Heinkel HD 19

The Heinkel HD 19 was a German‑designed, single‑engine reconnaissance floatplane built in the late 1920s by the aircraft manufacturer Heinkel. Developed in response to a 1927 Swedish Navy requirement for a ship‑borne scout, the HD 19 combined a low‑wing monoplane layout with twin floats and a wooden plywood fuselage. Powered by a 450‑hp BMW VI V‑12 liquid‑cooled engine, it could reach a maximum speed of 210 km/h and a service ceiling of 6,500 meters, while carrying a crew of two and modest photographic equipment. Only a small batch of six aircraft was delivered to the Swedish fleet, where they operated from the coastal cruiser HMS Sverige and coastal bases until being retired in 1938. Although the type did not enter mass production, the HD 19 demonstrated Heinkel’s early skill in adapting landplane concepts to maritime roles and contributed to the evolution of naval scouting aircraft between the two World Wars. Its mixed construction and reliable powerplant influenced later Heinkel seaplanes such as the He 55 and informed Swedish designers who later produced the Saab 17. Today, only a single preserved example is displayed at the Swedish Air Force Museum, serving as a reminder of early interwar naval aviation.

Heinkel

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