Heinkel He 5
Heinkel / Svenska Aero · Germany · first flew 1926 · light aircraft
The Heinkel He 5 (also known as the S 5 in Swedish service) was a two-seat floatplane biplane designed by Ernst Heinkel and built under licence by Svenska Aero AB in Sweden for maritime reconnaissance duties.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 12.18 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Swedish-built Heinkel floatplane used as a maritime reconnaissance type
- Open tandem cockpit floatplane biplane
- BMW VI inline engine in a long close-fitting cowl
A large biplane floatplane with twin main floats, a long inline-engined nose, open tandem cockpits, and equal-span wings with a slight stagger.
Specifications
- The Heinkel He 5 has a length of 12.18 m (40 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16.8 m (55 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 200 km/h (124 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed at Heinkel's Swedish affiliate and built by Svenska Aero to circumvent Versailles restrictions, the He 5 first flew in 1926. The Swedish Air Force and Navy operated the type as a reconnaissance floatplane. The design helped sustain Heinkel's engineering team during the treaty period and informed later German aircraft development.
Variants
Variants included the He 5a through He 5e differing in engine fit; Swedish-built examples were designated S 5 in Swedish service.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the Swedish Air Force and Swedish Navy in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
Related aircraft
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