Heinkel He 116
Heinkel · Germany · first flew 1937 · transport aircraft
The Heinkel He 116 was a German four-engine long-range mail-carrying monoplane of the late 1930s, designed to operate the Lufthansa South Atlantic and East Asian airmail routes at extreme range. Its airframe was optimised for fuel efficiency over payload.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Four-engine long-range mail plane with very slender, low-drag wing and fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Four-engine long-range mail plane with very slender, low-drag wing and fuselage
- Designed for extreme-range overwater mail routes to East Asia
- Slim fuselage with limited cabin volume — optimised purely for mail, not passengers
A slim, clean four-engine low-wing monoplane with the engines closely paired in narrow nacelles — the very slender fuselage and high aspect ratio wing distinguish it from larger four-engine contemporaries like the Fw 200.
Specifications
- The Heinkel He 116 has a length of 13.7 m (45 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 22 m (72 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 325 km/h (202 mph).
- Typical crew: 4.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed in 1936–37, the He 116 was intended to fly the Berlin–Kabul–Tokyo mail route for Lufthansa. Eight aircraft were built and a series of long-distance proving flights were made in 1938. Four aircraft were subsequently transferred to the Japanese military for use as long-range reconnaissance aircraft. The type's service life was ended by the outbreak of war.
Variants
The He 116B was a slightly modified mail variant; four of the aircraft were adapted as military reconnaissance types for Japan.
Where you'll see it
Operated briefly by Lufthansa on proving flights for the East Asian mail route in 1938; four aircraft served with Japanese forces as long-range reconnaissance aircraft in the early stages of the Pacific War.
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- Heinkel He 115
- Heinkel He 115B-1
- Heinkel He 119
- Heinkel He 170
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- Blohm & Voss BV 138
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