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Does anyone have definitive information as to exactly when the H-4 variant entered service with the Luftwaffe ?
In various books I've been studying, this variant is shown as entering service, or at the very least replacing the H-3 variant in production, on periods ranging from '..early 1940', to 'early 1941', with at least one source being more specific, and quoting '.... from early September, 1940'.
However, various photos in these books purport to show the H-4 variant, with individual exhaust stubs, rather then the 'flame damper' type of tubular, 'collector' exhaust seen on the H-1, H-2 and H-3, at periods variously described as July and August 1940, and 'summer 1940', with units based in Northern France, and Norway.
Also, crash and interrogation reports (of downed aircrew) concerning aircraft used by KG26 (based at Stavanger, Norway) on the raids against north east England on 15th August, show the codes of the aircraft concerned, which are described as He-111H-4, as do the listings of these aircraft in three books on the subject, where at least some of the information has come from accounts by the surviving aircrew involved.
That said, at least one photo of one of the aircraft lost on that day, shows that the earlier, 'tubular' exhausts are fitted (perhaps still retained by the first production batch, before the up-grading of the engine type ?), whereas I understand that the H-4 had the individual exhausts stubs.
Any info will be gratefully received.
En wiki cites a book claiming late 211A had 1100PS for take-off...
Thanks Paul - that confirms the exhaust type, at least on later H-4 variants ( being in the Med, it'll be 1941 or later).
At first, I thought it was actually a H-6 variant, but it has the earlier, VDM propellors, as fitted to the H-1, H-2 and H-3, whereas the H-6 had the broad-chord VS props.
All the books i have suggest that the first H-4 variants had the Jumo 211D engines, whilst later production H-4 models had the Jumo 211-F2, and I suspect that this was related to the change of exhaust type. As I mentioned earlier, from available photo evidence, it appears that those H-4s used by KG26 in August 1940 had the tubular exhausts, and probably, therefore, the Jumo 211D engines, but at least I now know that they were in service during the period I'm interested in.
I think I need to trawl through every He-111 photo I have, taken during the period concerned (and there are lots!), to check on exhaust type, as I'll be including a 1/48th scale He-111H-4 of KG26 in my 'BoB, Hardest days' collection (along with a KG53 H-2 variant), which will total 24 to 26 models, the majority being relevant Luftwaffe subjects.
Hmm - the max rpm was increased to 2300 rmp vs. 2200 rpm for the earlier models, per that book.
Wonder what is the chance that Mueller's book on the Jumo engines will have second print