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