What if the He-100?

Okay you are all saying it wouldn't be in time for Battle of Britain..

but IF (we are saying the big word here) we ignore reality and some how the He-100 was the newly acquired fighter for Germany, would there be any difference in the air war (the entire war was lost overall but hey, just trying to get every bit of juice from the topic)

 

Hey T.A

Read my senario again, please, you'll find that in my senartio Messerschmitt cancels the Bf-110 outright. And the He-100 is built up to production levels.

But you are entitled to your opinion.

v.R

 

This does little to change the picture. Messerschmitt is only building a mere handful of Me 110 to begin with. The average production between 1939 and 40 was from a low of about 30 aircraft per month to a high by late 1940 of about 100 per month. This frees up virtually nothing.
So the problem still stands: Where does the engines come from and who is going to build it?

 

T.A

A hypothetical Chronological evalutation on the He-100

First flew in January 1938. Approval is given for pre-production.
Production begins June 1938, 40 units per month.
Messerschmitt cancels it's Bf-110 series June 1939. Bf-109 production remains the same, Cancelled Bf-110 engines are rerouted to the He-100.


BoB comes, He-100 is deployed for the first time, they were not used previously total number of 800+ He-100's also there are 1,000+ Bf-109's giving the Luftwaffe a total front line strength of 1,800+ servicable fighters.

Can you come up with a creative solution to add to this thread to get the He-100 into production, i bet you can't.

v.R

 

In 1938 just four are flying, the V1 to 4. These aircraft are unarmed and primarily being used to try and capture the world speed record. They use surface evaporation cooling, hyped up engines that run for just minutes at a time before burning up, are devoid of operational equipment, and in general just tempermental experimental racing planes.
Some are fitted with shorter wings and special low drag canopies. The short wings make them horribly unmaneuverable and even unstable. The special canopy is hardly a practical feature. The surface evaporation cooling system is a nightmare and totally unworkable as an operational feature. The RLM shows little interest in it as an operational fighter plane.
By mid 1939 there are now 8 prototypes in existance (the A through C models). Henkel is competing with Messerschmitt (using the totally unworkable Me 209) for the world speed record with these aircraft. Henkel realizes that he has to make the He 100 a servicable aircraft hence a major redesign.

Henkel redesigns his aircraft and brings out the D model having a half dozen pre-production models available in September 39. The RLM recognizes it as a big improvement on the Me 109 D and E models. Because of the engine shortage, the RLM orders Messerschmitt to redesign the Me 109 to use the Jumo 211 and 213 engines instead of the DB 601 series. Henschel is ordered to tool up for initial production along with Henkel.
Messerschmitt of course protests this but complies. This gives the Henkel the engines necessary for production. By early 1940 tooling up is advanced enough to start some production by Henkel.
As 109 DB engined aircraft production tapers off, He 100D model production ramps up. By mid 1940 there are a few squadrons now using the Henkel with more scheduled to switch over. As the BoB starts there are about 200 Henkels deployed along with a mix of DB and Jumo engined 109s in service giving a total of about 700 fighters.

In service the biggest complaint quickly becomes the Henkel's lack of firepower. The single cannon and two "paint chippers" give way by the end of 1940 to three MG 151 cannon. Performance is still a bit better than the newest Spitfires. But, the switch over did not have the effect of winning the BoB. The extra range of the He 100 did help, as did its better performance. But, this wasn't enough to save the bombers in daytime.
They still got shot to pieces and the Luftwaffe still didn't have the fuel, pilots, or logistics in place to fight a major air war of attrition for long without losing.

By 1941 the Henkel is now the major Luftwaffe fighter numbering about 800 in service. In Russia they prove devastating. The extra range they possess helps and their triple cannon armament destroys the wooden Soviet machines easily. Against the RAF and USAAF bombers the Henkel is likewise more effective than the more lightly armed 109 was.

 

T.A

Wow what a senario, i loved reading it and applaud your creative skills, thank you, i would love to read more, especially about later in the war against the RAF and USAAF.

Again thanx.

v.R