Book Review of Messerschmitt Bf-110 Vol. II Top Drawings No. 61
Author: Maciej Noszczak
MSRP: 9788395157592
Kagero Publications
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $24.95
Kagero Publications
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $24.95
HISTORY:
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110, is a twin-engine heavy fighter (Zerstörer—German for "Destroyer") and fighter-bomber (Jagdbomber or Jabo) developed in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and used by the Luftwaffe during World War II.
Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110. It was armed with two MG FF 20 mm cannon, four 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns, and one 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine gun or twin-barrel MG 81Z for defense.
Development work on an improved type to replace the Bf 110, the Messerschmitt Me 210 began before the war started, but its teething troubles from its aerodynamics resulted in the Bf 110 soldiering on until the end of the war in various roles, alongside its replacements, the Me 210 and the significantly improved Me 410 Hornisse.
The Bf 110 served with considerable initial success in the early campaigns in Poland, Norway and France. The primary weakness of the Bf 110 was its lack of agility in the air, although this could be mitigated with the correct tactics.
This weakness was exploited when flying as close escort to German bombers during the Battle of Britain. When British bombers began targeting German territory with nightly raids, some Bf 110-equipped units were withdrawn and redeployed as night fighters, a role to which the aircraft was well suited.
After the Battle of Britain the Bf 110 enjoyed a successful period as an air superiority fighter and strike aircraft in other theatres, and defended Germany from strategic air attack by day against the USAAF's 8th Air Force, until a major change in American fighter tactics rendered them increasingly vulnerable to developing American air supremacy over the Reich as 1944 began.
During the Balkans Campaign, North African Campaign and on the Eastern Front, it rendered valuable ground support to the German Army as a potent fighter-bomber. Later in the war, it was developed into a formidable radar-equipped night fighter, becoming the major night-fighting aircraft of the Luftwaffe.
Most of the German night fighter aces flew the Bf 110 at some point during their combat careers, and the top night fighter ace of all time, Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, flew it exclusively and claimed 121 victories in 164 combat missions.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Heavy fighter, Ground-attack aircraft, Fighter-bomber/Night fighter
Manufacturer: Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW), Messerschmitt
Designer: Willy Messerschmitt
First flight: 12 May 1936
Introduction to service: 1937
Retired: 1945 (Luftwaffe)
Primary users: Luftwaffe, Hungarian Air Force, Regia Aeronautica, Romanian Air Force
Number built: 6,170
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110, is a twin-engine heavy fighter (Zerstörer—German for "Destroyer") and fighter-bomber (Jagdbomber or Jabo) developed in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and used by the Luftwaffe during World War II.
Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110. It was armed with two MG FF 20 mm cannon, four 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns, and one 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine gun or twin-barrel MG 81Z for defense.
Development work on an improved type to replace the Bf 110, the Messerschmitt Me 210 began before the war started, but its teething troubles from its aerodynamics resulted in the Bf 110 soldiering on until the end of the war in various roles, alongside its replacements, the Me 210 and the significantly improved Me 410 Hornisse.
The Bf 110 served with considerable initial success in the early campaigns in Poland, Norway and France. The primary weakness of the Bf 110 was its lack of agility in the air, although this could be mitigated with the correct tactics.
This weakness was exploited when flying as close escort to German bombers during the Battle of Britain. When British bombers began targeting German territory with nightly raids, some Bf 110-equipped units were withdrawn and redeployed as night fighters, a role to which the aircraft was well suited.
After the Battle of Britain the Bf 110 enjoyed a successful period as an air superiority fighter and strike aircraft in other theatres, and defended Germany from strategic air attack by day against the USAAF's 8th Air Force, until a major change in American fighter tactics rendered them increasingly vulnerable to developing American air supremacy over the Reich as 1944 began.
During the Balkans Campaign, North African Campaign and on the Eastern Front, it rendered valuable ground support to the German Army as a potent fighter-bomber. Later in the war, it was developed into a formidable radar-equipped night fighter, becoming the major night-fighting aircraft of the Luftwaffe.
Most of the German night fighter aces flew the Bf 110 at some point during their combat careers, and the top night fighter ace of all time, Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, flew it exclusively and claimed 121 victories in 164 combat missions.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Heavy fighter, Ground-attack aircraft, Fighter-bomber/Night fighter
Manufacturer: Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW), Messerschmitt
Designer: Willy Messerschmitt
First flight: 12 May 1936
Introduction to service: 1937
Retired: 1945 (Luftwaffe)
Primary users: Luftwaffe, Hungarian Air Force, Regia Aeronautica, Romanian Air Force
Number built: 6,170
THE BOOK:
Kagaro Publications is based in Lublin, Poland
Kagaro Publications is based in Lublin, Poland
The book is soft-cover of 28 pages in 8 1/2" x 11" page format.
