Heinkel He 70
| He 70 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Role | Mail plane, Passenger |
| National origin | Germany |
| Manufacturer | Heinkel Flugzeugwerke |
| First flight | 1 December 1932 |
| Introduction | 1933 |
| Retired | 1954 Spanish Air Force |
| Primary users |
Luft Hansa Luftwaffe Royal Hungarian Air Force |
| Number built | 324 + license-built in Hungary |
The Heinkel He 70 is a German mail plane and fast passenger aircraft of the 1930s which was also used in auxiliary bomber and reconnaissance roles. It had a relatively brief commercial career before it was replaced by types which could carry more passengers. The He 70 was a leading design for its day, setting eight world speed records by the beginning of 1933.
The Heinkel He 70 Blitz (lightning) was designed in the early 1930s to serve as a mailplane for Deutsche Luft Hansa in response to a request for an aircraft faster than the Lockheed Vega and Orion (as used by Swissair) for use on short routes.
It was a low-wing monoplane, with the main characteristic of its design being its elliptical wing (which the Günther brothers had already used for the Bäumer Sausewind sports aircraft before they joined Heinkel) and its small, rounded control surfaces. In order to meet the demanding speed requirements, the design minimised drag, with flush rivets giving a smooth surface finish and a retractable undercarriage. It was powered by a liquid cooled BMW VI V12, cooled by ethylene glycol rather than water, allowing a smaller radiator and therefore reducing drag. The pilot and radio operator were seated in tandem, with a cabin housing four passengers on two double seats facing each other.
The first prototype flew on 1 December 1932, and proved to have excellent performance, setting eight world records for speed over distance, and reaching a maximum speed of 377 km/h (222 mph).
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