Germany: Luftwaffe Warplanes, 1939-1945: Messerschmitt Me 410

‍German warplanes of the Second World War: Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse

Deutsche Flugzeuge aus dem Zweiten Weltkrieg: Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse

The aim of this website is to locate, identify and document Warplanes from the Second World War that have been preserved.  Many contributors have assisted in the hunt for these aircraft to provide and update the data on this website.  Photos are as credited.  Any errors found here are by the author, and any additions, corrections or amendments to this list of Warplane Survivors of the Second World War would be most welcome and may be e-mailed to the author at hskaarup@rogers.com.

Ziel dieser Website ist es, erhaltene Kampfflugzeuge aus dem Zweiten Weltkrieg zu lokalisieren, zu identifizieren und zu dokumentieren. Viele Mitwirkende haben bei der Suche nach diesen Flugzeugen mitgewirkt, um die Daten auf dieser Website.bereitzustellen und zu aktualisieren. Fotos gelten als gutgeschrieben. Alle hier gefundenen Fehler sind vom Autor und Ergänzungen, Korrekturen oder Ergänzungen zu dieser Liste der Überlebenden des Zweiten Weltkriegs sind sehr willkommen und können per E-Mail an den Autor unter hskaarup@rogers.com gesendet werden.

Messerschmitt Me 410A-3 Hornisse in Luftwaffe service.  (Luftwaffe photos)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-3 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 10259), F6+OK from 2(F)./122, RAF TF209, being checked by mechanics at No. 1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight at Collyweston, Northamptonshire (UK).  The crew, Fw. Hans Beyer and Uffz. Helmut Hein, got lost on the return leg to Perugia and landed by mistake at Monte Corvino, Italy, on 27 November 1943.  It arrived for testing at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, England, on 14 April 1944, and was also evaluated by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down.  TF209 flew with the Fighter Interception Unit at Wittering from August 1944 until March 1946 when it was transferred to No. 6 Maintenance Unit at Brize Norton.  It was scrapped post war.  (RAF Photos)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-3 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 10259), F6+OK from 2(F)./122, RAF TF209, in flight escorted by an RAF de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito.  TF209 had landed intact and was captured at Monte Corvino, Italy when the crew had become lost during a photo–reconnaissance mission in the Naples area.  This aircraft wears the P for Prototype roundels showing she was at RAF Boscombe Down for testing.  (RAF Photo)

(RAFM Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-1/U2 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 420430), captured at Vaerlose.  Designated RAF AM72, this aircraft is on display at RAF Cosford, England.  (Dapi99 Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-1/U2 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 420439) captured at Kastrup.  Designated RAF AM39, this aircraft was likely scrapped at Kastrup.

Messerschmitt Me 410A-1/U2 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr 420430), captured at Vaerlose.  Designated RAF AM72, this aircraft is in the RAF Museum at Cosford, England.  (RAF Photos)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-1 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 130360), captured at Vaerlose.  Designated RAF AM73, this aircraft was scrapped at Brize Norton in 1947.

Messerschmitt Me 410B-6 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 410208), captured at Vaerlose.  Designated RAF AM74, this aircraft was scrapped at Farnborough in 1946.

Messerschmitt Me 410A Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 263), 2N+HTfrom ZG76 was taken over by No. 601 Squadron.  This aircraft crashed in Oct 1943.

Four Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse were surrendered at Sylt and were initially designated by RAF as USA 16, USA 17, USA 18 and USA 19.  They were likely scrapped at Sylt.

Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse cannon-armed fighter diving away after an attack on a USAAF Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.   (USAAF Photo)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-2/U1 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 10018), F6+WK from 2(F)./122, USAAF EB-103, later FE-102, then FE-499, and then T2-499, on display at Freeman Field, Indiana post war.  (USAAF Photos)

Messerschmitt Me 410A-2/U1 Hornisse , (Wk. Nr. 10018), USA EB-103, later FE-102, then FE-499 and then T2-499, Freeman Field, Indiana, post war.  This aircraft is in storage with the NASM.  (USAAF Photos)

Messerschmitt Me 410B2/U4 Hornisse, (Wk. Nr. 130379), heavy fighter/reconnaissance aircraft from II/ZG26 Group was captured after the war by the Soviets and extensively tested.  Although the Soviets concluded their fighters were superior to the twin-engine ciarcraft, they confirmed it was a threat to all types of Soviet series-produced bombers, the Tu-2 included, due to its high capabilities. It had a maximum speed of 600 km/h at 6750 meters, could climb to 5000 meters in 8.6 minutes, and carried powerful offensive armament comprising two standard 20mm MG-151 cannon and the semiautomatic VK-5 cannon that could deliver a 1-second salvo weighing 4.65 kg.  The Soviets found the German designers had worked out the best methods of employing the Me 410B-2's fire power. The Me 410B-2 was fitted with a combined gun sight comprising a four-power telescope with collimator.  This made it possible to deliver precision fire from a range of 1000 meters and more, where the 50-mm high-explosive fragmentation ammunition could destroy Petlyakov, Il'yushin, Boston, and other aircraft.  In theory, a German pilot could shoot down enemy aircraft while out of defensive fire range.  (Soviet Air Force Photos)

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