The fighter that lost the race to become the Luftwaffe's backbone

Wars & Conflicts · Published 16 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the 1930s, Germany's aviation industry was locked in a high-stakes competition for the future of air combat. While the Messerschmitt Bf 109 eventually secured the crown, the Heinkel He 112 was a sophisticated contender that offered superior handling, only to be undone by speed and agility.

The Heinkel He 112 was designed by brothers Siegfried and Walter Günter, who drew heavy inspiration from their successful He 70 Blitz mail plane. This lineage provided the He 112 with advanced features for the era, including an all-metal monocoque construction, retractable landing gear, and a distinctive inverted semi-elliptical gull wing. These design choices gave the aircraft excellent ground handling during takeoff and landing, making it more forgiving for pilots transitioning from biplanes.

Despite these advantages, the He 112 faced significant hurdles during the Luftwaffe's 1933–1935 procurement trials. While the aircraft demonstrated superior turning performance due to its larger wing, it suffered from unexpected drag. In comparative trials at Reichlin in October 1935, the He 112 reached a top speed of 440 km/h (270 mph), whereas the Messerschmitt Bf 109 achieved 467 km/h (290 mph). The Bf 109 also proved to be more agile and aerobatically capable.

The competition was further complicated by engine availability. Early prototypes like the V1 used a Rolls-Royce Kestrel V engine because the required Junkers Jumo 210 was unavailable. Even when equipped with the Jumo 210, the He 112 struggled to match the performance of the Bf 109 V2. Ultimately, the RLM prioritized the Bf 109 because it was faster and simpler to manufacture, lacking the complex compound curves found in the Heinkel design.

The He 112's legacy includes a fascinating experimental variant, the V5, designed by Wernher von Braun, which utilized a rocket engine to test the feasibility of rocket power. While the Luftwaffe moved toward the Bf 109 for series production in 1936, approximately 100 He 112s were eventually completed for use by the German military and various foreign air forces.

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