German fighters and training aircrafts

The Fiat G.55 Centauro (centaur) was and all metal low wing monoplane single seat fighter designed by Giuseppe Gabrielli, and represented a great improvement by comparison with the previous Fiat monoplane fighter to go into production, The G.50 Freccia. Great care was taken to blend an aerodynamically advanced airframe with a structure which was robust and would lend itself to mass production. Its configuration included a fully retractable landing gear and a raised cockpit providing an excellent view. Fast and manoeuvrable, the type proved popular with its pilots. The first of three prototypes was flown on 30 April 1942. The third (MM 493) was the only to carry armament, comprising one engine mounted cannon and four fuselage mounted machine guns. It was evaluated under operational conditions from March 1943, but by then the Italian air ministry had already decided on mass production of the G.55. However, only 16 G.55/0 pre-production and 15 G.55/I initial production aircraft had been delivered to the Regia Aeronautica by September 1943, production thereafter being for the Fascist air arm flying alongside the Luftwaffe. Before wartime production ended 274 more were completed and a further 37 were abandoned at an advanced construction stage.

Before the armistice of September 1943, G.55s had participated in the defence of Rome with the 353 Squadriglia of the Regia Aeronautica. The post armistice operations were mainly with the Fascist air arm's Squadriglia 'Montefusco' based at Veneria Reale, then with the three Squadriglie which formed the 2nd Gruppo Caccia Terrestre, but losses were heavy, as a result mainly of Allied attacks on the airfields. While the war was still in progress, Fiat flew two prototypes of the G.56, which developed from the G.55 to accept the more powerful Daimler Benz DB 603A engine. Built during the spring of 1944 they incorporated minor structural changes and had the fuselage mounted machine guns deleted. The first prototype survived the war and was used subsequently by Fiat as a testbed.

Fiat reinstalled the G.55 assembly line after the war, using wartime manufactured assemblies and components to produce the G.55A single seat fighter/advanced trainer of which the prototype was first flown on 5 September 1946. If differed from the G.55 only in instrumentation and armament. The armament comprised of either two wing mounted plus two fuselage mounted 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine guns, or two 20 mm Hispano-Suiza cannon plus two fuselage mounted 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine guns. The Italian Aeronautica Militaire procured 19 G.55As and 30 were supplied to Argentina, which returned 17 in 1948 for resale to Egypt, these being armed with four 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns. A two seat advanced trainer variant of the G.55 had been flown in prototype form on 12 February 1946 under the designation G.55B. The Italian Aeronautica Militaire aquired 10 of these, and 15 were sold to Argentina in 1948.

Source: Fiat G.55 I Centauro

In 1941, with Germany under increased night-time attack by the bombers of RAF Bomber Command, and with shortages of the Messerschmitt Bf 110 and the preferred Junkers Ju 88C night fighters, it was decided to supplement the night-fighter force with a version of the Do 217E, despite its much greater size and weight. This aircraft, the Do 217J, was fitted with a new "solid" nose, similar to that used by Dornier in night fighter versions of the Do 17 and Do 215, with four forward firing 2 cm MG FF cannon and four 7.92 mm machine guns. By October 1940, the production of heavy night fighters, and night fighters such as the Do 217 and Ju 88, had been discussed comprehensively and by 5 November 1941 these discussions had been concluded. On 23 November the Technische Amt (T.A) had ordered the Dornier bomber fleet to be withdrawn in accordance with a decision made earlier that year on 23 May. Dornier designated the subject of their new project the "Do 217Z", later renamed the Do 217J. The Japanese Imperial Navy and Japanese Army Air Force had also taken an interest in license building the type in the summer 1942, demonstrating the types potential. The Luftwaffe had no intention of delivering the Do 217 to Japan. Owing to this none were ever exported. The Dornier encountered many problems in procuring the BMW 801 engines required for the night fighter versions. Junkers had also struggled with BMW deliveries, its Ju 88C variants were to be powered by the BMW as the initial Jumo 211B/F engine plan had been abandoned. The Do 217s competitor, the Ju 88C, had only four fixed guns, whereas the Dornier could hold eight. In most cases, the Ju 88C carried only one 2 cm MG FF and three 7.92 mm MG 17s.

In January 1941 Junkers concentrated on the C variant designs. It planned on producing 60 C-4s and 374 C-6s powered by Jumo 211s. It later transpired to Dornier that Junkers also wanted the BMW 801 to power the C-6. The power plants would also be supplemented with GM-1 nitrous oxide injection engine performance boosters for greater performance or alternatively, using the new, more powerful Jumo 213. The Ju 88s weaponry was improved by the addition of one or two MG FFs in the fuselage. Both the Do 217 and Ju 88 used the FuG 202 Lichtenstein B/C sets, but later Ju 88s were given FuG 212 Lichtenstein C-1s and later FuG 220s. The equipment of the Dornier did not change. Against this competition Dornier needed to improve the types abilities as a night fighter. The first problem Dornier attempted to overcome was long and short range capabilities. A modified E-1, (Wrk Nr. 42) was used to test the equipment for the forthcoming Do 217J. During testing the characteristics of the various types fire extinguisher hardware were carried out. Performance trials were carried out in January 1942 using a E-2, Wrk Nr. 1122 which was put through its paces at the Löwenthal testing facility. Dornier intended the prototype to ready by February 1942. The machine, Wrk Nr. 1134, was a modified E-2 and equipped with FuG 202 and a Spanner-Anlage Infrared gun sight. These systems enabled the Dornier to detect the heat signature of enemy aircraft. Heat seeking detection at limited range making the Dornier a good proposition for the Defense of the Reich campaign. Testing was set back as the prototype crashed owing to engine failure. The continuing slow development of the IR equipment precluded its use in the J-1. Work on the IR program was sped up until late 1943. Modified IR equipment appeared in 1945 and was installed in the Ju 88 G-6.

