Heinkel He 59

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel_He_59

The Heinkel He 59 was a twin-engined German biplane designed in 1930, resulting
from a requirement for a torpedo bomber and reconnaissance aircraft able to
operate on wheeled landing gear or twin-floats.

In 1930, Ernst Heinkel began developing an aircraft for the Reichsmarine. To
conceal the true military intentions, the aircraft was officially a civil
aircraft. The He 59B landplane prototype was the first to fly, an event that
took place in September 1931, but it was the He 59A floatplane prototype that
paved the way for the He 59B initial production model, of which 142 were
delivered in three variants. The Heinkel He 59 was a pleasant aircraft to fly;
deficiencies noted were the weak engine, the limited range, the small load
capability and insufficient armament.

The aircraft was of a mixed-material construction. The wings were made of a
two-beam wooden frame, where the front was covered with plywood and the rest of
the wing was covered with fabric. The box-shaped fuselage had a fabric-covered
steel frame. The tail section was covered with lightweight metal sheets.

The keels of the floats were used as fuel tanks - each one holding 900 L (238 US
gal) of fuel. Together with the internal fuel tank, the aircraft could hold a
total of 2,700 L (713 US gal) of fuel. Two fuel tanks could also be placed in
the bomb bay, bringing the total fuel capacity up to 3,200 L (845 US gal). The
propeller was fixed-pitch with four blades.


Role
Trainer, transport, air ambulance, torpedo bomber

Manufacturer
Heinkel

First flight
1931

Introduction
1935

Retired
1944

Primary users
Luftwaffe
Finnish Air Force

Number built
142

During the first months of World War II, the He 59 was used as a torpedo- and
minelaying aircraft. Between 1940 and 1941 the aircraft was used as a
reconnaissance aircraft, and in 1941-42 as a transport, air-sea rescue, and
training aircraft. The trainer models survived slightly longer in service than
operational models, but all had been retired or destroyed by 1944. Some aircraft
were operated by the Condor Legion in Spain during the Spanish Civil War in 1936
as coastal reconnaissance and torpedo floatplanes.

The British claimed, as the air-sea rescue aircraft, despite carrying Red Cross
markings, were being used for reconnaissance, they were legitimate targets. Even
before then some had been forced down by British aircraft. One justification the
British used resulted from the fact that in July 1940 they had shot down a white
HE 59 near Deal, Kent that was clearly marked with red crosses simply because it
was in the same air space as German fighters. Some have explained this violation
by stating that the British were fearful that saboteurs might be landed using
these aircraft, another claim was that a convoy passing through the heavily
trafficked English channel had spotted a red cross marked HE 59 and was then
attacked by bombers later in its voyage. When the crew of the HE 59 downed off
Deal was captured the British noted that the pilot supposedly noted the position
and direction of a British convoy in his log book. Using that pretext the
British Air Ministry issued Bulletin 1254 indicating that all enemy air-sea
rescue aircraft were to be destroyed wherever they were encountered. Later,
Winston Churchill later cast doubt on his own government's claims and motives
when he wrote: "We did not recognize this means of rescuing enemy pilots who had
been shot down in action, in order that they might come and bomb our civil
population again." Germany protested the British attacks as rescue aircraft
were part of the Geneva Convention agreement stipulating that belligerents must
respect all "mobile sanitary formations" such as field ambulances and hospital
ships. Churchill claimed that rescue aircraft were not anticipated by the
treaty, and were therefore not covered. Because British attacks on He 59s
continued the German Seenotdienst ordered the rescue aircraft armed and
camouflaged. The use of civil registration and red cross markings was abandoned.
A Seenotdienst gunner later shot down an attacking No. 43 Squadron RAF Hurricane
fighter on July 20 Rescue flights were ordered to be protected by fighter
aircraft whenever possible.

Specifications (He 59B-2)

General characteristics
Crew: 4
Length: 17.40 m (57 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 23.70 m (77 ft 9 in)
Height: 7.10 m (23 ft 3½ in)
Wing area: 153.2 m² (1,649 ft²)
Empty weight: 5,010 kg (11,023 lb)
Loaded weight: 9,119 kg (20,062 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × BMW VI 6.0 ZU water-cooled V12 engines, 492 kW (660 hp) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 221 km/h (119 knots, 137 mph) at sea level
Cruise speed: 185 km/h (100 knots, 115 mph)
Range: 942 km (509 nmi, 585 mi)
Ferry range: 1,530 km (826 nmi, 950 mi) with auxiliary tanks
Service ceiling: 3,500 m (11,480 ft)
Climb to 1,000 m (3,300 ft): 4.7 min
Climb to 2,000 m (6,600 ft): 11.2 min

Armament

Guns: 3 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine guns in nose, dorsal and ventral
positions
Bombs: 2× 500 kg (1,100 lb) or 4 × 250 kg (551 lb) or 20× 50 kg (110 lb) bombs
or 1 × 800 kg (1,764 lb) torpedo




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