Product Description
- Model
- Instruction
- Paint and sticker layout sheet
The Messerschmitt Me410 was developed as a heavy fighter, but later fulfilled several roles such as night fighter, bomber destroyer and reconnaissance. It entered service two years later than planned, in 1943 as a replacement for the Me210. The plane had several distinctive features, including a double gun barbette.
The Me410 was essentially a development of the 210, featuring a lengthened fuselage, improved wings and more powerful engines. Although the Me410 performed well, it entered service too late to make an impact on the course of the war and was soon assigned to reconnaissance duties.
The Messerschmitt Me410 is undoubtedly one of the most impressive-looking aircraft types of World War II, the ultimate embodiment of Germany's fascination with the concept of the Zerstörer heavy fighter.
Currently, only one complete Messerschmitt Me410 can be seen around the world. It is one of the most valuable aviation objects held at the Royal Air Force Museum at the RAF Midlands Center in Cosford.
Although the Me410 was an excellent and extremely heavily armed aircraft, it was unable to adequately defend itself against the latest single-engine Allied fighters. There is no competition for the latest Spitfires, Tempests and P-51D Mustangs, when USAAF commanders relieved their fighters of bomber protection duties and allowed them to go hunting for the Luftwaffe, any advantages of the heavily armed Me410s were effectively nullified and if caught in the fighters' sights Allied forces, it was unlikely they would survive the encounter.
Production of the Messerschmitt Me410 ended in August 1944, when production lines were switched to the production of single-engine Messerschmitt Bf 109G fighters for home defense purposes, but by this stage of the war the situation for the fighting Luftwaffe already seemed rather futile.
Additional Information
| EAN | 5063129000905 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer (A) | Airfix |
| Manufacturer Code | 04066 |