Hispano decided to build a basic jet trainer using two Marbore II engines, and designed the HA.200 Saeta (Arrow) Spain’s first jet aircraft which used many components from the HA.100 Trianaa, including the wings and rear fuselage.
Willy Messerschmitt supervised the design. The engines, mounted in the lower forward fuselage, were fed from an air intake in the nose, and exhausted from two nozzles below the trailing edge of the wing roots. The HA.200 stored its fuel in two wing and two fuselage tanks.
Two prototypes were built and first flew on 12 August 1955 with the Fernando Juan Valiente. 190 were built, both by Hispano and under a licence agreement in Egypt (as the Helwan HA 200B AI Kahira).
Prototype HA-200 Saeta EC-AMM
From the autumn of 1957 an experimental program was initiated by INTA. Ten pre-production aircraft were ordered by the Spanish Air Force, of which 5 will be transformed into HA-200 A (E14A Ejército del Aire in). The first aircraft was to fly on July 21, 1960, the rest be be delivered until 1962.
An additional series of 30 HA-200 A was built. The first of them flew October 11, 1962, the others being delivered between 1963 and 1965. In April 1965 flew the first HA-200 B (C10B in Ejército del Aire service) of which 55 were built and incorporated in the Ejército del Aire over 1965-1967.
The Hispano HA-200-R1 Saeta (two turbomeca Marbore IIA turbojet engine)
Hispano’s Saeta fulfilled jet training, ground attack training and, in the dedicated single seat HA.220 model, limited strike roles in Spainish service. The indigenous CASA 101 Aviojet provided the replacement, deliveries commencing in 1980.
The Egyptian aircraft were supplanted by the Aero L 29 Delfin.
HA 200R Saeta Prototype EC AMM first flew on August 12, 1955, followed by second prototype. Spanish Air Force (Ejercito del Aire EdeA) designation XE.14 for the prototypes and E.14 for 10 pre-production examples, five of which were brought up to HA 200A status.
HA 200A Saeta First production batch (of 25), powered by Turbomeca Mabore lls, first example flown on October 11, 1962. Much refined over earlier HA.200s. EdeA designation E.14A. Attack version (two hard points) C.10A, later A.10A.
HA 200B AI Kahira Version for Egyptian Air Force. 20mm Hispano cannon in the nose, replacing 7.7min Breda Safat machine guns of the HA.200A. First of five Spanish built examples flown on July 21, 1960. 63 HA¬200Bs built under licence in Egypt as the AI Kahira (Cairo) at Factory 36, Helwan, Cairo.
HA 200D Saeta Further refined production batch, EdeA designation E.14B. 55 built.
HA 200E Saeta Dedicated ground attack/counter insurgency aircraft, with four wing hardpoints and Mabore VIs. Conversions (about 40) undertaken from HA 200Ds, designated C.10Bs then A.10Bs.
Wing span: 36.17 ft (10.42 m) Overall length: 29.29 ft (8.9 m) Height: 9.33 ft (2.8 m) Wing area: 187.2 sq.ft (17.4 sq.m). Wing aspect ratio: 6.22. Empty wt: 4233 lb (1921 kg). Normal T/O wt: 5842 lb (2652 kg). MTOW: 7617 lb (3458 kg). Internal fuel cap: 164 Imp.Gal. (745 lt). External fuel cap: 106 Imp.Gal. (481 lt). Wing loading: 31.2 lb/sq.ft (152 kg/sq.m). Max speed: 435 mph (699 kph) Initial ROC: 2755 fpm (14 m/sec) TO dist 50 ft: 1740 ft (530 m) Range: 930 sm (1496 km).
Hispano Aviation HA 200 D Saeta Engine: 2 x Turboméca Marboré II A, 3924 N Length: 29.429 ft / 8.97 m Height: 10.696 ft / 3.26 m Wingspan: 35.860 ft / 10.930 m Max take off weight: 8048.3 lb / 3650.0 kg Max. speed: 352 kt / 652 km/h Service ceiling: 39370 ft / 12000 m Range: 810 nm / 1500 km Crew: 2
HA 200 R1 Engines: 2 x 880 lbs.t. (400 kgp) Turborneca Mabore IIA turbojets Max speed, 435 mph (700 kph) at 22,966ft (7 000 m) Cruise, 298 mph (480 kph) Initial climb, 3,345 fpm. (17 m/sec) Service ceiling, 41,000 ft (12 500 m) Range, 1,056 mls (1 700 km) Empty weight, 3,697 lb. (1677 kg) Loaded weight, 6,305 lb (2 860 kg) Span, 34ft 2.25 in (10.42 m) Length, 29ft 1.5 in (8.88 m) Wing area, 187.2 sq.ft (17,4 sq.m)
Hispano designed and built a 755hp piston engined advanced trainer, the HA.100 Triana. The HA-100 EI replaced the HA-43D-1 trainer. A tandem seater, tricycle landing gear, and with a gross weight of 6,460 lbs (2,932kg) was designed by Willy Messerschmitt. It went into production for the Spanish Air Force in 1953.
First flying in 1947, the Hispano HS-42 and its derivative, the HA-43, were advanced military trainer aircraft produced in Spain. The basic design was that of a conventional, low-wing, cantilever monoplane with seating for the pilot and instructor in tandem.
The HS-42 had fixed, tailwheel undercarriage with spatted mainwheels, while the HA-43 had retractable main units. Produced on the assembly line that had been used to build Fokker D.XXI fighters, the HS-42 shared some components with this aircraft.
HS-43 (HA-43)
The HA-43D-1 advanced two-seat military trainer went into production for the Spanish Air Force in 1947.
HS-42D
The HA-43D-1 was followed in 1953 by the HA-100 EI replacement
In 1983 the LCA, or Tejas as it was named, was conceived by the Indian Air Force to carry out frontline tactical missions and replace Indian Air Force MiG-21 jets. The first LCA prototype (Technology Demonstrator TD-1) rolled out on 17 November 1995. With the first flight of its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) put back nearly four years after its roll-out, the program appears to be plagued with difficulties and delays. The prototype eventually first flew on 4 January 2001. The first flight of the LCA had to be postponed until Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) finished development of a new flight control system and system integration test were completed. After again much delay the second prototype (TD-2) made its maiden flight on 6 June 2002, also powered by the GE 404 engine.
The Hindustan Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) had two aircraft flying by the 2003 Paris Air Show and had complet¬ed some 80 flights with no major changes required to the airframe. Five prototypes were planned and eight limited series pro¬duction aircraft were to be delivered in 2006 for evaluation by the Indian Air Force. Despite major delays, the technology demonstration phase of the project has been completed and construction of further prototypes is underway. The first, Prototype Vehicle PV-1, joined the program in 2003. The fourth LCA, PV-2, was completed in 2005 and was first flown on 1 December 2005.
Built by partners Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the LCA design features digital fly-by-wire control system, multi-mode model, digital ‘glass’ cockpit, hands on throttle and stick (HOTAS), FLIR, and static instability. The aircraft has a delta wing design without any tailplanes or foreplanes and a total of seven external weapon stations. The two LCA technology demonstrators were powered by the US supplied General Electric GE F404-F2J3 turbofan. But because of the embargo placed in 1998 by the USA on the engine as a result of the nuclear tests conducted by India in 1998, the production aircraft were planned to be fitted with the Indian Kaveri GTX-35VS turbofan. The embargo included the Lockheed-Martin fly-by-wire flight control system. In May 2005, the Tejas flight, now consisting of TD-1, TD-2 and the first Prototype Vehicle PV-1, completed 400 sorties. A fourth prototype, PV-2, was scheduled to make its first flight in June 2005. It has reduced structural weight and new avionics and cockpit displays.
Designed by a team led by Kurt Tank, HAL produced the HF 24 Marut for the Indian Air Force as a single seat ground attack fighter with subsonic performance. Work on the project began in 1955, to meet an Indian Air Force requirement, and first flight tests of the aerodynamic envelope were made in March 1959 with a full scale wooden glider.
The prototype first flew on June 17, 1961 powered by two 4850 lb thrust Bristol Siddeley Orpheus 703 turbojets. The prototype has room for a second pilot, with dual controls, in the rear of the cockpit, but this space was to be normally occupied by armament, fuel, cameras or electronic equipment.
First prototype
The airframe has sharply swept low wings, sweptback tail surfaces, and one-piece all-moving tailplane low-set on the fuselage. The fuselage is area-ruled and semi-circular engine intakes, with central shock body are on each side of the cockpit. The tricycle undercarriage has single wheels on each unit. The main units retract inward and nose-wheel retracts forward.
Hindustan HF-24 1st prototype
Production of 129 (plus 18 two-seat HF-24 Mk 1Ts two seat operational trainers) ended in 1977. Power for each production aircraft is provided by two 4,850 lb thrust Rolls Royce Bristol Orpheus 703 turbojet engines and armament comprises four 30 mm Aden cannon and 50 68 mm air to air rockets carried in a retractable pack in the lower fuselage. Underwing stations can carry the usual selection of bombs, rockets, napalm tanks, and drop tanks.
HF-24 Marut preserved at the Oberschleissheim museum near Munich.
Marut Mk.1 Engine: 2 x HAL/Rolls-Royce Orpheus Mk 703, 21.6kN Max take-off weight: 10908 kg / 24048 lb Empty weight: 6195 kg / 13658 lb Wingspan: 9.0 m / 29 ft 6 in Length: 15.87 m / 52 ft 1 in Height: 3.6 m / 11 ft 10 in Wing area: 28.0 sq.m / 301.39 sq ft Max speed: 1070 km/h / 665 mph Cruising speed: 486 kts / 900 km/h Ceiling: 12000 m / 39350 ft Range: 800 km / 497 miles Crew: 1 Armament: 4 x 30mm Aden cannon /120rds, 50 x 68mm missiles / 1816kg ext Hardpoints: 4
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) constructed the Viper powered HJT 16 Kiran two seat jet trainer for the Indian Navy. The prototype HJT-16 flew on 4 September 1964. Deliveries began in 1968, and the Kiran I was superceeded by the IA with two weapons pylons for armament training.
The prototype (U738) of the Hindus¬tan Aeronautics HAL Kiran Mk II armament training and counter–insurgency aircraft was flown for the first time on 30 July 1976. The Kiran II side-by-side basic trainer/light attack aircraft differs from the Viper powered Kiran land IA in being fitted with a derated Orpheus 701-01 turbojet. The Kiran II has four underwing hardpoints and upgraded avionics. Deliveries began in 1984. By mid-1985 16 had been delivered, and the production rate was 18 per year.
