What if the Heinkel He 112 was the Luftwaffe's choice?

[Default Setting]

Let's say that for whatever reason Messerschmitt does not submit the Bf 109 for the Luftwaffe's 1933 contract (perhaps because the company didn't recover from its 1931 bankruptcy, or Milch, who hated him, gets to influence the final choice). Instead the Heinkel He 112 is chosen as the new German standard fighter. How much development potential would it have had until it had reached the end of its cycle? Could it have lasted as long as the Me 109 did OTL?

[James W.]

No, because other fighter designs which were both more advanced & more easily/economically built were already in process,
& not least, by Heinkel themselves..

[JayBee]

But it was the Luftwaffe's choice........


http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,41574.0.html

[NARSES2]

Instead the Heinkel He 112 is chosen as the new German standard fighter. How much development potential would it have had until it had reached the end of its cycle? Could it have lasted as long as the Me 109 did OTL?

In my view if it had of been chosen then yes, it probably would have been developed in the same way as the 109 was, which was beyond the date when the plus should have been pulled. No reason to think that because a different design had been chosen then the path would have been any different.

Just my tuppence worth.

[James W.]

But it was the Luftwaffe's choice........


http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,41574.0.html

RLM made the call, & fatty Hermann, & his boss, ol' Adolf - could veto their choice, ( lalong with others, Udet, Milch, Speer)..
That was how Nazi's did things.. & meanwhile, back in Blighty, the Hurricane stayed in mass-production 'til `44, long past its U-by-D.

[Default Setting]

But it was the Luftwaffe's choice........


http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,41574.0.html

Great job! 

[jcf]

As the aircraft was massively redesigned between the failed A series and production B model, it's
entirely possible that if taken on as a regular type that more redesign would have been done over
time. The thick and, complicated to build, wing being an obvious choice for redesign, being made
thinner and simplified structurally.

[Weaver]

Or would you have seen an effectively 'new' type emerge, combining the He 100's easier-to-build airframe with one of the more practical engine options developed for the He 112? It's worth remembering that a late-model Spitfire had very little in common with a Mk.1...

They flew He 112s with all sorts of engine installations, including db 600s and 601s.

[jcf]

Possibly, the He 112 V10, prototype for the un-produced He 112 E 'Export', with a DB 601a had a top speed roughly
equal to a Bf 109E, and much longer range.

[rickshaw]

Possibly, the He 112 V10, prototype for the un-produced He 112 E 'Export', with a DB 601a had a top speed roughly
equal to a Bf 109E, and much longer range.

If adopted, that would have had a significant effect on the Battle of Britain...

[Default Setting]

If adopted, that would have had a significant effect on the Battle of Britain...

Interesting, could you elaborate on that?

[The Wooksta!]

He 112 had better range I think, plus lower wing loading and certainly better take off and landing characteristics due to the wider track u/c. 

But, given that the RAF had better tactics, flying over home turf, defense in depth, and more importantly, the radar system which was difficult to knock out, I doubt it'd be that much different.  Add in higher production rates of Spitfires and Hurricanes, and a decent repair system for damaged aircraft.  Plus Uncle Adolf was more thinking about attacking Russia anyway it's more likely that the whole thing was all a big if expensive bluff. 

Now the Fw 187 instead of the Bf 110, or better German tactics...  Different ballgame.

[Weaver]

He 112 had better range I think, plus lower wing loading and certainly better take off and landing characteristics due to the wider track u/c. 

But, given that the RAF had better tactics, flying over home turf, defense in depth, and more importantly, the radar system which was difficult to knock out, I doubt it'd be that much different.  Add in higher production rates of Spitfires and Hurricanes, and a decent repair system for damaged aircraft.  Plus Uncle Adolf was more thinking about attacking Russia anyway it's more likely that the whole thing was all a big if expensive bluff. 

Now the Fw 187 instead of the Bf 110, or better German tactics...  Different ballgame.

German four-engined long-range bombers and effective fighters to escort them: very different ball game....

[Dizzyfugu]

AFAIK a major killer criterium for the He 112 was that it was expensive and more compliacted to produce than the Bf 109. If you want lots of fighters fast, a simple design (like the P-51 later on allied side) is the winner. Even if the He 112 had been adopted for service, it would either have had to be simplified, or the numbers would have been more restricted.

[Default Setting]

AFAIK a major killer criterium for the He 112 was that it was expensive and more compliacted to produce than the Bf 109. If you want lots of fighters fast, a simple design (like the P-51 later on allied side) is the winner. Even if the He 112 had been adopted for service, it would either have had to be simplified, or the numbers would have been more restricted.

Mmh, good point. Could its design have been simplified without too much loss of performance or redesigning it from the ground up?