The Heinkel H.E.8 was a reconnaissance monoplane floatplane built in Germany in the late 1920s. It was developed at the request of the Royal Danish Navy, which required a similar aircraft to the H.E.5 being operated in Sweden.
Service History In addition to purchasing seven German-built H.E.8a aircraft, which were described as mailplanes to avoid restrictions on military aircraft, 16 H.E.8bs were built under license in Denmark by the Orlogsværftet Naval shipyards, with a final batch not being delivered until 1938. Apart from its engine, the H.E.8 differed from previous members of the H.E.1 family in having a conventional empennage.
22 aircraft were operated by the Royal Danish Navy as the HM.II until the German invasion in 1940, after which one example may have been impressed into Luftwaffe service while the remainder were stored, until most were destroyed in 1943.
A single H.E.8 was built with a Packard 3A-2500 engine and designated H.E.31.
A single H.E.8d was built under licence in Yugoslavia by Zmaj Aircraft. It was initially used for testing by 2. Seaplane Kommando at Split, Yugoslavia, and was later used for target towing duties until fleeing to Greece following the fall of Yugoslavia in WW2.
Variants H.E.8a company designation of version powered with an Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IV 14-cylinder two-row radial engine.
H.E.8b company designation of version powered with an Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar VIC 14-cylinder two-row radial engine. H.E.8d company designation of version powered with an Gnôme & Rhône Jupiter 9 cylinder single-row radial engine. H.E.31 version powered with an Packard 3A-2500 V-12. HM.II Danish Navy designation for all variants. ZMAJ-Heinkel H.E.8 Yugoslavian designation for one H.E.8d built in Yugoslavia.
Operators
Royal Danish Navy - imported 7 H.E.8a from Germany, and built 16 H.E.8b under licence.
Royal Yugoslav Navy - operated one H.E.8d.
Specifications (HM.II)
See also
References
Citations
Bibliography