vppelt68 Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 ...and if was, was there ever any success, even minor one? I know it was not a known ship-killer aircraft, more used as a convoy escort, but was there an exception to the rule? V-P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorfinn Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 IIRC, after its failure as a heavy fighter during the BOB, it was used quite successfully in the Jabo/ anti-shipping role all around the British Isles. The -D model was specifically a long-range version for strikes against distant targets in Norway and for use for long-range anti-shipping strikes, fitted with larger liferafts in the tail 'canoe' for over-water flights. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 It was also used as a Jabo against the RN during the Crete operations. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 Lt RJ Cork was credited with destroying a Bf110 during Operation Pedestal Aug-42. 12.08.42. Ju88 Destroyed, Bf110 Destroyed, 2x S-79s Destroyed, Ju88 shared Destroyed, R2001 Damaged. 880 NAS HMS Indomitable Hawker Sea Hurricane I Z4642(?)/7*K(?). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted February 24, 2019 Author Share Posted February 24, 2019 Thank you all for your replies! Crete... Thanks Graham, I'll have to dig deeper into this. Mediterranean would fit 100% to what I'm looking for. V-P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 I thought I'd caught a reference to a Bf110 hitting a "major" British warship off Crete when recently reading the 4 (so far!) volumes on the Med. Air War, but couldn't find it again. It does refer to the earlier Air War over Greece, Crete and Yugoslavia, but all I could find in a quick look was success against smaller launches, boats etc, for which the cannon would have been sufficient, and even preferable. (No, I wasn't confusing it with the Bf109 which sunk Fiji.) Maybe it wasn't Crete? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalkeEins Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 On 2/23/2019 at 11:11 PM, vppelt68 said: ...and if was, was there ever any success, even minor one? I know it was not a known ship-killer aircraft, more used as a convoy escort, but was there an exception to the rule? V-P Z./ JG 77 was deployed on defensive duties along the coasts of Norway. The unit's 110s escorted Bismarck on 21 May 1941 as far as their range allowed. Bf 110 E-2 WNr. 3761 coded ‘M8+YE’ of Hptm. Gerhard Schaschke from Stab./ZG 76 is pictured in the latest 'Luftwaffe Gallery' with 15 rudder “kill” markings that included 3 ship silhouettes. Schaschke was KIA in August 1941 and his unit incorporated into 1.(Z)/ JG 77 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard502 Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 Graham Boak: HMS Warspite was hit off Crete by an Bf109E (of III/JG77); could this be the incident you are recalling?Hth, Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 No. It was definitely described as a Bf110 which is why I recall it, as it came as a surprise. But if it can't be found, it doesn't count. I'm wondering what else I could have been reading at about the same time, but nothing appropriate comes to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan B. Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 John "Knights Cross" Weal in Osprey's Messerschmitt BF 110 Zerstorer Aces of World War 2, writes on p.78, "In addition to 20 aircraft shot down, [Oberleutnant Johannes Kiel] had destroyed a further 62 on the ground, plus nine tanks and 20 artillery pieces, as well as sinking one submarine, three MTBs and a transport vessel!" 110s were also used in Russia to interdict river traffic. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard502 Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 Michael Ziefle, "Messerschmitt Bf110 - Die Rehabilitation eines Flugzeuges", p. 179f lists "the most successful destroyer pilots (i.e. daytime, on Bf110) and their claims". Apart from Johannes Kiel, with "25 aerial victories, 8 of them in the West; 62 strafing kills, 10 tanks, 1 U-Boot, 3 MBTs", no success against shipping is mentioned in a list of 38 pilots. Hth, Richard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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