W.33

The Heinkel‑built W.33 was a single‑engine, two‑seat biplane floatplane that entered service in late 1917 as a naval reconnaissance and patrol aircraft for the Imperial German Navy. Developed from the earlier Hansa‑Brandenburg W.29, the W.33 incorporated a more powerful 220 hp Mercedes D.IVa inline engine, a refined wooden hull with twin longitudinal floats, and a slightly larger wingspan that improved lift and endurance. Its standard armament comprised a forward‑firing fixed LMG 08/15 machine gun for the pilot and a flexible Parabellum gun for the observer, while a modest bomb load could be carried under the wings for anti‑shipping missions.

Operationally, the W.33 proved reliable in the harsh North Sea and Baltic conditions, undertaking reconnaissance, artillery spotting, and limited anti‑submarine patrols until the armistice. After the war, surplus aircraft were sold to Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States, where they served as civilian transport and training machines, demonstrating the type’s versatility beyond its military origins. The W.33’s seamless blend of seaplane hull design, powerplant performance and flexible payload set a benchmark for subsequent interwar floatplanes and cemented Ernst Heinkel’s reputation as a leading builder of naval aviation assets.

Ernst Heinkel

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