{"id":5965,"date":"2026-06-19T15:08:31","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T12:08:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/top2bottom.tech\/?page_id=5965"},"modified":"2026-06-20T01:43:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T22:43:20","slug":"heinkel-he-111h-11-leros","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/top2bottom.tech\/el\/heinkel-he-111h-11-leros\/","title":{"rendered":"Heinkel, Leros [+1943]"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n

Heinkel He 111H-11, Leros [+1943]<\/h1>\n

Wreck<\/h2>\n

Max Depth: 16m | Temp.: 19\u00b0C (Oct-21)<\/h4>\n
<\/div>\n

Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke GmbH was founded in 1922 in Warnem\u00fcnde by Ernst Heinkel and developed into one of the most important German aircraft manufacturers of the first half of the 20th century, holding 1,352 aviation patents and 587 engine patents. The company\u2019s headquarters and main production facilities were located in Rostock-Marienehe, Germany.<\/p>\n

Ernst Heinkel (1888\u20131958), who studied mechanical engineering at the Technische Hochschule in Stuttgart, was distinguished for his interest in the development of high-performance, high-speed aircraft. Under his direction, the company developed a series of aircraft that significantly influenced the German aviation industry of the interwar period.<\/p>\n

In 1931, Heinkel hired the twin brothers Siegfried G\u00fcnter and Walter G\u00fcnter, among the most capable aircraft designers of their time. The G\u00fcnter brothers played a decisive role in the development of some of the company\u2019s most notable aircraft, such as the He 51, He 70, He 111, He 112, and He 100.<\/p>\n

Historical context<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In the early 1930s, Deutsche Lufthansa and the Reich Air Ministry (Reichsluftfahrtministerium \u2013 RLM) were seeking a fast aircraft capable of serving both civil and military roles.<\/p>\n

The twin\u2011engined aircraft was initially developed in civilian form; however, from the outset, it was designed with the capability of being adapted into a military bomber and transport aircraft.<\/p>\n

This approach was directly linked to the restrictions imposed on Germany after the Treaty of Versailles, which prohibited the country from maintaining an air force. Within the framework of the secret rearmament policy of the 1930s, several German aircraft were initially presented as civilian or commercial designs, while in reality they were intended for use by the newly formed Luftwaffe.<\/p>\n

Design & development<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The He 111 was designed in 1934 as an upgraded, significantly larger version of the He 70, which at the time set the standards in air transport.<\/p>\n

The first prototype made its maiden flight on 24 February 1935, with the military bomber version appearing third in sequence. Following continuous improvements in power and overall performance, the fifth prototype\u2014flown in early 1936\u2014formed the basis for subsequent production models.<\/p>\n

By autumn 1936, the first production models, Heinkel He 111B\u20111 and Heinkel He 111B\u20112, powered by Daimler\u2011Benz DB 600 engines, had entered production at the Marienehe facilities in Germany.<\/p>\n

The Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) was impressed by the aircraft\u2019s upgraded capabilities and ordered such quantities that, between 1936 and 1937, new factory facilities were constructed at Oranienburg (Heinkel\u2011Werke Oranienburg), near Berlin, specifically for He 111 production. These facilities were later presented by the regime as a model industrial unit and a symbol of German industrial power. During the same period, Ernst Heinkel was recognized as a leading figure in the defense industry for his contribution to Germany\u2019s rearmament.<\/p>\n

Development stages<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Further improvements led, by late 1938, to the production of the He 111P version. More powerful Daimler\u2011Benz DB 601 engines, upgraded electronics and bombsights, improved fuel tank protection, and the introduction of the characteristic nose\u2014consisting of an elongated glazed canopy\u2014made the Heinkel He 111 perhaps the most recognizable German bomber of World War II.<\/p>\n

The new nose design provided the pilot with significantly improved visibility, as his position was located higher and to the left of the aircraft\u2019s longitudinal axis, while the observer sat forward and lower within the distinctive glass nose.<\/p>\n

This position provided the observer\u2014who also performed the roles of navigator, bombardier, and forward gunner\u2014with excellent visibility, facilitating both navigation and bombing accuracy.<\/p>\n

The configuration also improved aerodynamic performance, making the aircraft relatively fast and efficient for its time.<\/p>\n

Stronger armament, better armor protection, increased operational range, and the introduction of Junkers Jumo 211 engines led the Heinkel He 111 to its most developed and widely produced wartime variant, the He 111H, which entered Luftwaffe service in the summer of 1939.<\/p>\n

Early operational use<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The He 111 was first used operationally during the Spanish Civil War (1936\u20131939).<\/p>\n

From January 1937, 30 He 111B\u20111 aircraft were deployed as part of the Condor Legion, primarily in bombing missions, providing valuable data for improving both aircraft design and operational tactics.<\/p>\n

This experience played a decisive role in shaping Luftwaffe aerial strategy prior to World War II.<\/p>\n

Second World War \u2013 operational role<\/strong><\/h2>\n

At the time of Germany\u2019s invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939\u2014which effectively marked the beginning of World War II\u2014the Luftwaffe possessed a fleet of 808 Heinkel He 111 aircraft of various versions, approximately 700 of which were operational.<\/p>\n

