Here ya go Duedel,
The a/c arrived too late, and were too few. The Me 410, was an improvement of the Me 210
proposed as a high altitude fighter/bomber with two DB 603A engines (1750 hp), wing edge
slats, a presurized cabine, lengthened engine nacelles and no sweep back on the wings.
The Me 410 was awaited everywhere in all fronts by 1943 and arrived too late. When it finally
arrived, it was usually limited to the role of high-speed bomber or reconnaissance.
The Hornisse was more successful in Observation units 1 and 7 than in the interceptor role.
The first prototype V1 was ready by the end of 1942. The entire test program envolved some
twenty test planes many of which were modified Me 210s. The armament was the same as in
the Me 210. Projects wanted the Me 410 night fighter version, designated Me 410-D, to be
equipped with Lichtenstein C-1 or SN-2 air intercept radar system, flame extinguishers for
the exhaust pipes, and armed with four MK 108 30 mm high-speed cannons and two MG 151
20 mm cannons as bow armament as well as two MK 108 used as schräge Musik angled
cannons. The outer wing surfaces were to be built in wood to conserve strategic materials.
Unfortunately this configuration never saw service nor either transformed in factory
according to records.
The main operational nigh fighter version of the Hornisse was the Me 410 A-2/U2, fitted with
nose radar aerials, a 50 mm BK 5 nose cannon for bomber destroyer purposes, two MG 17
machine guns and two 20 MG 151 cannons in an all-front armament configuration, except for
the rear MG 131 barbettes. This was one of the most wonderful gun configurations of the
Hornisse because of its tremendous destruction power. The BK 5 was a troublesome cannon for
its automatic reloading system jammed easily ; even though, a single round could bring down a
four engine bomber hit in any part from a 1000 yds.
Some units non specialised in night interception duties used Me 410 Zerstörers for special
night missions. Among these units was 5./KG 2 which had its first casualty in Me 410 on the
night of 13-14 July 1943; it was Feldwebel Zwissler’s and Oberfelbwebel Raida’s U5+KG,
shot down by a Mosquito NF XII of No 85 Squadron. Also 5./KG 2 (U5+) and 14./KG 2 used Me
410 Bs (U5+) in night attack operations. Oblt. Abrahamczik’s Me 410 had painted in black its
undersurfaces for this purpose; he was the squadron leader of 14./KG 2. Some Me 410s were
used together with Ju 188s during the battle of Normandy for high-altitude night
reconnaissance missions.
Like a small flash in the darkness of the active career of the Hornisse, Hauptmann Puttkammer,
during a long-range night-fighting action of the II./KG 51, shot down five English heavy bombers
over British territory flying his radar equipped Me 410. Also I./NJG 5 and III./NJG 1
employed Me 410 A1’s and B2’s, but with scarce success. They had no radar equipment. Some
rare Hornisse’s with GM-1 system were flown as Mosquito chasers, also with little success.
The career of the Me 410 as night fighter ended with the entry of the much expected He 219
A-6, Ju 88 G-7 and Ta 154’s.
