Messerschmitt Bf110707 viewsWilly Messerschmitt however made a creditable attempt with the Bf110, resulting in a machine at that time faster than the Bf109 and similar in speed to the Hawker Hurricane, (end of 1936).
The Bf110 was also tried as a bomber and a night fighter, the latter being its more successful role.
But it must be said that long range, speed, and manoeuvrability, are not mutually compatible and the Bf110 never was more than a maid of all work.
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Hurricane MKI593 views The new Mk.I included a deHaviland or Rotol constant-speed metal propeller, ejector exhaust stacks for added thrust, metal-covered wings, armour and other changes. At the start of the war the RAF had taken on about 500 of this later design, and it formed the backbone of the fighter squadrons during the Battle of France and into the Battle of Britain.
Although it may have been an older design, the Hurricane was still a worthy fighter on its own and a reasonable match for the Messerschmitt Bf 109 it faced. In the photo The first production Hurricane Mk.I at [[Brooklands]], November 1937.
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Messerschmitt Me 163B-1493 viewsAlthough the aircraft's two MK 108 30mm cannons were capable of downing a four-engine bomber with only three or four hits, the Komet's high speed, coupled with the cannons' slow rate of fire and short range made effective gunnery nearly impossible against the slow moving bombers. As a result, Me 163 pilots recorded a total of only nine kills. Although capable of reaching its service ceiling of 12,100 m (39,690 ft) in just under three-and-a-half minutes, the Me 163 carried only enough fuel for eight minutes of powered flight. An improved variant of the aircraft with a greater endurance and a tricycle landing gear, designated the Me 163 C, was also produced in small numbers before the war's end, but was not flown operationally.
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Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe528 viewsThe Me 262A-1a "Schwalbe" ("Swallow") was the first production model of the Me 262. It was produced with four Mk 108 30mm cannon mounted in the nose, in its role as an interceptor, a role that it performed with great promise. it came into the battle far too late, when the Allied air forces had reached formidable capacity; secondly, its engines were a constant source of trouble, frequently failing after no more than 12 hours; the Me 262A-2a "Sturmvogel" ("Stormbird") was reconfigured to carry two 550lb bombs, still retaining the four cannon. A further refinement, Me 262A-2a/U1 had two of the cannon removed to provide space for a bomb-aiming device, and Me 262A-2/U2 carried a prone bombardier in the nose section. Thus, for much of the aircraft's brief combat life, it was used against the wrong type of targets, with even less effect than if it had been used as an interceptor.
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Messerschmitt Me 323794 viewsA powered derivative of the Me 321, the Me 323 proved to be a successful aircraft. Several variants were produced including a Gunship and bomber. This vulnerable transport suffered heavily at the guns of Allied fighters. This version also carried several tonnes of armor and bulletproof glass. Eventually it was decided that escort fighters would be more effective and this version did not see wide-spread production.
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