Heinkel He 51

The Heinkel He 51 was a German single-seat biplane fighter aircraft. A seaplane variant and a ground-attack version were also developed. It was a development of the earlier He 49.

Design and development

In 1931, Heinkel recruited the talented aircraft designers Walter and Siegfried Günter. Their first major design for Heinkel was the Heinkel He 49.<ref name="complete fightersp295">Green and Swanborough 1994, p. 295.</ref> While this was officially an advanced trainer,<ref name="mondey axis p80">Mondey 1996, p. 80.</ref> in fact it was a fighter.<ref name="complete fightersp295"/>

The type was ordered into production for the still secret Luftwaffe as the He 51, with the first pre-production aircraft flying in May 1933.<ref name="Donald Luftp96"/> Deliveries started in July of the next year.<ref name="Donald Luftp96"/>

The He 51 was a conventional single-bay biplane, with all-metal construction and fabric covering. It was powered by a glycol-cooled BMW VI engine, with an armament of two Template:Cvt machine guns mounted above the engine.Template:Cn

The He 51 was intended to replace the earlier Arado Ar 65, and served side-by-side with the slightly later Arado Ar 68. The He 51 was obsolete before it even entered service, and after an initial run of 150 production fighters,<ref name="complete fightersp295"/> production switched to the modified He 51B, of which approximately 450 were built,<ref name="complete fightersp295"/> including about 46 He 51B-2 floatplanes,<ref name="cadrep15">Green and Swanborough 1988, p. 15.</ref> along with a further 100 He 51C light ground-attack aircraft being built.<ref name="complete fightersp295"/>

Operational history

Heinkel He 51C flown by Adolf Galland in Spanish Civil War

On 6 August 1936, six He 51s were delivered to Spain to fight in the Spanish Civil War with the Nationalists.<ref name="hootonp121-122">Hooton 1994, pp. 121–122.</ref> Initial operations were successful, with the Heinkels defeating older, obsolete Spanish Republican Air Force fighters on 18 August 1936, the first day of operations.<ref name="cadre p20">Green and Swanborough 1988, p. 20.</ref> Deliveries continued, and by November two Nationalist squadrons were equipped with the type, along with three Legion Condor squadrons of 12 aircraft each, manned by German "volunteers".<ref name="cadre p20"/>

This time of superiority was short lived, with the arrival of large numbers of more modern aircraft from the Soviet Union, including the Polikarpov I-15 biplane and the new Polikarpov I-16 monoplane,<ref name="hootonp125">Hooton 1994, p. 125.</ref> together with the Tupolev SB bomber, which was Template:Cvt faster.<ref name="hootonp127">Hooton 1994, p. 127.</ref> The He 51 proved unable to protect the Legion CondorTemplate:'s bombers, forcing it to switch to night operations,<ref name="hootenp126">Hooton 1994, p. 126.</ref> while also unable to intercept the much faster SBs.<ref name="hootonp127"/> The He 51 was soon withdrawn from fighter duty and relegated to the ground-attack role by both the Legion Condor and the Nationalists.<ref name="hootonp127"/><ref name="cadre p21">Green and Swanborough 1988, p. 21.</ref> It was replaced in the fighter role by the Fiat CR.32 in the Fascist Nationalist Air Force, with the Legion Condor receiving Messerschmitt Bf 109s from April 1937.<ref name="Cadrep21-22">Green and Swanborough 1988, pp. 21–22.</ref>

While its success as a fighter was short lived, the Heinkel proved more successful as a ground-attack aircraft, being used by Wolfram von Richthofen to develop the close air support tactics used by the Luftwaffe in World War II.<ref name="cadrep23">Green and Swanborough 1988, p. 23.</ref> It continued in use as such for the remainder of the Civil War, although losses were heavy. After the war, the 46 surviving aircraft would be joined by another 15 newly built airframes, and remain in service in Spain until 1952.Template:Cn

The He 51 lasted in front-line service with the Luftwaffe until 1938, when it was relegated to use as an advanced trainer duties with the JagdfliegerschulenTemplate:Sfn for the first few years of World War II.<ref name="Monday axisp81">Mondey 1996, p. 81.</ref>

Variants

He 51B-2 in flight

He 51a

Prototype, with new vertical tail, revised wings and undercarriage, new radiator compared to the He 49.<ref name="Cadrep14">Green and Swanborough 1988, p.14.</ref>

He 51A-0

Pre-production aircraft; 9 built.<ref name="Cadrep14"/>

He 51A-1

Initial production version; 150 built.

He 51B-0

Strengthened pre-production aircraft; 12 built.

He 51B-1

Production version of B-0; 450 built.

He 51B-2

Floatplane fighter and reconnaissance version; 46 built.

He 51B-3

High-altitude version.

He 51C-1

Ground-attack version; 100 built, 79 sent to Spain to equip the Legion Condor and Nationalist air force.

He 51C-2

C-1 with revised radio equipment and other improvements; 21 built.

He 52

High altitude version; one prototype built.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

A.1

Spanish Air Force designation for the He 51B-1.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Operators

Bulgarian Heinkel He-51B

Template:BUL

• Bulgarian Air Force - Acquired 12 He 51s.<ref name="Cadrep17">Green and Swanborough 1988, p. 17.</ref>

Template:Flag

• Luftwaffe

Template:Flag

• Spanish Air Force

References

Bibliography

• Donald, David, ed. Warplanes of the Luftwaffe. London: Aerospace, 1994. Template:ISBN.
• Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "The Cadre Creator ... Heinkel's Last Fighting Biplane". Air Enthusiast No. 36, May–August 1988, pp. 11–24. ISSN 0143-5450.
• Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. The Complete Book of Fighters. New York: Smithmark, 1994. Template:ISBN.
• Hooton, E.R. Phoenix Triumphant: The Rise and Rise of the Luftwaffe. London: Arms & Armour Press, 1994. Template:ISBN.
• Mondey, David. The Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor, 1996. Template:ISBN.
• Template:Cite book

• Taylor, John W.R. "Heinkel He 51". Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the Present. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. Template:ISBN.

External links

• Heinkel He51 – First Fighter of the Reborn Luftwaffe
• Pilotfriend – Heinkel He 49 He 51
• German group rebuilding a Heinkel He 51