Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse

Messerschmitt · Nazi Germany · first flew 1942 · bomber

The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse (Hornet) was a twin-engine heavy fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, intended to address the failures of the earlier Me 210. It was faster than many Allied fighters it encountered in 1943.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	Rearward-firing Barbette gun positions on fuselage sides
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Twin-engine heavy fighter-bomber with pointed nose
Long nacelles with prominent annular radiators
Rearward-firing Barbette gun positions on fuselage sides

Distinguished by the long, sleek fuselage with a glazed nose, twin DB 603 engines in prominent nacelles with chin radiators, and the distinctive FDSL 131 remote barbette gun blisters on each fuselage side.

Specifications

The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse has a length of 12.48 m (41 ft).
It has a wingspan of 16.35 m (54 ft).
Its maximum speed is 625 km/h (388 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The Me 410 was developed as a direct replacement for the problematic Me 210, incorporating aerodynamic refinements and more powerful Daimler-Benz DB 603 engines. It entered Luftwaffe service in 1943 and was used for bomber intercept, anti-shipping, and high-speed bombing raids on Britain. Increasing Allied fighter performance eroded its advantages by 1944.

Variants

Variants included the Me 410A-1 bomber destroyer, Me 410A-3 reconnaissance version, and the Me 410B series with improved armament including 50 mm cannon.

Where you'll see it

Operated exclusively by the Luftwaffe in the European and Mediterranean theatres between 1943 and 1944.

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