Messerschmitt Bf 110G-4 Zerstorer
Several nations experimented with heavy twin-engined fighters in the late 1930s--limits in technology at the time meant that single-engine fighters were short on range. It was believed that twin-engined "destroyer" fighters could serve as bomber escorts. In 1934, the Luftwaffe issued a requirement for a multirole twin engined fighter capable of long range, heavy armament, and a light bombload. Bayerische Flugzeugwerke--soon to be renamed after its chief designer, Willy Messerschmitt--offered its Bf 110 design. Messerschmitt chanced that the Luftwaffe would not mind if he dropped the bomb bay from the design, which saved weight and allowed for heavier gun armament: four 7.92mm machine guns and two 20mm cannon firing forward, plus a rear gun position with a single 7.92mm. It could still carry bombs on underwing racks. The Bf 110 was far and away better than rival designs, and it was placed in production in 1936; because of its armament, it was nicknamed "Zerstorer."
The Bf 110 entered World War II alongside its single-engined stablemate, the Bf 109. Its performance was considered adequate, and against more nimble fighters, Bf 110 pilots could use its heavier weight to dive on opponents and shred them with its heavy firepower. However, while this was true against the mostly obsolescent fighters of Poland and France, the Bf 110 was found to be a considerable disadvantage over Britain. The Spitfire and Hurricane were far more maneuverable, and the Zerstorer was ill-suited as an escort fighter over an enemy that could defeat the "boom and zoom" tactics used earlier. After casualty rates skyrocketed, the Luftwaffe withdrew the Bf 110 from frontline service.
Though Bf 110s would be used as day fighters over less hostile skies (such as Russia), it received a new lease on life as a nightfighter. When RAF night raids on Germany began in earnest in 1943, the Bf 110 was found to be a perfect counter: its heavy armament could tear apart even a large bomber like the Lancaster, and it was easily modified to accommodate radar sets, with a third man added in the roomy cockpit as a radar operator. When used in conjunction with the "Kammhuber Line" integrated air defense network, the 110 was a deadly opponent: vectored onto British bomber streams, the Zerstorers could use their radar to close in and open fire, often before the British knew they were there. Its lack of maneuverability was not an issue against heavy bombers.
The Bf 110 was slated to be replaced by the Messerschmitt Me 210 Hornisse (Hornet), but production delays and poor performance meant the 110 would remain in service until the end of the war. It was improved on with the Bf 110G series, which redesigned the cockpit, uprated engines, and even heavier armament. The latter included 30mm cannon in the nose as an option, or a 20mm cannon firing directly upwards, what the nightfighter crews called "schrage musik" (slanting music or jazz). Schrage musik equipped 110s could fly underneath a Lancaster and fire directly upwards into the engines or bomb bay, an almost guaranteed kill. Though technically obsolete by 1944, the Bf 110Gs continued to be deadly against RAF night bombers until the end of the war. What aircraft survived were mostly scrapped: of 6710 produced, only two survive today.
This Bf 110G-4 model is painted in the colors of Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, the top nightfighter ace of all time with 121 victories--all scored at night. This included two missions where he scored more than five aircraft in one night. Schnaufer was nicknamed the "Spook of St. Trond" for his usual operating base. He survived the war and returned to his family's wine business afterwards, but was killed in a car accident in 1950. This aircraft, G9+AA, was assigned to NJG 4 at St. Trond, and is painted in overall light gray with medium gray striping, which was quite effective on cloudy nights. The real aircraft was captured after the war, and one of the tails--marked with Schnaufer's 121 kills--is on display at the Imperial War Museum, though the rest of the aircraft was scrapped. (Half of the Lichtenstein radar aerials on the nose are missing--time is sometimes not kind to delicate pieces on models!)
Messerschmitt Bf 110G-4 Zerstorer
Several nations experimented with heavy twin-engined fighters in the late 1930s--limits in technology at the time meant that single-engine fighters were short on range. It was believed that twin-engined "destroyer" fighters could serve as bomber escorts. In 1934, the Luftwaffe issued a requirement for a multirole twin engined fighter capable of long range, heavy armament, and a light bombload. Bayerische Flugzeugwerke--soon to be renamed after its chief designer, Willy Messerschmitt--offered its Bf 110 design. Messerschmitt chanced that the Luftwaffe would not mind if he dropped the bomb bay from the design, which saved weight and allowed for heavier gun armament: four 7.92mm machine guns and two 20mm cannon firing forward, plus a rear gun position with a single 7.92mm. It could still carry bombs on underwing racks. The Bf 110 was far and away better than rival designs, and it was placed in production in 1936; because of its armament, it was nicknamed "Zerstorer."
The Bf 110 entered World War II alongside its single-engined stablemate, the Bf 109. Its performance was considered adequate, and against more nimble fighters, Bf 110 pilots could use its heavier weight to dive on opponents and shred them with its heavy firepower. However, while this was true against the mostly obsolescent fighters of Poland and France, the Bf 110 was found to be a considerable disadvantage over Britain. The Spitfire and Hurricane were far more maneuverable, and the Zerstorer was ill-suited as an escort fighter over an enemy that could defeat the "boom and zoom" tactics used earlier. After casualty rates skyrocketed, the Luftwaffe withdrew the Bf 110 from frontline service.
Though Bf 110s would be used as day fighters over less hostile skies (such as Russia), it received a new lease on life as a nightfighter. When RAF night raids on Germany began in earnest in 1943, the Bf 110 was found to be a perfect counter: its heavy armament could tear apart even a large bomber like the Lancaster, and it was easily modified to accommodate radar sets, with a third man added in the roomy cockpit as a radar operator. When used in conjunction with the "Kammhuber Line" integrated air defense network, the 110 was a deadly opponent: vectored onto British bomber streams, the Zerstorers could use their radar to close in and open fire, often before the British knew they were there. Its lack of maneuverability was not an issue against heavy bombers.
The Bf 110 was slated to be replaced by the Messerschmitt Me 210 Hornisse (Hornet), but production delays and poor performance meant the 110 would remain in service until the end of the war. It was improved on with the Bf 110G series, which redesigned the cockpit, uprated engines, and even heavier armament. The latter included 30mm cannon in the nose as an option, or a 20mm cannon firing directly upwards, what the nightfighter crews called "schrage musik" (slanting music or jazz). Schrage musik equipped 110s could fly underneath a Lancaster and fire directly upwards into the engines or bomb bay, an almost guaranteed kill. Though technically obsolete by 1944, the Bf 110Gs continued to be deadly against RAF night bombers until the end of the war. What aircraft survived were mostly scrapped: of 6710 produced, only two survive today.
This Bf 110G-4 model is painted in the colors of Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, the top nightfighter ace of all time with 121 victories--all scored at night. This included two missions where he scored more than five aircraft in one night. Schnaufer was nicknamed the "Spook of St. Trond" for his usual operating base. He survived the war and returned to his family's wine business afterwards, but was killed in a car accident in 1950. This aircraft, G9+AA, was assigned to NJG 4 at St. Trond, and is painted in overall light gray with medium gray striping, which was quite effective on cloudy nights. The real aircraft was captured after the war, and one of the tails--marked with Schnaufer's 121 kills--is on display at the Imperial War Museum, though the rest of the aircraft was scrapped. (Half of the Lichtenstein radar aerials on the nose are missing--time is sometimes not kind to delicate pieces on models!)