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| Me 210 | |
|---|---|
 A Luftwaffe Me 210 A-1 of the Versuchsstaffel 210 test squadron, over France in 1942 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Heavy fighter, ground-attack aircraft, fighter-bomber, dive bomber |
| Manufacturer | Messerschmitt |
| Primary users | Luftwaffe |
| Number built | 90 Me 210A in Germany 267 Me 210Ca-1 in Hungary |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1942 |
| First flight | 2 September 1939 |
| Retired | 1945 |
| 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of the Me 210's development program meant the Luftwaffe was forced to continue operating the Bf 110 after it had become outdated, despite mounting losses.