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

Messerschmitt Bf.110 in service with Croatia, Hungary and the USSR

 

The Messerschmitt Bf.110 was a German twin-engined heavy fighter of the Second World War that was employed by various countries, among them, the following ones:

• Independent State of Croatia: Very late in the war, in February 1945, two Bf.110G-4 night fighters were supplied to the Independent State of Croatia's Air Force (ZNDH for short). One of them was destroyed during an Allied bombing in Zagreb, while the another retreated to Klagenfurt, Austria, fleeing from the advance of Yugoslav partisans and the Soviet Army. Its fate is unknown.
• Hungary: The Royal Hungarian Air Force (MKHL for short) was supplied with approximately twelve Bf.110G-4 night fighters in December 1944 (although some sources claim there were up to fourteen). 
  They were assigned to the 101. Night Fighter Squadron, with plans set to fund a second one. In fact, pilots were trained for this second unit, but never received the required aircraft. 
  The 101 was initially based in western Hungary but given the quick advance of the Soviet Army, they were soon rebased to Vienna and Parndorf. In the period ranging from January to March 1945 they saw barely any action at all flying some unfruitful sorties. In early April 1945 their aircraft were blown up on ground to prevent their capture as they could not fly due to the lack of fuel. After that, the crews moved to  southern Germany to surrender to American troops and avoid being taken prisoners by the Soviets.
• USSR: The Soviet Air Force (VVS) bought a single Bf.110C in autumn 1940 for evaluation purposes. It was tested by the Aeronautical Institute of the VVS and served as the main inspiration for the Petlyakov Pe-3.

Sources:
1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110_operational_history
2nd https://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2015/06/hungarian-bf-110-g-4-101-night-fighter.html
3rd Hikoki Publications - The Croatian Air Force

4th Schiffer Publications -  German Aircraft in Russian and Soviet Service 1914-1951 Volume I 

Messerschmitt Bf.110 in service with the Luftwaffe. Part six. Bf.110 in Operation Barbarossa.

 

Just before the start of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the USSR on 21st June 1941, one Zerstörer group,  II./ZG 26 was sent to Suwalki, in Poland. The approximately fifty aircraft, out of a force of almost 2.500 German aircraft, took part from the very beginning in the campaign, but encountered very few resistance, since the Russians had a widely outdated air force, which was, for the most part, destroyed on the ground. 
In fact, the first week of Barbarossa brough the Luftwaffe an unbelievable success, with claims mounting to over 6.000 Soviet aircraft destroyed and, although those claims were exaggerated, it's known that the Soviet Military Air Power Commander, Lt.-Gen. Kopels committed suicide on the second day of Barbarossa when he got the news that 600 were already lost for just 12 German airplanes. 
Since most of the Zerstörer-equipped Gruppen (a Luftwaffe unit which is the rough equivalent to a squadron) that survived the Battle of Britain were either in North Africa, providing aerial support for Rommel or were being retrained for night-fighting roles in order to fight the increasing Royal Air Force's  night raids on Germany, there were only two Gruppe which could be employed in Barbarossa: Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 (SKG 210) and II./ZG 26.
Attached to Luftflotte 2 and providing support for Army Group Center, the Bf.110, struck Soviet airfields in low level attacks. Finding the Russian airfields covered with aircraft parked in peacetime rows without camouflage, the Zerstörers straked across their assigned airfields bombing and strafing everything in sight leaving only destroyed aircraft and airfield installations behind. During the first wave the Luftwaffe attacked 31 airfields, destroying hundreds of Soviet machines and losing only two aircraft. The attacks went on hour after hour and day after day with complete Soviet air units being destroyed on the ground and the few machines that could get into the air were quickly dealt with. Because most of the destruction took place on the ground, however, few aircrew were lost in comparison, leaving the Russian a large pool of personnel with which to begin rebuilding.

After the first few weeks the VVS (Soviet Air Force) could only offer a very weak resistance and the Bf.110s switched to low-level attacks, carrying out strafing and bombing attacks on front lines, roads, railway lines and supply hubs. By 31st July 1941 ZG claimed a total of 620 enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground and aerial combats, however, those claims are, were already wrote, unconfirmed and are most probably propaganda.
On 19th August, ZG 26 was officially noted for performing two attack on a Soviet airbase at Nizino, south of Leningrad, destroying 15 and leaving 30 burning on the ground plus 3 more machines being destroyed in the air, raising their score to 854 enemy machines, including 191 in aerial combat. On 15th September Operations Beowulf I and II took place, in which II./ZG 26. Those consisted in the amphibious assaults on the islands of Saaremaa, Hiiumaa and Muhu off the coast of Estonia. This time the Bf.110s acted as a flying artillery and performed a total of 118 sorties losing only two machines. 
Between 22nd June and 27th September ZG 26 was credited with 96 enemy aircraft shot down, 741 aircraft destroyed on ground, 148 tanks destroyed, 166 artillery guns, 3,280 vehicles of all kind, 49 trains (one of them armoured), 68 locomotives and 4 bridges.