By 1989 a total of 251 aircraft were built including 51 improved “Kiran II”s.
HJT-16 Kiran I/IA Engine: 1 x Rolls-Royce Viper Mk 11, 11.11kN Max take-off weight: 4235 kg / 9337 lb Empty weight: 2560 kg / 5644 lb Wingspan: 10.7 m / 35 ft 1 in Length: 10.6 m / 34 ft 9 in Height: 3.63 m / 11 ft 11 in Wing area: 19.0 sq.m / 204.51 sq ft Max. speed: 695 km/h / 432 mph Cruise speed: 9145 km/h / 5683 mph Armament: 2 x 227kg bombs or 14 x 68mm unguided missiles Crew: 2
HJT-16 Kiran II Engine: 1 x R-R Orpheus 701. Installed thrust: 18.68 kN. Span: 10.7 m. Length: 10.6 m. Wing area: 19 sq.m. Empty wt: 2995 kg. MTOW: 5000 kg. Warload: 1000 kg. Max speed: 672 kph. Initial ROC: 1600 m / min. Ceiling: 12,000 m. T/O run (to 15m): 730 m. Ldg run (from 15m): 1440 m. Fuel internal: 1345 lt. Range: 735 km. Armament: 2 x 7.62 mm. Hardpoints: 4
The Indian Air Force issued a requirement for an improved Gnat in 1972 as an interceptor and also have a secondary ground-attack role. The aircraft was given the name “Ajeet”, Sanskrit for “Invincible” or “Unconquered” and was to be manufactured by HAL. It was to have more hardpoints, wet wings and a Martin-Baker ejection seat. Hindustan Aeronau¬tics developed the Ajeet lightweight jet fighter from the Folland/ Hawker Siddeley Gnat which HAL license-produced.
The prototype Ajeet first flew in March 1975 and the first production aircraft (E1956) followed in September 1976.
Ajeets of No.22 Squadron with a Hunter T.66 two-seater
The Ajeet aircraft was comparable to the Gnat in handling, albeit on the heavier side. A clean Gnat (without drop tanks) was significantly more agile and manoeuvrable than a clean Ajeet. The trainer on the other hand was even heavier. In the few 1vs1 sorties against the fighter, it was noticed that the trainer lost out while manoeuvring in the vertical plane. Another issue that one had to be careful of was while opening throttle and seeking full power as the engine took a long time to achieve 100%.
The main changes from the Gnat are improved navigation and communications systems and the use of new wing fuel tanks which replace the previous underwing tanks. The last feature allows an increased warload to be carried, although drop tanks can still be carried underwing on two of the four stations for longer range.
Armament comprises two 30 mm Aden cannon and rockets or bombs. Maximum speed with the 4,500 lb thrust Rolls Royce Orpheus 701 01 turbojet remains subsonic at Mach 0.96.
Deliveries began to the Indian Air Force in 1976. Of the total of 79 aircraft ordered for the Indian Air Force about one third had been delivered by early 1980 and operated between 1977 and 1991.
For nearly 30 years of its operational service in India the Gnat/ Ajeet did not have a type trainer. Pilots in India, after dual checks in the Hawker Hunter, were required to do the first solo on the Gnat directly. The dual checks were given on a Hunter trainer by simulating a Gnat approach (much shallower) by lowering flaps to only 15 degrees and not full flaps down. Once cleared after the mandatory dual checks, the pilots were shown the various attitudes of nose up and take off, strapped in the cockpit and two airmen sitting on the tail plane under the flight commander’s supervision. The cockpit was very cosy and seated at 20 degrees incline of the ejection seat. A taxi run with a full throttle roll on the runway got the pilot ready for his first solo in the Gnat.
The development of the HAL Ajeet trainer started in the late 70s. A proposal within a time frame of 54 months at an estimated cost of Rs.4.16 crores, put up by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in June 1975, was approved by the Government in February 1976. Government sanctioned in April 1980, procurement of 12 trainer aircraft from the HAL at a cost of Rs. 1 crore each. The aircraft were to be delivered at the rate of six each during 1982-83 and 1983-84.
Developed from the single-seat Ajeet lightweight fighter, the prototype trainer version flew on September 20, 1982. The Ajeet trainer, had a lengthened fuselage (1.4 meters longer than the Ajeet fighter) with two seats mounted in tandem and two internal fuel tanks on the spine removed to accommodate the extra seat. The 30 mm cannon and four stores pylons were retained, although the cannon could be removed and replaced with additional fuel tanks (increase capacity by 273 Litres). The engine remained the same Orpheus 701. However, the trainer had an inferior Power/ weight ratio as compared to the fighter version and handled sluggishly.
first prototype Ajeet Trainer E2426
In December 1982 Sqn Ldr DK Powar was flying the first prototype of the Ajeet Trainer (E2426), the 14th sortie the aircraft had undertaken. The unfortunate accident was probably due to differences in pre-flight inspection procedures of HAL and IAF ground crew, leading to the oxygen not being switched on. At higher altitudes, hypoxia set in, leading to disorientation and complete loss of consciousness and fatal crash. A second prototype flew in September 1983.
The program was put in abeyance, but over the next two years, the IAF had a re-think and it was revived in late 1984. However, in 1986, when IAF agreed on the withdrawal of the Ajeet Aircraft, the order for the trainer was in limbo again.
