Messerschmitt Bf.110F

The Messerschmitt Bf.110F a development of the previous Bf.110E version, with a strengthened airframe and better armour. It was powered by two inverted-V 12-cylinder Daimler-Benz DB601F engine whcih yielded a power of 1332hp and drove a three-bladed propeller.
It was armed with two forward-firing 20mm MG/FF placed in the nose with 120 rounds, another four foward-firing 7.92mm MG.17 with 1200 rounds each and one flexible rearward firing 7.92mm MG.15 with 750 rounds.
Some sub-variants of it were made, most of them being field modifications and not factory made. The Bf.110 F-1 was the fighter-bomber sub-variant, the Bf.110 F-2 was a dedicated long-range zerstörer version equipped with extra underwing fuel tanks, the Bf.110F-3 was a long-range reconnaissance version with cameras and the Bf.110 F-4 was a night-fighter version fitted with a radar and a third crew-member to operate it. A field modification was made, the Bf.110 F-4/U1 which featured the Schräge-musik gun system. Usually it was two 20mm MG/FF cannons placed at the rear of the cockpit, with the muzzles protruding above the canopy glazing in order to shot the bombers from below in an oblique-oriented manner.
It wasn't the most produced variant, as only 169 exemplars were made. Four by Gothaer Waggonfabrik (Gotha) and 165 by Luther-Werke a small manufacturing company owned by MIAG. All of them were manufactured during 1942 and 1943.
It was in the night fighter role that the Bf.110 achieved its greatest success specially when armed with the Schräge-musik system which turned to be surprisingly effective. Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, one of Luftwaffe's night fighter aces, and the highest scorer during the defence of the reich campaign, scored 121 kills, all of them achieved with different variants of the Bf.110. Some others, like Helmut Lent, switched to the night fighter section and improved their modest score as daylight pilots. There were some other aircraft that took part in the aerial night defence of Germany, like the Dornier Do.217, which was essentially a night-fighter conversion of the Dornier Do.17, or the Junkers Ju.88 on its C, R, and G variants, but none of them achieved greater success than the Bf.110.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110_operational_history
3. https://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/76812
4. Salamander Books- The Complete Book of Fighters

Boeing P-26 Peashooter, Spanish and Philippine users

The Boeing P-26 Peashooter was the first all-metal American fighter and the first monoplane fighter used by the United States Army Air Corps.
It was used by many foreign users like the Republic of Spain and the Commonwealth of the Philippines.

• Republic of Spain: Twelve Boeing Model 281 were manufactured as demonstrators and one of them was sent to Spain in March 1935 with the objective of winning the contract that the Spanish government issued for a modern fighter that could replace their ageing Nieuport-Delage NiD.52. The contest was won by the Hawker Fury and the Boeing Model 281 was left unarmed in Spain at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War and bought shortly later by the Fuerza Aérea Republicana Española (FARE - Spanish Republican Air Force) for the amount of 26000 dollars. It was piloted by Lt. Ramón Puparelli and was fitted with two Vickers 0.303in machine guns. However, it was shot down by a FIAT Cr.32 on 21st October 1936 close to the town of Getafe, shortly after the beginning of the Spanish Civil War.
• Commonwealth of the Philippines: In 1937 the Philippine 3rd and 4th Pursuit Groups were created and by July 1941 they were fully equipped. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, they were reinforced with 12 more. The Filipino P-26 entered in combat when Japan invaded, and they managed to shot down some Japanese aircraft. In fact, they claimed one G3M and two or three A6M Zero before the last of the P-26 was burned by their own crew to prevent capture on 24th December 1941.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_P-26_Peashooter

2. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_P-26_Peashooter (translated)

3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Boeing P-26, Chinese and Central-American users

The Boeing P-26 Peashooter, was the first American all-metal to serve in the United States Army Air Corps. It was designed by Boeing in the early 1930s and flew for the first time in 1932. It was exported to many nations:

