Adolf Hitler was a staunch supporter of the Schnellbomber and directed the Luftwaffe to only develop medium bombers, while the USA and British developed both twin-engine medium bombers and four-engine heavy bombers. Twin-engine medium bombers, while best adapted as the Schnellbomber, lacked the payload and range of heavy bombers which put them at considerable disadvantage for strategic bombing. In strategic bombing raids the Luftwaffe made do with medium bombers with limited fighter escort from the Messerschmitt Bf 109, due to the lack of a truly long-range fighter.