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Germany's Henschel Hs 126 reconnaissance1,2,3
Henschel Hs 126 reconnaissance, towing a glider:
Henschel Hs 126 reconnaissance:
Henschel Hs 126 reconnaissance:
Henschel Hs 126 reconnaissance:
Henschel Hs 126 reconnaissance:
Design
The Henschel Hs 126 was based on the Henschel Hs 122.1
Wings
The high lift parasol wing was designed by Friedrich Nicolaus and this allowed the Hs 126 to use short and rough landing strips.1,3
Cockpit
Access was via a ladder on the side.1
The rear of the cockpit was open to the elements.1 The gunner/observer had a handheld camera and also operated a Zeiss Rb topographic camera that was located in a bay behind him.1 The canopy had deflector panels to shield the gunner's gun from the slipstream.1
Undercarriage
The wheels had long struts which gave it a none high appearance on the ground.1 To reduce drag, spats were sometimes fitted.1
Engine
Initially the plan was for the Hs 126 to be fitted with the Bramo Fafnir but with delivery problems it started out being fitted with a BMW 132Dc.3 The Hs 126B-1 was fitted with the Bramo Fafnir as deliveries improved.3
Prototype
The Hs 126V1 prototype first flew in the autumn of 1936 (August 19363).1,2
Production
Production of the Hs 126 ended in January 1941 as it was replaced by the Focke-Wulf 189.1 Around 800 were produced.2
- Prototypes: 33
- Hs 126A-0: 102,3
- Hs 126A and Hs 126B: 7903
- Total: 8033
Variants
- Hs 126V1: Powered by a Junkers Jumo 210C inline V 12 (600 HP).2,3
- Hs 126V2: New vertical tail.2 Had Bramo Fafnir 323 radial engine (850 HP).2,3
- Hs 126V3: New vertical tail.2 Had Bramo Fafnir 323 radial engine (850 HP).2,3
- Hs 126A-0: Service test variant.2
- Hs 126A-1: Had a BMW 132Dc Radial engine (880 HP).1,2,3
- Hs 126B-1: Production version.2
Usage
Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Greece (16 Hs 126A-1), and Spain used the Hs 126.3
The Hs 126 was sometimes used to bomb and strafe.1
Spain
In 1938 six were delivered to the Condor Legion in the Aufklarungsgruppe 88.1,2,3 Five of these survived to be turned over to Spain.3
Luftwaffe
The Luftwaffe first received Hs 126s in the spring of 1938 into the Aufklarungsgruppe 35.1,2
Invasion of Poland
The Hs 126 supplied 13 squadrons in the invasion of Poland.1
Invasion of Russia
In June 1941, there were 48 Staffeln that had Hs 126B-1s.1,2
North Africa
There was on squadron of Hs 126s used in North Africa.1
Gliders
From 1942 the Hs 126 was withdrawn from front line service and used to tow gliders.1 They were also used in anti-partisan duties in the Balkans.3
Nighttime
In mid 1942 some special night units that specialized in close support operations were equipped with the Hs 126.1 These were the Nachtschlachtgruppen.2
| Henschel Hs 1263 | Henschel Hs 126A-13 | Henschel Hs 126B3 | Henschel Hs 126B-11,2,3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Reconnaissance3 | Reconnaissance1,2 | ||
| Crew | 23 | 21,2 Pilot, gunner/observer1 |
||
| Engine (Type) | BMW 132Dc3 | Bramo Fafnir 323A-1/Q-13 | Bramo 323A-2 piston2 BMW Bramo Fafnir 3231 |
|
| OR | Bramo Fafnir 323A-2/Q-23 | |||
| Cylinders | Radial 93 | Radial 93 | Radial2 Radial 91 |
|
| Cooling | Air1 | |||
| Net HP | 8803 | A-1: 8503 A-2: 9003 |
9001,2 | |
| Propeller blades | 33 | 33 | 31,2 | |
| Dimensions | ||||
| Span | 47' 6.75"3 14.5 m3 |
46' 6.75"2, 47' 7"1 14.5 m1,2 |
||
| Length | 35' 7"3 10.85 m3 |
35' 7"1,2 10.84 m2, 10.85 m1 |
||
| Height | 12' 3.5"3 3.75 m3 |
12' 3"1, 12' 3.5"2 3.73 m1, 3.74 m2 |
||
| Wing area | 340 ft2 1 , 340.14 ft2 2 31.59 m2 1, 31.6 m2 2 |
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| Weight | ||||
| Empty | 4,470 lb1, 4,475 lb2, 4,480 lb3 2,030 kg2, 2,032 kg3 |
|||
| Loaded | 7,209 lb1,2 3,270 kg1,2 |
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| Performance | ||||
| Speed at sea level | 193 mph3 310 kph3 |
|||
| Speed @ 9,845' / 3,000 m |
221 mph2 356 kph2 |
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| Speed @ 10,000' / 3,050 m |
220 mph1 354 kph1 |
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| Speed @ 13,120' / 4,000 m |
217 mph3 349 kph3 |
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| Cruising speed | 168 - 189 mph3 270 - 304 kph3 |
|||
| Endurance | 2' 15"1 | |||
| Climb to 1,968' / 600 m |
3.5 minutes1 | |||
| Climb to 13,120' / 4,000 m |
7.2 minutes3 | |||
| Climb to 13,125' / 4,000 m |
7.2 minutes2 | |||
| Service ceiling | 26,900'1, 27,000'2,3 8,200 m1, 8,230 m2,3 |
|||
| Range | 360 miles2, 534 miles3 560 km2, 860 km3 |
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| Armament | ||||
| Forward fuselage | 1: 7.9 mm3 | 1: 7.92 mm MG 171,2 | ||
| Rear cockpit | 1: 7.9 mm3 | 1: 7.92 mm MG 171,2 | ||
| Bombs | 10: 22 lb1 1: 110 lb1 10: 10 kg1 1: 50 kg1 331 lb2 150 kg2 |
|||
| Bombs - internal | 10: 22 lb3 10: 10 kg3 |
|||
| Bombs - external | 1: 110 lb3 1: 50 kg3 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
- Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
