". As long as the brunt of air opposition in that front consisted of slow and outclassed Polikarpov I-153, I-15bis and I-16 fighters, and the tactics and training of the Soviet pilots were inferior to those of the German airmen, the Bf 110 could still more than hold its own in the skies of the East. Company Imports Trove of M1 Carbines from Ethiopia to Sell in US, US Marine MIA for More Than 70 Years on Tarawa Atoll Returned to Home Town from Pacific Atoll, German Mass Grave Discovered in Stalingrad, Rocket Propelled Grenades – A One Man Wrecking Crew in Photos, The Highest-Scoring Female Fighter Ace Ever: The Short but Daring Life of Lydia Litvyak, Predators of the Seas: Life Inside a U-Boat – In 41 Images, Divers cleaning up the ocean net themselves an Enigma machine, “Big Lizzie” met 2 Russian Blackjacks Last Week off the Coast of Scotland, Footage of 60,000 German Prisoners Paraded Through Moscow, ‘Barn Finds’, Mosquito, P-51 & Others, The Aviation Equivalent of Aladdin’s Cave. [64] The Bf 110 also supported the German defence during Big Week in February 1944, as Lt. Gen. Doolittle's tactical changes for the 8th Air Force's escort fighters (increasingly consisting of P-51 Mustangs) went into effect: The experiences of Zerstörergeschwader "Horst Wessel", a Bf 110 squadron, indicates what happened to twin-engine fighters in the new combat environment. The initial raid was against Wilhelmshaven. Two RAF Gladiators were claimed by future night fighter ace Martin Drewes, but RAF raids badly damaged two Bf 110s. Rome: IBN editore, 1996. de Zeng, H.L., D.G. At this time, the Bf 110 remained the backbone of the night force, although it was now being reinforced by the Junkers Ju 88. One of the Bf 110 units assigned to air defence in this sector was Lehrgeschwader 1. Many G-4 models were also fitted with the Schraege Musik system. (Links change over time; you can also go to Revell.com.) Schoolboys in Nazi Germany fantasized about becoming not single-engine fighter pilots but members of a Zerstörer crew. It is not clear if they managed to shoot down any of their attackers.[62]. On 17 September 1942 the Bf 110Es of the 5./ZG 1 ran into four. The Bf 110 would be the backbone of the Nachtjagdgeschwader throughout the war. [54] Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring insisted that all aircraft, including the night fighter force, would be put into the air to resist these attacks against Germany. Their Lichtenstein radar was primitive but plenty good enough to hunt down British heavy bombers. 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 box art was very nice, but otherwise the kit was a typical product of its era - simplified and inaccurate in key areas. The only other replacement type was the Dornier Do 335, which existed in the form of only a few airworthy prototypes at the time, still undergoing test flight programs. When they arrived at the designated contact point there was nothing left to meet. 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. [20] However, this was tempered by the loss of nine Bf 110s against the RAF on 15 May. [19] During the campaign, the Bf 110 demonstrated its capabilities as a strike aircraft. Most machines were withdrawn to Nazi Germany for the Defense of the Reich operations. Its size and weight meant that it had high wing loading, which limited its maneuverability. See more ideas about Messerschmitt, Luftwaffe, Ww2 aircraft. The fighter would generally target engines or fuel tanks if possible since firing directly into the bomb bay produced such a huge explosion that there was a risk of the attacker being damaged. Using this, NJG 5's Leutnant Peter Erhardt destroyed four bombers in 30 minutes. [11] The raid convinced RAF Bomber Command to consider abandoning the daylight bombing of Germany in favour of night actions. 223 were lost in the course of it.[33]. The design excelled at "high escort" where Bf-110 squadrons were sent well ahead of the bombers to clear the skies of enemy aircraft, using their speed and firepower advantages in diving attacks to counter the enemy's maneuverability, then breaking contact and climbing away,[28] what the Americans would later call "Boom-and-Zoom." In the mid-1930s, there was a great deal of interest in the concept of the heavy fighter, namely a fighter aircraft with at least two engines which would give improved survivability in combat as well as possess the ability to carry heavier weapons and have a longer range. The British defences and a Gloster Gladiator pilot claimed credit. Their seeming absence has often been equated with the simultaneous disappearance from the Battle of the Ju 87. The first attack on 27 January was conducted with 60 B-17s, and was met by resistance from JG-1. Many Nachtjagdgeschwader had taken part in costly daylight battles of attrition. Once again, the Bf 110 encountered foreign flown Messerschmitt Bf 109s, this time belonging to the Yugoslav Air Force. Most of the units protecting western Germany from aerial attack were equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Also killed in this battle was the ace F/Lt W.J. 