Actually, the He 219 made it in time to start operations on the night of June 11th/12th 194
3, when the first operational 'Uhu' destroyed five British Lancasters in the one sortie. I personally wouldnt call mid-1943 'too late to make a difference'... It was the fact that Erhard Milch insisted on cancelling the project in favour of the less-than-promising Ju 388 and Ta 154 projects that only a few were built - and for
that reason the Uhu was unable to make a big impact on the war.
kiwimac said:
unlike the Mosquito, the Junkers began life as a bomber and it was developed into perhaps the best multi-role aircraft of WW2.
Which one of these criteria are you referring to when you say 'unlike the Mosquito'?
All of these apply just as well to the Mosquito as the Ju 88. It began life/ was designed and built as a high-speed unarmed bomber, but was found to handle so well, be so manoeuvrable and so fast that it was soon adapted to fulfill any number of other roles. During it's operational career the Mossie served as a bomber (you could even say 'heavy' bomber - late Mosquitoes could carry heavier loads than a B-17, but with 1/5 the crew at almost twice the speed and the same range), PR bird (the best available to the allies 'til jets turned up), fighter, fighter-bomber, night-fighter, intruder, heavy strike/ anti-shipping fighter (Fb XVIII 'Tsetse'), target-tug, trainer, glider-tug, VIP transport, BOAC airliner (flying the
very dangerous runs to Sweden to pick up loads which included escaped airmen and political prisoners etc.), and I'm sure I've missed a few as well. Christ, it was even cleared for
carrier operations(!), and a special squadron of 'Highball' Mosquitoes was preparing to ship to the Far East for carrier operations against the IJN when Germany surrendered and it was deemed unnecessary, now that the British Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets were free to take part in the Pacific campaign. What's more, it excelled in
all of these roles, whereas the Ju 88 never really did make the grade as a day fighter...
In short, I challenge you to think up a role which the Ju 88 took up, but the Mosquito did/ could not. (Please, God, don't let him think of one I've missed...!
)
I fully agree with your assessment of the Bf 110G and Corsair night-fighters though...