He100D!

[Krusty]

Background for those that don't know: It was developed as a competitor with the 109. First flight 1938. Performed better than the 109. Its V2 test/prototype plane set a world speed record for the 100km circuit. In 1939 set world speed record in a clipped wing version. What helped in the speed department was a surface evaporation system on the wings -- no draggy radiators. Production versions dropped this unreliable system for a single belly radiator. 6 Prototypes were sent to Russia, 3 to Japan. 12 of them formed a single unit in the LW. The unit was used in 1940 as a propoganda unit. Goebbels made it look to the world (the RAF specifically) like there was a new front line plane in the war. Politics (favortism for Messerschmitt) and pilots not liking the high wing loading.

All my book says is that He100D1 had a top speed of 416mph (670kmh), a ceiling of 36,000 feet, and a range of 560miles (900km).

Anybody know how it was armed? This might be cool for that "perk because it's rare, not because it's uber" category.

[sgtdeaux]

If we cant have the 4 engined AR234 or the B-29 or any other bomber aircraft that might make the game more fun for bomber pilots why should you get some abstract non-armed never saw combat fighter?

[Karnak]

The Japanese disliked it intensely.  I'd bet that the speed you are looking at is for an unarmed, unarmored prototype with cleaner lines than a fighter would be.  Very impressive speed even so.

[Bruno]

The Japanese disliked it intensely.

What's your source for this?

The three He 100D-0 preproduction aircraft were sold to Japan and were delivered there in May 1940. The Japanese were quite taken with the plane and did intent to manufacture it, but Heinkel failed to deliver the necessary jigs. According to Francillon, René J. (Dr.), Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War (Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1995. ISBN: 0-87021-313-X), pp.112-20

Some will claim that The He-100 was the inspiration behind the Ki-61 (others the 109) but the only engine (DB 601A) was 'copied' (Kawasaki Ha-40). There's no doubt that the looks of the Ki-61 resemble the He-100 and 109 (at least enough to keep some folks speculating).

Also, the He-112 was what was competing against the 109, and the 109 won that competition. With that failure Heinkel went back to the drawing board and came up with the He-100. The initial He-100 proto-type had issues as well. By this time the 109 was already a proven design. Six prototypes were eventually sold to the Soviet Union and three went to Japan (D-0s).  12 D-1s were  flown by Heinkel pilots to defend the Heinkel factories.

Along the way the He-100 did break some speed records but the radiator design proved problematic and the He-100 was redesigned with a more tradition radiator which increased drag and decreased top speed.

It would be a pointless adition to AH. Even the He-112, which saw limited service among various airforces, would be useless except if and when they decide to model planes of the Spanish Civil War.

EDIT:


He-100D-0s were armed with 2 x MG17 and 1 2cm MGFF.

[Angus]

Any pictures of the He 100 and 112?????

[Krusty]

Thank you Bruno. I didn't say it was a major player. In fact I'm going to suggest another "rare" plane in a second. I only suggested this because we need more perk planes that are perked only because they were rare, not because they out perform every other plane in the game

Angus hold on, will post one in a sec. I think it looks a lot better than the 109, personally.

Please click here for a 3-view plan-form of the He100D.

[Klum25th]

the nose looks kinda like a c202 or c205 to me. But it looks very cool.

[Karnak]

Bruno,

The wing loading was way, way higher than was acceptable to Japan at that time.  It could not operate in the dog fighting combat the Japanese trained for.


The Ki-61 was not inspired by either.  The lead engineer on that project considered liquid cooled engines to be superior, making him an anomoly in Japan, and so designed the Ki-61 around the liscense built Daimler Benz.


Why people think the Japanese only copied other nations stuff is beyond me.  Sometimes they did, and sometimes they did not.  They were still an emerging industrial nation at the time.  Nobody tries to find who the German's copied the Bf109 from or who the American's copied the P-51 from, but any good Japanese plane is looked at as "who did they get that from?" and it is silly.

[Bruno]

If you read what I said:

Some will claim that The He-100 was the inspiration behind the Ki-61 (others the 109) but the only engine (DB 601A) was 'copied' (Kawasaki Ha-40). There's no doubt that the looks of the Ki-61 resemble the He-100 and 109 (at least enough to keep some folks speculating).

I never said the Ki-61 was a Heinkel clone.

I also asked for the source of your claim:

The Japanese disliked it intensely.

According to Francillon the Japanese liked the aircraft and planned on building their own licensed version. I can post other sources to support Francillon if you like.

[Karnak]

I am at work, so it is just info from someplace that I read it and now remember it.  I could be mistaken, but that is how I recall it.

[KD303]

Why not get a HE 113 while we're at it? Even rarer