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. [29], The worst day of the battle for the Bf 110 was 15 August 1940, when nearly 30 Bf 110s were shot down, the equivalent of an entire Gruppe. In game it is one of the fastest aircraft at its battle rating with a speed of 582/560 km/h (arcade and realistic bat… Between 11 and 13 May, most of the 82 aerial claims over Belgium were made by the Bf 110 equipped ZG 26. [8] RAF Bomber Command sent 22 Vickers Wellington bombers to attack the German naval base at Wilhelmshaven. It had a range of 1,500 miles (compared to just 400 miles for the Bf 109), it was almost as fast as most single engine fighters, and it was armed with up to four 20mm MG FF cannon plus four MG 17, 7.92mm machine guns in its nose, giving it more firepower than any other contemporary fighter. Total production: 6050 units. [7] ZG 1 Gruppenkommander Hauptmann Hannes Gentzen became the highest-scoring fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe on 2 April, when he shot down a Curtiss Hawk over Argonne. Luftwaffe night fighters are featured. As a result, ZG 2 was disbanded, and all its surviving aircraft were transferred to ZG 1.[51]. [69] In late 1943 and early 1944 Bf 110 formations were frequently devastated by the roving Allied fighters. It was the mount of Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, the most successful night fighter pilot in history and he scored all off his 121 of his kills in it, including nine Lancasters on one night. Most units that operated the 110 did so for reconnaissance. According to the Luftwaffe Order of Battle, a total of 102 Bf 110s were used in the September Campaign with a loss of about 10 aircraft. No further losses of the type occurred for the remainder of the campaign. This allowed bombers to be targeted in full darkness, but it had a very short range and proved ineffective as an operational interception device. 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 photo has been taken by war reporters of the 5th Luftwaffe in Oslo1940.Photo: Pilz CC BY-SA 4.0 It proved so devastatingly effective against British bombers in the winter of 1943/44 that some British raids produced unsupportable levels of casualties. In September 1943, Arthur Harris, convinced that a strategic bombing campaign against Germany's cities would force a German collapse, pressed for further mass attacks. This BF 110 E-2 (Werksnummer 4516) night fighter served with II./NJG 1 and was flown by the highest decorated night fighter ‘ace’ Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer. Along with the Me 410, it formed the newly rebuilt ZG 26, equipped with three gruppen (two Bf 110 and one Me 410), based near Hannover. Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstörer (heavy fighter) of the German Luftwaffe. (Z)/JG 5 lost three Bf 110 at the hands of Soviet. However, in 1940, the RAF switched from daylight bombing raids against Nazi targets to night bombing. This ignorance was compounded by the tracerless ammunition used by the Bf 110s, as well as firing on the British bombers blind spots. However the fortunes for the mostly Bf 110 equipped force turned during late August/September 1943. Another is on display in the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin. Neither. [15], The Zerstörerwaffe performed well when it encountered mostly British bombers. We have had the option of the Mauve kit (based on the old Fujimi Bf 110 C), and Monogram's Bf 110 G-4 in 1/48 scale until now. This aircraft is incredibly versatile due to the variety of offensive weapons wh… The unit worked up over January and February to operational ready status. From June–August, it had increased from around 2% to 9.8%. Falck's unit, I./ZG 76, claimed 31 kills during the campaign, of which 19 were confirmed. Prior to this we had only seen a handful of 1/72 scale Messerschmitt Bf 110 G releases over the decades. Total losses during this campaign amounted to little more than 20. Bf 110 of Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 (1943). [53], In January 1943 the Eighth Air Force began taking their daylight operations into Germany. Several different external fuel tanks, originally a 1,200 L (320 US gal) centerline ventral fuel tank (nicknamed Dackelbauch (dachshund's belly), later 300 L or 900 L (240 US gal) underwing-mounted tanks, resulted in no less than four versions of