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Heinkel He 59

first flew 1931· trainer, transport, air ambulance, torpedo bomber

🎖️ military 2× piston retired
8 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
  1. 1. Heinkel he 59: Arvi A. Karisto· Public domain
  2. 2. Nadat-de-britse-overheid-medio-juli-1940-had-afgekondigd-dat-de-wit-gespoten-he-59-s-evengoed-zouden-worden-neergeschoten: Ministerie van Defensie· CC BY-SA 4.0
  3. 3. Deux hydravions, un Heinkel He 59 allemand et un He 114 roumain (7101039): Walter Jacobi· Public domain
  4. 4. He 59 01: Collectie Fotoafdrukken Koninklijke Marine· CC BY-SA 4.0
  5. 5. He 59: San Diego Air & Space Museum· CC0
  6. 6. Heinkel He 59 B und D in Stavanger Sola, 1940-41: unbekannt - never published by name of a photographer· Public domain
  7. 7. Heinkel He 59, 8L+SH, 1. Kü.Fl.Gr. 906, Stavanger Sola (1a): unbekannt - never published by name of a photographer· Public domain
  8. 8. Heinkel He 59, 8L+SH, 1. Kü.Fl.Gr. 906, Stavanger Sola (1c): unbekannt - never published by name of a photographer· Public domain
Read about it on Wikipedia ↗
Heinkel He 59, photo 1 of 8
1/8 Arvi A. Karisto· Public domain

what is it?

The Heinkel He 59 was a twin-engined German biplane designed in 1930, resulting from a requirement for a torpedo bomber and reconnaissance aircraft able to operate on wheeled landing gear or twin-floats.

How to recognise it: 2 piston engines with propellers · floatplane · 23.7 m wingspan

base stats

  • speed 221 km/htop speed
  • range 942 kmwithout refuelling
  • size 9,119 kgmax take-off weight
  • built 142made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

  • First flew 95 years ago, in 1931.
  • Top speed is 1.7× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
  • Wingspan of 23.7 m: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight
1931
introduced
1934
retired
1944
status
retired
number built
142
role
trainer, transport, air ambulance, torpedo bomber
makers
Heinkel, Arado Flugzeugwerke
engines
2× BMW VI 6.0 zu
crew
4
length
17.4 m
wingspan
23.7 m
height
7.1 m
max take-off weight
9,119 kg
top speed
221 km/h
range
942 km
ceiling
3,500 m
landing gear
floatplane

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q550020, Wikipedia: Heinkel He 59 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.

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