During early 1942, the Ju88C-6 was introduced onto the Junkers Assembly line.  This variant was the fighter version of the A-4 bomber and 257 were produced for the Luftwaffe during the remainder of that year.  The C-6 was used in both the night and day fighter roles and served on all fronts with many being issued to bomber units to form special Zerstorer Squadrons.  Here they flew daylight bomber escort and ground attack missions

Its nose armament of 3 MG 17 machine guns with 800 to 1000 rounds per gun, one MG151 cannon with 350 rounds, or one MG-FFM cannon with 90-120 rounds soon taught allied pilots that different tactics had to be employed when attacking these heavy fighters.

In a bid to trick Soviet fighter pilots into continuing their tried and tested bomber strategy of head on attacks, 4. Zerstorerstaffel/KG 76 painted false "bomber noses" on their C-6's during the winter of 1942-43.  F1+XM served with this unit from the end of 1942 based at Taganrog, in the Ukraine.