Heinkel He 70

Heinkel He 70. The Heinkel He 70 was a revolutionary German monoplane designed in the early 1930s, renowned for its exceptional speed and elegant, streamlined design. It initially served as a fast mail plane for Deutsche Luft Hansa before being adapted for military roles with the nascent Luftwaffe. Its advanced aerodynamic features directly influenced the design of the more famous Heinkel He 111 medium bomber.

Design and development

The He 70 was conceived in response to a 1931 requirement from Deutsche Luft Hansa for a high-speed mail plane to outpace competing foreign designs. The Günter brothers, Siegfried and Walter Günter, created a remarkably clean airframe featuring an elliptical wing, a fully retractable undercarriage, and an enclosed cockpit for its two crew. Its initial powerplant was a liquid-cooled BMW VI V12 engine, which propelled it to speeds that rivaled contemporary fighter aircraft. The aircraft's construction utilized a metal framework covered with flush-riveted stressed skin, a technique that minimized drag and was a hallmark of advanced Heinkel designs. The success of this airframe later provided the foundational geometry for the Heinkel He 111, with Ernst Heinkel reportedly instructing his team to simply scale up the He 70.

Operational history

Entering service with Deutsche Luft Hansa in 1933, the He 70, nicknamed "Blitz" (Lightning), set numerous speed records on European routes, famously outpacing the French Air Force's Potez 25 biplanes. As Nazi Germany began its military expansion, the aircraft was swiftly evaluated for military applications. It was used as a reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber during the Spanish Civil War by the Condor Legion, where its speed initially provided immunity from Spanish Republican Air Force fighters like the Polikarpov I-15. However, by the outbreak of World War II, it was largely obsolete in frontline service, though it saw continued use as a high-speed courier and liaison aircraft. Some captured examples were also evaluated by the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Forces.

Variants

The primary civilian version was the He 70D for Deutsche Luft Hansa. The main military production models were the He 70F reconnaissance-bomber and the He 70G, which featured more powerful engines like the Daimler-Benz DB 600. A dedicated fighter version, the He 70A-0, was tested but not produced in quantity. The final significant variant was the He 170, built under license in the Kingdom of Hungary with a Gnome-Rhône radial engine for the Royal Hungarian Air Force. Development work also led directly to the Heinkel He 111 and influenced the Heinkel He 112 fighter.

Operators

The primary civil operator was Deutsche Luft Hansa. Militarily, it served with the Luftwaffe in various reconnaissance and liaison squadrons. The Royal Hungarian Air Force operated the licensed He 170 variant. During the Spanish Civil War, it was flown by the Condor Legion and, post-war, remained in service with the Spanish Air Force until the mid-1950s. A small number were also used by the Slovak Air Force.

Specifications (He 70F)

* **Crew:** 2 (pilot, observer/gunner) * **Length:** 11.7 m (38 ft 5 in) * **Wingspan:** 14.8 m (48 ft 7 in) * **Height:** 3.1 m (10 ft 2 in) * **Empty weight:** 2,360 kg (5,203 lb) * **Powerplant:** 1 × BMW VI V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine * **Maximum speed:** 360 km/h (220 mph) * **Range:** 1,100 km (680 mi) * **Service ceiling:** 5,400 m (17,700 ft) * **Armament:** 1 × rearward-firing 7.92 mm MG 15 machine gun, up to 300 kg (660 lb) of bombs

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1932 Category:German reconnaissance aircraft 1930–1939 Category:Heinkel aircraft