Looking for a successor to the Messerschmitt Bf-110, the Messerschmitt Me-210 was designed. However, it's design had problems, and by the time it had matured to a good aircraft it had a terrible reputation from which it could not recover.

Nevertheless, the Bf 110 needed a replacement, for it had grown obsolete from the Battle of Britain onward.

Using the Me-210 as a starting point, and changing the designation for psychological reasons, the Me-410 Hornisse was quickly completed. The Me-410 was different from the Me-210 mostly in its' powerplant, and modified wings. These panels included automatic leading edge slots, updated ailerons, trailing-edge flaps and radiator flaps. The first Me-410 prototype was a modified Me-210 pre-production aircraft.

Flight trials proved that the Me-410 didn't have the problems of the Me-210, and performed excellent with good handling. This, combined with experience with the Me-210, was reason enough for the Me-410 to be ordered into production only a few weeks after the first flight.