Supermarine Spitfire. At Royal Air Force's service. Part twelve.

 

The Supermarine Seafire was a naval variant of the Supermarine Spitfire adapted to operate from aircraft carriers. 
It was first proposed by the British Admiralty in May 1938, during a meeting with Richard Fairey, head of Fairey Aviation, who proposed that his company could design and manufacture the naval variant of the Spitfire. The idea was not accepted and it was dropped. Consequently the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), which was still part of the Royal Air Force (RAF), was forced to order both Blackburn Roc turret fighters and Gloster Sea Gladiators, both types already outdated for the time. When World War 2 started, many aircraft of operated by the FAA were designed on the assumption that Germany had no aircraft carriers, so overall performance was not given priority compared to other duties required such as observation and spotting. However by 1941 those aircraft were obsolete in comparison to the German and Italian land-based fighters against they had to operate. Therefore the need for a more capable aircraft was evident and, considering that the Hawker Hurricane was quickly adapted to carrier operations, interest in navalising the Spitfire was rose too. 
In November 1939 the idea of a seaborne Spitfire was raised again when the Air Ministry allowed Commander Ermen to fly a Spitfire Mk. I. After this first flight with R6718, Ermen learned that Joseph Smith, chief designer at Spitfire, was instructed to fit an "A-frame" arrestor hook on a Spitfire and that this had flown on 16th October, a drawing of this aircraft had been shown to the FAA on 27th October. After much discussions, Supermarine submitted a drawing of a Spitfire with folding wings and an arrestor hook. In this proposed variant, which never materialized, the outer wings would have swivelled and folded backwards to facer parallel with the fuselage. On 29th February 1940 the Admiralty asked that the Air Ministry to formally approve the production of 50 folding-wing Spitfires, with the first batch to be delivered in July that same year. However, Winston Churchill, who was First Lord of the Admiraly back then, cancelled the order as he considered more important to prioritize the production of land-based Spitfires and favour the Fairey Fulmar multi-role naval fighter, as he stated in a letter to Lord Beaverbrook.
Given the Fall of France in June1940 and the subsequent Battle of Britain, there was an urgent demand for land-based Spitfires, the diversion of resources to facilitate the development and manufacture of a naval variant would have reduced Spitfire production. 
In the meantime, until the replacement of the Fulmar became a reality (which would eventually be the Fairey Firefly), a number of Grumman Wildcats was ordered from the United States by the FAA. Those machines entered service with the FAA towards the end of 1940 as the Grumman Martlet.

It wasn't until 1941 and early 1942 that the Admiralty raised again the possible conversion of a Spitfire for naval use. In late 1941 48 Spitfire Mk. Vb were converted at Air Training Service Ltd. at Hamble (Hampshire) and became "hooked Spitfires". Those first machines were known as Seafire Mk. Ib and became the first of many Seafire variants to serve with the FAA. This version was primarily used to allow the Royal Navy to gain experience in operating the Spitfire on aircraft carriers. The main structural change was the incorporation of an A-frame style arrestor hook and stronger lower longerons. The fuselage, specially around the hatches was found to be too weak for naval operations so, as an attempt to fix it, reinforcing strips were riveted around hatch openings and along the main fuselage longerons.
Further 118 Seafire Mk. Ibs with reinforced fuselage were converted from Spitfire Mk. Vbs by Cunliffe-Owen at Eastleigh (Hampshire) and Air Training Service. Those aircraft featured Naval high-frequency radio equipment and identification, friend or foe equipment too as well as a Type 72 homing beacon. In these instruments were recalibrated to read the speed in knots and distance in nautical miles instead of miles per hour and miles. It was armed like a regular Spitfire Mk. Vb, with two 20 mm Hispano Mk. II cannons and four 0.303 in Browning machine guns in the wings. It could also carry an external fuel tank under the fuselage.
In June 1942 the first Seafire was delivered to 807 Squadron FAA and another combat unit, 801 Squadron operated this type on board HMS Furious (47) from October 1942 until September 1944.