Delays of BMW 801 engine deliveries forced the project to be temporarily abandoned. In November 1941 the directive for the design team had been a J-1 with a Spanner IR system, and a J-2 with Lichtenstein radar. In 1942 the directive changed slightly, and the J-2 was to be fitted with AI radar. Specifically, the Dornier was to be armed with four MG FF fuselage mounted cannon and machine guns for bomber assault, and one MG 131 each in the B-Stand and C-Stand positions for defence from RAF night fighters. Curiously, the night fighter version was ordered to be able to carry eight 50 kg bombs so the type could act as a night fighter and intruder over enemy territory. The electronic equipment to be installed was listed as the FuG X, 16, 25 Peil G V air-to-ground communications and blind landing devices. The FuB1.1 was also listed as a potential piece, and if possible a FuG 101 radio equipment was to be fitted as standard. It was intended to equip J-1 with the Lichtenstein FuG 202, which had an effective range of 4,000 metre, with three tubes. The weight of the of equipment would reduce the performance of the J-1 by 30 – 40 km/h so in January 1942, Dornier opted to install the IR spanner equipment instead of the Lichtensten. A rear braking system had also been in the original plan, but it was deemed unnecessary. The design was declared ready on 5 January 1942 and first flew later that month. The prototype was delivered to the Tarnewitz test facility where gunnery trials took place with MG FF and MG 17 weapons. Satisfied with the performance, series production began in March 1942.

he operational Dornier night fighter, redesignated J-1, before entering operations was powered by BMW 801L engines. It was fitted with a revised crew compartment housing a crew of three, with a solid nose housing four fixed 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, with four 20 mm MG FF/M cannon in the forward part of the ventral gondola. It retained the MG 131s in a dorsal turret and ventral position of the bomber, and could carry eight 50 kilograms (110 lb) bombs in the rear bomb-bay, with a fuel tank in the forward bomb-bay.[82][83]

Production had commenced in March 1942, during which eight J-1s were built. In April, 13 followed and 55 were built in May. Despite this start production declined in June and this trend continued until November 1942, when only four were built. Dornier had been ordered to withdraw Dornier airframes for unspecified reasons. Owing to this, by 31 December 1942, only 130 J-1s had been completed.[84] Dornier kept a production run of 19 aircraft for evaluating equipment. These were to be used when Josef Kammhuber, General of the Night fighters demanded the J-1 to have a modified fuselages made available for upward firing cannon installed within the dorsal areas of the fuselage, above the wing roots. This armament configuration was called Schräge Musik ("slanted" or "oblique" Music). A prototype was given four MG 151s in place of its MG FFs and named J-1/U1. The prototype was modified in September 1942 and sent to the Tarnwitz Experimental Establishment on 14 October for tests on gunnery performance. The guns delivered 125,000 rounds during tests without problems. The concept was available for adoption, although Dornier had some reservations about the slow firing pattern of the MG 151/20. The Dornier appeared to be a very effective night fighter with significant hitting power. However it attracted strong criticism from the Luftwaffe. The first J-1 was delivered to 4./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 in March 1942. The crew complained it was too heavy, criticised its take off and landing characteristics. The pilot complained it had "too little performance reserve". The aircraft's high service loading and its poor manoeuvrability in aerial combat did not enhance its performance reputation. Part of the types performance issues lay with the fact the MG 131 defensive guns and bomb release mechanisms had remained, and been built into the J-1 to allow for its use as a bomber. With eight machine guns mounted in the fuselage and the supporting ammunition, the weight was increased and outweighed the Do 217E by 750 kg.

The J-2 night-fighter version of Do-217J was fitted with FuG 202 Lichtenstein radar in nose, and having the rear bomb-bay plated over. The MG FF/M of the J-1 were replaced by 20-mm MG 151 cannon. The J-1 was withdrawn from intruder duty following an order stopping night intruder raids against England,[82] while the J-2 proved disappointing as a night fighter, showing poor performance and manoeuvrability,[66][85] although they were used for early trials of the Schräge Musik arrangement of upward firing cannon, three Js being used for tests in July 1942.[86] No J-2 was ever built. There was little difference in design between the J-1 and J-2, save for the FuG 202 Lichtenstein C1 radar fitted to the later. The first C-1 had been used in the Dornier Do 17 Z-10. Production of the C-1 began in full only after the Do 217J production had ceased. FuG 202 Lichtenstein radar continued to be used in Dorniers, although historian Manfred Griehl points out this was only according to the manuals. Complaints were made by crews about the performance of the Dornier in comparison to other German types. On 12 May 1942 Erhard Milch ordered that Dornier cease all night fighter design. It was decided that the Ju 88 series only (Ju 88C-6) would continue to be developed and serve as a heavy night fighter. Strangely, the order was not passed onto the Dornier design team who continued to produce the N variant.

