Military variants
He 111 A - D
The initial reports from the test pilot, Gerhard Nitschke,
were favourable. The He 111's flight performance and handling were impressive
although it dropped its wing in the stall. As a result, the passenger variants
had their wings reduced from 25 m (82 ft) to 23 m (75 ft). The military
aircraft - V1, V3 and V5 - spanned just 22.6 m (74.1 ft). (17) The prototypes
were equipped with 431 kW (578 hp) BMW VI 6.0 V12 in-line engines, succeeded
by745 kW (999 hp) DB 600 engines. (17) The first prototypes were underpowered,
as they were equipped with 431 kW (578 hp) BMW VI 6.0 V12 in-line engines. This
was eventually increased to 745 kW (999 hp) with the fitting of the DB
(Daimler-Benz) 600 engines into the V5, which became the prototype of the
"B" series. (17)
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| A Chinese He 111A re-engined with Wright Cyclone radial engines. |
Only 10 He 111 A-0 models based on the V3 were built, but
they proved to be underpowered and were eventually sold to China. The type had
been lengthened by 1.2 m (3.9 ft) due to the added 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15
machine gun in the nose. Another gun position was installed on top of the fuselage,
and another in a ventral position as a "dustbin" exposed turret,
which could retract. The bomb bay was divided into two compartments and could
carry 680 kg (1,500 lb) of bombs. The problem with these additions was that the
weight of the aircraft reached 8,200 kg (18,080 lb). The He 111's performance
was seriously reduced; in particular, the BMW VI 6.0 Z engines were not now
powerful enough. The increased length also altered the 111's aerodynamic
strengths and reduced its excellent handling on takeoffs and landings. (22)