Sources:
1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire_(early_Merlin-powered_variants)
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire_operational_history

Supermarine Spitfire. At Royal Air Force's service. Part eleven.

 

The Spitfire PR. ID was a reconnaissance variant of the Spitfire. It was the first of the type to not be a conversion from older Mk. Is. It carried so much fuel that it was nicknamed as "the bowser", after a famous tanker lorry type of the era. The D-shaped wings housed the integral fuel tank and had an additional one in the rear fuselage. The type was also equipped with two vertically mounted F24 cameras in the rear fuselage. 
The weight of both the cameras and the fuel, put the centre of gravity so far back that the type was difficult to fly until the rear fuselage tank was empty. In spite of those difficulties, the PR.ID proved to be worthy, reaching long distances and performing missions over Stettin, Marseille, Trondheim and Toulon.
After the first two Type Ds had proven the concept the production aircraft, which were soon renamed as PR. Mk. IV, the type was modified to increase the leading edge tank capacity to 66.5 gal (302L) and by deleting the rear fuselage tank. The PR. IV was equipped with the more powerful Merlin 45 engine, the same one employed by the Mk. V and had heated cabins, which came as a great confort for the pilots on such long flights.

On another related subject, the Spitfire fought against high-altitude bombers too. Near the end of August 1942, the Luftwaffe began a high-level bombing raids campaign against England. For such task, a new unit was created, called Höhenkampfkommando der Versuchsstelle für Höhenflüge (literally "High Altitude Combat Command of the High-Altitude Flight Test Centre) which was equipped with a small number of Junkers Ju.86R high altitude bombers. This aircraft was capable of bombing targets from above 40.000 ft (12.000 m), far outside the range of any Royal Air Force's (RAF) fighter ceiling, or even from anti-aircraft guns range. On one such attack, on 28th August a single bomb dropped over Bristol killed 48 people and injured another 46. To counter this new threat the "High Altitude Flight" was formed at RAF Northolt. This unit, equipped initially with a just a pair of Mk. Vcs which were soon converted into Mk. IXs by Rolls-Royce at the Hucknall plant, successfully intercepted a Ju.86R on 12th September over Southampton at 41.000 ft (12.000 m). The ensuing aerial battle, which went up to 43.000 ft (13.000 m), became the highest battle of the war. However, problems caused by the freezing air at that altitude, meant that the combat couldn't be decisive as the port cannon jammed and, every time the pilot fired a burst, the aircraft would slew and fall out of the sky. 
The bomber escaped safely with just one hit to its port wing. However it was found to be vulnerable to the RAF at high altitudes and the Luftwaffe launched no further high-altitude attacks against England..

Sources:
1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire_(early_Merlin-powered_variants)
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire_operational_history

Messerschmitt Bf.110 in service with the Luftwaffe. Part eleven. The end.

 

The Bf.110H was the last proposed variant of the Bf.110. It was expected to be powered by two Daimler Benz DB605E engines and was going to be armed with two 30mm Mk.108 cannons plus one 30mm Mk.103. It would've equipped with bomb racks capable of carrying 2 ETC 500 bombs and either 4 ETC 50 underwing bomb racks or 4 Nebel Werfer 21cm rocket launcher.
There were also some proposed variants like H-4 night fighter equipped with radar and the H-5 heavy fighter. Some sources also state that an H-3 variant was expected, for reconnaissance duties and was to be armed with four 7.92mm Mk.17 machine guns instead of the Mk.108 cannons. Unlike its predecessors, it was expected to be a single-seat fighter, except the H-4 which would've required a radar operator. The removal of the observer/radio operator would've provided a performance improvement.
Work on the Bf.110H began in 1943 (though, according to some sources it was one year earlier, in 1942). In February, the first prototype was almost complete, however, on 24th February the USAAF bombed the Gothaer Wagonfabrik, which was leading the Bf.110H project and destroyed both the prototype and test facilities. This set the project back for at least six months. In September 1944 its development was cut short and, shortly later, in November, the Bf.110H was not included in the Emergency Fighter Program. 
According to some sources, it did reach production status with some very few machines produced, however, there are not proofs of that having took place, and it was most likely, destroyed before it could reach production.

