Skip Channel4 main Navigation
Explore Channel4
Food
Homes
Film
4Car
News
See All
Skip navigation.

Classic Weapons of World War II

.
Home
.

Aircraft

Messerschmitt Me 110 (Germany)

Length 1,305cm / 514in
Wingspan 1,625cm / 640in
Crew 2 or 3
Armament Two 30mm cannon in nose
Two 20mm cannon in fuselage
One 7.92 machine gun in rear cockpit
Ceiling 8,000m / 26,245ft
Range 1,300km / 808m
Top speed 550km/h / 342mph at 23,000ft

The twin-engine Me 110 was a powerful escort fighter for bomber formations. The substantial Daimler-Benz DB601A engines ran on a super-high-octane fuel making the twin fast. A great deal of work was undertaken on the aerodynamics of the aircraft, with several amendments to the design being incorporated as the war moved on, but the fighter suffered from relatively poor manoeuvrability when compared with the single-engine opposition.

Though the scourge of the Allied bomber, the Me 110 had to watch for the enemy’s fighter escort. The 110F was converted into a fighter bomber which compromised the aircraft somewhat. Its most outstanding role was as a night fighter.

Top