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Me 210

Messerschmitt · Attack · Germany · WWII (1939–1945)

Me 210 — Attack
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The Messerschmitt Me 210 was a German twin-engine two-seat heavy fighter — the planned Bf 110 successor that became one of Messerschmitt's most-famous engineering failures. Willy Messerschmitt designed the Me 210 in 1937-1939; the prototype first flew on 2 September 1939. About 352 Me 210s were built between 1941 and 1942 at Messerschmitt Regensburg before production was cancelled due to severe handling problems. Hungarian Manfréd Weiss continued licensed Me 210C production through 1944 (~300 built).

The Me 210A used 2 × Daimler-Benz DB 601F V-12 engines (1,350 hp each). Maximum speed 565 km/h, range 1,800 km, service ceiling 8,800 m. Armament: 2 × 20 mm MG 151 cannons + 4 × MG 17 machine guns + 1,000 kg bomb load. Defensive armament: 2 × MG 131 13 mm in remotely-operated barbettes (one of the first such installations). Crew: 2. The aircraft's defining failing was severe instability — the original short fuselage made stalling + spinning extremely dangerous, killing several test pilots before the problem was acknowledged.

Me 210 production was cancelled in early 1942 after fatal accidents + poor combat reception. Willy Messerschmitt was forced to admit the design failure + resigned as Messerschmitt CEO over the resulting financial loss (Messerschmitt company nearly went bankrupt over the Me 210 programme). The refined Me 410 Hornisse with extended fuselage + improved aerodynamics was the eventual successful production version. Hungarian Manfréd Weiss continued Me 210Ca production through 1944 — these Hungarian-built aircraft were operationally more successful than the original German Me 210As due to refined fuselage design. About 1 Me 210 airframe survives in fragmentary condition.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Messerschmitt Me 210 was a German heavy fighter from WWII. Messerschmitt built it to replace the older Bf 110. The Me 210 first flew on September 2, 1939. About 352 Me 210s were built in Germany plus 300 in Hungary. The German production was cancelled in 1942 due to serious problems.

The Me 210 is 41 feet long with a 53-foot wingspan, longer than a school bus. Two Daimler-Benz DB 601F engines each make 1,350 horsepower. Top speed is 351 mph, faster than most race cars. The plane has 2 cannons and 4 machine guns plus a 2,200-pound bomb load.

The Me 210 had bad handling problems. The short body made the plane unstable, especially in stalls and spins. Several test pilots were lost in Me 210 crashes. The Luftwaffe finally accepted the problems and cancelled German production. Willy Messerschmitt was forced to resign over the failure.

Hungary kept building the Me 210 under license through 1944. Hungarian-built Me 210s served on the Eastern Front against the Soviet Union. Many lessons from the Me 210 helped Messerschmitt design the much better Me 410 Hornisse. The Me 210 is remembered as one of Messerschmitt's worst designs.

Fun Facts

  • The Me 210 was the failed replacement for the Bf 110 heavy fighter.
  • About 352 Me 210s were built in Germany plus 300 in Hungary.
  • The Me 210 is 41 feet long, longer than a school bus.
  • Top speed is 351 mph, faster than most race cars.
  • German production was cancelled in 1942 due to bad handling.
  • Willy Messerschmitt was forced to resign over the Me 210 failure.
  • The Me 410 Hornisse fixed the Me 210's problems.

Kids’ Questions

What was wrong with it?

The Me 210's body was too short, making the plane unstable. In tight turns, the plane could enter a flat spin that pilots could not recover from. Several test pilots were lost in crashes. The Luftwaffe finally accepted the problem in 1942 and cancelled German production. The Hungarian factory kept building Me 210s under license through 1944.

Why was Messerschmitt fired?

By 1942, the Me 210 had cost Germany millions of marks and produced little useful combat power. The German Air Ministry blamed Willy Messerschmitt for the failure. Messerschmitt was forced to resign as company head. He stayed on as chief designer and later created the Me 262 jet fighter, restoring his reputation.

How was the Me 410 better?

The Me 410 has a longer body (3 feet more than the Me 210), which cured the stability problems. The Me 410 also got bigger DB 603 engines for more power. Pilots called the Me 410 the opposite of the Me 210: stable, easy to fly, and powerful. About 1,160 Me 410s were built between 1943 and 1944.

Variants

Me 210A (German production)
352 built 1941-1942 at Messerschmitt Regensburg. Production cancelled early 1942.
Me 210Ca (Hungarian licence)
~300 built 1943-1944 at Manfréd Weiss Hungary. Refined fuselage; operationally more successful.

Notable Operators

Luftwaffe (limited 1942-1944)
Limited use. ~150 Me 210s + 200 Me 210Ca in service. Replaced by Me 410 Hornisse from 1943.
Hungarian Air Force (1943-1945)
About 150 Hungarian Me 210Ca + Me 210C in Eastern Front operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the Me 210 fail?

Severe stall + spin handling problems. The original short fuselage gave the aircraft unstable longitudinal handling; entering a stall could rapidly progress to an unrecoverable spin. Multiple test pilots + early in-service pilots were killed in such accidents. Combined with poor combat performance in early Bf 110 replacement roles, the Luftwaffe cancelled production in early 1942. The redesigned Me 410 with extended fuselage solved the handling problems but only after Messerschmitt company finances had been devastated.

Why was Hungarian Me 210 production more successful?

Manfréd Weiss in Hungary obtained the Me 210 licence + refined the fuselage design before starting production. The Hungarian Me 210Ca had a longer rear fuselage + revised stabiliser + better stall behaviour than the original Me 210A. Hungarian + German Luftwaffe operators flying Me 210Ca had notably better in-service records than the original Me 210A pilots had achieved 1941-1942.

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