Me 410: "on a knife's edge"

[Graham Boak]

May I add a few points.

The retention of the Bf 110 in production could have more than a little to do with the use of two different engines. The Me 410 required the rare and much desired DB603, the Bf 110 retained the more common DB 601/5. Plus, the 110 was largely retained for night fighting, for which the 410 had been judged unsuitable. Or is that yet another part of the myth?

As part of the story of the Arado Ar240, much is made of the participation of a Zerstoerer unit commander who was appalled that the high performance Arado design had not been placed in production in preference to the inferior Me 210/410. I'm away from my references, but I believe this was Thierfelder? Without wishing to offer unqualified support for his preference, it does show that at least one established Zerstoerer ace did not have any high opinion of the 210 series.