Bf/Me 110's ...

[Mark Allen M]

The same Bf/Me 109 information, or lack there of, apply to this thread. IMHO this is one of the sharpest and prettiest designs ever created. I hope to see one restored/replicated some day take to the air. Wouldn't that be nice.

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Last edited by Mark Allen M on Sat Dec 01, 2012 12:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Mark Allen M]

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American pilots of the 379th Fighter Squadron US Air Force captured German Messerschmitt

[muddyboots]

Too bad it didn't fare well against the opposition. It is one of my favorite looking WWII aircraft, but sadly it didn't do too well.

[Elwyn]

What purpose did the hole in the spinner serve?

[muddyboots]

I think that was intended to be plugged. If you look carefully you can see lot's of them don't have the hole, so maybe it was an access point?

[Elwyn]

Maybe they had extra spinners left over from 109E production and decided to put them to good use. Naah probably not.

[DaveM2]

Too bad it didn't fare well against the opposition. It is one of my favorite looking WWII aircraft, but sadly it didn't do too well.

Did exceptionally well as a night fighter though.

Dave

[JDK]

Too bad it didn't fare well against the opposition. It is one of my favorite looking WWII aircraft, but sadly it didn't do too well.

Hey, Muddy, don't fall for what's essentially Allied propaganda. Unlike many more 'successful' types it had a remarkable record of achievement throughout W.W.II on the Western and Eastern fronts and was used by day and by night as well - for instance something few other fighters achieved.

The idea of Zerstörer's sweeping the skies of all enemy aircraft indeed proved flawed, however when it came to destroying bombers, it was very, very effective, from 1939 to 1945, and even when obsolete. As a heavy attack type, it was effective in N Africa, the Med and Eastern fronts.

Like the oft-repeated comment that the Junkers Ju 87 was a 'failure' after the Battle of Britain, a momentary review of the records shows claims of 'failure' to be utter rubbish. All air forces require air superiority to enable every other air task to be undertaken. The fact the Luftwaffe failed to achieve air superiority over southern England in 1940, and it's aircraft and crews paid the price is not a failure of type or role, but of strategic requirement.

It was Bf 110s that knocked down enough turret armed VA Wellingtons in one raid in 1939 that made the RAF switch to long-range night bombing.

Though an old, overloaded and underpowered design, highly vulnerable to single seat fighters by day, Bf 110s were knocking down B-17s and B-24s is significant numbers to mid 1944, and it was only the arrival of that famous long range P-51 that caused attrition rates that required the Bf 110's withdrawal from the role. At night, it was the Bf 110 crews who were blunting Bomber Command's attack, for instance in the Battle of Berlin, though at a painful attrition rate.

It was no super aircraft, but it was far from a failure as is often presented.

Regards,

Last edited by JDK on Sat Dec 01, 2012 8:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[seagull61785]

I agree James,

The German military (Luftwaffe and non-Luftwaffe) was equipped with some pretty good gear that was quite adequate, and sometimes superior to the Allies' equipment.

The failures all emanated from a flawed 'senior management' which not only failed to make sound top-level decisions but did not make any balanced evaluation of their needs.

And we should all be thankful they were flawed indeed, otherwise it might have turned out differently.

Barry

[Jesse C.]

The 110 is just one of the sleekest looking birds and one of may all time favorites! So, if more had survived and flown, would they all be sporting sharks teeth?

[JDK]

Just think Jessie, if 112 Sqn RAF had copied the 'Wespe' (Wasp) nose art rather than the sharkmouth, then we'd all be familiar with the Wasp AVG.

[muddyboots]

No kidding! That makes me feel better about the old hag! I always loved it hehe! It was one of my first models when I was a kid. I always dreamed about being the rear gunner and driving off the Brits with my machine gun! It took me a little while to figure out whose side I was supposed to be on...