The first Ajeet Trainer induction at Sulur BRD. The aircraft was handed over to Wg Cdr Ranjith Tathgur of No.18 Squadron “Flying Bullets”
The order for full production of Ajeet Trainers having been withdrawn, two prototypes with HAL were inducted into the IAF finally in late 1987 (and early 1988) and were handed over to 18 sqn then based at Bagdogra. Two aircraft bearing serial numbers E2427 and E2414 were handed over to the squadron. The first aircraft delivered was a production aircraft while the other a prototype modified to production standard. These two were the only aircraft built (other than the one that crashed).
Their usage fell far short of the initial projected hours. The utilisation rate achieved by these trainer aircraft was poor as it ranged from 0.15 to 5.30 hours per month during January 1988 to May 1990. One cause of the low utilization could have been the limited utility of the aircraft as laid out in the syllabus. The aircraft was supposed to provide three dual check sorties with each having a laid down profile. It did not have the required instrumentation and lights for night flying as the Ajeet itself was day operational only. Further, with the Ajeet in winding down mode, the squadron pilot and aircraft strength was depleted.
When the Ajeets were finally phased out in March 1991, apparently the Ajeet Trainers were still serviceable and were flown to the BRD in Sulur. In all, the two Ajeet Trainers served the IAF for only three and a half years across two squadrons.
In December 1988, right after 18 sqn had wound up, the two trainers were ferried from Bagdogra to Kalaikunda.
Two Ajeet Trainers were the last aircraft in the 33-year successful legacy of the Gnat fighter and its variants that served the IAF until the early 90s. The Ajeet Trainers served the IAF for only three and a half years across two squadrons and flew little, remaining a footnote in the annals of Indian aviation history.
Engine: 4,500 lb thrust Rolls Royce Orpheus 701 01 turbojet Maximum speed: Mach 0.96 / 716 mph / 1,152 km/h Wing span: 22 ft 1 in (6.73 m)
Henschel was one of four companies (the others being Focke-Wulf, Gotha and Hamburger Flugzeugbau) to which, in April 1937, the Technische Amt of the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) issued a specification for a twin-engine ground-attack aircraft. It was required to carry at least two 20 mm MG FP cannon and to have extensive armour plating protection for crew and engines. The two designs for which development contracts were awarded on 1 October 1937 were the Focke-Wulf Fw 189C and Henschel Hs 129.
The Hs129 was another Friedrich Nicolaus design with a light alloy stressed-skin fuselage of triangular section. It was designed around a single large “bathtub” of steel sheeting that made up the entire nose area of the plane, completely enclosing the pilot up to head level. Even the canopy was steel, with only tiny windows on the side to see out of and two angled blocks of glass for the windscreen. It contained a small cockpit with a restricted view, necessitating the removal of some instruments to the inboard sides of the engine cowlings. The windscreen was made of 75 mm (2.95 in) armoured glass and the nose section was manufactured from armour plating. Nose armament comprised two 20 mm MG FF cannon and two 7.92 mm (0.31 in) MG 17 machine guns. In order to improve the armor’s ability to stop bullets the sides were angled in forming a triangular fuselage, resulting in almost no room to move at shoulder level. The Revi C 12/C gunsight was mounted outside on the nose. The prototype flew in the spring of 1939, powered by two 465 hp (347 kW) Argus As 410A-1 engines, and two further prototypes were flown competitively against the modified Fw 189 development aircraft for the Fw 189C.
The entire nose section formed a welded armoured shell 6 mm to 12 mm thick around the pilot, with toughened 75 mm thick glass in the canopy. The total weight of the nose armour was 2,380 lbs (1080 kg). In the end the plane came in 12% overweight and the engines 8% underpowered, and the controls proved to be almost inoperable as speed increased. The Fw design proved to be no better, both planes were underpowered with their Argus 410 engines, and very difficult to fly. In the end the only real deciding factor was that the Henschel was smaller and cheaper. The Focke-Wulf was put on low priority as a backup, and testing continued with the Hs 129A-0. Two self-sealing wing tanks each holding 45 Imperial gallons (205 litres) and a single self-sealing fuselage tank of 44 Imperial gallons (200 litres). The Hs 129B-2 was capable of carrying a single droppable auxiliary fuel tank of 33 Imperial gallons (150 litres)
The company was awarded a contract for eight pre-production Hs 129A-0 aircraft, and these were issued initially to 5 (Schlacht)./LG 2 in 1940, but transferred to 4./SG 101 at Paris-Orly in 1941, with the exception of two which were converted at Schonefeld to accept Gnome-Rhone 14M 4/5 radial engines. It was with this powerplant that 10 Hs 129B-0 development aircraft were delivered from December 1941; improvements included a revised cockpit canopy and the introduction of electrically-actuated trim tabs. Armament comprised two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon and two 7.92 mm (0.31 in) MG 17 machine guns, along with the ability to carry four 50kg bombs under the midline.
But even before the A-1’s were delivered the plane was redesigned with the Gnome-Rhone 14M radial engine, which were captured in some number when France fell. This engine supplied 700 hp (522 kW) for takeoff compared to the Argus at 465 hp (347 kW). The A-1 planes were converted into Hs 129B-0’s for testing (although some claim that some A’s were sold to Romania) and the pilots were reportedly much happier. Their main complaint was the view from the canopy, so a single larger windscreen and a new canopy with much better vision were added, resulting in the production model Hs 129B-1. The first flight of the Hs 129B was in October 1941.
