Heinkel HE-111 - German Bomber - Falcon Field - Mesa AZ

[DutchSymboL]

i remember that sound from The Longest Day, you hear that all the time.. i missed it thou

[JOHNO4992]

I wonder why it sounds like a Mosquito ? He he..

[fjbutch]

I have a special old Neighbour that flew these during WW2... GOOD POST..THANKS HEAPS !

[SuperBrett1984]

@FiveCentsPlease, I thought it crashed. Such a horrible thing to happen. The last time we had seen the plane was in Lethbridge , Alberta , Canada , that was in 1999 or so. Thanks for the info. All the best.

[SuperBrett1984]

Did this plane crash?

[FiveCentsPlease]

@SuperBrett1984

Crashed and destroyed in July 2003 with the loss all crew. No other example is currently flying, although another CASA survivor could be flyable with some work. There are possibly two projects to build flyable originals, but not much info on them.

[MrBuddydan]

What a great loss,i saw this plane at my home town airport in the mid 90s.

[ooperj]

its a german mosquito!

[Dutyseeker]

Please - CARE IT !!!!! Greetz from Germany

[Hidekius]

@Dutyseeker Ist kaputt leider, in der Beschreibung steht es. Bauen wir uns eine? ^^

[Dutyseeker]

@Hidekius

So ein Mist, das habe ich garniicht gelesen...verdammt! Naja, ein paar Teile hätte ich schon, Also bauen wir einfach eine neue!!!:D

[bjornfaltskog]

this is my favourite plane of all planes, I am an enthusiast of WW1 planes but there are some WW2 exceptions, and this is one of them, I LOVE the Heinkel

[Ichiban7]

@crazeball89 - Both German and Japanese militaries were dismantled after the war and much of their war making equipment were destroyed except a few rare examples, which may have been out of the country at the time or were salvaged from later found crash sites.

[Ichiban7]

I never saw the movie, but it is reported that they did feature HE-111's in the film. There are no flying examples at this time of HE-111's FYI

"The German planes seen at the beginning of the film were HE-111 Bombers."

Credits to IMDb

[cxlcitymaster]

Is this the plane from the opening scene of The Chronicles Of Narnia? O.o

[Dutyseeker]

@cxlcitymaster

Yes, it is!:) A very awesome Bomber.

[crazeball89]

Anyone know where all the HE-111's dissapeared to? ... Seems wierd for a mass produced medium bomber to have vanished but rarer planes are still around... Is there no "HE-111 DIY kits" ? lol

[FiveCentsPlease]

@crazeball89

The Allied occupation was more efficient at destroying the abandoned Luftwaffe equipment. I count 6 surviving original He-111s and about 12-13 post-war CASA-2111 versions.The largest remaining collection of CASAs was assembled for the BoB film in 1968 when the Spanish retired them. They were offered for sale, but only a few were bought and the rest were scrapped. A couple of He-111s are in long-term restorations for possible flight some day but these are slow projects.

[DarkBlitzkrieg46]

my fave. medium bomber of the war

[saxcoburg]

Excellent!

[piercesherry2010]

dose anyone know the name of the plane wich is two of these conjoined and there is two seperate crews in each ? i forget the name it is the exact same just two planes stuck together kinda looks like the p 38 look please respond

[FiveCentsPlease]

@piercesherry2010

He-111Z. (Z for "Zwilling")

[piercesherry2010]

@FiveCentsPlease thanks bud i use to fly it in my flight symulator its a beutiful plane

[mybluebelly]

The people who restores these historical aviation pieces, do they go to any great length to procure the accurate engines, weapon systems and functioning bomb-bays and so on...?

[FiveCentsPlease]

@mybluebelly

This aircraft was a post-war CASA 211 built in Spain and powered by Merlin engines. Surviving Luftwaffe front line aircraft are rare, and it is even rarer to see them in airworthy condition with original engines since engine spares are difficult to locate. (Compared with Merlins that saw continued use and manufacture after the war.)

Continued.....