• Republic of China: The Republic of China ordered eleven Boeing Model 281 which was the demonstrator of the P-26C. The first Model 281, which arrived to China in September 1934, was destroyed in an accident when its pilot was making a demonstration flight. The rest arrived gradually at the Chinese port of Canton during the next 15 months, with the last one arriving in January 1936 and forming, therefore, the 17th Fighter Squadron, as part of the 3rd Wing. Those aircraft scored some victories against Japanese fighters and bombers and some Chinese pilots adquired the ace status flying the type, like Cpt. John Wong. The aircraft had to be retired from active service due to the lack of spare parts.
• Guatemala: During late 1942, when there were just 9 active Peashooters in the USAAC, at the Panama Canal Zone, the Guatemalan Government showed interest for the type. However, as the United States Congress had issued a veto on combat weapons exportations to Latin-American countries, except for Mexico and Brasil, the US Government smuggled them under the fake name of PT-26 to disguish them as Fairchild PT-26 trainer airplane, being seven of them delivered in early 1943. They were employed in the Guatemalan coup d'état of 1954 and, by the end of 1956 there were only two of them left. Both of them were sold to be restored by the Plames of Fame Air Museum, in Chino, California and the National Air and Space Museum.
• Panamá: Apparently at least one aircraft was sold to the Panaman government during the years of the World War II. However as we couldn't find any graphical information, the drawing should be considered as speculative.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_P-26_Peashooter

2. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_P-26_Peashooter (translated)

3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Messerschmitt Bf.110E

The Messerschmitt Bf.110E was a variant of the previous Bf.110D. It featured upgraded armour and fuselage upgrades to support the extra weight. A total of 856 Bf.110E were manufactured between August 1940 and January 1942 and it wasn't popular among pilots as it was considered slow and unresponsive, with some former Bf.110 pilots commenting that the E version was "rigged and a total dog".
The Bf.110 was eventually withdrawn from daylight fighting and it enjoyed a late success as a night-fighter taking advantage from its range and firepower. The airframe allowed for a dedicated radar operator and the open nose could host radar antennae, unlike the single-engined fighters. As the war was going on, the extra-weight of the armament, the radar detection equipment and the third crew member, took an increasing toll on the aircraft performance.
It was used on the ground attack role too as the earlier C-4/B could carry a payload of bombs, and its heavy firepower proved to be very useful. Later there were dedicated ground-attack variants that were very successful. The Luftwaffe used the Bf.110 in a wide array of roles, though its original one wasn't used no more as it was too vulnerable. Another role the Bf.110 was used in was the bomber-destroyer one. Its powerful firepower (when armed with 20mm and 30mm cannons) could cripple or destroy any allied bomber in literally seconds and, if the bomber formation was unescorted, it could destroy any bomber formation. It could be fitted with four 21cm Werfer-Granate rocket-tubes but at the cost of being more encumbered. In fact, when flying with that configuration, it was very vulnerable to allied escort fighters, thanks in part to a major change in tactics in 1943. In fact, at the end of 1943 and early 1944 the Bf.110 formations suffered heavy casualties from allied fighters.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110_operational_history
3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Amiot AAC.1 Toucan *Updated with foreign users*

During the World War II, Amiot's factories located in Colombes, at the outskirts of Paris, produced hundred of copies of the famous Junkers Ju.52/3m for the Luftwaffe. At the end of the war, when it came to re-equip the Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) and, for economical reasons, the French government decided to take advantage of the existing stock and the adquired experience to relaunch the aircraft production on their own.
More than 400 AAC.1 Toucans were produced (AAC standing for Ateliers Aéronautiques de Colombes - Colombes Aeronautical Workshops) between the end of 1944 and 1947/1948.
The first production batch was quickly integrated into the Armée de l'Air and the Aéronavale (Naval Aviation) together with forty original Ju.52/3m recovered directly from the Luftwaffe, even when the fight was still going on with the Allies.
Those original Ju.52/3m received also the denomination of Toucans and got the serial numbers from 001 to 040, regardless of the manufacturer's original serial number.
The main user of the Toucan was the Armée de l'Air as at least 216 Toucans served there. It served first in the transport units in mainland France. In fact, the Groupe de transport III/15 'Maine' was half equipped both with Toucans and American Douglas C-47 Dakota. Based in Le Bourget, this unit took part together with the GT II/15 'Anjou' and GT I/15 'Touraine' (which were fully equipped with the C-47 Dakota) in the repatriation operations of French prisoners and deportees in Germany. Some units were converted to the Toucan after the war, like the GT IV/15 'Poitou' which received the Toucan in 1946.
The Toucan served in the Indochina War in big numbers with the GM III/64 'Tonkin', GT I/64 'Bearn' and GT II/52 'Franche-Comté' transport units as well as the Algerian war as the GSRA 76 and 78 (Groupes Saharienes de reconnaissance et d'appui - Saharian Reconnaissance and Liaison Groups) were fully equipped with Toucans during the whole war. The Toucan was present in other transport and Liaison units during the 1950s and even part of the 1960s as it also served with the Aéronavale. In fact, around 51 exemplars served with various Aéronavale squadrons until at least 1962. It served also with many braches of the French administration, as well as with Air France which operated it for both metropolitan and colonial flights.
Update: Apparently the Amiot AAC.1 was exported to Lebanon, Portugal, Syria and Yugoslavia. The Portuguese ones were used for transport duties during the early stages of the Portuguese colonial wars, however, as we couldn't find graphical evidence, it should be considered as speculative. It was also exported to Yugoslavia where nowadays it's displayed at the Belgrade aviation museum.
It seems that Lebanon also received at least one AAC.1  for evaluation purposes, together with Syria. However as it looks impossible to find graphical evidence of the Toucan with those colours, the drawings must be considered as speculative.

Sources:
1. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amiot_AAC.1_Toucan (translated) 
2. http://www.muzeumlotnictwa.pl/zbiory_sz.php?ido=194&w=a
3. Fonthill Media - The Junkers Ju 52 Story

Piaggio P.133

The Piaggio P.133 was a development of the P.108 which its first prototype was almost complete by the Italian armistice on 8th September 1943.
It was a single-wing monoplane made entirely out of metal in alliminium alloy with a very high horizontal fletching and double rudder.
It had a conventional retractable mechanical landing gear which, when retracted it went back to the nacelles together with the tail one which retracted into the middle fuselage.
Flaps were placed in the middle, front and backward of the wings together with the ailerons.
The design was heavily influenced by a captured B-24 Liberator and had therefore a very heavy defensive configuration. It was, indeed armed with 4 frontal 12,7 Breda-SAFAT machine guns, two of them aiming to each side of the frontal part of the fuselage, manned probably by the navigator, two 20mm Ikaria MG-FF (manufactured in Germany) placed in two dorsal turrets, another two placed one in each side. Both ventral and tail positions were armed with two 20mm MG.151 each, however we considered that the tail section would've been probably upgraded to hold four MG.151 just like the Avro Lancaster. It had a payload of 4800Kg (10600lb) of bombs.
It was going to be powered by four Piaggio P.XV radial engines delivering each of them 1700hp of power which we took the liberty of borrowing them from the Breda BZ.303 as they look more 'Italianised' than the 'standard' drawing that was running around the internet.
Overall, it looked like a big step forward on Italian bombers, specially considering the defensive armament configuration and there are little doubts that, if it had been produced, it would've been an excellent bomber.
Work on the first prototype was started on 1st June 1943 after a captured B-24 was taken to Guidonia (the Italian Regia Aeronautica's test centre) where it was deeply examined. Six heavy bombers were ordered, and production started in July. However when just the wings and fuselage were complete, the project was cancelled due to the Italian armistice.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaggio_P.108#P.133
2. https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/366680-piaggio-p133/
3. https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/265595-p133-heavy-bomber-prototype/

Messerschmitt Bf.110D

During the North African campaign, the Bf.110D (as well as many Bf.110Cs) acted supporting the Junkers Ju.87 Stuka. In fact, during 1941 almost the 20% of the Zerstörergeschwader's missions, were ground-attack oriented. Is in this context that we can find some modifications like the Bf.110C with an Mk.101 gun attached to the belly in order to increase its anti-tank capabilities. Many Bf.110s aces were lost in this campaign as their losses were considerable. In fact, during the night of 22-23 May the Bf.110D was pressed into night combat over the desert. Oblt. Alfred Wehmeyer managed to score three allied bombers in the space of a week. During a stalemate between Allied and Axis in August 1942, allowed the III./ZG.26  to escape to the island of Crete where they were assigned to convoy protection duties. During that time, a number of American B-24 Liberators were destroyed. On 29th September 1942 Oblt. Helmut Hauk, of the ZG.26 engaged a formation of 11 B-24s destroying two of them while patrolling alone. It was thanks to that excellence as night-fighter and its effectiveness, that it was assigned to the main European theatre as a night fighter.

