Henschel Hs 129
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Dénes Bernád Colour illustrations by Krzysztof Wołowski Henschel Hs 129 SAMPLE Published in Poland in 2010 by STRATUS s.c. Po. Box 123, Table of contents 27-600 Sandomierz 1, Poland e-mail: [email protected] for Mushroom Model Publications, The Circuitous Birth of a Schlachtflugzeug ........................................... 3 3 Gloucester Close, Petersfield, Prototypes and Initial Production ......................................................... 7 Hampshire GU32 3AX, UK. The new sub-type, called ‘Berta’ .......................................................... 15 e-mail: [email protected] © 2010 Mushroom Model B-2, the Mainstay Sub-Version ............................................................. 25 Publications. Various Trials ........................................................................................ 37 http://www.mmpbooks.biz The Tremendous Final Sub-Version: B-3 ............................................. 41 All rights reserved. Apart from any Planned Developments ......................................................................... 47 fair dealing for the purpose of private The Sudden End of Henschel’s Schlachtflugzeug ................................. 48 study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, In Combat with the Luftwaffe ............................................................. 49 Design and Patents Act, 1988, no part Directions for use the ground attack aircraft, based on experience ..... 52 of this publication may be repro- First Missions ..................................................................................... 53 duced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any Brief African Episode ......................................................................... 62 means, electronic, electrical, chemical, Back to the East .................................................................................. 69 mechanical, optical, photocopying, Hs 129 in Operation ‘Zitadelle’ .......................................................... 76 recording or otherwise, without prior written permission. All enquiries Restructuring ...................................................................................... 80 should be addressed to the publisher. The Last Twelve Months .................................................................... 86 Nearing the End .................................................................................... 93 ISBN Detailed Specifications of the Hs 129 B-0/B-1/B-2 .............................. 96 978-83-89450-46-3 Henschel Hs 129 Production List (Reconstruction) ............................ 99 Details ................................................................................................. 101 Editor in chief Colour Profiles .................................................................................... 129 Roger Wallsgrove Editorial Team Bartłomiej Belcarz Artur Juszczak James Kightly Robert Pęczkowski DTP Photo credits: Artur Juszczak Dan Antoniu, Dénes Bernád, Răzvan Bujor, James Crow, Hans-Peter Colour Drawings Dabrowski, Carl-Fredrik Geust, Manfred Griehl, Dmitry Grinyuk, Christian Krzysztof Wołowski Möller, Heinz Nowarra (deceased), Martin Pegg, Peter Petrick, Willy Radinger, Scale Plans Martin Rosenkranz, Jiří Sehnal, David Williams, László Winkler (deceased) Dariusz Karnas Acknowledgements: Printed by: The author would like to acknowledge the invaluable assistance of the Drukarnia Diecezjalna, following individuals (in alphabetical order): Mihai Andrei, Valeriu Avram, ul. Żeromskiego 4, Miroslav Bíly, Răzvan Bujor, Lutz Budraß, Sven Carlsen, Carl Charles, Ernest 27-600 Sandomierz tel. (15) 832 31 92; Chefneux (deceased), James Crow, Constantin Georgescu (deceased), Carl- fax (15) 832 77 87 Fredrik Geust, Manfred Griehl, Dmitry Grinyuk, Bjørn Hafsten, Rainer Hauf- www.wds.pl [email protected] schild, Tony Jones, Dmitry Karlenko, Cornel Marandiuc, Lazăr Munteanu PRINTED IN POLAND (deceased), Corneliu Năstase, Günther Ott, Martin Pegg, James Perry, Peter SAMPLEPetrick, György Punka, Jean-Louis Roba, Matti Salonen, Gyula Sárhidai, Gerhard Stemmer, Ion Ţarălungă (deceased), Ferenc-Antal Vajda, Titus-Liviu Vancea (deceased), László Winkler (deceased). The Circuitous Birth of a Schlachtflugzeug Recognising early on the importance of the close-support aircraft concept – which had been confirmed by experience gained in the opening stage of the Spanish Civil War by the expeditionary Legion Condor – the Technisches Amt (Technical Bureau, LC or C-Amt) of the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM, Reich’s Air Ministry), issued a specification in April 1937, called at that time Erdkampfflugzeug (ground battle aircraft). The directive called for a small, twin-engine