Background[]
Models[]
He 111H[]
The H variant of the He 111 series was more widely produced and saw more action during World War II than any other Heinkel variant. Owing to the uncertainty surrounding the delivery and availability of the DB 601 engines, Heinkel switched to 820 kW (1,100 hp) Junkers Jumo 211 powerplants, whose somewhat greater size and weight were regarded as unimportant considerations in a twin-engine design. When the Jumo was fitted to the P model it became the He 111 H.
H-3[]
H-11[]
In the summer of 1942, the H-11, based on the H-3 was introduced. The H-11 had heavier armour and revised defensive armament. The drum-fed 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 15 was replaced with a belt-fed 13 mm (0.51 in) MG 131 in a fully-enclosed dorsal position (B-Stand); the gunner in the latter was protected with armoured glass. The MG 15 in the ventral C-Stand or Bola was also replaced, with a belt-fed 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 81Z with much higher rate of fire. The beam positions originally retained their MG 15s but the H-11/R1 replaced these with twin MG 81Z which was standardized in November 1942. The port internal ESAC bomb racks were removed and an 835 L (184 imp gal; 221 US gal) fuel tank installed.
The H-11s were equipped with a new PVC rack under the fuselage, which carried five 250 kg (550 lb) bombs. Additional armour plating was fitted around crew spaces, some of it on the lower fuselage which could be jettisoned in an emergency. Engines were two 1,000 kW (1,300 hp) Junkers Jumo 211F-2, allowing this variant to carry a 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) load to a range of 2,340 km (1,450 mi). Heinkel built 230 new aircraft of this type and converted 100 H-3s to H-11s by the summer of 1943.
H-16[]
The third mass production model of the He 111H (following the H-3s and H-6s) was the H-16, entering production in late 1942. The H-16s was developed from the H-14s for the night bomber role and had a similar defensive armament to the H-11s.
The H-16 was powered by two 1,000 kW (1,300 hp) Jumo 211 F-2 providing a maximum speed of 434 km/h (270 mph) at 6,000 m (20,000 ft); cruising speed was 390 km/h (240 mph) and service ceiling was 8,500 m (27,900 ft).
Funkgerät (FuG) radio equipment. FuG 10P, FuG 16, FuBl Z and APZ 6 were fitted for communication and navigation at night, while some aircraft received the FuG 101a radio altimeter. An undetermined number of H variants were fitted with the FuG 200 Hohentwiel. The radar was adapted as an anti-shipping detector for day or night operations.
Armament was an MG 131 in a flexible installation in the nose (A-Stand) and dorsal (B-stand) positions. The 20 mm (0.79 in) MG FF/M cannon was removed, as the H-16s were seldom employed on low-level missions; Though in reality, the MG FF/M cannon was retained on most H-16s. On some aircraft, the dorsal position was replaced by a Drehlafette DL 131 electrically powered turret armed with one MG 131, we’re designated as the He 111 H-16/R1. The two beam and the aft ventral positions were provided with MG 81Zs, as on the H-11.
The H-16 retained its eight ESAC internal bomb cells; four bomb cells, as on previous versions could be replaced by a fuel tank to increase range. ETC 2000 racks could be installed over the bomb cell openings for external weapons carriage. Empty weight was 6,900 kg (15,200 lb) and the aircraft weighed 14,000 kg (31,000 lb) fully loaded for take off. German factories built 1,155 H-16s between the end of 1942 and the end of 1943; in addition, 280 H-6s and 35 H-11s were updated to H-16 standard.
- He 111 H-16 Heavy Bomber 50kg
- He 111 H-16 Heavy Bomber 250kg
- He 111 H-16 Heavy Bomber 1000kg
- He 111 H-16/R3 Recon Plane
H-20[]
The last major production variant, entering into production in early 1944. Based upon the previous H-16 variant, the H-20 had more powerful engines, defensive armaments and radio communications. Heinkel and its licensees built 550 H-20s through the summer of 1944, while 586 H-6s were upgraded to H-20 standard.
The H-20 was equipped with two Jumo 213E-1 engines, turning three-blade, Junkers VS 11 wooden-bladed variable-pitch propellers. The defensive armament consisted of an MG 131 in an A-Stand gun pod for the forward mounted machine gun position. One rotatable Drehlafette DL 131/1C (or E) gun mount in the B-stand was standard and later, MG 131 machine guns were added. Navigational direction-finding gear was also installed. The Peil G6 was added to locate targets and the FuBI 2H blind landing equipment was built in to help with night operations. The radio was a standard FuG 10, TZG 10 and FuG 16Z for navigating to the target. The H-20 also was equipped with barrage balloon cable-cutters.
- He 111 H-20/R3: Night bomber variant, equipped with flame dampeners on the engine’s exhaust pipes. The bomb load was carried externally on a Lastenaufhängerahmen rack mounted under the fuselage, including multiple bomb types, ranging from 50kg bombs to 2500kg bombs, including cluster bomb containers, napalm bombs and many others.
- He 111 H-20/R4: Night bomber variant, carrying twenty 50 kg (110 lb) SC 50 bombs on a Lastenaufhängerahmen bomb rack mounted externally under the fuselage.
H-21[]
The H-21 was a H-20 variant, equipped with Jumo 211F-2 engines, giving it superior high altitude performance. Heinkel only built 22 H-21s in late spring and summer of 1944.