Sources: 
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110_operational_history#North_Africa,_the_Mediterranean_and_Middle_East
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Aero A.300

The Aero A.300 was a Czechoslovak medium bomber aircraft that flew for the first time on 20th April 1938 and, in spite of what its numbering could suggest, it was an improved and refined version of the previous Aero A.304.
It was designed by Aero to replace the locally-built Bloch MB.200 that were already obsolete by 1937. The Aero A.304 transport/bomber was taken as the basis for this new bomber project.
It was a monoplane of conventional design with retractable wheeled undercarriage that was powered by two Bristol Mercury IX engines which delivered a power of 820hp each and drove a three bladed two-pitch de Havilland-Hamilton propeller.
It was armed with three defensive 7,92mm VZ.30 machine guns. One in the nose, other one under the fuselage and a third spinal one in a retractable turret. It had a payload of 1000kg (2200lb) of bombs that were carried internally and a crew of four, pilot co-pilot, navigator and radioman .
Only one prototype was built at Aero's installations in Prague and, after being tested, it proved to be the second fastest Czechoslovakian ever built, only surpassed by the Avia B.35 fighter. Despite being so promising, the Munich agreements and the subsequent Czechoslovak national crisis, paralized the development and manufacturation of the project.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_A.300
2. https://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/3758

Mitsubishi Ka-8

During early 1930s the Imperial Japanese Navy showed interest in the concept of two-seat fighters, as it was popular with foreign air arms. Therefore they ordered a prototype of the Nakajima NAF-1 6-Shi two-seat fighter in 1931. Albeit the NAF-1 was unsuccessful, IJN's interest in two-seat fighters persisted and in 1933 they requested designs for carrier-based two-seat fighters both from Nakajima and Mitsubishi.
Mitsubishi submitted a design, which they named the Ka-8 and the IJN named it Mitsubishi Experimental 8-Shi two-seat fighter. It was a single-engine biplane made out of mixed wood and metal. It had duraluminum spars in its single-bay equal-span staggered wings with wooden ribs and fabric covering. Fuselage structure was made out of welded steel tube with fabric covering with pilot and gunner/observer sitting in tandem in open cockpits. It was armed with two forward-firing 0.303in Vickers machine guns plus another defensive one mounted flexibly in the rear cockpit and it also could carry a small amount of bombs under the wings.
A twin-tail was fitted and it had a fixed undercarriage. It was powered by a single Nakajima Kotobuki which delivered 580hp (430Kw) of power and was a license-built version of the Bristol Jupiter radial engine.
Two prototypes were made by Mitsubishi the first of which was completed in 1931, with both of them being delivered to the IJN later in that same year. The second prototype broke-up when performing diving tests at Yokosuka on 16th September 1934. The pilot managed to escape by parachute but the observer in the rear seat was killed. That accident caused testing of the second prototype to be abandoned, with the other contender, the Nakajima NAF-2 being also rejected and the IJN abandoning the two-seat fighter category.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Ka-8
2. https://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/48242
3. Salamander Books - The Complete book of fighters

Messerschmitt Bf.110D - Iraqi users *Fliegerführer Irak*

After the experience gained in the invasion of Norway, Messerschmitt improved its design by making a long range version of the Bf.110C which became known as the Bf.110D featuring several different external fuel tanks with many sub-variants depending on the amount of external fuel tanks it could carry.
Thanks to its long range capabilities, it was in April 1941 when, after the Rashid Ali Rebellion, the Fliegerführer Irak was created with 12 Bf.110D from the 4./ZG.76 forming the Sonderkommando Junck and were sent to Iraq to support the Iraqi nationalist cause.
The German planes arrived in Iraq, in the first week of May 1941 and, although they wore Iraqi colours, they were entirely manned and handed by Germans. The campaign in Iraq lasted only ten intense days. It was during that short period of time when the future night fighter ace, Martin Drewes claimed two British Gloster Gladiators shot down with RAF's raids badly damaging two German Bf.110Ds. However, as the rebellion was being crushed by Commonwealth forces, all Luftwaffe personnel and machines were evacuated and, by 26th of May there wasn't any trace of serviceable German aircraft. One Bf.110D was captured by British forces and was test flown and nicknamed "Belle of Berlin". It was sent to Cairo, in Egypt and was assigned to a program to train pilots in enemy equipment in South Africa. But, when it was on its way from Cairo to South Africa, it crashed in The Sudan.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110_operational_history#North_Africa,_the_Mediterranean_and_Middle_East
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fliegerführer_Irak
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1941_Iraqi_coup_d%27état
4. https://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/76846
5. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Messerschmitt Bf.110C, German users, part four

