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It's About the Journey Not Just the Destination
The Republic of Austria ordered 12 Junkers Ju 86 bombers, although only three were actually delivered (in December 1937) before the Anschluss (the integration of Austria into Germany). At this time the three that had been delivered were back in Germany to have defects repaired.
Messerschmitt Bf 110 C-5 (2177) (5F+CM) of the Luftwaffe reconnaissance unit 4(F)/14 force-landed after being hit by gun-fire at Goodwood (UK) on 21 July 1940. It was repaired at the Royal Aircraft Establishment Farnborough with parts of another Bf 110 that was shot down near Wareham on 11 July.
After evaluation, it was operated by No. 1426 (Enemy Aircraft Circus) Flight based at Duxford, Cambridgeshire. It was stored in November 1945 and subsequently scrapped in November 1947.
Messerschmitt Bf 110D The Belle of Berlin served with II/ZG76 in Iraq and was captured after crash-landing near Mosul in May 1941. It was used as a communications aircraft and later as a unit ‘hack’ by No.267 Squadron RAF.
Post war, a large number of Luftwaffe aircraft were captured in Germany. Of the 37 Messerschmitt Bf 110s found, were selected for evaluation by the RAF some of which were allocated Air Ministry serial numbers..
Messerschmitt Bf 110G-4/R8, 3C+BA (Wk. Nr. 180560) of NJG 4 was captured at Eggebek. Designated RAF AM15, this aircraft was struck off charge on 30 May 1946.
Messerschmitt Bf 110G4/R3 (Wk. Nr. 730037) was recovered at Grove, Denmark. Given Air Ministry serial AM30 it was scrapped at Farnborough in 1946. .
Messerschmitt Bf 110G-4/R6, (Wk. Nr 730301) with FuG220 radar was captured at Grove, Denmark. The aircraft had served with 1/NJG3 in the night defence of Denmark and Northern Germany. Designated RAF AM34, this aircraft is preserved in the RAF Museum, Hendon.
Messerschmitt Bf 110G-4/R8, D5+DM (Wk. Nr. 180551), of II/NJG 3 captured at Kastrup, Denmark. Designated AM38, this aircraft was likely scrapped at Kastrup.
Messerschmitt Bf 110G-5/R1, (Wk. Nr. 420031), captured at Eggebek. Designated RAF AM85. This aircraft was scrapped at Brize Norton in 1947.
Messerschmitt Bf 110G, (Wk. Nr. unknown). Designated RAF AM86. This aircraft was possibly scrapped at West Raynham.
Messerschmitt Bf 110G, (Wk. Nr. unknown). Designated RAF AM88. It was possibly used by JG 400, as it was found at Husum a former JG 400 base. This aircraft was scrapped at Schleswig.
Designed to meet the 1934 Air Ministry Specification P.4/34 for a light bomber, the Hawker Henley first flew on 10 March 1937. By the time the Henley and the competing Fairey P.4/43 flew, the Air Ministry had dropped its requirement for a light bomber. This decision appears to have been based on the potential for propeller overspeed when dive bombing. Although this could be alleviated with constant speed propellers, they were not then available in the required quantities. When they did become available in 1940, they were need for Hurricane fighters.
Based on the Hurricane, the Henley was capable of carrying 550lb of bombs within the fuselage and had provision for another 200lb of bombs to be carried on underwing racks. An order for 350 Henleys was placed before the decission to cancel the project was made. This was reduced to 200 Henley target tugs, which was fulfilled by Gloster as Hawker was committed to Hurricane production.
The Henley was disappointing as a target tug. Capable of 300 mph, it was forced to fly at 220 mph for its new role. The addition of the high drag target drogue placed great strain on the engine, with high revs and slow speed resulting in insufficient cooling. This resulted in an unacceptable rate of engine failures.
Henleys were accordingly passed onto anti-aircraft co-operation units, where the drogue was even larger. This resulted in even poorer performance. As a result in mid-1942, the Henley was withdrawn, in favour of modified Boulton Paul Defiants, and purpose-built Miles Martinet aircraft.
The Hawker Henley was also used as an engine testbed, the original prototype (K5115) being fitted with a Rolls-Royce Vulture, 24-cylinder engine in 1939. This engine proved troublesome however, and another example (L3302) was also similarly converted during the following year.
Additionally in 1940, a Hawker Henley (L3414) was fitted with a Rolls-Royce Griffon engine and was used for much of the engine trials work carried out for its further use in the Fairey Firefly.
