The concept was hit upon after Norddeutscher Lloyd (NDL) had carried a Junkers F.13seaplane aboard the Lutzow during 1927 to provide joyrides for passengers when the liner was in port. NDL officials realised that a seaplane based on a liner could have a more practical commercial application, taking off with the liner's airmail while still a long distance from port, therefore drastically cutting down time taken for the mail to arrive. Heinkel designed a catapult, which NDL planned to install on its new liners, the Bremen and Europa, and an aircraft to carry the mail. Since the crew of Lutzow had trouble providing the necessary maintenance for the F 13, Deutsche Luft Hansa agreed to provide the operational support for the venture, and when Bremen departed on her maiden voyage in 1929, a single HE 12 (D-1717) was carried aboard.
The HE 12 was a derivative of the military HE 9 design; a conventional, low-wing, strut-braced monoplane. The pilot and radio operator sat in tandem, open cockpits with the mail carried in a compartment behind them.
He 58edit
A second aircraft, (D-1919, Atlantik), was built for flying from Europa, sister-ship of the Bremen. Designated He 58, the second aircraft was slightly larger overall, with increased payload and accommodation for the crew in a side-by-side open cockpit. Power was supplied by a 370 kW (500 hp) BMW Hornet A, initially un-cowled, but later fitted with a full long-chord cowling with cooling slits in the forward face.
Operational historyedit
On 22 July, while still 400 km (250 mi) out of New York City, Bremen successfully launched the HE 12. When the seaplane was unloaded 2+1⁄2 hours later, mail from Berlin had taken just 6+1⁄2 days to reach New York. The next day, in front of a crowd of 3,500 people, mayor Jimmy Walker christened the HE 12 with the name of the city. On the return journey, the newly christened New York launched from Bremen near Cherbourg on 1 August, landing in Bremerhaven four hours later, in time for the mail to be transferred to another aircraft and arrive in Berlin the same afternoon, 5+1⁄2 days after leaving New York. Use of the seaplane saved around 20 hours on the westward trip, and 1–2 days on the eastward journey.
HE 12 (D-1717, New York) flew regularly from Bremen until severely damaged in an accident at Cobequid Bay on 5 October 1931.
^St. John Turner, P. (1970). Heinkel:An aircraft album. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp. 27–30. ISBN07110-01731.
Bibliographyedit
Turner, P.St. John (1970). Heinkel:An aircraft album. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp. 27–30. ISBN07110-01731.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 498.
Cook, John C. (March 2002). "Shot from Ships: Part One". Air Classics.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Heinkel HE 12.
"Shot From Ships" Air Classics, Mar 2002 by Cook, John C
"New Catapult Drives Plane From Deck of Liner", November 1929, Popular Mechanics photo of Heinkel 12 on Bremen catapult
"Catapult For Planes Is Engineering Wonder" Popular Mechanics, September 1930
December 07, 2023
heinkel, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, july, 2011, learn, when, remove, this, template, message, pontoon, eq. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations July 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Heinkel HE 12 was a pontoon equipped mail plane built in Germany in 1929 designed to be launched by catapult from a liner at sea HE 12 and He 58He 58 D 1919 Bremen Atlantic being loaded onto the catapult on SS EuropaRole Mail planeNational origin GermanyManufacturer HeinkelFirst flight 1929Primary user Deutsche Luft HansaNumber built 1x HE 12 1x He 58 Contents 1 Development 1 1 He 58 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Specifications HE 12 5 See also 6 References 7 Bibliography 8 External linksDevelopment editThe concept was hit upon after Norddeutscher Lloyd NDL had carried a Junkers F 13 seaplane aboard the Lutzow during 1927 to provide joyrides for passengers when the liner was in port NDL officials realised that a seaplane