Heinkel HD 25
Aichi / Heinkel · Germany · first flew 1925 · transport aircraft
The Heinkel HD 25 was a single-engine biplane floatplane developed by Ernst Heinkel's design bureau and produced in Japan by Aichi, reflecting the close German-Japanese aeronautical cooperation of the 1920s. It served as a reconnaissance and general-purpose floatplane.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.7 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Small 1920s biplane floatplane of German-Japanese collaboration
- Single-engine high-wing floatplane with twin pontoons
- Strut-braced parasol or biplane layout with open cockpits
A twin-float biplane with a large single radial engine in the nose, open tandem cockpits, and substantial wing cellule bracing; the float undercarriage is distinctive against land-based contemporaries.
Specifications
- The Heinkel HD 25 has a length of 9.7 m (32 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.88 m (49 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 203 km/h (126 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Heinkel designed the HD 25 in the mid-1920s, and Aichi Tokei Denki in Japan built it under licence, as part of broader technology transfer agreements between German and Japanese aviation firms of that era. The aircraft was used by the Imperial Japanese Navy for coastal reconnaissance and patrol duties.
Variants
Minor variants exist reflecting different engine fits used by Aichi; the basic configuration remained consistent across the small production run.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in the late 1920s in a coastal patrol and reconnaissance role; not used outside Japan.
Related aircraft
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