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#Post#: 11901--------------------------------------------------
Plane of the week: the Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse
By: vonofterdingen Date: July 20, 2020, 4:13 pm
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https://i.postimg.cc/SKyrNTZM/Screen-Hunter-358.png
The Luftwaffe�s attempts to update the obsolete Bf-110 have
always fascinated me. Granted, getting the concept of heavy
fighter correct was elusive for many aircraft makers. Perhaps
only the US P-38 was genuinely successful. But Messerschmitt�s
initial update to the Bf-110, the Me-210, was a big
disappointment. And though the next iteration, our plane of the
week the Me-410 was better, it was not really better enough. Not
all aircraft designs work as expected.
From Wikipedia:
The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse (Hornet) was a German heavy
fighter and Schnellbomber used by the Luftwaffe during World War
II. Though an incremental improvement of the Me 210, it had a
new wing plan, longer fuselage and engines of greater power. The
changes were significant enough for the aircraft to be renamed
the Me 410.
Development of the Me 210 had been underway since 1939 but
the aircraft proved unstable and was never considered for
full-scale production. Modifications to the layout produced the
Me 210C and 210D, which proved somewhat superior. As studies
progressed on the Me 210D, and with a separate parallel attempt
to improve upon the 210 with the Messerschmitt Me 310 in the
second half of 1943 � which provided almost no aerodynamic
improvement over the 210's risky handling qualities � it was
instead decided to introduce a new model, the Me 410.
The major change between the Me 210 and 410 was the
introduction of the larger (at 44.5 litre, 2,715 in3
displacement) and more powerful Daimler-Benz DB 603A engines,
which increased power to 1,750 PS (1,730 hp, 1,290 kW) compared
to the 1,475 PS DB 605s used on the Me 210C - the interim Me 310
design experiment actually used the DB 603 powerplant choice
first. The engine performance increased the Me 410's maximum
speed to 625 km/h (388 mph), greatly improved rate of climb,
service ceiling, and most notably the cruising speed which
jumped to 579 km/h (360 mph). It also improved payload
capability to the point where the aircraft could lift more war
load than could fit into the bomb bay under the nose. To address
this, shackles were added under the wings for four 50 kg (110
lb) bombs. The changes added an extra 680 kg (1,500 lb) to the
Me 210 design, but the extra engine power more than made up for
the difference. As with the Me 210, the 410's rear gunner used
the same pair of Ferngerichtete Drehringseitenlafette FDSL
131/1B turrets mounted on each side of the aircraft, each still
armed with a 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine guns, retaining the
same pivoting handgun-style grip, trigger and gunsight to aim
and fire the ordnance as the 210 did.
[img width=1024
height=564]
https://i.postimg.cc/pLQCvbBv/Screen-Hunter-357.png[/img]
The new version included a lengthened fuselage and new,
automatic leading edge slats, both of which had been tested on
Me 210s and were found to dramatically improve handling. The
slats had originally been featured on the earliest Me 210
models, but had been removed on production models due to poor
handling. When entering a steep turn, the slats had a tendency
to open due to the high angle of attack, analogous to the
opening of the slats during the landing approach. (This problem
was first observed on the Bf 109V14 and V15 prototypes for the
Bf 109E), which added to the problems keeping the aircraft
flying smoothly. However, when the problems with the general
lateral instability were addressed, this was no longer a real
problem. The wing panels of the earlier Me 210 had been designed
with a planform geometry that placed the aerodynamic center in a
rearwards direction in comparison to the earlier Bf 110, giving
the outer sections of the wing planform beyond each engine
nacelle a slightly greater, 12.6� leading edge sweepback angle
than the inner panels' 6.0� leading edge sweep angle. This
resulted in unreasonable handling characteristics in flight for
the original Me 210 design. The new Me 410 outer wing panels had
their planform geometry revised to bring the aerodynamic center
further forwards in comparison to the Me 210, thus making the
leading edge sweepback of the outer panels identical to the
inner wing panels with both having identical 5.5� sweepback
angles, which improved handling.
Deliveries began in January 1943, two years late and
continued until September 1944, by which point a total of 1,160
of all versions had been produced by Messerschmitt Augsburg and
Dornier M�nchen. 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 at this stage of the war.
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 lost its first Me 410 on the night of 13�14
July 1943, when it was shot down by a de Havilland Mosquito of
No. 85 Squadron RAF.
The Me 410 was also used as a bomber destroyer against the
daylight bomber formations of the USAAF, upgraded with
Umr�st-Baus�tze factory conversion kits, all bearing a /U
suffix, for the design � these suffixes could vary in meaning
between subtypes. As one example, the earlier Me 410 A-1/U1
designation signified a camera-fitting in the under-nose
ordnance bay for reconnaissance use (as the A-3 was meant to do
from its start), while the same /U1 designation or the later Me
410 B-2 signified a mount of a pair of the long barreled, 30mm
calibre MK 103 cannon in the undernose ordnance bay. The /U2
suffix designated a fitment of two additional 20 mm MG 151/20
cannons in the under-nose ordnance bay instead � the A-1/U4
subtype fitted the massive, 540 kg (1,190 lb) weight Bordkanone
series 50 mm (2 in) BK 5 cannon, loaded with 21 rounds in the
same undernose ordnance bay in place of either the /U1's cameras
or MK 103s, or the /U2's added pair of MG 151/20 autocannon. For
breaking up the bomber formations, many Me 410s also had four
underwing tubular launchers, two per wing panel, firing
converted 21 cm (8 in) Werfer-Granate 21 infantry barrage
rockets. Two Geschwader, Zerst�rergeschwader 26 and 76, were
thus equipped with the Me 410 by late 1943.
