Editing Heinkel He 112 (section)

==He 112B==

===Prototypes===
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}[[File:Heinkel He 112 D-IGSI 02.png|thumb|Prototype V9 D-IGSI]]

In October 1936, the RLM changed the orders for the zero series 112s, instructing Heinkel to complete any A-0s already under construction and then switch the remaining aircraft to an updated design. This gave Heinkel a chance to improve the He 112, which it did by completely redesigning it into an almost entirely new aircraft called the He 112B. It is at this point that it became a modern design that could compete head-to-head with the Bf 109.

The He 112B had a redesigned and cut-down rear fuselage, a new fin and [[rudder]] and a completely enclosed cockpit with a [[Bubble canopy|bubble]]-style [[Aircraft canopy|canopy]]. The canopy was somewhat more complex than later bubble designs; instead of having two pieces with the majority sliding to the rear, the He 112B canopy was in three pieces, the middle sliding back and over a fixed rear section. Even with the additional framing, the He 112 had excellent visibility for its day. Armament was also standardized on the B model with two 7.92&nbsp;mm (.312&nbsp;in) [[MG 17 machine gun]]s in the sides of the cowling with 500 rpg and two 20&nbsp;mm [[MG FF cannon]]s in the wings with 60 rpg. For aiming, the cockpit included the new [[Revi gunsight|Revi 3B]] [[reflector gunsight]].

The first B series airframe to be completed was V7 in October 1936. V7 used the DB 600Aa engine like the A-series V8, and it also used the original V1 style larger wing. This wing was later replaced with a smaller one but instead of the clipped version from the earlier V models, a new single-spar fully elliptical wing was produced. This design became standard for the entire B series. V7 was turned over to von Braun in April 1937 for yet more rocket tests and managed to survive the experience. It was then returned in the summer and sent to [[Rechlin]] where it was used as a test aircraft.

The next type was V9 which flew in July 1937, powered by the {{convert|680|PS|kW|abbr=on}} Jumo 210D engine. V9 can be considered to be the "real" B series prototype, as V7 had received the DB 600Aa originally for experimental reasons. The entire surface was now flush riveted and the aircraft had several other aerodynamic refinements. The radiator was changed again, this time to a semi-retractable design for reduced drag in flight. The aircraft also underwent a weight reduction program which reduced the empty weight to 1,617&nbsp;kg (3,565&nbsp;lb).

As a result of all of these changes, the V9 had a maximum speed of 485&nbsp;km/h (301&nbsp;mph) at 4,000&nbsp;m (13,120&nbsp;ft), and 430&nbsp;km/h (270&nbsp;mph) at sea level. This was a full 20&nbsp;km/h (10&nbsp;mph) faster than the contemporary Bf 109B. Nevertheless, by this time, the Bf 109 was already being mass-produced and the RLM saw no need for another similar aircraft. It is also worth noting that users of the aircraft generally found it impossible to reach this speed and rarely managed to exceed 418&nbsp;km/h (260&nbsp;mph).

The RLM had already contracted for another six He 112s, so production of the prototypes continued. V10 was supposed to receive the 670&nbsp;kW (960&nbsp;hp) [[Junkers Jumo 211]]A (Junker's new DB 600 competitor) but the engine was not available in time and V10 instead received the new 876&nbsp;kW (1,175&nbsp;hp) DB 601Aa. The engine drove V10 to 570&nbsp;km/h (350&nbsp;mph) and increased climb rate significantly. V11 was also supposed to get the Jumo 211A but instead received the DB 600Aa.

The last prototype, V12, was actually an airframe taken off the B-1 series production line (which had started by this point). The Jumo 210D was replaced with the new fuel-injected 210Ga, which improved performance of the engine to 522&nbsp;kW (700&nbsp;hp) for takeoff, and a sustained output of 503&nbsp;kW (675&nbsp;hp) at the reasonably high altitude of 4,700&nbsp;m (15,420&nbsp;ft). Better yet, the Ga also decreased fuel consumption, thus increasing the aircraft's endurance. The new engine gave V12 such a boost that it became the pattern aircraft for the planned B-2 series production.

With all of these different versions and experimental engine fits, it might seem like every aircraft differed significantly but with the exception of the engines, the Bs were identical. Due to the shortage of just about any German engine at the time and the possibility that advanced versions could be blocked for export, various models had to be designed with different installations. Thus the B models were different only in their engine, the Jumo 210C in the He 112 B-0, the Jumo 210D in the B-1, and the Jumo 210Ga for the B-2.

