Heinkel HD 21
Heinkel · German Reich · first flew 1924 · light aircraft
The Heinkel HD 21 was a two/three-seat biplane trainer built in Germany in the mid-1920s and also produced under licence by Arado.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.25 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-bay staggered biplane with N-type interplane struts
- Three tandem cockpits, one usually faired over
- Fixed tailskid undercarriage with a cross-axle linking the main wheels
A conventional staggered biplane trainer with three cockpits in a row, one of which is usually faired over when not in use.
Specifications
- The Heinkel HD 21 has a length of 7.25 m (24 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.6 m (35 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 135 km/h (84 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1924, the HD 21 was used both openly as a civil trainer and, less openly, by the Reichswehr at its clandestine flight-training facility in Lipetsk, Soviet Union, during a period when Germany was barred from military aviation. One example, registered SE-ACY, was later flown as a Red Cross air ambulance by Carl Gustaf von Rosen during the Italian invasion of Abyssinia in 1935.
Variants
The type was also built under licence by Arado Flugzeugwerke.
Where you'll see it
As a 1920s trainer type, no complete HD 21 is known to survive today; it is remembered partly for its humanitarian air-ambulance service in Abyssinia.
Related aircraft
- Heinkel HD 14
- Heinkel HD 26
- Heinkel HD 22
- Heinkel HD 24
- Avia BH-10
- Avro 562 Avis
- Bernard SIMB V.2
- Fiat AS.1
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.