Books on He 219/He 419/Hü 211

From within a thread on 12 O'Clock High!:

Guchi
Reason for Question
Wed Feb 20 04:06:52 2024
64.10.179.236

Thank you All for clearing up my confusion.

The reason for my question was that I was reading the Illustrated history of the He-219 by Ronald Remp from Schiffer publications.

On Page 54, the author writes:

"He 219 V2:
a) As a result of installing contra-rotating engines, the machine has good directional and longitudinal stability in spite of the short fuselage." and "The contra-rotating engines make the machine much smoother and eliminate the sympathetic vibrations."

That paragraph got me confused. But I guess that he (author) is only talking of that particular version. Correct?

Because I could not make out 'handed' propellers from any of the He-219's photographs either.

Thanks for clarifying this for me.

Regards

From TOCH!:

Lars Sundin
He 219 - one picture at least
Wed Feb 20 06:18:08 2024
62.20.250.243

On the "Unsere Luftwaffe" website ( http://www.unsere-luftwaffe.de/ ) there is a picture of a He 219 A-5 being tested at Tarnewitz which has the same rotation sense (clockwise as seen from behind) for the two engines. But more than one owl is needed to make a night...

The URL for the He 219 pictures is http://www.unsere-luftwaffe.de/flugzeuge/he219.htm

Lars S

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Guchi
Streib's He-219
Mon Feb 25 21:52:07 2024
205.210.223.1

Hi Marcel,

Thank you once again for the very informative reply to my previous post.

The reasons for all my questions, is that I am building a He-219 model and was trying to know more about the aircraft. For this purpose I had also purchased the book; Heinkel HE-219, An Illustrated History of Germany’s Premier Nightfighter by Roland Remp.

I have decided to build the model as the He-219/V9 prototype that Major Streib flew on the night of 11 June 1943 from I/NJG1’s base in Velno.

Now I have a few questions about this aircraft’s markings and canopy, and I would be obliged if you - or any other forum member - could help me.

I am advised that the aircraft bore the codes: G9+FB. With the ‘F’ being white, and the ‘G9’ one-quarter the size of the Balkenkreuz. The Balkenkreuz were of the ‘outline’ type, and as per Bärmann's site they were painted in RLM74 or RLM77. The Swastika’s were as outlines on the lower front corner of the vertical stabilizers.

Now some indicate that the aircraft was finished entirely in RLM76, whereas according to Bärmann and the Opsrey’s book, Aces of the Nachtjagd, it was also over sprayed with very small spots of RLM75. In the photograph that I have of the crashed aircraft, in Remp’s book, I can’t make out whether there are spots or not. Do you know if this is correct or not?

The Opsrey book also claims that this aircraft also had the Kommandeur’s Chevrons painted on the side of the cockpit. The book points to the same photograph of the crashed aircraft. Now I do see something in that area, which to me could be the Chevrons or it could be the structural damage to the outside panel where the control cables were carried (page 36 bottom left photo of Remp’s book). Do you know if this aircraft carried chevrons?

Finally, the canopy of this aircraft seems to be the ‘bulged (rear)’ type of the prototypes as opposed to the ‘sloping (rear)’ of the other operational aircraft. Was the canopy changed in the other A0 aircrafts, after the V9 prototype?

Sorry for imposing on your time, but I respect your views very much as they seem to be well researched. I would really appreciate any feedback.

Also, if anybody else has any information of this particular aircraft, I'd be very obliged if you could share it with me.

TIA

Gurcharan

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Erinç Özgür
Captured He-219s by the Czechs or Russians ?
Tue Mar 5 07:38:05 2024
212.98.208.98

How many actually were captured or seized at Eger(Cheb) after the war ?
Was it the Czechos who seized them or the Russians captured and then transferred the He-219s to the Czechs?
Were they ever test flown by the Russians?
Are there any pictures around with Czech or Russian insignia?