In the northern sector two units operated the Bf.110: II./ZG 76 and I/JG 77 under the command of Luftflotte 5. Based at Oslo, Norway, it wasn't until the 25th June that they began their operations because of bad weather. On that same day they attacked the airfields at Niva, Varlamova and Vaenga, located in northern Russia. In those raids the German Zerstörers managed to catch the Russian aircraft. They were rebased to Finland, in order to shorten the distance to Murmansk and raiding enemy positions every time the weather permitted. Sometimes the Bf.110s were also employed as escort fighters for the bombers. By 12th July Hauptmann (Captain) G. Schascke claimed 12 kills and by 4th August he achieved his 20th kill, but was shot down behind Soviet lines. By fall 1941, however ZG 76 was rebased to Germany to be converted to the night-fighter role, leaving only 7.(Z)/JG 5 operating twelve Bf.110 within Luftflotte 5.

In the southern sector both I. and II./SKG 210 (former Erprobungsgruppe 210) flew ground attack missions in support of Operation Taifun, an envelope attack aimed to destroy Soviet Army Group Timoshenko and open a way to Moscow. This huge pincer movement was completed by 7th October, but the advance towards Moscow was hampered by rain and the ensuing mud. By 13th November, cold had set in and the Panzer divisions were ready to operate again accross the hardened ground toward Moscow and by the 27th November elements of the 3rd Panzergruppe reached the Volga canal only 30.5 km (19 miles) away from the centre of Moscow. The Russian winter began to take a toll on the Wehrmacht, which was not prepared for that situation, with bitter cold and heavy snows and, on 5-6 December, just when the Germans switched from the offensive to defensive, the Soviets struck and launched a massive counter-attack pushing the Germans back from Moscow. After a hard delaying battle, the Germans succeeded in establishing a new defensive, albeit thin in some places.
In late 1941 production of Bf.110 was still undergoing and the whole year saw a limited rise in the success rate of the Zerstörer, as we just saw.

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 five. Messerschmitt Bf.110D, the Balkans and Greece.

 

In order to keep with the idea of a heavy fighter capable of penetrating deep into enemy territory, the Reichluftfahrtministerium (Reich Air Ministry - RLM for short) gave priority to increase the Bf.110's range, with this new version called Bf.110D 'Dora'. 
The first sub-variant, D-0 was equipped with an extra 1,050L  (230 gal) fuel tank, together with a 106L (23 gal.) oil tank. Both were set inside a canvas and plywood fairing, whose shape earned it the nickname of Dackelbauch (German word for Dachshund's belly). 
Those additional tanks were integrated within the fuselage and could not be dropped, making the type even bulkier and less manoeuvrable. It also became the plane's weak spot because, due to its poor ventilation, a very inflammable mixture of air and patrol vapours were accumulated inside, giving way to many incidents and accidents. 
This long range version saw service first with V(Z)./LG 1 during spring 1940. Given its longer tail-end containing a two-seat inflatable raft, the Bf.110D was immediately recognisable. 
The Luftwaffe wanted this version to perform more tasks, so in April 1940 Messerschmitt was tasked to work on a variant equipped with a streamlined rectangular fairing under the fuselage, hosting two bomb hardpoints. This variant, named as Bf.110D-0/B (the standing for bomber) was stripped of the bulky fuel tanks and was supplied to Erprobungsgruppe 210, an experimental unit created at Cologne in July 1940, which was put into action in August that same year.
The extra fuel tank originated some problems, which gave way to the D-1 variant, a long-range fighter which had two 900L (200 gal) drop tanks under each wing with an additional oil tank under the fuselage in an fairing. The D-2 variant, was a direct derivation of the D-1 and was intended for the fighter-bomber role. It could carry two 500kg (1,100-lb) SC 500 bombs under the fuselage as well as two 300L (66 gal) drop tanks under the wings. Both variants, D-0/B and D-2 were scarcely manufactured with only 70 examples being built. 
The last version of the Dora was the D-3, which was the same as previous models but had not attachment equipment for the fuel tanks.

Since the end of the Battle of Britain, the Zerstörerwaffe was almost dismembered and its groups transferred and assigned to new tasks, mainly nigh-fighting and coastal surveillance along German, Norwegian and Sicilian shores. However, as new fronts were opening in central and eastern Europe, the Luftwaffe had to re-form the Zerstörer units, especially in areas where the opposition was weak or where long-range aircraft were needed.
The Bf.110 re-appeared en masse during the invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece, in operations prior to Operation Barbarossa, the surprise attack on the USSR. 
For operate in the Balkans, Luftflotte 4 requested long-range fighters and received two Zerstörer groups, I. and II./ZG 26, which were previously assigned to night-fighter units and were transferred to Bulgaria, where they conducted various attack operations against Yugoslavia in April 1941. Short after that invasion kicked-off, they were joined by the last Gruppe of the geschwader, III./ZG 26, which was based in Italy. 
When Yugoslavia was defeated and its air force neutralized by quick aerial strikes on their main airfields, the front shifted to Greece, which was also defeated fast in spite of reinforcements of the Royal Air Force.
The final fighting took place on Crete, where the Zerstörers of a newly found unit, II./ZG 76 fought alongside I. and II./ZG 26. On this occasion the Bf.110s were employed for strafing attacks and bombing land positions or even anti-shipping duties.

Sources:
1st Histoire & Collections - Avions et Pilotes 11 - Messerschmitt Bf.110 & Me.210-410 1939 -1945

2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110_operational_history