During the spring of 1940, some mock-up combats between a Bf.109 and Bf.110s were carried on, where the Bf.109 always bested the Bf.110, so Walter Horten, technical officer of the JG.26 warned Bf.110 pilots about being very careful against the British single-engined fighters.
Back in the Phoney war, the ZG.1's Hptm. Hannes Gentzen became briefly the highest scoring Luftwaffe ace when, on 2nd April he shot down a French Curtiss Hawk over Argonne.
For the invasion of the Netherlands, 145 Bf.110 were committed to the operation, where it showed its strike capabilities. On 10th May 1940 the ZG.1 claimed 26 Dutch aircraft destroyed on the ground at Haasmtede airfield. In fact, most of the aerial scores over Belgium on 11-13 May were claimed by Bf.110s belonging to the ZG.26 at the cost of 9 of them against RAF's aircrafts on 15th May.
There were also some combats between Bf.110s and Swiss Bf.109Es when some German aircraft violated neutral Switzerland's airspace with about five Bf.110 being shot down by the Swiss.
Of a total of 101 Luftwaffe casualties during Fall Rot, the invasion of France, only four were Bf.110s.
However, the campaign in the west, showed that the Bf.110 was vulnerable in hostile sky and, although it proved well against Dutch, Belgian and French air forces, it was outclassed by the Spitfire and Hurricane, specially when it was acting as a close range bomber escort as it couldn't take advantage of its superior altitude performance and speed and was forced to wait for the enemy to attack, rather than roaming around looking for targets.
Later, in the summer of 1940, the Battle of Britain showed the Bf.110C's fatal weakness as a day fighter against single-engined aircrafts. As it was a large aircraft, it lacked the agility of the Spitfire and Hurricane and could be easily seen. Furthermore, unlike the World War I Bristol F.2b where a rear-firing mounted machine gun was enough for keeping the rear of the aircraft safe, in World War II, the Bf.110's defensive armament proved insuficient against the 8-gun armed fighters. It also suffered of limited maneouvrability and, although it had higher top speed than most RAF' fighters, it had poor acceleration. However, it was the best escort fighter of the time and it wasn't tampered by the range restrictions that hampered Bf.109E's performance.
Although it was highly outclassed, still managed to perform well as a escort by using the tactic of diving upon an enemy, delivering long-range bursts from its powerful forward armament and then breaking contact to run for it. Anyway, as it was never designed with that purpose in mind, and the escort role tied the fighters to the bombers, their tactical edge was took away as they were forced to respond to enemy's fighters, which were never taken by surprise and easily avoided the attacks of the Zerstörers and sometimes even turned the tables against them.
With all those limitations, the Bf.110 proved to be highly vulnerable as the numbers show. On 15th August 1940 thirty of them were shot down with around 23 more of them being shot down on the following 16-17 August. They managed to score however 13 RAF fighters on 31st August at the cost of 3 down and 2 damaged, but on 4th and 27th September, 15 Bf.110 were lost each day. Of the 237 Bf.110 that embarked for the Battle of Britain, 223 were lost.
Later, in 1941, Rudolf Hess flew a Bf.110 from Germany to Scotland, presumibly trying to negotiate a peace deal between Germany and the United Kingdom.
The last big role of the Bf.110C as day fighter was during the Balkan invasion in April 1941 where they faced foreign Bf.109Es belonging to the Royal Yugoslav Air Force. This time most of the aerial combats ended with Bf.109 victories. Two squadrons were commited to the invasion, the I and II/ZG.26. On 6th April, the first day of the invasion, the I./ZG.26 lost five aircraft in exchange of two Yugoslav Bf.109Es. The other squadron, managed to repel some Hawker Furys but at the cost of two of their aircraft being lost agains the biplanes.
Shortly later, when invading Greece, the II./ZG.26 managed to shot down five Hurricanes belonging to the No.33 and No.80 Squadrons of the RAF with the cost of two Bf.110s being shot down. The Battle of Crete also seems to have been futile for the Bf.110 as British sources claim to have shot down 12 Bf.110 in combats against Gloster Gladiators and anti-air fire.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110_operational_history
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Messerschmitt Bf.110C, German users, part three

