Saturday, 22 September 2018

Messerschmitt Bf.110G - Foreign users

The Messerschmitt Bf.110G was an improved version of the Bf.110 powered by two Daimler-Benz DB 605B engines and improved tail rudders.
It was used mainly as a night fighter and it was used by some foreign non-German users:

  • Independent State of Croatia: During the early months of 1945, thirty-nine aircrafts were delivered to the Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia to replace losses the last one being delivered in March. It's known that two Bf.110G-2s were delivered during that period, without radar equipment, but it's not clear if they saw any action whatsoever as on the evening of the 6th May 1945, one of them (with many other aircraft) flew to Klagenfurt, in Austria, looking for a safe place. It's not known what happened to the other one but it was most likely destroyed in ground combat.
  • Hungary: The Royal Hungarian Air Force operated around 15 Bf.110G-4s, some of them equipped with the FuG.220 Liechtenstein radar. They were delivered during late 1944 and early 1945 and served with the Hungarian 5/1 Night Fighter Squadron. It's known that at least one of them was badly damaged before being assigned to the night fighter squadron. All of them were destroyed before the end of the war.
  • United Kingdom: The No.1426 Flight Royal Air Force (commonly known as the "Rafwaffe") tested a single Bf.110G-4b which surrendered to the Allies at Grove airfield, in Denmark in May 1945. Nowadays is being displayed at the Royal Air Force museum in Hendon, North London.









Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_of_the_Independent_State_of_Croatia
3. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/archive/index.php?t-9747.html
4. https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/captured-aircrafts-uk.32131/
5. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

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