The twin\u2011engined aircraft provided the German air force with a fast and flexible medium bomber, used as a spearhead for the Blitzkrieg tactics applied successfully in major early war campaigns across Europe, including Poland, Norway, France, and the Low Countries.<\/p>\n

During the Battle of Britain (10 July \u2013 31 October 1940), it was extensively used in bombing raids against cities and industrial targets, causing widespread destruction.<\/p>\n

Although initially effective, it soon proved vulnerable to attacks by Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes, mainly due to insufficient defensive protection and inability to match the speed of modern British fighters.<\/p>\n

Heavy losses forced the Luftwaffe to restrict its use primarily to nighttime missions over Great Britain, having lost more than 240 aircraft of this type by the end of the campaign.<\/p>\n

Multiple roles and adaptability<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Despite its shortcomings, the He 111 remained a highly versatile aircraft. In addition to its role as a medium bomber, it was also used as a transport aircraft, a torpedo bomber in naval operations, a mine-laying aircraft, a glider tow plane, and on tactical support missions.<\/p>\n

This adaptability kept it in service on all fronts\u2014the Eastern Front, the Western Front, the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Atlantic\u2014even after it had already been technologically surpassed by newer aircraft types.<\/p>\n

Operational obsolescence and end of production<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Production ceased in September 1944, as the aircraft had become technologically obsolete and was gradually replaced by more modern and faster aircraft such as the Junkers Ju 88.<\/p>\n

The Luftwaffe, now focusing on fighter production, continued to use remaining He 111 aircraft mainly for supply and transport missions until the end of the war.<\/p>\n

Technical characteristics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Type<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Twin\u2011engined medium bomber<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Crew<\/strong><\/td>\n5 (Pilot; Navigator\/Bombardier\/Nose gunner; Ventral gunner; Dorsal gunner\/Radio operator; Beam gunner)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Length<\/strong><\/td>\n16.4 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wingspan<\/strong><\/td>\n22,6 m.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Height<\/strong><\/td>\n4 m.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wing area<\/strong><\/td>\n87,6 m\u00b2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Empty weight<\/strong><\/td>\n8.680 Kg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Maximum takeoff weight<\/strong><\/td>\n14.000 Kg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engines<\/strong><\/td>\nTwo Junkers Jumo 211F\u20112<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Propellers<\/strong><\/td>\nThree\u2011bladed variable\u2011pitch<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Power<\/strong><\/td>\n1.340 hp each<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Maximum speed<\/strong><\/td>\n440 Km\/h<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cruising speed<\/strong><\/td>\n350 km\/h<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Range<\/strong><\/td>\n2.300 Km<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Service ceiling<\/strong><\/td>\n6.500 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Armament<\/strong><\/td>\n1 \u00d7 20 mm MG FF cannon (nose)
\n1 \u00d7 13 mm MG 131 (dorsal)
\nTwin 7.92 mm MG 81Z machine guns (various defensive positions)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bomb load<\/strong><\/td>\nInternal: up to 2,000 kg
\nMaximum total (with external racks): up to 2,500 kg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/h2>\n

Heinkel He 111H\u201111 (8011\/6N+EP)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The shoot\u2011down<\/strong><\/h3>\n

On Sunday, 14 November 1943, the third day of the Battle of Leros, four Royal Air Force Bristol Beaufighters of No. 46 Squadron\u2014much of which had been deployed to Cyprus since late August and operated from RAF Lakatamia\u2014took off at 11:35. They were supported by four Beaufighters of No. 227 Squadron to continue a series of offensive patrols, reinforcing British resistance on the island.<\/p>\n

Led by formation commander Squadron Leader William Papillion Kemp (RNZAF), deputy commander of No. 227 Squadron, the aircraft of No. 46 Squadron sighted a He 111 at approximately 14:15, about 10 miles east of Leros, flying at an altitude of only fifty feet. Two of them moved in to pursue it.<\/p>\n

Aircraft JL913\/E, piloted by Flight Lieutenant David Crerar with Pilot Officer L. Charles as navigator, struck the first blow from a distance of 100 yards.<\/p>\n

Aircraft JL898\/S, piloted by Flying Officer Bryan Wild with Flight Sergeant R. W. Gibbons as navigator, followed and delivered the fatal hit to the German bomber.<\/p>\n

Their target was the Heinkel He 111H\u201111, Werknummer 8011 coded 6N+EP, belonging to II. Gruppe of Kampfgeschwader 100 (II.\/KG 100), which was carrying out a resupply mission for amphibious commando units (Brandenburger and K\u00fcstenj\u00e4ger) on Apitiki Hill, Leros.<\/p>\n

The aircraft crashed north of Leros, between the island and the Turkish coast.<\/p>\n

The aircraft\u2019s commander, Unteroffizier (Uffz.) Walter Pink, survived. He had been awarded the Frontflugspange f\u00fcr Kampfflieger (Operational Flight Clasp for Bomber Aircrew) and also held the Verwundetenabzeichen (Wound Badge).<\/p>\n

According to records, the remaining crew members were:<\/p>\n