Messerschmitt Bf 110
 Messerschmitt Bf 110. Photo: see the file page on Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
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| Make | Messerschmitt |
|---|---|
| Model | Messerschmitt Bf 110 |
| Type | Heavy fighter, fighter-bomber, night fighter |
| Country |  Germany
|
| First flight | 12 May 1936
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| Number built | 6,170 |
| Seats | two or three |
| Engine | 2 × Daimler-Benz DB 601A-1, 1,050 hp |
| Cruise speed | 262 km/h (Bf 110 C-1) |
| Service ceiling | 32,810 ft (Bf 110 C-1) |
| Max weight | 14,880 lb (Bf 110 C-1)
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The Messerschmitt Bf 110 is a German twin-engine heavy fighter of World War II, designed by Bayerische Flugzeugwerke and built by Messerschmitt. It was later used as a fighter-bomber and a night fighter.[1] In all, 6,170 were built.[1] None are on the U.S. civil register.[2]
History
In the 1930s the German air ministry asked for a long-range multipurpose fighter, a Zerstörer ("destroyer"). Hermann Göring believed its heavy guns, speed and range would make it the Luftwaffe's top offensive fighter.[1] The Bf 110 first flew on May 12, 1936.[1]
It did well in the early campaigns in Poland, Norway and France. Its weak point was poor maneuverability, which the RAF exploited when Bf 110s escorted bombers in the Battle of Britain.[1] When British bombers began raiding Germany at night, many Bf 110 units became night fighters, a role that suited it.[1] Its planned replacements, the Me 210 and Me 410, never fully took over, so it served until the end of the war.[1]
Specifications (Bf 110 C-1)
| Item | Bf 110 C-1 |
|---|---|
| Crew | two or three |
| Length | 39 ft 7.25 in |
| Wingspan | 53 ft 3.75 in |
| Height | 13 ft 6.5 in |
| Wing area | 413.334 sq ft |
| Empty weight | 9,755 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 14,880 lb |
| Fuel | 1272 L in four centre-section tanks |
| Engine | 2 × Daimler-Benz DB 601A-1, 1,050 hp (V-12 inverted liquid-cooled piston engines) |
| Propeller | VDM variable-pitch propellers |
| Maximum speed | 475 km/h |
| Cruise speed | 262 km/h |
| Range | 774 km |
| Service ceiling | 32,810 ft |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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Messerschmitt Bf 110. Photo: see the file page on Commons, Public domain -
A Bf 110G-4 Night fighter at the RAF Museum in London. Photo: Max Smith, Public domain -
A German Messerschmitt Bf 110 D-1 from 9./ZG 26 (9. Photo: Andrea Nicola, Regia Aeronautica Photographer (my father), uploader: E, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
Messerschmitt Bf 110 at Deutsches Technikmuseum in Berlin. Photo: Original uploader was and author MisterBee1966 at en.wikipedia, Public domain -
A Messerschmitt Bf 110 C-5 (c/n 2177) in flight, probably in 1941-42. Photo: U.S. Navy, Public domain -
Messerschmitt Bf 110. Photo: Wanderer, W., CC BY-SA 3.0 de -
Messerschmitt Bf 110. Photo: Helmut Grosse, CC BY-SA 3.0 de -
Messerschmitt Bf 110. Photo: Blaschka, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Messerschmitt Bf 110
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Wikipedia, "Messerschmitt Bf 110", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.