Heinkel He 219

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel_He_219

The Heinkel He 219 Uhu ("Eagle-Owl") was a night fighter that served with the
German Luftwaffe in the later stages of World War II. A relatively sophisticated
design, the He 219 possessed a variety of innovations, including Lichtenstein
SN-2 advanced VHF-band intercept radar, also used on the Ju 88G and Bf 110G
night fighters. It was also the first operational military aircraft to be
equipped with ejection seats and the first operational German World War II-era
aircraft with tricycle landing gear. Had the Uhu been available in quantity, it
might have had a significant effect on the strategic night bombing offensive of
the Royal Air Force; however, only 294 of all models were built by the end of
the war and these saw only limited service. Ernst-Wilhelm Modrow was the leading
night fighter ace on the He 219. Modrow was credited with 33 from 34 night air
victories on the type.

Development and production of the He 219 was protracted and tortuous, due to
political rivalries between Josef Kammhuber, commander of the German night
fighter forces, Ernst Heinkel, the manufacturer and Erhard Milch, responsible
for aircraft construction in the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM — the German
Aviation Ministry). The aircraft was also complicated and expensive to build;
these factors further limited the number of aircraft produced.


Role
Night fighter

Manufacturer
Heinkel

Designer
Robert Lusser

First flight
6 November 1942

Introduction
1943

Status
Retired

Primary user
Luftwaffe

Number built
~300

Variants
Hütter Hü 211

The He 219 had an auspicious combat debut. On the night of 11–12 June 1943,
Werner Streib flew the V9 and shot down five bombers between 01:05 and 02:22
hours, before crashing on landing. Claims have been made that, "In the next ten
days the three Heinkel He 219A-0 pre-production aircraft [shot] down a total of
20 RAF aircraft, including six of the previously "untouchable" de Havilland
Mosquito fighter-bombers. Greatly encouraged, Kammhuber continued to press for
immediate production."No record of corresponding Mosquito losses or any
documentary evidence exists that He 219 pilots claimed six Mosquitos.

The He 219 was a capable fighter aircraft and the pilots were free to hunt down
any detected Allied bombers. Ground control sent the aircraft into the right
area, where the pilots took over and guided themselves towards the bombers with
the Lichtenstein VHF radar's information. The SN-2 radar's 4 km (3 mi) maximum
detection range was greater than the distance between the bombers. While the
performance of the A-2 was not extraordinary—approximately 580 km/h (360 mph)
speed—it was enough of an advance over the Messerschmitt Bf 110Gs and Dornier Do
217Ns, for the crew to chase several bombers in a single sortie.

The He 219 was the only piston-engined night fighter capable of facing the
British Mosquito on equal terms, given its speed, manoeuvrability and firepower,
but it never played a significant role in the war because the industry failed to
make it available in sufficient numbers.

Specifications (He 219 A-7)

General characteristics
Crew: 2
Length: 15.5 m (51 ft 0 in)
Wingspan: 18.5 m (60 ft 8 in)
Height: 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
Wing area: 44.4 m² (478 ft²)
Max. takeoff weight: 13,580 kg (29,900 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Daimler-Benz DB 603E liquid-cooled inverted V12 engine, 1,800 PS
(1,324 kW) each
Propellers: VDM three blade constant speed airscrew

Performance
Maximum speed: 616 km/h (333 kn, 385 mph)
Range: 1,540 km (831 nmi, 960 mi)
Ferry range: 2,148 km (1,160 nmi, 1,335 mi)
Service ceiling: 9,300 m (30,500 ft)

Armament

Guns:
2 × 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons in a detachable fairing under the fuselage, 300 rpg
2 × 20 mm MG 151/20s in wing roots, 300 rpg
2 × 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannons, Schräge Musik (oriented 65° above
horizontal), 100 rpg




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