Eagles of the Third Reich: Men of the Luftwaffe in WWII (Stackpole Military History Series) by Samuel W. Mitcham Page B
Authors: Samuel W. Mitcham
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excellent four-seat, single-engine communications, ambulance, and utility aircraft, the Me-108 was in production from 1934 to 1944. About one thousand were used on all fronts throughout the war.
Messerschmitt Me-109 . This single-seat, single-engine fighter was the most important airplane used by the Luftwaffe in the Second World War. Thirty thousand of them were produced between 1937 and 1945—more than any other type of aircraft used by the German Air Force. Armed with two or three machine guns, the Me-109 was hampered by poor lateral control at high speeds and was technologically inferior to the British Spit-fires and Hurricanes and the American Mustang, but not grossly so. It nevertheless continued to operate on all fronts until the end of the war, largely because the German aircraft industry and the Luftwaffe Technical Branch were unable to produce a suitable replacement in sufficient numbers. Many of the Me-109s were employed in a fighter-bomber role.
Messerschmitt Me-110 . A two-seat, twin-engine day fighter, it was designed to escort German bombers. It was also occasionally used as a ground attack aircraft. It performed well in Poland and France but proved too vulnerable to Spitfires and Hurricanes during the Battle of Britain. The Me-210 was designed to replace it, but when it proved to be a failure the Luftwaffe had no choice but to continue manufacturing this obsolete aircraft until the end of the war. Total production was about six thousand.
Messerschmitt Me-163 . A single-seat jet interceptor, the revolutionary “Komet” was rushed into production in early 1944, despite numerous technological and production difficulties. It had a maximum speed of almost six hundred miles per hour. However, it had no landing gear (it took off on a jettisonable trolley and landed on a skid) and was almost as dangerous to its pilots as to enemy aircraft. Its propellants were highly volatile and tended to explode on landing. The Me-163s devastated sev- eral American bomber formations in the last year of the war, but entirely too many Komets (and their pilots) were lost due to accidents. About 370 were used by the Luftwaffe during the war.
Messerschmitt Me-210 . Designed to replace the Me-110, this twin-engine, two-seat fighter suffered from numerous technological difficulties, including severe flight instability and landing-gear malfunctions. Luftwaffe pilots considered this aircraft a death trap. Production was nevertheless started in 1942, before it had been adequately tested. Three hundred fifty had been manufactured before production of this flawed aircraft was terminated. Great hopes had been placed in the Me-210, and its failure was a severe blow to the Luftwaffe’s war effort.
Messerschmitt Me-262 . A single-seat jet fighter/fighter-bomber, this aircraft first flew in April, 1941. It might have won the air war for Germany, but its development was hampered by the disinterest of Milch, Udet, and others. It first reached the squadrons in September 1944. About thirteen hundred were produced during the war, but only about one hundred ever flew in combat, due to a lack of fuel and the near-collapse of the German transportation network. With a maximum speed of 540 miles per hour, it was a formidable weapon in combat.
Messerschmitt Me-321 “Gigant.” This heavy cargo glider could carry a 24.5 ton payload or a company of infantry. Production began in mid-1941 and was terminated in early 1944.
Bibliography
Baumbach, Werner. The Life and Death of the Luftwaffe . New York: Coward-McCann, 1960.
Beck, Earl R. Under the Bombs: The German Home Front, 1942–1945 . Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 1986.
Bekker, Cajus. The Luftwaffe War Diaries . New York: Ballantine Books, 1969 (originally published as Angriffshoehe 4000 by Gerhard Stalling Verlag, Hamburg: 1964; edited and translated by Frank Ziegler).
Bender, Roger J. The Luftwaffe . Mountain View, California: R. James Bender Publishing Company,
Messerschmitt Me-109 . This single-seat, single-engine fighter was the most important airplane used by the Luftwaffe in the Second World War. Thirty thousand of them were produced between 1937 and 1945—more than any other type of aircraft used by the German Air Force. Armed with two or three machine guns, the Me-109 was hampered by poor lateral control at high speeds and was technologically inferior to the British Spit-fires and Hurricanes and the American Mustang, but not grossly so. It nevertheless continued to operate on all fronts until the end of the war, largely because the German aircraft industry and the Luftwaffe Technical Branch were unable to produce a suitable replacement in sufficient numbers. Many of the Me-109s were employed in a fighter-bomber role.
Messerschmitt Me-110 . A two-seat, twin-engine day fighter, it was designed to escort German bombers. It was also occasionally used as a ground attack aircraft. It performed well in Poland and France but proved too vulnerable to Spitfires and Hurricanes during the Battle of Britain. The Me-210 was designed to replace it, but when it proved to be a failure the Luftwaffe had no choice but to continue manufacturing this obsolete aircraft until the end of the war. Total production was about six thousand.
Messerschmitt Me-163 . A single-seat jet interceptor, the revolutionary “Komet” was rushed into production in early 1944, despite numerous technological and production difficulties. It had a maximum speed of almost six hundred miles per hour. However, it had no landing gear (it took off on a jettisonable trolley and landed on a skid) and was almost as dangerous to its pilots as to enemy aircraft. Its propellants were highly volatile and tended to explode on landing. The Me-163s devastated sev- eral American bomber formations in the last year of the war, but entirely too many Komets (and their pilots) were lost due to accidents. About 370 were used by the Luftwaffe during the war.
Messerschmitt Me-210 . Designed to replace the Me-110, this twin-engine, two-seat fighter suffered from numerous technological difficulties, including severe flight instability and landing-gear malfunctions. Luftwaffe pilots considered this aircraft a death trap. Production was nevertheless started in 1942, before it had been adequately tested. Three hundred fifty had been manufactured before production of this flawed aircraft was terminated. Great hopes had been placed in the Me-210, and its failure was a severe blow to the Luftwaffe’s war effort.
Messerschmitt Me-262 . A single-seat jet fighter/fighter-bomber, this aircraft first flew in April, 1941. It might have won the air war for Germany, but its development was hampered by the disinterest of Milch, Udet, and others. It first reached the squadrons in September 1944. About thirteen hundred were produced during the war, but only about one hundred ever flew in combat, due to a lack of fuel and the near-collapse of the German transportation network. With a maximum speed of 540 miles per hour, it was a formidable weapon in combat.
Messerschmitt Me-321 “Gigant.” This heavy cargo glider could carry a 24.5 ton payload or a company of infantry. Production began in mid-1941 and was terminated in early 1944.
Bibliography
Baumbach, Werner. The Life and Death of the Luftwaffe . New York: Coward-McCann, 1960.
Beck, Earl R. Under the Bombs: The German Home Front, 1942–1945 . Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 1986.
Bekker, Cajus. The Luftwaffe War Diaries . New York: Ballantine Books, 1969 (originally published as Angriffshoehe 4000 by Gerhard Stalling Verlag, Hamburg: 1964; edited and translated by Frank Ziegler).
Bender, Roger J. The Luftwaffe . Mountain View, California: R. James Bender Publishing Company,
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