The Messerschmitt Bf.110C served through all early war campaigns of Poland, Norway and France. Its primary weakness was its lack of agility, which was exposed during the Battle of Britain, when some units were withdrawn from the frontline and redeployed as night fighters, where it proved itself to be very well suited for.
It started its operational history during the Polish Campaign when Hermann Göring ordered the Zerstörerwaffe to make all the Bf.110 available for operations. Many of the Bf.110's future aces scored their first kill during this campaign where the Bf.110's belonging to the I(Z)./LG.1 were employed mainly as escorts for the bombers on their attacks against Warsaw.
Later, during the period called the "Phoney War", most of the Luftwaffe's units committed to defend Germany's western border, were equipped with Bf.109s except for one unit, the LG.1, which on 23rd November 1939 claimed their first aerial victory by shoting down a French Morane-Saulnier MS.406 over Verdun. Three weeks later, on 18th December 1939 the Bf.110s took part on Luftwaffe's first aerial victory against British forces when a formation of 22 Vickers Wellington was sent to attack German naval base of Wilhelmshaven and the Bf.110 showed its power as a bomber destroyer by destroying at least 11 Wellingtons plus an unconfirmed one. The disastrous result of the raid convinced RAF's bombing command of abandoning day raids in favour of the night ones.
The next major involvement of the Bf.110C was during the Operation Weserübung, the invasion of Denmark and Norway in April 1940 with two Zerstörergeschwader, 1 and 76, taking part in the operation. The Bf.110 practically destroyed the whole Royal Danish Air Force with strafing attacks at Vaerlose air base on 9th April with 25 aircraft destroyed.
Shortly later, during the Norway invasion, they helped to seize the Oslo-Fornebu airport by escorting the Junkers Ju.52 transports carrying paratroops, where they were engaged by several Norwegian Gloster Gladiators and anti-air fire, with a total of four aircraft destroyed, two per each side. During that battle, the Bf.110's ground support proved decissive for the troops to take that vital airport.
The Zerstörerwaffe performed well also against British bombers when on 13th June 1940 a squadron of Blackburn Skua was intercepted trying to reach the German Battleship Scharnhorst off the Norwegian coast with a score of 8 Skuas down in just 8 minutes. Later, on 9th July the RAF raided the base of Stavanger with 12 Bristol Blenheim and they were entirely shot down by a mixed force of Bf.109 and Bf.110 belonging to the JG.77 and the ZG.76 respectively.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110_operational_history
2. https://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/13901
3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Messerschmitt Bf.110C, German users, part two

The Messerschmitt Bf.110C was a two-crew (pilot and radio-operator/gunner) heavy fighter that was produced, in it's earlier sub-variant, Bf.110C-1, from January 1939 until September 1939, just when the war started.
A total of 195 C-1s were produced, most of them by Messerschmitt themselves (102) but it was also produced under license by many other German companies like Gothaer Wagonfabrik AG (Gotha) which produced 38 of them, Focke-Wulf, with 15 of them and Mühlenbau und Industrie AG with 40 of them produced.
It was a conventional monoplane with retractable undercarriage and wheeled landing gear which was powered by two 12-cylinder  inverted V Daimler-Benz DB-601 A-1 that delivered 1085hp (809Kw) of power each and a fuel capacity of 1270L (279imp gal/335US gal).
It was armed with two 20mm MG FF cannon in the nose, plus four 7.92mm MG 17 placed also in the nose and one defensive 7.92 MG 15 machine gun placed at the back of the cockpit which was manned by the radio operator. It could also carry a number of bombs placed in underwing hardpoints.
It served widely with the Luftwaffe through the earlier German campaigns to the Battle of Britain when it was started to be replaced by more advanced sub-variants.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters
3. https://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/76814