Bf 110 C-7

Bf 110 C-7

Do 217 N-2

Bf 110 F-2

Bf 110 C-7

Do 217 N-2

Bf 110 F-2

Germany

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
3.0	2.7	3.0

Class:

Strike aircraft

Research:11 000

Purchase:22 000

This page is about the German twin-engine fighter Bf 110 C-7. For other versions, see Bf 110 (Family).

Description

The Bf 110 C-7 is a rank II German twin-engine fighter with a battle rating of 3.0 (AB/SB) and 2.7 (RB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. Originally modelled as the Bf 110 C-4, the vehicle was renamed and remodelled into the C-7 in Update 1.79 "Project X".

In-game it is one of the fastest aircraft at its battle rating. It packs incredible firepower with 4 x 7.92 mm MG 17s and 2 x 20 mm cannons with a copious 360 rounds all in a centreline mount, a hard-hitting package that will reach out and swat aircraft from afar.

The Bf 110 C-7's armament is completely centre-mounted on the front of the fuselage, resulting in little to no-one convergence, and results in a dense fire group. Keep in mind however that the 7.92 mm bullets are somewhat faster and lighter than the 20 mm's fired from the MG FF/M cannons and as such will require slightly less lead. While not much of an issue at close range (approximately 300 m), at a longer distance it will result in the 7.92 mm rounds missing if fired simultaneously with the 20 mm cannon rounds. However, being a pure Boom & Zoom fighter, it is generally recommended to fire both guns when attacking enemies in order to maximize hit probability at close distances when making a high-speed pass.

The MG FF/M 20 mm cannons should generally be considered the Bf 110 C-7's primary armament as they will be responsible for the majority of the damage dealt. Careful aiming will only require a few shots with the high explosive shells to disable an engine, blow off a wing or knock out the pilot. It is important to remember that the 20 mm shells have fairly poor ballistic coefficient and tends to drop a lot more than the 7.92 mm's at the same range. Since the 20 mm minengeschoß shells contain a much greater amount of HEI/HEI-T than other belts, their usage significantly enhances damage output. Initially, the ammo pool of 360 rounds may seem low at a first glance, the destructive power of the shells and the MG FF/M's relatively slow rate of fire more than makes up for it.

The nose-mounted MG 17 machine guns are standard and are identical to the ones carried on early war biplanes and early BF-109's. They have a high rate of fire and high precision but a low damage output. Equip either tracers or stealth belts in order to maximize damage output in conjunction with aiming for vulnerable areas on enemy aircraft such as fuel tanks and engines.

The defensive armament consisting of a single MG 15 is effectively useless for the far majority of the time. It will not be able to dish out enough damage, and arguably even worse it will only be able to return fire at chasing planes that fly behind and above the Bf 110 C-7. Do not under any circumstance rely on it as an effective means to fend off chasing planes as its cone of fire is limited and damage output is too weak to make much of an impact most of the time. It is much better to perform evasive manoeuvres and rely on the Bf 110 C-7's sturdy airframe in order to make it back to base or allies than for the gunner to shoot the plane down. That being said, there is a chance that the gunner will land a few shots which may take out the chasing pilot or the engine of his aircraft.

General info

Flight performance

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 5,300 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	538	523	10000	23.0	23.7	8.1	8.1	444
Upgraded	582	560		21.1	22.0	14.4	10.9

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
715	320	490	490	290	~14	~5

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 360	< 350	< 370	> 715

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
3,800 m	2,100 hp	2,243 hp

Engine performance

Engine
Engine Name			Number present
Daimler-Benz DB-601A 12-cylinder			2
Engine characteristics
Weight (each)		Type	Cooling
590 kg		Inline	Water
Engine power (Stock)
Mode	Max		Take-off
Arcade	939 hp		1,009 hp
Realistic/Simulator	929 hp		999 hp
Engine power (Upgraded)
Mode	Max		Take-off
Arcade	1,096 hp		1,166 hp
Realistic/Simulator	1,010 hp		1,080 hp

WEP Duration
Arcade		Realistic/Simulator
25 seconds		Infinite

Survivability and armour

• 5.5 mm steel underneath pilot
• 6 mm steel underneath gunner
• 8.5 mm steel behind offensive 7.92 mm machine gun ammo
• 8.5 mm steel behind frontal 10.5 mm steel plate
• 8.5 mm steel behind pilot
• 8.5 mm steel on the sides of previously mentioned steel plate
• 8.5 mm steel in front of gunner
• 10.5 mm steel behind offensive 7.92 mm machine guns
• 10.5 mm steel behind pilot's head
• 58 mm bulletproof glass in front of pilot
• Self-sealing fuel tanks (2 in each wing)

Armaments

Offensive armament

The Bf 110 C-7 is armed with:

• 2 x 20 mm MG FF/M cannons, chin-mounted (180 rpg = 360 total)
• 4 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, nose-mounted (1,000 rpg = 4,000 total)

Suspended armament

The Bf 110 C-7 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 12 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (600 kg total)
• 2 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (500 kg total)
• 1 x 500 kg SC500K bomb (500 kg total)
• 2 x 500 kg SC500K bombs (1,000 kg total)
• 1 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bomb (1,000 kg total)
• 1 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bomb + 1 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb (1,250 kg total)

Defensive armament

The Bf 110 C-7 is defended by:

• 1 x 7.92 mm MG 15 machine gun, dorsal turret (750 rpg)

Usage in battles

Cockpit features great side & forward visibility despite the struts. Although the tail section is obscured by the armoured backrest, the gunner will function as a good warning indicator, sometimes.

