Henschel Hs 123A-1

Henschel · Germany · first flew 1935 · bomber

The Henschel Hs 123 was a single-seat biplane dive bomber and close-support aircraft that served with the Luftwaffe and saw extensive combat from the Spanish Civil War through the Eastern Front. Robust and reliable, it outlived its intended replacement.

Recognition (WEFT)

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

Spot it by:

• Single-bay biplane dive bomber with fixed undercarriage
• Large uncowled radial engine with cylinder heads exposed
• Wheel spats and V-strut undercarriage

The exposed cylinder heads of the BMW 132 radial, single-bay biplane configuration, prominent wheel spats, and the absence of any cockpit enclosure give the Hs 123 a distinctive pugnacious appearance.

Specifications

• The Henschel Hs 123A-1 has a length of 8.33 m (27 ft).
• It has a wingspan of 10.5 m (34 ft).
• 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 entered Luftwaffe service in 1936 and was tested in combat with the Condor Legion in Spain. Though the Ju 87 Stuka was its intended successor, the Hs 123's durability and ability to operate from rough forward airstrips kept it in front-line use on the Eastern Front well into 1944.

Variants

The Hs 123A-1 was the primary production version; the Hs 123B with a more powerful engine was proposed but the programme was cancelled when production tooling was dismantled.

Where you'll see it

Beyond Luftwaffe service, the Hs 123 was exported to China and saw action in the Second Sino-Japanese War; on the Eastern Front its reliability in harsh conditions made it invaluable for close air support despite being outwardly obsolete.

Related aircraft

• Henschel Hs 122
• Arado Ar 81
• B-17 Flying Fortress
• Bolkhovitinov DB-A
• Breguet 460 Vultur

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