Henschel Hs 126

The origins of the Hs 126 that was derived from the Henschel Hs 122, which did not advance beyond pre-production after flight testing demonstrated the type to offer no meaningful improvement over the existing Heinkel He 46. The first prototype was not entirely up to Luftwaffe. Early flights were made without the cockpit cover. Both the second and third prototypes were powered by the Bramo 323 radial engine; the former was fitted with a supercharger, an enlarged rudder, and twin tailplane bracing struts. By the end of 1937, a pre-production batch of HS 126A-0s had been completed; these were broadly similar to the third prototype. The first production standard Hs 126A-1s came of Henschel's production line in early 1938; this model differed from the pre-production aircraft mainly in terms of their fitout, being powered by a BMW 132Dc radial and equipped with a single fixed Zeiss camera in the rear fuselage bay as well as provisions for armaments, including a pair of machine guns and a hardpoint bomb rack. During mid 1939, the improved Hs 126B-1 commenced production; this variant was powered by a Bramo 323 radial and accordingly possessed greater performance when flown at high altitudes along with improved short-field performance, as well as VHF radio apparatus. A total of 257 Hs 126s had been delivered to the Luftwaffe by the start of the Second World War. Production of the Hs 126 was terminated during January 1941. ==Operational history==

By the time the Hs 126 A-1 was introduced to service with the Luftwaffe in 1938, the re-equipping of reconnaissance formations was already well advanced. The majority of aircraft operated by its short-range reconnaissance units comprised the Heinkel He 45 and Heinkel He 46; in comparison to the Hs 126, both of these aircraft were slower, more vulnerable to ground fire and inclement weather conditions alike, and had limited altitude capability. Accordingly, the Hs 126 had almost entirely replaced both of these aircraft in Luftwaffe service by May 1940. The Hs 126 was active during the Invasion of France in May 1940. Numerous aircraft were lost due to interception by Allied fighter aircraft: between 10 and 21 May 1940, 20 Hs 126s were lost alone. Nevertheless, losses of the type in this theatre were not considered to be high. Additionally, the Hs 126 was used in North Africa, such as with the 2./Aufklärungsgruppe (H)/14; it was eventually withdrawn in favour of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Messerschmitt Bf 110 towards the end of 1942. On 12 September 1943, a number of Hs 126s were used to tow ten DFS 230 attack gliders from Pratica Di Mare airfield near Rome to the Gran Sasso on a raid to rescue Benito Mussolini. Mussolini had been imprisoned there after being deposed by the Grand Council of Fascism, followed by a decree from the King of Italy. The Henschel was a smaller tow plane compared the usual Junkers Ju 52 three-engine tow plane and struggled to gain altitude to clear the mountains on the way. This led to confusion when the lead Kette of three gliders turned to gain altitude allowing Otto Skorzeny's group of three gliders to assume the lead. Greece At the outbreak of Greco-Italian War of 1940–41, the Royal Hellenic Air Force (Ellinikí Vasilikí Aeroporía, RHAF) had in service 16 Henschels, with 3 Observation Mira, under III Corps, based in Thessaloniki and Veria. Two days after the start of the conflict, on 30 October, there was the first air battle between Italian Regia Aeronautica and the RHAF when some Henschel Hs 126 of 3/2 Flight from 3 Observation Mira took off to locate Italian Army columns. However, they were intercepted and attacked by Fiat CR.42s of 393a Squadriglia. A first Henschel was hit and crashed, killing its observer, Pilot Officer Evanghelos Giannaris, the first Greek aviator to die in the war. A second Hs 126 was downed over Mount Smolikas, killing Pilot Officer Lazaros Papamichail and Sergeant Constantine Yemenetzis. ==Operators==

; : Estonian Air Force - order cancelled due to annexation ; : Luftwaffe ; : Royal Hellenic Air Force ; Spanish State : Spanish Air Force ==Specifications (Hs 126 B-1)==