Messerschmitt Bf 110G-2/R3

Plane: Messerschmitt Bf 110G-2/R3

Weight (Empty/Loaded/Max): 11,220lb / 18,800lb / 22,100lb

Wing Area: 413sq ft

Wing Loading: 27.2lb/sq ft / 45.5lb/sq ft / 53.5lb/sq ft

Length: 39' 7"

Span: 53' 4"

Wing Aspect Ratio: 6.8

Engine: 2x1,475hp Dailmet Benz DB 605B-1 Inline

Flaps: 3 settings

Visibility:

• Front: (awaiting art)
• Sides:
• Rear:

Control Feel:

• Slow: Sluggish
• Near Sustained: Sluggish
• Fast: Poor

Stall Speed 1k (No Flaps/Full Flaps) 105mph/90mph

Guns:

Ordnance:
0: none
1: 2x500lb bombs
2: 4xRockets
3: none

Fuel Time/Percent: 35 seconds/percent

Power/weight (Empty/Loaded/Max): 3.8lb/hp / 6.4lb/hp / 7.5lb/hp

Corner Velocity: 280mph

Durability:

WEP time: 5 minutes

Accleleration:

Climb:
1k-5k: 56s
5k-10k: 87s
10k-15k: 95s

Zoom Climb:
1k 400mph: +3,000ft
1k 300mph: +4,900ft

Dive:

Max Speed

Turn Performance

Corner Speed and Radii (1,000ft)

Speed: 280mph
Radius: 528ft
Sustained Turn Speed: 145mph
Sustained Turn Radius: 697ft
Full Flaps Speed: 130mph
Full Flaps Radius: 649ft

Roll Rate:
150mph: 8.4s
200mph: 6.9s
250mph: 7.7s
300mph: 9.4s
350mph: 14.1s
400mph: 24.0s

Minimum Full-Flaps Full-Power Split-S altitude:
150mph: 1,400ft
200mph: 1,400ft
250mph: 1,600ft
300mph: 1,900ft

Hoof's Tips and Opinions:

After the Battle of Britain, the Bf110 lost it's status as the elite of the Luftwaffe. It did quite well in the opening stages of the Barbarossa campaign against Russia and in Greece/Yugoslavia, but even then, it was considered semi-obsolete because the Bf 210 was to replace it. Delays in the Bf 210, and unsatisfactory performance meant the Bf 110 remained the primary heavy fighter for the Luftwaffe for most of the war.

The Bf110G2 is a later war plane (mid years) with several modifications. The major modification is the new DB 605B-1 engine, giving an additional 600hp to the aircraft, allowing for higher speeds. The later Bf110 was heavier, though, resulting in its overall performance, other than speed and turning, to be comparable to the Bf 110C4. But the major difference that Warbird pilots will notice is the seriously upgraded firepower.

The Bf110G2 is actually the R3 Rustsatze field modification, replacing the stock armament of four 7.9mm machine guns that had been the standard armament for the 110 up to that point with a pair of Rheinmetall Mk 108 30mm cannon, the same cannon found on the Bf 109K4 and as a field-conversion kit in the Bf 109G-6 and later model G variants of the 109. In addition, the 20mm cannon were replaced by a pair of MG 151/20 20mm cannon commonly found on later 109s and Focke-Wulf 190s (this mod was standard for the G series 110 unlike the 30mm cannon). What this translates into is some serious firepower. Most bombers will disintegrate with just a few pings, and it is best not to contemplate what a ping or two would do to a Zero (can you say "confetti"? :) Plus the G variant in WB carries the 21cm (8") Werfer Granate nebelwerfer rockets (four of them), although they are not modeled in Warbirds, rather the standard 5" ground attack rocket is provided.

What this translates into is one mean buff-killing machine. Several battles during 1944 involving Bf110G's and B17s/B24s demonstrated this quite effectively, including one attack upon a formation of 650 heavy bombers with Bf110G's alongside Bf109s downing 41 of those bombers. On another occasion, 43 Bf110G's of JG 76 found a group of unescorted B17s and downed 18 in three passes, before P51s arrived on the scene. But what happened afterwards depicts the major problem of the Bf110G in general when dealing with later-war fighters: 26 of the 43 Bf110s' were shot down by the P51s.

The Bf110G2/R3 is not a terribly good fighter vs fighter aircraft. It is a big aircraft, with a poor roll rate, and thus is very difficult to defend in versus high speed slashing attacks. Unlike the Bf110C4, the Bf110G2/R3 cannot outturn easily many of the planes suited to high speed pass-style attacks, and thus is forced to use it's one asset against such attacks: firepower. The Bf110G2/R3 is the best, without peer, HO jousting machine there is. Even the A8 dims in comparison to the combined firepower of two 20mm and two 30mm cannon with enough ammo to rain 30mm death for 12 seconds, and more 20mm firing time than the P51 has .50cal firing time. And being a big plane, it can take a fair bit of damage, especially against machine-gun equipped opponents. And one other nasty aspect of HOing a Bf110 is it's tail gun: after you pass the Bf110, it's tail-gun gets to pepper you on the way out, which will surprise most who survive a HO with a Bf110.

Don't let the numbers on turning scare you though. The Bf110 doesn't turn well in a sustained turnfight, but on the instantaneous turn arena, it turns with a SpitIX. Take a Bf110 and a SpitIX and have them turn from 280mph. The Bf110 will be able to keep position until speeds bog down to sustained turnfight speeds. This can be more than enough time to toss a few 30mm shells the Spit's way.

Speaking of which, the tail gun is the other main asset the Bf110 has. Most people consider the Bf110 meat on the table. Read the writeup on the Bf110C4 about this, but the essential component of defense in a Bf110 is using the tail-gunner to "persuade" the pursuer to jink and burn energy or spoil a shot. And the best situation you can put the tail-gunner in is a low-G turn which gives the tail-gunner an awesome canopy shot against an attacker. And the G2 has enough firepower in it's tail-gun to take out a Zeke rather reliably, or at least mess it up real bad. Plus most people don't know quite how to handle a *fighter* with guns shooting back at you as you saddle up.

The true home for the Bf110G2 will be as the ultimate high-altitude Buff Hunter. It has the equipment to take out multiple Buffs, and with the scattered fire of 2.0's Otto, it can get in close with relatively minimal damage and just roast buff after buff after buff. Climb to 25k or more and cruise around at 30-40% throttle (to save gas) and hunt Buffs. Open up with the 20s at range 8-10, and open up with the 30s at range 4-6. Aim for the tail gunner, since if you can take it out at range 8-10, you will have no opposition as you turn the Buff into confetti with the 30's. Do keep track of your position relative to 88s (the ack 88s, not the Junkers 88 :) at all times, though, as the Bf110G2 has difficulty dodging such fire and is a big target that will probably attract shrapnel.

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