HEINKEL HE 115 SCANDINAVIAN SERVICE

The Heinkel He 115 was a German three-seater reconnaissance and bomber-torpedo seaplane in the low wing configuration with a classic tail. The drive was provided by two BMW-132k radial engines with 960 KM each. The flight of the prototype took place in 1936, and serial production continued intermittently in the period 1937-1944. In total, about 140 aircraft of this type were produced. Heinkel He 115 was created in response to the needs of the German aviation and navy for a long-range seagoing aircraft capable of operating in the Baltic and Atlantic Oceans, and intended for the reconnaissance and combat of enemy surface ships. Finally, a machine with a large flight range (up to 3,350 km), solid construction, good performance and susceptible to modernization was created. In the course of serial production, a dozen or so development versions of the He 115 were created. One of them was the He 115B-2, which had reinforced floats and thus could land on the ice. A version of He 115D was also created, which was powered by BMW801 C engines with 1604 HP each. He 115 planes fought in the course of World War II over the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. They were also exported to Bulgaria, Sweden, Finland and Norway.