He 51 B-2/H

He 51 B-2/H

He 51 B-2/H

Germany

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.0	1.0	1.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Fighter

Hydroplane

Purchase:Bundle or Gift

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This page is about the German hydroplane He 51 B-2/H. For other versions, see He 51 (Family).

Description

The He 51 B-2 /Hydroplane is a gift rank I German hydroplane fighter with a battle rating of 1.0 (AB/RB/SB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

The Heinkel H 51 was one of the first aircraft which the German Luftwaffe (still operating in secrecy) tasked to be built. Brothers and talented aircraft designers Walter and Seigfried Günter were working for Heinkel Flugzeugwerke in 1931 when they developed the design for an advanced trainer biplane which was designated He 49. Though touted as a trainer, the aircraft had been designed as a fighter and with a few minor conversions, could be an operational fighter aircraft. After several iterations, the Luftwaffe ordered this aircraft into production as the He 51 in 1933.

Currently in service with Germany was the older Arado Ar 65 biplane which the He 51 was slated to replace, unfortunately by the time the He 51 A rolled off the production lines, it was already outdated, however, it wasn’t until after 150 were built that important modifications were made which resulted in the upgraded He 51 B. Of the 450 B variants built, 46 of them were modified by replacing the fixed landing gear with floats to allow the fighter to land on water. Later another 100 were built as the He 51 C variant which was configured as a light ground-attack aircraft.

Used initially in the Spanish Civil War, the He 51 showed to dominate over older biplanes, however, the advantage was short-lived as modern Soviet fighters and bombers arrived and the He 51 could no longer keep up with them. Operations for the He 51 converted to night fighting, however not long after that it was designated solely for ground attack operations. Though not seen as a fantastic aircraft, behind the scenes it had set the stage for the Luftwaffe years later when close support tactics were developed by Field Marshal Wolfram von Richthofen while flying a He 51.

When paired up against other reserve fighters in the game, the He 51 can hold its own, though it will not win any speed records, nor will its machine guns out fire some of the early Soviet fighters, however, there is a place for the He 51 B-2/H. Diving straight into a cluster of fighters rolling around with each other is not the best tactic, it is better to pick a target and go after it, however, if cornered, the slower speed and manoeuvrability of the He 51 can get it out of tight spaces and potentially down a few enemy aircraft in the process. With two 7 mm machine guns, tracer rounds work best against early aircraft, especially those which are fabric covered and have non-sealing fuel tanks. Though the pilot may find themselves up-tiered against mono-wing aircraft of faster speeds, the He 51 B-2/H can quickly turn the tables and put the faster enemy fighter on the receiving end of a stream of bullets, and only a few hits are enough to hobble the enemy aircraft allowing the Heinkel to catch up and finish the job.

General info

Flight performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - at sea level)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
???	???	6500	??.?	??.?	??.?	??.?	190
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - at sea level)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
325	315	6500	15.5	16.0	19.6	17.2	190

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flaps (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
0	500	520	~10	~4

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 180	< 300	< 300	> 190

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
0 m	750 hp	N/A

Survivability and armour

• No armour plating
• No armour glazing
• All critical components located in front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)

Like many biplanes before and contemporaries of the He 51 B-2/H, armour was not an option, survival was based on the pilot’s grit. Armour added weight, weight the early biplanes could not afford to carry and still be a viable fighter. Flying in open cockpit and fabric-covered aircraft, the only protection the pilot had was to place his engine between him and his enemy, otherwise, the pilot was vulnerable. Typically aircraft like this have the engine at the nose of the aircraft, followed by the fuel tank and then the cockpit, all three critical components relatively crammed together. The pilot’s toolbox had to contain situational awareness as he needed to know where the enemy was around him. Tracer rounds could easily ignite the fabric-covered aircraft or large fuel tanks, so it was imperative the pilot was the attacker, not the one being attacked and knowing where the enemies are at can help avoid getting shot at.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The He 51 B-2/H is armed with:

• 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

When comparing offensive armament between reserve aircraft, the He 51 B-2/H is on par with most nations, however, it lacks when compared to aircraft from France, Great Britain or the Soviet Union and to some extent the United States and their use of a heavy machine gun. The He 51 found itself between two great wars and to some extent was a fossil in regards to its armament. For a light biplane fighter, the He 51 B-2/H only sported two 7.92 mm machine guns with a few options of ammunition types available for use.

