Messerschmitt Bf 110D Zerstörer EG210 01

Photo 01: Excellent view of a bomb being fitted by ground crew to a Bf 110D of Erpr.Gr.210. The unit emblem can be clearly seen, as can the rivet line on the lower forward fuselage which follows exactly the line of the Dackelbauch fitment. It is almost certain that at one time a Dackelbauch had been fitted, and removed to install a bomb rack for this fighter-bomber unit.

Messerschmitt Bf 110D Zerstörer EG210 02

Photo 01: A bombed-up Bf 110D-0 of Erprobungsgruppe 210 awaits its crew in a blast pen. The unit emblem can be clearly seen on the forward fuselage.

Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstörer EG210 02

Photo 02: A ground mechanic fits a panel back onto the underside of the nose of a Bf 110 fighter-bomber of Erpr.Gr.210. The unit emblem and bomb rack can be seen, and a bomb awaits fitment beneath the aircraft.

Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstörer EG210 03

Photo 03: Mechanics tit a bomb onto the fuselage bomb rack of a 'Jabo' of Erpr.Gr.210.

Pilots EG210 01

Photo 01: Walter Rubensd6rffer, extreme left, with officers of Erpr.Gr.210: Oblt. Otto Hintze, second left, Staffelkapitänof 3.Staffel; Oblt. Wilhelm-Richard Roßiger, third from left, Staffelkapitänof 2.Staffel; Oblt. Martin Lutz, 4 from left, Staffelkapitänof 1.Staffel; Lt. Horst Marx, pilot of 3.Staffel , holding briefcase; unknown behind Marx, and Oblt. Horst Fiedler, Gruppenadjutant. Of those identified, only Hintze and Marx survived the Battle of Britain, both as prisoners.

Pilots EG210 pilot Hans von Boltenstern 1940 01

Photo 01: Hptm. Hans von Boltenstern, second Gruppen Kommandeur of Erprobungsgruppe 210. He was lost in action on 4 September 1940 when leading the unit over the Channel.

Pilots EG210 pilot Wolfgang Schenck 01

Photo 01: Wolfgang Schenck in the cockpit of a Bf 110. Schenck flew in the Polish and Western campaigns, being wounded on 16 May. He returned to flying on 4 September with I./Erpr. Gr. 210. He then flew on the Russian front with SKG210 and ZG1, and later led the development of the Me-262 as a fighter bomber as head of 'Kommando Schenck' in mid 1944. His last flying duty was as Geschwader kommodore of KG51 flying Me-262s. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves.

Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstorer EG210 France August 12, 1940 01

Photo 01: A bombed-up Bf110 of Erp.Gr. 210 showing the unit's emblem - a gunsight over a silhouette of the British Isles - and the position of the bombracks. On 12 August, Erp.Gr. 210 attacked radar stations as part of the preparations for Adlertag.

Messerschmitt Bf 110 Erp.Gr210 armor's France 1940 01

Photo 01: Luftwaffe armors loading belted 7.9 mm ammunition into the ammunition tanks of a Bf110. Each tank had a capacity of 1,000 rounds and once filled was located in the open recesses seen on the nose of the aircraft in the background, one tank being needed for each of the aircraft's four MG 17s. This particular machine belonged to Erp.Gr210.

Messerschmitt Bf 110 EG210 over the Channel Nov 1940 01

Photo 01: Finally realising that the bombardment of London alone would not force Great Britain into submission, Goring decided on another change in policy and, in early November, a new plan was launched. London was to remain the main target with Luftflotten 2 and 3 continuing the night attacks, but the bombing was now extended to include major raids on industrial centres. At the same time, bomber and minelaying aircraft were to attack Britain's most important ports and waterways. By day, the escorted Jabo missions were to continue and, since the British had resumed convoy activity, fighter-bomber sorties were to be carried out against Channel and coastal shipping. Here, a convoy carrying food and vital war supplies, without which Britain's war effort could not be maintained, is bombed by a Bf110 from Erp.Gr.210.

Messerschmitt Bf 110D Stab I./Erpr.Gr.210 (S9+AB) pilot Rubensdorffer based in France 1940

Messerschmitt Bf 110D Stab I./Erpr.Gr.210 (S9+CB) pilot Karl-Heinz Koch crash landed England Aug 15 1940 01-02

Photo's 01-02: Two views of Bf 110D-0, S9+CB, of the Gruppenstab of Erprobungsgruppe 210 crash-landed at Hooe. On one photograph, the censor has tried unsuccessfully to obscure the unit code on the fuselage. Later, the aircraft was covered in netting to camouflage it from above and prevent its destruction from the air by any passing Luftwaffe fighter.