The last major combat for the Bf.110 took place in early 1945 when acting as radar-equipped night fighter defending the Reich against Royal Air Force's (RAF) bombers.
Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, history's top-scoring night fighter ace with 121 night victories, almost all of them in the Bf.110, flew hist last major combat action on the night of 21st February 1945 in a Bf.110G-4 equipped with Schräge Musik upward-firing cannons and Liechtenstein radar. He managed to intercept a formation of Avro Lancaster bombers and shot down seven of them in less than twenty minutes.
Production of the Bf.110 ceased officially in March 1945 with almost 6,000 units built throughout the war and the remaining operational aircraft were surrendered to the Allied upon German capitulation in May 1945. One was captured by the British forces at Grove airfield, in Denmark and is nowadays on display at the RAF's museum in London.

Sources:
1st https://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_bf_110H.html
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110_operational_history
3rd Histoire & Collections - Avions et Pilotes 11 - Messerschmitt Bf.110 & Me.210-410 1939 -1945
4th Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action 1030 - Messerschmitt Bf-110 Zerstörer in Action

Messerschmitt Bf.110 in service with the Luftwaffe. Part ten. The Bf.110 night fighter.

 

During 1941 it was foresaw that the Messerschmitt Me.210 would eventually replace the Bf.110, so production of the Bf.110 was terminated, with production ceasing at MIAG in October 1941 and GWF one month later. However, the Me.210 proved to be disappointing, so deliveries of the Bf.110F were resumed in February 1942.
Some measures were already taken in the summer of 1941 to update the basic design of the Bf.110. Under the pre-production designation of Bf.110G-0, the fuselage was aerodynamically cleaned up and engines were upgraded to a pair of DB.601F, rated at 1.475hp each at take off and emergency landing. 
The initial production variant, G-1 had the MG FF machine guns replaced with a pair of MG 151 and had the ETC bomb racks removed. This variant, the G-1 was not built and, instead, the G-2 was put into production, which through the application of various Rüstsätze (Field Conversion Sets) could be employed either as a Zerstörer of fighter-bomber. Thanks to those Rüstsätze, the G variant were the most versatile of the Bf.110 saga, with the first G-2 entering service in May 1942.
The Bf.110G-3 was a reconnaissance variant, which was put into production in 1943 and was preceded on the assembly lines by the G-4. It was equipped with an Rb 50/30 or 70/30 camera installed in lieu of the ventral weapons. Although the rest of the armament remained the same, there was an additional weapon in the form of a Waffentropfen, a 20mm MG 151/20 cannon placed under the belly, which fired rearwards. In order to increase its range, this version could carry two 300L (66 gal) drop tanks under the wings. A single Rüstsätze, the R3 was present on this variant, which replaced the nose machine guns by two Mk 108 cannons.
The Bf.110G-4 was the last version and, together with the Bf.110C, was also the most numerous. It was designed for night-fighting duties and was designed from the outset to carry a radar in the form of Umrüst Bausätze (U- factory conversions), with extra protection at the front of the canopy for the pilot and the rest of the crew. Its production began in parallel to that of the G-2 and the F-4 and was put into service at the end of 1942. 
It was equipped with the same weapon arrangement as the previous variants (two 20mm MG 151/20 and four 7.92mm MG 17 forward-firing machine guns plus two flexible MG 81Z in the rear cockpit). For this variant, the letter added to the suffix marked the type of radar carried, so, for instance a Bf.110G-4a was equipped with a FuG 212 Lichtenstein C-1 with four nose antennaes.
The main setback of this variant was the additional third crew member as a radar operator, which meant extra weight, however, he was not always needed but, when he was present, it was extra difficult to bail out for the radio operator. 
At the beginning of 1945 only II., III. and IV./NJG 1 and I./NJG 3 were still completely equipped with the Bf.110G-4, sharing space alongside other machines such as the Junkers Ju.88 or the Heinkel He.219 in other groups such as II., III. and IV./NJG 5. In March 1945 there were practically none left in the reconnaissance or Zerstörer units and, with less than fifty produced, total production rose up to 6.050 examples of all versions.