The end of the J series did not mean the end of the Dornier night fighter. One of the few German fighter pilots to side with the type against its critics was Hauptmann Rudolf Schoenert of III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 3. Schoenert suggested to his Commanding officer, in July 1942, that trials be made of weapons slanting upwards at an angle of 70° (later known as Schräge Musik) in the fuselage in the hope of increasing the efficiency of his Do 217. This entailed mounting four to six MG 151/20 guns in the centre of the fuselage. At Technisches Amt, two Do 217s, one with four and the other with six MG/151/20 cannon were ready for inspection on 5 August 1942 and testing in September. The idea of the upward firing cannon had originally come from an engineer, Dr. Poppendieck, in June 1942. Nevertheless Schoenert built on it, and with the introduction of the IR spanner and headlight, the bomber could approach from below a British bomber and avoid exposure to its powerful powered turrets guarding its tail, nose and upper fuselage by attacking from behind or head-on. Unlike the B-17 Flying Fortress, the British bombers did not have a Ball turret, and the new Dornier design attempted to take advantage. It was decided, due to cost, to limit the upward-firing armament to four guns. Other tactical improvements involved fitting a semi-rigid brake parachute on October 1942, allowing the Dornier to adjust to the speed of the bomber before firing on its target. The prototypes J-1/U2 and J-1/U4 were tested under these conditions.

These designs were to be carried forward into the new variant, the Dornier Do 217N. The BMW 801 that powered the Do 217J proved underpowered, so a night-fighter using the more powerful DB 603 A-1 engines was produced, with the first prototype flying on 31 July 1942. While it had much improved performance, it was still unpopular due to its poor agility and climb rate, and was prone to engine problems. Ten pre-production series N variants were designated as test beds. Trials began in the summer of 1942. On 16 August the second prototype Do 217, N V2, entered trials,. The N V1 and N V2 were the main testbeds, and the DB 603 A-1s they were powered by were tested at high altitude. On 11 October 1942 the N V1 crashed after Stalling with its landing gear down and crashing into Müritz Lake, killing the crew. On 21 December 1942, 100-hour engine endurance trials began at Rechlin with the DB engines. The pistons became useless after 91 hours. Testing of DB 603 A-2 inline engines was carried out between 28 April and 8 May 1943, but the programme was beset by continual breakdowns and the project was abandoned. There was no further record of the N variant prototypes after 20 June 1943. In April 1943, the four MG FF guns had started but were not completed until the late summer. The third prototype, N-1/U was fitted with MG 151/20 and unspecified aerodynamic refinements. The machine was used in high-altitude de-icing tests, and the aircraft was tested with Lichtenstein BCR and Bernhardine radar. In August ten of these aircraft were constructed, and between 27 and 31 August, they were fitted with their Schräge Musik at Tarnewitz and Wismar Testing Facilities. The tenth N variant, designated N-0, underwent radio trials. The machine was tested with the Peil G VI/APZ 6, a later and more sophisticated variant automatic direction-finding equipment. On 2 December further tactical trials were carried out with infrared target-illuminating equipment. These trials were carried out with DB 601 powered J-1s.

After testing was satisfied the two variants, the N-1 and N-2, which had two sub-variants, were fitted with FuG 202. The N-1 variants were given two sub-variants which were to follow the design of the E-2/E-4 and the J-1/J-2 with emphasis on range and endurance. Extra fuel tanks were added to the empty bomb bay. For operations over water the heavy night fighters were fitted with lifeboats and radio transmitters. The FuG X with TZG 10 and FuG 16. IFF equipment was the FuG 25s. The N also had the FuG 101 radio altimeter, blind flying equipment FuB1 2 and PeilG V. AI search radar was the FuG 202. The no longer needed bomb release gear remained, bringing the aircraft up to 15,000 kilograms (33,000 lb) on take-off, so it was barely able to reach 7,400 metres (24,300 ft). Fuel consumption lightened the load, and the Dornier could reach a maximum operational ceiling of 8,400 metres (27,600 ft). The speed of the N was a maximum of 500 kilometres per hour (270 kn) at 6,000 metres (20,000 ft). The N-2 was much improved, as it was much lighter and refined.

Overall the N-1 was an initial production of the J-1 version. Powered by a DB 603 it had similar armament to Do 217 J-2, retaining defensive armament. Entered service in April 1943. Some modified with dorsal and ventral guns replaced by wooden fairings as Do 217 N-1/U1, conversion with Schräge Musik arrangement of four upward-firing 20 mm MG 151s as Do 217 N-1/U3. About 240 built. The Do 217 N-2 was a new build equivalent of Do 217 N-1/U1; some were fitted with two or four cannon in Schräge Musik installation. About 95 were built[91] until it was retired from front line use in mid 1944. The N-2 was originally not to have the Schräge Musik armament configuration or a brake parachute, but it was then decided to fit the armament set for tactical reasons. A semi-rigid brake parachute was also installed for unspecified reasons. The N-2 prototype was a converted E-1, serial 0174, code PE+AW. Communications were improved on the FuG 16 ZY and FuG 214. The B and C cupolas were removed and the positions fared over with Plexiglas and wood. The MG FF guns were replaced by MG 151/20 cannon. The MG 17s in the nose were to be abandoned with more powerful armament, but this was never carried out. To kill the excess weight that had plagued earlier types, the bomb bay, its doors, and the bomb release gear were removed, and changes were made to the control panels. The gaps were replaced by lighter wood parts which reduced weight, allowing heavier armour protection for the crew. The N variant was the most heavily armoured Dornier variant.[93] The improvements enabled a top speed of 525 kilometres per hour (283 kn) (an increase of 25 kilometres per hour (13 kn)) and a reduction from 15,000 kilograms (33,000 lb) to 12,500 kilograms (28,000 lb), which increased ceiling height to 9,500 metres (31,200 ft).

