Messerschmitt Me 210

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Me 210
A Luftwaffe Me 210 A-1 of the Versuchsstaffel 210 test squadron, over France in 1942
Role	Heavy fighter, ground-attack aircraft, fighter-bomber, dive bomber Type of aircraft
Manufacturer	Messerschmitt
First flight	2 September 1939
Introduction	1942
Retired	1945
Primary users	Luftwaffe Royal Hungarian Air Force
Number built	90 Me 210A in Germany 267 Me 210Ca-1 in Hungary
Developed from	Messerschmitt Bf 110
Variants	Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse

The Messerschmitt Me 210 was a German heavy fighter and ground-attack aircraft of World War II. Design started before the war, as a replacement for the Bf 110. The first examples were ready in 1939, but they proved to have unacceptably poor flight characteristics due to serious wing planform and fuselage design flaws. A large-scale operational testing program throughout 1941 and early 1942 did not cure the type's problems. The design entered limited service in 1942, but was soon replaced by the Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse, a further development of the Me 210. The failure of the Me 210's development program meant the Luftwaffe was forced to continue operating the Bf 110 after it had become outdated, despite mounting losses.