The Henschel Hs 126 was a light, reconnaissance aircraft employed by the Luftwaffe in the 1930s and during the first years of World War II. It was developed from the Hs 122, flying for the first time in 1936. It saw combat action for the first time at the end of 1938, during the Spanish Civil War, as part of the Condor Legion.
Below, the practical and efficient aircraft of the Luftwaffe in Spain.
During the armed conflict in Spain, the Henschel Hs 126 carried out combat duties as a fighter. However, when WW2 broke out, it would be used as a reconnaissance aircraft because faster and more maneuverable aircraft had been developed by that time. Nevertheless, it would also be employed to perform ground-attack missions when the need arose. By 1942, it had been phased out as it had been relegated as a trainer.
Technical Features
The Henschel Hs 126 was a two-seat, single-engine monoplane. It was equipped with straight, braced wings (set up over the fuselage). They were propped up by four struts. The fuselage was stressed skin monocoque. It was powered by one BMW Bramo, 9-cylinder, radial engine that put out 850 HP. As armament, it was equipped with one fixed, forward-firing 7.92mm machine gun, and another 7.92mm set up on a flexible mount.
Specifications
Type: Reconnaissance
Length: 35 ft 7 in (10.85 m)
Wingspan: 47 ft 6 in (14.5 m)
Height: 12 ft 3 in (3.7 m)
Maximum Speed: 217 miles per hour
Range: 445 miles
Below, the Henschel Hs 126 flying in the skies over Poland in late September 1939.
A squadron of Henschel Hs 126 on the Eastern Front in 1941.
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