Some of the reserve aircraft the He 51 B-2/H will face utilise a heavy machine gun, up to 4 x 7 mm machine guns and a couple of premium versions even pack on a massive (massive for a reserve aircraft) 20 mm autocannon. Though coming in at a severe weapons disadvantage in some instances, the He 51 B-2/H can still dominate a match and come out the king of the hill. While the two 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns may seem insufficient, they do a job and they do it well, though it may take a bit of practice to land the bullets where they will do the most damage.

Default ammunition what every pilot starts out with, though not the best it will cause critical hits and down enemy aircraft, though it may take a bit more patience and a few more rounds. When available to upgrade the ammunition belt modules, two other choices come into play which will allow the pilot to change tactics and fight more on their terms. Tracer ammunition is a fantastic choice for use against early biplane and monoplane fighters, especially since most of these aircraft are covered in fabric (as opposed to later aircraft covered in metal skin) and most if not all of the early fuel tanks are not self-sealing or do not vent exhaust gasses into the fuel tanks to stave off potential fireballs.

Tracer rounds, though do little impact damage, their powerful punch comes from igniting aircraft on fire causing the enemy to fall to the earth in a flaming heap. One huge disadvantage to the tracer rounds is that it lets everyone know where you are with the bright coloured rounds flying through the air. To combat this, some pilots will switch stealth rounds, which just means that this belt is without any tracer rounds. Two advantages here are first, the removal of the tracer round adds in another damage round and secondly, there are no tracer rounds to give away your position, especially if your first shots don’t land where you want them to, enemy pilots will need to spend precious seconds looking around to find where the shots came from before reacting or they may react blindly and to your advantage. One challenge with stealth rounds is they are more difficult to tell where they are landing especially with distance shots and will take practice to know where they are hitting, though when used in close, they are easier to track and pack in a surprise for the enemy pilot they may not be able to recover from.

Suspended armament

The He 51 B-2/H can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 6 x 10 kg SD10C bombs (60 kg total)

Early versions of the He 51 were not outfitted with bombs, it wasn’t later in the aircraft’s service it was deemed unacceptable as a fighter and was repurposed as a close support aircraft, not only able to use its machine guns to destroy ground targets but also being outfitted with six 10 kg bomb. At first one might think this is the equivalent of just throwing hand grenades out the cockpit, but this isn’t so. While these are not 50 kg or 100 kg bombs which will do significantly more damage against ground targets, the He 51 B-2/H can still find success in bombing light targets, especially open-top trucks and anti-aircraft artillery. The first and second pass can be used for dropping the bombs on target and subsequent passes can utilise the machine guns to clean up. The He 51 B-2/H has had a successful history of close support, even with a significant loss of aircraft in this role, tactics derived from its missions later became Luftwaffe doctrine for close-air-support and dive-bombing roles during World War II.

While hunting ground targets, it can become really easy for the pilot to have tunnel vision, only focusing on what is one the ground and destroying it. The pilot must also pay attention to their surroundings in the air to ensure an enemy fighter does not sneak into the air space and pounce on the ground pounder, if necessary the He 51 B-2/H can covert from ground attack to air defence and attack, if successfully neutralizing the enemy fighter, the He 51 B-2/H can then return to picking off ground targets.

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Not controllable Not auto controlled	Not controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Combined	Not controllable 1 gear	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Radiator		Offensive 7 mm
II		Compressor	Airframe
III	Wings repair	Engine		New 7 mm MGs
IV			Cover
This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase

Pros and cons

Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".

Pros:

• Very manoeuvrable
• Bomb load option allows for ground attack
• Weaponry is good enough for most uses
• Often underestimated by enemy pilots, allowing you to take them by surprise
• Improved fuel capacity over predecessors
• Good speed by biplane standards
• Has floats, can take off and land on water

Cons:

• Susceptible to tracer fire, fabric-covered and non-sealing fuel tanks
• Slow in comparison to other reserve aircraft
• No armour or protection at all
• Open exposed cockpit
• Carrying bombs reduce roll rate speed
• Smallest calibre machine guns to work with
• Poor forward visibility (simulator battles)

History

History and development

In the early 1930s, the most advanced biplane aircraft in Germany was the Arado Ar 65, though it was quickly becoming obsolete. The German Luftwaffe, operating in secrecy against resolutions set after World War I, did not want to fall behind in technology. Though military aircraft and vehicles could not be built, trainer and transport aircraft were designed and built but had a hidden dual purpose which would allow them to easily be converted into fighters and bombers. Heinkel Flugzeugwerke was one such aircraft manufacturer which was designing what was to be the Ar 65’s replacement. Günter brothers, Walter and Seigfried were the lead designers on a new biplane design in 1931 which labelled as an "advanced trainer", would easily be converted into a fighter when necessary. Early prototypes were designated He 49 with several variants resultant of modifications and upgrades performed to address shortcomings found during testing.

