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Aviation Art Prints  Countries Germany Aircraft Index  Me110 |
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Lancaster Under Attack by Robert Taylor. A Lancaster of 626 Squadron takes evasive action during a raid over Osterfeld in December 1944, as a Messerschmitt Me110 G.4 night-fighter makes a pass beneath the bomber. |
Opening Gambit, Poland, 2nd September 1939 by David Pentland. Porucznik Stanislaw Skalski of 142nd Eskrada, flying a Polish airforce PZL P-11c, downs a Messerschmitt 110 during the first days of WWII. Although officially credited as a Dornier bomber, it is now believed that the aircraft was an Me110 from 1/ZG1. The discrepancy is attributed to the fact that the reported aircraft used nose mounted cannons unlike the Dornier, and up until then the 110 was a well kept secret. |
The Hunted and the Hunter by Ivan Berryman. The attack by Leutnant Walter Briegleb and his crew on Lancaster Mk.III ND960 DX-I of No.57 Sqn early on 22nd May 1944. Flying Me110 with codes D5+BV with his crew of Feldwebel Walter Bräunlich and Bordfunker Feldwebel Brandt, Briegleb flew undetected beneath the bomber and used the deadly 'Schräge Musik' - upward firing cannon - to hit the fuel tanks in the port wing between the fuselage and inner engine. Pulling away, he watched the aircraft burn and could see both gunners in their turrets but no return fire came. He wondered why none of the crew escaped by parachute with the bomber doomed - it disintegrated in the air over the coast of the island of Fyn, Denmark, impacting near Emtekær at 00:44hrs. Flight Lieutenant Arthur Richards (Pilot) Flying Officer William Woodall (Navigator) Pilot Officer Athur Bugden (Flight Engineer) Sergeant Thomas Edwards (Wireless Operator) Flying Officer George Ferguson (Air Bomber) Sergeant Harold Griffiths (Air Gunner) Sergeant Cyril Woodmass (Air Gunner) |
Top Night Fighter by Stan Stokes. Major Heinz Schnaufer, with 121 victories, was the top-scoring night fighter ace of all time. He became a Luftwaffe pilot in 1942 and obtained his first victory in June of that year. By August his victory count had reached twenty-two and he was put in command of the 9th Staffel of the IV/BJG1. On the evening of December 16, 1943 Schnaufer downed four RAF Lancaster 4-engine bombers, and on February 21, 1945 he claimed a total of nine Lancasters in one evening. He received the highest award which could be obtained, the Diamonds to the Knights Cross, upon attainment of his 100th victory. Schnaufer survived the War, but was killed in a motoring accident in 1950. As depicted by Stan Stokes in his dramatic painting entitled Top Night Fighter, Schnaufer, who primarily flew the night fighter version of the Messerschmitt Bf-110 Zerstorer, homes in on an RAF Lancaster heavy bomber. The Bf-110 grew out of Herman Gorings specifications for a multipurpose aircraft capable of penetrating deep into enemy airspace to clear the sky of enemy fighters in advance of German bomber formations. The aircraft would also be utilized as a long range interceptor, and as a ground support and ground attack bomber. The Bf-110 prototype first flew in 1936. The prototype was under powered with its Daimier Benz DB 600A engines. Several months passed before a go ahead was given for large scale production which commenced in 1938. Utilizing improved DB 601 engines, the early production 110s were as fast as any single engine fighter at that time, and had superior fire power. Their biggest apparent weakness was in the areas of armor protection for the crew, and in terms of maneuverability when compared to single seat fighters. The 110 was produced in large numbers and in many different variants. The 110D was the long range model. An additional belly tank was fitted to that aircraft, with several later variants having the more traditional drop tanks. The first serious test for the Bf-110 came during the Battle of Britain. About 300 Bf-110s were involved. They became easy prey for Hurricane and Spitfire pilots, and Bf-109s were often required to assist the 110s in their own defense. On August 15, 1940, which became known as Black Tuesday, the Bf-110s were ravaged by the RAF, and for the month over 100 aircraft were lost. On the Eastern Front the Bf-110 performed admirably in the early stages of Operation Barbarossa. With the Soviet Air Force weakened in the first several weeks of the attack, 110s were effectively utilized in a ground attack role. Ultimately, the Luftwaffe re-equipped a significant number of its 110s as night fighters. The aircraft performed well in this role because it was a good gun platform with sufficient speed to overtake the RAF night bombers. Such night missions were typically carried out with no Allied fighter escort, so the 110 night fighters would not have to engage or elude Allied fighters in this role. |
