Heinkel HD 17

The Heinkel HD 17 was a German single‑engine biplane developed in the early 1920s as a light reconnaissance and army‑cooperation aircraft. Designed by Ernst Heinkel’s Hamburg‑based company, the HD 17 first flew in 1922 and was quickly ordered by the Reichswehr’s aviation branch, which at the time was limited to training and observation duties by the Treaty of Versailles. Powered by a 320 hp BMW IIIa water‑cooled inline engine, the aircraft featured a conventional two‑bay biplane wing structure, a steel‑tube fuselage covered with fabric, and a roomy, open cockpit for a pilot and observer. Its fixed, split‑axle landing gear and provisions for a light photographic camera made it well suited for short‑range scouting, artillery spotting and liaison tasks. Although only a few dozen were built, the HD 17 served as a reliable workhorse for the German military during a period when domestic aircraft production was restricted, helping to maintain pilot proficiency and gather operational experience that later fed into the development of the more advanced Heinkel He 70 and the Luftwaffe’s pre‑war bomber fleet. The type is remembered as an early example of Heinkel’s ability to produce robust, versatile aircraft under difficult political constraints.