aircraft, armed with a combination of 20 mm cannon and heavy machine guns, which also had to be capable of delivering a bomb load. The suggested, but not mandatory, powerplant was the pre-production Argus As 410 A-0. Since it was assumed that this new type of aircraft would operate at low level over the battlefield, in areas where air supremacy had already been achieved, no rear defence armament was clearly requested. However, proper armour protection for the pilot and engines from ground fire was considered crucial. Due to its intended role as close support and ground attack, the type was anticipated from the very beginning to operate from improvised airfields, close to the front line. Therefore, ruggedness and simplicity of the airframe construction, as well as easy maintenance and serviceability, were paramount. No other requirements were formulated, the assigned companies being given a free hand to finalise the details. The tender was issued to the following aircraft manufacturers: Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau G.m.b.H., Gothaer Waggonfabrik A.G., Hamburger Flugzeugbau G.m.b.H. and Henschel Flugzeug-Werke A.G. By 1 October 1937 – the deadline set up by the C-Amt – Gotha had not submitted any proposals (although the project was initialised under the P.20 name, a design that featured 3 MGs and 2 cannon and to be powered by two Argus As 10c engines). Focke-Wulf and Hamburger Flugzeugbau (which emerged as Abteilung Flugzeugbau der Schiffswerft Blohm & Voss during 1938) offered modified versions of their ongoing reconnaissance aircraft projects, the Fw 189 and Ha 141, respectively. One of the three contenders for the RLM’s Schlachtflugzeug (assault aircraft) tender issued in April 1937 was the Hamburg Ha 141 (later changed to Bv 141). Due to its unconventional design, featuring an asymmetrical configuration,SAMPLE it was considered an outsider from the very beginning. Depicted is the Bv 141 V-4, W. Nr. 360, registered D-OLLE, being readied by factory crew members for a test flight. 3 Henschel Hs 129 Henschel Hs 129 A-0 SAMPLE 9 In Combat with the Luftwaffe By early 1942, the Henschel Hs 129 had been thoroughly tested at various E-Stellen (Test Centres), in diverse flight circumstances and with a large variety of weapons. Therefore the RLM decided it was time to try it in the condition it was always meant for, in combat, in the actual frontline environment and against real targets. The first Luftwaffe combat unit selected to be partially equipped with the Hs 129 B was a newly established specialized unit, Schlachtgeschwader 1 (Sch.G. 1), established on 13 January 1942. However, initially it was only the IInd Gruppe that received the Henschel 129 as standard equipment. This Gruppe formed at Lippstadt and was equipped with Hs 129 B-0s and B-1s during the following few months. Hauptmann Paul-Friedrich Darjes was appointed as Gruppenkommandeur (Group Leader), while command of the three squadrons was assigned to experienced Schlachtfliegern (ground attack flyers), including the Ritterkreuzträger (Knight’s Cross Holder) Oberleutnant Bruno Meyer. The Ist Gruppe continued to operate the older Hs 123s and Bf 109Es, until more Hs 129 Bs became available. In April 1942, at Lippstadt, the two additional ‘extra’ squadrons, Nos. 4 and 8, also replaced their Bf 109Es and Hs 123s with Hs 129 Bs. All aircraft received the standard black green (RLM 70), dark green (RLM 71), over light blue (RLM 65) Luftwaffe camouflage scheme. No two-character unit code (Verbandskennzeichen) was assigned to Sch.G. 1. Each aircraft received coloured individual letters, usually painted on the fuselage, ahead of the Balkenkreuz. The markings were completed by a white outlined black triangle, placed aft of the Balkenkreuz, denoting that it belonged to a Schlachtverband (ground attack unit). A white stencilled Wehrmacht infantry assault badge was occasionally painted on the black flat nose panel in front of the windshield. Usually, the individual letter The sheet metal covers of the Mk 103 underbelly cannon were often removed in field conditions, as seen on this photo depicting an Hs 129 B-2 on Stalino airfield. SAMPLE 49 Henschel Hs 129 A derelict Hs 129, Red B, provides background for a US Army propaganda film unit, capturing the devastation on the African theatre of war. (both total losses), five in March (four total losses), two in April (both total losses) and a final total loss in May. In April, the Axis resistance in Africa diminished and came to a de facto halt by the end of the month. Among the first Luftwaffe units ordered to withdraw to Italy were the Schlachtflieger. On April 20, the first elements of 8./Sch.G. 2 took off towards Sicily. By early May, the withdrawal was completed, not before a final combat loss occurring. On 5 May, the Henschel piloted by Flieger