Heinkel He 114

Heinkel · Germany · first flew 1936 · fighter

The Heinkel He 114 was a German single-engine biplane floatplane designed as a shipboard reconnaissance aircraft, though it proved inferior to expectations and saw limited front-line service.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — WingsLow-mounted, tapered
E — Engines1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage11.5 m fuselage
T — TailConventional

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A biplane floatplane with a radial engine, single strut-braced lower wing smaller than the upper (sesquiplane), and twin main floats; resembles other floatplane biplanes of the era but with distinctly Heinkel construction details.

Specifications

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

History

Developed in the mid-1930s to equip German warships as a catapult-launched spotter, the He 114 lost out to the Arado Ar 196 in comparative trials and was passed on to export customers and secondary duties. It served with Romania and Spain.

Variants

The He 114A was the main German evaluation version; the He 114B was an export variant.

Where you'll see it

Served briefly with the Kriegsmarine and was exported to Romania and Sweden; the Ar 196 replaced it in frontline catapult use.

Related aircraft

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