Henschel Hs 129

1939

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Henschel Hs 129

The Hs 129 was designed solely for ground attack and first went into service on the Russian Front in 1942. The original Hs 129A was fitted with two Argus As 410A 12-cylinder inverted-Vee air-cooled engines driving Argus automatic controllable-pitch propellers. This was later superseded by the Hs 129B series with two French-built 492kW Gnome-Rhone 14M 04/05 radial engines driving Ratier propellers.

The Hs 129B-1 and B-2 were the major production variants, the latter fitted to carry a drop-tank. Some were equipped experimentally with the SG 113A recoilless gun installation: a battery of six 75mm smooth-bore tubes, each 1.6m long, mounted in the fuselage at an angle slightly beyond the vertical to fire downwards and rearwards. The weapon was intended for use against tanks and was triggered automatically when the aircraft flew over a tank at low altitude. A total of more than 800 Hs 129 were built.

Henschel Hs 129 on YOUTUBE

Henschel Hs 129

Specification 
 MODELHs 129B-1/R2
 CREW1
 ENGINE2 x Gnome Rhone 14M 4/5, 522kW
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight5110 kg11266 lb
  Empty weight3810 kg8400 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan14.2 m47 ft 7 in
  Length9.75 m32 ft 0 in
  Height3.25 m11 ft 8 in
  Wing area29.0 m2312.15 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed407 km/h253 mph
  Ceiling9000 m29550 ft
  Range560 km348 miles
 ARMAMENT2 x 20mm cannons, 1 x 30mm cannon, 2 x 7.92mm machine-guns

3-View 
Henschel Hs 129A three-view drawing (1000 x 750)

Comments
Oldgysgt, e-mail, 11.01.2016 03:32

There is no doubt that the Henschel Hs 129 and the A10 Thunderbolt II were both designed with the same "mission solution" in mind. I have read that the Hs129B suffered from poor engine reliability. I have often wondered if this was the result of French sabotage at the Gnome-Rhone factory. I have been told that a small shim of wood placed under a rod bearing will swell when exposed to hot oil over time, causing the oil clearance to close, and causing to bearing fail. It is an intriguing thought.

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Paul Scott, e-mail, 03.04.2014 01:37

A fine aircraft and as has been said by Bombardier, the A-10 of its day!

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bombardier, e-mail, 24.10.2011 14:54

This plane inspired the A-10

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beifan, 21.06.2011 05:20

It took an exceptionally strong pilot to work the control stick. The cockpit was so cramped that some of the instruments were mounted outside the canopy.

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The Old Man, e-mail, 27.04.2011 23:39

Twin engined, cannon-armed, armored "bathtub" for the pilot? Sounds like a Warthog to me......

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a.casais, e-mail, 27.10.2010 20:35

Well, I saw this from some model company carrying two anti-tank cannon under the de wings, i think they were a 37 mm, is that true?
see you

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paul scott, e-mail, 20.08.2009 15:03

Nice design, reminds me of a early-days A-10.

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Larry Zeigler, e-mail, 04.05.2009 05:49

The armored cockpit gave rise to serious consideration given to developing a self-contained "pod" equipped with a parachute that could be jetisoned in an emergency. However, since most operations occurred at relatively low altitudes, and the retrofit would be so costly, the project was dropped.

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Endicott Road, e-mail, 07.09.2008 03:54

I have read where the fuselage of this plane was in the shape of an inverted triangle, and the cockpit was so cramped that pilots were not given nearly enough room to properly manouver the aircraft. It took an exceptionally strong pilot to work the control stick. The cockpit was so cramped that some of the instruments were mounted outside the canopy.
ER

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THE WHO, 25.03.2008 23:13

I HEARD THAT THE COCKPIT IS ALL ARMOURED.

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