Difference between revisions of "He 51 A-1"

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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German fighter {{Battle-rating}}. This fighter has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.
 
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German fighter {{Battle-rating}}. This fighter 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the He 51 was slated to replace, unfortunately by the time the He 51 A rolled off the production lines, it was already outdated, however, it wasn’t until after 150 were built that important modifications were made which resulted in the upgraded He 51 B. Of the 450 B variants built, 46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 {{PAGENAME}}. 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 {{PAGENAME}} 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 ==
 
== General info ==
Line 115: Line 123:
  
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''
+
<!--''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''-->
 +
 
 +
* 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 {{PAGENAME}}, 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 ==
 
== Armaments ==
Line 185: Line 199:
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
* Great turn radius
+
 
* Exceptional rate of climb
+
* Very manoeuvrable
 +
* 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
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
* Fragile wings both to damage and high-G manoeuvres.
+
 
* No artificial horizon in the cockpit which can result in extreme disorientation in low-visibility conditions
+
* 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
 +
* Smallest calibre machine guns to work with
 +
* Poor forward visibility (simulator battles)
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
+
<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''-->
 +
=== 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 it 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 ===
 
=== In-game description ===
 
A single-seat biplane of composite structure with fixed landing gear. This aircraft was designed by Heinkel Flugzeugwerke AG under the guidance of the brothers Siegfried and Walter Günter. The He 51 fighter was a serious upgrade of the single-seat He 49 fighter, which had flown for the first time in November 1932.
 
A single-seat biplane of composite structure with fixed landing gear. This aircraft was designed by Heinkel Flugzeugwerke AG under the guidance of the brothers Siegfried and Walter Günter. The He 51 fighter was a serious upgrade of the single-seat He 49 fighter, which had flown for the first time in November 1932.
Line 214: Line 247:
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
+
<!--''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''-->
 +
;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
 +
* Fiat [[CR.32 (Family)|CR.32]]
 +
* Gloster [[Gladiator (Family)|Gladiator]]
 +
* Polikarpov [[I-15 (Family)|I-15]]
 +
* Kawasaki [[Ki-10 (Family)|Ki-10]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==

Revision as of 19:15, 11 December 2019

RANK 6 BRITAIN
Rooikat 105 PACK
He 51 A-1
he51a1.png
He 51 A-1
AB RB SB
1.0 1.0 1.0
Class:
Research:Free
Purchase:Free
Show in game
This page is about the German biplane He 51 A-1. For other uses, see He 51 (Family).

Description

GarageImage He 51 A-1.jpg


The He 51 A-1 is a rank I German fighter with a battle rating of 1.0 (AB/RB/SB). This fighter 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 A-1. 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 A-1 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 4,000 m)
Max altitude
(meters)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(meters/second)
Take-off run
(meters)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
291 282 7700 13.8 14.7 10.4 10.4 294
Upgraded
Max Speed
(km/h at 4,000 m)
Max altitude
(meters)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(meters/second)
Take-off run
(meters)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
316 305 7700 13.6 13.7 16.7 13 294

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear
X
Limits
Wing-break speed
(km/h)
Gear limit
(km/h)
Combat flaps
(km/h)
Max Static G
+ -
520 ~11 ~5
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 A-1, 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

Main article: MG 17 (7.92 mm)

The He 51 A-1 is armed with:

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

Usage in battles

As a bi-plane, the cockpit view offers only a restricted panorama and it is difficult to anticipate targets with a wing in your face. As with all bi-planes, this characteristic tends to dissuade its use in SB. That said the He 51 has a singularly good rate of climb in comparison to most other equivalent battle rating aircraft allowing it to play the energy tactic well. This is good because the He 51 is a slow bird and has trouble catching virtually any other plane in level flight. However, given its slow speed, it also sports an exceptional turn radius allowing it to turn a death-spiral into a turkey shoot.