based on a liner could have a more practical commercial application taking off with the liner s airmail while still a long distance from port therefore drastically cutting down time taken for the mail to arrive Heinkel designed a catapult which NDL planned to install on its new liners the Bremen and Europa and an aircraft to carry the mail Since the crew of Lutzow had trouble providing the necessary maintenance for the F 13 Deutsche Luft Hansa agreed to provide the operational support for the venture and when Bremen departed on her maiden voyage in 1929 a single HE 12 D 1717 was carried aboard The HE 12 was a derivative of the military HE 9 design a conventional low wing strut braced monoplane The pilot and radio operator sat in tandem open cockpits with the mail carried in a compartment behind them He 58 edit A second aircraft D 1919 Atlantik was built for flying from Europa sister ship of the Bremen Designated He 58 the second aircraft was slightly larger overall with increased payload and accommodation for the crew in a side by side open cockpit Power was supplied by a 370 kW 500 hp BMW Hornet A initially un cowled but later fitted with a full long chord cowling with cooling slits in the forward face Operational history editOn 22 July while still 400 km 250 mi out of New York City Bremen successfully launched the HE 12 When the seaplane was unloaded 2 1 2 hours later mail from Berlin had taken just 6 1 2 days to reach New York The next day in front of a crowd of 3 500 people mayor Jimmy Walker christened the HE 12 with the name of the city On the return journey the newly christened New York launched from Bremen near Cherbourg on 1 August landing in Bremerhaven four hours later in time for the mail to be transferred to another aircraft and arrive in Berlin the same afternoon 5 1 2 days after leaving New York Use of the seaplane saved around 20 hours on the westward trip and 1 2 days on the eastward journey HE 12 D 1717 New York flew regularly from Bremen until severely damaged in an accident at Cobequid Bay on 5 October 1931 The He 58 D 1919 Atlantik continued in service on Europa until replaced by Junkers Ju 46 floatplanes Variants editHE 12 The initial floatplane catapult launched mailplane with tandem open cockpits flown from Bremen He 58 A second slightly larger aircraft with side by side seats and bigger payload flown from Europa Specifications HE 12 editData from Heinkel An aircraft album 1 General characteristicsCrew Two pilot and radio operator Capacity 200 kg 440 lb of mail Length 11 56 m 37 ft 11 in He 58 11 7793 m 38 ft 7 75 in dd dd dd Wingspan 16 7958 m 55 ft 1 25 in He 58 17 2022 m 56 ft 5 25 in dd dd dd Height 4 60 m 15 ft 1 in He 58 4 70 m 15 ft 5 in dd dd dd Wing area 48 5 m2 522 sq ft He 58 49 4 m2 532 sq ft dd dd dd Empty weight 1 580 kg 3 483 lb He 58 1 850 kg 4 078 lb dd dd dd Gross weight 2 600 kg 5 732 lb He 58 3 140 kg 6 922 lb dd dd dd Powerplant 1 Pratt amp Whitney Hornet 9 cyl air cooled radial piston engine 370 kW 500 hp Performance Maximum speed 134 km h 83 mph 72 kn He 58 204 km h 127 mph dd dd dd Cruise speed 192 km h 119 mph 103 kn He 58 159 km h 99 mph dd dd dd Service ceiling 3 800 m 12 500 ft See also editAircraft of comparable role configuration and era Junkers Ju 46References edit St John Turner P 1970 Heinkel An aircraft album Shepperton Ian Allan pp 27 30 ISBN 07110 01731 Bibliography editTurner P St John 1970 Heinkel An aircraft album Shepperton Ian Allan pp 27 30 ISBN 07110 01731 Taylor Michael J H 1989 Jane s Encyclopedia of Aviation London Studio Editions p 498 Cook John C March 2002 Shot from Ships Part One Air Classics External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Heinkel HE 12 Shot From Ships Air Classics Mar 2002 by Cook John C New Catapult Drives Plane From Deck of Liner November 1929 Popular Mechanics photo of Heinkel 12 on Bremen catapult Catapult For Planes Is Engineering Wonder Popular Mechanics September 1930 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Heinkel HE 12 amp oldid 1152741289, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
