Hs 121 Fighter and advanced flight training aircraft First flight: 1934 Henschel

The Hs.121 was designed to one of the first specifications issued by the so-called C-amt, the technical department of Goering's commissariat. These specifications were for a "home defense fighter" - a dual-purpose aircraft for advanced flight training and a light fighter. Another green company among its competitors had three of the most experienced aviation firms in Germany - Arado, Focke-Wulf and Heinkel. Purely aesthetically, the Henschel version was the most attractive - Koch emphasized aerodynamic qualities.

One could feel the strong influence of Zygmunt Puławski from PZL, who in the early 30s brought Poland to the forefront in the field of fighter aircraft - Nikolaus chose the same "gull" strut scheme. The semi-elliptical light alloy wing had two spars and a metal-sheathed nose, followed by fabric lining. The oval fuselage had a set of metal spars and spars. The lining in the bow was metal, and in the cockpit area it was also working. The flaps went from the aileron to the fuselage. All steering surfaces were covered with cloth. The main landing gear with oil damping was attached to the first frame. Chassis wheels were covered with fairings. Like its competitors, the Hs.121 was equipped with an Argus As-10C engine - an 8-cylinder, inverted V type. It was planned to install one MG-17 machine gun.

Experienced Hs.121a flew for the first time on January 4, 1934. under the direction of Professor Schuebel. The plane turned out to be very unstable, and the reaction to the rudders was slow. The pilot gave negative feedback on all handling positions. It was obvious that the Hs.121 would not arouse the interest of the commissariat, but Nikolaus and his designer, despite being very busy with other work, were not going to admit defeat with the first project - work began almost immediately on reworking the second of the three ordered aircraft already in the form of a low-wing . The new aircraft was ready in three months under the designation Hs.125a. Attempts to bring the Hs.121a to fruition were unsuccessful, and the testing of the aircraft was never completed.

Photo	Description
	Drawingа Hs 121а

Hs 125 Fighter and advanced flight training aircraft First flight: 1934 Henschel

At the end of the spring of 1934, just three months after the failure to test the Hs.121a, Nikolaus launched the new Hs.125 with amazing speed, which featured a different layout - a low-wing aircraft instead of a strut-braced "gull". As a result, by the time indicated by the air commissariat, the second of the three ordered Hs.121s was already completed in Johannishtal as Hs.125a, and the conversion of the third Hs.125b was already ending.

Hs.125 retained 90% of the design of its predecessor, but the wing has completely changed. It received wire braces from the fuselage and V-shaped struts to the landing gear. The engine was preserved As-10С, it was planned to install one MG-17 machine gun. The very first flights showed that the shortcomings of the predecessor were overcome. The second experimental Hs.125b (D-EKAN) practically did not differ from the first, with the exception of minor changes in the hood - separate ports were cut for the exhaust pipes.

Flight tests of two experimental aircraft were carried out in Johannishtal, Adlershef and Rechlin in early 1935, but the Fw.56 "Shtesser" was chosen, and the Hs.125 was later used as a sports aircraft.

Photo	Description
	Drawing Hs 125v-1

Bibliography

• Wings of the Luftwaffe (warplanes of the Third Reich) /William Green./
• Luftwaffe Warplanes /edited by David Donald/
• Luftarchiv.de. Henschel Hs 121
• Luftarchiv.de. Henschel Hs 125