page_title: Messerschmitt Bf 110
section_title: Variants
hierarchical_section_title: Messerschmitt Bf 110 / Variants
caption_attribution_description: English: A Bf 110G-4 Night fighter at the RAF Museum in London. The antennas on the nose are of a FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2 radar set (ITU-classificatio: Radiolocation land station in the radiolocation service). Clearly visible are the openings for two 20mm cannons in the lower nose and two 30 mm cannons in the upper nose.
context_page_description: The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110, is a twin-engine Zerstörer and fighter-bomber developed in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and used by the Luftwaffe during World War II. Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110. It was armed with two MG FF 20 mm cannon, four 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, and one 7.92 mm MG 15 machine gun for defence. Development work on an improved type to replace the Bf 110, the Messerschmitt Me 210 began before the war started but its teething troubles resulted in the Bf 110 soldiering on until the end of the war in various roles, with its replacements, the Me 210 and the significantly improved Me 410 Hornisse.
  The Bf 110 served with considerable success in the early campaigns in Poland, Norway and France. The primary weakness of the Bf 110 was its lack of maneuverability, although this could be mitigated with better tactics. This weakness was exploited when flying as close escort to German bombers during the Battle of Britain. When British bombers began targeting German territory with nightly raids, some Bf 110-equipped units were converted to night fighters, a role to which the aircraft was well suited.
context_section_description: Bf 110 V1
  First flown 12 May 1936 using two Daimler-Benz DB 600 engines
  Bf 110 V2
  Completed on 24 October 1936 using two Daimler-Benz DB 600 engines. It was assigned directly to the Luftwaffe test centre at Rechlin. Test pilots were pleased with its speed but disappointed in its maneuverability
  Bf 110 V3
  Same airframe as the V1 and V2 but was intended as a weapons test aircraft and had nose changes for armament. Completed and test flown on 24 December 1936 and also assigned to Rechlin.
  Bf 110 A
  Prototypes with two Junkers Jumo 210 B engines.
  Bf 110 A-0
  The designation of the first four pre-production aircraft. Armament consisted of four fixed MG 17 7.92 mm machine guns in the nose and one moveable MG 15 7.92 mm machine gun in the rear cockpit canopy.
  Bf 110 B
  Small-scale production with two Jumo 210 engines.
  Bf 110 B-0
  First pre-production aircraft, similar to B-1.
  Bf 110 B-1
  Zerstörer, four 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns and two 20 mm MG FF cannons, nose-mounted.
  Bf 110 B-2
  Reconnaissance, both MG FF cannons removed, and various camera models added.
  Bf 110 B-3
  Trainer. MG FF cannons removed, and extra radio gear added. Some war weary B-1 were later refitted as B-3s.
  Bf 110 C
  First major production series, DB 601 engines.
  Bf 110 C-0
  Ten pre-production aircraft.
  Bf 110 C-1
  Zerstörer, DB 601 B-1 engines.
  Bf 110 C-2
  Zerstörer, fitted with FuG 10 radio, upgraded from FuG III.
  Bf 110 C-3
  Zerstörer, upgraded 20 mm MG FFs to MG FF/M.
  Bf 110 C-4
  Zerstörer, upgraded crew armour.
  Bf 110 C-4/B
  Fighter-bomber based on C-4, fitted with a pair of ETC 500 bomb racks and upgraded DB 601 Ba engines.
  Bf 110 C-5
  Reconnaissance version based on C-4, both MG FF removed, and Rb 50/30 camera installed, uprated DB 601P engines.
  Bf 110 C-6
  Experimental Zerstörer, additional single 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 101 cannon in underfuselage mount, DB 601P engines.
  Bf 110 C-7
  Fighter-bomber based on C-4/B, two ETC 500 centreline bomb racks capable of carrying two 250, 500, or 1,000 kg (2,204 lb) bombs, uprated DB 601P engines.
  Bf 110 D
  Heavy fighter/fighter-bomber, extreme range versions based on C-series, prepared to operate with external fuel tanks. Often stationed in Norway.
  Bf 110 D-0
  Prototype utilizing C-3 airframes modified with 1,050 L (277 US gal) belly-mounted tank called Dackelbauch ("dachshund's belly" in German).
  Bf 110 D-1
  Long-range Zerstörer, modified C series airframes with option to carry Dackelbauch belly tank and underwing drop tanks.
  Bf 110 D-1/R1
  Long-range Zerstörer, Dackelbauch ventral tank, option to carry additional wing mounted 900 L (240 US gal) drop tanks.
  Bf 110 D-1/R2
  Long-range Zerstörer, droppable 85 L oil tank under the fuselage instead of Dackelbauch ventral tank, two wing mounted 900 L (240 US gal) drop tanks.
  Bf 110 D-2
  Long-range Zerstörer, two wing-mounted 300 L (80 US gal) drop tanks and centreline mounted bomb racks for two 500 kg (1,100 lb) bombs.
  Bf 110 D-3
  Long-range Zerstörer, lengthened tail for rescue dinghy. Either two wing-mounted 300 L (80 US gal) or 900 L (240 US gal) drop tanks could be fitted. Optional fitting of ETC 500 bomb racks (impossible with 900 L drop tanks).
  Bf 110 D-4
  Long-range recon, both MG FF removed, and Rb 50/30 camera installed, two wing-mounted 300 L or 900 L drop tanks.
  Bf 110 E
  Mostly fighter bombers, strengthened airframe, up to 1,200 kg (2,650 lb) bombload.
  Bf 110 E-0
  Pre-production version, Daimler-Benz DB 601B engines, pair of ETC50 bomb racks fitted outboard of engines, armament as C-4.
  Bf 110 E-1
  Production version of E-0, DB 601P engines.
  Bf 110 E-1/U1
  Two-crew night fighter conversion, equipped with the Spanner-Anlage infrared homing device.
  Bf 110 E-2
  DB 601P engines, rear fuselage extension same as for D-3.
  Bf 110 E-3
  Long-range reconnaissance version, both MG FF removed, and Rb 50/30 camera installed.
  Bf 110 F
  Same as the E, again strengthened airframe, better armour, two 993 kW (1,350 PS) DB 601F engines.
  Bf 110 F-1
  Fighter-bomber.
  Bf 110 F-2
  Long-range Zerstörer, often used against Allied heavy bombers.
  Bf 110 F-3
  Long-range reconnaissance version.
  Bf 110 F-4
  The first 
caption: A Bf 110 G-4 night fighter at the RAF Museum in London.
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