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Bf 110C-4 - German single engine, tandem two seat fighter. This is the day fighter version of the ME-110 that served in the Battle of Britain. As a long range bomber escort it proved to be less than entirely satisfactory. Its overall fighter vs. fighter performance was found to be inferior to the Hurricane and Spitfire interceptor fighters that it faced over England. This big, twin engine fighter later proved to be effective on the Eastern Front as well as an excellent ground attack plane and, in the Bf 110G configuration (also modelled in Warbirds), a fine night fighter.
The 110C-4 is easy for the novice to fly and turns smoothly, but not very quickly. Aileron rolls are slow. Loops are possible as long as you keep your momentum up. The Bf-110 is fast at sea level and it can out run most of the single seat fighters of its day on the deck, but at high altitude its level speed, although superior to the Hurricane, is inferior to the Spitfire and most other fighters.
Armament is good, comprising 4-8mm MG's and 2-20mm cannons in the nose, so there is no convergence to worry about. There is a rear gunner behind the pilot to help protect the 110's tail with a single or twin 8mm MG. The greenhouse canopy provides good views in all directions except downward to the side, where a good part of the view is obstructed by the engines and wings. Metric instruments.
In Warbirds 1v1 combat the Bf 110C-4 is inferior in maneuverability to virtually all of the single seat/single engine fighters. Getting a victory in the 110 is a real achievement, but not impossible. In 21 recorded 1v1 sorties, I tallied 11 victories against a Yak, Corsair, P-39, P-40, Ki-84 and 6 Bf 110's, while being shot down 10 times. The latter losser were to a Spitfire, Bf 109 (2), P-51, F4F (2), A-36, Bf 110, Ki-61 and P-39. Most of those victories came in head-on passes, as did the loss to the A-36. Previously, I had earned a split decision against an La5 and also against a P-38 (we shot each other down) and stayed on another La5's tail for an incredibly long time, getting many rounds into him without managing to shoot him down. He eventually escaped in clouds.
Good flaps, a wide landing gear track and excellent forward visibility (there is no engine in front of the pilot) make takeoffs and landings relatively easy. There is a lot of torque steer on takeoff, since both props turn in the same direction. Novice Pilot Rating = B-
