Heinkel HD 24
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1922 in Germany |
| Founder | Ernst Heinkel |
| Products | Aircraft |
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The Heinkel HD 24 was a German-designed seaplane intended for flight training, introduced in the late 1920s. It featured a traditional single-bay biplane configuration with wings of equal span arranged with stagger. The fuselage was supported by multiple struts connecting it to both the upper and lower wings, supplementing the standard cabane strut framework. Seating for the pilot and instructor was arranged in tandem within open cockpits. The undercarriage was composed of two pontoons but could be swapped out for wheels or skis as needed.
In 1926, Heinkel submitted two HD 24 aircraft (alongside two HD.5 models) to compete in the German Seeflugwettbewerb seaplane contest. One HD 24 secured third place—only three planes completed all stages of the demanding 11-day event—resulting in procurement contracts from the DVS for 23 units and from the Swedish Navy. The Swedish Navy's order was produced domestically by Svenska Aero, utilizing two Heinkel-supplied pattern aircraft as templates. Prior to delivery, responsibility for Sweden's naval aviation shifted to the Swedish Air Force, which accepted six locally manufactured examples and designated them Sk 4.
Template:Update section One HD 24 was shipped to China, while another was acquired by German explorer Gunther Plüschow, who named his aircraft Tsingtau and used it during a 1927–28 expedition across Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. His experiences were documented in both a book and the film Silberkondor über Feuerland. As of April 17, 2009, a full-scale replica of the Tsingtau D1313 has been under construction for static exhibition in Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires, Argentina, situated near Alicia Moreau de Justo Avenue at approximately number 500. Previously, this replica was housed at the Aeroclub of Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego Province; however, during a visit on November 5, 2022, it was reported to have been dismantled. A new reproduction is currently being built for display in El Calafate, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, where it will be exhibited at the Glaciarium museum.
Variants
- Sk 4 - Designated HD 24 for Swedish use, powered by the Mercedes D.IIIa engine (a total of 6 produced: 2 by Heinkel and 4 by Svenska Aero)
- Sk 4A - A variant of the Sk 4 equipped with the Junkers L 5 engine (2 units manufactured by Svenska Aero, plus 3 converted from existing Sk 4 models)
- Sk 4B - Sk 4 modified to utilize the Armstrong Siddeley Puma engine (3 aircraft converted from Sk 4)
Operators
- Swedish Air Force (previous operator)
- Swedish Navy (previous operator)
Specifications (HD 24a landplane)
References
- Notes
- Bibliography
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External links
- Heinkels at Warnemunde – photograph featuring the HD.24
Template:Heinkel aircraft Template:Swedish military aircraft designations