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

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

Messerschmitt Bf.110 in service with the Luftwaffe. Part four. Bf.110 during the Battle of Britain and beyond.

 

This post is a direct continuation of this one:
Messerschmitt Bf.110 in service with the Luftwaffe. Part three. Blitzkrieg on the North & the West.
Barely one year after the beginning of its fighting career, the Bf.110 began to show its defects. After months of mixed results, the concept of the of the Zerstörer had to be seriously rethought, if not discarded entirely.
Just one few weeks after the fall of France, in early July 1940 the Third Reich began with what they considered the final stage of their conquest of Western Europe: the Operation Sealion, codename for the Invasion of England. This was expected to be costly both in men and materiel, it was decided to make sure that the Luftwaffe had the aerial superiority over British skies before the land forces were sent against the south-eastern coast of England. The plan comprised first reducing the sea traffic to nothing in the Channel and the North Sea and then destroying British airfields with massive air raids, employing conventional or dive bombers, under the protection of single-seat or twin-engined fighters.
Taking that into consideration, on 9th July 1940 General Kesselring, commander of Luftflotte 2, whose zone of operations ranged from the Netherlands to Normandy, decided to throw his Zerstörer groups (IE, the Bf.110-equipped units) into the battle for the first time since the Battle of France, with 220 Bf.110Cs being available at that moment. 
On that same day, a naval convoy was spotted entering the Channel so it was decided to intercept it using a large formation of bombers protected by Bf.110Cs. After some chaotical fighting due to bad weather conditions, four the of the Bf.110s were shot down by Royal Air Force's (RAF) Hurricanes.
Even if the loss ratios were not abysmal (the RAF lost the same number of planes during the initial engagements), the Zerstörers failed in their assigned role and showed again how vulnerable they were when they had to face a more manoeuvrable enemy. 
The different Bf.110 units engaged in the Battle of Britain were more or less successful in the many clashes that took place over Sussex and Kent. 
Often at their own cost the Bf.110 pilots had to cope with the shortcomings of their own machines almost on a daily basis, such as sluggish acceleration and low top speed which prevented them from breaking off formation, when necessary to fight. This was emphasized when facing both the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire.
In order to make the Bf.110 less vulnerable, a new tactic was developed over Dunkirk during the closing stages of the Battle of France and was employed to good effect. This consisted on the Bf.110s forming a defensive circle if they were attacked, with the Zerstörers circling in line astern at the same altitude, protecting each other from enemy attacks with both their defensive and offensive weapons. However, this meant that an aircraft designed mainly as an attack plane couldn't perform offensive actions, but defensive one. 
Hermann Göring, the creator of the Zerstörer concept, was personally affected by the initial losses, since his own nephew, Hans-Joachim, a pilot assigned to III./ZG 76 was shot down by Hurricanes on 11th July 1940 over Weymouth Bay.

