Heinkel He 45
| Company type | Aircraft |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1931 |
| Products | Light bomber, reconnaissance aircraft, trainer aircraft |
The Heinkel He 45 was a light bomber developed in Germany during the early 1930s and became one of the initial aircraft operated by the newly established Luftwaffe. Featuring a traditional biplane design, it accommodated a pilot and gunner seated in tandem within open cockpits. Introduced alongside the He 46 in 1931, it served primarily as a versatile biplane used for training purposes but was also deployed by the Luftwaffe for roles including reconnaissance and light bombing missions. A total of 512 units were manufactured, which includes those produced under license by Gotha, Focke-Wulf, and BFW.
Variants
- He 45a
- Initial prototype, equipped with a BMW VI 7,3Z piston engine.
- He 45b
- Second prototype featuring a four-blade propeller.
- He 45c
- Third prototype armed with one forward-firing 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine gun and one rear cockpit-mounted 7.92 mm MG 15 machine gun.
- He 45A
- First production model.
- He 45A-1
- Version intended for training.
- He 45A-2
- Designed for reconnaissance tasks.
- He 45B
- Enhanced production variant.
- He 45B-1
- Reconnaissance model equipped with a single 7.92 mm (0.312 in) machine gun.
- He 45B-2
- Capable of carrying up to a 100 kg (220 lb) bomb load.
- He 45C
- Production iteration based on the He 45c prototype.
- He 45D
- Slightly upgraded model closely resembling the He 45C.
- HD 61a
- Export reconnaissance variant of the He 45B developed for China, powered by a BMW VI piston engine delivering 492 kW (660 hp).
- B.Kh.8
- (Thai: บ.ข.๘) Designation used by the Royal Siamese Air Service for the He 45.
- A.2
- The Spanish Air Force designation assigned to the He 45C.
Operators
- One HD 61a was evaluated but crashed during a demonstration on August 22, 1931.
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- A single He 45C was operated by the Royal Hungarian Air Force.
Specifications (He 45C)
See also
References
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- Notes
- Bibliography
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