Heinkel He 46
| Company type | Military reconnaissance aircraft |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1931 |
| Founder | Ernst Heinkel |
| Products | Aircraft |
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The Heinkel He 46 was a German monoplane developed in 1931 for short-range reconnaissance and army co-operation missions during the World War II period. Although its frontline deployment in the Luftwaffe was brief at the war's outset, the He 46 remained operational until 1943, performing night harassment bombing roles and serving with the Hungarian Air Force.
Background
In the early 1930s, Germany's armed forces were undergoing expansion. The RLM sought aircraft that could be produced swiftly to rapidly augment the Luftwaffe's fleet, especially for training purposes. Among the designers contributing to this effort was Ernst Heinkel, who developed multiple models during this period. The He 46 was specifically conceived to fulfill the short-distance reconnaissance and army support requirements of the Luftwaffe.
Development
Originally designed in 1931, the He 46 was a two-seat sesquiplane constructed from mixed materials. Its upper wing featured a backward sweep of approximately 10°. This design choice is commonly employed when an aircraft's center of gravity shifts rearward; instead of relocating the entire wing, angling it rearwards achieves balance with minimal structural alteration. (A comparable adjustment can be seen in the Fairey Swordfish, where wing sweep was introduced due to mid-development changes in weight distribution.)
The tailplane was mounted high and supported by struts. The fixed landing gear included a tail skid rather than a wheel. The prototype took its maiden flight in late 1931, demonstrating favorable flight characteristics. Subsequent modifications included removal of the small lower wing and an increase in main wing area by 22%, with bracing attached directly to the fuselage, thereby converting the design into a parasol-wing monoplane. Later prototypes incorporated a more powerful piston engine and added a single rear-mounted 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine gun for defensive purposes.
Production and operational service
Manufacturing of the He 46 commenced in 1933. The initial production model, designated He 46C-1, incorporated prototype enhancements and was capable of carrying either photographic equipment or up to 200 kg (441 lb) of bombs. By 1934, production had reached approximately 500 units, and by 1936 all Luftwaffe reconnaissance groups were equipped with this aircraft. During September and November of that year, twenty-eight He 46C-1s were supplied to the Spanish Nationalists for use in the Spanish Civil War, with one squadron operated by the Condor Legion.
Starting in early 1938, the Luftwaffe began phasing out the He 46 in favor of the Henschel Hs 126. By the time of the Polish invasion in 1939, only two units retained He 46s. Prior to Germany's offensive against France in 1940, all operational Heinkel He 46s had been withdrawn from frontline service but continued to be used within training formations.
The Hungarian Air Force deployed German-supplied He 46s during their campaign against the Soviet Union commencing in 1941 as part of Operation Barbarossa, maintaining them in service through to 1943. In that same year, Germany reactivated some Heinkel He 46 aircraft from training units for use by squadron-sized Störkampfstaffel formations conducting nocturnal harassment bombing missions over Soviet targets.
Variants
- He 46a : Prototype number one.
- He 46b : Prototype number two.
- He 46c : Prototype number three.
- He 46C-1 : The first production model.
- He 46C-2 : Export variant of the He 46C-1 intended for Bulgaria, equipped with NACA engine cowling. A total of 18 units produced.
- He 46D-0 : Series of six pre-production aircraft.
- He 46E-1 :
- He 46E-2 :
- He 46E-3 :
- He 46F-1 : Observer training aircraft without armament.
- He 46F-2 : Unarmed trainer for observers.
Operators
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Specifications (He 46C-1)
See also
References
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Kay, A.L. and Smith, J.R. German Aircraft of World War II. Naval Institute Press, 2002.
- Munson, Kenneth. German Aircraft Of World War 2 in colour. Blandford Press, Poole, Dorset, UK, 1978. ISBN 0-7137-0860-3.
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- Aircraft first flown in 1931
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