The Luftwaffe almost succeeded in closing the Channel to all maritime shipping and therefore, moved on to the second phase on the Attack on Britain, called Adlertag (Eagle Day), which took place on 13th August. On that day a massive aerial raid took place, with the Bf.110s claiming approximately thirty kills at the cost of thirteen of their own machines, which made Göring furious. However, the worst day for the Bf.110 during the Battle of Britain was 15th August, when losses topped to thirty planes shot down or damaged beyond repair. Thirty aircraft was the equivalent of a Gruppe for the Luftwaffe. 
To make things worse, three experimented Gruppenkommandeurs (Group Commanders - the equivalent to Wing Commanders in the RAF) were killed during the various engagements when a group of approximately twenty Bf.110D-s based in Norway took part in the attacks; they could be recognized by their extra ventral fuel tank which hampered their manoeuvrability, even if their range was longer. One third of those D-1s which took part in the raid were shot down by British fighters which considered them an easy prey. 
During the following days of August the situation got only worse, specially for ZG 76, the main unit operating Bf.110s as their casualties kept on rising at an unrelenting rate. On 17th August ZG 76 alone lost fifteen machines, totalling 120 machines by the end of the month.
On 18th August Bf.110 activity began to decline for the simple reason that the Luftwaffe couldn't make up the losses they were suffering and the number of available machines was starting to be dangerously low.
Despite all this, Göring, recently promoted to Reichsmarschall, decided to keep the Bf.110s in frontline service by assigning them to missions not suitable for single-engined fighters: those deep inside British territory. With the Luftwaffe still not having enough single-seat fighters, the Bf.110s still available were thrown into the Battle of London, which was part of the second stage of the Battle of Britain, with dramatic results as expected. 
Furthermore, nothing could be done to improve the situation, not even decorating certain Bf.110 unit commanders to boost morale in those seriously beaten units.
On 4th and 27th September a total of fifteen machines were lost, serving with the Erprobungsgruppe 210 (another unit operating the Bf.110), losing on this occasion its third Commanding Officer in as many weeks. When Sealion was finally discarded, 223 out of a total of 237 operational Bf.110s were lost. 
The end of the Battle of Britain sealed the fate of Göring's Zerstörerwaffe concept and the Bf.110 was withdrawn from frontline units, which were either disbanded, just like ZG.2 in October 1940 or sent to the rearguard, like ZG.26 (which lost seven machines on 7th October) or ZG.76.
Just like it happened to the Stuka, the other Luftwaffe icon of the Blitzkrieg, it was decided to send the Bf.110 to the other safer theatres of operations, and the Bf.110 no longer saw daytime combat on the Western Front.

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

Curtiss Hawk 75A/Mohawk. Part ten. The Hawk in service with the Luftwaffe.

 

The Germans got some Hawks at the cheapest cost. They captured many of them in France after its surrender. For instance, in Bourges, ten aircraft were found in advanced state of assembly. They were completed by specialists from Arado, but they all were most likely lost during trials. Around 25 more Hawks were captured by the Germans in Chateauroux, and 20 or 21 more aircraft were found in French ports. Those aircraft were sent to Wuppertal plant, where their radio equipment was replaced with FuG-7a radios and their sights with Revi C-12s. A number of aircraft were captured at airfields, and some were later used for familiarization flights for selected German pilots.
In fact, between August and October 1940 one staffel, 7/JG.77 based in Brittany, flew at least twelve H75s. Some were also employed by the Jagdfliegerschule 4, near Nuremberg. 
In November 1942 Germany invaded Vichy France, putting an end to the "Free" French zone, seizing the Hawks still present there too, among many other war material. 
However, most Hawks were in such sorry state that were beyond repair. At least 13 and 19 at most were also captured in Norway, when Germany invaded in 1940.
Most of the Hawks were handed to Finland.


 

Sources:
1st AJ Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk (translated)
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk#Nazi_Germany

Messerschmitt Bf.110 in service with the Luftwaffe. Part three. Blitzkrieg on the North & the West.

 

During the first 6 months of 1940 the production of the Bf.110 rose to around one hundred aircraft per month on average, increasing this way the number of units employing the type to ten, as was originally intended. Furthermore, as the Bf.110 was available in larger numbers, it could adopt new roles. Thus, during the spring of 1940 a new unit, the Erprobungsgruppe 210 was created, mostly equipped with the Bf.110C-4 and some few C-6s and some Bf.109s, to develop new fighter-bombers methods and tactics. Four additional reconnaissance groups were also equipped  with the Bf.110C-5.

