BF 110-Zestroyer

[cyberia]

A BF-110 over the French countryside, 1940

Not one of the most successful fighters Germany produced during the war, but I love the look of this aircraft.

Developed by Messerschmitt in response to a call by the Luftwaffe in 1934 for a Kampfzerstörer, or battle destroyer, the first Bf-110 was flown on 12 May 1936, Rudolf Opitz.

Initial deliveries of the Bf 110 encountered several issues with delivery of the DB 600 motors, which forced Bayerische Flugzeugwerke to install Junkers Jumo 210B engines, which left the Bf 110 seriously underpowered and 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 delivery of the DB 600 engines, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke began assembly the Bf 110 in the summer of 1937. As the DB 600 engines continued to have issues, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke 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 Bf 110B were built, the B-1, which featured a total of four MG 17 and two MG FF 20 mm cannons. The B-2 reconnaissance version, which installed a camera in place of the cannons, and the B-3 which was utilized as a trainer, with the cannons replaced by extra radio equipment. Only 45 Bf 110Bs were built before the Jumo 210G engine production line ended. The major identifier of the A & B 110s was the very large "mouth" bath radiators located under the engine.

In the later months of 1938, the DB 601 B-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 DB 601 engine, the Bf 110's maximum speed increased to a respectable 336 mph with a range of approximately 680 miles.

A Bf-110 in flight over the Mediterranean

The Bf 110 Zerstörerwaffe (Destroyer Force) saw considerable action during operation Operation Weserübung the invasion of Denmark and Norway. The campaign in the west that followed in 1940 demonstrated the '110 was vulnerable in hostile skies. It performed well against the Belgian, Dutch and French Air Forces, suffering relatively light losses, but on encountering increasing numbers of Hurricanes and Spitfires it was to become quickly outclassed. The Zerstörerwaffe had lost 60 machines in the Western Campaign.

The Battle of Britain revealed the Bf 110's fatal weaknesses as a daylight fighter against single-engine aircraft. A relatively large aircraft, it lacked the agility of the Hawker Hurricane or Supermarine Spitfire and was easily seen. The WWI-era Bristol Fighter had done well with a rear gunner firing a rifle-caliber machinegun, but by WW2 this was insufficient to deter the eight-gun fighters facing the Bf 110. Its size and weight meant that it had high wing loading, which limited its maneuverability. Furthermore, although it had a significantly higher top speed than contemporary RAF Hurricanes, it had poor acceleration. However, it was unique at the time as a long range bomber escort, and did not have the problems of restricted range that hampered the Bf 109E. Although outclassed, it was still formidable as a high escort for bombers using the tactic of diving upon an enemy, delivering a long range burst from its powerful forward-facing armament, then breaking contact to run for it.

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 its replacement by 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 110 E-1 was originally powered by the DB 601B engine, but shifted to the DB 601P as they became available in quantity. The E models also had upgraded armor and some fuselage upgrades to support the added weight. Most pilots of the Bf 110E considered the aircraft slow and unresponsive, one former Bf 110 pilot commenting the E was "rigged and a total dog."

A Bf-110 on a snowy runway in Norway

Eventually withdrawn from daylight fighting, the Bf 110 enjoyed later success as a nightfighter, where its range and firepower stood it in good stead for the remainder of the war. The airframe allowed for a dedicated radar operator, and the open nose had space for radar antennae, unlike the single-engined fighters. As the war wore on, the increased weight of armament and radar detection equipment ( along with a third crew member) took an increasing toll of the aircraft's performance.

Bf-110G Nachtjager

Luftwaffe night fighter ace Heinz-Wolfgang Schnauffer ended the war with 121 aerial victories, virtually all of them achieved while flying examples of the Bf 110.

Close up Nachtjager "antler" radar antenna at the RAF Museum in London
Note the flame suppressors covering exhausts

The Bf 110's main strength was its ability to accept some extreme weaponry. 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, especially those who served in the bomber-destroyer role, had two 30 mm MK 108 cannons fitted instead of the MG 17. 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. Many G-series night fighters were retrofitted or factory-built with the Schräge Musik off-bore gun system for shooting down bombers while passing underneath, frequently equipped with two MG FF/M, but field installations of the MG 151/20 or MK 108 cannons were also utilized. The Schräge Musik cannons were typically mounted to the back of the rear cockpit.

The Bf 110G-2/R1 was also capable of accepting armament such as the Bordkanone series BK 37 cannon. A single hit from this weapon was usually certain death to any Allied bomber.

The fighter-bomber versions could carry up to 2,000 kg of bombs depending on the type.

Another role the Bf 110 took on was as a potent bomber-destroyer. The extreme power of the Bf 110's weaponry could cripple or destroy any Allied bomber in seconds. Without encountering an Allied escort, it was capable of wreaking immense destruction. When encumbered with rocket tubes (firing a 210 mm converted mortar rocket) and additional armament, the 110 was vulnerable to Allied escort fighters. In late 1943 and early 1944 Bf 110 formations were frequently decimated by the roving Allied fighters.

A Bf 110 is on display in the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin
Note the empty bomb racks on the underside on the wings

[lufttiger]

Didn't they stop making these when they did the 410?
I really like how the 410 turned out, it looked really cool.

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by lufttiger

Didn't they stop making these when they did the 410?
I really like how the 410 turned out, it looked really cool.

Actually they went on producing them right into 1945. However, the superior He 219 replaced the Bf 110 as the plane of choice as a night fighter.

[McCoy]

Zerstroyer? Don't you mean Zerstörer?

[MAGNA]

I have always been confused by the exhausts on the standard model. Some sources I have show them as up on the outside and down on the inside. Two others show them as all facing up (these are drawings). Are there different variants or is one of the source sets wrong ?

[Geek44]

An early Bf 110 C-4 nightfighter in all-black finish has its guns harmonised. This aircraft served with 1./NJG 3 who's emblem can be seen in the pic. It is believed that this photo was taken in Benghazi in North Africa. The aircraft has undergone repair and has had an undercarriage door and tail fin replacement, both of which retain their day-fighter camouflage patterns.

Bf110C-4Njg..jpg

Peace.

[Geek44]

Originally Posted by MAGNA

I have always been confused by the exhausts on the standard model. Some sources I have show them as up on the outside and down on the inside. Two others show them as all facing up (these are drawings). Are there different variants or is one of the source sets wrong ?

There are different variants and different configurations. Later exhausts with flame suppressors were different again.
The two nightfighters in cyberia's post are 'G' versions...the others ae 'C' versions I believe. Note more streamlined spinners on the 'G' version. Aircraft equipped with radar arrays for FuG 212, 'Lichtenstein' and others with 'antlers' were also modified with larger area vertical tail fins. The radar arrays messed with directional stability.
Peace.

[MAGNA]

Thank Geek. I have also noticed nearly every picture I see of the 110 is from the left. Must be it's best side.

[Wustenfuchs]

Bf 110 nose guns.

[McCoy]