Emblem Bf 110D Erpr.Gr.210 (S9+CB) pilot Lt.Karl-Heinz Koch 01

Photo 01: The emblem of Erprobungsgruppe 210 as seen on the Bf 110D-O, S9+CB, of the Gruppe Technical Officer, Lt. Karl-Heinz Koch, after he belly landed the machine in the early evening of 15 August 1940 at Hooe on the south coast of England.

I. Gruppe Erprobungsgruppe 210 - I./EGr.210

Messerschmitt Bf 110C Zerstörer I./EG210 01

Photo 01: A head-on view of the 30 mm MG 101 Kanone fitted to a Bf 110C-6 of I./Erpr. Gr. 210.

Messerschmitt Bf 110C Zerstörer I./EG210 02

Photo 01: The 30 mm Kanone is clearly seen on this Bf 110C-6 of I./Erpr.Gr.210. Note the aperture in the nose for the gun-camera, and the distinctive colours of the spinners: white/blue/white. The pilot in the cockpit has not been identified.

Messerschmitt Bf 110C Zerstörer I./EG210 03

Photo 03: A Bf 110C-6 of I./Erpr.Gr.210. Of interest is the telescopic gunsight fitted.

Messerschmitt Bf 110C Zerstörer EG210.1 pilot Balthasar Aretz 01

Photo 01: Balthasar Aretz sits on the cockpit sill of this Bf 110C-6 of I./Erpr.Gr.210. Note the hinge on the starboard side of the fairing allowing the housing to swing down for servicing and maintenance of the 30mm. Kanone.

Messerschmitt Bf 110D Zerstörer I./EG210 04

Photo 01: Army personnel pose in front of a Bf 110D-0 fighter bomber of 1./Erpr. Gr. 210. Note the multi coloured spinners (white/blue/white, a feature of 1.Staffel  of this unit, and the unit emblem on the nose of the aircraft.

Pilots EG210 pilot Walter Rubensd�rffer 01

Photo 01: Walter Rubensd�rffer, Gruppen kommandeur of Erpr.Gr.210, extreme right, chats with Albert Kesselring, Commanding Officer of Luftflotte 2, third from right during the latter's visit to the unit on 30 July 1940. The 30 mm Kanone on one of the unit's Bf 110C-6s can be seen to the right.

II. Gruppe Erprobungsgruppe 210 - II./EGr.210

Messerschmitt Bf 110D Zerstörer 2./EG210 (CJ+ ) pilot Balthasar Aretz 01

Photo 01: Uffz. Balthasar Aretz sits on the port wheel of this Bf 110D freshly delivered to 2.Staffel, Erprobungsgruppe 210. The demarcation between the upper and lower surface camouflage on the forward fuselage follows closely the shape of the Dackelbauch fitment. This could possibly indicate that at the factory assembly stage the camouflage was applied in the expectation that this machine would carry the under-fuselage fuel tank, but was ultimately fitted with bomb racks. Note the name 'Jaguar' on the nose, a propaganda name given to bomb-carrying Bf 110s.

Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstörer 2./EG210 01

Photo 01: On 24 July 1940 Uffz. Paul Hermann of 2.Staffel became the first pilot of Erpr.Gr.210 to be killed in action. As a mark of honour to him, one aircraft of 2.Staffel had his name inscribed above the unit emblem. Note the angle of dive painted on the port side windscreen, and the mascot just visible inside the cockpit.

Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstörer 2./EG210 02

Photo 01: The same aircraft as that shown opposite after an unknown pilot effected a good belly-landing. Unfortunately, the full unit code cannot be seen.

Pilots EG210.2 pilot Wilhelm-Richard RoBiger 1940 01

Photo 01: Oblt. Wilhelm-Richard RoBiger, Staffelkapitänof 2./Erpr. Gr. 210, being congratulated on the completion of his 100th mission. Note that the Bordfunker's central rear canopy has been completely removed on this aircraft, a feature that became more common during 1940. RoBiger was posted missing in action after being shot down into the Channel on 27 September in S9+GK.

III. Gruppe Erprobungsgruppe 210 - III./EGr.210

Messerschmitt Bf 110D Zerstörer III./EGr.210 pilot Horst Marx 01

Photo 01: Lt. Horst Marx, a pilot of 3./Erpr. Gr. 210, with a Bf 110D-0 'Jabo' of Erpr.Gr.210 as a backdrop in this photograph. This aircraft is probably from the first batch issued to the unit, as it carries the solid two-tone upper surface camouflage. The unit emblem, and the extended rear fuselage of the 'D' variant can be seen.