They were moderately successful against unescorted bombers
through 1943, with a considerable number of kills against USAAF
day bomber formations being achieved. However, the Me 410 was no
match in a dogfight with the lighter Allied single-engine
fighters such as the North American P-51 Mustang and Supermarine
Spitfire. In early 1944, the Me 410 formations encountered
swarms of Allied fighters protecting the bomber streams, usually
flying far ahead of the combat box formations as an air
supremacy move in clearing the skies of any Luftwaffe
opposition, resulting in the Me 410's previous successes against
escorted bombers now often being offset by their losses. An
example of this � as part of a campaign started two days earlier
by the USAAF � was on 6 March 1944 during an attack on Berlin by
750 8th AF heavy bombers, when 16 Me 410s were shot down in
return for eight B-17s and four P-51s (which were destroyed by
Bf 109 and Fw 190 fighters escorting the Me 410s). The following
month on 11 April, with 8th AF raids hitting Sorau, Rostock and
Oschersleben, II./ZG 26's Me 410s accounted for a rare clear
success, initially bringing down 10 B-17s without any losses.
During the course of the same raid, their second sortie was
intercepted by P-51s that destroyed eight Me 410s and three Bf
110s. Sixteen crewmen were killed and three wounded.
From mid-1944, despite being Hitler's favourite bomber
destroyer, the Me 410 units were taken from Defence of the Reich
duties and production was phased out in favour of heavily armed
single-engine fighters as dedicated bomber destroyers, with the
Me 410s remaining in service flying on reconnaissance duties
only. Some Me 410s were used with Junkers Ju 188s during the
Battle of Normandy, for high-altitude night reconnaissance.
[img width=1024
height=604]
https://i.postimg.cc/43B1K6MF/Screen-Hunter-359.png[/img]
In game�
I enjoy flying the Me-410 in game, but only in certain roles.
Even with the rear gunnery the Hornisse is no match for Allied
fighters of the period. As a bomber attack aircraft, however, it
does quite well. So when flying the Me-410 my recommendation is
to look for missions or campaigns that feature it in opposition
to unescorted bomber formations. Even then though I personally
would rather be in a Bf-109 or FW-190.
#Post#: 11903--------------------------------------------------
Re: Plane of the week: the Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse
By: cafs Date: July 20, 2020, 7:21 pm
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Thanks for another great PoW, Von. You bring back to life
another forgoten WW2 plane. Kudos for that.
After finishing my M-113 APC 1960-75, US, ARVN and Australian
variants on Vietnam book, I'll start the Me-210/410 Zestorer
Units of WW2.
👍🏆
#Post#: 11905--------------------------------------------------
Re: Plane of the week: the Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse
By: vonofterdingen Date: July 20, 2020, 11:23 pm
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That would be great Cafs, when time allows. The 210 and 410 are
a little under-represented in the game in my opinion. I believe
that they were also used by other axis air forces.
#Post#: 11907--------------------------------------------------
Re: Plane of the week: the Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse
By: larsresult Date: July 21, 2020, 5:50 am
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Good write up Von.The Hungarians were successful with their
Me210Ca-1 dive bomber variant, although not much has been
written about them in English. Despite this, I don't believe
they received any Me410s. The Me410 in Luftwaffe service had
little chance to show its potency as a bomber destroyer as it
arrived in 1943 only a few months before the long range Allied
fighters appeared such as the P51 Mustang. As Von says if you
catch an unescorted bomber unit you can create mayhem.
On 2nd July 1944 20 Me410s of I/ZG76 attacked a lone combat wing
of 15th USAAF B-17s over Budapest. They claimed 13 B-17s for the
loss of one Me410. In fact 4 B-17s were lost but the rest were
badly damaged.
Osprey recently released a well written book Me210/410 Zerstorer
Units by Robert Forsyth which covers Luftwaffe and Hungarian
usage.
#Post#: 11909--------------------------------------------------
Re: Plane of the week: the Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse
By: JG51_Ruski Date: July 21, 2020, 11:26 am
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Good post Von thank you!!
#Post#: 11911--------------------------------------------------
Re: Plane of the week: the Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse
By: ben_wh Date: July 21, 2020, 7:53 pm
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Thanks again for a good post, von.
As you pointed out, twin-engine fighters had a mix record in
WW2. The twin engine design allowed the designers to pack a
lot of firepower along the center line of the plane, which can
be a strong positive factor for an interceptor. However the
twin engine fighters were often less agile than the contemporary
single engine ones, which caused problems in a 1:1, few:few
situation.
P-38s in the Pacific was an exception, but this was partly due
to the sizable speed advantage of the P-38 over the Zeroes or
Ki-43s (not to mention G4Ms or Ki-21s).
Cheers,
#Post#: 11912--------------------------------------------------
Re: Plane of the week: the Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse
By: DHumphrey Date: July 22, 2020, 12:34 pm
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Good post Von, very good article, learned something today ...
today is a good day. :)
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