Messerschmitt Me 410

Messerschmitt Me 410
Country	Germany
Role	Heavy fighter, fighter-bomber
First flight	14 March 1942
Built	1189

The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse (“Hornet”) was a German heavy fighter and Schnellbomber used by the Luftwaffe during World War II. Though essentially an incremental improvement of the Me 210, it had a new wing plan, longer fuselage, and engines of greater power. The changes were significant enough to be designated the Me 410.

Source: Messerschmitt Me 410 on Wikipedia

Cosford Me 410 Walk Around
Photographer	Tony Taylor
Localisation	Cosford
Photos	51

Me 410 Cosford 1

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Me 410 Cosford 4

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Me 410 Cosford 7

Me 410 Cosford 8

Me 410 Cosford 9

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Messerschmitt Me.410 Hornisse Walk Around
Photographers	Meindert de Vreeze
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	50

General Characteristics and Role

The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse was a heavy fighter and fast bomber developed to replace the ill-fated Me 210. By lengthening the fuselage and installing more powerful engines, Messerschmitt created a stable and potent platform capable of multiple roles, including bomber interception, reconnaissance, and ground attack. The specific aircraft preserved at RAF Museum Cosford (Wk Nr 420430) is an A-1/U2 variant, representing the Zerstörer or destroyer configuration. This version was designed to break up Allied bomber formations with overwhelming forward-firing armament. It remains the only complete Me 410 on public display in the world, serving as a rare survivor of the Luftwaffe’s twin-engine heavy fighter force.

Property	Typical Value (Me 410 A-1/U2)
Type	Heavy Fighter / Bomber Destroyer
National Origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Messerschmitt AG
Entered Service	1943
Crew	2 (Pilot and Navigator/Gunner)
Length	12.48 m (40 ft 11 in)
Wingspan	16.35 m (53 ft 7 in)
Max Takeoff Weight	9,650 kg (21,276 lb)

Powerplant and Armament Systems

Engines: 2 x Daimler-Benz DB 603A inverted V12 liquid-cooled engines. These engines provided the necessary power to overcome the handling flaws of its predecessor.
Engine Power: 1,750 hp (1,305 kW) each at takeoff.
Maximum Speed: 624 km/h (388 mph) at altitude.
Nose Armament: 2 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons and 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns mounted fixed in the nose.
U2 Conversion Kit: The /U2 designation signifies the addition of a WB 151 weapons container in the bomb bay, adding 2 more 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons for a total of four 20 mm forward-firing cannons.
Defensive Barbettes: 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns mounted in unique, remote-controlled FDSL 131/1B rotating turrets on the sides of the fuselage. These were aimed by the rear gunner using a specialized reflector sight.
Cockpit: Features a heavily glazed canopy providing the pilot with excellent visibility, while the rear gunner operated a complex set of controls to manage the defensive barbettes.

Service History and the Cosford Survivor

Bomber Defense: The Me 410 was most famous for attacking USAAF B-17 and B-24 formations. While dangerous to bombers, it was vulnerable to P-51 Mustang and P-47 Thunderbolt escorts.
Capture History: The Cosford aircraft, Werk Nummer 420430, was surrendered to British forces at Vaerlose, Denmark, in May 1945. It was one of several examples taken to the UK for evaluation.
Unit Markings: The aircraft is displayed in the markings of II./ZG 26 Horst Wessel (3U+CC), a unit that operated the type in the Balkans and Italy before the end of the war.
Restoration at Cosford: In the late 1980s, museum staff successfully restored the aircraft’s DB 603 engines to running condition, making it one of the few high-performance German aircraft of the era to have functional engines post-war.
Legacy: As the only surviving intact Me 410, it provides historians and enthusiasts a unique look at the advanced remote-weaponry technology that Germany attempted to pioneer during the conflict.