Heinkel He 219

Heinkel He 219
Country	Nazi Germany
Role	Night fighter
First flight	6 November 1942
Built	300

The Heinkel He 219 Uhu (“Eagle-Owl”) was a night fighter that served with the German Luftwaffe in the later stages of World War II. A relatively sophisticated design, the He 219 possessed a variety of innovations, including Lichtenstein SN-2 advanced VHF-band intercept radar, also used on the Ju 88G and Bf 110G night fighters. It was also the first operational military aircraft to be equipped with ejection seats and the first operational German World War II-era aircraft with tricycle landing gear. Had the Uhu been available in quantity, it might have had a significant effect on the strategic night bombing offensive of the Royal Air Force; but, only 294 of all models were built by the end of the war and these saw only limited service. Ernst-Wilhelm Modrow was the leading night fighter ace on the He 219. Modrow was credited with 33 from 34 night air victories on the type.

Source: Heinkel He 219 on Wikipedia

Heinkel He 219 A-2 Uhu Walk Around
Photographer	Cees Hendriks
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	65

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The Scourge of the Night Bombers

The Heinkel He 219 Uhu was arguably the finest night fighter produced during World War II. It was a sophisticated, purpose-built hunter designed to intercept the RAF’s heavy bomber streams. On its very first combat mission in June 1943, the prototype shot down five Lancaster bombers in a single night. Despite its incredible performance and the desperate need for such a defender, the “Uhu” suffered from political infighting within the Luftwaffe leadership, which severely limited its production numbers.

Attribute	Technical Specification (He 219 A-7)
Role	Night Fighter
Crew	2 (Pilot and Radar Operator)
First Flight	November 6, 1942
Powerplant	2 × Daimler-Benz DB 603G inverted V-12
Horsepower	1,750 hp (1,305 kW) per engine
Maximum Speed	416 mph (670 km/h)
Radar	FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2
Armament	Up to 6 × 20mm or 30mm cannons (including Schräge Musik)

A Masterclass in High-Tech Design

The First Ejection Seats: The He 219 was the first operational aircraft in the world to be equipped with compressed-air ejection seats for both crew members, ensuring they could escape the high-speed aircraft in an emergency.
Tricycle Landing Gear: Rare for German designs of the time, the Uhu featured a nose-wheel configuration. This gave the pilot excellent visibility while taxiing and made landings much safer at the high speeds required by its heavy wing loading.
“Schräge Musik” (Slanted Music): The He 219 frequently carried two 30mm MK 108 cannons mounted behind the cockpit, firing upward at a 65-degree angle. This allowed the pilot to fly underneath a bomber—where its gunners couldn’t see him—and fire directly into the fuel tanks.
Advanced Radar Array: The nose was dominated by the “antlers” of the Lichtenstein radar. The FAW.7 version featured the SN-2 array, which was resistant to the “Window” (chaff) dropped by British bombers to confuse German sensors.

Operational Excellence & Rarity

The Mosquito Hunter: The He 219 was one of the few German aircraft fast enough and agile enough at high altitude to consistently intercept and shoot down the elusive de Havilland Mosquito.
Modular Armament: The “Waffenträger” (Weapon Carrier) tray beneath the fuselage allowed armorers to quickly swap out cannon configurations, letting the aircraft be tailored for different mission types in minutes.
The “Uhu” Legacy: Only about 294 were built before the end of the war. After the conflict, both the US and UK captured surviving airframes for intense study, as its cockpit ergonomics and sensor integration were years ahead of their time.
The Sole Survivor: Today, only one He 219 exists. It was painstakingly restored and is now on display at the **Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center** in the United States.