In 1933, the Luftwaffe ordered the He 49 (now designated He 51) into pre-production. The design of the aircraft is relatively simple, all-metal frame construction with a fabric covering. Like many early aircraft, it was powered by a v-12 engine, this one a glycol-cooled (ram air radiator) BMW VI engine and two 7.92 mm machine guns mounted in the upper fuselage/cowl of the aircraft allowing the pilot to point the aircraft where he wanted to shoot and then fire without having to make any considerations for convergence, with the exception of bullet drop over longer distances, however, when fired up close, the guns did considerable damage.

By the time the aircraft was rolling off the production lines in 1935, the He 51 A was already considered outdated which goes to show how fast technology was developing during these years. Modifications were made to the aircraft and the next in line production variant the He 51 B was produced in greater numbers and enjoyed early air superiority in the Spanish Civil War, only until modern Soviet fighters and bombers showed up.

Seeing that the He 51 B was no longer a capable fighter even as a short stint as a night fighter, it was quickly modified and the final production variant, the He 51 C rolled out as a dedicated ground-attack variant. The He 51 C was a very capable ground-attack fighter, coupled with its extreme manoeuvrability and slow loiter speed, the aircraft could attack a ground target and within a few seconds could have the plane turned around and be attacking again before any ground defences had the chance to regroup and retaliate. Towards the end of the Spanish Civil War, losses of the He 51 were starting to mount up as anti-air technology was catching up and more and more of the slower biplane were picked off from ground weapons.

It was during this time when World War I ace pilot Wolfram von Richthofen flew the He 51 in a ground attack role, through this process, he refined and honed his skills as a close support fighter. The tactics he learned through trial and error became invaluable later on during World War II when as a Field Marshal, he passed on these tactics and how to effectively dive bomb with aircraft. Though only 55 aircraft survived front-line service through 1938, they continued to be of use through the first few years of World War II as the aircraft they were originally designed to be, advanced trainers.

In-game description

Heinkel He 51 B-2 single-engine floatplane fighter

In March 1935, Germany officially refused to comply with the Treaty of Versailles clause that restricted the country's military power. And although June 18, 1935 saw the signing of a naval treaty between Germany and Great Britain which stated that the number of Kriegsmarine ships could not exceed 35% of the Royal Navy's combined strength, the path to the German fleet's quick growth was open. An adequate buildup of naval aviation was immediately required. So, E. Heinkel's suggestion to create a floatplane fighter based on the He 51 was received with favour at the Kriegsmarine Headquarters. It was planned that, if necessary, seaplane tenders could be equipped with such fighters to provide air cover for Kriegsmarine ships at sea and at unfitted anchoring positions.

The Heinkel Flugzeugwerke designers had already laid considerable groundwork for the He 49 V2 floatplane fighter, so the He 51's assembly progressed very quickly. The second prototype fighter was mounted on two single-step, all-metal floats and was designated the He 51w. One production He 51 A-1 fighter was converted into the second prototype He 51 floatplane. After it was equipped with floats, it was designated the He 51 A-2. Its armament and airborne equipment were similar to the land version.

The floatplane fighter passed its tests quickly and showed no problems. The Heinkel company received an order for eight hydroplanes, and a second order for 30 machines followed. By that time, only aircraft of the "B" version were being released, so production floatplane fighters came to be designated as He 51 B-2. Planes of this variant were equipped with underwing bomb racks to suspend six 10 kg fragmentation bombs.

1.Ku.J.St./136, the only Navy fighter squadron that still had a dozen rather obsolete HD 38d aircraft in service, was rearmed with He 51 B-2s in the first half of 1936 and expanded into the I./JG136 Fighter Wing, comprising three squadrons. A combined total of 38 He 51B-2 floatplane fighters entered service with the 1st and 2nd squadrons of Coastal Fighter Group (Kustenjagdgruppe) 136, based in Kiel-Holtenau and Jever.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the He 51 B-2/H from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #214 - Air Triathlon section at 09:59 discusses the He 51 B-2/H.

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Fiat CR.32
• Gloster Gladiator
• Polikarpov I-15
• Kawasaki Ki-10

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
• other literature.