B-1’s started rolling off the lines in December 1941, but they were delivered at a trickle. In preparation for the new plane, I./Sch.G 1 had been formed up in January with 109’s and Hs 123’s, and they were delivered B-0’s and every B-1 that was completed. Still, it wasn’t until April that 12 B-1’s were delivered and its 4th staffeln was ready for action. They moved to the eastern front in the middle of May, and in June they received a new weapon, the 30 mm MK 101 cannon with armor-piercing ammo in a midline pod.
The production Hs 192B-1 series became operational on the Eastern front, where the type was to be used most widely, although it served also in North North Africa, Italy and in France after the D-Day landings. Sub-variants of the M 129B-1 series included the Hs 129B-1/R1 with additional offensive armament in the form of two 110 lbs (50 kg) bombs or 96 anti-personnel bombs. The Hs 129B-1/R2 with a 30-mm MK 101 cannon beneath the fuselage. The Hs 129B-1/R3 with four extra MG 17 machine-guns; the Hs 129B-1/R4 with an ability to carry one 551 lbs (250 kg) bomb instead of the Hs 129B-1/R1’s bomb load; and the Hs 129B-1/R5 which incorporated an Rb 50/30 camera installation for reconnaissance duties.
By May of 1942 only 50 of the planes had been delivered when they started to deliver the new Hs 129B-2 model side-by-side with the B-1. The only difference between the two were changes to the fuel system – a host of other minor changes could be found almost at random on either model. As time went on these changes were accumulated into the B-2 production line until you could finally tell them apart at a glance, the main differences being the removal of the mast for the radio antenna, the addition of a direction-finding radio antenna loop, and shorter exhaust stacks on the engines.
In the field the differences seemed to be more pronounced. The R-kits were renumbered and some were dropped, and in general the B-2 planes received the upgraded cannon pack using a MK 103 instead of the earlier MK 101. These guns both fired the same ammunition, but the 103 did so about almost twice the rate. The Hs 129B-2 series which was introduced into service in the early part of 1943. They included the Hs 129B-2/Rl which carried two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon and two 13 mm (0.51 in) machine-guns; the generally similar Hs 129B-2/R2 introduced an additional 30 mm MK 103 cannon beneath the fuselage; the Hs 129B-2/R3 had the two MG 13s deleted but was equipped with a 37 mm BK 3,7 gun; and the Hs 129B-2/R4 carried a 75 mm (2.95 in) PaK 40L (‘L’ for Luftwaffe) gun in an underfuselage pod. Final production variant was the Hs 129B-3 of which approximately 25 were built and which, developed from the Hs 129B-2/R4, substituted an electro-pneumatically operated 75 mm BK 7,5 gun for the PaK 40 (Panzer Abwehr Kanone 40). The lethal capability of the Hs 129B-2/R2 was amply demonstrated in the summer of 1943 during Operation ‘Citadel’, the German offensive which was intended to regain for them the initiative on the Eastern Front after the defeat at Stalingrad. During this operation some 37,421 sorties were flown, at the end of which the Luftwaffe claimed the destruction of 1,100 tanks. However accurate these figures, not all of those destroyed could be credited to Hs 129s, but there is little doubt that the 879 of these aircraft that were built (including prototypes) played a significant role on the Eastern front. Inspite of its small numbers and deficiancies, proved extremely successful in the anti-role, however, it suffered heavy losses and not many examples survived the war.
Even by late 1942 complaints started about the MK103 against newer versions of the Soviet T-34 tanks. One solution would be to standardize on the larger 37 mm gun, itself adapted from an anti-tank gun that had recently been abandoned by the army. For some reason the Luftwaffe decided to skip over this gun (although it served perfectly well on the Ju 87), and install a gigantic 75 mm gun from the Panzer IV. A huge hydraulic system was used to damp the recoil of the gun, and an auto-loader system with twelve rounds was fitted in the large empty space behind the cockpit. The resulting system was able to knock out any tank in the world, but the weight slowed the already poor performance of the plane to barely flyable in this new Hs 129B-3 version. B-3’s only started arriving in June 1944, and only 25 were delivered by the time the lines were shut down in September. A small number were also converted from older B-2 models. In the field they proved deadly weapons, but with only 25 of them they had no effect on the war effort.
During operation Citadel, on 8 July 1943, the new Henschel Hs 129s of the German 4th Antitank Group of the 9th Ground-Attack Wing under Capt. Meyer, virtually wiped out a Soviet armoured brigade.
The Hs 129B equipped three Staffeln of the 8th Assault Wing of the Royal Romanian Air Corps. On 23 August 1944 there was a coup in Romania, as a result of which the country changed from being an ally of Germany to becoming an enemy. These Hs 129Bs, accordingly were used against the German armies, finally being combined into a unit equipped with the Ju 87D Stuka.
In order to address the poor performance of the aircraft, plans had been underway for some time to fit the plane with newer versions of the Italian Isotta-Fraschini Delta engine that delivered 850 hp (634 kW). However the engine ran into a number of delays, and was still not ready for production when the plant was overrun by the Allies.