[FiveCentsPlease]

@mybluebelly

Most of these aircraft are restored as accurately as possible, however any installed guns must be inoperative to comply with laws. (Firing pins removed or even a plug welded into business end.) If they are flown, some modern equipment may by installed for navigation, communication, transponders, etc for modern safe flight. Electrical wiring will probably be modern. (The Flying Heritage Museum remanfactured original wiring for their aircraft for accuracy.)

[mybluebelly]

@FiveCentsPlease ok..thanks for the info i guess i will have to dig a bit deeper in the history of these spanish built types. I have heard about these casa built heinkels&HA`s a long time ago, but didn`t really know what to make of them. Also, I guess i assumed that the "proper" engines for any restoration project would be readily available from "aftermarket" suppliers, but maybe that is not the case with the german types?!

[FiveCentsPlease]

@mybluebelly

Most engine parts are coming from dwindling supplies of leftover NOS parts and new parts that have to be custom-made at great expense. There isn't a supply of new engines, but new replacement high-wear parts for Merlins is profitable enough to justify manufacturing them. Rarely, a new engine can be found from a private collector but overhauling to airworthy condition is still very expensive. The German engines are much more expensive than the more plentiful Merlins.

[RFKFANTS67]

Damn shame yet another piece of aviation history lost 4ever:{

[StreetRodDude]

Well, I grew up near Harlingen TX which was the birthplace of the CAF. I have watched these planes come and go. Whether this HE111 or the B-26 or the PBY, numerous Mustangs, it's a pitty that they have been destroyed in such a manner. I'm all about them flying but I do wish they would really back off on the type of flying they do in an effort to avoid these losses and preserve these examples. Because when they are gone, they are gone.

[mikejstrehl]

I saw this aircraft while at Kennywood Park, PA, about Aug. 2000? I nearly had a stroke. Didn't know there were any flying anywhere. Now there are none? I would contribute to any fund that would restore one. Must be some somewhere, maybe North Africa? Norway? Must be something somewhere.

[Blueagle8u]

Wow! What a shame! I was fortunate enough to see this plane inside and out.

[xLesstatx]

He-111  PEDRO

[justinfluegel]

I remember walking through this aircraft as a kid. It came to the Geneseo Airport in NY joined by the B-17 Sentimental Journey. She always took a secondary place, but she's what I came to see. watching her taking off on that a grass strip really made you feel like you were in 1939.

[snelmau5]

I recognize this airport... isn't it used in the making of "Pearl Harbor"?

[singningwongho]

damn that sounds nice :D

[misha5781]

Молодцы кто сохранил или создал такой красивый самолёт.Хенкель 111 шедевр авиастроения.

[mcstaal]

Ichiban 7.

The spanish licens build HE 111, flew on 23 may 1945 wih Jumo 211 F engines found in France. During Civil war 1937 Franco forces recived a number of HE111B with original engines. Merlin build 111's build from 53..

[Ismalith]

Could there be anything better than sitting in the front in this plane while fly over huge mountains and wide fields?

[Ichiban7]

As for everything else . . . I have no clue. I won't even begin to claim to be an expert, but I did enjoy reading everyone's thoughts and facts and Info. Thanks Guys

[Ichiban7]

Sorry guys, just getting to this. The engines were definitely RR's and the engines failed because they definitely switched to a dry tank. They realized the mistake but could not get the engines restarted. This according to what I read, and what I heard from the Arizona Wing of CAF in Mesa, AZ.

As for engines, just listen to the sound, and they sound just like two P-51's running side by side.

[Ichiban7]

As for engines they were R.R. Merlins. Why? its becuase it was Spanish built and they used what they could get during the war. Spain was Neutral during the war. This plane was not orignially used as a bomber but more of a taxi cab for some famous General, whom I forget who it was.

[FiveCentsPlease]

@Ichiban7

The Spanish did not start using the Merlins until the early 1950s. During wartime, the Spanish used the German engines they could find and continued post war. I believe Germany could never live up to their promise to supply engines for Spanish He111 and fighter production, since engine production was needed for their own aircraft.