What the Bf 110 C-7 cannot do is turn fight, and this is where a lot of players make a fatal mistake. Heavy fighters cannot manoeuvre like a single engine fighter, it has an unusually poor roll rate and loses energy fast, and can unexpectedly snap-roll: rudder control is critical. It is a pure "Boom & Zoom" fighter and like others of its ilk, live by 2 rules: "Speed is Life, Altitude is Life Insurance", and "Turn to engage (fire at), not follow". Manoeuvres that retain your energy are key, keep your speed and/or altitude up. The 110 really shines in bomber attack or bomber escort where you will have positional advantage and gun solution first.

When engaging a target only turn to shoot (less than 60-degree turn), the moment you realize you cannot get a firing solution to perform other manoeuvres to keep the advantage. For instance, if your target turns hard, pull up trading airspeed for altitude while watching what your target does. As you slow in climb you can turn tighter (even use flaps briefly) and position yourself for another intercept. If you find yourself under threat, an unloaded extension (slow pushover) can be employed to efficiently gain speed. The Bf 110 can dive very fast to rejoin friendlies if needed. A team with bomber smacking Zerstörers and manoeuvrable fighters will decimate the attacking force in Arcade Battles. If you pick up a tail, just remember to manoeuvre yourself to give your teammate the best chance to taking out your pursuer, and do not count on the gunner.

In tank RB, the Bf 110 C7 is a fantastic multipurpose plane, being able to carry various bombs, allowing it to perform both ground pounding and air superiority fighting. For ground pounding, the most recommended setup is 2x 500 kg bombs with at least 1.5 second fuse. They are loaded on the fuselage and drop one by one, meaning that with accurate aiming, you can consistently get around 2 enemy targets easily. Dive at a target at no more than 45° (its elevator cannot effectively pitch the plane up in time, resulting in a crash. You must have seen lots of Bf 110s crashing) and gather speed up around 500 kph (if too fast, cut throttle). Zoom in on the target and when it is twice as big as the mouse cursor, place the target between the cursor and the cockpit, and release the bomb. For the 1x 250 kg + 1x 1000 kg setup, the aiming is similar, but place the target closer to the cursor for the 250 kg, and for the 1000 kg, closer to the cockpit. Once all bombs are out, zoom climb towards your airfield to gain altitude advantage (the average air spawn altitude seems to be around 1000m) and keep and eye on the enemy air spawn. Once an enemy plane spawns, you must decide if it is single engined or twin engined as fast as possible. You can force a head on, as your nose mounted cannons are decently effective at this. If the opponent is single engined, avoid turning too much and remain your speed. If necessary, use your tail gun and put a stray of 7.92mm bullets into it, but remember to use armored target belt to compensate for the small caliber. You can also target ground units, especially lightly armored SPAA / light tank / SPG.

Enemies worth noting:

Yak-2 KABB: Do not think that the Bf 110 C-7 can confidently out maneuver this plane just because it is twin-engined. The Yak-2 has an amazing turn rate for a heavy fighter, thus the Bf 110 C-7 must avoid turning with it, if not dogfighting with it in general. It bears a pair of ShVAK cannons that can easily damage vital parts like engine or cooling systems. It has green camo, greatly resembling an Me 410 but with an H-tail just like the Bf 110's.

ZSD63: Though it is hard to identify specific SPAA vehicles on the ground (especially when they are shooting tracers at the plane), if a ZSD63 is identified, avoid it at all costs and do not attempt head-ons with it, ever. It can easily snap a wing off by causally putting a short burst in the Bf 110 C-7's flight path. Don't even get close to it unless it is occupied with another friendly or if the Bf 110 C-7 is equipped with a bomb that it can use. Even ground target belts on your cannons cannot effectively damage it as its hull is overall quite empty, causing your shells to do little to no damage. Some identifying features of the ZSD63 is its rather boxy and tall hull with a geometric turret sitting at the back, slightly similar to a Wirbelwind's. The firing manner is also distinctive: the sound and green tracers are very rapid, much like a buzz saw, but then it will remain silent for half a minute reloading. Note that an experienced ZSD player will hold its fire or shoot in single salvos with long halts between, making it look like that it's reloading.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Auto control available	Controllable Auto control available	Separate	Not controllable 1 gear	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Radiator		Offensive 7 mm		ER4 ETC 50
II		Compressor	Airframe	New 7 mm MGs	Turret 7 mm	ETC 500/IXb I
III	Wings repair	Engine		Offensive 20 mm		ETC 500/IXb II
IV		Engine injection	Cover	New 20 mm cannons	New 7 mm MGs (turret)	ETC 1000/IXb I

