Sergeant Maurice A. Pocock of 72 Squadron, based at Acklington in Northumberland. He was sent up in a Spitfire IIA at dusk on May 10,1941, to intercept Hess’s Messerschmitt Bf 110 after two other pilots in his squadron had been given the wrong vector, but was unable to locate the machine.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Supermarine Spitfire - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1936

A Messerschmitt Bf110E, probably photographed at the Messerschmitt Works at Augsburg, showing the huge droptanks, each of 900lit, carried by some variants. The radio code included the letters VJ but the machine does not have an extended rear fuselage and thus cannot be the Bf 110E-2/N radio code VJ+OQ flown by Hess.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Messerschmitt Bf.110 - ГерманияGermany - 1936

The underside of the starboard wing of Rudolf Hess’s machine gives clues to the variant of Bf 110. Beneath the policeman on the left, near the leadingedge, may be seen the fuel pipes for the 900lit droptank. To the left of the policeman, near the German cross, may be seen two pairs of parallel slots which were the attachment points for an ETC50 bomb rack.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Messerschmitt Bf.110 - ГерманияGermany - 1936

View of the Messerschmitt Bf 110D, radio code VJ+OQ, Werknr 3869, after crashing on Bonnyton Moor, south of Glasgow, at 2309hr on May 10, 1941.
A Scottish captain examining Rudolf Hess’s machine after it crashed at Bonnyton Moor, south of Glasgow, on May 10, 1941. The groove carrying the release cable for the dinghy may be clearly seen along the top of the fuselage, with the cable itself hanging from the rear. At this time, the extended fuselage carrying the dinghy was a modification made only on variants of the Bf 110E.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Messerschmitt Bf.110 - ГерманияGermany - 1936

The remains of the fuselage of Hess's Messerschmitt Bf 110E-2/N, radio code VJ+OQ, Werknr 3869, showing the groove for the dinghy release cable running along the top of the fuselage.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Messerschmitt Bf.110 - ГерманияGermany - 1936

The remains of Hess’s machine on an RAF “Queen Mary” trailer at Oxford. The letter N may be seen on the engine cover beneath the placard.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Messerschmitt Bf.110 - ГерманияGermany - 1936

This photograph of a display at the Museum of Flight at East Fortune gives two important clues. The Daimler Benz 601 engine, on loan from the RAF Museum, has an N painted on top, indicating that it used 100-octane fuel. The starboard side of the fuselage, near the broken edge jutting out in the centre, has an air intake which provided fresh air for the observer/gunner; this was introduced on Bf 110E variants.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Messerschmitt Bf.110 - ГерманияGermany - 1936

A sketch of Rudolf Hess’s Messerschmitt Bf 110E-2/N Werknr 3869 VJ+OQ.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Messerschmitt Bf.110 - ГерманияGermany - 1936