Henschel Hs 123

Henschel & Sohn · Germany · first flew 1935 · bomber

The Henschel Hs 123 was a German single-seat biplane dive bomber and close-support aircraft that bridged the gap between World War I biplane fighters and the monoplane era. Despite its obsolete appearance it proved remarkably effective in the close-support role throughout World War II.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.33 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Single-bay biplane dive bomber with prominent radial engine
Fixed spatted undercarriage with large wheel fairings
Open cockpit with small windscreen fairing

A compact single-bay biplane with a large radial engine, spatted fixed undercarriage, and an open cockpit; the upper wing sits directly on the fuselage spine, distinguishing it from aircraft with centre-section cabane struts.

Specifications

The Henschel Hs 123 has a length of 8.33 m (27 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.5 m (34 ft).
Its maximum speed is 341 km/h (212 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

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

History

First flown in 1935, the Hs 123 saw combat in the Spanish Civil War with the Condor Legion before serving in the Polish and French campaigns of 1939–1940. Luftwaffe commanders repeatedly requested continued production because of its battlefield effectiveness, but manufacturing had already ended.

Variants

The Hs 123A-1 was the main production version; a more powerful Hs 123B with a BMW 132K engine was tested but not produced in quantity.

Where you'll see it

Operated exclusively by the Luftwaffe and the Spanish Nationalist forces; a handful survived on the Eastern Front until 1944, long after the type was officially withdrawn.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.