Source: Dornier Do 217 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This four-seat low-wing cabin monoplane was designed by the talented Willy Messerschmitt in response to a 1933 German Air Ministry requirement for an aircraft to participate in the Challenge de Tourisme Internationale air race of 1934. A very advanced design for its time, the Messerschmitt M37, as it was first known, was the first aircraft of its size to use all-metal stressed skin construction. Soon given the official designation Bf 108, the experience gained by Messerschmitt in developing this aircraft led to the most important German fighter of World War II, the Messerschmitt 109. The relationship between the two types is immediately obvious, especially in flight. First flight tests of the Bf 108 in spring 1934 proved very satisfactory and the aircraft quickly established a reputation for pleasant handling and easy maintenance. In 1935 the German woman pilot, Elly Beinhorn, flew a circular trip from Germany to Istanbul and back to Berlin, a total of 2,230 miles (3,568km) in one day. She not only established a name for herself, but she also gave the aircraft its name "Taifun" (Typhoon). Following various race wins in 1938, a modified example set an international altitude class record of 29,766 feet (9,075m) in July 1939. By the outbreak of World War II, the Bf 108 was in widespread service with the Luftwaffe as a communications and ferry aircraft. By 1942 over 500 had been produced before production was transferred to SNCA du Nord factory in France. Altogether 885 Bf 108s had been produced by the end of the war.

The Fiat G.50 Freccia ("Arrow") was a World War II Italian fighter aircraft. First flown in February 1937, the G.50 was Italy's first single-seat, all-metal monoplane with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear to go into production. Pilots disliked the sliding cockpit canopy, which was not easy to open quickly and interfered with vision, so in later production series, an open cockpit was adopted. In early 1938, the Freccias served in the Regia Aeronautica including with the Aviazione Legionaria in Spain, where they proved to be fast and, typical of most Italian designs, very manoeuvrable, however, the aircraft had inadequate armament (two Breda-SAFAT 12.7 mm machine guns). The Fiat G.50 was also used in small numbers by the Croatian Air Force and 35 were flown to Finland where they served with distinction.

The Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann was a two-man basic trainer produced in vast numbers for the Luftwaffe, as well as in Sweden, Holland, Czechoslovakia and Egypt. Bücker had produced two very successful biplane trainers - the two-seat Bü 131 Jungmann and the single seat Bü 133 Jungmeister. The company then began to develop a series of monoplanes, but only the fourth and final of these would become a major success. First was the Bü 134, a high-wing monoplane with folding wings, one of which was produced. This was followed by the Bü 180 Student, a low-wing two seat aircraft of mixed construction, with the crew sitting in tandem cockpits. This aircraft was designed as a civil touring aircraft, and around twenty were built. Next came the Bü 182 Kornett, which made its maiden flight late in 1938. This was a single seat advanced trainer, using the same construction methods as the Bü 180. Four prototypes were produced, but the German air ministry wasn't interested in the design and no production followed.

The fourth and final aircraft was the Bü 181 Bestmann. This was designed as a two-seat sports and touring aircraft. It had the same basic configuration as the Bü 180, but this time its two crew were carried side-by-side in an enclosed cockpit. The first Bestmann made its maiden flight in February 1939. The Bü 181 used mixed construction. The front part of the fuselage was built with a chrome molybdenum steel tube structure covered with metal panels. The rear fuselage was a wooden monocoque. The wings and tail had a wooden framework, with plywood covering on the wings and the fixed part of the tail, and fabric covering for the tail control surfaces. The main undercarriage was retractable. Inside the cockpit there were dual controls, space for seat type parachutes and a large baggage compartment. After tests with the Luftwaffe the Bü 181 was accepted as the standard basic trainer and deliveries of the Bü 181A began late in 1940. Several thousand aircraft were produced in Germany, although the production figures for Bücker aircraft were lost at the end of the war. Two versions were produced for the Luftwaffe - the Bü 181A and slightly modified Bü 181D.

During the war the aircraft was produced by Fokker in Amsterdam, where 708 aircraft were built. Production also began at the Zlin factor in Czechoslovakia, but very few aircraft were produced there before the Germans were forced to retreat from the area. Production continued at Zlin after the war, and the Czech aircraft were designated as the C.6 and C.106 (presumably indicating war-time and post-war production). The Jungmann was also produced under licence in Sweden between 1944 and 1946, and in Egypt in the 1950s. The Bestmann served as the main basic trainer for the Luftwaffe. As large numbers of aircraft appeared it was also used as a communications aircraft, a glider tug and even as an anti-tank aircraft. This final use came in 1945 and saw panzerfaust anti-tank rockets mounted under the wings. The Bü 181 was not a success as an anti-tank aircraft, and most used in this way were shot down.

In the pre-nuclear, pre-terrorist days of warfare, when many battling nations were technological equals, overwhelming mass was an irresistible determiner of outcome. For a single nation to twice take on the modern world within a 20-year period, there must be a high level of self-delusion, if not madness, in the highest ranks of government, especially when it was still staggering from the effects of losing the first try. None-the-less, Nazi Germany did exactly that, and no amount of technological ingenuity could alter that fact, as the history of the Messerschmitt Me 262, the first turbojet to be used in combat, dramatically illustrates. Had the aircraft been introduced in large numbers in 1939, it is conceivable that the "Battle of Britain" might have ended as Hitler envisioned, while the United States, had it become involved, would have had to fight an aerial war from across the Atlantic, and every pub in England would today be known as "die Bierstube." Perhaps. In fact, the Me 262 began as a preliminary design in 1939, without the engines needed to make it fly. Thus, the first prototype flew in 1941 with a 700hp Jumo 210G piston engine, and not the planned BMW 003 turbojet engines.

The early prototypes were fitted with conventional tail wheels. However, this configuration made takeoffs highly dangerous, so a fully retractable tricycle landing gear modification became the standard. The Me 262A-1a "Schwalbe" ("Swallow") was the first production model of the Me 262. It was produced with four Mk 108 30mm cannon mounted in the nose, in its role as an interceptor, a role that it performed with great promise except for several limiting factors: First, it came into the battle far too late, when the Allied air forces had reached formidable capacity; secondly, its engines were a constant source of trouble, frequently failing after no more than 12 hours; third, it was utilized inappropriately for far too long, after Hitler decided that the machine should be used in a bombing capacity, to "punish" the Allies. That version, the Me 262A-2a "Sturmvogel" ("Stormbird") was reconfigured to carry two 550lb bombs, still retaining the four cannon. A further refinement, Me 262A-2a/U1 had two of the cannon removed to provide space for a bomb-aiming device, and Me 262A-2/U2 carried a prone bombardier in the nose section. Thus, for much of the aircraft's brief combat life, it was used against the wrong type of targets, with even less effect than if it had been used as an interceptor.

In addition to bomber, ground attack and night fighter variants, the Me 262 was also produced as a tandem two-seat trainer, the Me 262B-1a. Four 262A-1as were modified to carry a single 50mm Mk 214 cannon which extended almost 7 feet beyond the nose of the plane, but the blinding flash from the barrel limited the effectiveness of the device. In any case, it didn't matter. There were 1,433 Me 262s built, with nearly 500 more destroyed by bombing raids before they were completed. Of that total, fewer than 300 were actually used in combat. Using equipment and components manufactured during the occupation of Czechoslovakia, some Me 262s were produced by Avia, in Czechoslovakia after the war, under the designation S.92.

In its brightest moments, when it was used as intended, the Me 262 was the equivalent of sending the "Three Musketeers" against Sitting Bull at Little Big Horn. In one battle, for instance, 37 of the 262s were scrambled against an Allied raid that consisted of 1,221 bombers and 632 fighter escorts! In their most effective performance, they cost the Allies a one percent loss. Despite the fact that the Me 262 is one of the most rare and esoteric aircraft of World War II, at least one group has endeavored to build brand new copies of this interesting airplane, updated to modern safety standards, and powered by more modern jet engines. The distinctive profile of the Me 262 has recently graced the skies again, this time in peaceful reflection rather than with hostile intent.

Source: Warbird Alley: Messerschmitt Me 262

The Focke-Wulf Fw 56 Stösser (Falcon) was an advanced training aircraft that was used at German fighter pilot schools throughout the Second World War. The Fw 56 was designed during 1933 in response to an Air Ministry requirement for an advanced trainer. It was a parasol wing monoplane with a fixed undercarriage, and built around a steel-tube fuselage with metal and fabric covering. The first prototype made its maiden flight in November 1933. It had a wing built with a wooden structure and covered with plywood and fabric. Tests revealed problems with the undercarriage, and so the landing gear was replaced on V2, the second prototype. This also had an all-metal wing. V3 followed in February 1934, with the original wooden wing and a modified undercarriage. The prototypes were followed by three A-0 series pre-production series, two armed with two 7.92mm machine guns and three 22lb practices bombs while the third carried a single gun.

In the summer of 1935 the Fw 56 competed against the Arado Ar 76 and Heinkel He 74 to win a production contract as a home defence fighter and advanced trainer. The Fw 56 won the competition, and was ordered into production in the advanced trainer role. During 1935 the Fw 56 was also used by Ernst Udet to test out dive bombing. It was a sturdy aircraft with clean lines that gave it a high diving speed and allowed it to survive the pull-out. Udet had seen a demonstration of dive bombing by a Curtiss Helldiver in the United States, and carried out the 1935 tests with the Fw 56 in person. In the next year, as head of the RLM's technical department, Udet was able to put his support for the dive-bomber into practice. Between 1934 and 1940 around 1,000 Fw 56A-1a were produced, able to carry one or two 7.9mm machine guns. The aircraft was used at the Luftwaffe's fighter-pilot training schools through the Second World War, as well as serving in the Austrian and Hungarian Air Forces and for experiments in towing gliders and to help develop the idea of the 'piggy back' mistal concept, acting as the upper part of a Fw 56/ DFS 230 combination.