In late September 1944, the entire manufacturing programme was abandoned, along with virtually all other German aircraft production except the ’emergency fighter programme’. Total production had amounted to only 879, including prototypes. Because of attrition and other problems, the Hs 129 was never able to fully equip the giant anti-tank force that could be seen to be needed as early as winter 1941-42, an overall effect on the war was not great. Towards the end, in autumn 1944, operations began to be further restricted by shortage of high octane petrol, and by the final collapse of Germany only a handful of these aircraft remained.
The Hs 129B-1 and B-2 were the major production variants, the latter fitted to carry a drop-tank. Some were equipped experimentally with the SG 113A recoilless gun installation: a battery of six 75mm smooth-bore tubes, each 1.6m long, mounted in the fuselage at an angle slightly beyond the vertical to fire downwards and rearwards. The weapon was intended for use against tanks and was triggered automatically when the aircraft flew over a tank at low altitude. A total of more than 800 Hs 129 were built.
A-Series Engines: Two 465 hp (347 kW) Argus As 410A-1 Maximum speed: 253 mph (407 km/h) at 12,565 ft (3830 m) Service ceiling: 29,525 ft (9000 m) Initial climb rate: 1,600 ft (486 m) per minute.
Hs 129A-0
B-Series Engines: 2x Gnome-Rhone 14M, 700 hp / 522 kW Propellers: Ratier Length: 32 ft / 9.75 m Wingspan: 46 ft 7 in / 14.20 m Height: 10 ft 8 in / 3.25 m Wing area: 312 sq.ft / 29 sq.m Empty equipped weight: 8,400 lb / 3,810 kg Maximum take-off weight: 11,574 lb / 5,250 kg Maximum speed: 253 mph / 407 km/h Combat range: 348 miles / 560 km Service ceiling: 29,525 ft / 9,000 m Armament: Guns: 2x 20 mm MG 151/20, 2x 7.92 mm MG 17 Bombs: 2x 110 lb, 4x 50 kg Crew: 1
Hs 129B-0
Hs 129B-1 Range: 348 miles (560 km) on internal fuel. Armament: Two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon with 125 rounds per gun and two 7.92 mm (0.31 in) MG 17 machine guns with 500 rounds per gun.
Hs 129B-1/R2 Engine: 2 x Gnome Rhone 14M 4/5, 522kW Max take-off weight: 5110 kg / 11266 lb Empty weight: 3810 kg / 8400 lb Wingspan: 14.2 m / 6 ft 7 in Length: 9.75 m / 31 ft 12 in Height: 3.25 m / 10 ft 8 in Wing area: 29.0 sq.m / 312.15 sq ft Max. Speed: 407 km/h / 253 mph Ceiling: 9000 m / 29550 ft Range: 560 km / 348 miles Armament: 2 x 20mm cannons, 1 x 30mm cannon, 2 x 7.92mm machine-guns Crew: 1
Hs 129B-2 Range: 427 miles (688 km) on internal fuel. Armament: Two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon with 125 rounds per gun and two 13 mm (0.51 in) MG 131 machine-guns with 250 rounds per gun (retained the 7.92 mm (0.31 in) MG 17 machine guns).
In 1935 Henschel developed the parasol-wing Henschel Hs122 short range reconnaissance aircraft as a replace¬ment for the Heinkel He 45 and He 46, but although a few of the 492-kW (660-hp) Siemens SAM 22B-engined aircraft were built, the Hs 122 was not adopted for Luftwaffe use. From it, however, Henschels chief designer Friedrich Nicolaus derived the Henschel Hs 126 which incorporated a new wing, can¬tilever main landing gear and a canopy over the pilot’s cockpit, the observers position being left open. Making its appearance in 1936 the Henschel Hs 126 V1 was a modified Hs 122A airframe powered by a Junkers Jumo 210.
The pilot was seated in a protected cockpit under the parasol wing and the gunner in an open rear cockpit. The aircraft was of all-metal construction, the wing was a high lift parasol wing was designed by Friedrich Nicolaus and this allowed the Hs 126 to use short and rough landing strips. The wheels had long struts which gave it a nose high appearance on the ground. To reduce drag, spats were sometimes fitted. It had a strut-braced tail unit and tailwheel-type landing gear. Cockpit access was via a ladder on the side and the rear of the cockpit was open to the elements. The gunner/observer had a handheld camera and also operated a Zeiss Rb topographic camera that was located in a bay behind him. The canopy had deflector panels to shield the gunner’s gun from the slipstream.
The first prototype was not entirely up to Luftwaffe standards; it was followed by two more development planes equipped with different engines. Following the third prototype, during 1937 Henschel built 10 pre-production Hs 126A-O aircraft based on the third prototype, and some were used for operational evaluation by the Luftwaffe’s Lehrgruppe reconnaissance unit in the spring of 1938.
Initial production version was the Hs 126A-1, generally similar to the pre-production aircraft but powered by the 656-kW (880-hp) BMW 132dc radial engine. Armament comprised one forward-firing 7.92-mm (0.31-in) MG 17 machine-gun, plus one similar weapon on a trainable mounting in the rear cockpit, and five 10-kg (22-lb) bombs or a single 50-kg (110-lb) bomb could be carried on an underfuselage rack. A hand-held Rb 12.5/9x 7 camera in the rear cockpit was supplemented by a Zeiss instrument in a rear-fuselage bay.