the Bf 110D. Messerschmitt Bf 110s were introduced in 1937 as formidable Luftwaffe heavy fighters. Lack losses suffered during the Battle of Britain caused the Bf 110 to spend the rest of WWII as night fighter. In the far north, in the battlefields between Kirkenes (Norway) and the port of Murmansk, the Bf 110 still could claim important successes in the first half of 1942. The campaign in the desert would last for ten days. The Luftwaffe began the battle with 237 Bf 110s and it lost more than 200 in combat over England in the late summer of 1940. The Bf 110Es were capable of carrying a respectable bomb load of 4,410 lb (2,000 kg) as fighter-bombers, while straight fighter and … The Messerschmitt Me-110 “destroyer” was shot down in droves during the Battle of Britain, but it went on to become World War II’s most successful night fighter. 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. RAF Bomber Command had "nearly burned out". At 12:13 pm on February 20, 13 Bf 110s scrambled after approaching formations. 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. (H)/11 and 7. 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. This would be rare throughout the remainder of the war.[66]. [63], On 22 February, six Bf 110s were lost for two kills against B-17s, while on 6 March, five Bf 110s were lost and one damaged out of nine machines committed. Two Zerstörergeschwader, (1 and 76), were committed, with 64 aircraft. This engagement saw the death of 50-victory ace Marmaduke Pattle of No 33 Squadron. Gordon Gollob, future General der Jagdflieger. Opposition was light until 1942, when British heavy bombers started to appear. On 2 April 1944, the Bf 110 achieved one of its final successful engagements. With improved performance and armament, as well as devices which allowed them to find RAF bombers in total darkness, the last version of the Bf 110 became a lethal night fighter. The problem was that the Bf 110 was simply too vulnerable against more maneuverable single-engine fighters to survive in a combat environment. Official Luftwaffe doctrine was to attack bombers from the rear and above. 181-182. These radars were able to give the target’s altitude and speed and were accurate enough to guide the fighter to within 500m of a bomber, by which time the Bf 110s Liechtenstein radar would be able to lock on. German night fighter model lockdown anti boredom project.61 inch wing span,fitted with two OS glow engines,Interesting thing was a successful flying model however it has been in my storage building hanging from the ceiling for a long time so will require some work to fly again,both engines turn with compression.good potential.collection or delivery by me possible 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 Armée de l'Air over Verdun. After the 18 August there was a marked reduction in the number of Zerstörer operations. The Lichtenstein FuG220 equipment consist of transmitter S, receiver E, T/R unit W, multi-element direction finding antenna array, motor driven antenna switch and indicator unit SG. The Luftwaffe had embarked on the battle with 237 serviceable Bf 110s. The Bf 110 Zerstörerwaffe (Destroyer Force) saw considerable action during operation Operation Weserübung, the invasion of Denmark and Norway. One Danish Fokker C.V did manage to get airborne but was immediately shot down. [25], The campaign in the west that followed in 1940 demonstrated that the Bf 110 was vulnerable in hostile skies. Jul 16, 2017 - Explore Mat Lambert's board "Me Bf110 Nightfighter" on Pinterest. Of all twin engine fighters of WWII, Messerschmitt Bf 110 was the most successful, followed by Junkers Ju 88, De Havilland Mosquito and Bristol Beaufighter. While a lack of maneuverability might have limited its use as a day fighter, the Bf 110 made an ideal night fighter. For example, Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, one of the Luftwaffe’s leading night fighter aces, was flying a Bf 110 G-4 equipped with Schraege Musik canon and Liechtenstein radar when he attacked a stream of British Lancaster bombers on the night of 21st February 1945. Aircraft were vectored towards a target by ground controllers using Wurzburg and Freya radar. A couple of examples show the increasing toll taken by the Bf 110 in the hands of the Soviet airmen: At the beginning of Operation Blau, on 28 June 1942, the Luftflotte 4 has 86 operational Zerstorers, including fifteen Bf 110 which performed reconnaissance duties in three units – 3. The second raid 4 February was mounted against the marshaling yards at Hamm. [32] The bomber, however, had no visibility below and would be unable to see the Bf 110 as it slid into position. One, a Bf 110 G-4 night fighter that had been surrendered to the Allies in May 1945 at Grove airfield in Denmark, is displayed at RAF Museum London at Hendon in North London, United Kingdom. Afterward, Horten said, Gentlemen, be very careful if you should ever come up against the English. Oberleutnant Alfred Wehmeyer scored three nocturnal kills against Allied bombers in the space of a week. Later on, there were dedicated ground attack versions which proved reasonably successful. (H)/31, 3. Six minutes later three more took off to join the first group. His aircraft crashed into Portland Harbour. [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. 