Soviet Messerschmitt Me 410

Known your enemy is the way to win the battle or war and one of way is to be in depth informed of its weapons. Soviets (as well other countries), did gave high attention to war prize and many airplanes were tested on both sides. Soviet was not exception so in their institute during the war were tested almost all main German types used in war against them. In April-may 1945, the Me 410 twin-engine fighter was tested at the air force research Institute NII VVS. And for the reason that it was twin-engine, it was not in the 3rd Department, which specialized in testing single-engine fighters, but in the 2nd Department-bomber. Anyway, this plane was tested by people who were not dominated by any templates and stereotypes from the results of previous tests of Messerschmitts. Sample machine used for this test was Messerschmitt Me410B-2/U4 of II./ZG26 Wk.N 130379, captured by Soviet troops at Poznan in 1945.

There is different designation of this aircraft. Variants of the Me 410A and Me 410B used different engines: the first uses DB 603A, and the second, more powerful DB 603G. In the report of the air force research Institute indicated that the aircraft are DB 603A engines, so its correct designation of the tested machine is Me 410A-2. In accordance with the armaments, version of the Messerschmitt with a 50 mm BK 5 gun had the Luftwaffe designation Me 410 A-2/U-4. It was also equipped with two 20 mm MG 151 guns and a pair of 7.9 mm MG 17 forward firing machine guns. The aircraft, which was tested at the air force research Institute NII VVS, differed in the composition of weapons from the standard version. In addition to the 50 mm cannon, it carried only a pair of 20 mm MG 151 machine guns and one MG 131 of 13 mm caliber. Apparently, during operation, the Germans sometimes varied the composition of weapons and lightened the heavy aircraft in order to improve flight characteristics. Test program for trophy Me 410 in Ramenskoye includes 23 flights with a total duration of 14 hours and 25 minutes, flown by test pilot major I. P. Piskunov, and the technical part engineer-Lieutenant Colonel V. J. Magon. Here is their technical notes made after testings:

“There is a General ease of piloting and good maneuverability of the fighter.
The pilot’s cabin is cramped and it is inconvenient to sit in it. The location of the levers and panels for controlling the aircraft and motors, the location of the control devices of the propeller-motor group and navigation devices is convenient.
Especially facilitates the operation of the aircraft is the presence of a supercharger speed switch, an automatic control of the oil temperature and the combined control of the propeller and gas.

The plane is stable on taxiing and is well controlled by both brakes and motors, but when using the brakes, the feet get tired, because when braking, you have to put a lot of effort.
The aircraft is stable and well controlled during the climb.

In horizontal flight, the aircraft allows flight with the released control over the entire speed range, the loads arising on the rudders are easily removed by trimmers. The aircraft has a sufficient margin of track and lateral stability, the margin of longitudinal stability is less
The calculation and production of planting is not particularly difficult. There are enough rudders for landing at three points, but the load on the Elevator is high at this point. When running the aircraft is stable, the tendency to hood when using the brakes does not have. On turns with a roll of 65-70 degrees (Vnp=380 km / h), the aircraft is stable, the loads on the steering wheels are normal. On turns with a roll of 70 degrees (Vnp=390-400 km / h) with a slight pull of the handle, a rapid reduction in the load on the rudders is created, and the aircraft tries to get out of the turn. The handling and stability of the aircraft when performing a combat turn is good.
If one of the engines fails, it is not difficult to keep the plane in the horizontal flight line with the rudders. Loads from the rudder are removed completely by trimmers.
At altitudes from H=6000 meters and below with normal flight weight, a long flight with one running motor and a propeller on a non-working motor in the weather vane position is possible at speeds from Vnp=280 km / h to the maximum possible.

In long-term horizontal flight in the rated power mode, the coolant and oil temperatures do not exceed the permissible values.in a single-engine flight, it is possible to perform u-turns both in the direction of the working and non-working motor with a roll of up to 30 degrees.
Conclusions: according to the piloting technique, the Me 410B-2 trophy aircraft is simpler than the PE-2 aircraft and is almost identical to the Tu-2 aircraft. In terms of handling and maneuverability, the Me 410B-2 is superior to the domestic production bombers.”

The aircraft’s weapons were not checked in flight, and all the firing of guns and machine guns was carried out on the ground, in a shooting range. The main weapon of the interceptor Me 410 A-2/U-4, 50 mm gun BK 5, Soviet experts rightly considered unsuccessful and ineffective in comparison with similar domestic models:

“The BK 5 gun of 50 mm caliber, being a tank gun adapted for installation on an aircraft, is of no interest, except for the automatic electro-pneumatic reloading system. With a rate of fire of 40 rds / min and an initial speed of approximately 500 m / sec, the gun has a weight of 592 kg together with automatic reloading units, whereas the domestic NS-45 aviation gun of 45 mm caliber has a weight of 3.5 times less, i.e. 168 kg, at a rate of 270 RDS/min and an initial speed of 795 m/sec. The rate of fire of 40 rds / min practically ensures that only single shots are aimed at the target. The effectiveness of high-explosive projectiles of the BK 5 gun when acting on aircraft structures (the fuselage of the Boston aircraft), revealed by test shots, slightly exceeds the effectiveness of the NS-45 gun projectile…”.

