Was Hs-123 still a valuable weapon system feom 1941 onward?

[Nodeo-Franvier]

I have often read that some German general really like how rugged it is and want to start the production line again if he could,But would this extremely vulnerable plane be able to do any good on the eastern front?

 

[GrauGeist]

The Hs123's advantage, was that it could operate in adverse conditions (mud, snow, poor weather) that grounded other types.

It's low speed and exceptional maneuverability also made it very difficult to intercept.

 

[tomo pauk]

I have often read that some German general really like how rugged it is and want to start the production line again if he could,But would this extremely vulnerable plane be able to do any good on the eastern front?

Considering that Germans used CR.42 and Hs 126 in the anti-partisan operations even in 1944, the Hs 123 does not seems like a redundant aircraft. Just keep it away from enemy fighters and it is an useful asset.

 

[denny]

Interesting.!
I am no kind of expert, but i was not even aware of this plane.
I know the Brits used ...was it The Swordfish"..... all through the war for various things.
I did not realize anybody else flew a bi-plane in battles

This is what Wiki says about the Hs-123

Henschel Hs 123 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[GrauGeist]

I did not realize anybody else flew a bi-plane in battles

Plenty of biplanes saw action in WWII, for example:
Curtiss SOC
Arado Ar95
Fiat CR.32/CR.42
Polikarpov I-153
Gloster Gladiator
Heinkel He59

There's more, like types that served in China against Japanese forces, but this short list shows that biplanes were very much in use during the war.

 

[muskeg13]

I just finished reading this, available at reasonable price on Amazon Kindle.

 

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi,

The few remaining operational Henschel 123s were flying daytime missions over Hungary in November-December 1944 with II./Schlachtgeschwader 2, and even at that late stage of the war, they were still providing valuable support to the German army.

Cheers,
Andrew A.

 

[yulzari]

The modern equivalent is more the attack helicopter role than fighter bomber aeroplane. Akin to the late war use of the Swordfish being more in the role of the modern ASW helicopter than strike aeroplane.

 

[Frog]

An Antonov An-2 is still a valuable aircraft today.

 

[SaparotRob]

An Antonov An-2 is still a valuable aircraft today.

And a pretty cool one too.

 

[Snautzer01]

valuable support to the German army.

When you have almost nothing even these can remain valuable i think.

 

[Ovod]

An Antonov An-2 is still a valuable aircraft today.

As some sort of combat aircraft? I doubt that. Who would want to fly a strike mission in an aircraft that can be overhauled and shot down by a Huey helicopter? The Ukrainians and Russians must have hundreds of such airframes and they certainly aren't using them.

If you are talking about irregular forces like ISIS and the various terrorist organisations around the world the use of drones is certainly were it's at these days. Dropping 40 mm grenades from cheap Chinese made quadcopter drones is a lot more survivable than flying around in an An-2 or a Cessna.

How the Army Out-Innovated the Islamic State's Drones - War on the Rocks

 

[Snautzer01]

can be overhauled and shot down by a Huey helicopter?

Thats the point. You have to be be there in force and find them. Untill then, it will set agents or drop weapons and other cargo when it can. And it can carry enough for a small up rising. Just for the fun of it. In very very bad weather, landing on grand ma porch. There is a reason why some of these obsolete beast are kept.

 

[Ovod]

Thats the point. You have to be be there in force and find them. Untill then, it will set agents or drop weapons and other cargo when it can. And it can carry enough for a small up rising. Just for the fun of it. In very very bad weather, landing on grand ma porch. There is a reason why some of these obsolete beast are kept.

But that's just it, you will be in force to counteract the Antonov because anyone armed with a rifle calibre weapon and heavier should be able to target and shoot down such a large aircraft flying at not much more than 100 knots.
As as transport aircraft, sure, it's bound to have some utility if its available - but there are probably better choices of aircraft for that as well.

 

[pinehilljoe]

HS-123 may have been a good plane, but I have to think it fits more in the category of it was better than nothing. A pilot might like the Henschel, but would not turn down an FW-190F for ground attack.

 

[GrauGeist]

The Hs123 could also operate in conditions that would have kept the Ju87 or Fw190F grounded.

A bonus in favor of the Hs123 over other types, was it's ability to keep flying after being hit by ground fire. Like a WWI aircraft, there wasn't much to it's construction that was vital. So unless a projectile struck the pilot, engine or a control line, the 123 shrugged it off and kept going.

 

[Shortround6]

The Hs 123 has several major differences from an AN-2.
It is a lot smaller, it is around 50mph faster (about 30%) and it can climb over 4 times faster (close to 5 times) and it was a dive bomber. It was stressed for hi G maneuvers.
Think of it as slow fighter bomber. Or sort of a Pitts on steroids. It will out climb a Pitts with 260hp engine.
It may not want to climb away from trouble but that kind of power means it can dodge, jink and turn without running out of airspeed as fast as some other aircraft.
In the later years I don't know how much daylight support it was doing or if was doing night harassment.
Most of the Ju 87s were doing night harassment as operating in daylight was way to costly.