Heinkel He 115

The Heinkel He 115 was German sea plane used by the Luftwaffe during world War II. It was designed in late 1936, flying for the first time in August 1937. It entered service late that year. At the beginning of the war, it performed the role of torpedo-bomber aircraft. However, by late 1941, its production had been phased out, with a total of 140 He 115s having been built. From then on, it would become a general purpose plane, carrying out reconnaissance missions on coastal areas of the Baltic and the North Sea, and the English Channel.

It also operated from German bases in Norway, taking part in the destruction of  several British merchant vessels in the North Sea. It also attacked and destroyed supply ships heading for the Soviet Union with weapons and ammunition. Although it looked rather antiquated, it proved to be a reliable and versatile aircraft both in the air and on the water. The Heinkel Flugzeugwerke had done a good a work. Being able to fly a long distance without being resupplied with gasoline made of it an excellent reconnaissance plane. It was also used by the Swedish and Finish Air Force.

Technical Characteristics

The Heinkel He-115 was a two-engine, all-metal monoplane. It featured straight mid-wings, which were mounted slantingly in the middle of fuselage. Two long, large floats replaced the otherwise landing gear. Thus, it took off of water and landed on water entirely. The nose was made of transparent material for better observation. It was powered by two BMW 132-K, 9-cylinder, radial, air-cooled engines, which delivered 960 Hp.

Specifications

Type: Torpedo-Bomber

Crew: 3 men (pilot, observer, radio operator)

Length: 56 ft 9 in.

Wingspan: 73 ft

Height: 21 ft 7 in.

Maximum Speed: 180 miles per hour

Range: 1,750 miles.

Below, the Heinkel He 115 flying near the Norwegian coast.

The German seaplane in flight in the summer of 1942.