After the Bf.110 was withdrawn from the daylight fighting, the Bf.110 had a success as a night fighter, thanks to its range and firepower, so it wasn't long until the Bf.110 became the backbone of the Nachtjagdgeschwader (Night fighting wings) throughout the whole conflict. In fact, the first units overtook night defence operations in as early as autumn 1940, facing light opposition until 1942 when the first British heavy bombers appeared.
One of the most remarkable actions of the Bf.110 doing night-fighting duties, took place on the night of 17 to 18 August 1943. Some machines were equipped with the experimental Schräge Musik system, a two upward-firing cannon arrangement which in its initial installations, it was placed almost midway down the cockpit behind the pilot, allowing this way to attack the blind spot of both the Avro Lancaster and the Handley Page Halifax bombers, which lacked a ventral turret. Employing this tactic, Leutnant Peter Erhardt destroyed four bomber in 30 minutes and, in spite of their excellent visibility, none of the Royal Air Force's (RAF) bombers reported nothing out of the usual that could point to a new weapon or tactic in the German night fighter force. 
This ignorance was aggravated by the traceless ammunition used by the Bf.110s and the bombers' blind spots. Many RAF crews witnessed a sudden explosion of a friendly aircraft and assumed, in some cases, that it was caused by a very accurate flak, as very few of the German fighter were seen, let alone fired on. Later on, the Bf.110G-4 placed the Schräge Musik system at the extreme rear of the cabin to make room for the radar operator.
In September 1943 Arthur Harris pressed on the strategic bombing of German cities, even if losses in RAF's Bomber Command were severe. The Bf.110 was responsible for the shooting down of some 2.751 RAF bombers in 1943, together with the cooperation of flak and other night fighters. Later, the RAF developed a radar countermeasure to blind German radar and, with the introduction of the De Havilland Mosquito, which were used to fly feints and diver the Bf.110s and other night fighters from their true targets, with initial successes. At this time the Bf.110 remained as the backbone of the German night fighting force, although now it was being reinforced by the Junkers Ju.88 bomber reconverted as a night fighter.
In October 1943 General Josef Kammhuber denounced the unacceptability of the climbing attrition rate. This meant the most vulnerable moment for the Bf.110, when it was gaining altitude and urged Herman Göring to stop committing German night fighters to daylight operations, as many Nachtjagdgeschwader were employed in costly daylight battles of attrition. In fact, from June to August 1943 it had increased from around 2% to 9.8%. However, the luck for the mostly Bf.110-equipped force changed during late August/September 1943 as the night fighter arm claimed the destruction of 123 out of 1,179 bombers over Hamburg one night, meaning a 7.2% loss rate. During the aerial Battle of Berlin (November 1943 to March 1944) a total of 1.128 RAF bombers were lost in just five months, with the RAF's Bomber Command had 'nearly burned out'.
Those losses were mainly a result of fighter defences, at the core of which was the Bf.110. The German defences had won a victory which prevented deep penetration raids for a time. However, Luftwaffe's losses were high as 15% of crews were killed in the first three months of 1944.

Sources:
1st Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action  1030 - Messerschmitt Bf-110 Zerstörer in Action
2nd Histoire & Collections - Avions et Pilotes 11 - Messerschmitt Bf.110 & Me.210-410 1939 -1945
3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110_operational_history

Messerschmitt Bf.110 in service with the Luftwaffe. Part nine. The Bf.110 in the eastern front, part two.

 

This post is a direct continuation of this other one.

During 1942 production and Zerstörergruppe of the Bf.110 had all but ceased. The type was put back into production in February and, during all that year, production rose to 300 machines, however, monthly strength averaged just about 200 and serviceability was usually at less than half. In fact, in late 1942 only six Gruppe (the closest Luftwaffe equivalent to a squadron) were equipped with the Bf.110, those being:
- I and II of ZG.1 (former SKG. 210)
-I, II and III/ ZG.26
-13.(Z)/JG.5:
Some other units received the denomination of 'Zerstörer', such as III./ZG.1 and ZG.2 but were, in fact, equipped with the Focke-Wulf Fw.190 or the new Messerschmitt Me.210, which was intended to replace the Bf.110. 
Starving for aircraft, the Zerstörergruppen acted poorly during 1942 in the eastern front and their most important role played in North Africa, as we wrote in previous posts. 

During the winter of 1941/1942 both Gruppen of ZG.26 were rotated between the Eastern Front and Germany. It was during one of those moments that, on 27th January 1942 that I./ZG. 26 lost its Commander, Hptm. Wilhelm Spies, shot down during a low-level attack south-west of Suchinitschi. Another Gruppe, lost its commander, shortly later, on 31st March 1942 and, therefore, both Gruppen were transferred back to Germany, to be disbanded ant their personnel transferred to I and II Gruppen of NJG.4. 
SKG.210, just like many other Luftwaffe units in the Eastern Front, had a very 'nomadic' life as it never stood for a long time in the same location, specially at the outset of the campaign.
They saw action all around the eastern front and its I. Gruppe was rebased, during the winter of 1941-1942 to Landsberg-Lech to begin conversion on the Messerschmitt Me.210 
At the beginning of Operation Blau (the 1942 German summer offensive aimed to take the oil field in Baku -Azerbaijan SSR-, Grozni and Maikop) on 28th June 1942, Luftflotte 4 had a total of 86 operational Zerstörers, among them fifteen Bf.110 assigned to reconnaissance roles, dispersed in three units:
-3.(H)/31, 3.(H)/11 and 7.(H)/LG.2, with the remaining 71 machines serving on ZG.1 and ZG.2. Just one month later both Zerstörergruppen had lost a total of 31 Bf.110, all to Soviet fighters, thanks to their reorganization. Five more of the recce units were also lost to the same cause. Those factors given, the decision to disband ZG.2 was taken, and all its surviving aircraft were transferred to ZG.1.
The number of Bf.110s operating in the Eastern Front declined radically during 1942 and beyond and the few units that operated the type, did so for reconnaissance duties. Most machines were withdrawn to Germany and were assigned to the defence of the Reich.

Sources:
1st Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action  1030 - Messerschmitt Bf-110 Zerstörer in Action
2nd Histoire & Collections - Avions et Pilotes 11 - Messerschmitt Bf.110 & Me.210-410 1939 -1945
3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110_operational_history

Messerschmitt Bf.110 in service with the Luftwaffe. Part eight. Bf.110F and the Bf.110 in North Africa.

 

The Messerschmitt Bf.110F variant was developed shortly after the Bf.100E, so it was developed in parallel. It was powered by two Daimler-Benz DB.601F engines rated at 1,350hp each. It was equipped with increased armour for the crew with additional windshield armour, a protection layer that was retroactively fitted in earlier variants too.
As a matter of fact, the only external difference between a Bf.100E 'Emil' and a Bf.110F 'Friedrich' was the larger oil radiator, as the new engines required a larger cooling surface. Just as his predecessors, this variant was very versatile and came in many sub-variants identified by a numerical suffix, depending on the type of armament or role it was intended to play.

As we've written, the main Zerstörer unit to operate in North Africa and the Mediterranean was ZG.26, which operated from Trapani, in Sicily, with one Staffel based in Libya. 
When, the Allied launched Operation Torch on 8th November 1942, the landings on Morocco and Algeria, and also when British Forces attacked in Egypt and Libya after the Battle of El Alamein, the Axis forces retreated gradually to Tunisia. It was from that beleaguered region that the few Zerstörers still in service managed to score several kills against another twin-engined fighters like the American P-38 Lightning. 
After the fall of Tunisia on 6th May 1943, Axis troops withdrew completely from the African continent and so, III/ZG.26 was rebased to Rome-Ciampino airport in June 1943, where it was tasked with the aerial defence of the Italian capital against the daily USAAF raids. 
In the final days of the Battle of Tunisia, III/ZG.26 was reinforced with another Zerstörer unit, II/ZG.1, which was diverted from the Eastern Front and was based in Trapani, Sicily in April 1943. It was then moved quickly back to the Italian peninsula, where they remained until August, only to be moved to France, at Lanvéoc-Poulmic, in Brittany, to patrol the Bay of Biscay, before being sent back to Germany in November that same year.
From Rome, III./ZG.26 took part in the aerial fight against Operation Husky, the Allied Invasion of Sicily, supporting ground forces with strafing and fighter-bomber operations. Shortly before the complete Mediterranean island fell, they were called back to Germany to aid in the nocturnal defence of the Reich.