The Messerschmitt Bf 110 was an aircraft of very mixed fortunes. It has often been criticized for its failure during the Battle of Britain, while its successes in other fields have been largely ignored. Yet, this aircraft that did not match up to Luftwaffe expectations, managed to serve Germany throughout the Second World War in long-range escort fighter, fighter-bomber, reconnaissance, ground attack and night fighter roles. The long-range multi-seat escort fighter is possibly the most difficult of combat aircraft to design. Certainly no entirely successful machine in this category emerged from the Second World War, and when Professor Willy Messerschmitt began design studies for such a warplane towards the end of 1934, at the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke at Augsburg, his problems would have seemed insurmountable had he possessed a full knowledge of interceptor fighter development trends abroad. Such a machine as was required by Marshal Goering, to equip the elite zerstorer formations, that he envisaged had to be capable of penetrating deep into enemy territory, possessing sufficient range to accompany bomber formations. The fuel tankage necessary presented a serious weight penalty, and called for the use of two engines if the zerstorer was to achieve a performance approaching that of the lighter interceptor fighter by which it would be opposed. Yet it had to be manaoeuvrable, if it was to successfully fend off the enemy's single-seaters.

Messerschmitt possessed no previous experience with twin-engined military aircraft when he commenced work on the Bf 110. Indeed, his first warplane, the single-seat Bf 109 , had been conceived only the previous summer. At the time, the most powerful aero engine of national design available was the Junkers Jumo 210A of 610 hp. It was obvious from the outset that a pair of such engines would be inadequate to provide the power needed for the relatively large and heavy fighter envisaged. However, the Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft was actively engaged in developing a new twelve-cylinder liquid-cooled inverted-vee engine, the DB 600 , which held promise of 1,000 hp, and on the premise that such engines would be available for his prototypes—Messerschmitt began the design of the Bf 110. Designed to a 1934 requirement for a long range escort fighter, the first prototype Bf 110 made its initial flight on May 12, 1936. A key factor in the design was the use of two Daimler-Benz DB 600 engines—subsequent difficulty in obtaining enough of these to power development aircraft meant that the Bf 110 could not be tested during the Spanish Civil War. Nevertheless, one aircraft was tested at the Rechlin evaluation center in 1937, and proved to be very fast, although not as manoeuvrable as hoped. Despite obvious shortcomings, the Bf 110 entered service in 1939 as the Bf 110C—powered by two 1100 hp DB 601A engines. Production was set up on a massive scale, and by the end of the year, some 500 Bf 110s were flying operationally.

By the time Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, ten Luftwaffe Gruppen had been equipped with the heavy fighter. Owing to the limited aerial opposition, the Bf 110C was largely employed in the ground-support role, and after the fall of Poland, little was heard of this much-vaunted machine until, on December 14, 1939, it was encountered by a formation of twelve Wellingtons over the Heligoland Bight. But it was not until it was to come up against RAF fighters in 1940, that the Bf 110C was to receive its first real trial in combat and to be found wanting. As a long-range escort fighter, the Bf 110C received a disastrous mauling at the hands of the more nimble Hurricane and Spitfire during the Battle of Britain. Rather than protecting the bombers under escort, the Bf 110C formations usually found that they were hard put to defend themselves, and the farcical situation developed in which single-seat Bf 109E fighters were having to afford protection to the escort fighters. The complete failure of the Bf 110C in the role for which it had been conceived, led to its eventual withdrawal from the Channel coast but did not result in any reduction in its production priority.

Against Polish PZL fighters and other European countries, the aircraft fared well. Although the Bf 110s had failed in their primary task, production continued at a high rate, and by 1945 no fewer than 6,150 had been built, ranging from Bf 110As to Gs. As later models became available, the early Bf 110Cs and Ds were transferred to the Middle East and Eastern Front. Both the C- and D-models had almost disappeared from the European theatre by the summer of 1941, although they were being used extensively on the Russian front and in the Middle East. Production during 1940 had risen to 1,083 machines, but with the impending introduction of the Me 210, only 784 machines were produced in the following year. By the end of 1942, in which year 580 Bf 110s were produced, production of this aircraft had again been stepped up as, on April 17, production of the Me 210 was canceled after numerous accidents, thus leaving a serious gap in the Luftwaffe's fighter and fighter bomber production program. To fill the gap, an improved version of the Bf 110 was introduced, the G-series with the DB 605 engine which provided 1,475 hp for take-off and 1,355 hp @ 18,700 feet. The pre-production Bf 110G-0 fighter-bomber was delivered for service evaluation late in 1942, and from early in 1943, G-series machines were encountered in increasing numbers. Apart from its engines the first production model, the Bf 110G-1, was similar to earlier fighter-bomber variants, and the G-2 differed principally in the armament installed: two or four 20-mm. MG 151 cannon and four 7.9-mm. MG 17 in the nose plus two 7.9-mm. MG 81 in the rear cockpit.

The Bf 110Es were capable of carrying a respectable bomb load of 4,410 lb (2,000 kg) as fighter-bombers, while straight fighter and reconnaissance versions were also built. These, and later versions, were operated with a fair degree of success in many war zones. The Bf 110F was basically similar to the E, but two new variants were produced—the 110F-2 carrying rocket projectiles, and the F-4 with two 30 mm cannon, and an extra crew member for night fighting. The last version, the Bf 110G, was intended for use originally as a fighter-bomber but, in view of the success of the F-4, and the increasingly heavy attacks on Germany by Allied bombers, was employed mostly as a night fighter.

From time to time, Bf 110G night fighters were used on day operations. They were first employed as close escort to the Scharnhorst, and the Gneisenau off the Dutch coast and Heligoland Bight, and in the summer of 1943, they fought American day-bomber formations, whenever the latter flew unescorted. The Bf 110G groups sustained heavy losses during these actions owing to their pilots, trained in night-fighting tactics, going in close before attacking and being met by the heavy defensive fire of the bombers. They were no match for the Thunderbolts escorting American B-17 and B-24 bombers over Berlin. It was in a Bf 110 that Rudolf Hess, Deputy Fuhrer of Germany, flew solo to Scotland on the night of May 10, 1941, in the hope of negotiating peace terms with Britain, without Hitler's knowledge.

Source: Messerschmitt Bf 110 - Germany

Good shots!

I agree!

The Weihe was first flown in 1935 as an advanced training, light transport and communications aircraft for the Luftwaffe, powered by two 179kW Argus As.10G engines. However before the outbreak of World War II Deutsche Luft-Hansa received eight as six-passenger commercial transports. Armament in the military training version comprised a gunner's turret in the nose (which could be replaced by a metal cone for blind-flying instruction) and an aft gun position. The turret had space for an instructor and pupil for machine-gun and bomb-aiming training. Two seats side-by-side were provided in the cockpit for flying training, while a bomb trap with sights in a further compartment was provided for bombing instruction.

In early 1938, continued German confidence in the Bf110 heavy fighter / bomber destroyer concept led the RLM to issue a specification calling for the design of an eventual successor, which covered a twin-engined multi-purpose fighter with remote-controlled armament. As well as asking Messerschmitt, who eventually produced the Me210, there was also the Ago Ao225 and Arado Ar240. The Ao225 was a very advanced design, with a large centrally-mounted engine driving both airscrews via extension shafts, but was dropped due to its advanced nature and the financial troubles the company were in. The Me210 first flew on 2 September 1939, the day after Germany invaded Poland. It was powered by two 1,050hp Daimler-Benz DB 601A engines but proved to be very unsatisfactory, having very poor handling and serious instability. The initial prototypes had twin fins and rudders but these were removed and replaced by a large single vertical surface on the first and third prototypes, while the second prototype retained the twin rudder arrangement for comparative testing. The second prototype crashed on 5 September while the others continued flying on 23 September 1939. Some improvement was apparent, but in spite of these and other improvements being carried out (such as a new cockpit canopy), the two prototypes continued to suffer from poor handling characteristics, including spinning and stalling. It is difficult to understand therefore, why the aircraft was allowed to reach the production stage but it did and by mid-1940 the first batch of airframes was ready for final assembly. The first fifteen Me210 Hornisse (Hornet) aircraft were earmarked as test aircraft and on 5 September 1940 (exactly a year from when the second prototype crashed) the programme suffered the first of several crashes when one of the prototypes broke up during dive testing – luckily the pilot managed to escape. The problems were such that the eight pre-production Me210A-0 and thirteen production Me210A-1 aircraft were added to the testing programme. As a result of this extensive testing and evaluation programme, little actual improvement in the handling characteristics of the aircraft occurred and it was evident that only some major design changes would correct the faults. At this stage, such a move would cause unacceptable delays to the production programme so deliveries began and sixty-four aircraft were supplied during 1941 in two variants. The first was the Me210A-1 destroyer-bomber that was armed with two 20mm MG151/20 cannon and two 7.92mm (0.31in) MG17 machineguns and the second was the Me210A-2 fighter-bomber that could carry a maximum bombload of 4,409lbs (2,000kg). The first active use of the Me210 was by II / ZG1 on the Eastern Front in late 1941 but the unit could rarely muster more than a third of its aircraft for operations. Active operations over the British Isles began in September 1942 from 16 Staffel / KG6 based at Soesterberg in Holland, while a number were delivered to III / ZG1 and 2(F) / 122 at Trapani on Sicily and 10 / ZG26 in Tunisia.

However, on 14 April 1942 after about 200 Me210 aircraft had been delivered (including two Me210B-0 preproduction and Me210B-1 production reconnaissance aircraft), the decision was taken to resume the manufacture of the Bf110 to buy time for the faults affecting the Me210 to be ironed out. This however meant the loss of some 600 aircraft to the German war effort and over 30 million RM to Messerschmitt.

Messerschmitt proposed a new high-altitude development with more powerful engines and a pressurised cockpit, the Me310. The aircraft was to be powered by 1,750hp Daimler-Benz DB 603A engines driving four-blade airscrews and a span of 59ft 0.75in (18 metres) with a maximum speed of 419mph (675kph) at 36,091ft (11,000m). It was eventually abandoned as the stability problems affecting the Me210 were eventually solved by the inclusion of automatic wing leading-edge slots and the redesign of the rear fuselage, stretching it by 3ft 1.5in (0.95m) and making it deeper.

The proposed improvements were submitted with the recommendation that the aircraft be equipped with the 1,750hp Daimler-Benz DB 603A engine to provide better performance. RLM accepted the solution as it would utilise a number of unfinished airframes and so Messerschmitt was given the go-ahead with the designation of Me410 being given to the substantially redesigned aircraft. As a side note, an export version of the Me210 existed, the C series, which was built in Hungary by the Danube Aircraft Factory. Messerschmitt had already supplied jigs and tools and the new factory built when the Germans halted their own production programme; however the Hungarians decided to proceed as one of the Me210A-0s had been fitted with the 1,465hp DB 605B engines, being built under license by Manfred Weiss. The Me210C had the wing slots and the new rear fuselage and production deliveries were spit with one third going to the Royal Hungarian Air Force and two-thirds to the Luftwaffe. Production was slow to get going but by early 1944 the first Hungarian units had been formed. Production in Hungary ended in March 1944 by which time 267 Me210C aircraft had been built in two variants. The first was the Me210C-1 reconnaissance / bomber-destroyer and the second was the Me210Ca-1 bomber-destroyer / dive-bomber. In contrast to Luftwaffe pilots, Hungarian pilots seemed to like the aircraft and used it extensively in the close support role.