It was also during the invasion of Denmark and Norway when the Zerstörer squadrons were heavily employed, when Germany launched a blitz attack on Denmark and Norway in April 1940. After Denmark was occupied the I./ZG 76 with sixteen of its thirty aircraft available, was assigned to the invasion of Norway with the objective of clearing the skies over Oslo and Stavanger airfields in order to protect German paratroopers and Ju.52 transport planes as they landed. This was problematic as the planes' limited range meant that if they were engaged in combat, they would not be able to return to Germany or even Denmark.
In this campaign, the objective of I./ZG 76 was to help and secure Oslo Fornebu airport by escorting the Ju.52 transports. The Germans were engaged by Norwegian Gloster Gladiator fighters and anti-air fire and, during the ensuing battle, both sides lost two aircraft. The Germans pilots ignored that the first wave of transport planes bound for Fornebu were forced to turn back because of bad weather and the airport was not secured. 
A second wave was launched and this time the Ju.52 transport landed at Fornebu to deploy their troops (instead of paradropping them), resulting in the destruction of various transports due to the risky nature of this procedure. The remaining Bf.110s strafed the airfield and helped the ground troops to secure it. 
During the Norwegian Campaign the Zerstörerwaffe lost twenty machines, most of them over Narvik and also proved that it was an excellent anti-bomber airplane when, on 13th June 1940 a squadron of British Blackburn Skua dive bombers from the Fleet Air Arm was intercepted on their way trying to bomb the German Battleship Scharnhorst. One squadron of Bf.109s and another of Bf.110s shot down eight Skuas with the Bf.110s claiming four kills. Later, in July the Royal Air Force made many raids on Norway and, on 9th July seven Bristol Blenheim, out of a force of 12 were shot down by a mixed formation of both Bf.109s and Bf.110s from ZG.76 ang JG.77, when bombing Stavanger.
The Bf.110D, a extended-range variant, was also used very effectively on this battle, with one staffel (squadron) of ZG.76 equipping it and operating from Trondheim.

On 10th May 1940 Germany launched the offensive over Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg to invade France. By that date the Bf.110 fully equipped every Zerstörergruppe, so they did not have to employ the Bf.109 as an interim. On the first day of the campaign only two Bf.110 were lost, with five British Bristol Blenheim lost. However, as the campaign developed, loss rate was also increasing against stiffening opposition. On the second day, 11th May, four Zerstörers were shot down by French Dewoitine D.520s and on 15th May nine more, with Maj. Walther Grabmann, a veteran of the Condor Legion, being shot down at the controls of his Bf.110 on 18th May.
As the Germans advanced towards the Channel and the North Sea, things got tougher; by day the British increasingly fought them, specially over Dunkirk during Operation Dynamo (the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force) and they had to cope against the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire, a much tougher enemy than anything they had fought until that date. 
To fight the British fighters, the Zerstörer units invented the so-called 'Defensive circle' tactic, where the planes under attack started to fly in line astern, forming a circle to protect each other with their fuselage guns, enabling this way to avoid the worst. 
It was during this time that the Bf.110 also encountered opposition over... Swiss skies as several German raids violated Swiss airspace, with around five Bf.110 being shot down by Swiss Bf.109s. 
In total, during the Western Campaign sixty Bf.110 were lost, 32 percent of the Zerstörerwaffe's initial strength, with at least 174 enemy aircraft claimed by Bf.110s alone.
However, this campaign showed that the Bf.110 was vulnerable in hostile skies, especially when confronted with the Hurricane or the Spitfire, as the type had to perform a role it was never designed for, close-range bomber escort. In this type of missions the Bf.110 could not take advantage of its superior altitude performance and speed, so it was forced to wait for the enemy to attack, instead of roaming around to find and destroy enemy aircraft, as the initial concept of the Zerstörer had intended. 

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

Messerschmitt Bf.110 in service with the Luftwaffe. Part two. The Invasion of Poland and late 1939.