Zerstörer Break by Ivan Berryman. (PC) Just how vulnerable the pilot and observer of a Messerschmitt Bf.110 were during the early stages of the war is ably demonstrated in this view from the cockpit of a Bf.110C-2 of 1/ZG 52, based at Charleville during the Battle of France in June 1940. Later versions featured an armoured seat and head protection for the pilot. |
Close Combat by Ivan Berryman. Whilst flying with A Flight of 85 Squadron on 30th July 1940, Geoffrey Allard encountered a pair of Messerschmitt Bf.110s about 40 miles from the coast, apparently patrolling near a convoy. After Squadron Leader Townsend, flying Red 1, had made two unsuccessful attacks, Allard closed to 150 yards and began to fire continuously, eventually closing to just 25 yards, whereupon the starboard engine of the Bf.110 began to disintegrate. This was just one of eight victories that Allard claimed during the Battle of Britain to add to a previous eight that he had scored flying Hurricanes during the Battle of France. |
Night Hunters of the Reich by Nicolas Trudgian. The German High Command entered World War II with the notion that the war would be quickly won, and certainly without the need to fight at night. The RAF changed all that when Bomber Command, having suffered appalling losses in daylight, turned to attacking under the cloak of darkness. By mid-1940 the Luftwaffe was forced to hurriedly form its first night fighter wing utilising the Messerschmitt Bf110. Without specialised equipment, initially Luftwaffe pilots relied on visual acquisition, detecting enemy aircraft with the aid of searchlights. To combat intensifying RAF night attacks, new electronic methods of navigation and detection were developed, and by the end on 1942 the German night fighter force had almost 400 aircraft contesting the night skies. Almost 1300 British aircraft were destroyed in that year alone.The Bf110G-4 of 47-night victory pilot Oberleutnant Martin Drewes at dusk in March 1944, heading out to intercept in-bound British four-engined bombers over north west Germany. Equipped with the latest FuG220 and 218 radars, the experienced crew will lie in wait, carefully choose their prey, stalk and close for the kill. The deadly game of hide and seek is about to begin. |
Dawn Strike by Richard Taylor. As the first rays of daylight spread their golden glow over the vast expanse of sky above the Russian Front, the menacing roar of heavily armed Bf110s of 6./ZGI shake the cold air around them as they prepare for a dawn strike against enemy ground targets deep inside Russian territory. Above them, their Me109 escorts, alert for danger, constantly scan the distant skies for any enemy intruders that may be on the prowl and waiting for them. It is high summer, 1942. On the ground the German summer offensive towards the Caucasus is now in full swing, and General Paulus with the 6th Army has begun the long advance that will eventually lead it to the gates of Stalingrad. The Luftwaffe is at full stretch, it too has a major part to play against stiffening Russian resistance. |
Impossible Odds by Ivan Berryman. Outnumbered and outclassed, the aging Gloster Gladiators of 112 Sqn nonetheless put up a spirited defence in the skies above Crete as Germanys Operation Mercury gathered momentum in the Spring of 1941. Here, shark-mouthed Messerschmitt Bf.110s of ZG.76 menace a lone Gladiator during an evening encounter. |
Into The Cloak of Darkness by Nicolas Trudgian A Heinkel 219 and a Messerschmitt 110 of NJG-1 climbing out from their base a Munster Hansdorf, as they set out on a deadly mission. Ten aircraft took off to intercept a major raid on Dusseldorf, the night witnessing a fierce battle high above the darkened city. NJG-1 crews assisted with the downing of 19 RAF bombers, one Luftwaffe pilot being credited with no fewer than 6 victories that night. Below them the spectacular Ruhr Valley is vibrant in its mantle of winters first snowfall on the night of November 2, 1944. |
Night Defender by Graeme Lothian. (P) Messerschmitt Me110 night fighter attacking Lancaster bombers during a night raid. This original drawing is signed by three top night fighter pilots and radio operators. |
