Henschel Hs 129

Nazi Germany (1942)

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The Henschel Hs 129 fulfilled the all-important role of close-support strike aircraft for the German Luftwaffe during World War 2.

Detailing the development and operational history of the Henschel Hs 129 Close-Support / Anti-Tank Ground Attack Aircraft. Entry last updated on 6/7/2018. Authored by Staff Writer. Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com

The Henschel Hs 129 fighter-bomber was built to a 1937 German specification for a twin-engine close-support aircraft with considerable armor protection for pilot and crew and the ability to field twin 20mm cannons at least. The resulting competition left a Focke-Wulf design (the Fw 189C) and the Henschel Hs 129 design as finalists with the nod going to the Henschel firm.

The Hs 129 was by far a perfect aircraft for close-support duty. It was relatively underpowered - even with the twin Gnome-Rhone radial engines - and the cockpit small enough to cram just one person. Visibility was reported to be far from superior though something about the overall design likened the Reichsluftahrtministerium to it. Armament consisted of two nose-mounted MG FF 20mm cannons and two MG 17 7.92mm machine guns. The Hs 129V-1 prototypes gave birth to ten Hs 129B-0 developmental models which, in turn, produced the initial Hs 129B-1 production series. The Hs 129 was immediately fielded to the Eastern Front to take on the divisions of Russian armor in force.

By 1942, the Hs 129B-2 came about as a need to "up-gun" the existing Hs 129B-1 production models. The B-2 became a series that varied in armament provisions that would include the R1, which was fielded with 2 x 20mm cannons and 2 x 13mm machine guns, and the R3 which removed the machine guns in favor of a larger caliber 37mm gun along with the standard twin 20mm cannons. The B-3 model series would produce 25 or so with the larger 75mm gun system and would become the final production Hs 129 systems in service.

The Hs 129 was fielded in the East against the might of the Soviet Union by design, though later they were consequently fielded throughout North Africa and Europe (post D-Day) by necessity. By all accounts, performance results of the system proved sublime, with the Hs 129 accounting for the destruction of hundreds of Soviet tanks, particularly at the Battle of Kursk in 1943. The Hs 129 proved to be a viable asset in the close-support role, capable of engaging even the most stubborn of Allied armor with an array of cannons, machine guns and bombs.

Picture of the Henschel Hs 129 Close-Support / Anti-Tank Ground Attack Aircraft

Any available statistics for the Henschel Hs 129 Close-Support / Anti-Tank Ground Attack Aircraft are showcased in the areas immediately below. Categories include basic specifications covering country-of-origin, operational status, manufacture(s) and total quantitative production. Other qualities showcased are related to structural values (namely dimensions), installed power and standard day performance figures, installed or proposed armament and mission equipment (if any), global users (from A-to-Z) and series model variants (if any).

General Assessment (BETA)

Firepower

Performance

Survivability

Versatility

Impact

Rating: 72 (of 100)
The rating is an internal assessment derived from forty factors pertaining to this entry.

Relative Maximum Speed Rating

Hi: 300mph

Lo: 150mph

This entry's maximum listed speed (253mph).

Graph average of 225 miles-per-hour.

Relative Operational Ranges

NYC

LON

PAR

BER

MOS

TOK

SYD

LAX

NYC

Graph showcases the Henschel Hs 129B-1/R2's operational range (on internal fuel) when compared to distances between major cities.

Aviation Era Impact

Useful in showcasing the era cross-over of particular aircraft/aerospace designs.

Unit Production Comparison

Comm. Market HI*: 44,000 units

Military Market HI**: 36,183 units

865

* Commercial Market High belongs to Cessna 172.

** Military Market High belongs to Ilyushin Il-2.

Altitude Visualization

Compare this entry against other aircraft using our Comparison Tool

Supported Mission Types:

Air-to-Air

Interception

Unmanned

Ground Attack

Close-Air Support

Training

Anti-Submarine

Anti-Ship

Airborne Early Warning

MEDEVAC

Electronic Warfare

Maritime/Navy

Aerial Tanker

Utility/Transport

Passenger Industry

VIP Travel

Business Travel

Search/Rescue

Recon/Scouting

Special Forces

X-Plane/Development

National Origin: Nazi Germany

Service Year: 1942

Classification Type: Close-Support / Anti-Tank Ground Attack Aircraft

Manufacturer(s): Henschel - Germany

Production Units: 865

Operational Status: Retired, Out-of-Service

Global Operators:
Hungary; Nazi Germany; Romania

Structural - Crew, Dimensions, and Weights:
Unless otherwise noted the presented statistics below pertain to the Henschel Hs 129B-1/R2 model. Common measurements, and their respective conversions, are shown when possible.

Operational
CREW

Personnel
1

Dimension
LENGTH

Feet
31.99 ft

Meters
9.75 m

Dimension
WIDTH

Feet
46.59 ft

Meters
14.2 m

Dimension
HEIGHT

Feet
10.66 ft

Meters
3.25 m

Weight
EMPTY

Pounds
8,400 lb

Kilograms
3,810 kg

Weight
LOADED

Pounds
11,266 lb

Kilograms
5,110 kg

Installed Power - Standard Day Performance:
2 x Gnome-Rhone 14M-4/5 14-cylinder radial engines developing 700 horsepower each driving three-bladed propeller units.

Performance
SPEED

Miles-per-Hour
253 mph

Kilometers-per-Hour
407 kph

Knots
220 kts

Performance
RANGE

Miles
429 mi

Kilometers
690 km

Nautical Miles
373 nm

Performance
CEILING

Feet
29,528 ft

Meters
9,000 m

Miles
5.59 mi

Performance
CLIMB RATE

Feet-per-Minute
1,595 ft/min

Meters-per-Minute
486 m/min

Armament - Hardpoints (8):

STANDARD:
2 x 20mm MG 151/20 cannons
2 x 13mm MG 131 machine guns

OPTIONAL:
Up to 900lb of conventional drop ordnance OR 1 x 30mm MK 191 gun pod.

Visual Armory:

Graphical image of an aircraft medium machine gun

Graphical image of an aircrat automatic cannon

Graphical image of an aircraft machine gun pod

Graphical image of an aircraft conventional drop bomb munition

Variants: Series Model Variants
• Hs 129V-1 - Prototype Model
• Hs 129B-0 - Developmental Model; fitted with 2 x 20mm MG 151/20 cannons and 2 x 7.92mm MG 17 machine guns; ten such models produced.
• Hs 192B-1 - Initial Production Model
• Hs 129B-2
• Hs 129B-2/R1 - Fitted with 2 x 20mm cannons and 2 x 13mm machine guns.
• Hs 129B-2/R3 - Fitted with 2 x 20mm cannons amd 1 x 37mm BK 3.7 cannon.
• Hs 129B-3 - Final Production Variant Model; 25 such models produced; fitted with electro-pneumatic 75mm BK cannon.
• Hs 129C - Proposed improved form; never completed nor produced.

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