 

The Messerschmitt Bf.110C was the first major production variant of the Bf.110. It was powered by two Daimler Benz DB 601 engines and was employed first at the very beginning of World War 2, when Germany invaded Poland.
When in late 1938 the DB 601 engine, which used fuel injection system and not the usual carburetor, became available the Bf.110C was put into production, so in early 1939 the first pre-production version, designated as Bf.110C-0 was supplied to some units of the Luftwaffe. Of that C-0 variant only ten machines were built but were followed by the C-1, with almost 160 machines manufactured by 1st September 1939.
The DB 601 engines changed the external appearance of the aircraft, especially the engine nacelles, which were now faired due to the main radiator. 
Wing tips were changed too, as they were no longer rounded, but square. This change was kept on every later Bf.110 until the end of the war, as it reduced the wingspan and wing surface, making it more manoeuvrable.
When the war broke out in September 1939 less than one hundred Bf.100C-1s were operational. Of those, eighty were equipping three units: I.(Zerstörer)/LG 1 , which was an operational development unit, I./ZG 1 and I./ZG 76. There seven additional Zerstörer squadrons, but they were still equipped with Messerschmitt Bf.109E fighters due to the lack of Bf.110s.
As the Bf.110 appeared too late to take part in the Spanish Civil War, it was employed first during the Polish Campaign. During this time only I.(Z)/LG 1, based at Greifswald, was fully equipped with the Bf.110C, since the two other groups were still operating the Jumo-powered Bf.110B. The aforementioned three units were immediately put into action by escorting bombers or strafing ground targets, tasks which they carried out with great efficiency with a total of 12 machines lost, reinforcing Luftwaffe's reputation of being invincible. 
The success of the Polish Campaign and the good operational numbers shown by the Bf.110, prompted further development of the Bf.110C. 
This way the Bf.110C-2 was identical to C-1 but had better radio equipment, the Bf.110C-3 was equipped with MG FF/M cannons, which became standard on the following variants, the Bf.110C-4 incorporated every mentioned previous improvement and featured also extra armour, making it heavier. The C-4 was also equipped with bomb racks allowing it to carry two 250 kg (550 lb) bombs and new engines were fitted in order to make it more powerful; the DB 601Ns rated at 1,270 hp. 
The Bf.110C-5 was a reconnaissance variant which got the ventral cannon replaced by a photographic camera, the C-6 was a semi-experimental version of which only twelve machines were made and was equipped with a ventral-mounted 30 mm Mk 101 cannon replacing the original 20 mm one. The C-6 was put into service in the spring of 1940.
The Bf.110C-7 was a Jabo (Jagdbomber - Fighter-Bomber) variant with reinforced undercarriage to carry two 500 kg (1,100 lb) bombs placed side by side under the fuselage. This variant was manufactured in limited numbers as the C-4 was the main production version.

After the end of the Polish Campaign, the during the period of the Phoney War the Zerstörer activity was limited, although they were redeployed to the Western frontier of Germany. 
The first aerial claim of the Bf.110 took place on 23rd November 1939 when various Bf.110s of LG 1 engaged and shot down a French Morane-Saulnier Ms.406 over Verdun. Three week later, on 18th December, one the first major engagements of the war took place, when the British Royal Air Force (RAF) sent 22 Vickers Wellington bombers to attack the German naval base at Wilhelmshaven. The British bombers could not find their targets and turned back... to be intercepted by a formation of sixteen Bf.110Cs belonging to I./ZG 76 and thirty-four Bf.109s. In spite of the help given by the Bf.109s, it was the Bf.110 which showed its great capacity as a bomber destroyer and, by the end of the fight, official Luftwaffe reports counted 38 British bombers shot down, a number clearly exaggerated as actual losses were 11 Wellingtons shot down and six damaged, with some sources claiming a 12th Wellington as destroyed. This disastrous raid convinced the RAF's Bomber Command to abandon day bombing in favour of night raids. 

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
3rd https://www.armedconflicts.com/prehled-verzi-t15722

Messerschmitt Bf.110 in service with the Luftwaffe. Part one. The Bf.110 before the war.

