Henschel Hs 126

History of Henschel Hs 126

Air combat in the 20th century involved the active use of very light aircraft, as the type generally offered excellent short-range performance and was often inherently rugged. This allowed them to operate near contested fronts and provided the army with valuable observation or artillery leadership. The category developed significantly during World War II (1939-1945), culminating in several classic designs. During the pre-war period, the Luftwaffe invested in the Henschel Hs 126 for the role, and the series was officially launched in 1937 and produced until 1941.

Other operators of the design are Croatia, Estonia, Greece and Spain.

The Hs 126 was designed as a high-wing monoplane with struts, fixed undercarriage, and painted wheels. Two crew members sit side by side under a framed canopy, which usually provides excellent visibility (the rear position is open air). The fuselage is tubular and thicker than the 850 hp Bramo 323 series 9-cylinder radial piston engine that is mounted on the nose and drives a three-bladed propeller. When armed, the Hs 126 normally carries a pilot-operated fixed 7.92mm MG-17 machine gun and an observer-operated trainable 7.92mm MG-15 machine gun.

In addition, a modest bomb load of 330 pounds is also possible.

Performance includes a top speed of 220 mph, a range of up to 620 miles, and a service ceiling of 28,000 feet. This gives the aircraft good range and visibility on the horizon.

The high wing attachments aid in short-field combat, and the basic main gear strut layout gives them good rough performance.

In terms of design, Hs 126 was influenced by earlier Hs 122 products. As with other promising Luftwaffe designs of the late interwar period, a test form was prepared for the Hs 126 for evaluation by the Air Force Service. Three prototypes were completed, largely due to a lack of early counterparts, culminating in a ten-man pre-production order in 1937.

It entered service in 1938 and was used as part of the German "Condor Legion" contingent during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), where it (like other German weapons) was effectively tested in combat conditions.

In operations at the start of World War II, the Hs 126 provided excellent short-range reconnaissance performance (some used for direct fire operations when required). However, the series was eventually replaced by the more powerful Fieseler Fi 156 "Storch", which is described elsewhere on this site.

Although the Hs 126 lost front-line duties in 1942, it continued to fly for some time in secondary roles such as target tug and night light attacker.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes