Heinkel He 219 Uhu

The Heinkel He 219, Uhu, was a WW2, German night-fighter, which was in service with the Luftwaffe from June 5, 1943, to April 1945. The first prototype, the V1, had performed its first test flight on November 15, 1942. The first problem detected on its maiden flight was poor yaw/roll stability, which had been fixed on the third prototype aircraft. The Uhu was produced in several versions, with the He 219A-5 being the major production variant.

The Heinkel He 219 flew its first combat mission on the night of June 11/12, 1943. This early variant, the He 219A-0, was piloted by Major Werner Streib. This first combat sortie turned out to be an epic, for the Uhu shot down five RAF heavy bombers. Over the next ten days, this early stage German fighter was able to shoot down twenty more British bombers, which included six 'Mosquitoes'.

Technical Characteristics

The Heinkel He 219 was a two-seat, two-engine monoplane. It had shoulder-high wing, with straight leading edge and curving trailing edge. It featured a pressurized cockpit and tandem two seats. It had short nose and an all-metal fuselage. The tail was fitted with twin fins. Its landing gear was the tricycle type.

The Uhu was equipped with a FuG-220 Lichtenstein SN-2 radar, with antennas set up on the nose. The aircraft was powered by two Daimler-Benz DB 603E, 12-cylinder engines, with an output of 1,800 HP each.

Armament

The Heinkel He 219A-5 and A-7 versions were equipped with an impressive array of weapons, which made of it a lethal flying machine. It had two 20mm MG-151 cannons located in ventral tray; two 20mm MG-151 cannons mounted in wingroots; and two 30mm Mk-108 guns.

Specifications

Type: night fighter

Length: 16.34 m (53 ft, 7 in)

Wingspan: 18.50 m (60 ft, 8 in)

Wing Area: 44.50 square meters (478.99 sq. ft.)

Height: 4.10 m (13 ft, 5 in)

Weight: 8,345 kg (empty)

Maximum Speed: 585 km/h (363 mph)

Range: 1,850 km (1,150 miles)

Crew: two

Below, the Heinkel He 219A-2 in flight in late 1943.

The fifth prototype, V5, at an airbase in Germany, in January 1943.

Below, the He 219A-5 in England, in late 1945 after the war.