===Production models===
In order to show off the He 112, V9 spent much of the later half of 1937 being flown by pilots from all over the world. It was also sent around Europe for tours and air shows. The effort was a success and orders quickly started coming in. However, a variety of problems meant few of these were ever delivered.

The first order was from the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]], which had a requirement for a fast-climbing interceptor to deal with [[Tupolev SB]] bombers over China. After seeing V9 in flight, it quickly placed an order for 24 112Bs, with an option for 48 more.{{sfn|''Air International''|1989b|p=312}} The first four were shipped in December 1937, another eight in the spring, and promises for the rest to arrive in May. Before delivery, the ''Luftwaffe'' unexpectedly took over 12 of the aircraft to bolster its forces during the [[Sudetenland Crisis]].{{sfn|''Air International''|1989b|p=315}}  The aircraft were then returned to Heinkel in November, but the Japanese, who were unhappy with the high maintenance workload and lower manoeuvrability compared with fighters like the [[Mitsubishi A5M]], refused to accept them this late and Heinkel was left holding the aircraft.{{sfn|''Air International''|1989b|p=316}}

In November 1937, an [[Austria]]n delegation came to see the aircraft, led by ''Generaloberst'' Alexander Löhr, Command-in-Chief of the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' (Austrian Air Force). Test pilot Hans Schalk flew both the Bf 109 and the He 112V9 back to back. Although he felt that both models performed the same, the Heinkel had more balanced steering pressures and better equipment possibilities. They placed an order on 20 December for 42 He 112Bs.{{sfn|''Air International''|1989b|p=312}} Pending the license for the [[MG FF cannon]], these aircraft would remove the cannon and add six THM 10/I bomb shackles which carried small 10&nbsp;kg (22&nbsp;lb) anti-personnel bombs. The order was later reduced to 36 examples due to a lack of funds (the He 112B cost {{Reichsmark|163,278|link=yes}}), but the aircraft were never delivered due to the annexation of Austria in the March 1938 [[Anschluss]].{{sfn|''Air International''|1989b|p=312}}

Spain was so impressed with the He 112's performance during evaluation in the civil war that the Spanish Air Force purchased the 12 aircraft in early 1938, and later increased the order by another six (some sources say five). Of the first 12, two were shipped in November, another six in January, and the rest in April.

In April, it looked like [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]] would be the next user of the He 112. It placed an order for 30 aircraft but later cancelled the order and decided to produce other designs under license.

[[Finland]] appeared to be another potential customer. From January–March 1938, the famous Finnish pilot [[Gustaf Magnusson|Gustaf Erik Magnusson]] travelled to Germany to gain experience in new tactics. He had been on similar tours in [[France]] in the past and was interested to see how the Germans were training their pilots. On a visit to the Heinkel plant in Marienehe, he flew the He 112 and reported it to be the best aircraft he had flown. In May, Heinkel sent the first of the He 112 B-1s to Finland to join an air show. It remained for the next week and was flown by a number of pilots, including Magnusson, who had since returned to Finland. Although all of the pilots liked the aircraft, the cost was so high that the [[Finnish Air Force|''Suomen Ilmavoimat'']] (Finnish Air Force) decided to stick with the much less expensive [[Fokker D.XXI]].

A similar setback would accompany sales efforts targeting the [[Dutch Air Force]], which was looking to purchase 36 fighters to form two new squadrons. A He 112 B-1 arrived for testing on 12 July and quickly proved to be the best aircraft in the competition. Nevertheless, it decided to purchase the locally built (and rather outdated) [[Koolhoven F.K.58]] instead. In the end, the F.K.58s were never delivered because the factory was bombed on 10 May 1940.

Fortunes would seem to be reversed with [[Hungary]]. In June 1938, three pilots of the ''Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierö'' (Royal Hungarian Home Defense Air Force or MKHL) were sent to Heinkel to study V9. They were impressed with what they saw, and on 7 September, an order was placed for 36 aircraft, as well as an offer to license the design for local construction. Through a variety of political mishaps, only three aircraft were ever delivered and licensed production never happened.

The final and perhaps most successful customer for the He 112B was [[Romania]]. The ''Forţã Aeronauticã Regalã Românã'' (Royal Romanian Air Force) ordered 24 aircraft in April 1939 and increased the order to 30 on 18 August. Deliveries started in June, with the last being delivered on 30 September.

By this point, the war had broken out and with better models on the market – including Heinkel's own [[Heinkel He 100|He 100]] – no one else was interested in purchasing the design. The production line was closed after a total of only 98 aircraft, 85 of those being the B series models.