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Henschel Hs 130


High-Altitude Reconnaissance Aircraft Prototype


Nazi Germany | 1939



"The Henschel Hs 130 was a pre-World War 2 research and reconnaissance aircraft program that netted nothing more than prototypes before the fighting began."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Henschel Hs 130 High-Altitude Reconnaissance Aircraft Prototype.
2 x Daimler-Benz DB603B V-12 (inverted) liquid-cooled inline piston engines developing 1,730 horsepower each; 1 x Daimler-Benz DB605T V-12 (inverted) liquid-cooled inline piston engine developing 1,455 horsepower.
Propulsion
379 mph
610 kph | 329 kts
Max Speed
49,541 ft
15,100 m | 9 miles
Service Ceiling
1,864 miles
3,000 km | 1,620 nm
Operational Range
Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Henschel Hs 130 High-Altitude Reconnaissance Aircraft Prototype.
3
(MANNED)
Crew
72.2 ft
22.00 m
O/A Length
108.3 ft
(33.00 m)
O/A Width
18.4 ft
(5.60 m)
O/A Height
26,896 lb
(12,200 kg)
Empty Weight
39,981 lb
(18,135 kg)
MTOW
Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Henschel Hs 130 High-Altitude Reconnaissance Aircraft Prototype .
None. Data-collecting or reconnaissance-minded systems to be carried.
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Henschel Hs 130 family line.
Hs 130 - Base Series Designation.
Hs 130A - Three prototypes with first appearing in May 1940.
Hs 130A-0 - Five pre-production examples of 1941; DB601R engines fitted.
Hs 130A-0/U6 - Model of 1943; increased wingspan; DB605B engines; NO power-booster; fuel drop tanks for increased range.
Hs 130B - Proposed mark with internal bomb bay taking place of reconnaissance bay.
Hs 130C - "Bomber B" project form (proposed); reduced wingspan; remote-controlled defensive-minded armament scheme; proposed bomb load up to 8,800lb.
Hs 130E - Revised Hs 130A design; DB605T installed as third engine for supercharger power; lengthened nose to redirect center-of-gravity; underwing fuel tank support; three examples completed.
Hs 130E V1 - E-model prototype of September 1942.
Hs 130E V2 - E-model prototype of November 1942.
Hs 130E-0 - Pre-production E-model forms; seven examples ordered; first-flight in May 1943.
Hs 130E-1 - E-model production form; 100 units ordered; remote-controlled defensive armament scheme; underwing bomb support; order cancelled.
Hs 130F - Proposed production form rectifying E-model issues with the HZ-Anlage supercharger system (using 4 x supercharged BMW801 engines instead).
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/16/2020 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The Henschel concern attempted to interest the Luftwaffe in many of its aircraft projects in the period leading up to, and during, World War 2 (1939-1945). One pre-war initiative became the "Hs 130", a pencil-thin, twin-engine offering which was proposed as a high-altitude performer utilizing a conventional arrangement. However, the design was plagued with issues throughout its developmental life, resulting in only prototypes and pre-series aircraft seeing the light of day. The series recorded a first-flight on April 11th, 1939.

The Hs 130 was born from work conducted on the earlier "Hs 128" experimental prototype - two being built to the standard. These were completed as Hs 128 V1 and V-2 and were flow in 1939 and 1940, respectively, as strictly research / data-collecting platforms intended to test the viability of various aircraft internal systems, structural components, and engine technologies. The initial pair of prototypes differed in powerplant selection with the first being outfitted with the Daimler-Benz DB601 and the second powered by the Junkers Jumo 210 - both being liquid-cooled inline piston engines.

From this work, Luftwaffe authorities became interested in the concept of an all-modern long-range, high-altitude, high-performance reconnaissance platform and encouraged the company to continue developing its Hs 128 - though now evolved under the "Hs 130" designation. Three prototypes were then built to a new standard and operated as "Hs 130A" - the first going airborne on May 23rd, 1940. The design continued to show potential for the required role so this led to a follow-on order for five pre-series aircraft to be built under the "Hs 130A-0" designation - to be powered by the DB601R engine. The first of the lot was made available in 1941.

Under evaluation, the Hs 130A-0 models showcased limitations in both performance and their temperamental engine configurations forcing the development team back to the drawing board. This led to a pair of A-0 models being reworked to become the "Hs 130A-0/U6" offshoot which included the introduction of Hirth-branded superchargers, power-boosted engines, external fuel tanks, and a lengthening of the wing mainplanes. In this guise, the Hs 130 was tested during November of 1943 but, again, Luftwaffe authorities were not convinced on the designs performance and reliability.

Nevertheless, the program continued on an evolutionary path and engineers returned with the proposed "Hs 130B" model intended to represent more of a "fast-bomber" platform than the original reconnaissance type. The aircraft had a completely reworked internal bay, removing all photographic-reconnaissance equipment, to make room for a useful bomb load. However, this model was not furthered into physical form but did lead the way to the "Hs 130C" model offering.

Unlike the original A-model, the C-model reduced the wingspan and added remote-controlled armament for point self-defense while power was from twin BMW 801 air-cooled radial engines. The first two prototypes - Hs 130C V-1 and Hs 130C V2 - were completed in this fashion while the third, Hs 130C V-3, switched to DB603A inlines. This model series appears to have gone nowhere as well.

The "Hs 130D" was yet another proposed form and intended to carry DB605 series inline engines along with a two-stage supercharger - though it fell to naught. The "Hs 130E" followed and used the Honen Zentrale-Anlage supercharger arrangement on a third engine, a DB605T, buried within the fuselage - this engine being used solely to drive the powerful supercharger and did not add to performance in a traditional sense. From this work emerged three E-model prototypes made up initially of Hs 130E V-1 and V-2 - the first flying in September of 1942. V-2 was lost to an engine fire which necessitated construction of Hs 130E V-3.

The Hs 130E-0 carried a crew of three and had a running length of 72.1 feet, a wingspan of 108.3 feet, and a height of 18.3 feet. Empty weight was 27,000lb with a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) reaching40,000lb. Power was from 2 x Daimler-Benz DB603B engines outputting 1,730 horsepower and 1 x Daimler-Benz DB605T outputting an additional 1,455 horsepower for the supercharger. The twin engines at the wings drove four-bladed propeller units.

As tested, performance specs of the Hs 130E-0 included a maximum speed of 380 miles-per-hour with a cruising speed near 320 mph. Range was out to 1,860 miles and the service ceiling reached nearly 50,000 feet.

Again, pre-series aircraft were ordered for further testing, these under the "Hs 130E-0" designation, and the first of this lot flew during September of 1943 followed by an order for 100 "Hs 130E-1" operational forms. However, continued issues with the superchargers led to cancellation of this order and further work on the troublesome system was intended to be had through the proposed "Hs 130F" but this entry also fell to naught - bringing about an abrupt end to the Henschel fast-reconnaissance / fast-bomber aircraft in full.

Its contribution as a warplane in World War 2 are left to the imagination for, by 1943, Germany was fully entrenched in a years-long bloody war across Europe along multiple fronts and resources were spread thin. The focus of German aero-industry remained on fighters and various attacker types intended to thwart the Allied bombing campaign and ground advance and these platforms eventually doubled in the reconnaissance role when needed while thought turned to the future of flight - headlined by the turbojet engine.

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Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Henschel Hs 130. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 18 Units

Contractor(s): Henschel - Nazi Germany
National flag of modern Germany National flag of Nazi Germany

[ Nazi Germany (cancelled) ]
1 / 1
Image of the Henschel Hs 130
Image from the Public Domain; Hs 130E pictured.

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