Sources:
1st Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action  1030 - Messerschmitt Bf-110 Zerstörer in Action
2nd Histoire & Collections - Avions et Pilotes 11 - Messerschmitt Bf.110 & Me.210-410 1939 -1945
3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110_operational_history

Messerschmitt Bf.110 in service with the Luftwaffe. Part seven. Bf.110E and the Bf.110 in North Africa.

 

After the Battle of Britain revealed the mediocre performance of the Bf.110 as a heavy fighter, there were doubts about its most efficient role, specially when its replacement, the Messerschmitt Me.210, was already expected soon. 
However, the Me.210's programme was plagued with delays and problems and given that there was nothing better, it was decided to keep the Bf.110 under production. 
After that decision, the Bf.110 was assigned a new role: Fighter-Bomber, making it basically a Bf.110D with various bomb racks under wings and fuselage. 
Manufactured together with the Bf.110D, the only visible difference between both versions was the presence of a small rectangular air intake on the nose between the two upper machine guns. This opening was intended for the cockpit heating. The Bf.110E's tailwheel was also larger than previous models, as well as the shock absorber. Pitot tube was also lengthened and moved below the starboard wing leading edge, beyond the engine nacelle and the rudder trim tab was enlarged and now overlapped the trailing edge. 
The rear tip of the fuselage could be fitted with an additional fairing containing a life raft and it could be tropicalised very easily too with extra sand filters and larger oil radiators. It was also included improved nose gun ports and a survival kit with water, food and small weapons for the crew inside the cockpit. 
Just like its predecessors, it was brought out in several variants, identified by one or more suffixes added to the original designation.

In the North African campaign, things were not going well for the Italians in late 1940, who were in full retreat against British forces. In order to prevent full control of Africa by the British, the Germans dispatched forces to prop up Mussolini's troops, at least enough to keep them from collapsing. 
This support was materialized in December 1940 when III./ZG 26 was sent to the Mediterranean and was based at Trapani, Sicily, where it carried out many types of missions such as escort fighters for planes or ships, anti-shipping patrols, watching over air and sea routes between Italy and North Africa and also aerial raids over Malta.
The long range of the Bf.110 allowed them to be dispersed all along the Mediterranean in Italy, Crete or North Africa.
The first of those aerial units to arrive in north Africa was the Bf.110-equipped III./ZG 26 commanded by Major Karl Kaschka, which was reinforced by the 2. Staffel, arriving on 30th January 1941 and were immediately dispersed to airfields at Castel Benito, Sirte and Arco Philenorum, in Libya. Put quickly into action, the Zerstörer units lost six aircraft by the end of February, having shot down only two enemy machines.
At the end of March Rommel attacked, leading his forces against the British lines and forcing them to withdraw and beginning a retreat that threatened Egypt. Given the vast extensions they had to fly in the north African desert, the Bf.110 coped with the range problem much better than it did during the Battle of Britain and by late August 1941 III./ZG 26 claimed 33 Hawker Hurricanes and Tomahawks (P-40C), which were their main foe, for the lost of 23 Zerstörer.

Sources:
1st Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action  1030 - Messerschmitt Bf-110 Zerstörer in Action
2nd Histoire & Collections - Avions et Pilotes 11 - Messerschmitt Bf.110 & Me.210-410 1939 -1945
3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110_operational_history