When you first purchase the Bf 110 C-7 make sure you research machine gun and cannon belts first; those are vital for success. Consider the "AP-T" belt for the machine gun and "Stealth" or "Air targets" for the cannon. It is excellent at ground attack as well with guns and bomb selection, but remember that outside of AB, you have no bombing sight.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Heavy armament consisting of two cannons (MG FF/M) and four machine guns (MG 17s)
• Plenty of ammunition available for the armament, some RB matches you'll finish with >1,000 rounds of machine gun ammunition left
• Very manoeuvrable for a twin-engine fighter
• Can carry quite a payload doubling as an attacker or intruder
• 500 kg payload is sufficient to damage and destroy bombing points and other targets
• Exceptionally heavy burst mass for its rank (2.80 kg/s) with large amounts of it consisting of minengeschoß
• Can turn quite well at high speeds
• Extremely deadly opponent at head-ons, never let this aircraft get a good deflection at you
• Sturdy airframe allows for surviving ramming attacks or executing one, though it is generally advised as a last resort
• Climbs generally well, though it cannot match single-engined fighters of its tier, excluding bi-planes
• Tail gunner is hard to hit from a level flight of both the enemy aircraft and the defending aircraft
• Airframe is capable of eating insane amounts of ammunition. It is not uncommon for opponents to empty every round they have into your aircraft not destroy you, even when using cannons Changes in DM, has severly reduced the durability of the airframe and engines from it's original status.

Cons:

• Slow acceleration
• Loses speed easily in turning manoeuvres
• Poor energy retention
• Big target
• Only a single 7.92 mm machine gun as defensive armament with a limited cone of fire
• Elevator is prone to damage, may shear off when hit by cannon rounds
• Flight performance on one engine is very poor and struggles to maintain flight

History

Named the "Zerstörer" ("Destroyer" in English), a very appropriate name for its mission, to destroy anything that is in front of it. In the early days of World War 2 the Bf 110 did very well in roaming wolfpacks, being superior to the opposition in the skies over Poland and France, but that changed drastically in the Battle of Britain. Mounting bomber losses resulted in the fateful decision to force the 110's to stay very close to bomber formations, losing position and speed advantages over the RAF fighters. Not surprisingly it resulted in a drastic increase in losses. Faced with faster fighters and more manoeuvrable like the Spitfire it was pulled from the front line, only to return in new roles like the "Jabo" fighter bomber and the "Nachtjäger" night fighter. The most successful role of the aircraft was performing night interdiction duties, where its task was to seek out and destroy enemy aircraft, most notably British bombers participating in night raids. In the "Nachtjäger" role, the plane was equipped with FuG 220 and FuG 202 Lichtenstein radar, optionally equipped with a "Schräge Musik" installation consisting of 2 X 20 mm MG FF/M cannons mounted at a 60 degree angle, and a third crewmember seated behind the pilot to assist in the duties with spotting targets, as well as performing the duties of a radar operator.

In-game description

The Messerschmitt Bf 110 was a twin-engine Zerstoerer (Destroyer, heavy fighter) used by the Luftwaffe in WWII. Due to poor performance in its intended role, it was quickly relegated to ground attack and night fighter roles.

The Bf 110 C was the first truly mass-produced variant of the 110, powered by the DB 601. The Bf 110 C-4 had improved crew protection. The Battle of Britain showed the 110's fatal weakness which was its inability to dogfight with single-engine fighters. Moreover, while having a decent top speed compared to its main adversary, the Hawker Hurricane, the 110 had very poor acceleration.

Nevertheless, the 110 was a good long-range escort fighter, as it had no range limitations like the Bf 109 E. Working above the bombers, the 110 could successfully use hit-and-run tactics against attackers; they could dive at the enemy, fire their extremely powerful armament from a distance, and return to a higher altitude.

Media

Skins

• Skins for the Bf 110 C-7 on live.warthunder.com

Videos

The Shooting Range #53 - Pages of History section at 03:07 discusses the Bf 110.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• [Devblog] Messerschmitt Bf 110 model updates, new modifications

Germany twin-engine fighters
Messerschmitt	Bf 109 Z-1
	Me 410 A-1/U2 · Me 410 B-1/U2
Dornier	Do 17 Z-7 · Do 217 J-1 · Do 217 J-2 · Do 217 N-1 · Do 217 N-2
Focke-Wulf	Ta 154 A-1
Junkers	Ju 88 C-6 · Ju 388 J