A defensive installation with an Electromechanical drive and remote control was recommended to take into development as good and successful. According to experts of the air force research Institute, some more units could be recommended to the industry for use in the design of domestic equipment. Of interest were DC tachometers with compact generators and oxygen devices 10-137-S-1, which provide additional oxygen flow at altitudes above 6000 meters.
The DB 603A engines were not only easy to operate,but also reliable. The report notes an easy start with one or two attempts, good pick-up when giving a sharp “gas” and a set of turns without disruptions and POPs. There were no signs of detonation, interruptions or shaking of the engines during the flight. However, after 19 hours of operation on the left engine, the piston burned out in the front cylinder of the left block. Perhaps this was due to the use of gasoline with an increased octane number. In Germany, DB 603A engines were operated on B4 gasoline with an octane rating of 87 on the German scale (or 91 on the scale adopted in the USSR). And the fuel 4B-78, which the air force research Institute refueled the me 410, had an octane number of 94.5.

Test with fighters

Naturally, the military experts paid the most attention to the combat capabilities of the German interceptor. The air force research Institute conducted training battles with the Me 410 and Tu-2 bomber, Yak-3 and La-7 fighters. I have no doubt that readers will be interested to know the opinion of the pilots who piloted Soviet cars in these battles.
Report of test pilot major Antipov, May 14, 1945:

“The Yak-3 easily catches up with and attacks the Me 410 at altitudes of 1000-1500 meters and in all flight modes. The attack was most easily made, with the advantage in height, from the rear hemisphere on the side. But in this case, the me 410 shooter sees the attacking fighter well and can successfully conduct aimed fire. When attacking from behind and from below, you can approach the Me 410 unnoticed at a distance of aimed fire, since the shooter’s view down is poor. During the battle, it was possible to successfully attack the Me 410 from below several times and remain unnoticed by the shooter.

The exit from the attack, as a rule, I did with a sharp climb over the aircraft Me 410 in such a way as to prevent the shooter and the pilot to fire. During the battle, the Yak-3 performed an advantage in height and speed. When flying Me 410 with a maximum speed at an altitude of 200-300 m, the Yak-3 aircraft, having an excess in height, easily catches up with it. But attacks in this case can only be carried out from the back side under the angle of no more than 2/4, almost all the time being in the field of view of the shooter. Attacking from behind from below is difficult, you can crash into the ground. The exit from all attacks was made, as a rule, up with a small turn to the side, so as not to lose sight of the Me 410 and not to fall under its defensive fire. In free air combat with a single Me 410 aircraft at altitudes of 2000-4000 m, the Yak-3 has a clear advantage, which makes it possible to occupy the necessary height excess and make attacks from any direction.

The pilot of the Me 410 failed to take aim at the Yak-3. It is most profitable to conduct a dogfight with the Me 410 at medium altitudes of 1000-1400 meters. The easiest way for the Me 410 to evade fighter attacks at low altitude.”

Report of test pilot captain Pikulenko, May 15, 1945:

“In all flight modes, that is, on the climb, when flying along the horizon at maximum speed and on the decline, the La-7 plane catches up with the Me 410, freely attacks it.
It is safe to attack the Me 410 from behind from below at angles of 60-70 degrees and exit the attacks with a Ranger. In this case, the shooter does not see the enemy aircraft.
Attacking from above from behind at large angles is also safe.

It is convenient to attack the Me 410 aircraft if it makes a u-turn. It is necessary to be inside the turn and attack under the 4/4 angle, with a call from the attack up with a turn in the direction of Me 410. This will allow you to take the starting position for a new attack and keep up with the Me 410.

If the La-7 fighter jet skipped ahead of the Me 410 after the attack, it is necessary to sharply gain altitude with a turn to the side-so as not to get under fire from the front points of the Me 410. The plane can’t make a sharp “slide”. After a 90-degree turn, the fighter can take a course parallel to the Me 410 and attack it from above at an angle of 60 degrees and from the side at an angle of more than 45 degrees.

I believe that if the attack is at an angle of less than 45 or even 30 degrees, there is no special danger of getting under the fire of the shooter, since it is inconvenient for him to conduct aimed fire at large angles.”

It will be correct to give the text of the section “Tactical evaluation of the Me 410 B-2” of the test report without any abbreviations.