The Hs 126 entered service in 1938 after operational evaluation with the Legion Kondor contingent to the Spanish Civil War (in 1938 six were delivered to the Condor Legion and served in Aufklarungsgruppe 88. Five of these survived to be turned over to Spain at the end of the Civil War), and 16 were delivered to the Greek air force.
An improved but similar He 126B-1 was introduced during the summer of 1939, this incorporating FuG 17 radio equipment and either the Bramo 323A-1 or 671-kW (900-hp) 323A-2. The final Hs 129B- 2/R-4 version was armed with a 75 mm cannon.
By the time the Hs 126A-1 joined the Luftwaffe, the re-equipping of reconnaissance formations was already well advanced, and by the start of World War II in September 1939, Germany already had several good short range observation and long range recon aircraft. Some 13 squadrons were equipped with the He 126 in the invasion of Poland, where it was able to operate as a bomber and ground attack aircraft, as well as in its normal army co-operation, reconnaissance and artillery spotter roles. Luftwaffe Henschels were active during the Polish campaign, the absence of any effective fighter or antiaircratt opposition enabling them to mix in a bit of bombing and strafing with their everyday reconnaissance and Army cooperation duties. RAF and Armee De l’air aircraft weren’t so obliging, being present in large numbers and motivated by hostile intent, and losses among the poorly armed Henschels began to rise alarmingly- twenty were lost between 10-21 May. By spring, when the “Sitzkrieg” ended in the invasion of the Netherlands, Belgium, and France production of the Hs 26 was being wound down following the RLM’s decision to order Focke Wulf’s Fw 189 “Fliegende Alige” into production as a replacement. One Staffel operated Hs 126s in Atrica in support of Rommel’s Afrika Korps, but the rest were transferred to the Eastern Front when Operation Barbarossa began, gradually being phased out as Fw 189s arrived from mid 1942 on. Relegated to rear area utility jobs Hs 126s re-entered combat later that same year following the establishment of Storkampfstaffeln for night time harassment, and continued flying these missions against partisans in the Balkans during 1943.
By June 1941, there were 48 squadrons of the aircraft in service – in the aftermath of the campaign in France one squadron, 2.(H)/14 took the Hs 126 to North Africa, where it remained in service until August 1942. This left forty-seven squadrons equipped with the Hs 126 for the invasion of the Soviet Unit. The aircraft was still vulnerable, and began to suffer heavy losses. In the spring of 1942 the Fw 189 began to replace it, and by the end of the year it had gone from use in the front line. From 1942 on, most of the surviving Hs 126s were used as training aircraft but some were used as a glider tug and for night-fighting units (Nachtschlachtgruppen) in specialized close-support and ground attack roles. The Hs 126 was used by NSGr 7 in the Balkans, 3./NSGr 11 in Estonia and 2./NSGr 12 in Latvia. It remained in use in the Balkans until April 1945 and the German collapse. Production of the Hs 126 ended in 1941 and the type was retired from the front line in 1942. Some 800 in total were produced.
Production aircraft were built in Berlin, at Schänefeld and Johannisthal, from 1938 and entered operational service first with AufklGr. 35. By the outbreak of World War II the re-equipment of He 45- and He 46-equipped reconnaissance units with the Hs 126 was well under way. The type was withdrawn progressively from front-line service during 1942 on replacement by the Focke-Wulf Fw 189.
Hs 126A4 Max Speed: 221mph. Ceiling: 9840ft. Wingspan: 47ft 6in. Length: 35ft 7in. Armament: MG17 and MG15 machine guns.
Hs 126B-1 Engine: 1 x Bramo 323A-1, 634kW / 850-hp Max take-off weight: 3090 kg / 6812 lb Empty weight: 2030 kg / 4475 lb Wingspan: 14.5 m / 47 ft 7 in Length: 10.85 m / 35 ft 7 in Height: 3.75 m / 12 ft 4 in Wing area: 31.6 sq.m / 340.14 sq ft Service ceiling: 8300 m / 27250 ft Range: 720 km / 447 miles Maximum speed: 310 km/h (193 mph) at sea level Armament: two 7.92-mm (0.31-in) MJ 17 machine-guns, plus one 50-kg (110lb) or five 10-kg (22-lb) bombs Crew: 2
Spurred on by Ernst Udet’s enthusiastic reports on what he’d seen during his tour of the United States, the Luftfahrtkomissariat’s C AMT let design contracts to Fiesler and Henschel for prototypes of Sturzkampffleugzeugen, or dive bomber.
In February 1934, a requirement was published for the aircraft and tenders were awarded to Hamburger Flugzeugbau GmbH, Fieseler Aircraft GmbH and Henschel Aircraft GmbH.
Henschel chief designer Friedrich Nicolaus developed a sesquiplane with an open cockpit and fixed landing gear of all-metal construction. The power was a BMW 132 enclosed in a NACA ring. The wings had the usual control surfaces and they were partially covered with fabric. The control surfaces were all covered with fabric.
The construction of the prototype progressed rapidly and on 1 April 1935, the Hs 123 V1 was completed. Maiden flight was on April 5, 1935 and Hs 123 V1 had the registration D-ILUA. The V2 was tested with a Wright Cyclone R-1820 F52, starting with 770 hp power. This machine suffered from a landing accident and later was adapted to use the BMW 132 A and in this configuration was designated as Hs 123 V8.
