Meschershmitt Me 309 and Me 410

Meschershmitt Me 309 and Me 410

Photo 1 is a starboard/rear view of the Me 309, a nosewheeled single seat fighter.
Photo 2 is a port view of the twin engined Me 410.

Two b/w photographs on an album page

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PThomasAF20080014

[photograph]

Messerschmitt Me 309.
An experimental Single Seat Fighter powered by one Daimler Benz DB 605B 12 cylinder inverted vee liquid cooled engine. Armed with four cannons & four machine guns. Max speed 360 mph at 7000 feet. After flight testing the Test Pilot’s report was not very favourable, it was only 30mph faster than the Bf 109 with a poorer turning circle. Control forces were extremely high & landing on the nose-wheel would give problems on operational airfields. Four prototypes were built but the programme was then cancelled.

[photograph]

Messerschmitt Me 410.
The Me 410 made its first appearance over Britain in June 1943, & it afforded the Mosquito’s a formidable adversary. Almost indistinguishable from the Me 210, which had been so ignominiously cancelled in the previous year, the 410 was probably the most thoroughly tested combat aircraft the [sic] enter the Luftwaffe’s inventory. The 410 was pioneered by two Me210 conversions & 21 true prototypes. Built as a high speed bomber, heavy fighter & reconnaisance [sic] aircraft. In the event, the Luftwaffe found that the Me 410 was little better operationally than the Bf 110, & production ended in September 1944 after 1160 aircraft had been built.