“As a result of the analysis of weapons, flight characteristics of the me 410 B-2 and conducted in the process of testing air battles with Tu-2, Yak-3 and La-7 aircraft, the following was established:

1. The Me 410B-2 aircraft, having a speed advantage over the serial PE-2 and Tu-2 bombers, can conduct an active air battle with them.
At an altitude of 1500 meters in aerial combat with the Tu-2, the Me 410B-2 successfully performed attacks from the rear hemisphere at angles from 0/4 to 3/4. At altitudes of more than 2500 m, the advantage of the Me 410B-2 over the Tu-2 increases due to an increase in the superiority in flight speed up to 65 km/h.

2. With Yak-3 and La-7 fighters, the Me 410 can only conduct defensive aerial combat using the maneuverable qualities of the arrow’s firing points.
Inferior in flight speed and maneuverability to the Yak-3 and La-7 fighters, the Me 410B-2 cannot use forward weapon fire, except in cases of frontal attack, or when the attacking porle attack fighter is ahead at the same height as the Me 410B-2.

3. At all altitudes up to 5000 meters, when flying the Me 410B-2 at maximum speed, on the climb and when leaving with a decrease, the Yak-3 and La-7 aircraft catch up with the Me 410 B-2 and attack it freely.

On a route 25 km long at an altitude of 1000-1500 meters when flying the Me 410B-2 at maximum speed, the Yak-3 was able to make seven attacks, the La-7 made five attacks. Attacks were made from the rear hemisphere at angles from 0/4 to 4/4.

4. Attacks of the Me 410B-2 aircraft carried out by fighters from the rear hemisphere-from below and from the sides at angles up to 50 degrees and from above up to 60 degrees-are reflected by the me 410 B-2 shooter from remote onboard machine guns. At the same time, to repel attacks at angles in the cone of more than 40 degrees, the Me 410B-2 is forced to use additional turns by the aircraft at the command of the shooter.

The reflection of fighter attacks from behind at angles in the cone less than 40 degrees is provided by the angles of fire of the rear side machine guns of the Me 410B-2 without its maneuver on the course.

In the conducted air battles, all attacks of the Yak-3 and La-7, made from behind at angles in the cone up to 40 degrees to the flight line, were recorded by a film-thrower mounted on the Me 410B-2 gunner’s weapon.

Attacks of fighters from below from behind, especially strictly in the tail, the arrow of the Me 410B-2 plane is difficult to reflect, and the fire in these cases is often not aimed.
It is almost impossible for the Me 410B-2 to repel fighter attacks at angles in the cone of more than 60 degrees with mobile weapons-due to the insufficient angles of fire from the rear machine guns and the relatively insufficient maneuverability of the Me 410 B-2 compared to the Yak-3 and La-7 fighters.

5. The most safe and relatively simple to perform are the attacks of the Me 410B-2 aircraft at angles of more than 40 degrees from the bottom to the rear. In this case, the me 410B-2 shooter most often does not notice the attacking fighter. When an attacking fighter skips forward after an attack by the Me 410B-2, it is more profitable to go with a sharp climb and turn to the side, so as not to fall under the fire of the me 410B-2’s front weapon.
After exiting the attack, it is advisable to take a parallel course and attack the Me 410 again from the top side, at an angle of 50-60 degrees.

6. Air offensive combat against Yak-3 and La-7 fighters, the Me 410 B-2 aircraft can practically not conduct. Horizontal and vertical maneuverability of the Yak-3 and La-7 is much better. This makes it possible to always have the necessary height superiority, hold the initiative, and make attacks in the dead cones of the Me 410 b-2 defensive weapon. This fact is confirmed by the air battles conducted by the Yak-3 and La-7 with the Me 410, when the latter was never able to carry out a fighter attack.

Soviet conclusions

Soviet experts state that Me 410B-2 has a powerful forward armament, including a 50-mm high-explosive-fragmentation gun, and is superior to Soviet bombers of the Pe-2 and Tu-2 types in flight and tactical data. It can successfully conduct aerial combat with them, as well as carry out attacks on ground targets. Me 410B-2 aircraft can only conduct an aerial defensive battle against Yak-3 and La-7 fighters. The vertical and horizontal maneuverability of the Yak-3 and La-7 fighters allow them to have the necessary height advantage, hold the initiative of the battle and catch up with the Me 410 B-2 in all its flight modes.

For the Soviets, the Me 410 was no longer a formidable weapon of the warring enemy, but the equipment of the defeated enemy. But it is a modern technique, with a number of advantages such as powerful offensive platform for intercepting of bombers. But incapability to engage other fighters in battle, is big disadvantage, which eliminate above mentioned capabilities.

Bradić Srećko