[Brian79camino]

@Ichiban7 Franco

[allowayfreestate]

@Ichiban7 They are Merlins, pistons facing up the way!

[Ichiban7]

The pilots accidentally switched to a dry tank and that is why the engines failed. They crashed through a fense and flew into a School Bus, car wash. I think they had hoped that it would stop the plane. They did a great job at avoiding people and houses. Its a real pity. It was based out here in Mesa, Arizona. Somewhere I have photos.

[Brian79camino]

such a shame that this thing crashed

[999archenemy]

Beautiful airplane. Love the shape of the wings.

[jestepario]

Este avión se conocía entre los militares de aviación españoles, como PEDRO yo fuí militar de aviación en los años 59/60 y volaban los PEDROS, Junkers, Buckers etc Viva España!!

[billace90]

For those war birds buffs, Franklin Mint made a beautiful exact diecast replica in 1:48 scale in the same camo scheme. Very well detailed. It displays very well and although it was retired a few years ago, occasionally one of them is for sale on Ebay. They also produced the night bomber and north african campaign versions with different camos. It is a remarkable fine aircraft.

[HJE72675]

this aircraft had MERLIN engines! I was on board during an event on a walkthrough and two german tourists were almost in a fist fight sitting at the controls about the engines. Spanish built and English power. Kind of like your dodge stratus built in Japan under license assembled in Mexico!! LOL

[TheRuckerproductions]

aint the fact the props spin the same direction a design floor in this aircraft as far as i know most twin engined planes props spin opposite direction to each other though due to the time this aircraft was built and the war i guess it was a over site or the only available engines rotated the same direction no dissrespect to the germans they were as good as anyone else with what they had both sides made great aircraft

[ImInCommand]

That's sick. I used to see this plane flying by my house all the time, but never saw it up close, then it crashed. Damn....

[DrZippo1]

Gotta love the sound of those R.R. Merlin engines firing up!!



[LucasDecimus]

@DrZippo1 those are mercedes engines

[SignorThomasino]

@LucasDecimus

Mercedes? He 111s got JUMO engines

[FiveCentsPlease]

@SignorThomasino

Early series He-111s A-D could have Daimler 600 series engines and later marks had the Jumos. This example was a post-war Spanish airframe with RR Merlins, destroyed several years ago after engine failure during landing.

[SignorThomasino]

@FiveCentsPlease

Daimler-Benz isn't Mercedes, is it? :)

Yeah, I heard about that crash, that was really shame. Such rare plane should stay in hangar.

[Craigpv2d]

I flew on this aircraft in 99 from Wisconsin to Michigan. We even buzzed Meigs Feild. Approximately 14 Spanish licensed built CASA 2.111s survive today in various conditions on display or storage. One modified Spanish 2.111D served as a transport for Spanish VIPs, including General Francisco Franco, before being purchased in England by the Commemorative Air Force in 1977. It remained the last He 111 in flyable condition until 10 July 2003, when it was destroyed in a fatal crash landing.

[Ichiban7]

I have no clue, but likely no. I did hear about someone trying to restore one to flying condition, but its been some time since I heard anything about it. These planes are rare than rare.

[Brian79camino]

@Ichiban7 i was just reading about the crash...said it went down because of engine failure, do you know if it was both engines? cause i'm pretty sure the thing can maintain altitude with only one, but of course having its power cut down by 50%....its just horrible and it bothers me that we lost the only 111 left in flying condition

[FiveCentsPlease]

@Brian79camino

It was a single engine failure during landing and it struck a fence and a building. The Cavannah Flight Museum has a CASA example which could be made airworthy with a little work. There is/was a project to get a real He111 flying, but updates are few if this project still even exists. Paul Allen also has an He111, but since his projects seem to only do about 1 rivet per year I doubt we'll live long enough to see it finished.

[alliedace]

is the caf goin to restore another he111

[FiveCentsPlease]

@alliedace

I haven't heard of any plans to that effect. There are one or two long-term He111 restorations ongoing, but with very rare aircraft it's a matter of time and money. The Cavanaugh Flight Museum example is probably the best candidate to get flying in the meantime.