AA29702 Messerschmitt Me 410A-1 U5+FE, Lt. Rudolf Abrahamczik

The Luftwaffe’s long range night intruder campaign towards the end of the Second World War was intended to disrupt Allied air operations, spreading confusion and panic by infiltrating bomber streams, or striking at aircraft whose crews had ‘switched off’ as they approached their base at the end of another long mission. The Messerschmitt Me 410 was ideally suited to this task, fast and heavily armed, these Fernnachtjagd aircraft operated in conjunction with the regular Blitz bomber force, but often with more specific targets and often operating alone in the dark night skies. Despite being an extremely capable aircraft in this role, night intruder Me 410s were hunted mercilessly the second they crossed the English Channel, and no mission would ever pass without incident. Britain’s air defence network had been fine-tuned to make any incursion over the country a torrid experience for Luftwaffe pilots and the cover of darkness offered them little in the way of protection. RAF de Havilland Mosquito nightfighters proved to be the perfect nocturnal hunters, taking a heavy toll of Luftwaffe aircraft of all types, including the Messerschmitt Me 410. The aircraft modelled here wears a camouflage scheme which was perfect for night intruder operations and was flown by one of the Luftwaffe’s very best, Rudolf Abrahamczik, a highly decorated bomber pilot with at least 233 combat missions to his name, many of which were in the night intruder role.