 

The Messerschmitt Bf.110 was a German twin-engined Zerstörer (German word for 'destroyer' or heavy fighter) designed by Bayerische Flugzeugwerke and produced by its successor company, Messerschmitt. It was mainly operated by the Luftwaffe throughout the whole World War 2.
Its inception traces back to the early 1930s when the main air forces of the world were transitioning from biplanes to monoplanes. Most of the theorists concentrated on single-engined fighters, but, back then, the range was quite a problem. The Reichluftfahrtministerium (German Ministry of Aviation - RLM for short), encouraged by Hermann Göring issued a request for a new multipurpose fighter known provisionally as Kampfzerstörer (battle destroyer) with long range and internal bomb bay. This order called for a twin-engined, three-seat, all-metal monoplane armed with cannon and a bomb bay. Seven German companies were requested, but eventually only three, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (Messerschmitt), Focke-Wulf and Henschel responded the request.
Focke-Wulf submitted the Focke-Wulf Fw.57, Henschel the Henschel Hs.124 and Messerschmitt submitted the Messerschmitt Bf.110, which skipped the internal bomb load request of the specification to increase the armament of the type. Thanks to this, the Bf.110 proved far superior to its rivals in speed, range and firepower and Messerschmitt was granted funds to to build several prototypes. By the end of 1935 the Bf.110 concept had evolved into an all-metal, low-wing cantilever monoplane of semimonocoque design with vertical stabilizers, powered by two Daimler-Benz DB-600A engines and featuring Handley-Page wing slots. 

Construction of the prototype, called Bf.110 V1, began in the summer of 1935 and took off for the first time on 12th May 1936 at Augsburg-Haunstetten airfield with test pilot Rudolf Öpitz at the controls. It was powered by two Daimler-Benz DB.600As engines rated at 986 hp each. Those engines were the fastest ones available for the, back then, clandestine Luftwaffe and the aircraft turned to be slightly faster than RLM's request, faster even than the Messerschmitt Bf.109B. The next two prototypes, Bf.110 V2 and V3 flew for the first time on 24th October and 24th December 1936 respectively, with official trials being conducted at Erprobungsstelle Rechlin (Evaluation unit Rechlin) in January 1937. Those trials showed two serious flaws of the type. It was too slow accelerating and it was not very manoeuvrable, however, both the RLM and Hermann Göring did not consider those handicaps important compared to the potential of the new aircraft and decided to go ahead by building four pre-production examples, designated A-0, rejecting this way the other competitor's designs. 

The four pre-production series Bf.110 A-0 were built between August 1937 and March 1938. Although they were initially going to be powered by the Daimler-Benz DB.601A engines, they were not available, so they were fitted with Junker Jumo 210 engines, rated at 610 hp, way too underpowered. In spite of the lack of power, those machines were employed for testing purposes.
While awaiting for the DB engines, it was decided to put the Bf.110 into mass production, so the first production version, Bf.110B-0 was launched, powered by the Junkers Jumo 210G engines, with some aerodynamic changes applied in order to fit the armament. This armament, which was only fitted from the B-1 version onwards, consisted on four 7,92 mm MG 17 machine guns in the nose plus two 20 mm Oerlikon MG FF cannons placed in the lower part of the nose. Those cannons could be reloaded in flight by the radio operator/gunners. It was equipped also with a defensive flexible 7,92 mm MG 15 machine gun at the back of the cockpit. 

The Bf.110B were assigned first to the newly created Schwere Jagdgruppen (heavy fighter groups), which were created ad hoc in July 1938 by Hermann Göring himself who wanted to form an elite corps. Accordingly many of the best fighter pilots of the time were put in command of these units causing tensions with the German fighter units, as they were cut of a large number of their pilots and resources. In fact, at the time there were not enough Bf.110 manufactured and many Zerstörergeschwadern (destroyer wings meant to be equipped entirely by Bf.110s) were equipped with the Bf.109C and D. 

The last Bf.110B variants were the B-2 and B-3, which were employed for reconnaissance and training respectively. 
In total 45 examples of the Bf.110B were manufactured, although some sources rise that number to 88. Anyway as the B variant was already outdated at the beginning of the war, many B-1s and B-2s were converted into B-3 trainers and remained in service with various Zerstörer schools until 1941.

