Warplanes of Germany: Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Me 410

‍Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-3 Hornisse in Luftwaffe service.

The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse (Hornet)is a heavy fighter and Schnellbomber ("Fast Bomber" in English)designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt. It wasflown by the Luftwaffe during the latter half of the Second World War.

Work begun on producing a successor to the Bf 110 in 1937, however, theresulting Me 210 proved to be unsatisfactory, leading to production beinghalted in April 1942. Various options, including the ambitious Me 310derivative, however, officials favoured an incremental improvement, which wasrepresented by the Me 410. Although visually similar to the preceding Me 210,and was sharing sufficient design similarities that incomplete Me 210s could beconverted into Me 410s, there were a few key differences between the twoaircraft. Chiefly, the Me 410 was powered by larger Daimler-Benz DB 603engines, a lengthened fuselage and automatic leading edge slats were alsoadopted.

During late 1942, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) were sufficientlyconvinced by the programme to proceed with quantity production of the type, thefirst Me 410s being delivered during January 1943. Various models wereproduced, including the Me 410A-1 light bomber, the A-1/U1 aerialreconnaissance aircraft, the A-1/U2 bomber destroyer, and the A-2/U4 nightfighter. Upon their entry to service, the type was promptly flown on night timebombing missions in the British Isles, where the night fighters of the RoyalAir Force (RAF) typically struggled to intercept it.[2] The Me 410 was alsoused as a bomber destroyer against the daylight bomber formations of the UnitedStates Army Air Forces (USAAF); it was moderately successful against unescortedbombers through 1943, but proved to be no match in a dogfight with the lighterAllied single-engine fighters, such as the North American P-51 Mustang andSupermarine Spitfire. Following the Normandy landings, Me 410s were amongst thenumerous Axis aircraft sent against the incoming Allied forces.

From mid-1944, all Me 410s were withdrawn from Defence of the Reich duties andproduction was phased out in favour of heavily armed single-engine fighters asdedicated bomber destroyers. The final role of the Me 410 was aerialreconnaissance. Only two Me 410s have survived in preservation into the twenty-firstcentury. (Wikipedia)

Variants

Me 410A/A-1/A-2/A-3 - Initial production version built in three variants. The Me 410A-1 was a high speed bomber, the Me 410A-2 destroyer and the Me 410A-3 reconnaissance version plus sub-variants.

Me 410B/B-1/B-2/B-3 - These were basically similar to the Me 410A/A-1/A-2/A-3 in construction and roles but all were equipped with the more powerful Daimler-Benz 1,900 hp (1417 kW) DB 605G engine.

Me 410B-5/B-6/B-7/B-8 - The Me 410/B-5 was an anti-shipping/torpedo variant, the Me 410B-6 anti-shipping variant, Me 410B-7 day reconnaissance variant and the Me 410B-8 night reconnaissance. These four sub-variants were in the test flight/prototype stage and all were to equipped with the Daimler-Benz 1,900 hp (1417 kW) DB 605G engine.

(USAAF Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse attacking a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress over Europe, 1943.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410V-3.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410V-3.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410B-1/U4.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410B-1/U4.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410B-2U4.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410B-2/U4.

(Luftwaffe Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-1 cockpit.

Captured Me 410s

(RAF Photos)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-3 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 10259), F6+OK from 2(F)./122, RAF TF209, being checked by mechanics at No. 1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight at Collyweston, Northamptonshire (UK).  The crew, Fw. Hans Beyer and Uffz. Helmut Hein, got lost on the return leg to Perugia and landed by mistake at Monte Corvino, Italy, on 27 November 1943.  It arrived for testing at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, England, on 14 April 1944, and was also evaluated by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down.  TF209 flew with the Fighter Interception Unit at Wittering from August 1944 until March 1946 when it was transferred to No. 6 Maintenance Unit at Brize Norton.  It was scrapped post war.  (RAF Photos)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-3 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 10259), F6+OK from 2(F)./122, RAF TF209, in flight escorted by an RAF de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito.  TF209 had landed intact and was captured at Monte Corvino, Italy when the crew had become lost during a photo–reconnaissance mission in the Naples area.  This aircraft wears the P for Prototype roundels showing she was at RAF Boscombe Down for testing.  (RAF Photo)

(RAFM Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-1/U2 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 420430), captured at Vaerlose.  Designated RAF AM72, this aircraft is on display at RAF Cosford, England.  (Dapi99 Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-1/U2 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 420439) captured at Kastrup.  Designated RAF AM39, this aircraft was likely scrapped at Kastrup.

(RAF Photos)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-1/U2 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr 420430), captured at Vaerlose.  Designated RAF AM72, this aircraft is in the RAF Museum at Cosford, England.

Messerschmitt Me 410A-1 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 130360), captured at Vaerlose.  Designated RAF AM73, this aircraft was scrapped at Brize Norton in 1947.

(RAF Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410B-6 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 410208), with air to surface FuG 200 Hohentweil radar, captured at Vaerlose.  Designated RAF AM74, this aircraft was scrapped at Farnborough in 1946.

Messerschmitt Me 410A Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 263), 2N+HTfrom ZG76 was taken over by No. 601 Squadron.  This aircraft crashed in Oct 1943.

Four Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse were surrendered at Sylt and were initially designated by RAF as USA 16, USA 17, USA 18 and USA 19.  They were likely scrapped at Sylt.

Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse cannon-armed fighter diving away after an attack on a USAAF Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.   (USAAF Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-2/U1 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 10018), coded F6+WK from 2(F)./122, USAAF EB-103, later FE-102, then FE-499, and then T2-499, on display at Freeman Field, Indiana post war.  (USAAF Photos)

(USAAF Photos)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-2/U1 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 10018). Found in undamaged condition at Trapani, Sicily, in August 1943, its capture being recorded in RAF AI.2(g) Intelligence Report No. 204 of 12 August. Designated USA EB-103, later FE-102, then FE-499, and then T2-499, Freeman Field, Indiana, post war.  This aircraft is in storage with National Air and Space Museum in storage at Silver Hill, Maryland.

(Alan Curry Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-2/U1 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 10018) in storage with the NASM.

(Soviet Air Force Photos)

Messerschmitt Me 410B2/U4 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 130379), heavy fighter/reconnaissance aircraft from II/ZG26 Group was captured after the war by the Soviets and extensively tested.  Although the Soviets concluded their fighters were superior to the twin-engine ciarcraft, they confirmed it was a threat to all types of Soviet series-produced bombers, the Tu-2 included, due to its high capabilities. It had a maximum speed of 600 km/h at 6750 meters, could climb to 5000 meters in 8.6 minutes, and carried powerful offensive armament comprising two standard 20mm MG-151 cannon and the semiautomatic VK-5 cannon that could deliver a 1-second salvo weighing 4.65 kg.  The Soviets found the German designers had worked out the best methods of employing the Me 410B-2's fire power. The Me 410B-2 was fitted with a combined gun sight comprising a four-power telescope with collimator.  This made it possible to deliver precision fire from a range of 1000 meters and more, where the 50-mm high-explosive fragmentation ammunition could destroy Petlyakov, Il'yushin, Boston, and other aircraft.  In theory, a German pilot could shoot down enemy aircraft while out of defensive fire range.  (Soviet Air Force Photos)

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