From TOCH!:

Jean
He 219
Tue Mar 5 22:27:03 2024
212.11.97.251

There were about 4-5 a/c found at Cheb (Eger) in the US Army zone, nr.222, 179, V-23(DV+D?), 188 and at least one yet.
From these a/c no was taken over by US I think, and two were repaired to be tested by Czechoslovak AF. I don't know any photo
of He 219 in Czech marking I just have two different colour profiles one showing uppersurfaces greenbrown(not khaki) and lower in light blue
and another in original Luftwaffe camouflage lightgrey and uppersurfaces green mottled both with Czech national insignia. One of
them was tested without cover behind the canopy. Another damaged He 219 was found at one of the Prague's airfields (Kbely or Letnany) in the Russian zone. I suppose it was scrapped. C.F. Geust remarks no He 219 in Russian hands in his book Under the Red Star. Eventually I'm interested to know if any was tested by VVS.

From TOCH!:

Erinç
He-219/LB-79
Wed Mar 6 06:53:36 2024
212.98.208.98

Hello Jean,
Thank you for the further information. Where can I possibly find those two colour profiles you mention? By ''cover behind canopy'' I presume you mean the canopy part behind the radar operator, right?

From TOCH!:

PK
book...
Tue Mar 5 14:26:24 2024
158.195.16.233

HI.

There is a great book bout Luftwaffe captured in Czech lands.
called Luftwaffe in Czech, from J. Rajlich, JaPo Publ. 2024 I think...
Try to get it wia Eagle edition...
Really good source...

peter

From further within the thread on TOCH!:

Erinç
Re: JaPo book
Tue Mar 5 16:58:35 2024
212.98.208.98

Here's what I found:

Luftwaffe over Czechoslovakia 1944-45" by J.Rajlich mentions

He 219 which were produced to the end of WW II on Czechoslovak occupied territory in Eger (Cheb).
After the end of WW II there were found some dozens of the He 219 but only two of them were in the flying condition.
Both machines were tested later by Czechoslovak Aviation Research Institute in Prague-Letnany as LB-79.
None of these machines were delivered to Russians.

The camouflage colours were:
Top surfaces Dark Green
Bottom Light Blue
Czechoslovak marking in 6 positions plus white code number "34".
The canopy was removed during the flight trials.

From TOCH!:

Jörg
Czech He 219
Tue Mar 5 19:36:08 2024
62.225.77.9

Hello Erinc,

here some informations from "letectvi + kosmonautika" (issue 18/1991). The Czech He 219 was He 219A-5. There was planned to produce more than two machines with the parts founded in Cheb (Eger) but these plans were stopped. The codenumbers were "32" (LB-79/I) and "34" (LB-79/II) -- interesting is that designation "LB" was the code for "light bomber". In spring 1950 the "34" was used by tests with Czech constructed copies of BMW 003. In the end of 1952 they hadn't enough spare parts and the machines were destroyed. The magazine spoke from a green-brown camo on the top surfaces --- the Czech "Khaki"?

Maybe that you can find many more informations in the book from Jiri Fidler/Jiri Rajlich "Soumrak kralu vzduchu, Ceskoslovenske vojenske letectvo 1945 - 1950", publisher Ares, 1999/2000. I don't know the book so I can't say anything about the quality ... but I know Mr. Rajlich from former articles about Czech aircraft history and he is an excellent expert.

Best regards
Jörg

From TOCH!:

Erinç
Re:Czech He 219
Wed Mar 6 06:58:32 2024
212.98.208.98

Thanks a lot for the very interesting additional information Jörg. I'll try to find the book and magazine.
Does that magazine mention where exactly the jet engines were hung under the wings?

I also wonder how it was possible for a He-219 to carry bombs? Any takes?

From TOCH!:

Erinç
BMW 003 w.LB-79/II
Wed Mar 6 07:57:54 2024
212.98.208.98

Jörg, do you think the engine pod was carried on or under the fuselage?

From TOCH!:

Rod MacBeath
White 34
Wed Mar 6 11:14:55 2024
213.122.238.70

Hi Erinc

Have you seen Aircraft Profile No 219 on the He 219 by Richard P Bateson, published around 1970? It has a photo of white 34 (in poor quality) but it does show that the upper fuselage behind the cockpit has been removed and a lip constructed at the rear of the open section. The pilot`s name is given as Kovalinka. There`s also a reference to a photo of one of the He 219`s shipped to the US being airbrushed ("behind the Iron Curtain") to represent a Czech LB-79, though this representation isn`t shown.

