Messerschmitt Me 410

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Me 410 Hornisse
Type	Multirole fighter-bomber
Manufacturer	Messerschmitt
Maiden flight	1942
Introduced	1943
Status	retired
Primary users	Germany, Luftwaffe Hungary
Produced	May 1943 - August 1944
Number built	~1200
Developed from	Me 210

The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse ("Hornet") was a Luftwaffe heavy fighter and Schnellbomber of World War II developed from the badly flawed Me 210. Essentially a straightforward development of that type, the 210 had garnered such a bad reputation that it was renamed the Me 410 to avoid disdain.

[edit] Development

Plans to introduce the Me 210 had been underway since 1939, but the aircraft proved to be extremely unstable and never considered useful enough to enter production. Nevertheless the Hungarians made a number of minor modifications to the layout to produce the Me 210C, which proved to be superior to the German versions. So superior, in fact, that there was some talk of introducing a new Me 210D version for production in Germany, otherwise identical to the Hungarian 210C's. As studies progressed on the 210D, it was instead decided to introduce a "new" model, the Me 410.

The major change between the 210 and 410 was the introduction of the larger and more powerful Daimler-Benz DB 603A engines, which improved power to 1,750 hp (1.287 kW) from about 1,500 in the earlier DB 605's. The engine performance increased the 410's maximum speed to 388 mph (625 km/h), greatly improved climb rates, service ceiling, and most notably the cruise speed, which jumped to 360 mph (579 km/h).

The new version included a lengthened fuselage and new leading-edge slats, both of which had been tested on 210s and were found to dramatically improve handling. Shackles were added under the wings for four 50 kg bombs, as the new design could now lift more weight than could be fit into the original bomb bay. The changes added a total of 1,500 lb (680 kg) to the Me 210 design, but the extra engine power more than made up for this difference.

The 410 was the plane that the 210 should have been. Deliveries began in mid-1943, more than two years later than the original plan had called for. When it arrived it was liked by its crews, even though its improved performance was not enough to protect it from the swarms of high performance Allied fighters they faced.

[edit] Combat service

The Me 410 night bomber proved to be an elusive target for the RAF night fighters. The first unit to operate over the UK was V./KG 2, which had its first casualty in Me 410 on the night of 13-14 July 1943, shot down by a de Havilland Mosquito.

The Me 410's operational record as a bomber destroyer was moderately successful against unescorted bombers. A considerable number of kills against U.S.A.A.F. day bomber formations were amassed by II/ZG 26. Unfortunately for the Luftwaffe the Me 410 was no match in a dogfight with lighter single-engine fighters such as the P-51 or the P-47. In early 1944 Me 410 units were frequently decimated by the swarms of Allied fighters protecting the bomber streams. For example, on May 13, 1944 II/ZG 26 was jumped by 20 P-51s, and 12 Me 410 were lost.

From the summer of 1944, the destroyers were taken from front line duties and production was phased out in favor of single-engine fighters, with the 410's remaining in service flying on reconnaissance duties only.

Some Me 410s were utilized with Junkers Ju 188s during the Battle of Normandy for high-altitude night reconnaissance missions.

[edit] Production

The basic A-series planes were armed with two 7.92 mm MG 17 and two 20 mm MG 151/20 in the nose and delivered as the Me 410 A-1 light bomber. The originally planned heavy fighter Me 410 A-2 was cancelled because the dual MK 103 cannon pack was not ready in time. The Me 410A featured a bomb bay for carrying air-to-ground ordnance or for the installation of additional air-to-air weaponry or other equipment. Initially, three Umrüst-Bausätze (conversion kits) were available, U1 contained a palette of cameras for the photo-reconnaissance role, U2 two 20mm MG 151/20 cannon with 250 rounds each for the heavy fighter use, and U4 used the 50 mm BK5 cannon with 21 rounds to turn the aircraft into a dedicated bomber destroyer. The BK5 cannon, derived from a now outdated anti-tank weapon, allowed the 410s to shoot at their targets from over 1,000 yards, a distance at which the bombers' guns were useless for defense. The low rate of fire and limited ammunition supply together with the extra weight of the large gun made the other anti-bomber versions of Me 410, especially those with extra MG 151/20 cannon, much more useful. The dedicated reconnaissance version Me 410 A-3 received a deeper fuselage for additional cameras and fuel. The 410 A-3 entered service in small numbers in early 1944, and equipped three long-range reconnaissance Staffeln (one on the Western Front and the other two on the Eastern Front).