It includes 9 color profiles, 24 sheets with modeling plans and two double-sided A2 sheets with modeling plans in 1/72nd scale and 1/48th.
It includes 9 color profiles, 24 sheets with modeling plans and two double-sided A2 sheets with modeling plans in 1/72nd scale and 1/48th.
The book also has a black sheet of die-cut canopy masks for 1/72nd and 1/48th scale Bf-110 kits.
Bf-110 variants illustrated as color profiles are:
Bf-110E-1, Bf-110E-2, Bf-110E-1 (as a 3-view), Bf-110F-2, Bf-110G-2, Bf-110G-4/R3 (radar equipped nose) and Bf-110G-4 (radar equipped nose)
For 1/48th scale line drawings there are:
A 5-view of a Bf-110E-1 shown with and without feul tank mounted.
A 3-view of a Bf-110E-2 with bomb mounted, drop tanks below wings and with nothing mounted.
A 5-view of a Bf-110F-2
A 2-view of a Bf-110F-2 M1 late series
A 4 side views of a Bf-110F-4
A 3-view of a Bf-110F-4 M1 (radar equipped nose)
Two 5-views of a Bf-110G-2
Four side-views of a Bf-110G-2
For 1/72nd scale side-view drawings there are:
A Bf-110D-3 (radar equipped nose)
A Bf-110E-1
A Bf-110E-2
A Bf-110E-2 trop
A Bf-110E-3
A Bf-110F-2
A Bf-110F-2 M1
A Bf-110F-3
A Bf-110F-4 (exhuast with flame damper)
A Bf-110F-4 (with modified rear canopy)
A Bf-110F-4 (radar equipped nose and modified rear canopy)
Above and below views of a Bf-110E-2
A Bf-110F-2 trop
A Bf-110G-D
Two side-views of a Bf-110G-2
Two side-views of a Bf-110G-2 (with various guns)
A Bf-110G-2 trop
A Bf-110G-3
8 side views of Bf-110G-4 (radar equipped nose and various guns)
One of the large fold-out sheets has 12 line-drawings on it of Bf-110G variants in 1/48th scale.
The other large fold-out sheet has 9 line-drawings of Bf-110E and F variants in 1/48th scale.
This book will be of tremendous help to modelers of the Bf-110 as well as if interest to military aviation buffs.
Highly recommended.
I want to thank Casemate Publishing, who is the N.American distributor of Kagero books, and the folks at Kagero, for this sample.
All kagero titles can be viewed on Casemates site at:
Bf-110E-1, Bf-110E-2, Bf-110E-1 (as a 3-view), Bf-110F-2, Bf-110G-2, Bf-110G-4/R3 (radar equipped nose) and Bf-110G-4 (radar equipped nose)
For 1/48th scale line drawings there are:
A 5-view of a Bf-110E-1 shown with and without feul tank mounted.
A 3-view of a Bf-110E-2 with bomb mounted, drop tanks below wings and with nothing mounted.
A 5-view of a Bf-110F-2
A 2-view of a Bf-110F-2 M1 late series
A 4 side views of a Bf-110F-4
A 3-view of a Bf-110F-4 M1 (radar equipped nose)
Two 5-views of a Bf-110G-2
Four side-views of a Bf-110G-2
For 1/72nd scale side-view drawings there are:
A Bf-110D-3 (radar equipped nose)
A Bf-110E-1
A Bf-110E-2
A Bf-110E-2 trop
A Bf-110E-3
A Bf-110F-2
A Bf-110F-2 M1
A Bf-110F-3
A Bf-110F-4 (exhuast with flame damper)
A Bf-110F-4 (with modified rear canopy)
A Bf-110F-4 (radar equipped nose and modified rear canopy)
Above and below views of a Bf-110E-2
A Bf-110F-2 trop
A Bf-110G-D
Two side-views of a Bf-110G-2
Two side-views of a Bf-110G-2 (with various guns)
A Bf-110G-2 trop
A Bf-110G-3
8 side views of Bf-110G-4 (radar equipped nose and various guns)
One of the large fold-out sheets has 12 line-drawings on it of Bf-110G variants in 1/48th scale.
The other large fold-out sheet has 9 line-drawings of Bf-110E and F variants in 1/48th scale.
This book will be of tremendous help to modelers of the Bf-110 as well as if interest to military aviation buffs.
Highly recommended.
I want to thank Casemate Publishing, who is the N.American distributor of Kagero books, and the folks at Kagero, for this sample.
All kagero titles can be viewed on Casemates site at: