Heinkel HD 40

Heinkel

Industry	Aerospace
Headquarters	Germany

The Heinkel HD 40 was a purpose-built cargo aircraft crafted in Germany during the 1920s, designed specifically for distributing the Berlin newspaper B.Z.. Building upon the favorable reception of Heinkel’s earlier model for the same publisher, the Heinkel HD 39, a request was made for a comparable aircraft with enhanced payload capacity. Heinkel delivered a similarly configured biplane but significantly larger in scale. Mirroring the HD 39’s design, it featured a traditional single-bay biplane layout with staggered wings of unequal length, and a fuselage that almost entirely occupied the space between the wings. The pilot operated from an open cockpit, while the undercarriage was fixed with a tailskid and divided main landing gear units. The wings consisted of wooden structures, whereas the fuselage was constructed from welded steel tubing covered in plywood.

Apart from its primary cargo hold intended for newspaper transport, the HD 40 incorporated an additional compartment that could be swiftly converted to accommodate either extra freight or up to eight passengers or reporters. Unfortunately, after just six months in operation, this aircraft was lost due to an accident caused by engine failure.

Specifications

File:Heinkel HD-40 3-view NACA Aircraft Circular No.64.jpg

Heinkel HD-40 three-view illustration from NACA Aircraft Circular No.64