Sources:
1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110#Early_variants
2nd Histoire & Collections - Avions et Pilotes 11 - Messerschmitt Bf.110 & Me.210-410 1939 -1945
3rd https://www.armedconflicts.com/prehled-verzi-t15722

Bristol Beaufighter, part ten. Bristol Beaufighter in German, Italian and Portuguese service.

 

The Bristol Beaufighter was also employed, albeit in small numbers by the following countries:

• Germany: There is one photograph suggesting that at least one Bristol Beaufighter Mk. IC was captured by the Germans and put to flight in Luftwaffe markings. However, as the picture we had access does not enjoy the highest quality available, the drawing we made below should be taken with a grain of salt.
  
  
• Italy: On 7th January 1942 a Beaufighter Mk. IC registered as T4887 was on an Overseas Air Despatch Unit flight from Gibraltar to Malta when landed by mistake at Magnisi airfield, close to Augusta and was captured intact by the Italian personnel. This happened because the Italians were jamming the Malta radio-beacon with a jammer truck placed for that purpose at Porto Palo. Both the pilot, Flt. Sgt. Jones and the navigator, Flt. Sgt. Bold were taken prisoners.
  The aircraft was quickly taken to Guidonia, the testing centre of the Regia Aeronautica (the Royal Italian Air Force) and was repainted with Italian markings and colours and even received an Italian registration: MM4887. 
  At Guidonia the Beaufighter spent almost one year, where it was flew tested by many pilots, who praised the excellent avionics and the power of the Bristol Hercules engines. 
  Oddly enough, the Italian engineers did not consider necessary to reverse engineer the British throttle lever action, which was totally abnormal for Italian pilots. 
  After testing was completed, the Beaufighter was assigned to 235ª Squadriglia of Comando Intercettori Leone (235th Flight of Leone Interceptor Command) in mid-December 1942 but it did not last long as it was lost to a take-off accident at Venegono airfield, close to Milan, on 29th January 1943. The most probable cause for the accident was an erroneous throttle control input by the pilot, Tte. Ercole Norace Zedda, who died in the accident, while Flight engineer Sgt. Mg. Motorista Sacchi was severely injured.
  
  
• Portugal: A total of sixteen Beaufighters TF. Mk. Xs were bought by the Forças Aéreas da Armada (literally 'Navy's Air Forces') and were shipped between March and April 1945. 
  All those aircraft were based at Portela de Sacavem airfield, close to Lisbon by Esquadrao 'B' ('B' Squadron) of the Forças Aéreas da Armada. Those Beaus received Portuguese serials ranging from BF.1 to BF.16 and the squadron also operated from Averio airfield under command of Centro de Aviaçao Naval de S. Jacinto (S. Jacinto Naval Aviation Centre).
  On 22nd October 1945 one Beau, BF.4 crashed at Ovar beach, close to S. Jacinto, killing the pilot, 1st Lt. Felix F. Lobo and Sgt. Antunes Nogueira and the wireless operator, Luis Pacheco, dying from the burns he got while trying to rescue his partners from the burning plane. The crash was caused by a broken drive shaft on one of the engine oil pumps, so Bristol sent mechanics to Portugal to repair and modify the remaining airframes to prevent this from happening. 
  A replacement Beaufighter TF. Mk. X (ex RD862) was supplied by Bristol and received the Portuguese registration of BF.17. 
  The Beau was kept in service with Forças Aéreas da Armada until 1950 when Esquadrao 'B' was disbanded and two of the remaining Beaus were assigned to the Instituto Superior Técnico (Technical High School) at Lisbon to serve as instructional airframes, while another airframe was passed to the South African Air Force in exchange for a Spitfire Mk. IX registered as ML255. 
  Those two airframes remained at the Instituto Superior Técnico until 1965 when one of them, BF.10 was sent to Oficinas Gerais de Material Aeronáutico (General Aeronautical Material Workshops) at Alverca, Lisbon, where the national aeronautical museum was founded on 1st July 1969 and BF.10 was restored for display. 
  The other airframe, BF.13 (ex-RD253) was shipped back to the United Kingdom as a gift from the Portuguese government to the Royal Air Force (RAF) and was later restored at RAF St. Athan (Glamorgan, Wales) before being placed on display at the RAF Museum in Hendon on 15th March 1971 where it can be seen nowadays.