There`s also a colour side profile of white 34, which states that the aircraft was used "for experiments of an undisclosed nature". Incidentally, both photo and profile show the cockpit canopy as complete.

Hope this helps!

Rod

From TOCH!:

Erinç
Thanks Rod, you've got mail. nt
Wed Mar 6 12:24:40 2024
212.98.208.98

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Maik Swobode
He 219 W-Nr 310189 markings
Mon Jun 17 00:30:12 2024
80.132.2.210

I am confused regarding the correct marking of this aircraft.

The Tamiya-Kit of the He 219 shows this machine marked with "D5+CL" (the Werk.-Nr. in this kit is wrong - 310188).

The Flugzeug-Profile says it was "G9+CL" - other sources say it was "D9+CL"


I have also seen an image of the right fuselage side - whis seems only to wear the "Balkenkreuz" but no markings -is this possible ?

This aircraft can also be identified by a "VI" below the cockpit. It has been tested by the RAE in the UK after the war.


What was the correct marking of this machine ?

From TOCH!:

Norbert Neuser
He 219...
Tue Jun 18 14:04:49 2024
172.154.251.153

Hello, Maik,

as far as I was able to find out in the book "Der Nachtjäger Heinkel He 219" by Roland Remp:

He 219 A-2, W-Nr. 310189, coded G9+CH, showing "VI" on the nose (equipped with Lichtenstein SN 2b), was brought to Farnborough by the RAF as AM22.

He 219 A-0, W-Nr. 190194, coded G9+CL, belonged to St./NJG 1, crashed at Randorf during final approach.

For this source otherwise seems not to bereliable (G9+CH is also mentioned in the appendix with W-Nr. 290061, lost 3 km East of Sendenhorst due to engine failure), I've no idea either...

...possibly another gent on this board is able to smash the knot in this mixed-up scene?

Best regards

Norbert

From TOCH!:

Maik Swoboda
X+CL
Tue Jun 18 17:59:49 2024
80.132.7.39

There are photos of this aircraft after it was captured and overpainted buy the british - one can still see the "CL" marking - but unfortunately not the first part of the marking (which was written in much smaller letters)

From TOCH!:

Norbert Neuser
He 219: Possible Explanation
Wed Jun 19 08:33:07 2024
172.174.210.122

Hi, Maik,

1.10.1944, St./NJG 1, Maj. Paul Förster and Olt. Fritz Apel KIAA during final approach at Handorf, He 219 A-0, W-Nr. 190194, coded G9+CL

May 1945, 3./NJG 1, He 219 A-7, W-Nr. 310189, coded G9+CL, captured by British forces at Wsterland/Sylt

Possibly the unit code was given a second time due to the loss of the first a/c wearing this code. Sometimes a common procedure in a/c-markings of the Luftwaffe – if I do recall it right.

I hope that this helps You any further – with best regards

Norbert

From TOCH!:

Maik Swoboda
Thank you
Wed Jun 19 19:37:39 2024
80.132.4.44

The puzzle is completed now.

Your Information complies with informations I received from other reserachers in the meantime.

It also seems that Flugzeug Profile was wrong saying it was a A-5/R2.

Danke Norbert

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Anders Näslund
combat ejection from He219...
Mon Jul 8 20:41:37 2024
212.217.133.53

Hi,
upon researching Otto Fries NJG career i came across that he and Alfred Staffa were some of the few that did an combat ejection from an He219
http://www.aviatorart.com/trudgian/t-cloak.htm
but there seem to be some more, can anyone point to some literature that covers
this events??

Regards Anders

From TOCH!:

From TOCH!:

RodM
Boiten "Night Airwar"
Thu Jul 11 12:26:29 2024
210.86.53.129

Dear Anders,

Herr Fries gives an excellent third-person account of this harrowing event in Theo Boiten's book, "Night Airwar"

Cheers

RodM