Heinkel He 45
The Heinkel He 45 was a light bomber produced in Germany in the early 1930s, one of the first aircraft adopted by the newly formed Luftwaffe. Its appearance was that of a conventional biplane and included seating for pilot and gunner in tandem, open cockpits. Developed in parallel with the He 46, it appeared in 1931 as a general-purpose biplane and was employed mainly as a trainer, but was also used by the Luftwaffe for reconnaissance and light bombing duties. Production of this plane totalled 512 aircraft, including those built under licence by Gotha, Focke-Wulf, and BFW.
| He 45 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Heinkel He 45 | |
| Role | Light bomber |
| Manufacturer | Heinkel |
| First flight | 1931 |
| Primary user | Luftwaffe |
| Number built | 512 |
Variants
- He 45a
- First prototype, powered by a BMW VI 7,3Z piston engine.
- He 45b
- Second prototype, fitted with four-blade propeller.
- He 45c
- Third prototype, armed with one 7.92 mm (.312 in) forward-firing MG 17 machine gun, and one 7.92 mm MG 15 machine gun in the rear cockpit.
- He 45A
- Initial production version.
- He 45A-1
- Training version.
- He 45A-2
- Reconnaissance version.
- He 45B
- Improved production version.
- He 45B-1
- Reconnaissance version, armed with a 7.92 mm (0.312 in) machine gun.
- He 45B-2
- Able to carry a 100 kg (220 lb) bombload.
- He 45C
- Production version of the He 45c.
- He 45D
- Slightly improved version. Similar to the He 45C.
- HD 61a
- Reconnaissance export version of He 45B intended for China, powered by a 492 kW (660 hp) BMW VI piston engine.[1]
Operators
- One HD 61a tested and crashed during a demonstration on 22 August 1931.[1]
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- Royal Hungarian Air Force operated a single He 45C.[2]
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Specifications (He 45C)
Data from Warplanes of the Third Reich[3]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 10.6 m (34 ft 9 in)
- Wingspan: 11.5 m (37 ft 9 in)
- Height: 3.6 m (11 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 34.6 m2 (372 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 2,110 kg (4,652 lb)
- Gross weight: 2,751 kg (6,065 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × BMW VI 7.3 V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 560 kW (750 hp)
- Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 290 km/h (180 mph, 160 kn)
- Cruise speed: 221 km/h (137 mph, 119 kn)
- Range: 1,200 km (750 mi, 650 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 5,500 m (18,000 ft)
- Time to altitude: 100 m (328 ft) in 2 minutes 24seconds
Armament
- Guns: 1 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) forward firing MG 17 machine gun and one MG 15 machine gun in rear cockpit
- Bombs: 300 kg (660 lb) bombs
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Heinkel He 45.
- Notes
- Andersson, Lennart (2008). A History of Chinese Aviation - Encyclopedia of Aircraft and Aviation in China until 1949. AHS. ISBN 978-9572853337, p. 269
- Green 1972, p. 261.
- Green 1972, pp. 260–261.
- Bibliography
- Green, William (1972). Warplanes of the Third Reich. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-05782-2.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 499.
- World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. File 896 Sheet 24.
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