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
III Wings repair Engine Airframe New 7 mm MGs
IV Cover

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Very manoeuvrable
  • 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

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
  • 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 it 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

A single-seat biplane of composite structure with fixed landing gear. This aircraft was designed by Heinkel Flugzeugwerke AG under the guidance of the brothers Siegfried and Walter Günter. The He 51 fighter was a serious upgrade of the single-seat He 49 fighter, which had flown for the first time in November 1932.

The He 49 was a single-strut biplane of composite structure with a BMW liquid-cooled engine. Among German planes of that period, it was set apart by its fuselage, which had extremely clean aerodynamic contours and a retractable radiator.

The designers themselves were not very satisfied with their creation, believing that its characteristics could be significantly improved. A fourth prototype was built, with a new designation: He 51a.

The dimensions and the design of the aircraft remained almost unchanged, but the He 51a was noticeably different from its predecessor in various details. The vertical empennage was completely redesigned. The retractable radiator was replaced with a ducted one. The new ailerons had balance and trim tabs, and the wing pylon's parallel struts were replaced with N-type struts. The pyramidal landing gear with a common axle was replaced with individual V struts featuring hydromechanical shock-absorbers. The struts and the wheels now had fairings, and a tail skid was used instead of a tail wheel. As a whole, the He 51 turned out to be noticeably more elegant, which significantly improved its flight characteristics.

The plane's power unit was a 500 hp Bayerische Motoren Werke BMW VI twelve-cylinder liquid-cooled engine that could provide a power of up to 750 hp during short-term uprating.

The He 51 was armed with two fuselage-mounted synchronous 7.92 mm Rheinmetall-Borsig MG 17 machine guns with 500 rounds each.

The leadership of the German Ministry of Aviation saw the He 51 as an aircraft of extreme importance for the reviving Luftwaffe. In April 1935, the production of He 51 A-1 fighters began. The production aircraft differed from the prototype: it had a cut-down fuselage spine fairing behind the cockpit, a slightly changed tail skid design, and extended engine exhaust pipes.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

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


Germany fighters
Heinkel 
He 51  He 51 A-1 · He 51 B-1 · He 51 B-2/H · He 51 C-1 · He 51 C-1/L
He 100  He 100 D-1
He 112  He 112 A-0 · He 112 B-0 · He 112 B-1/U2 · He 112 B-2/U2 · He 112 V-5
Messerschmitt 
Bf 109 (Jumo)  Flegel's Bf 109 A · Bf 109 B-1 · Bf 109 C-1
Bf 109 (DB-601)  Bf 109 E-1 · Bf 109 E-3 · Bf 109 E-4 · Bf 109 E-7/U2 · Bf 109 F-1 · Bf 109 F-2 · Bf 109 F-4 · Bf 109 F-4/trop
Bf 109 (DB-605)  Bf 109 G-2/trop · Bf 109 G-2 · Bf 109 G-6 · Bf 109 G-10 · Bf 109 G-14 · Bf 109 K-4
Focke-Wulf 
Fw 190 (early)  Fw 190 A-1 · Fw 190 A-4 · Fw 190 A-5 · Fw 190 A-5 · Fw 190 A-5/U2 · Fw 190 A-5/U14 · Fw 190 A-8 · Fw 190 C
Fw 190 (late)  Fw 190 D-9 · Fw 190 D-12 · Fw 190 D-13
Ta 152  Ta 152 C-3 · Ta 152 H-1
Blohm & Voss 
BV 155  BV 155 B-1
  Foreign:
USA  ▀P-47D-16-RE · ▀P-47D
USSR  ▀La-5FN · ▀Yak-1B
Britain  ▀Tempest Mk V
Italy  ▀CR.42 · ▀Marcolin's C.R.42 CN · ▀G.50 serie 2 · ▀G.50 AS serie 7 · ▀C. 200 serie 3 · ▀C. 200 serie 7 · ▀C. 202
Finland  ▀Hawk H-75A-2