The testing of the three machines from different manufacturers was held at Rechlin from June 1935 up to January 1936. Henschel’s Hs 123, flown by Udet himself, comfortably beat out its competition, the Fi 98, but two prototypes were lost in quick succession once flight testing had begun at Erprobungsstelle Rechlin. Examination of the wreckage and static testing of the surviving ariplane pointed to weakness in the top wing’s center-section, the design being modified accordingly. The Henschel Hs 123 was found as most suitable from all proposed aircraft and production began in 1936 at Kassel. The Hs 123 V5 was presented in 1937 at the International Air Meeting in Dübendorf.
The very first production block was Hs 123A-0, delivered to units in 1936 and the main purpose for these machines was operational testing by the Luftwaffe. The first series-manufacture example was the Hs 123A-1 and these had minor differences compared with the previous pre-production block. The aircraft was equipped with pilot armor. The main offensive armament was four SC50 bombs mounted on the bottom wing racks with optional SC250 bomb mounted beneath the fuselage. On the fuselage central position it was also possible to mount a droppable fuel tank. Two MG 17 machine guns, caliber 7.92 mm, were mounted in the top nose and they were synchronized to fire through the propeller arc.
Hs 123A 1s first entered service with Stukagruppe I/162 Immelmann, examples soon being sent off to Spain where they were flown by “volunteers” from the Legion Condor, proving their worth by providing close support for Nationalist ground forces. The Spanish Air Force later received the remaining Hs 123 A-1. These Hs 123 were based in Seville and during the combat evaluation Hs 123 performed at a high efficiency in the close-support missions, and at the same time performed as a safe combat platform for its pilots.
By 1939, despite its success in Spain, the Luftwaffe considered the Hs 123 obsolete and most of the Schlachtgeschwader equipped with the type had been disbanded and only II.(Schl)/LG2 remained operational with the Hs 123. Sole operational II. (Schl)/LG 2 had 39 machines which were engaged in combat missions during the Polish Campaign. This single unit proved to be particularly effective and this is greatly dedicated to the sound of the engine which had a psychological effect on ground forces. It was also true that the Hs 123 could take considerable punishment and stay flyable. One of the benefits was use from unprepared airfields.
After this good combat record, the Hs 123 was put into the combat missions over the Low Countries and France. At this time the Luftwaffe had two operational combat aircraft, the Junkers Ju 87 was a dive bomber and the only machine that could give close support was the Hs 123, previously declared by the Luftwaffe as ’obsolete’. After the campaign in France some number of machines was sent to 10.(Schl)/LG 2. and they were seriously considered to be used during Operation Barbarossa. In the begining of Operation Barbarossa, the single Gruppe of the Luftwaffe that was providing ground support was II.(Schl)/LG 2, equipped with 38 Bf 109Es and 22 Hs 123s. During the operations the Bf109 was shown vulnerable during operations with weak landing gear as well as a sensitive engine to ground fire and Hs 123 again showed some advantage as a close support aircraft. The Escuadrilla Azul, volunteers from Spain flew the type during this time. Bitter experience came in the winter 1941/42 since the open cockpit was not good accommodation for pilots in harsh winter climate. From January 1942, the unit was re-designated as SchlG 1 and Hs 123 became a part of 7./SchlG 1. SchlG 1 took part in the operations in Crimea, Battle of Kharkov and in the Battle of Stalingrad. The Hs 123 was then being replaced with modern aircraft. The remaining machines were sent to the trainer units as well as in non-operational occupied zones.
China imported 12 Hs 123 A-0 from Germany before the war, those aircraft only saw limited actions in the Chinese air force, after new aircraft from the Soviets arrived in China after 1938, those survived German war planes were transferred to reserve. Germany stopped military supply to China in May 1938 and the Hs 123s suffered from shortages of spare parts and they saw limited service. Operated by 15th Sq of the Chinese air force, the few Hs 123 were used in the dive bombing role against Japanese shipping on the Yangtze River in 1938.
Although scheduled to be phased out in favor of Junker’s Ju 87 the Hs 123 did its ground attack job so well that General Wolfram von Richthofen recommended, in 1943, that it be put back into production. Whatever the idea’s worth it could not be followed up on, since all tooling and jigs had been broken up for scrap three years earlier.
Last samples of the Henschel Hs 123 remained operational until the spring 1944 when 7./SG 1 replaced their last Hs 123s with the Ju 87. By 1945, the Hs 123s that remained serviceable were reassigned to secondary duties such as supply dropping and glider towing.
During its service the Hs 123 had just a few operational camouflage patterns. First one was splinter with RLM 61, 62 and 63 at the topside and RLM 65 at the bottom. There were two variations of this scheme used. During the later service this camouflage pattern was still used no matter that it was officially discarded and during overpainting the aircraft got single colour of RLM 71 or 70 at the topside.
Hs 123A-1 Engine: 1 x BMW 132Dc, 656kW Max take-off weight: 2215 kg / 4883 lb Empty weight: 1500 kg / 3307 lb Wingspan: 10.5/8.0 m / 34 ft 5 in / 26 ft 3 in Length: 8.33 m / 27 ft 4 in Height: 3.2 m / 10 ft 6 in Wing area: 24.85 sq.m / 267.48 sq ft Ceiling: 9000 m / 29550 ft Range: 855 km / 531 miles Armament: 2 x 7.92mm machine-guns, 450kg of bombs Crew: 1
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