Captured Henschel Hs123 question

On 4th September 1939, Lce Cpl Zdzisław Urbańczyk of 161 Esk Army Łódż shot down a HS 123 of II. (Schl.)/LG 2 flying a PZL P.7a. This is the only HS 123 combat I can find mention of in the September Campaign.

What a 162 Esk P.7a looked like.

On 4th September 1939, Lce Cpl Zdzisław Urbańczyk of 161 Esk Army Łódż shot down a HS 123 of II. (Schl.)/LG 2 flying a PZL P.7a. This is the only HS 123 combat I can find mention of in the September Campaign.

What a 162 Esk P.7a looked like.

Wow, looking great! It would be very interesting to see a mock combat with a Gladiator, or one of the Hawker bipes….

Now there’s a thought, sure someone who likes their flight sims could do something, regardless of the different roles the aircraft were designed for it would be fun.

And just supposing one did fly the wrong way and ended up behind enemy lines it would have been appropriated anyway.

Wow, looking great! It would be very interesting to see a mock combat with a Gladiator, or one of the Hawker bipes….

Now there’s a thought, sure someone who likes their flight sims could do something, regardless of the different roles the aircraft were designed for it would be fun.

And just supposing one did fly the wrong way and ended up behind enemy lines it would have been appropriated anyway.

Indeed they could, but more likely the Henschel could have tangled with I-152 or I-153 later. However, it is worth remembering that it was not a fighter.

Indeed they could, but more likely the Henschel could have tangled with I-152 or I-153 later. However, it is worth remembering that it was not a fighter.

Wow, looking great! It would be very interesting to see a mock combat with a Gladiator, or one of the Hawker bipes…. sadly won´t happen. Thanks for your drawing, like it!

Michael

Presumably they could have met in actual combat in early 1940?

Wow, looking great! It would be very interesting to see a mock combat with a Gladiator, or one of the Hawker bipes…. sadly won´t happen. Thanks for your drawing, like it!

Michael

Presumably they could have met in actual combat in early 1940?

Thanks for the replies and a shame that there wasn’t the interest or opportunity, would have been a lovely scheme and little run around for a squadron somewhere or other.

Thought I’d do a ‘what if’ for you all anyway.

Wow, looking great! It would be very interesting to see a mock combat with a Gladiator, or one of the Hawker bipes…. sadly won´t happen. Thanks for your drawing, like it!

Michael

Thanks for the replies and a shame that there wasn’t the interest or opportunity, would have been a lovely scheme and little run around for a squadron somewhere or other.

Thought I’d do a ‘what if’ for you all anyway.

Wow, looking great! It would be very interesting to see a mock combat with a Gladiator, or one of the Hawker bipes…. sadly won´t happen. Thanks for your drawing, like it!

Michael

Thanks for the replies and a shame that there wasn’t the interest or opportunity, would have been a lovely scheme and little run around for a squadron somewhere or other.

Thought I’d do a ‘what if’ for you all anyway.

Thanks for the replies and a shame that there wasn’t the interest or opportunity, would have been a lovely scheme and little run around for a squadron somewhere or other.

Thought I’d do a ‘what if’ for you all anyway.

Is there any record of a Hs123 falling into Allied hands at any point during the war? I only have evidence of them in Spain, China and with the Luftwaffe but were they all withdrawn or destroyed before any could be liberated?

Thanks

@inkworm: I doubt any Hs 123 has survived anywhere. Just keep in mind, that the 123 was regarded obsolete when the Ju 87 Stuka entered service. Contrary to that believe all the available 123´s were used up till late spring 1944, in ever smaller numbers, scratching together every available airframe and spares. Due to scrapping tools and jigs in 1940, no “new” spares or even airframes could be produced, as demanded by W. von Richthofen. So they were used up until there were so few left, that it made no sense to keep them in service because not enough were left to operate them as a seperate type.

Interestingly they used the same engines as the Ju 52.

Michael

Is there any record of a Hs123 falling into Allied hands at any point during the war? I only have evidence of them in Spain, China and with the Luftwaffe but were they all withdrawn or destroyed before any could be liberated?

Thanks

@inkworm: I doubt any Hs 123 has survived anywhere. Just keep in mind, that the 123 was regarded obsolete when the Ju 87 Stuka entered service. Contrary to that believe all the available 123´s were used up till late spring 1944, in ever smaller numbers, scratching together every available airframe and spares. Due to scrapping tools and jigs in 1940, no “new” spares or even airframes could be produced, as demanded by W. von Richthofen. So they were used up until there were so few left, that it made no sense to keep them in service because not enough were left to operate them as a seperate type.

Interestingly they used the same engines as the Ju 52.

Michael

I’m no expert, but one of my references states that the Hs 123 was out of service by mid-1944, and the last unit was on the Eastern Front. I’m fairly sure that had they served in North Africa, one would have fallen into Allied hands, but as far as I know, none did.

If any examples were found by the allies after their advance into Germany, is it not possible that they would be disregarded as an obsolete 1930s biplane and not worthy of evaluation? There was a lot more exotic kit around, after all…

DD

I’m no expert, but one of my references states that the Hs 123 was out of service by mid-1944, and the last unit was on the Eastern Front. I’m fairly sure that had they served in North Africa, one would have fallen into Allied hands, but as far as I know, none did.

If any examples were found by the allies after their advance into Germany, is it not possible that they would be disregarded as an obsolete 1930s biplane and not worthy of evaluation? There was a lot more exotic kit around, after all…

DD

The RAF had examples of the Hs126 (in North Africa) and Hs129, but not the Hs123

The RAF had examples of the Hs126 (in North Africa) and Hs129, but not the Hs123

I can find no evidence (in the RAEs catalogue of Enemy Aircraft Reports 1939 -1946) of the Hs 123 (or any part of one) being evaluated by the RAE or A&AEE although the following Henschel types are mentioned, Henschel HS 129and Henschel Hs 293.

I can find no evidence (in the RAEs catalogue of Enemy Aircraft Reports 1939 -1946) of the Hs 123 (or any part of one) being evaluated by the RAE or A&AEE although the following Henschel types are mentioned, Henschel HS 129and Henschel Hs 293.