HE 2

The Heinkel HE 2 was a low‑powered, single‑seat trainer developed in the early 1930s by the German manufacturer Heinkel Flugzeugwerke. Conceived as a replacement for the outdated biplanes used by the Reichswehr’s fledgling air arm, the HE 2 first flew in March 1932 and entered limited service the following year. Its wooden‑frame fuselage was covered with fabric, while the wings employed a mixed construction of spruce ribs and plywood skin, giving the aircraft a light yet robust structure. Powered by a 105‑horsepower Hirth HM 504 inverted‑four engine, the HE 2 could reach a maximum speed of 170 km/h and offered a gentle stall characteristic that made it ideal for novice pilots. The simple, side‑by‑side cockpit provided excellent visibility and an uncomplicated control layout, reducing the learning curve for trainees. Although only a few hundred units were built before production shifted to the more advanced Heinkel He 46, the HE 2 played a crucial role in standardising pilot instruction techniques that later underpinned Germany’s rapid expansion of its air force. Its influence can be traced in the design philosophy of subsequent German trainer aircraft throughout the 1930s and remains a noteworthy example of early interwar aviation engineering.

Heinkel

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