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In 1938 the ReichLuftMinisterium (RLM) ask for the production of an assault and close-support plane, able to assist the JU87 Stuka dive-bomber and provide a support to the infantry
troops. The couple dive-bomber /assault-plane must be the main operating force of the Blitzkrieg. The only plane effectively on duty for this role was the Henshel Hs 123 , strong and robust biplane, wich was used agaisnt Poland and East front but this good plane was too old. The answer was again bring by Henshel with the Henshel HS 129. This little twin-engined plane have a design near the heavy twin-engine fighter like ME110 but she was little and powerless engine, and armoured fuselage. The first engine choose for the plane was the Argus AS410 A-1 V inverted 12 cylinders liquid cooling developping 495cv. The little fusealge is triangular section, pilot seat was far ahead in the nose of the plane with a thick 75mm armoured windscreen, all the cockpit was armoured , fitted with self-obturing tanks and a central rack for bombs. The early A-0 have 4 x 7,92mm MG17 in inner wings. The test pilots of Rechlin cursed the plane , the crual lack of power make of the plane a pilot trap!! In fact these A models was given to the Rumanian allied wich used them on the Oriental front. The HS129 B the most important version with 845 units produced, was remotorised by a french engine. Initialy fitted on the Marcel Bloch MB174 fast bomber the engine Gnome et Rhône 14M 04/05 was built by the Vichy Government to be used by the transport ME323 " Gigant ", a part of these engine was used by the HS129, the power of the new engine make the HS129 a good plane. Each Gnome et Rhone developping 690cv The HS 129 was used on East front with good results and in North Africa but with less efficacity. The model B-1/R1 is armed with 2 x 7,92mm MG17 and 2 x 20mm MG151/20 in the flank of fuselage. The center rack can receive either 2 x 50kg bombs or 48 anti-personnal 2kg bombs
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