Messerschmitt Me 310

Me 310
Role	Heavy fighter
Manufacturer	Messerschmitt
First flight	11 September 1943
Number built	1

The Messerschmitt Me 310 was a prototype German heavy fighter of World War II. It was a project to save the troubled Me 210.

Design and development

The armament was to be the same as the Me 210 A-1: two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons, two 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns, and two remotely-controlled, rearward-firing 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine guns. A single aircraft was built by converting a Me 210. It had a pressurised cockpit and was powered by two 1,380 kW (1,850 hp) Daimler-Benz DB 603A inline engines.

The Me 310 first flew on 11 September 1943, but the project was cancelled later the same year as it showed hardly any improvement over the Me 210. It was only the Me 410 that showed improvement enough over the Me 210 that it was put into production, although the Me 310 was more sophisticated.

Specifications (Me 310)

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General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (pilot and gunner)
• Length: 12.20 m (39 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 17.90 m (58 ft 9 in)
• Height: 4.30 m (14 ft 1 in)
• Wing area: 37.7 m² (406 ft²)
• Loaded weight: 11,050 kg (24,360 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Daimler-Benz DB 603A, 1,380 kW (1,850 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 655 km/h (408 mph)
• Range: 1,900 km (1,185 mi)
• Service ceiling: 11,000 m (36,000 ft)

Armament

• Guns: *2 × fixed, forward-firing 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons
• 2 × fixed, forward-firing 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns
• 2 × rearward-firing 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine guns in remote-controlled barbettes

See also

• Me 210
• Me 410