The prototype Me410 was a converted Me210A-0 and a number of other Me210A-0s were brought up to the Me410 standard but with Db 601F engines. The improvement in the performance of the aircraft and its handling made the Me410 far more acceptable to the Luftwaffe, which received the first five Me410A-1 light bombers in January 1943. It was armed with two 20mm MG151/20 cannon, two MG17 machineguns and two MG131, mounted one on each side of the fuselage in an electrically-powered barbette and could carry 4,409lbs (2,000kg) of bombs internally. Demand for these much more effective aircraft built up quickly, so much so that Messerschmitt's Augsburg production line was supplemented in early 1944 by a second production line after Dornier entered the programme. As Me410 production expanded, a number of specialised sub-variants became available, including the Me410A-1/U1 (photoreconnaissance), Me410A-1/U2 (heavy fighter) and the Me410A-1/U4 (bomber destroyer) which was armed with a 50mm BK5 gun mounted underneath the fuselage. This weapon was a modified version of the L/60 weapon mounted on the SdKfz 234 series of armoured cars, the gun weighed some 900kg and severely restricted manoeuvrability, carrying some twenty-one rounds and having a recoil pressure of about seven tons. One such aircraft was captured by the Soviets in East Prussia and tested. The Me410A-1 was followed by the Me410A-2 heavy fighter which was equipped with two 30mm cannon and again built with a number of sub-variants including the Me410A-2/U1 (photoreconnaissance), Me410A-2/U2 (radar-carrying night fighter) and the Me410A-2/U4 (bomber destroyer), while the Me410A-3 was a reconnaissance aircraft equipped with three cameras. The first three Luftwaffe units to receive the aircraft were 5 / KG2 at Lechfeld, 2(F) / 122 at Trapani and III / ZG1 at Gerbini. The latter two had already been equipped with Me210 aircraft but 5 / KG2 converted from the Do217. These were later combined with the remnants of II / KG40 to form the Me410 equipped V / KG2.

In April 1944, the first of the improved B series were delivered to frontline units and introduced the 1,900hp DB 603G engine along with the B-1 and B-2 variants that were similar to the A series variants. The B-3 variant was a reconnaissance aircraft (similar to the A-3) and the Me410B-5 was a torpedo and anti-shipping bomber that was at the testing stage when the war ended. The Me410B-6 was again, a specialised anti-shipping variant that was built in small numbers and equipped with the FuG200 Hohentwiel search radar, two 20mm MG151/20 cannons, two 30mm MK103 cannons and two 13mm (0.51in) MG131 machineguns. As the Allies stepped up the daylight bombing campaign, the Me410s were increasingly engaged in home defence and accounted for a large number of allied bombers although they suffered at the hands of the escorting fighters. Production was finally phased out in September 1944 after 1,160 Me410s had been built and although it had not achieved the successes hoped, it was certainly an improvement on the terrible Me210.

Source; Messerschmitt Me210 / Me310 / Me410 Hornisse

After the Italian armistice the Luftwaffe took over the majority of Regia Aeronautica aircraft. Among these aircraft were a number of CR.42s.[53]German Rüstungs-und-Kriegsproduktion Stab took control of Italy's northern aircraft industry, and ordered 200 CR.42LW (LW=Luftwaffe) from Fiat for the Luftwaffe, to use in night harassment and anti-partisan roles. Some of the captured Fiats were allocated to training divisions as well. One of the German units to use the CR.42 was Nachtschlachtgruppe (NSGr.) 9, based in Udine. Its task was to fight partisans in the region of the Alps, Istria and Croatia. The 1. Staffel received its Falchi in November 1943 and in January 1944 the unit was transferred to the airfield at Caselle near Turin to operate against partisan units in the Southern Alps. On 28 January, the 2. Staffel too was equipped with the CR.42. The training of Germans pilots took place at a school in Venaria Reale.

In February 1944, after the Allies had landed at Anzio, 1.Staffel and 2.Staffel, based at Centocelle Airport in Rome, attacked Allied units in southern Latium, mostly in moonlit night raids. NSGr9 attacked enemy troops in the Monte Cassino area. The CR.42 proved to be useful as a light bomber at night but subsequently NSGr9 began to be equipped with the Ju 87D. 2.Staffel kept using the Fiat biplanes until mid-1944. On 31 May, the unit still had 18 Falchi, 15 of which were operational. Due to Allied raids over the Fiat factory in Turin, only 150 CR.42LWs were completed, with 112 becoming operational. Another unit to use them in Southern Italy and the Balkans was Jagdgeschwader (JG) 107 which flew them as night fighters, fighter-bombers and fighter-trainers. The CR.42 was nicknamed "Die Pressluftorgel" or "the Pneumatic Organ" by Luftwaffe trainee pilots.

Great photos.

How awesome is that picture with the Me 323 in the background? Sweet! Thanks, as always, for posting...