
Caption | German Bf 110 fighters, Western Europe, May 1940; note shark mouth markings ww2dbase | |||||||
Photographer | Benno Wundshammer | |||||||
Source | ww2dbaseGerman Federal Archive | |||||||
Identification Code | Bild 101I-382-0211-22 | |||||||
More on... |
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Added By | C. Peter Chen | |||||||
Added Date | 30 Mar 2010 | |||||||
This photograph has been scaled down; full resolution photograph is available here (800 by 537 pixels). | ||||||||
Licensing | Creative Commons. According to the German Federal Archive (Bundesarchiv), as of 21 Jul 2010, photographs can be reproduced with if these preconditions are met: - add the signature of the pictures and - of name of the originator, i.e. the photographer. ... You also can use fotos from the Federal Archives for free on Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Bundesarchiv |
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Visitor Submitted Comments
2.
Bill says:
30 Aug 2010 07:42:48 AM
Messerschmitt Bf 110C of II./ZG 76 early
models were armed with 4x7.92mm machine guns
in the upper nose, and 2x20mm cannons in the
lower part.
This concentration of forward firing weapons was foridable, but the 110 had only one 7.92
machine gun to defend the rear.
During the Battle of Britain, it was found
that the 110 was an easy target for RAF fighters. The Bf 110's were to protect the
bombers it got to the point, where the
Bf 109's had to protect both the 110's and the bombers!
The Luftwaffe lost a total of 223 Bf 110's
starting out with 237.
In one day alone 30 Bf 110's were lost, and
during the month of August 114.

30 Aug 2010 07:42:48 AM
Messerschmitt Bf 110C of II./ZG 76 early
models were armed with 4x7.92mm machine guns
in the upper nose, and 2x20mm cannons in the
lower part.
This concentration of forward firing weapons was foridable, but the 110 had only one 7.92
machine gun to defend the rear.
During the Battle of Britain, it was found
that the 110 was an easy target for RAF fighters. The Bf 110's were to protect the
bombers it got to the point, where the
Bf 109's had to protect both the 110's and the bombers!
The Luftwaffe lost a total of 223 Bf 110's
starting out with 237.
In one day alone 30 Bf 110's were lost, and
during the month of August 114.
3.
Bill says:
2 Sep 2010 04:48:09 PM
Luftwaffe vs. the Swiss
June 1940 Combat between Germany and Switzerland started, the Swiss maintained
neutrally, the Germans wanted to take a short cut to bomb France.
A Swiss observation plane, an antiquated
biplane was attacked over the Jura Mountains
by Bf 110's and shot down both swiss crewmen
were killed.
Later the same day, 15 Swiss Bf 109's went up
to intercept a formation of He 111 bombers
escorted by 6 Bf 110's.
After the dogfight, 6 He 111's and 5 Bf 110's
were shot down the Swiss lost 1 Bf 109.
The Germans should have started to think, if
the Swiss could shoot down the twin-engined
Bf 110's, with Bf 109 fighters, what chance
would they have against the RAF? time would
tell.
The Bf 110 had good forward firepower if an
enemy fighter got in front of it, but
against high performance single engine fighters, it would be an easy kill.
During the Battle of Britain the Luftwaffe would suffer losses in aircraft and trained
aircrew.

2 Sep 2010 04:48:09 PM
Luftwaffe vs. the Swiss
June 1940 Combat between Germany and Switzerland started, the Swiss maintained
neutrally, the Germans wanted to take a short cut to bomb France.
A Swiss observation plane, an antiquated
biplane was attacked over the Jura Mountains
by Bf 110's and shot down both swiss crewmen
were killed.
Later the same day, 15 Swiss Bf 109's went up
to intercept a formation of He 111 bombers
escorted by 6 Bf 110's.
After the dogfight, 6 He 111's and 5 Bf 110's
were shot down the Swiss lost 1 Bf 109.
The Germans should have started to think, if
the Swiss could shoot down the twin-engined
Bf 110's, with Bf 109 fighters, what chance
would they have against the RAF? time would
tell.
The Bf 110 had good forward firepower if an
enemy fighter got in front of it, but
against high performance single engine fighters, it would be an easy kill.
During the Battle of Britain the Luftwaffe would suffer losses in aircraft and trained
aircrew.
All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.
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Famous WW2 Quote
"We no longer demand anything, we want war."Joachim von Ribbentrop, German Foreign Minister, Aug 1939
15 Jun 2010 10:07:17 AM
Messerschmitt Bf-110 could be from any
Gruppe of ZG/76, Luftflotte 3, France 1940
This unit was known as the "Haifisch Gruppe" (Sharkmouth) However, many other Luftwaffe units during World War II also used the
Sharkmouth marking. Thats my guess, as I have
no codes to go on, from the aircraft in the
photo.
ZG/76 "Sonderkommando(Special Force)Junck", based at Mosul, Iraq, May 1941. The aircraft carried Iraqi marking, but flown were by German crews.
The Italians and Germans supported the Iraqis
against the British from April 18th, to
May 30th 1941. The British defeated the Iraqi
Military, German and Italian forces withdrew.