Sources:
1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Beaufighter
2nd Bancarella Aeronautica - Ali Straniere In Italia 6 - Prede di Guerra
3rd Scale Aircraft Modellers Datafile 6 - Bristol Beaufighter

Supermarine Spitfire. European Users, part seven. Spitfires captured by Germany.

 

Germany's Luftwaffe also employed the Supermarine Spitfire, albeit in small numbers as they had just some captured aircraft. 
One of those captured machines was Spitfire Mk. I N3277 which was piloted by P/O Richard Hardy of No. 234 Squadron. 
On one of the hardest days of the Battle of Britain, 15th August 1940, Hardy had to force-land on Cherbourg, France after being attacked by a Messerschmitt Bf.109 E fighters from III/JG. 53, apparently piloted by Oblt. Georg Claus over the English channel. The Germans reported some damaged gear inside the cockpit. This could be the result of Hardy destroying some secret equipment before being captured or just flak damage caused by a 20 mm anti-air gun. 
Ultimate fate of N3277 is unknown. Some claim it became the famous 'Messerspit', however, that's unlikely as the 'Messerspit' was a Spitfire Mk. V. It is possible, however, that the machine was repainted in Luftwaffe colours for exhibition purposes and it is also possible that is one of the Spitfires that appears in the 'Kampfgeschwader Lützow' propaganda movie. 

As it is obvious, Germany never acquired the Spitfire through purchase but, during World War 2 German forces managed to capture a large number of Spitfires by either occupying Allied airfields or shooting them down over German-controlled territory forcing them to crash land and remain in usable state.

The largest capture of Spitfires by the Germans took place in October 1943 when the Germans retook the Greek islands of Kos, Leros and Samos, in the Aegean Sea. On the island of Kos, the Antimachia airfield was captured, used by No. 74 Squadron RAF and No. 7 SAAF, with approximately a dozen Spitfires. Of those, at least six fighters were in flying condition.

Spitfires are known to have been flown with the following Luftwaffe units:

• Deustche Luft-und Versuchanstalt (DLV) in Oberpfaffenhofen, Bavaria, which was a state research and flight testing facility.
• Erprobungstelle Rechlin: The Luftwaffe testing facility where prototypes and such were tested.
• 2. Staffel Versuchsverband Oberbefehleshaber der Luftwaffe, AKA Zirkus Rosarius, a unit whose purpose was to perform demonstrations of captured Allied aircraft to Luftwaffe personnel.
• Jagdfliegerschule 6 and Jagdleherer Überprüfungstaffel, which were Luftwaffe training units.

However, the most interesting usage of the Spitfire in Germany took place at the Daimler-Benz' experimental plant in Stuttgart, more precisely at the attached Echterdingen airfield. In 1943 a captured Spitfire, registered as EN830, was modified there by fitting a Daimler Benz 605a engine, taken from a Messerschmitt Bf.110G but with a lateral air intake from another Messerschmitt Bf. 109. The armament was removed and German equipment was installed, with the electronical gear being also replaced by a 24V system, which was the standard for the Luftwaffe.

The fighter was repainted in German colours and received the registration of CJ+ZY. Test pilot Flugkapitan Willy Ellenreider conducted some testing flights, which showed very promising results. The modified Spitfire was way superior to the Soviet Yak fighters and even to the Messerschmitt Bf. 109G which was powered by the same engine. 

During 1944 the Messerspit served an engine testbed at Echterdingen until August 1944 when it was destroyed by an American air raid.

Sources:

1st AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 40 - Supermarine Spitfire Part 3 (translated)

2nd https://captured-wings.fandom.com/wiki/N3277

3rd https://aircrewremembered.com/hardy-richard.html

4th https://www.nevingtonwarmuseum.com/germany-messerspit.html