Heinkel He 51

The Heinkel He 51 was a biplane fighter aircraft which was used in the years 1935-1942 at the German Air Force. As a direct evolution of the He 49 He 51 flew in 1933 for the first time.

Development

Ernst Heinkel developed in the First World War at Albatros and Hansa -Brandenburg successful combat aircraft. His model was also used in the illegal flight school of the Reichswehr. After he had failed in 1932 with the idea of his Hey 49 at the Army Ordnance Office, he simplified the design for the series production and received in 1934 from the Ministry of Aviation a contract for first 75 fighter planes. As production capacity of Heinkel Flugzeugwerke was not sufficient for Erla were (80 machines), AGO, Arado and Fieseler involved in such a production.

Use

The first He 51A -0 were delivered in 1934 and served in the civil camouflaged, so-called " publicity Season Central Germany ". In addition to some Arado Ar 65, the He 51A belonged to Hunter initial provision of officially declared in March 1935 the new German Air Force.

On July 31, 1936 14 He 51 were set for use in the Spanish Civil War in March, the end of 1936 already 50 He 51 of the variants A-1 and C-1 were in use in the Condor Legion, but could not against the more powerful Soviet fighters prevail. The He 51 was therefore used mainly with the appearance of the Bf 109 as a ground attack aircraft. Two Hey 51A were intact captured by the Republican troops and tested extensively in the Soviet Union, but there was deprecated.

The He 51 was partially replaced from 1936 by the Arado Ar 68 and from 1937 by the Messerschmitt Bf 109 as the standard fighter of the Luftwaffe and remained until 1942 as a training aircraft in use. 1937 twelve aircraft were handed over to the Bulgarian air forces.

Versions

As an embodiment with floats the He 51W, which could be easily converted back to a normal chassis was built. With the He 51V5 ( Work number 994 ), received the enlarged wings, the height of benefits should be improved, but it remained in a test sample.

Specifications

Comparable types

  • United Kingdom United Kingdom: Hawker Fury
  • France France: Dewoitine D.501, Dewoitine D.510, Loire 46
  • Netherlands Netherlands: Fokker D.XVII
  • Poland Poland: PZL P.7, PZL P.11
  • Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia: Avia B.534
  • Romania Romania: IAR -14
  • United States United States: Boeing P -26, Grumman F2F
  • Soviet Union 1923 Soviet Union: Polikarpov I -15 Polikarpov I -153, Polikarpov I-16
  • Deutsches Reich Nazi German Reich: Arado Ar 76, Focke- Wulf Fw 56
  • Italy Italy: Fiat CR.32
  • Japan Japan: Kawasaki Ki -10
Hansa-Brandenburg Heinkel He 49 Waffenamt AGO Flugzeugwerke Arado Flugzeugwerke Jagdgruppe 88 Adolf Galland BMW VI IAR-14 Focke-Wulf Fw 56 Kawasaki Ki-10 Heinkel HD 37 Heinkel HD 38 Heinkel He 42 Heinkel HD 55 Heinkel HE 12 Heinkel HE 57 Heinkel He 45 Heinkel He 46 Heinkel He 59 Heinkel He 60 Heinkel He 63 Heinkel He 64 Heinkel He 72 Heinkel He 74 Heinkel He 100 Heinkel He 112 Heinkel He 114 Heinkel He 115 Heinkel He 116 Heinkel He 118 Heinkel He 119 Heinkel He 176 Heinkel He 177 Heinkel He 178 Heinkel He 219 Heinkel He 274 Heinkel He 277 Heinkel He 280 Heinkel He 343 Heinkel P.1077 Heinkel P. 1078 Heinkel Lerche Heinkel Wespe
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