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The He 111A was the first version of this famous bomber to come close to full production. Ten pre-production He 111A-0s were built in early 1936, based on the He 111b prototype. These aircraft were powered by two BMW VI liquid cooled inline engines, which were soon found to be under-powered. When given a full military payload the He 111A-0 had a top speed of only 192 mph. This was not acceptable to the Luftwaffe, who decided not to order the He 111A. Instead the ten aircraft were sold to the Nationalist China of Chaing Kai Shek, for use against the Japanese. There they had a short lifespan, and were soon all destroyed either in combat or in accidents.
The same engine problems plagued the He 111C commercial airliner, which was rejected by Lufthansa because the low-powered engines made it expensive to run. The He 111 would only become a success when it was paired with more powerful Daimler Benz DB600A in line engines, producing the He 111B.
Heinkel He 111, Ron Mackay (Crowood Aviation). A comprehensive look at one of the most famous German aircraft of the Second World War, taking us through its pre-war development, its time as the Luftwaffe's most important bomber early in the war, to its long decline and the eventual collapse of the German bomber force.[see more]
Development - Combat - He 111A - He 111B - He 111C - He 111D - He 111E - He 111F - He 111G - He 111H - He 111J - He 111P - He 111R - He 111Z