Ressource Center

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Luftwaffe's Aircrafts

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Messerschmitt Bf 110C ''Zerstörer''

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Design

      World War One emphasized the importance of maneuverability for fighters.The need for a reasonably fast and still nimble fighter was present throughout the period between the wars.However, the basic layout of fighters didnít changed much.Most were biplanes with braced wings with low power and wing loading.During WWI and the period of 1920-30 the idea of fighters was of a point defense one.That is their mission was to achieve air superiority over the battlefield, taking off from bases near the frontline or even from roads directly on it.There wasnít much long range fighters and the small number available were for the most part converted twin engined bombers.There was not much purpose designed long range fighter.Herman Goering and the RLM decided that they needed such a fighter to both escort their formations of bomber and intercept enemy formations far away from the fatherland.Thus in 1932 they asked Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG, later renamed Messerschmitt AG, to design such a fighter.The company didnít followed much the specifications laid down by the RLM and the resulting fighter, while having the range and firepower needed, wasnít able to match the speed and maneuverability of the then new Bf 109.Still, the Bf 110 was approved for production and Bf 110B-1 were operational by 1936.Nicknamed ëíZerstöreríí, the first Bf 110 flew with two provisional Jumo 210Da of 680SHp each.This proved insufficient and the production Bf 110B-1 wasnít issued in large number, since it was considered a temporary solution.The definitive ëíZerstöreríí came out in 1937 as the Bf 110C-1 and was equipped with freshly approved DB 601A-1 of 1 050SHp at sea level.This was a reworked version of the carburetted DB 600, which incorporated a then new fuel injection system.This permitted the engines to run at extreme attitudes while the carburetted examples were restricted to a more stable flight envelope, i.e. no upside down movement.Those engines were located in shoulder mount, one on each cantilever wing.The Bf 110 was equipped with a very strong armament able to destroy everything it would encounter in the sky.Moreover its combination of MG/FF 20mm cannons and MG 17 machineguns was very reliable and deadly against the bombers that were in service at the start of the war in 1939.The pilot sat in a strong cockpit with an excellent visibility even if the canopy was heavily framed.Behind him sat his gunner and radio operator which manned a pintle mounted MG 17 machinegun.The Bf 110C-1 wasnít the sleekest of fighters nor was it the most maneuverable, however it was so enough to bear its deadly weapons to sight.Normally a short burst of all the 6 forward firing weapons was enough to down all but the most sturdy targets.

        When the Bf 110C-1 got his bloodening in the Spanish civil war and in the campaign against Poland it was one of the best fighter available.Most of the enemies which it encountered were either not fast enough or less maneuverable than the mighty ëíZertöreríí.Hence, from 1939 to 1940 the Bf 110C-1 was king of the air battlefield in Europe.But it was still vulnerable to fighters and his two engines and strong construction were able to save many crews from otherwise crippling hits.It swept the skies of Spain and Poland and moved on to Norway, Denmark, Belgium and France.It was in the latter and also during the famed Battle of Britain that the Bf 110 lost some of its glory.By this time it was replaced by more heavily armed and armored versions which proved too heavy and not maneuverable enough for the opposition, especially british Spitfires and Pioneers.By 1941 the Bf 110 was mainly out of operations, relegated to backwater units or simply to ground attack runs

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