Messerschmitt Me 410A-1/U4: Note the new telescopic gunsight, protruding just above the cannon

The Me 410B-series was largely the same as the A-series, but replaced the 7.92 mm MG 17's with 13 mm MG 131. The originally planned 1,900 hp (1.397 kW) DB 603G engine was cancelled in early 1944 so all 410B's used DB 603A or DB 603AA engines, just like the A-series. The DB 603G would have increased the maximum speed to 392 mph (630 km/h), and cruising speed to 370 mph (595 km/h), although the weights increased once again. The versions were the same as with the A-series, the Me 410 B-1, Me 410 B-2 and Me 410 B-3 filling the same roles as the earlier A-1, A-2 and A-3 versions.

Several experimental models were also developed. The Me 410 B-5 added shackles under the fuselage to carry a torpedo, and removed the MG 131s in the nose to make room for the FuG 200 Hohentwiel ship-search radar. The bomb bay was not used in this version in order to make room for a 650 litre fuel tank, and the defensive gun barbettes were replaced by another 700 litre fuel tank for long-range missions. The Me 410 B-6 was a similar anti-shipping conversion, but intended for the short-range coastal role only. For this mission it did not use a torpedo, and was instead a simple modification of the B-1 with the FuG 200 radar. The Me 410 B-7/B-8 were updated B-3 reconnaissance modell that were only built as prototypes.

The Me 410C was a high-altitude version drawn up in early 1944, with two new wings designs that increased span to 60 ft or 67 ft (18.25 m or 20.45 m). The larger wings allowed the gear to retract directly to the rear. A new universal engine mount would allow for the use of any of the DB 603JZ or BMW 801J turbocharged engines or the Jumo 213E two-stage mechanically supercharged engines, driving a new four-bladed propeller with very wide blades. The 801 was air-cooled and the 213 used an annular radiator in the nose, so the normal under-wing radiators were removed and the DB powered versions would use the radiator from the 213's. None were ever built, as Me 410 production was canceled before the engines matured.

The Me 410D was a simpler upgrade to the B-series to improve altitude performance, but not to the same degree as the C-series. It would be powered by the DB 603JZ engines, and had a revised forward fuselage to increase the field of view of the pilot and reduce drag. It also replaced portions of the outer wing panels with ones made of wood to conserve strategic materials. Several were built, but like many other attempts at wood construction, the loss of the Tegofilm factory in a bombing raid meant the adhesives available were not strong enough, and the wooden portions failed.

Production was eventually canceled to concentrate on Messerschmitt Bf 109Gs in August 1944, after 1,160 Me 410s had been built.

[edit] Survivors

Two Me410s survive. One is in the collection of the RAF Museum and is displayed to the public at the Museum's site at RAF Cosford. The other is held by the National Air and Space Museum and is in storage, awaiting restoration, at the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility.

[edit] Specifications (Me 410 A-1)

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (pilot and gunner)
• Length: 40 ft 8 in (12.4 m)
• Wingspan: 53 ft 7 in (16.35 m)
• Height: 14 ft (4.28 m)
• Wing area: 390 ft² (36.2 m²)
• Empty weight: 13,448 lb (6,100 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 23,479 lb (10,650 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× DB 603A liquid-cooled in-line V12, 1,750 hp (1,305kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 388 mph (624 km/h)
• Range: 1,429 mi combat (2,300 km)
• Service ceiling: 32,808 ft (10,000 m)
• Rate of climb: m/min (ft/min)
• Wing loading: kg/m² (lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: W/kg (hp/lb)

Armament

• 2 x 20 mm MG 151
• 2 x 7,92 mm MG 17
• 2 x 13 mm MG 131
• 2,200 lb (1000 kg) of bombs

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Messerschmitt Me 410