Heinkel He 72 Kadett
Heinkel · Germany · first flew 1933 · light aircraft
A compact single-engine biplane primary trainer built by Heinkel and flown widely across pre-war Germany's flying schools.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- small staggered biplane with open tandem cockpits
- fixed undercarriage on faired or plain legs
- rounded fin and rudder typical of 1930s German trainers
Tell it from similar-era biplanes by its small equal-span staggered wings, tight cowling and rounded tail surfaces.
Specifications
- The Heinkel He 72 Kadett has a length of 7.5 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 194 km/h (121 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 (instructor and pupil).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The He 72 Kadett entered service in the early 1930s as a basic trainer for the German Air Sport Association and, after 1935, the newly formed Luftwaffe, remaining in production through the decade.
Variants
The He 72A retained the 8-cylinder inverted-inline Argus As 8B, while the He 72B that superseded it was powered by a 160 hp Siemens-Halske Sh 14A radial.
Where you'll see it
It served as a first-solo trainer for thousands of German pilots and a handful survive today with private and museum operators.
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- Heinkel He 51 B-2
- Heinkel He 51A
- Heinkel He 51B-1
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- de Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth
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