Heinkel HD 25

The Heinkel HD 25 was a German reconnaissance floatplane developed in the early 1920s by the aircraft manufacturer Heinkel. Conceived shortly after World War I, the HD 25 was intended to meet the naval requirement of the Reichsmarine for a ship‑borne scout capable of operating from warships and coastal bases. The design featured a single‑bay biplane wing with unequal spans, a wooden fuselage clad in fabric, and two large pontoons that gave the machine excellent water handling characteristics. Powered by a 260 hp Maybach Mb.IVa inline engine driving a two‑bladed propeller, the HD 25 could reach a top speed of about 150 km/h and a service ceiling of 4,000 metres, while carrying a modest payload of photographic equipment and a crew of two. Only a handful of examples were built, as rapid advances in aircraft technology soon rendered the biplane floatplane obsolete. Nevertheless, the HD 25 demonstrated Heinkel's early competence in naval aviation, influencing later seaplane projects such as the Heinkel He 60 and providing valuable experience in hull design and engine integration that helped the firm become a leading German aircraft producer in the interwar period.

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