Messerschmitt Bf110 Biomimicry

Echolocation and Radar

We can use torches to help us see in the dark. Echolocation and radar work a bit like torches but use sound or radio waves instead of light.

To hunt at night, bats make ultrasonic calls as they fly. By listening to the returning echoes, they can build up a map of their surroundings. This means they can navigate obstacles and catch insects to eat. The bat can tell how far away something is by how long it takes the echoes to return to them.

Like a bat, the Messerschmitt Bf 110 was most successful when operating at night. The radar antennae sticking out at the front look like a deer’s antlers. They are used to detect enemy aircraft. The aircraft’s radar transmits a signal and listens out for it to be reflected back. Reflected signals tell the aircrew that other planes are nearby.