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. [44] Schenk was to achieve 18 aerial victory credits on the Zerstorer, and was awarded with Eichenlaub (Oak Leaves) for the Knight's Cross on 30 October 1942. This book concentrates on the career of the Bf 110 as a daylight fighter. During these battles, a future 110-kill Luftwaffe ace, Helmut Lent, scored his fifth and sixth victories against Norwegian opposition. 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. This limitation of tactical flexibility greatly hampered the ability of the Bf 110 to counter enemy single-engine fighters on a level of parity. Then came the Battle of Britain and suddenly, the Bf 110 didn’t look as invincible as it had previously. It was badly mauled during the battle. In response, the Bf 110 F-4/U-1 variant was fitted with a completely new weapon system. Between 16 and 17 August, 23 more were lost.[30]. The Zerstörer (Destroyer) entered service with the Luftwaffe in 1937. Overall 5 B-17s were lost on the mission, one due to a mid-air collision with a Fw 190, but of the 8 Bf 110 aircraft put up, all 8 suffered significant damage. [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. It had a long loiter time, lots of firepower, and an extra set of eyes. [9] Actual losses were 11 Wellingtons and six damaged to varying degrees. The Bf 110 served the Luftwaffe extensively in various roles, though no longer in its intended role as a heavy fighter. [36] Messerschmitt Bf 110 of LG1 in flight, July 1940 Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstörer (Destroyer) was a twin-engine heavy fighter / night fighter developed in Germany in the 1930s and used by the Luftwaffe and others during World War II. The targets around Frankfurt and the Saar region were hit. 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. However, on 4 and 27 September, 15 Bf 110s were lost on each day. When these units returned to the Reich, they were depleted and required reforming, retraining and re-equipping. American fighters had jumped the 13 Bf 110s from the sun and shot down 11. The Ruhr Area was the prime target for British bombers in 1943, and German defences inflicted a considerable loss rate. Oct 8, 2015 - Here are some images of Monogram/ProModeler's 1/48 scale Messerschmitt Bf-110-G4 Night Fighter. It performed well against the Belgian, Dutch and French Air Forces, suffering relatively light losses, but was quickly outclassed by increasing numbers of Hurricanes and Spitfires, especially when forced into a tactical role it was never intended for – close range bomber escort – where it was unable to take advantage of its superior altitude performance and speed, and was forced to wait for the enemy to attack rather than roaming about finding and destroying enemy aircraft, as the original Zerstörer concept had intended. The losses had "marked the beginning of the end of the Bf 110 Zerstörer as a first-line weapon in the RLV". However, as a night fighter, a role for which it had never been designed, the Bf 110 proved to be devastatingly effective. Later in the war, it was developed into a formidable night fighter, becoming the major night-fighting aircraft of the Luftwaffe. Three intact Bf 110s are known to exist, although one of them is rebuilt from rescued parts from several different airframes. One was destroyed by Allied bombing at Zagreb; the other survived and sought sanctuary at Klagenfurt in Austria with other retreating ZNDH aircraft in May 1945. Stanket and E.J. During this time, a number of United States Army Air Forces B-24 Liberators were destroyed. About five Bf 110s were shot down by Swiss Bf 109s. A number of Bf 110 aces were lost in aerial combat during this period, and other losses were considerable. Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstorer Aces of World War 2 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces), John Weal. A third is displayed in a private museum northwest of Helsingoer, Denmark. Few of the German fighters were seen, let alone fired on. The Bf 110 was considered to be obsolete and phased out of production accordingly. 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