Time Period: World War II
Country of Origin: Germany
Type: Fighter Aircraft
Manufacturer: Heinkel Flugzeugwerke
Heinkel He 112 Aircraft Overview
The Heinkel He 112 was a fighter aircraft developed by the German company Heinkel in the early 1930s. It was designed as a single-seat fighter with a low-wing monoplane configuration.
The He 112 was powered by a liquid-cooled V12 engine and was armed with two 7.92mm machine guns mounted in the engine cowling and two 20mm cannon in the wings. It was designed to be a fast, agile fighter aircraft capable of dogfighting with enemy planes.
The He 112 was one of the contenders for the contract to become the standard fighter for the newly-formed Luftwaffe in the mid-1930s. However, it was ultimately rejected in favor of the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Despite this, the He 112 was produced in small numbers for export, with examples sold to countries such as Romania and Spain.
In Spanish service, the He 112 was used extensively during the Spanish Civil War, where it proved to be a capable fighter against Republican aircraft. However, by the time World War II began, the He 112 was obsolete and was mainly used for training purposes. It was eventually retired from service in 1942, as newer and more advanced aircraft became available.
Heinkel He 112 A-0 V4 Specifications
- Crew: One
- Length: 9 m (29 ft 6 in)
- Wingspan: 11.5 m (37 ft 9 in)
- Height: 3.7 m (12 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 23.2 m2 (250 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 1,680 kg (3,704 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 2,230 kg (4,916 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Junkers Jumo 210Da V-12 inverted liquid-cooled piston engine, 514 kW (689 hp)
- Propellers: 3-bladed variable-pitch propeller
Heinkel He 112 A-0 V4 Performance
- Maximum speed: 488 km/h (303 mph, 263 kn) at 3,500 m (11,500 ft)
- Range: 1,100 km (680 mi, 590 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 8,000 m (26,000 ft)
- Wing loading: 102.5 kg/m2 (21.0 lb/sq ft)
Heinkel He 112 A-0 V4 Armament
- 2 × 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 17 machine guns in the engine cowling
- 2 × 20 mm (0.787 in) MG FF cannon in the outer wing.
