Photograph:
Heinkel He 114 D-IDEG from the raider ‘HSK Atlantis’ during World War II (Bundes Archiv)
Country of origin:
Germany
Description:
Shipborne reconnaissance seaplane
Power Plant:
(He 114A-2)
One 716 kw (960 hp) BMW 132 K nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 13.6 m (44 ft 7½ in)
- Length: 11.09 m (36 ft 4½ in)
- Height: 5.15 m (16 ft 10¾ in)
- Wing area: 42.3 m² (455.15 sq ft)
- Max speed: 335 km/h (208 mph)
- Max cruising speed: 290 km/h (180 mph)
- Initial rate of climb: 330 m/min (1,082 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 4,800 m (15,744 ft)
- Range: 1,050 km (652 miles)
- Empty weight: 2,315 kg (5,105 lb)
- Loaded weight: 3,400 kg (7,497 lb)
Armament:
One fixed 7.9 mm (0.31 in) MG 17 machine gun firing forward; similar weapon in the observer’s cockpit
History:
The Heinkel He 114 was a two-seat twin float shipborne reconnaissance seaplane built for the German Navy. Designed in 1935 it had an all- metal fuselage, single-step twin floats, the wings being of metal construction with fabric covering. A number of in-line and radial engines were tested on the type.
The prototype He 114 V1 first flew in 1936 powered by a 716 kw (960 hp) Daimler-Benz DB 600A engine but many problems arose during development and nine prototypes were built to solve these, the aircraft being allocated civil registrations, the He 114 V2 becoming D-UGAT, the V3 D-IOGD, etc. A decision was made to install a BMW radial engine and this was put into production in 1938 as the He 114A-2. In addition to carrying two 50 kg (110 lb) bombs, it could be fitted with spraying equipment in the floats for making a smoke screen.
The He 114 was operated by the Luftwaffe, and the air forces of Romania, Spain (12) and Sweden (28). Main operations were in the area of the Black Sea and Greece, principally from coastal bases, although a number served on ships of the Kriegsmarine.
As mentioned elsewhere with reference to the Arado Ar 196, two of the German surface raiders which operated in this region, ‘HSK Atlantis’ and ‘HSK Pinguin’, operated on mining and anti-shipping operations and operated He 114s in the reconnaissance role. These aircraft would have been flown regularly on missions in this part of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
The type only remained in service with the Kriegsmarine for a relatively short period, being replaced by the Arado Ar 196 which was adopted as the standard reconnaissance seaplane with that service. It was not built in large numbers. It was reported to operate well during water operations but was sluggish in the air.
A total of 24 examples was supplied to Romania and, when the type was retired from that service in June 1960, eight examples survived. In 2012 the wreck of one example was located in the sea near Mamaia, Romania.