Messerschmitt Bf 110

The Messerschmitt Bf 110 (or Me 110) was a twin-engine heavy fighter in the service of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Later in the war it was changed to fighter-bomber and night fighter operations, and it became the major night fighter type of the Luftwaffe.

History

In 1934 several countries in Europe began research and design of the strategic fighter, called the Kampfzerstörer (battle destroyer). The RLM, pushed by Hermann Göring issued a request for a new multipurpose fighter. Specifically the request called for a twin engined, three seat, all metal monoplane that was armed with cannons as well as a bomb bay. Only three companies out of the original seven responded to the request. These included BFW (Messerschmitt), Focke-Wulf and Henschel. Due to BFW ignoring most of the Kampfzerstörer specifications by RLM, only Focke-Wulf and Henschel were given the funds to build several prototype aircraft. By luck (and pressure by Ernst Udet) RLM reconsidered the ideas of the Kampfzerstörer and began focus on Zerstörer. Due to these changes the BFW design better fit RLM's requests. On May 12, 1936, Rudolf Optiz took flight in the first Bf110 out of Augsburg. But, as many pre-war designs found, the engine technologies promised were not up to acceptable reliablity standards. Even with the tempermental DB600A engines, the RLM found the Bf110, while not as manuverable as liked, was quite a bit faster than the RLM original request specified, as well as faster than the then current front line fighter the Bf109B-1. Thus the order for four pre-production A-0 units was placed. The first of these were delivered on January of 1937. During this testing both the Focke-Wulf and Henschel planes were ruled out of the running and the Bf110 was ordered into full production.

The initial deliveries of the Bf110 encountered several issues with delivery of the DB600A motors, and thus BFW was forced to install Junkers Jumo 210B engines which left the Bf110 seriously underpowered, able to reach a top speed of only 268 MPH. The armament of the A-0 units was also limited to four nose mounted MG 17 machine guns.

Even without the deliveries of the DB601 engines, BWF began assembly the Bf110 in the summer of 1937 in anticipation of the engines deliveries. As the DB601 engines continued to have issues, BWF was forced to continue using Jumo motors, the 210G, which supplied 700 HP each (versus the 610 supplied by the 210B). Three distinct versions of the Bf110B were built, the B-1, which featured a total of four MG 17 and 2 MG FF 20mm cannons. The B-2 reconnaissance verion, which installed a camera in place of the cannon armament, and the B-3 which was utilized as a trainer, with the cannon removed, and extra radio equipment installed in its place. Only 45 Bf110B's were built before the Jumo 210G engine production line ended. The major identifier of the A & B 110's was the very large "mouth" bath radiators located under the engine.

In the later months of 1938 the DB601A-1 engines finally became available. With the new engine, the design teams removed the radiators under the engine, and replaced them with a water/glycol radiators located under the wing, to the outside of the engines. With the DB601 engine, the Bf110's maximum speed increased to a respectable 336 MPH with a range of approximately 680 miles.

A total of at least 7 major revisions of the Bf110C existed as listed below. The Bf110C was the first Bf110 to see widespread combat and enjoyed some success in the Polish and French campaigns. With experiences fighting in Norway, efforts were made to extend the combat range of the Bf110, these became the Bf110D Long Range(langstrecken) Zerstörer. Several different external fuel tanks resulted in no less than four versions of the Bf110D, including the Dackelbauch tank, which due to cold weather and limited knowledge of fuel vapors, sometimes exploded, leading, at the time, to unexplained losses during the North Sea patrols.

The Battle of Britain revealed its fatal weaknesses as a daylight fighter against single-engine aircraft. Its size and weight meant that it had high wing loading, which limited its manoeuvrability. Furthermore, although it had a slightly higher top speed than contemporary RAF Hurricanes, it had poor acceleration.

After the Battle of Britain Bf 110 units were largely moved to the Russian and Mediterranean theatres of war. The production of the Bf 110 was put on a low priority in 1941 in expectation of the Me 210. During this time, two versions of the Bf 110 were developed, the E and F models. The E was designed as a fighter bomber (Zerstörer Jabo), able to carry four ETC 50 racks under the wing, along with the centerline bomb rack. The first E, the Bf 110E-1 was originally powered by the DB601A engine, but shifted to the DB601N as they became available in quantity. The E models also had upgrade armor and some fuselage upgrades to support the added weight.

The Bf 110F featured the new DB601F engines which produced 1350 HP (almost double the original Jumo engines provided), which allowed for upgraded armor, strengthening, and increased weight with no loss in performance. Three common versions of the F model existed.

Although the Me 210 entered service in mid-1941, it was eventually withdrawn in favour of a further development. There were insufficient aircraft to fully replace the Bf 110 in that role and thus the Bf 110 fought until the end of the war. In the wake of the failure of the Me 210 the Bf 110G was designed. Fitted with the DB601F engines, producing 1475 HP in War Emergency setting, and 1355 at alititude, the Bf 110G also underwent some changes which improved the aerodynamics of the aircraft, as well as improved nose armament. No Bf 110G-1 existed, as the Bf 110G-2 became the baseline Bf 110G and was fitted with a large number of Rüstsätze, making the G the most versitile of the Bf 110.

Eventually withdrawn from daylight fighting, the Bf 110 enjoyed later success as a nightfighter where its range, firepower and ability to mount a radar stood it in good stead. It was also used as a ground attack aircraft starting with the C-4/B model, and as a bomber interceptor, where its heavy firepower was particularly useful. Later on there were dedicated ground attack versions which proved reasonably successful. The Bf 110 served the Luftwaffe extensively in various roles, except in its intended role as a heavy fighter.

Armament

Early versions had four MG 17 machine guns in the upper nose and two 20 mm MG FF/M cannons fitted in the lower part of the nose. Later versions replaced the MG FF/M with the more powerful 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons and many G-series aircraft had two 30 mm MK 108 cannons fitted instead of the MG 17 (or MG 151/20). The defensive armament consisted of a single, flexible mounted MG 15 machine gun. Late F-series and prototype G-series were upgraded to a 7.92 mm MG 81 machine gun with a higher rate of fire and the G-series was equipped with the twin-version MG 81Z.

The fighter-bomber versions could carry up to 2,000 kg of bombs depending on the type. Many G-series night fighters were built with the Schräge Musik off-bore gun system for shooting down bombers while passing underneath, equipped with two MG FF/M.

Variants

Me 110 A-series - prototypes with two Jumo 210 engines.

Me 110A-0 - The designation of the first four pre-production aircraft.

Me 110 B-series - Small scale production with two DB 600 engines.
Me 110B-0 -

Me 110B-1 -

Me 110B-2 -

Me 110B-3 -

Me 110 C-series - first major production series.

Me 110C-0 -

Me 110C-1 -

Me 110C-2 -

Me 110C-4 -

Me 110C-4 - Heavy fighter.

Me 110C-4/B - Fighter bomber based on C-4, 2x 250 kg bombs.

Me 110C-5 - Reconnaissance model with two 1,175 hp DB 601P engines.

Me 110C-7 - Fighter-bomber, two 500 kg bombs, redesignation of C-4/B equipped with two DB 601P engines.

Me 110 D-series - Heavy fighter/fighter-bomber, extreme range versions based on C-series, often stationed in Norway.

Me-110D-0 -

Me-110D-1 -

Me-110D-2 - Long-range fighter-bomber version.

Me-110D-3 - Convoy escort version.

Me 110 E-series - Mostly fighter bombers, strengthened airframe, up to 1,200 kg bombload.

Me 110E-O -

Me 110E-1 -

Me 110E-2 -

Me 110E-3 - Long-range reconnaissance version.

Me 110 F-series - Same as the E, again strengthened airframe, better armor, two 1,350 hp (1,010 kW) DB 601F engines.

Me 110F-1 -

Me-110F-2 -

Me-110F-3 -

Me 110F-4 - The first real night fighter (specially designed for this usage, 3-crew).

Me 110 G-series - Improved F-series, two 1,475 hp (1,100 kW) DB 605B engines, tail rudders increased in size.

Me 110G-1 -

Me 110G-2 - Fighter-bomber, fast bomber, destroyer, often used against allied heavy bombers. (Equipped with rockets).

Me 110G-3 -

Me 110G-4 - 3-crew night fighter, FuG 202/212/220 Lichtenstein radar, Schräge Musik

Me 110 H-series - The final version, similar to the G, prototype/design stage only, cancelled

Notes

On May 10, 1941, Rudolph Hess, a senior Nazi official, used a Bf 110 to fly from Augsburg, north of Munich, to Scotland, in order to broker a peace deal between Germany and the British Empire.

Operators

Germany, Hungary, Italy and Romania

Specifications (Messerschmitt Bf 110C-4)

General characteristics

Crew: 2 (3 for night fighter variants)

Performance Armament

2x 20 mm MG FF/M cannons
4x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns
1x 7.92 mm MG 15 for defense