Heinkel He 51B-1

Heinkel · Germany · first flew 1933 · fighter

The Heinkel He 51 was a single-seat biplane fighter that formed the backbone of the early Luftwaffe and saw combat service in the Spanish Civil War. It represented Germany's return to front-line fighter design after the restrictions of the Versailles Treaty.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.4 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Single-bay biplane with staggered wings
Open cockpit with prominent headrest fairing
Fixed spatted undercarriage

Identified by its single-bay biplane configuration, the large inline-appearing BMW VI engine with a broad cowling, and the streamlined fixed undercarriage with prominent wheel spats.

Specifications

The Heinkel He 51B-1 has a length of 8.4 m (28 ft).
It has a wingspan of 11 m (36 ft).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in 1933, the He 51 entered Luftwaffe service in 1935 as one of its first standard fighters. The B-1 was a floatplane-capable variant with provision for a central float, though most served as conventional landplanes. During the Spanish Civil War, He 51s flew with the Condor Legion but were outclassed by Soviet-supplied Polikarpov I-15 biplanes.

Variants

The He 51A was the initial landplane version; the He 51B introduced reinforced structure and floatplane capability; the He 51C was a dedicated ground-attack variant used in Spain.

Where you'll see it

He 51s were relegated to training and ground-attack roles by 1937 as the more capable Bf 109 entered service, though they continued operational use in Spain through 1938.

Related aircraft

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