Duel in the Dark by Robert Taylor. The air war fought throughout World War II in the night skies above Europe raged six long years. RAF Hurricanes sent up to intercept the Luftwaffes nightly blitz on British cities had no more equipment than the fighters that fought the Battle of Britain during the day, but as the scale of nightly conflict developed, detection and navigation aids - primitive by todays standards - were at the cutting edge of World War II aviation technology. As the air war progressed the intensity of the RAFs nightly raids grew to epic proportions, and the Luftwaffe night-fighters became a critical last line of defence as their cities were pounded from above. By 1944 the Luftwaffe was operating sophisticated systems coordinating radar, searchlights and flak batteries, enabling effective guidance to increasingly wily aircrews flying equipment-laden aircraft. But the RAF had in turn developed their own detection equipment, and the nightly aerial contests between fighters and bombers were desperate affairs. Night-fighter pilots were men of special calibre, requiring a blend of all the best piloting and navigational qualities combined with patience, determination, and no small element of cunning. They were hunters in the purest sense, constantly honing their skills, and pitting their wits against a formidable foe. The young aircrews of the Luftwaffe fought a brave but losing battle in defence of their homeland, but their dedication never faltered, and their bravery is legend. Robert Taylor pays tribute to this courageous and skilled group of flyers with his new painting Duel in the Dark. It is August 1944. As Lancaster heavy bombers of 106 Squadron approach the target, Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, Kommandeur of IV./ NJG1 and the Luftwaffes top-scoring night- fighter pilot, makes a daring attack passing feet below the mighty four-engine aircraft. Flying his Me110 night-fighter among the flak and searchlights he has scored hits on the bombers outer starboard engine. While his gunner fiercely returns fire from the bombers front turret gunner, the night-fighter Ace will slip into the shadows before selecting another quarry. His nights work is not yet done. |
Night Ghost of St Trond by Iain Wyllie. The Messerschmitt Bf110-G4 of Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnuafer Knights Cross with Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds. |
Incident over Mannheim by Ivan Berryman. On the night of 12th September 1944, Lancaster NF958 (LS-M) of No.15 Sqn was lost in the skies above Mannheim when it was attacked by the Messerschmitt Bf.110G-2 of Ofw Ludwig Schmidt of II/NGJ 6, the bomber receiving hits to the bomb bay which ignited the incendiaries still in their racks. Five of the crew bailed out and were taken prisoner of war once captured. The pilot, F/O Norman Overend RNZAF, did not escape the aircraft. Flt Sgt Harry A Beverton was seen to leave the stricken Lancaster but was not seen again. Crew of Lancaster LS-M : F/O Norman Overend RNZAF Sgt Barry J Howarth (survived) Sgt George B Thomson (survived) Flt Sgt John D Jones (survived) Flt Sgt Robert P E Kendall (survived) Flt Sgt Harry A Beverton Sgt I Spagatner (survived). |
Tribute to Pilot Officer Ted Shipman by Ivan Berryman. Flying as Leader of B Flight, 41 Sqn, on 15th August 1940, Pilot Officer Ted Shipman and the rest of his flight found themselves among a mass of Messerschmitt Bf.110s that had been detailed to escort a bomber force of Heinkel He111s on a raid on the North of England. Having made one head-on attack on one of the Bf.110s, Shipman manoeuvred his Spitfire Mk.1 onto the tail of another and fired a long burst into it. This was M8+CH of Oberleutnant Hans-Ulrich Kettling of 1./ZG76 and rear Gunner / Radio Operator O/ Gefr Volk, whose starboard engine burst into flames and disappeared into the dense cloudbase. Shipman claimed this initially as a probable, but it was later confirmed as a victory when the aircraft was found to have crash landed at Streatham Nr Barnard Castle. Spitfire K9805 (EB-L) is depicted breaking off the attack as Kettling's stricken Bf.110 begins to burn. Ted Shipman would go on to serve with the Royal Air Force until December 1959 retiring as a Wing Commander. Ted would also go onto become friends with Hans-Ulrich Kettling, the pilot he shot down. |
Tribute to Helmut Lent by Ivan Berryman. Joining the Luftwaffe in 1936, Helmut Lent flew Me110s with ZG76, claiming victories in the invasion of Poland. It was as a night-fighter pilot that he excelled - the second highest scoring night Ace in history - scoring more than 100 victories for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. He scored victories from 1941 to 1944 with NJG1, NJG2 and NJG3 before he was fatally wounded in an accident when the Ju88 he was transporting struck overhead wires on a hastily prepared makeshift runway as he came in to land. He is depicted here in his Me110 G4 approaching a Lancaster over France in 1943. |
Night Hawks by Philip West. The ever-vigilant crew of this Mosquito night-fighter successfully intercept a Luftwaffe Bf110 as it heads towards a bomber stream over target in Germany. |
Messerschmitt Bf.110G4b/R3 by Ivan Berryman. Messerschmitt Bf.110G4b/R3 of 7 Staffel, III/Natchjagdgeschwader 4, Autumn 1943. |
Operation Mercury by Nicolas Trudgian. Slow, frail, out-dated and hopelessly outnumbered, Gladiator biplanes of 112 Squadron RAF tenaciously throw themselves into the fray, attacking Luftwaffe fighter-bombers in the battle for Crete, in April 1941. This painting shows Me110Cs of II./ZG76, having attacked naval units off the coast of Crete in early May 1941, being bravely intercepted by two Gladiators of 112 Squadron. Heavily outnumbered, the best the RAF pilots can hope for is to disrupt the Luftwaffe formation. And this they continued to do until, literally, they had no more aircraft left! |
Night of Defiance by Ivan Berryman. Boulton Paul Defiant of 151 Sqn, based at Wittering, attacking a Messerschmitt Me110. Following an exhausting summer during the Battle of Britain, 151 was designated a night fighter squadron and was equipped both with Hurricanes and Defiants. On the night of 15th January 1942, two Defiants succeeded in bringing down three German aircraft and further successes were recorded during enemy raids on Birmingham when a further nine kills were claimed. |
One - Tens Over Kent by Nicolas Trudgian Messerschmitt Me110s and 109s of the Luftwaffes 210 Gruppe based at Calais-Marck in northern France, make a low-level run across the Kent countryside after a surprise attack on R.A.F. Biggin Hill, August 30, 1940 |
Me110 The Bf-110 grew out of Herman Gorings specifications for a multipurpose aircraft capable of penetrating deep into enemy airspace to clear the sky of enemy fighters in advance of German bomber formations. The aircraft would also be utilized as a long range interceptor, and as a ground support and ground attack bomber. The Bf-110 prototype first flew in 1936. The prototype was under powered with its Daimier Benz DB 600A engines. Several months passed before a go ahead was given for large scale production which commenced in 1938. Utilizing improved DB 601 engines, the early production 110s were as fast as any single engine fighter at that time, and had superior fire power. Their biggest apparent weakness was in the areas of armor protection for the crew, and in terms of maneuverability when compared to single seat fighters. The 110 was produced in large numbers and in many different variants. The 110D was the long range model. An additional belly tank was fitted to that aircraft, with several later variants having the more traditional drop tanks. The first serious test for the Bf-110 came during the Battle of Britain. About 300 Bf-110s were involved. They became easy prey for Hurricane and Spitfire pilots, and Bf-109s were often required to assist the 110s in their own defense. On August 15, 1940, which became known as Black Tuesday, the Bf-110s were ravaged by the RAF, and for the month over 100 aircraft were lost. On the Eastern Front the Bf-110 performed admirably in the early stages of Operation Barbarossa. With the Soviet Air Force weakened in the first several weeks of the attack, 110s were effectively utilized in a ground attack role. Ultimately, the Luftwaffe re-equipped a significant number of its 110s as night fighters. The aircraft performed well in this role because it was a good gun platform with sufficient speed to overtake the RAF night bombers. Such night missions were typically carried out with no Allied fighter escort, so the 110 night fighters would not have to engage or elude Allied fighters in this role. |
| Top Aces for : Me110 | |
| A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown this aircraft. | |
| Name | Victories |
| Theodor Weissenberger | 209.00 |
| Max-Hellmuth Ostermann | 102.00 |
| Alfred Ambs | 7.00 |
| Hans-Ekkehard Bob | 60.00 |
| Paul Zorner | 59.00 |
| Martin Drewes | 52.00 |
| Werner Hoffmann | 52.00 |
| Hans-Joachim Jabs | 50.00 |
| Wolfgang Schenck | 18.00 |
| Wolfgang Falck | 8.00 |
| Peter Spoden | 26.00 |
| Otto Fries | 18.00 |
| Rolf Ebhardt | 8.00 |
| Ludwig Schmidt | 16.00 |
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